Crestron CEN-IPOD replicates the iPod interface on a touchpanel
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 13th 2005 5:30PM
posted Sep 13th 2005 5:30PM
Crestron Electronics recently introduced their iPod CEN-IPOD product, which they claim to be the first "2-way iPod interface" which replicates the "iPod experience" on any Crestron touchpanel. Just connect the CEN-IPOD into one or more iPod Docks and the iPod interface is duplicated on the larger touch screen providing enhanced controls, sorting, and even photo viewing if your iPod supports 'em - everything you can do from the iPod and more. But why bother when you can link your entire digital library into your home entertainment system via a streaming media solution, rather than just ensuring access to those few choice nuggets synced to your iPod?
[Via eHomeUpgrade]
This looks like an Apple lawsuit waiting to happen.
This isn't any different that what pioneer uses for thier touch screens for vehicles, I don't see how they can claim its the world's first. Besides, why get an IPod when you got a pc or an xbox for music in your home. The IPod is awesome, but i'd rather use it for the portable device it was meant for.
get any ipod except shuffle here for free
http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=22139406
get any ipod except shuffle here for free
FOR FREE?!?! There couldn't possibly be a catch on a deal like that!
/sarcasm
"...those few choice nuggets synced to your iPod..."
Unless you've got a 60GB iPod, in which case your iPod may very well be your whole music library.
It's still cheaper just to get a miniplug to RCA Y-adapter and, you know, plug your iPod into a stereo.
perfect. now you can smear up your screen as well as your ipod.
yay.
I used to program Crestron products here in Seattle and believe me - none of this junk makes any sense ... it's all about neato looking gizmos that impress your CEO buddies. I had one guy who had us install a mini panel where his light switch used to be that - guess what - dimmed the lights. He claimed it was for future expansion... behold the power of a Microsoft pension.
i checked this out at CEDIA the other day and can report that IT SUCKS. Just imagine rolling your finger tip around the screen while the panel sends info to the ipod and the ipod sends feed back back to the touch screen - it's a slow process most of the time. If you go just the right speed though, it does work and it seems cool. But there's no way that I would use this program for my customers and leave it for them to use as their sole iPod interface.
#4 lectoid. of course there's a catch, you have to endure the humiliation of owning an iPod Shuffle, one of the worst flash-based mp3 players on the market. I still have never seen one of these out of the box and always see the shelves at Fred Meyers and Walmart stacked with them. It's like they can't get rid of them.
Anyways, this has to be one of the most useless products i have ever seen. what is the point of sitting down and using a big-ass lcd screen when you can just hold your iPod in your hand and do a variety of things such as sit, walk, lay down, or even cook something (providing you don't need 2 hands to cook it. and even if you did you could just put your iPod in a skin with a belt clip). I'll admit i hate iPods in the first place because of lack of included features, but this is just going overboard on the add-on features. just stick to basics like fm radio and voice recording (i assume there's an attachment for that).
Nick
I think some of you aren't understanding the product. It is not a touch panel designed for use with the iPod, from what I glean, but an adapter for a touchpanel system / embedded PC platform. So you can lounge on your couch and surf the web / watch TV / whatever, and plug the iPod into the little network enabled adapter (at least, from the picture, it looks like it), and control your ipod from the tablet as well. Yes, you can set up a streaming music server. But if you don't have a streaming music server, and you DO have a cestron touchpad, this could be a nice product.
I saw the premier of the ipod interface at the Cedia Show. They managed to pull off one of the best interfaces currently in the Integration Industry. Easy to use. Easy to add on many ipods to a whole house distribution system. You can spend $3000 for a designated music server, but why not slap your ipod in this system and add zones of audio only as you need them.
Oh yeah, one more thing in reply to the gent mentioning the Apple Lawsuit. Why would Apple want to sue when they will sell approx. 20,000-50,000 more ipods, now that the integration world finally has many companies with these new interfaces. Money in the pocket for Apple. Cedia didn't show any other mp3 player interfaces that I saw.
I guess this product is useless to the tech savy readers of Engadget, but it happens to be what ALL of my non-tech friends have been clamoring for.
Numerous friends have asked me where is the touchscreen juke-box style interface for me to plug my iPod into.
I can only assume you guys dont hang out with (dare I say it) people.
Picture this... You throw a party and theres 15 or 20 people and youve got your entire library on your iPod ready to please. Some know the drill, but some are afraid of it, some cant see the screen, and most dont want to spend any time hunched over by the stereo squinting, scrolling and clicking.
Now, same party with this item (mounted on the wall if I had my way) people gathered around it... "ooh play this... play that... look he's got Hermano's new record!" Now thats a party.
I WISH we had this at the beach house this summer. Oh well next year.
I want one in my car.
ok...just read the creston touchpanel link. i guess this might be useful after all for those who own an iPod. My mistake, I apologize.
and it would be cool for parties as well.
Nick
Get a Sonos...
http://www.sonos.com
#16 is right. A Sonos makes ALOT more sense than this thing.
This is perfect for all of the bars that throw iPod parties. This way people can take turns plugging in there iPod and sharing there music.
In concept, this thing is cool - but Crestron did a really lame job of implementing it. if an entire party is going to be playing around with this you'll see that more people get frustrated with its lack of response and it's skipping around randomly than actually going to the next item on the list. There were a ton of new iPod integration pices out at CEDIA - my favorite was a touch panel made by Russound. It had the easiest most intuitive interface. http://www.flickr.com/photos/oxjox/43152866/
As a Sonos owner myself, I can't imagine how anyone could even consider the Crestron iPod interface when Sonos have their system on the market.
www.sonos.com