04.21.2009 — NuVo Technologies, the popular developer of affordable multiroom audio systems, plans to launch its first touchscreen this summer.

The 3.6-inch Color Touch Pad comes a couple of years after NuVo introduced its ControlPad capacitive-touch interfaces. Those, however glamorous, are text-and-arrow based.

The new touchscreens mimic the look of the NuVo Control Pads, so homeowners can mix-and-match to their heart's desire.

"It has the same consistent look on the wall," says CTO Rick Kukulies. "A lot of other touchscreens bulk off the wall – sometimes as much as an inch."

He adds that NuVo plans to develop a family of touchscreens, and the company is looking at both tabletop and wireless versions.

This one connects to NuVo music systems via a single Cat 5 cable, which provides both power and audio.

NuVo hasn't released pricing for the touchscreen – expected to ship in Q2 – but Kukulies says it will offer "typical NuVo value."

Multiport iTunes Server

In addition to the Color Touch Pad, NuVo is working on a media server similar to the one that stole the show at EHX Spring 2008.

At that event, NuVo demonstrated how its multiroom audio systems could integrate with the new Media Control Server EX (MCS-EX) from Autonomic Controls.

The MCS can distribute multiple streams of iTunes and other digital content via a multichannel sound card. At EHX 2008 and subsequently, the solution has been implemented in PCs and Windows Home Servers, most notably from S1Digital.

Now NuVo plans to deliver its own product based on the Autonomic software.

The forthcoming Music Port Server (shipping "definitely before CEDIA," says Kukulies) runs Windows embedded and accommodates up to four audio sources for simultaneous playback.

But who needs all those sources when the product already has a built-in trove of digitalia?

It aggregates content from virtually any IP device on the network including a PCs and NASs. It even merges your iTunes and WMP audio (including DRM-protected) into a single, easy-to-navigate library.

No need to click on "Dad's PC" to find your songs. Searching for an artist is as simple as entering the name, regardless of where the music resides.

The unit also supports Internet radio, and offers the killer Pandora app recently developed by Autonomic.

"It plays any iTunes, Windows Media Player, Pandora, online XM, Sirius …" Kukulies says.

The 1U server features a 320 GB hard drive (tentative specs), WiFi communications and two USB ports for expansion capability.

Via NuVo's Music Port client software, customers can access the system via any PC, and control NuVo's multiroom audio systems to boot (Concerto, Essentia, Renovia).

Color Touch Pad Specifications

• 3.6-inch full color LCD display
• 4 backlit buttons for access to common functions
• NuVoNet smart source communication for complete control and navigation (browse
• by playlist, track, artist, album, genre, favorites)
• Full control of Internet radio with specialized button control
• Single Cat 5 NuVoNet connection for power and data
• Compatible with Concerto (18G) and Renovia powerline systems
• Local source configuration connection for LSA40
• Zone roaming for control of any zone in the system
• Shipping in Q2
• Pricing TBA

The new touchscreen (top right) matches the form of NuVo's Control Pad capacitive touchpads (left) so users can mix-and-match. The Music Port Server includes software (seen on laptop) for managing a NuVo multiroom audio system via PC.