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Switched On: Light music
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Last month, Switched On discussed two of the Android expansion initiatives announced at Google's I/O conference -- the relatively easy to execute Android Open Accessory program and the relatively difficult to execute Android@Home initiative. In support of the latter, which would seek to wedge a new home networking standard among wireless systems such as Zigbee, Z-Wave and Insteon. In making the case for Android@Home, Google showed off a new LED light bulb from Lighting Science Group that included the necessary data radio embedded in the bulb. The advantage versus traditional lighting controls is that it removes the requirement for an electrician (or at least advanced DIYer) to build the radio into the wall plate. NXP Semiconductors has also shown off both compact flourescent and LED bulbs that can be controlled wirelessly via smartphones and other devices. But in a quest to tackle two staples of the smart home in one flip of a switch,, speaker house Artison has teamed up with lighting company Sylvania. to create MusicLites. As its name suggests, MusicLites combines lighting controls and multi-zone distributed audio in in a single product, but is it an approach you'll buy into?
Verizon's Home Control, hands-on
We love us some home automation but sometimes we get the feeling that we're the only ones. Perhaps it isn't that no one wants home automation as much as it's that no one can get home automation; and if that's the case, Verizon's new Home Control might bring us all together. The idea is that Verizon would sell and support a small Z-Wave enabled home automation controller (manufactured by ActionTec at least initially) that would be controllable and programmable via Verizon's website, mobile phones and FiOS TV set-top boxes. The demo was right on par with what we expect a good HA controller to do, but at this point there is only a trial in New Jersey, which means the rest of us will have to wait to see how it fairs in the Garden State before we'll get a chance to try it for ourselves. The only issue we did have with the demo was that while you can control your home form your FiOS DVR, you can't control you FiOS DVR from the other devices. This means that wake-up scenes like ones that would turn your every TV in your house to CNN at 7am in the morning, are out. Obviously this could and hopefully will change if this progress as Verizon hopes it will. %Gallery-113269%
ZeeVee adds remote management to ZvBox line, QAM 64 broadcasting and more
ZeeVee as a whole has transformed mightily as a company since we saw 'em debut back in May of 2008, now catering its hardware business towards enterprise customers and the occasional high-end home owner. That said, there's still reason to pay attention, particularly if you're an existing owner of a ZvBox. The company recently made known that a trio of gratis updates were being made available, the first of which added remote management capabilities to the entire line. Essentially, this upgrade allows multiple ZvBoxes to be simultaneously connected to a single computer at the ZvBox deployment site, and then access is granted to said computer via the web. In turn, an administrator can completely control distribution and the like, adding a bit of Sling flair to the whole ordeal. In lesser news, all ZvBoxes can now also broadcast using QAM 64 (in addition to the traditional QAM 256 method), and the ZvPro 250 can now deliver a single video stream with split-audio, which could be helpful in serving up multilingual streams. Or, you know, a censored version of that R-rated movie for your kid's room.
This in-wall iPod dock doubles as a home automation controller
Although we usually think it is crazy when an iPod dock costs more than the iPod, this new one from iPort is pretty slick. Rather than just be an in-wall iPod dock that gives those with whole home audio and automation controllers two-way interaction with your music, this one doubles as a control point. What you do is drop the iPod Touch or iPhone into the dock and slap on the magnetic face place -- which looks kinda funny with those squares on it. At this point you can not only access the music on the iPod, but you can also control your lights and other aspects of your home automation system from the same point -- a pretty good idea, we have to say. Not only does this reduce the number of in-wall devices, but we'd bet when the price is announced it'll be considerably less than the $1000+ that other in-wall touch screen controllers will run you -- not to mention capacitive instead of resistive.
Dell Mini 9 modded into motion sensitive, touchscreen tablet (video)
True, this ain't the first Dell Mini tablet hack we've laid eyes on -- but what we do have here is a pretty sweet mod by MyDellMini forum member "rock99rock" (must be his confirmation name). In addition to replacing his Dell Mini 9 display with a touchscreen kit, our man re-jiggered an ActionXL motion sensing controller to allow the screen to rotate as you rotate the device. Not bad, eh? Hit that read link for some real radical instrucciones -- but not before checking out the enthralling video after the break.
