Need advice on setting up Automation stuff for my Home Theater room ... (1 Viewer)

[ahmadka]

Hi guys ... I needed some advice on home automation controls .. I'm making a home theater room in the basement of my new house, and I wanted to add automation stuff to it ... Like I want to control the lights, the media source being played, the volumes, the air conditioning (if possible), etc ... I don't really know what kind of equipment goes into such stuff .. And this should be controllable from phones and tables, etc ..
I went to a home theater company recently that had an awesome home theater showroom, and that room featured these controls .. The guy had a iPad with him that controlled all these things on the fly .. He said he can install it all for me, for about $2500, but I would like to take on this project myself, and so I need advice on where to start ..
1) What is the main equipment for such an automation system ?
2) Do the lights in the room have to be special in any way, or can the automation system work with all kinds of lights ?
3) What would be the cost for such a system ?
Please note that this is the most relevant forum section I could find, but please do move this thread if a more suitable section is available else

 

[schan1269]

1. Essentially you need "network controls". Go to any actual "Electric Supply" store(you know where they sell the outlets, wall switches etc and that is ALL they sell...not Home Depot).
2. The lights bulbs just have to be dimmable. (the lamp fixture has nothing to do with it)
3. Have no clue, unless we were there in your house.
a. How many lights? All in the ceiling? Or some about 18" off the ground?
b. You need a network Heat/AC control. Is your furnace electric or gas? Do you have a heat pump?
c. What components? Are they already "network"?
But I'll shoot you an estimate based on "no information from your end"...
$10,000

 

[schan1269]

But here are some ideas (notice the words "network", "wireless" or "wifi" on everything)
http://www.amazon.com/Homewerks-Thermostat-CT-30-H-K2-Wireless-Module/dp/B004YZFU1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1348245146&sr=1-1&keywords=network+thermostat
http://www.amazon.com/GE-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1348245207&sr=1-3&keywords=network+light+switch
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-L5000PK-Lynx-Touch-Starter/dp/B00579YJB0/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1348245319&sr=1-6&keywords=wifi+smoke+alarm
http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-HA01C-Settings-Wireless-Receptacle/dp/B000WS6OZU/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1348245420&sr=1-3&keywords=wifi+home+automation (this is an individual wall outlet that can be turned off via "an app". Useful if you have a baby in the house and you want a baby monitor on its own...separate from everything else)