Re: My Home Theater/Home Automation PC setup

["Brian" <brian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You have some nice looking screens with charmed quark.

Send me an email and I'll send you something about Zwave.

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Brian Dye
brian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://tech-home.com
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<ivb_2001@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1135585069.295944.120080@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [Note: I am an end-user. I'm not making any $$ anyhow, anyway, by doing
> anything in this post. I am not affiliated with any of the companies
> that I reference, I am posting this for the same reason people blog -
> to let others know what I do in case it will help them].
>
> Everything I say here is also on a personal website I just finished,
> www.myhometheaterpc.com. If you want details, post here or go there.
>
> I'm controlling a variety of HA & HT stuff for my 3 zone system[H/T,
> LivRm, Patio]. I started down this path a few years ago for just HT,
> but I've recently realized it was going to be dang cheap for me to
> extend some HA fxnlty. Frankly, everything I've ever done has been in
> the most inexpensive route that I thought was responsible. This doesn't
> mean I've focused solely on price, rather that I haven't "thrown" $$
> away on silly solutions.  You'll see the prices on the site - you'll
> see that my stuff is really rather cheap. I bet I could rebuild the
> whole thing now for much less than indicated there.
>
> I've currently got:
> - 2.5 TB in space for DVDs, TV, CDs. This is all controlled via the
> HA/HTPC.
> - I'm also controlling that XM, FM, and soon irrigation & heat.
> - I created an integrated front-end myself as I realized that all
> integrated front-ends suck as they try and build for the mass market,
> which means they please no one. I used CQC, www.charmedquark.com, to
> create my own screens with the buttons for both the s/w control as well
> as device control [my denon receiver, etc], so I got something that I
> think works well.
> - I'm focusing on usability & using real art as the backdrop so it's
> aesethically pleasing and approachable by non-techies as well.
>
> I've got CQC screens for:
> - Main Menu (startup)
> - FamRm H/T Music Controller
> - LivRm Music Controller (can set to same as F/R or different source)
> - TV Main Menu
> - Recorded TV Shows
> - DVD Selection
> - Weather
> - House Furnace Control
> - House Irrigation Control
>
> You'll notice nothing for lighting or drapes, that's intentional. I
> hear the next-gen of zWave PC controllers is due out in March, so I'm
> going to wait for that to do anything there.
>
> I can also use my Siemens Cingular PDA Cellphone to control the music
> in any of the 3 zones. Those screens are also CQC fnxlty - I just have
> to paint the correct UI, and CQC takes care of all the networking
> communication required to make it go.
>
> Again, for details on what the system can do, the particular equipment
> I've bought, either post here or go to www.myhometheaterpc.com.
>
> And again, i'm not going to make any $$ doing this; i do this only to
> give back to the community. Seriously.
>
>