Smart Home Blog

VIA launched ARTiGO 1150 – small nettop with can replace some big box near your TV. Compact (just 14.6 x 9.9 x 5.2 cm) and mere box is powered by dual-core Eden X2 processor clocked at 1GHz and a VX900H graphics which enough to support 1080p playback. Additionally up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM and one 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD can be installed inside it. ARTiGO 1150 has HDMI and VGA output to connect to TV or monitor, gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 host ports, plus optional WiFi adapter and SD card reader.

The new VIA ARTiGO 1150 is available now and priced at $265 (barebone version). It can be good option as a media player or media client. But be carefully with Linux. Because VIA hardware had a big problems under Linux. Hope current stage is better.

Keene Electronics offers a little box AU-11CA HDMI Audio Embedder which helps you to inject external digital audio into to have both video and audio in one HDMI cable. It’s useful in case your HTPC or satellite box doesn’t pass audio signal over HDMI but you’d like to have it there. Additionally the box repeats the HDMI signal to allow an extended total HDMI cable range.

The AU-11CA HDMI Audio Embedder is compact (85(D) x 85(W) x 35(H)mm), lightweight (260g) and not so expensive (about £117).

[via AutomatedHome]

If a video source is placed far from the TV in your installation, then it’s difficult to control it using IR remote control. The Sewell InjectIR fixes that problem by sending IR signal over existing HDMI cable. It uses CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) channel and costs just $44.95. So, you don’t need additional wires or any wireless solution.

I’d like to mention some modern TVs might use CEC channel to route specified IR commends to the Blu-ray player or AV receiver connected via HDMI cable. But it works mostly with devices produced under the same brand.

I recently wrote about kwikwai – device which is used to send control command over LAN, USB or RS232 to the AV equipment connected to it via HDMI. Actually it should replace old school IR transmitters to integrate AV equipment into whole house control system. RainShadow offers similar device but it works opposite way, i.e. it sens commands from AV equipment to the HTPC using HDMI-CEC technology. Currently the HDMI-CEC to USB and RS-232 bridge is supported by both Windows and Linux without custom device drivers.

If you’re interested to buy the HDMI-CEC to USB and RS-232 bridge you can do it now by reasonable price – $134 including international shipping.

Many of you should know about possibility to control AV equipment connected via HDMI from remote control of one of those devices. Sony calls it Bravia Theater Synch, Toshiba – Regza Link, LG – SimpLink etc. But basically all those technologies use CEC – Consumer Electronic Control – bidirectional serial bus that allows components to control each other across an HDMI cable. However, in case of Sony, Toshiba, LG etc that technology works only between devices from the same manufactures. The new kwikwai unit not only fixes that limitation. It also allow to send commands to two AV devices via LAN, USB or RS232 ports. That fact makes this device extremely useful when you need integrate AV equipment into whole house automation system. It’s more reliable then IR transmitters and gives more flexibility and power.

The kwikwai unit can be used as a tinkering and discovery tool as well. It provides a web interface to see detailed communication information between devices and allows to send specified command to the connected device. So, professional integrators may have a big benefit to use it.

The kwikwai unit is already available at £230.

[via AutomatedHome]