Engadget

UFO Waterproof Remote found floating in the company of the rich and famous

Joseph Volpe — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:23:00 EST

Dreams are nice. Yachts are better. So while you cling to far-flung notions that you'll ever truly know what 'money to burn' means, the Barry Dillers of our world are crisscrossing international waters, drenching models with diamonds and dropping their universal controllers in the hot tub with abandon. Rescuing these rapscallion, modern-day robber barons from the pitfalls of excess is Crestron, with its UFO Waterproof Remote made specifically for H2O hanky panky. The disc-shaped unit, which admittedly looks more like a pool toy than high-end control hub, comes encased in a rubberized shell and features a 2.8-inch display, giving Greek shipping heirs and their ilk instant access to lighting, security systems, A/V equipment and thermostats from the comforts of their sun deck jacuzzi. Alright, so the 1% aren't the company's sole market base, as the unit's also ideally positioned for use in hospitals, owing to its ability for easy sterilization. But let's be honest, the real reason this floating controller shares a frisbee-like shape is aerodynamics. All the better to hit your staff with, right Ms. Campbell? Official PR and its hydrophobic emphasis after the break.

Continue reading UFO Waterproof Remote found floating in the company of the rich and famous

UFO Waterproof Remote found floating in the company of the rich and famous originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Siri finds new employment in Crestron's home automation biz (video)

Zachary Lutz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:41:00 EST

It was with mild curiosity that we witnessed Siri control a thermostat, but thanks to an integrated setup from Carnes Audio Visual -- a custom installer of home automation systems in Little Rock -- we couldn't help but gawk as Apple's soft-spoken assistant reigned supreme over an entire house. With help from Crestron's AMS-AIP home automation equipment and an intermediary proxy server, we're shown voice control of lighting, temperature, home theater equipment and more. You'll definitely want to check the video after the break, which is likely to make the folks at Control4 more than a bit nervous.

Continue reading Siri finds new employment in Crestron's home automation biz (video)

Siri finds new employment in Crestron's home automation biz (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron debuts free, paid mobile apps for Android devices

Richard Lawler — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:34:00 EST

It's taken some time, but Crestron has finally rolled out an official version of its home automation remote control software for Android. Crestron's iOS efforts have been around and there was also an unofficial solution available from former Sling founder Blake Krikorian, but now users can choose between the free Crestron Mobile app and $100 Crestron Mobile Pro app. Judging by its iOS counterpart, the Pro version adds a number of control options including pre-set scenes and more. Of course, if you're rocking one of the company's setups then we figure you pay someone to explain this stuff to you who can probably break it down in more detail. Hit the link below to download or check out the press release after the break.

Continue reading Crestron debuts free, paid mobile apps for Android devices

Crestron debuts free, paid mobile apps for Android devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 03:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slingbox inventor releases Crestron R2 Control App for Android, teases something big

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:21:00 EST

Own a professionally installed Crestron home automation system? Then check this out mister moneybags. Former Sling boxer, Blake Krikorian, has turned his home automation hobby into a full-fledged Android app ready for download. The R2 Control App will set you back $99 (hey, it's Crestron) from the Android Market and give you control over your 2-Series and 3-series systems from anywhere in the world via WiFi or cellular data networks. At least it will after an authorized Crestron programmer enables it. The app works natively with Mobile Pro / Pro G projects built for Crestron touchscreen or iOS devices and automatically resizes the UI to the native resolution of the Android device you're using.

Great, we guess, but what we find most compelling is what Blake teases about the future. We had a chat with the Slingbox inventor who shares our concerns about the current state of home automation and believes that the industry is "on the brink of something big" that could finally take it to the mass market. Given his entrepreneurial lineage and clear home automation interests, we're more than a bit intrigued by where this might go now that Blake and Google are in the mix.

