Integrating a Mac Mini into your home theater system opens up a whole new world of media features and offers the convenience of having a fully functional Apple computer on your television. Having a direct connection to your music, movie, and photo library on an HD system is truly an immersive experience. With a few peripherals such as a wireless keyboard and mouse you can easily browse your favorite websites, play video games, instant message, and even shoot out emails – on the biggest screen in the house, all from the convenience of your couch. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. With the addition of a webcam, you can even set up video conferencing, over your media system.With its small form factor, ease of operation, and many input/output options, the Mac Mini makes a perfect companion piece to your media system.
Mac Mini Home Theater
6 Awesome iPad and iPhone Apps for Home Automation
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.Crestron – Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.
DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that can tell your computer to Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off. It’s designed to work on any computer in your local network. Great for energy management.Sherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone of a wall or decoration and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.If you have experience with any of these or other home automation apps please feel free to share!
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.
Crestron - Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad oriPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.
DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.
Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect
The iPad and iPhone are singlehandedly changing the world of home automation. With its ease of use, popularity and unmatched usability, software developers are jumping at the opportunity to develop home control apps. Here are a few of the very best apps we’ve found for ipad and iphone home automation.Crestron - Crestron Mobile Pro puts the critically acclaimed Crestron touchpanel user interface right on your iPhone, iPad oriPod touch, enabling all kinds of customizable control features. Expect the same high level of performance you’re used to with Crestron home control, but completely mobile.DVR Remote – Forget to schedule your DVR to record your favorite show? No problem. Set up the recording while you’re at the office, on vacation, or anywhere else. DVR Remote is designed for TiVo Series3 DVRs. Also note that there are apps for DirecTV, DISH Network, AT&T and more.Lutron Home Control – This app allows you to interface with your RadioRa 2 lighting control system over a wifi network. Lutron also offers a Homeworks Light control app that can connect to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that lets Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off any or all computers in your local network. Great for energy managementSherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone or iPod of a wall or decorations and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.
to your Homeworks system lighting control system over WiFi, Edge or even 3G network.
Sonos Controller for iPhone – This app is a full-fledged Sonos Controller that works over your home WiFi network. Simply touch the screen to pick a room, point and flick to choose a song, and hit play to enjoy.
Off Remote - Off Remote is a simple app that lets Sleep, Restart, Lock and Hibernate or turn off any or all computers in your local network. Great for energy management
Sherwin Williams Color Snap – This handy little app isn’t necessarily a home control app, but is very useful for the planning stages of a home theater remodel. With Color Snap you simply snap a picture from your iPhone or iPod of a wall or decorations and the app matches the closest Sherwin Williams paint color. From there you can create a custom color palette.
Fall 2010 HD Living – Available Now!
The Fall 2010 issue of HD Living magazine has been mailed out to select homeowners around the North Bay area. If you weren’t one of the lucky ones who received one in your mailbox, don’t worry! We have your online copy available right here.In addition to an updated profile all about SoundVision, some of the other topics inside this quarter’s issue of HD Living include:
- Lifestyle Control: Touch screen devices for home automation
- Home Networks: A complete guide to home networking
- The Everything Gadget: How the revolutionary iPad is reshaping home entertainment and control.
Plus much more. It’s all waiting for you in the Fall 2010 issue of HD Living Magazine!
Will the Apple iPad Change Our Industry?
Like many of you, those of us here at SoundVision HQ were tuned to our computers last Wednesday morning as Apple CEO Steve Jobs took the stage in San Francisco to unveil the company’s latest product, the long-rumored tablet computer that’s since become known as iPad. In case you missed the countless news reports immediately following the device’s debut, the iPad is Apple’s new tablet computer based on the iPhone’s operating system, but featuring a 9.7-inch multi-touch screen in a case that’s just a half-inch thick and weighing in at a meager 1.5 pounds.While we tend to agree with most of the experts who believe that the iPad will breathe new life into publications like magazines and newspapers, it’s also going to provide a new way for our customers to control their home’s electronic systems. Currently, Crestron, Lutron HomeWorks and Sonos all offer apps to control these devices from an iPhone or iPod touch. These apps will run out of the box on an iPad, but it’s hard to believe that these manufacturers won’t create an iPad-specific app to take advantage of the new device’s vastly larger screen real estate. While the iPad might not completely “change the custom electronics industry” as editors at CEPro magazine might believe, we do think that iPad will provide a great new way for SoundVision clients to control their media and home automation systems.The WiFi (802.11b/g/n)-enabled version of iPad is scheduled to go on sale in April, with a starting pricepoint of $499. A 3G-enabled version, powered by AT&T, will launch 30 days later. We’ll definitely post more about new iPad apps for home electronics once the announcements start rolling in.
Why Apple TV is Just Too Darn Cool
OK, let’s face it: Apple TV probably isn’t the most popular product to have ever come out of that sometimes mysterious place at 1 Infinite Loop. However, Apple TV’s relative lack of popularity is confusing to us here at SoundVision, especially since it’s such a cool product. Now that our friends at Crestron have updated their line of home automation products with the ability to control Apple TV from an in-wall touchpanel or handheld remote, we’re recommending Apple TV to all our customers as a simple way to access your iTunes library and photos through your SoundVision system. And now that Apple just dropped the price on the 160 GB version by $100, purchasing an Apple TV has never been easier. Here’s just a few of the reasons why we’re so enamored with this product:It “just works.” – I’m sure you’ve heard those two little words in reference to Apple products in the past, but believe us when we tell you that it absolutely applies to this product. Using Apple’s Bonjour technology, Apple TV will automatically find an iTunes library on your local network and instantly make your digital music files available to listen to through your SoundVision media system. Select music by browsing through rich, detailed album art on your TV, or use a touchpanel or handheld remote. And if you’re an iTunes user on a Windows PC, there’s no need to worry–this also “just works” for you as well.Your family photos, in glorious HD. – When was the last time you lugged out a photo album? If you’re like us, it’s been a while. Our photos live digitally these days, whether its in an online photo gallery or on your computer’s hard drive. With Apple TV, we can set it up so it syncs with photo albums on your computer or stored on the Internet in a Flickr or MobileMe gallery.Rent movies or TV shows instantly. – Apple TV makes a trip to your local movie rental store a thing of the past. Renting or purchasing a movie through Apple TV is as easy as a few clicks of the remote, and at just $3.99 per rental, it’s a great deal. Most titles are also available in high definition.Access online content. – Apple TV frees online media like YouTube and podcasts from your computer and puts them front and center in your living room. Whether you want to catch up with your favorite podcast from anywhere in your house via a distributed audio system or watch the Evolution of Dance in your theater room, Apple TV in your SoundVision system can make it happen.Are you using your Apple TV in ways we haven’t mentioned here? If so, leave a comment and let us know about it!