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Behind cyberManor’s Media Center Ultimate Install
Tight space and products still in development caused problems on the job.
cyberManor of Los Gatos, Calif. had little closet space for its award-winning Windows Media Center install.
Los Gatos, Calif.-based cyberManor, which recently won Microsoft's 2008 Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest, created its project for a family in Sunnyvale, Calif.
The family desired a centralized, user-friendly entertainment and automation system. And it wasn't easy, as cyberManor encountered several challenges along the way.
Here's an inside look at the winning install.
One challenge was integrating some products that were still in a state of hardware/software development — specifically, cable card integration, new media center extender offerings and RTI remote controls.
Another challenge was the limited closet space in which the home's data, audio, video and control equipment was to be located. Lead installer Chris Rosiak turned the walls of the equipment closet into what looked like the instrumentation panel of an airplane cockpit. If there was an open square inch of space in the closet, it was put to good use.
The Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest, now in its second year, encourages integrators to show off their most unique and creative installations that leverage Windows Media Center technologies.
cyberManor's solution uses products from the Windows Media Center ecosystem, including NiveusMedia Inc.'s n9 media server with four CableCARD tuners, multiple Niveus EDGE and Xbox 360 extenders that distribute live and prerecorded digital high-definition (HD) content.
The home features Exceptional Innovation's Lifeware software for whole-home control of thermostats, lighting, audio distribution, surveillance cameras and an Internet protocol-based (IP-based) door strike at the front gate.
Deriving power from solar panels on the roof, the family strived to make the home as environmentally-friendly as possible, using settings on their Lutron lighting system that automatically turn off power at certain times.
"The promise and vision of a whole-house, easy to use and reliable solution based on the Media Center platform was finally realized with this installation," says Gordon van Zuiden, president of cyberManor.
The family desired a centralized, user-friendly entertainment and automation system. And it wasn't easy, as cyberManor encountered several challenges along the way.
Here's an inside look at the winning install.
The Challenges
One challenge was integrating some products that were still in a state of hardware/software development — specifically, cable card integration, new media center extender offerings and RTI remote controls.
Another challenge was the limited closet space in which the home's data, audio, video and control equipment was to be located. Lead installer Chris Rosiak turned the walls of the equipment closet into what looked like the instrumentation panel of an airplane cockpit. If there was an open square inch of space in the closet, it was put to good use.
The Contest
The Windows Media Center Ultimate Install Contest, now in its second year, encourages integrators to show off their most unique and creative installations that leverage Windows Media Center technologies.
cyberManor's solution uses products from the Windows Media Center ecosystem, including NiveusMedia Inc.'s n9 media server with four CableCARD tuners, multiple Niveus EDGE and Xbox 360 extenders that distribute live and prerecorded digital high-definition (HD) content.
The home features Exceptional Innovation's Lifeware software for whole-home control of thermostats, lighting, audio distribution, surveillance cameras and an Internet protocol-based (IP-based) door strike at the front gate.
Deriving power from solar panels on the roof, the family strived to make the home as environmentally-friendly as possible, using settings on their Lutron lighting system that automatically turn off power at certain times.
"The promise and vision of a whole-house, easy to use and reliable solution based on the Media Center platform was finally realized with this installation," says Gordon van Zuiden, president of cyberManor.
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About the Author
Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.
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