Continue reading Slingbox inventor releases Crestron R2 Control App for Android, teases something big

Slingbox inventor releases Crestron R2 Control App for Android, teases something big originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sling founder concocts Crestron home automation app for Android, demos it on Galaxy Tab

Darren Murph — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:33:00 EST

Two years ago in Denver, we watched as a Crestron iPhone app wowed crowds at CEDIA. At this year's show in Atlanta, a similar app has been unveiled for a rival platform: Android. Blake Krikorian, better known as the founder of Sling Media, was recently able to demonstrate a new Crestron home automation app for Android, and he did it on Samsung's much-hyped Galaxy Tab. The program (codenamed 'R2') is the result of 1.5 years of work, and in large part, it was built to overcome the many limitations of iOS. Specifically, he wanted to bypass iOS' Slide to Unlock screen, and he greatly preferred Android's multitasking implementation and background notification system. Eventually, we're expecting the app to sell for around $99, but plans beyond that have yet to be made. Hop on past the break for a video demonstration, and stay tuned for any information we dig up regarding a solid release date.

Continue reading Sling founder concocts Crestron home automation app for Android, demos it on Galaxy Tab

Sling founder concocts Crestron home automation app for Android, demos it on Galaxy Tab originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron iPanel controller for iPad does twice as much for half the price

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:31:00 EST

Crestron is a name synonymous with two things in the world of home automation: cost and quality. So it's always good to the see the company shed its proprietary nature and embrace an off-the-shelf consumer product. Take its new iPanel for example. Instead of dropping a few thousand dollars on a Crestron touch-panel that does just one thing, you can purchase this $500ish snap-on case with thirteen dedicated buttons for home, lights, guide, and info functions. In other words, for the half the price of a typical touchscreen Crestron touchscreen controller you also get a WiFi-connected iPad. Sounds like a winning combination to us. Look for the iPanel to get official at CEDIA next week.

Crestron iPanel controller for iPad does twice as much for half the price originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron's Prodigy Home Control System gets prices, specs

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:13:00 EST

Heads up, home automation fanatics: It seems that the CEDIA folks have got the inside scoop on Crestron's new Prodigy Home Control System -- and have been kind enough to share their hard won knowledge with us. A lower-cost system aimed at the mass market, this guy features a ZigBee-compatible controller with remote, a SideShow-combatible in-wall touch panel for all of your fave widgets, and the usual control switches, dimmers, and thermostats. The system starts at around $825 for the PMC2 controller (up to 100 wireless devices), PLX2 remote, and P-MNETGW wireless gateway. Or you can just bite the bullet and go for the sample system which includes the above, four zones of audio, one thermostat, 15 wireless light dimmers/switches, and the in-wall touchscreen for about $5,500. Or, if none of the above appeal to you, you can just turn off your own lights. Be sure to check out those glamor shots in the gallery below.

Gallery: Crestron's Prodigy Home Control System gets prices, specs

Filed under: Household

Crestron's Prodigy Home Control System gets prices, specs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron makes room in its CEDIA booth for Runco, Planar (update: Runco not in Crestron booth, CEDIA plans forthcoming)

Steven Kim — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:12:00 EST

Those shopping for a 100-inch VideoWall or say, a $20,000 projector will be pleased to know that Runco will be at September's CEDIA tradeshow, after all. Although the Planar/Runco presence at the custom-oriented show was in doubt, Crestron made room in its huge CEDIA booth for the brands will be at CEDIA -- which sounds like a good match to us, especially if Runco delivers on its promise to show off a new "benchmark" front projection product. No doubt it'll be something beyond our tax bracket (ditto for the Crestron gear), but we'll try to get a look at what Runco's cooking up when we go through the exhibition hall.

Update: The original source article has been pulled, but a check with Crestron confirms that there is no formal CEDIA collaboration between Crestron and Runco/Planar. For its part, Runco plans to make an official announcement regarding its CEDIA plans in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Others, Plasma, Projector, Runco

Crestron makes room in its CEDIA booth for Runco, Planar (update: Runco not in Crestron booth, CEDIA plans forthcoming) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron pushes the envelope with 17-inch Isys TPS-17G-QM HD touchpanel

Darren Murph — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:45:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Other hardware, Others

Crestron pushes the envelope with 17-inch Isys TPS-17G-QM HD touchpanel originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron records best sales ever, asks "what recession?"

