Wow factor

[maknoll]

The Elk panel has been up and running for almost a year now mainly doing security and lighting funtions (flawlessly, I might add). We are also doing some lighting scenes and rules functions that the wife and family just love. We also have several time and/or motion-based events.

Now, I have a little time and a little money to do something more, so I'm soliciting ideas for something with high WAF for a next step(s). For starters, the structured wiring is not completely in place yet. We will ultimately have whole-house audio (and probably video). I really don't know what audio we will have so I'm not confident I know what cabling to pull. Cable, phone and ehternet is mostly completed. Elk speakers are distributed throughout the house however.

I am currently on a trial version of Homeseer -- very powerful, but the real OH MY GOD! stuff seems to require mics and more audio distribution than I currently have. I may not be ready for that yet....don't know for sure.

Any and all thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Mark

 

[IVB]

What specific security and/or lighting stuff do you have setup?

Any other automation currently installed? What else is in the future?

Lot's of nifty things. I've noticed that no one thing is a "wow", but lots of little things put together add up.

1) On doorbell ring, a touchpanel in the kitchen wakes itself up and displays the live camera feed from the front-door-cam
2) HVAC is adjustable via cellphone, so we can turn up heat/turn on fans when we're en-route home.
3) All lights/stereos/etc get shutdown when we arm away the Elk
4) (i don't do this, others do) - rfID alert if garbage cans aren't taken out on the correct night
5) (also don't do this) -rfID activation of appropriate lights when the tag arrives home
6) Database logging of every inbound phone call, so we can regularly poll & update our outlook contacts list (or just search for the # of someone who called beforehand)
7) in your case, you could just mount the touchpanel for the audio & security stuff you've got now

 

[maknoll]

What specific security and/or lighting stuff do you have setup?

Elk M1 panel, several motions, door sensors, UPB switches.

Any other automation currently installed? What else is in the future?

I don't really know what to do next. I want to be set up/prewired for anything and everything before I finish off the basement, however, so I'm looking for some direction in that regard as well

1) On doorbell ring, a touchpanel in the kitchen wakes itself up and displays the live camera feed from the front-door-cam

That's a good idea and easy enough to capture the ring. Perhaps send an announcement through the Elk speakers.

2) HVAC is adjustable via cellphone, so we can turn up heat/turn on fans when we're en-route home.

Our schedule is pretty predictable, so for now, the programmable thermostat is OK

3) All lights/stereos/etc get shutdown when we arm away the Elk

We are doing that

4) (i don't do this, others do) - rfID alert if garbage cans aren't taken out on the correct night
5) (also don't do this) -rfID activation of appropriate lights when the tag arrives home

Never thought about RF. I'll have to do some additional reading.

6) Database logging of every inbound phone call, so we can regularly poll & update our outlook contacts list (or just search for the # of someone who called beforehand)

I don't have a way to capture the inbound calls, but that would be nice. Is that software-based?

7) in your case, you could just mount the touchpanel for the audio & security stuff you've got now

Good point.

 

[Rupp]

Never thought about RF. I'll have to do some additional reading.

Check out the CheaperRFID hardware on the HomeSeer bulletin board for a relatively easy and affordible RFID system.
http://board.homeseer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=869

I don't have a way to capture the inbound calls, but that would be nice. Is that software-based?

Have a look at HomeSeer phone. It does this as well as many other functions. This will allow you to hear incoming callerID over your speakers, as well as control any HomeSeer functions via the phone or cell phone.

 

[IVB]

I don't have a way to capture the inbound calls, but that would be nice. Is that software-based?

I just got a cheap, perhaps $25ish PCI modem card, then used CQC. As Rupp said, there's a way to do it with HS as well.

FWIW, CQC also supports CheaperRFID. Probably not relevant as you're looking into HS, but at least that's a testament to it not being a single software product.

 

[maknoll]

FWIW, CQC also supports CheaperRFID. Probably not relevant as you're looking into HS, but at least that's a testament to it not being a single software product.

I've not decided on HS or any other PC based controller, as I don't think I'm fully utilizing the Elk's functions yet. I feel like I need more of an infrastructure in place to take advantage of such a system. I would also want a dedicated PC to run it. In fact, I'm still trying to make it to one of your CQC webinars. So far, my timing has been terrible.

I need to look more closely at Cheaper RFID for sure though.

 

[Rupp]

A few other random "neat" things you can do is:
- mute the TV when the phone rings ...
- shut off the TV's in your kids rooms if there is not motion for x number of minutes ...
- monitor the temp in the freezer and be notified if the temps rise (power outtage caused by ground fault interrupt tripping) ...
- monitor the power usage of your home ...
- track your car using Amateur Radio APRS ...
- start your car by hacking your car starter remote ...

The list goes on and on.

 

[maknoll]

Have a look at HomeSeer phone. It does this as well as many other functions. This will allow you to hear incoming callerID over your speakers, as well as control any HomeSeer functions via the phone or cell phone.