Sharp's remote controlled LED light-bulbs generate seven-shades of smart
While you're replacing your household incandescent light-bulbs with LEDs in a bid to save energy and possibly cash (over the 40,000-hour lifespan) you might want to consider these remote-controlled lamps from Sharp. The DL-L60AV gives you on/off and dimming functions as well as the ability to adjust the light in seven shades of white to warm up or cool down the glow. Best of all, they screw into a standard E26 socket for a one-to-one exchange with your existing ocean warmers. The features of the remote control are still unclear (lighting zone support, range of operation, etc.) but it appears to work with multiple-lamps in parallel which is a nice touch. However, we'd like to see Sharp integrate a Z-Wave or ZigBee chipset so we could link these directly (without special wall-switches) into a tricked-out home automation and power managment system. The DL-series start at ¥3880 (about $40) for simple LED lights before hitting ¥7980 (about $82) for the fully-equipped DL-L60AV and begin shipping July 15th in Japan.
Control4 unveils $1,299 7-Inch Table Top Touch Screen
You'd like to sit around in your sofa while controlling every aspect of your home, huh? Thermostat, garage door, home theater system, whole-home audio volume, etc. -- if so, Control4 has the goods for you. The 7-Inch Table Top Touch Screen sports a 16:9 aspect panel, WiFi and Ethernet, though -- strangely enough -- the company is being mum on the rest of the details. Here's the detail that matters, though: $1,299, shipping to the US this month.[Via WidescreenReview]
Crestron pushes the envelope with 17-inch Isys TPS-17G-QM HD touchpanel
You know you've living large when you purchase a home automation touchpanel that's bigger than some computer monitors. For those who firmly believe that bigger truly is better (without exception), Crestron has introduced the 17-inch Isys TPS-17G-QM, which offers up dual-window support, a WXGA resolution, QuickMedia connectivity, a built-in speaker / microphone, an Ethernet jack and backlit push buttons. There's no mention of a price, but if you're seriously considering this, it probably matters not.
Crestron records best sales ever, asks "what recession?"
The world at large may be having some trouble with their credit, but Crestron customers are clearly not being affected. Just a day after the US government reported the worst jobless rate since 1945, the home automation company has come forward with its best month of sales in its 40 year history. Moral of the story? Touchpanel control of one's HVAC is really, really, really important these days.
Colorado vNet ships Vibe Video System for media management
If you've been turned off on home automation due to prohibitive startup costs, you aren't alone. And we'll be the first to admit that Colorado vNet's newest shipping solution isn't dirt cheap, though the functionality is sure nice for those that can swing it. The Vibe Video System works to store a homeowner's movies, music and photo collections on a server for instant access from any connected TV in the home. The system itself will only be offered through company-approved dealers, though it is noted that support for Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD Master Audio and Blu-ray is included. Prospective buyers have a few choices when it comes to servers, players and network servers, with each ranging from $2,199 to $7,999. Check the read link below if you aren't immediately turned off by such figures.[Via CEPro]
NuVo Technologies beefs up integration with Life|ware
NuVo Technologies and Exceptional Innovation have apparently found it within their hearts to team up in order to provide better integration between wares; after all, there's at least a decent chance that anyone with a remarkable home automation system is using kit from both of these firms. Starting now, NuVo Grand Concerto multi-room audio Control Pads now can also control Life|ware home automation scenes, meaning that Control Pads can now dictate Life|ware-connected lighting, shades, climate, security, etc. What's it take to bring the couple together? A $399 NuVoNet Adapter (NV-NNA) and Life|ware's Visual Project configuration tool, both of which are available now. Full release is after the break.
ELAN ships $3,350 XP-8.4 WiFi touch panel
If Embedded Automation's mPanel is the exception to high priced touch panels, ELAN's XP-8.4 is the rule. Granted, it does feature an 8.4-inch touch screen and it doesn't have to be mounted in your wall, but $3,350 is a lot of scratch no matter how you spin it. The WiFi-enabled device is now shipping (months ahead of schedule, mind you) to dealers, and aside from controlling just about every aspect of your digital home, users can also browse the web (Flash support included!) on the unit itself. It comes bundled with a tabletop docking / recharging cradle with Ethernet / USB ports and a built-in rechargeable battery pack, but it's too bad that the picture above is about as close as we'll ever get to owning one.
Engadget HD delves into Home Automation with mPanel review
If you've always though the idea of Home Automation was cool, but thought it was too expensive, you should head over to Engadget HD as they check out the first affordable Home Automation in-wall touch panel from Embedded Automation -- of course we use the word affordable very loosely around here, as there's nothing cheap about a $1000 7-inch touch screen, but compared to the $7000 panels out there, it's a steal. To find out what we liked, other than the price, ease of install, openness, and out of the box experience, click on through to the HD side.
