Smart Home Blog

Recently I found information about new HTPC software - Boxee. The Boxee is a first “social” media center. it plays media from your computer and other devices in your home network, as well as connect you to various Internet sources that allow you to stream or download movies, tv shows, music and photos.
The Boxee was started in 2007 and is based on the XBMC open-source project. Currently two alpha versions of Boxee are available - for Ubuntu Linux and Mac OS X. The Windows version is planning later this year.
There are no sreenshots or details on the project’s site. I sent request for alpha testing but didn’t receive invitation yet. Will share my experience when get and install it on my PC.

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Four months ago I wrote about network player Popcorn Hour A-100. It’s amazing device. Just for $170 you get media player which can play-back all well-known audio/video files from different sources such networked PC or USB stick. Moreover it works as NAS and Torrent client. Now it’s time for the next generation of Popcorn Hour - A-110. Additionally to A-100 features it adds support of 2.5″/3.5″ SATA HDD, USB slave functionality to improve connectivity and transfer rates and HDMI output upgrade to the 1.3a spec, allowing full support of HD Audio pass-through for DTS HD-HR, DTS HD-MA, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.

The ports were re-organize a bit - USB was moved to the rear panel and co-axial S/PDIF output was replaced by optical one. Also it was added a hardware reset button to bring back hung device.

The newest Popcorn Hour A-110 is available for pre-order for $215.00.

If you’re not satisfy Popcorn Hour design (which looks nice for me) or you’d like to embed it somewhere you can buy the Popcorn Hour B-110 Baseline. So, you’ll able to build your own device.

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Recently I wrote about new LG’s BD300 Netflix Blu-ray player which can play-back stream from Netflix on-line movie rent service. Here is another details about that interesting device. It has amazing UI (have a look on the screenshot). The BD300 can also play-back media content from networked PC or memory stick attached to the player’s USB port.

The BD300 will support Profile 2.0, interactive BD-Live features and Bonus View (picture-in-picture commentaries and special features).

[via CNet News]

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Savant Systems provides a big number of devices to control its home automation system. One of them is Nokia’s Internet Tablet. It run Savant’s proprietary software which offers a user friendly graphical interface to manage all devices known by the system.

If I understand clearly it’s impossible to install that software on your own device. You should buy pre-configured N810 from Savant.

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iPhone becomes more and more popular in the home control industry. Here is a list of the most popular or fresh applications for Apple’s gadget which can help consumers to manage their houses more efficient:

• AirRemote - turns iPhone into smart remote control. It uses WiFi to send commands and needs GC100 to transmit them to IR.
• ILoveControl is another universal remote control implementation for iPhone. But it allows to control not A/V equipment but all devices added in the Crestron, AMX, Control4, Lifeware, Lutron or NetStreams.
• iPhone interface to control Lagotek smarthome systems
• iPhone interface for SpeakerCraft music systems is web-based but extremely expensive - $1000 for pre-configured device and ERS 1.0 Ethernet-to-serial adapter run web server!
• Savant Systems iPhone Interface provides a full control for its systems.
• NetLinc Insteon Central Controller includes an iPhone interface to control INSTEON devices connected to that controller.
• HAI WL3 is an iPhone optimized web interface to control HAI smarthome systems.
• TiVoRemote turns iPhone into remote control for TiVo boxes. It sends commands via TCP/IP.
• MyMote allows to control your MythTV box from iPhone.
• iPhone interface for home automation system mControl.
• MythTV for iPhone is a MythTV front-end for iPhone. You can watch LiveTV or recorded shows.
• Asterisk Voicemail for iPhone offers a simple way to listen and manage you Asterisk voice mail from any place where you can find WiFi connection.
• Promix’s iPhone UI to control its smarthome system Girder.
• Technology BD Touch allows to user iPhone as a remote control for Blu-ray players. I’m not sure that it’ll be so interesting as AirRemote or ILoveControl.

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