I was under the impression that I could not announce over my Elk (system) speakers. I thought I would have to wait until I had the whole-house audio system in place. Am I mistaken?

 

[IVB]

Have a look at HomeSeer phone. It does this as well as many other functions. This will allow you to hear incoming callerID over your speakers, as well as control any HomeSeer functions via the phone or cell phone.

I was under the impression that I could not announce over my Elk (system) speakers. I thought I would have to wait until I had the whole-house audio system in place. Am I mistaken?

Yes, happily you are mistaken. I personally dislike using the WHA speakers, for reasons I can get into later if relevant. I use the Elk speakers for TTS, also custom-WAV announcement. How boring is hearing the phone # - i recorded people's voices and play that back via the Elk speakers. I recorded my M.I.L.'s voice nagging us with "Hey, it's me, where are you guys", and that plays when her # dials in.

What I do is to use TTS on my CQC PC (the default/out-of-box XP stuff). The headphone out is wired to an Elk-800 amp. That amp is hooked up to 6 total 32Ohm single-gang speakers, although 3 of them are on relays so I can turn them on/off at will. (i know that results in <2ohm load, i never have all 6 on).

I'm going to blend in the Elk announcements using BSR's writeup here. There's also this official Elk diagram about stepping Elk output down to line level.

 

[68sting]

One of my favorite things would be the speaker app. that comes with Homeseer(I'm sure other programs have something similiar". I have it on my work computer and when my doorbell rings or other speaking events go off I get them at work. I share an office with another person and they get a kick out of it. She called me one day because my "shed door open" announcement went off in the middle of the afternoon. My neighbor had just called me to borrow a tool. The doorbell is very cool also. When I hear the door bell go off I check my email right away. I have HS email me a pic of the front door and street. I know who's at my house with in a minute of them pushing the button. You can then call your friends and say " Hey I see you're at the house. What did you want?". They freak on that. I don't have an Elk yet but I'm just starting to look at them. I'm sure it will increase my "cool" options.

 

[Rupp]

Have a look at HomeSeer phone. It does this as well as many other functions. This will allow you to hear incoming callerID over your speakers, as well as control any HomeSeer functions via the phone or cell phone.

I was under the impression that I could not announce over my Elk (system) speakers. I thought I would have to wait until I had the whole-house audio system in place. Am I mistaken?

Yes, happily you are mistaken. I personally dislike using the WHA speakers, for reasons I can get into later if relevant. I use the Elk speakers for TTS, also custom-WAV announcement. How boring is hearing the phone # - i recorded people's voices and play that back via the Elk speakers. I recorded my M.I.L.'s voice nagging us with "Hey, it's me, where are you guys", and that plays when her # dials in.

What I do is to use TTS on my CQC PC (the default/out-of-box XP stuff). The headphone out is wired to an Elk-800 amp. That amp is hooked up to 6 total 32Ohm single-gang speakers, although 3 of them are on relays so I can turn them on/off at will. (i know that results in <2ohm load, i never have all 6 on).

I'm going to blend in the Elk announcements using BSR's writeup here. There's also this official Elk diagram about stepping Elk output down to line level.

This assumes the user has the ELK or a security system in general. In our area I know of no one who has a security system, thus the use of the less expensive whole house audio system.

 

[Rupp]

One of my favorite things would be the speaker app. that comes with HomeSeer(I'm sure other programs have something similar". I have it on my work computer and when my doorbell rings or other speaking events go off I get them at work. I share an office with another person and they get a kick out of it. She called me one day because my "shed door open" announcement went off in the middle of the afternoon. My neighbor had just called me to borrow a tool. The doorbell is very cool also. When I hear the door bell go off I check my email right away. I have HS email me a pic of the front door and street. I know who's at my house with in a minute of them pushing the button. You can then call your friends and say " Hey I see you're at the house. What did you want?". They freak on that. I don't have an Elk yet but I'm just starting to look at them. I'm sure it will increase my "cool" options.

How do you have your door bell interfaced with HomeSeer. This is the one think I've never done. My whole house audio announces when someone is at the front door so I've there's not been a need and I'm electronically challenged. It may be a good inexpensive new years project.

 

[Event5]

How do you have your door bell interfaced with HomeSeer.

One way would be to use the Simply Automated UMI seen Here if you are using the UPB plug-in

Dave

 

[IVB]

This assumes the user has the ELK or a security system in general. In our area I know of no one who has a security system, thus the use of the less expensive whole house audio system.

I believe the first line of this thread makes that a pretty good assumption

The Elk panel has been up and running for almost a year now mainly doing security and lighting funtions (flawlessly, I might add).

 

[Rupp]

This assumes the user has the ELK or a security system in general. In our area I know of no one who has a security system, thus the use of the less expensive whole house audio system.

I believe the first line of this thread makes that a pretty good assumption

The Elk panel has been up and running for almost a year now mainly doing security and lighting funtions (flawlessly, I might add).

Well I guess that was a good assumption then