Controlling Media Center through AMX, Crestron, HAI

Typically, automation software for Media Center PCs allows users to control their lights, temperature and other systems through the Media Center's TV interface.

Autonomic Controls and Inteset can do the reverse -- allow traditional home automation systems to control Media Center PCs, so that media-centric functions can be accessed by the press of a button on a touchscreen.

Autonomic taps into the rich "hooks" of the Vista Media Center platform to let dealers incorporate music, photos, and video into their home-control systems of choice. For example, an integrator could develop a "MOVIE" page that enables browsing through both DVDs and movies recorded from cable. Selecting a movie might automatically fire up the projector, activate the DVD player and dim the lights.

At EHX, Autonomic showed how integrators could design their own search mechanisms that users cannot enjoy through the basic Media Center interface. For example, consumers could browse recorded TV shows by genre or by channel—maybe all programs recorded on the Food Network.

Autonomic's software can "push" TV shows and other content from a Media Center to a remote TV connected to an Xbox 360 -- not an insignificant feat. Customers would select the room from the touchscreen, and then select the content to watch. Users likewise could monitor what's being watched on remote TVs.

Autonomic currently has solutions for Crestron, AMX and HAI automation systems. The company is working on compatibility with other popular controllers, as well as generic devices, such as PDAs, Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC) and any other device that supports Flash.

Inteset is working on the Advanced Control Movie Protocol, enabling integrators to customize movie-related interfaces for control systems like AMX and Crestron (for which templates are being created). Using the protocol, programmers can design screens that allow searching by rating, genre, title, cover art, director and personal rating.

Inteset offers its MCE Controller, a module that enables rich integration between its Media Centers and third-party control systems. With the software, integrators can create shortcut buttons that get customers to various Media Center function in one easy step, versus the usual method of navigating through multiple menus.

For example, buttons could be created for quickly changing video resolutions -- a nice function of Media Center that can otherwise be challenging to initiate.

In addition, Inteset has improved upon its Movie Module. Parents can now password-protect any movies above a certain rating, and users can set bookmarks for DVD movies, a handy thing for skipping FBI warnings and heading straight to the show.