Automated Home - Crestron Integration by Custom Controls

Crestron Integration by Custom Controls

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Here's a set of three videos from Custom Contols showing recent integration projects for smart home lighting and security systems as well as the Spotify streaming music service. Watch the other two videos below.

Using a Crestron touchpanel to select mood lighting scenes as part of a Crestron Greenlight system. Also shows how easy it is to create custom mood lighting scenes and instantly recall at the touch of a button.

Crestron & Spotify Integration - beta for the moment! Search and play a virtually unlimited amount of music from Spotify via any Crestron touchpanel. Search for artists/songs and play immediately or create a playlist. Revolutionise parties by having a Jukebox with music for everyone! The ultimate addition to a multi-room audio system.

Integrating an intruder alarm system with a Crestron control ssystem. The control systems provides intelligent setting and unset options in addition to reporting alarm status in a user friendly way...

Custom Contols : The Automated Home YouTube Channel

Comments (7) add comment

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Rich , November 17, 2009

I want it!

As much as I love the home built stuff, there is something so stunning about a proper commercial install using the latest tech.

I wonder how much a system like that would cost?

Rich

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

...
written by The Masked Installer , November 17, 2009

I can't give a figure on a Crestron system but I'll give you some AMX context.

Touchpanels range from just over a grand for the baby lower res 4" through the 5" and 7" models which have 800 x 480 resolutions and which cost £2-3k ish.

The brains of the systems sit in central processors - 2k ish.

Audio and video switching takes another chunk of budget. We use AMX (Autopatch) matrix switches and big systems with 18+ output zones distributing stereo + component video are 5-8k. And then you need amplification, source devices, display devices, speakers etc

Programming might cost £400 / day

Realistically you're starting at £50k and it's more common for it to be North of £100k.

so there's a big gulf between the DIY solutions and the Crestron / AMX end of the market which is why there is so much activity there. We keep evaluating things in that middle market because it's obvious there's a demand there, but we wouldn't want to take on anything that compromises quality or reliability.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +1

...
written by Prem , November 17, 2009

This stuff is brilliant.

However, I have kids - they perform the same function except that they have a "random" setting which is lacking in the Creston / AMX setup!!!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by Rich , November 18, 2009

Masked Installer, what would you say is the best middle ground then for an enthusiastic DIYer?
I'd like to combine AV, lighting, heating and security.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by The Masked Installer , November 20, 2009

The middle ground is the worse place for the enthusiastic DIYer

The middle ground is populated by proprietary systems each with their own foibles that will drive a hacker mad.

Brew your own and realise that's what you're doing. I'm only qualified to talk about this because I hack in my own time. I think Sonos is really good but bounded. I like what you can do with AppleTV but I see it as a bit of toy (the more you make it diverge from the Apple product, the flakier it gets).

If you've built a business developing systems around Lutron / Kaleidescape / AMX it's almost impossible to give a non-disparaging view on kit that sits below that in the marketplace. I dislike Opus, Systemline, Russound, Living Control, DigiLinX, Nuvo. But each of them is still going to cost the average punter a bottom clenchingly large amount of money.

I'd like the Web Brick guys or maybe some of the KNX billies come on here and lay out a vision of the middle ground. I don't see one. Hack, have fun and develop a budget solution or bite the bullet and buy the stuff that just works.

Sorry, maybe I've got my sore head on today. I spent this morning doing stuff to a server that I thought I'd grown out of 3 years ago and it was a shock.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by Dimar , November 27, 2009

I have found that most DIYer's quit after spending a ton of money and come running to a commercial party. Unless you are dedicated and somewhat technical, save yourself the trouble smilies/wink.gif

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by Dave Chester , July 23, 2010

Thanks for the kind comments guys!

The masked install is pretty much spot on in relation to costs - upwards of £50k realistically.

We've got loads more videos and integration options on our site www.CustomControls.co.uk.

Any specific questions or anythign get in touch!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Write comment