Home Automation

De_man

This thread could be in either forum..DIY or here....(please feel free to move)

The saga goes on.....

Just started the 1st fix electrics, busy running lots of CAT5 & CT100 around the house as i hope to have the gaff fully automated with multiple zones (audio, video, lighting, alarm, security, heating, curtains) - all with the ability to be controlled via a GSM gateway.

Has anybody here gone through this already? it would be great to hear
your experiences (good or bad) on the subject..

i've been in touch with intellihome in belgium to source my stuff
cost approx 5K as i got stupid quotes here to do the same thing:eek:

My main problem are the curtains...the equipment they sell have this unslightly transformer by the side of the window!! senior management won't allow this to happen,

Any recommendations for alternative electric curtain rails?

Mellor

would it be possible to mount the transformer in a place where it id covered by the curtains when open and closed. im thinking on the wall behind the curtain when they are opened

ennisjim

Any fire hazard issues with all these transformers hiding behind curtains ? Just thinking...

smashey

I think this might get a better response in Gardening/DIY.

10-10-20

Can you clarify - transformer or gearbox? If it's the gearbox, you can't re-site it. If it's the power supply unit then it will be CE marked and double insulated and should be easy enough to site remote to the rails.

De_man

10-10-20 wrote:

Can you clarify - transformer or gearbox? If it's the gearbox, you can't re-site it. If it's the power supply unit then it will be CE marked and double insulated and should be easy enough to site remote to the rails.

Thanks to everyone for the replies, the transformer is the problem, the
gearbox must remain in situ (at the side of the rail). i think i could
put the transformer above the ceiling, but that could and most likely will lead to other problems down the line...

i've got back on to intellihome and they're going to work on it... (huge price differences between Ireland, UK and Belgium!!)

Stoner

This sounds simialr to Velux window operators,

Their Traffos can be installed a decent distance from the windows but the motors are beside them, there is only a tiny current and it will only need to operate for short periods of time, , however the switching is carried out from the motor to the siwtch and not from the siwthc to the traffo.


there was a guy I had dealings with years ago his son took over from him, it was also a system from Belgium called Nicobus or Nico bus. Its alot cheaper there as everyone has shutters on their houses that they control via the same units that dims the lights etc, they were helpful we installed their system into a Crunch Fittness club, still going about 8 years later.

Finially why not use Cat6 or Cat6E (Cat 7) cable the reception from TVS etc over Cat 5 or Cat 5e is not very good, even Cat 6e/Cat7 can't handle hi def from a sky box , but it will handle a satalite quality and DVD signal to share around the house, one good system that works over CAT6E is a Lexicom one. Smarthomes stuff is also the biz but requires alot of dedicated cabling, but if you plan it out is is a great system.

FrankGrimes

Hey,

My uncle is about to 1st fix the wiring in his build so a link to that Belgium company would be handy if you have it.

What's the price difference between CAT6 and CAT5e and is CAT6 completely backward compatible with CAT5e (i.e. it can do everything CAT5e can do plus more)?

I thought I read somewhere of some downside to CAT6, that maybe it was more sensitive to signal degradation due to kinks in the cable or something - any truth in that?

Wow, surprised to hear CAT6/7 can't handle hi-def - is HDMI the only cable that can?

De_man

Stoner wrote:

This sounds simialr to Velux window operators,

Their Traffos can be installed a decent distance from the windows but the motors are beside them, there is only a tiny current and it will only need to operate for short periods of time, , however the switching is carried out from the motor to the siwtch and not from the siwthc to the traffo.


Stoner you got it in one!!, everything in the gaff has dedicated wiring....i'm also installing the four velux integra (remote control job) the curtain rails operate much on the same principle except the velux is mains

Finially why not use Cat6 or Cat6E (Cat 7) cable the reception from TVS etc over Cat 5 or Cat 5e is not very good, even Cat 6e/Cat7 can't handle hi def from a sky box , but it will handle a satalite quality and DVD signal to share around the house, one good system that works over CAT6E is a Lexicom one. Smarthomes stuff is also the biz but requires alot of dedicated cabling, but if you plan it out is is a great system.

agree with you there regarding the CAT6E
thank god i drew out my wiring plan!!! the wiring is turning into a complete nightmare:eek: I had intended to run CAT5 but decided against it...

have a dedicated room (v small was supposed to be a cloak room:D ) for the hub with dedicated wiring to all rooms CT100 with CT125 on a couple of links,

CAT6 with the CT100 (2 each) to each bedroom, Four X CT125 to the sitting room, kitchen, sunroom, dining room and garage on each adjacent cover 2 X CAT6e,

everything can/will be controlled via remote and touchscreens in the sitting room, kitchen and hallway upstairs, helps organise the X10 throughout - senior management throwing a wobbler over the whole thing:D have told her that we need the wiring to meet new wiring regulations:D (well she does have several places where she can hook up the cooker, if she changes her mind)

What's going to mess me up i reckon is the gsm interface, the whole build thing is getting complicated trying to integrate everything,


Frank thanks for the heads up regarding the HDMI (i'll be using CT100 to each room with the CAT6) i'm shocked that the CAT6 can't handle the hi-def i'm going to check this in the morning - at least better to find out now rather than later as i'm doing my best to future proof my home

the link is www.intellihome.be but there's a lot of companies out there, i reckon the cost of the gear will be in the region of 5k excluding wiring costs i'll be doing all the labour myself


If anyone has any suggestions, as always greatly appreciated

Stoner

FrankGrimes wrote:

Hey,
Wow, surprised to hear CAT6/7 can't handle hi-def - is HDMI the only cable that can?

I dont know Frank, I think that only DVI and HDMI will give you the best Hi def picture, but as I have learned RGB leads will give you the lower level Hi def signal (like on the xbox 360)

http://www.benelec.ie/Products/niko.htm

I'd also try the place De_man is getting his stuff from.

Yeah with the hi def sky boxes you have to place them beside the TVs and back feed off the box to a distribution unit (the back feed is not hi def)

WRT Cat 5 cables , yes a CAT 6 cable will carry anything a CAT5 can for these applications,
One reason that CAT or CAT 7 cable may be more sensitive to signal degradation than CAT 5 or CAT 5 e is due to the fact that there is so much more information passing through them.
CAT 6 is a standard that states that so much info must be able to get from A to B in such and such a time under a defined error loss blah blah blah, but they'd have no difficulty dealing with the speeds a CAT 5 cable works to.

There is a place that makes up all sorts of cables

All Cables 01 4531233

Stoner

Sounds like onme hell of a system Frank, one I'd love myself, but its too late for my house:mad:

Also sounds like you have it well under control