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New WiFi IR emitters from Global Cache´ get us excited about home automation
We've written about Global Cache´ before and we're sure anyone who's done a little home automation around the house has ran across them; but with the new iTach line just announced today, we'd bet the a whole lot more of you will get excited about the little company. While emitting IR or controlling an RS-232 device over the LAN is an old trick for this company, the latest line really takes it to the next level. The first thing we noticed was how much smaller the box was -- comes in handy when there isn't much room behind the TV -- but we quickly said who cares when we learned that WiFi was built-in. But even if you already have a network drop behind your TV you'll be happy to hear that the new line also offers PoE. Those two features alone are enough to get us excited, but the fact that an IR learner is now built-in (used to be an extra $75) and the device is no longer limited to a single connection (so you can have up to eight iPod Touch remotes now). Top all that off with a lower starting price, and being user upgradable, and you have our home automation gears working in overdrive.
Bobby Universal Remote for the iPhone review
Anyone who has played with a capacitive touch screen has probably dreamed about using it as a universal remote, which is why we've been quick to try out just about every iPhone/iPod Touch remote software out there. The latest one to make its way into our setup is the Bobby Universal Remote from Cremote. The app runs $20 at the App Store and leverages one of our favorite pieces of home theater gear, the Global Cache´ GC100-6 -- which unfortunately sells for over $100. So basically Bobby is the software and the GC-100 is the IR emitter, but the real question is, how well does it work?
Turn your iPhone into a remote for $250
Anyone who's spent any time playing with an iPhone or a iPod Touch knows that its multi-touch interface is a hugh step forward in touch screen technology. So it's no wonder that everyone wants to control all of their electronics this way; and with the imminent release of Apple's application store, we're sure there are going to be a lot of interesting applications. The new AirRemote hits close to home for us though, as we're always looking for the next best thing in remotes. The big catch here is the price, while most universal remotes are less than $200, the AirRemote needs a little help from a home automation guru's favorite hardware, the GC-100 from Global Cache. The GC-100 is basically an Ethernet to IR and RS-232 bridge that helps the iPhone fill in a big missing feature that any HT remote needs, an IR blaster. The problem is it isn't cheap, 'cause as cool as this idea is, at $550 it's a bit expensive -- assuming $300 for an iPod Touch, $150 for the GC-100, and $100 for the software. But the price isn't even the biggest problem though, the real issue is a remote without any hard buttons isn't very useful for the usual HT duties like; fast forward, rewind, channel up, and volume. Because having to look down to hit the buttons, makes the remote impossible to use without taking your eyes off the action.