ReQuest introduces 5.7-inch TS6 in-wall control panel
If you call yourself a proud owner of ReQuest's F-Series, N-Series or iQ Intelligent Music System, have a gander at this. Said outfit has dished out a new in-wall control panel dubbed the TS6, which features a 5.7-inch 640 x 480 panel and connects to your existing home network via a single CAT5 cable. The system automatically detects any connected ReQuest server and enables owners to browse collections, select / build playlists and control connected set-top-boxes. Interested? Bust out the check book, as this one's going to set you back $1,995 when it ships in November.
Control4 CEDIA 2008 booth tour
While Control4 didn't make a lot of fuss about the few new products that it rolled out at CEDIA, people knew about 'em, regardless. Easily one of the most packed booths at the Expo, this one showcased the full gamut of wares offered up by the home automation outfit. We snapped images from every angle imaginable, and we even got a few with the new touch panels and remotes. Don't believe us? Just have a look at the gallery, it's all there.%Gallery-31303%
Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA
Make no mistake about it, the iPhone (and the App Store in particular) has made the lives of many home owners much, much easier. As it stands, there are already a few apps out there that interface with Crestron gear, but to date, there's no official Crestron app to fiddle with. But give it 60 days or so and there will be -- at least, that's the good word over at the company's booth today at CEDIA. Said application will be 100% free to download, and as you can see in the gallery below, it elegantly enables wired home owners to control lighting, temperature and all sorts of other things via WiFi or 3G, at home or anywhere else in the world. Users can even program in settings for multiple houses, enabling them to turn the AC on in Orlando while blasting the heat in Jackson Hole. So let's see, all you need now is an iPhone, a couple properties, a few dozen grand to blow on Crestron HA gear and a tiny bit of patience. %Gallery-31289%
Sony's NHS-A30C / NHS-70C AV racks and HomeShare hands-on
At CEDIA, home install is king. Thus, it shouldn't come as any shock to see Sony introducing a few products not exactly aimed at the consumer crowd. Enter the NHS-A30C / NHS-70C home automation racks and the HomeShare multi-room entertainment solution, both of which were generating a bit of buzz while we were bobbing and weaving in an attempt to snag a few shots. The HomeShare system seemed particularly amazing, with the wall-mounted touch panels being among the most attractive at the show. Check out the full walk-through below. %Gallery-31211%
Sony announces NHS-A30C and NHS-70C home automation rack systems
CEDIA just wouldn't be CEDIA without a few absolutely mind-boggling pieces of equipment that will only be acquired by the wealthiest among us. That said, even the laypeople in attendance can sneak over to "that guy's house" and check out one of Sony's two new fully-featured NHS rack systems. Picking up where the $85,000 NHS-130C left off, the NHS-A30C and NHS-70C are fully integrated racks that come pre-built, wired, tested and ready for installation. They provide Control4 home automation integration, iPod support, 5.1-channel surround sound (7.1 in the 70C), a built-in Blu-ray deck and a second zone of HD video (and a third for audio). The 70C also adds in a 400-disc DVD / CD changer, 160GB music server and room for three auxiliary devices like a cable set-top-box or PlayStation 3. Best of all, the prices on these are much more manageable than the aforementioned predecessor -- the A30C will run between $15,000 and $30,000, while the 70C rings up between $30,000 and $50,000. Full release after the cut.
iPhone App Store to host loads of home automation programs
Handhelds (and handsets, in particular) have long since been used as tools for home automation, but the forthcoming App Store is likely to bring a niche concept to the masses... or some of them, at least. Beginning on July 11th (that's the iPhone 3G launch day, you know), a Crestron interface titled iLoveControl will be available for download; during the first 30 days of launch, said app will "offer a one-room Crestron solution free of charge, configured for the control of lights, drapes, HVAC, audio and video." If you're looking to control more than that, it'll cost you $250 per configuration. This is just one example of what's likely to fill the App Store, and quite frankly, we're pretty excited about the possibilities.
Control4 announces 7-inch POE wall-mounted touch panel
If Control4's Mini Touch screen just seemed too diminutive for your fat fingers, yet the 10.5-inch edition just engulfed your wall, why not check out the happy medium? The 7-inch POE Wall Mount Touch Screen arrives right between the other two in size, yet offers up the same home controlling abilities for tweaking your lighting, temperature, volume, etc. You'll also find a built-in screen saver application that you can customize with your own photos, and if that there just pushed you over the edge, you can snag the hard-wired version next month for $1,195. Looking for WiFi? You'll have to wait until "later this year."
