I would prefer if JRiver focused on what they are good at, and keep the focus on MC (new features and fixing bugs).
I'd like to ask a question to the question.We don't intend to abandon JRiver Media Center, and I know there is more to do, but I believe home automation is a logical extension of what we currently do, and that many parts of the current application will apply.
Do you think you've covered the home media center market enough to branch out? I have a couple of home automation systems, including one now owned by a very large company and they are a kludge of endpoints/devices are various manufacturers. The minute you jump into that, you'll leave this product behind thus loosing your base.
A spinoff perhaps but keep the funding separate.
Remote control is key. A single remote that can give you control of all your devices. That's been my dream for a decade, at least.As I mentioned before, this seems like a competitor to Control4. I really like the idea (and generally, the execution, of Control4). It's a single remote and it can do all that you mentioned.
I'm interested in opinions, but I would not like to see this thread turn into arguments for and against. It's enough to say, "not for me" or "it's interesting".
Maybe, but I think it's fair to say that JRiver has had some success competing with media software from Apple and Microsoft, and a number of other big companies like Sony and Nokia haven't. It takes more than money.
I am not optimistic that this problem can be solved without the scale of a samsung (or google or apple etc) behind it.
I have neither the time nor patience to do this myself and I don't see how an abstraction layer is going to help when the underlying devices are the things that don't behave.
What I think we can do is "codify" this special knowledge, so that it can be shared as a package of special instructions for setup.does this mean the macro functionality is in or out of scope for you at this point? I suppose I'm asking whether you're looking to be a (or "the") broker between the automation system itself (control4, rti, irule etc) and the devices or that you would be the automation system?
does this mean the macro functionality is in or out of scope for you at this point? I suppose I'm asking whether you're looking to be a (or "the") broker between the automation system itself (control4, rti, irule etc) and the devices or that you would be the automation system?I don't know exactly where this will lead. I wrote this a few months ago and it still seems close:
I don't know exactly where this will lead. I wrote this a few months ago and it still seems close:
...
IMO, tablet-only home automation isn't good enough. Tablets are bright, run out of battery power fast, are slow to use and require the user to take his/her eyes off the screen for too long.I think we can leverage our current tools to be able to run on many platforms. The same remotes should also work (phone, tablet, MC remote, etc.).
Somebody needs to build a home automation system like Irule but designed for a customized hard button remote. Maybe a remote with both hard buttons and a small touch screen. A small touchscreen could be nice for two way feedback communication over tcp/ip.(eg. Volume control setting, zone and even program guide data)
I have automated as much as possible and have as few buttons as possible.
I have only one (web based) control screen for everything :
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11728700773/ (http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11728700773/)
for example:
- no snooze/on/off button for the alarm clock.
- no on/off button for the central heating.
- no on/off buttons for the lights (only sliders for the setpoint).
The system knows when I am sleeping or not and when I am at home or not (phone detection and motion detectors)
so it will switch the central heating, lights, tv, stereo, alarm clock etc. on/off automatically.
some trend data :
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11728439385/ (http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11728439385/)
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11729200356/ (http://www.fluidr.com/photos/mhwlng/11729200356/)
Very interesting! Unfortunately the pictures are not available anymore!?
Please don't make MC feature requests in this thread.