Darren Murph — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:41:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Industry, Other hardware

Crestron records best sales ever, asks "what recession?" originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing

Darren Murph — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST

We've seen home automation touchpanels used for some -- shall we say, unorthodox -- activities, but this is taking things to another ~~level~~ galaxy. Franklin, NC-based Dan Quigley has whipped up a way for his WiFi-enabled Crestron TMPC8X to actually control a giant telescope. Rather than manually getting the 'scope into the right position, he simply touches a button and watches it automatically check to see "if and when that object is viewable." While he's at it, he can dim the lights around him and check the local weather, and once a celestial body is in view, he can snap a photograph or have the system channel the image to any computer / TV. Suddenly, astronomy has become entirely more attractive.

[Thanks, Chuck]

Filed under: DIY, Misc, Other hardware

WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing

Darren Murph — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Home Entertainment

WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA

Darren Murph — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:25:00 EST

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 over at Engadget HD, 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.

Filed under: Software, Apple, iPhone OS

Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA

Darren Murph — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:25:00 EST

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: Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA

Filed under: DIY, Other hardware, Others, Apple

Crestron's home automation iPhone app demoed at CEDIA originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone App Store to host loads of home automation programs

Darren Murph — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:12:00 EST

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.

Filed under: Handsets, Software, ATT, Apple, iPhone OS

iPhone App Store to host loads of home automation programs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone App Store to host loads of home automation programs

Darren Murph — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:12:00 EST

Filed under: DIY, Other hardware, Apple

iPhone App Store to host loads of home automation programs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron adds Windows SideShow support in kepads, remotes

Darren Murph — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:18:00 EST

We know, the lack of SideShow support up until now is somewhat baffling, and while having Crestron onboard certainly won't hurt matters, we doubt this is just the boost Microsoft was waiting for. Regardless, the aforementioned figurehead in home automation has just announced that its touchpanels and control systems will support Windows SideShow, giving owners of such devices easy access to news feeds, sports scores, weather alerts, e-mail, etc. through a simple network connection to a Vista PC. For those curious if their devices are included in the fun, any touchpanel or 2-way device that supports dynamic text (such as the APAD wall mount controller and MLX-2 handheld remote) is game, and if you're eager for more, just head on down to the read link for Creston's official take.

Filed under: Industry, Remotes, Others

Crestron adds Windows SideShow support in kepads, remotes originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look at Crestron's DVPHD-Pro in action

Ben Drawbaugh — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:23:00 EST

As if an eight input, 1080p HD video switch with RS-232 and USB control wasn't cool enough on its own, at Crestron's EHX 2008 booth this year we got to really see what makes the DVPHD-Pro so special. As you can see from the image, you can watch all eight 1080p sources on your display at the exact same time. We only wish the thing didn't cost $17k -- and that doesn't even include the $8k touch-screen.

Filed under: Other hardware, Switches, Others

A look at Crestron's DVPHD-Pro in action originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HD TiVo Fall update, still no TiVoToGo or Multi-room Viewing

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:21:00 EST

TiVo is starting to roll out their fall update for the TiVo lineup including the TiVo HD and Series3. This brings them to version 9.1 which includes some bug fixes and a few new features. The WishList feature gets enhanced and now allows more advanced searches, but they've also added Crestron integration for the Series3. The TiVo HD gets left in the cold as does the rest of HA market, as only Crestron is supported. The integration is via IP, so hopefully TiVo will release the protocol, or someone can reverse engineer it. We'd assume that the more anticipated features like TiVoToGo, Multi-Room viewing and eSATA support are included too, but not yet activated. Perhaps it's time to start trying to find new kickstart commands.

