touchscreen device recommendations please...

["Paul Gale" <groups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I=92m getting close to finally having all of my HA systems displayed
and co=
ntrollable from one interface =96 MainLobby =96 and it=92s working really
w=
ell.

I=92ve been thinking of how to display/control this and where. So far
there=
are three obvious places in my house: AV Room, Kitchen and master bedroom,=
each of which have slightly different needs. I=92ll also be displaying the=
interface in a number of other rooms on a TV through my AV distribution sy=
stem and controlled by simple remote.

The AV room is really the main area for this to be used and the
=91showcase=
=92 for visitors as well as day-to-day use. I will be able to display the
i=
nterface on the plasma but thinking about it, the use of a separate touch
s=
creen device sitting on the coffee table would be the ideal. This means
tha=
t valuable and regular data can be shown continuously and the plasma/AV
dis=
tribution doesn=92t need to be switched over, interrupting a TV programme
o=
r film.

So, I=92m after thoughts/recommendations on a suitable display with these
c=
onsiderations in mind:

*	It=92s GOT to look sexy/aesthetically pleasing/high tech
*	Be able to sit upright on it=92s own or in a stand
*	Touch screen control
*	Not sure whether audio needed =96 possibly but only for HA announcements
=
(I have whole house audio with announcements anyway)
*	Got to be able to run 24/7 if needed (prob more likely to turn off when
a=
larm state changes)
*	Got to be able to go into sleep mode and resume very quickly
*	Can be a stand alone PC type device or a thin client
*	Good quality screen
*	Smallish =96 prob smaller than a traditional tablet PC
*	Cost well below =A31,000 =96 pref around =A3500

Sounds like it=92s maybe a UMPC or thin client =96 but cheap!

Any thoughts/ideas/recommendations?

Thanks,

Paul.





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