Home Automation & Customer Installer FAQ
- What is a Custom Installation?
- Who should have a custom installation?
- What are the benefits to a custom installation?
- How much will it cost?
- How long will it take to install?
- Is there any aftercare/service etc?
- Is there a warranty?
- Is Home Automation easy to use?
- Is Home Automation expensive to run?
- What types of Home automation or domotics are there?
What is a Custom Installation?
A custom installation takes various consumer electronics and components of your home (heating, lighting, security and entertainment) and integrating them together. It does not have to involve all of these household components and can be anything as little as fitting a TV and wall speakers to a complete integration, or anything in between!
The combinations are endless and the majority of installs are also expandable, enabling to you start small and work your way up to complete automation.
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Who should have a custom installation?
Choosing the best equipment to integrate your home systems can be difficult and time consuming. We have the knowledge and experience of all aspects of a home and how to link them up seamlessly.
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
What are the benefits to a custom installation?
Apart from having the work done for you, as custom installers of bespoke systems you will get the best advice on what components and infrastructure will be required to match your budget, needs and requirements. Our installers will also ensure that the equipment is setup for optimum performance and show you how to use it.
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
How much will it cost?
Since every home is different and everyone has different needs we cannot propose a fixed pricing structure. Providing fixed off-the-shelf packages would not be suitable as no two installs have ever been the same. There might also be the case where the content of a package may include not enough – or too much – of a particular component (e.g. number of speakers for a home cinema).
With the vast amount consumer equipment available, pre-packaged systems would inevitably limit the choice in what we consider to be a personal service that only the customer knows is perfect for them, not us.
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How long will it take to install?
Installation times will vary according to the size and specifications of the project. If the install is to coincide with other refurbishments taking place (or on a new build) then we will need to coordinate with other on-site contractors.
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
Is there any aftercare/service etc?
Yes. Each install comes with instruction on how to use the system and a 12 month helpline support.
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
Is there a warranty?
Yes. All installs come with warranty.
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
Is Home Automation easy to use?
Yes. And each install will come with instruction on how to use it too.
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Is Home Automation expensive to run?
No. In fact an automated home can help reduce the consumption of utilities and your carbon footprint. A smart home can constantly detect temperature levels in individual rooms and adjust the heating accordingly to levels preset by yourself. Lighting can also be dimmed from 100% to a lower level but the difference is unnoticeable to the eye. You will get the same illumination but requiring less power to do so.
More soon .
Category: Home Automation, Custom Installer | TOP
What types of Home automation or domotics are there?
There are a wide range of smart home automation technologies:
- X10
Open standard communication method for home automation. Digital information is sent to devices (such as lighting) using the power lines (or electrical wiring) by transmitting radio frequency pluses. There is also a wireless protocol for X10.
X10 is widely used as it is easy to install but can be prone to interference from other electrical devices and impedance power fluctuations from said devices interrupting the digital signals from reaching their destination.
There is also limited support for scene setting in lighting. Other technologies provide much more stable lighting control.
More information can be found at the Wiki.
- KNX (Standard)
The convergence of three previous standards: European Installation Bus (EIB), BatiBUS and European Home Systems Protocol (EHS). Taking components from each of these standards it can control a smart environment via Ethernet (aka EIBnet/IP or KNXnet/IP), twisted pair, wireless (radio and Infra-red) and like X10, through power lines.
KNX is also approved as an open standard.
- C-Bus (CEBus in North America)
Created by Clipsal Integrated Systems, C-Bus has also been used in commercial as well as residential applications. It uses dedicated low voltage cabling or a wireless network to carry control commands to and from devices (two-way communication).
This system is widely used in Australia but is a worldwide protocol and can be found in notable buildings such as the Sydney Opera House and Wembley Stadium.
C-Bus can also be retro-fitted as a wireless system.
- INSTEON
Based on the X10 model, INESTON uses AC power lines and radio frequencies to automate electronic devices within the home. Each device in an Insteon network will also work as a repeater – that is, it will pass on a control command to the next device. This is known as a mesh network and makes wireless communication more reliable.
See also ZigBee.
- ZigBee
A Wireless protocol similar to Ineston. ZigBee is a low cost, low powered mesh wireless network. Each device (or ‘node’) in the mesh network acts as a repeater to sent control signals on to the next device providing a more reliable wireless network. If one device goes down, the signal will find an alternative route to its destination.
ZigBee uses the IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless standard ns was designed to produce high levels of communication using low-power transmitters and receivers, and to be less expensive than wireless personal area networks(WPANs) e.g. Bluetooth. The low power usage also allows for longer life.
Our Control4 wireless products use ZigBee technology.
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