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

Filed under: DVRs

HD TiVo Fall update, still no TiVoToGo or Multi-room Viewing originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron's CEDIA booth tour

Darren Murph — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 05:16:00 EST

Crestron's booth was rivaled in size only by the likes of Sony and AMX, and while the bulk of the exhibit dealt with highly technical home automation, it was the programmable remotes, HD media distribution systems, digital video processors, and media server integration that tickled our fancy. Granted, a good deal of Crestron's booth wasn't exactly aimed at the consumer market, but if you categorize yourself as high-end, chances are you'd find a good bit of this stuff useful. You know the deal, click on into the gallery.

Gallery: Crestron's CEDIA booth tour

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other hardware, Ports, Others

Crestron's CEDIA booth tour originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Sep 2007 05:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DirecTV's CEDIA booth tour

Darren Murph — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:33:00 EST

There's just no way to followup a visit to Dish Network's booth than to hit up DirecTV directly afterwards, eh? Sadly, DirecTV's space was packed to the brim with individuals and an excessive amount of TVs, but we squeaked our way through the madness to get some shots of the company's HR21 Pro, which touts a sexy black chassis, a slew of ports in the rear, and interestingly enough, Viiv-certification. Oh, and the only murmurs we heard about the next big rollout of channels involved the phrase "between next week and next year."

Gallery: DirecTV's CEDIA booth tour

Filed under: Industry, DVRs, Set-top boxes, Others, Satellite

DirecTV's CEDIA booth tour originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DirecTV's CEDIA booth tour

Darren Murph — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:33:00 EST

DirecTV's booth seemed entirely too small for the amount of people and LCD TVs that were stuffed within, but we survived long enough to catch a few shots of the newfangled HR21 Pro DVR and to hear some not-so-encouraging words about the next rollout of HD offerings. You know the deal, hop on over here for the rest of the dirt.

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

DirecTV's CEDIA booth tour originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron intros DVPHD-PRO HD digital video processor

Darren Murph — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:33:00 EST

Just in case you were waiting for something a bit more sophisticated to drive that LCD4620, Crestron's DVPHD-PRO should make complex ads a whole lot more attractive. The self-proclaimed "advanced multi-window digital video processor and touchpanel interface" enables up to eight simultaneous video windows to be outputted onto a single HD display, as users can utilize four DVI inputs and four BNC arrangements (shown after the jump) to create an on-screen graphical montage. Moreover, the unit can handle both NTSC and PAL signals, is HDCP compliant, and boasts Crestron's 24-bit Isys graphics engine, which enables the creation of high-resolution images / backgrounds, dynamic text, and full-motion animations. Notably, the RS-232 and USB ports allow the box to be controlled via an external touchscreen monitor or whiteboard, and while pricing details aren't listed, we can't envision this bad boy coming without a serious premium.

Continue reading Crestron intros DVPHD-PRO HD digital video processor

Filed under: Other hardware, Others

Crestron intros DVPHD-PRO HD digital video processor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crestron TPMC-8X to command your home

Cyrus Farivar — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:51:00 EST

CEDIA is just getting started, where there's a flurry of new products already hitting the show floor, and a few have caught our eye -- especially this one, the Crestron TPMC-8X. This tablet integrates Yahoo Widgets into a touch screen, making stock prices, weather or any other glanceable information accessible via a finger click. This magnesium-encased device is packed with Bluetooth as well, but better yet has biometric software, and will restore preferences based on each person's fingerprints. This $3,800 offering also has a pair of microphones and echo-cancelling built-in to improve your VoIP call. It also has a do-not-disturb option so you won't be interrupted by other applications a pesky Skype call when you're curled up catching up on your "Lost" DVDs. No word on when the TPMC-8X will be available, but while you're waiting you can peep the screen grabs on the flip side.

Continue reading Crestron TPMC-8X to command your home

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Crestron TPMC-8X to command your home originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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