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The Ultimate Media Center Installation Revealed: Imperium Smart Systems
Installation features 12 distributed audio zones, DSC security, Lifeware automation and Insteon lighting control.
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11.07.2007 — Herriman, Utah-based Imperium Smart Systems LLC has won Microsoft's Ultimate Media Center Installation contest, revealed Wednesday at EHX Fall in Long Beach, Calif.

The installation, in Orem, Utah, features 12 distributed audio zones, a media center "extender" server, 4 Xbox 360s, a UMPC touchpanel, a 12" LifePoint panel, Insteon lighting control, Aprilaire thermostats, DSC security integration and Exceptional Innovation's Lifeware automation software.

"We are honored to be named the winner in this contest," says Tyler Jennings, president of Imperium Smart Systems.

"The homeowners love the technology and love how easy it is to use. The husband has always loved technology, but this is the first time the wife actually feels confident in controlling the technology in her home -- thanks to Media Center."

The homeowner, a professional golfer, uses the system to perform swing analysis, watching back high-definition recordings of his stroke from connected devices.

"This is definitely somebody taking advantage of the technology in his house," says Jennings.

One of the homeowners' biggest concerns was the compatibility with their Apple systems and iTunes, in order to share and display photos and music, all of which were successfully integrated.

"Media Center and extenders are the key delivery mechanism for user experiences for both control and media consumption throughout the house," says Scott Evans, group manager in the Entertainment and Devices eHome Division at Microsoft.

"The installer tackled the challenging task of setting up a Media Center topology to makes this PC-based solution adoptable, and loved, by both technology and non-technology users in the home."

For winning the contest, Jennings will head to Microsoft Studios and spend the weekend vacationing around Seattle.

"Imperium Smart Systems' incredible result serves as a great example of how the creativity and integration capability of professional installers combines with the platform power of Windows Media Center to create the ultimate connected home experience," says Evans.

The contest, announced at CEDIA Expo, was designed to find the custom installation that best utilized Windows Media Center Edition.

Click here to see photos from the winning installation.

This story was updated at 2:18 PST on Wednesday, November 7.

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Comments

Posted by JBrown  on  11/09  at  03:38 PM

Holy unbelievable wall clutter Batman!

OMG, seriously? There are FIVE double gang wall plates under the touchscreen on the “In-Wall Control” slide an three more in the “Ultimate Kitchen” slide, then the jewel in the crown is SIX more in the “Homeowners” slide, which looks like the “In-Wall Control” slide from a different angle, but I’m not positive. And the 6th plate is blank! Did they seriously cut in a 2-gang blank plate just to make the wall-acne symmetrical?

Isn’t part of the purpose of a home automation system to consolidate all of your lighting and music control onto the touchscreen? Was this the ONLY entry? Or were the other ones all really worse?

Posted by John  on  11/10  at  04:36 PM

JBrown
(from a reliable source)  Not sure if it was posted on any of the press releases.  This installation was a retrofit; sometimes you have to take what’s been dealt. (i.e. 6 double gang boxes on a wall)

Posted by JBrown  on  11/12  at  06:28 AM

That’s great John, but compromises like that are not what I expect of “The Ultimate Media Center Installation.” I’m sure this is a neat project given the pre-existing conditions, but ultimate?

I’m afraid not.

Posted by William  on  11/21  at  03:37 PM

I live in the UK so may be we don’t share the same taste, so please don’t be offended, but I find the house decor is, for lack of a better word, grotesque! If I lived there, I’d be asking for an interior designer rather than an (admitedly fantastic!) IT installation.

Posted by Vangelis  on  11/23  at  02:55 AM

I am from the UK as well, doing installs throughout EMEA. I fully agree with William that this house is in dire need of an architect (no offence).

This type of install is dare I say a simple typical install we do everyday. I cannot see what is ultimate with this install.

Can the golfer use this solution in the garden. Can they access and reprogram TV from anywhere in the world? Can the house secure itself on its own using intelligent criteria? This is what I call ultimate.

The guys have done a good job, but this is a typical install, not one that can be used to inspire others.

I do apologise if I sound too honest.

Posted by Mike  on  11/23  at  07:25 AM

I agree.  If this is the ultimate MCE installation - it pretty much explains the success of all the other systems.

Posted by William  on  11/23  at  09:00 AM

Vangelis and Mike - spot on! I am sure it is possible to do a really good set up. The first thing I’d do is to make it a *little* more discreet - make it part of the home, not heap a pile of screens around the house. I guess, this is a classic tast of a bunch of IT guys coming in with the kit but having no taste whatsoever! It’s a shame, and quite frankly embarrasing! Not a great advert in my humble opinion!

Posted by William  on  11/23  at  09:01 AM

Oops - we all make mistakes - “this is a classic tast” should read “this is a classic case”

Posted by home decor  on  10/27  at  10:55 PM

Great post. Very informative. Has Added itself in bookmarks.
home decor

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