We talked about the Apple TV as a home media centre. It’s great if you’re happy to convert movies to the Apple TV format and buy all your content through iTunes.

That’s not going to be a the right thing for everyone… so what are the alternatives?

Who needs a TV? … how about a Mac Mini with a nice monitor and loads of drive space? — Plex running on a Mac Mini is a lot more versatile than an Apple TV (aka ATV). Add an EyeTV and you’ve got a really great media centre that’s relatively inexpensive.

Another option worth considering is XBMC (formerly named Xbox Media Center). It’s a free open source cross-platform media player as well as home entertainment system software. Interestingly, it also runs natively on the Apple TV. Wikipedia has a good summary page.

XBMC can also integrate with Control4 systems – show in the pic in the sidebar.

It really depends on what you want to do. For this research, I set my goal as being able to play any video in any format.

Sounds simple… but ATV can’t do it. Neither can PS/3 or Xbox 360.

The overall best appears to be the Asus O!Play – it handles all the popular video codecs and reads both Mac and PC-formatted drives.

Here are some more options:

• Plex
• D-Link Media Lounge
• Netgear EVA2000 Digital Entertainer Live or the EVA9100
• The Popcorn Hour C-200
• WD TV Live
• Seagate FreeAgent Theatre+
• Patriot Box Office

Let us know your thoughts, share your experience in the comments below.

The Apple TV connects to your TV (or home theatre system). You rent or buy movies from the iTunes store using the Apple TV or iTunes on your Mac or PC. So, you’ll need an iTunes account first. It’s easy to set up an account, you will need a credit card to buy content.

I set up an Apple TV over the weekend. It took about 5 – 10 minutes to set up.

Because it’s connected to a computer running iTunes, you can also watch movies that exist in your iTunes library. You can also listen to music and view photos through the Apple TV.

I’ve included a diagram (see sidebar) that shows how a home media sharing setup can be achieved. It’s not detailed, just a conceptual thing.

Notes:

• Up to 5 Apple TVs can existing on a local network
• Content is delivered from computers running iTunes v9.x
• Content can be synced with 1 computer (sync means content is copied to the Apple TV)
• Content can be streamed to an Apple TV from other computers on the network

Apple introduced Home Sharing in iTunes 9 – which means you can stream and transfer music, videos, and more with up to five other computers on your local network. Here’s a short video which demonstrates this feature.

Another interesting set up can be found on Winston’s tips:

More links:

• The Mac Mini specs (note HDMI port)
• Apple TV specs

Next up – Apple TV alternatives.

Touchscreen control has long been part of an home entertainment system. It’s also common to have the device mounted on the wall, just like a light switch. If you’re an iPod® or iPod touch® user, you can now easily integrate this into your environment.

The iPort In-Wall Docking System let’s you do just that. There are 3 models to choose from to suit your requirements.

The iPort IW-20 provides charging, local audio distribution, and direct control access.

The iPort IW-21 includes IR support, allowing control of the iPod via IR remote (available separately).

The iPort IW-22 adds integrated RS-232 for two-way communication from audio/video control devices, allowing for viewing of video and music playlist data over a wide range of compatible control systems.

Leading brands like Sonos and Crestron offer free apps from the iTunes App Store. These let you control your system using the touch interface found on iPod®, iPod Touch® and iPad®.

Control4 has added a 7-inch Table Top Touch Screen with a 16×9 format screen to its family of control systems. picture The new screen complements Control4′s 10.5-inch Portable and Wall-Mount Touch Screens, 7-inch Portable and POE (Power-Over-Ethernet) Wall-Mount Touch Screen, and the Mini Touch Screen.

Control4 says the new one has three times the display area as the mini and has more flexibility because of its size, placement and functionality.

Touch the screen to select tunes from distributed audio systems or video using cover art, or adjust control systems like lighting scenes, climate and such. Those with Rhapsody subscriptions can also access that music effortlessly from the touchpad.

[via CEPro]

To complement the ADMS, Crestron offers a 200-disc Blu-ray changer (ADC-200BR). Five of them can be linked together with Firewire for a 1,000-disc capacity. All discs are added to the ADMS’s media library complete with metadata and cover art, so locating movies is quick and easy (and legal).

Source: CEPro website

Automated Home have published an interesting article on Crestron’s DigitalMedia HDMI distribution system.

Available from March 2009 it will send uncompressed digital audio and video signals over a choice of either CAT5e/6 or fibre. Creston say there will be a full selection of switcher input cards, wall plate transmitters, and room controllers available to support a complete range of analogue and digital signal types.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data.

Automated Home posted the following note about Control4′s XBMC interface which provides a web interface for remote control.

“Control4 Australia’s XBMC interface allows IP control over the open source XBMC media center. Full control can be accessed via Control4′s wireless and wired touchscreens, zigbee remote controls, keypads or Control4′s onscreen graphical user interface. What this means is that you can create a full on demand theatre experience with automated blinds, lights and temperature control and touchscreen movie selection or perhaps a multiroom distributed audio/video system.

The features are included in a firmware update, contact us for more information.

XBMC is an open source (GPL) software media player and entertainment hub. It’s available for Mac OS X, Linux and Microsoft Windows, as well as the original Xbox game console.

An article on CEPro talks about how LG and Panasonic are both using the Control4 operating system.

LG Electronics have launched TVs with Control4 automation built-in. Panasonic have incorporated Control4 is some of its PBX telephone systems.

The LG TVs, however, are not geared towards the consumer market at this time. They are coming from LG’s commercial division and will most likely work their way into hotels and boardrooms.

This means the remote handset functionality is now integrated into the devices – navigation buttons, browse menu options, programmable buttons are some of the features.

More good news for those of you interested in multi-room audio products. NuVo gear has always been a very cost effective way to distribute your music to different locations throughout your home, all be it a little limited. Well with the new Essentia range this has defiantly changed.

Check it out at www.nuvotechnologies.com

By far the biggest change to the Essentia E6G package is the very cool new control pad interface, with an OLED display providing full metadata feedback. This metadata feedback is vital in today’s multi-room systems. The song information (metadata) can come from the NuVo iPod dock or the three zone 160GB NuVo music server. Coplanar buttons provide a smooth, clean finish with the overall polycarbonate surface, making the entire control pad water-resistant.

The six zone, six source system is tremendous value at $3500.00 inc GST (at the time of writing, not including installation) If you require any further information contact us now!

Here’s to whole home entertainment!

07.11.2008 — Belkin is helping make the wireless home theater a reality. The company is introducing its FlyWire wireless HD transmitter and receiver that sends 1080p video over a 5GHz band.

The company says the transmitter can send resolutions of 480i up to 1080p True Cinema to any HDTV.

The FlyWire also wirelessly connects to Blu-ray players, receivers, gaming consoles and settop boxes.

Belkin also says FlyWire does not compress video. It comes with a transmitter that connects to your AV components and a receiver that mounts to your HDTV.

FlyWire will be available in two packages: the FlyWire AV69003 that is designed as a whole-home solution with IR backchannel for multiroom control, and the FlyWire R1 AV69000 that is an in-room wireless solution with no IR backchannel control.

Both systems support third-party IR remotes and universal remotes.

Inputs include: three HDMI, two component, one composite and one HDMI out.