Crestron Connected Adds Plug-and-Play Control to Home Theaters

The new Crestron Connected initiative will provide the framework for a distributed cloud-based control system and simplify the process of automating a home theater.

Crestron is embedding a version of its Fusion RV software into a wide selection of source equipment and display, including Blu-ray Disc players, HDTVs and audio/video receivers.

Users will then be able to simply plug the Crestron Connected device into a home or enterprise network, using standard Ethernet cable, and begin monitoring, controlling and managing it from any web-enabled computer, smartphone, or tablet from anywhere in the world.

No additional programming is required. With plug-and-play and auto-discovery support, the need to program a central processor to translate all the different "languages" for different brands is effectively eliminated.

“For years everyone talked about interoperability, but that was never achieved because, in a competitive marketplace, every manufacturer implements the ‘standard’ differently.” explains Bargetzi. “With Crestron Connected we can achieve true interoperability among independently manufactured products using cloud-based processing. This is the direction our industry is going, and we're committed to leading the way.”

Crestron Connected provides an out-of-the-box solution so integrators simply open a secure web page and every device on the network is displayed. Crestron Fusion RV allows integrators and IT managers to receive text or email notifications if, for example, a projector lamp fails or a device loses power.

“We need to evolve from a traditional hardwired, centralized control scheme to a distributed, cloud-based architecture,” says Fred Bargetzi, Crestron vice president of technology. “Crestron Connected is an important first step toward enabling different products to talk together to create smarter homes and buildings. This new technology allows for easy, fast, and affordable implementation regardless of the size and complexity of your environment.”

Traditionally, control companies create a unique control module for every brand and product. A vast library of control modules is, therefore, required to create an integrated program, which is then uploaded to a central processor. All products are then hardwired back to the processor.

Crestron is taking the opposite approach. Now, to ensure stability and consistent interoperability between devices, Crestron is embedding its control intelligence in popular hardware and home electronics, eliminating the central processor and the need for hardwiring back to the headend.

“We're embedding the protocols in all the devices so that they establish a unified communication scheme,” Bargetzi says. “The advantage is that devices will no longer need to connect to the processor directly; everything connects to the cloud locally and communicates over the network.”