Consumer Electronics Installer Blog : Gaming

EngadgetHD Extender Overview

cei — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:28:00 GMT

If you are looking to get a better understanding of which Extenders are right for your installations, take a look at Ben Drawbaugh's The Media Center Extender shootout article. He walks you through some of Extender options on the market today, their features and stats.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/06/19/the-media-center-extender-shootout/

CE Pro Remote Guide

cei — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:41:00 GMT

Are you looking to revamp your remote control offering or find new ways to reduce complexity for your customers?

CE Pro just published an article and slideshow that walks through many of the latest remote control options on the market.

Most of the remotes featured can be programmed to or specifically designed to work with Windows Media Center based home entertainment systems.

2007 Ultimate Install Contest Winner Article - Imperium Smart Systems

cei — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:51:00 GMT

Residential Systems Magazine just published a great article on the winner of our first Ultimate Install Contest. The article gives a full overview (including pictures) of the winning 12 zone Windows Media Center based system from Imperium Smart Systems LLC in the 8,500 square foot Orem, Utah home.

"A lot of the bigger integrators are only familiar with other automation systems that are heavy on programming. I do a lot of presentations to construction companies, giving them a bid and showing them the difference with the Windows Media Center and Life-ware; we can normally do a project for half the cost of our competitors."

- Tyler Jennings, Imperium Smart Systems LLC

See the article at: It's the Ultimate

The NextGen Digital Lifestyles Home Videos

kollenkark — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:17:00 GMT

It is interesting to think how close to the Jetsons we have really come. As an installer you deal with the future of home entertainment and home control integration, but at CES 2008 The NextGen Digital Lifestyles Home really showed some of what is possible in home entertainment technology. Life|ware built these in association with Microsoft; featuring products from Intel, HP, Lutron, Russound, DSC, and Leggett & Platt. Below you will find five different videos that take your through this extraordinary house with some interesting characters to keep you entertained.

	Kitchen This 1950s themed view of a modern kitchen features Intelligent Lighting, an HP TouchSmart PC, and even an oven that tells you when the food is done cooking:
	Living Room Here is a 1960s themed view of a NextGen living room, featuring motorized shades, a home surveillance system, and surround sound:
	Game Room This 1970s themed modern game room features the new Xbox 360 Elite as an extender for Life\|ware and Window Media Center.
	Home Office Windows Home Server, Zune, and wireless whole-house audio are featured In this 1980s themed home office.
	Master Bedroom This modern master bedroom features a bed that adjusts to your optimum temperature, blinds that close by lying on the bed and much more.

To learn more about the 2008 NextGen Digital Lifestyles Home visit http://www.nextgenhome.com/NextGenHome/2008_CES/index.aspx.

Welcome to Microsoft’s CE Installer blog!

kollenkark — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 01:19:00 GMT

Our team believes that Microsoft technologies can enable consumer electronic installers to be more successful. We plan to use this blog to help us develop a better relationship with the installer community by sharing solutions and new information.

Over the course of the last year, our team has been working hard to help home entertainment professionals understand the opportunities that exist with Microsoft products. You can see the results of some our efforts at http://microsoft.com/ceinstaller, The Ultimate Install Contest and the articles “In the News” section on this page. Other efforts are still in the works and we hope to share more as we make progress. Be sure to subscribe or check back here for the latest developments.