Home theatre automation :)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Is anyone else besides me interested in automating their home theatre? While I realize most people are still working on projectors I still think the topic is cool. I'm thinking of automating my theatre with x-10 home control so I can just power up things remotely. Also thinking of a PDA with infrared to control things like my audio receiver,dscaler,dvd player,vcr,sattilete receiver. I was also thinking that because electric screens are so darned expensive to automate a screen. Taking apart a pull down screen mechanism would be a little difficult. So why not just have a motor on the floor with a rope attached. When you run the motor it pulls on the screen hook therfore pulling down the screen. When you are done you simply run it in reverse.
 
I'm glad to see someone else was also thinking about this. I'm 99% done with my theater room and at one point I was looking at automizing things but it kinda fell on the back burner. As for your motor/rope pull down screen idea....What about having curtains in front of the screen that are motorized and open up to reveal your screen. A lesser motor could be used to simple open and close the curtains using pully like system...(meaning more quiet)....

-Blockhead
 
I was thinking more about the ultimate remote. PDA like a cheap palmpilot makes a lot of sense.

1. It's a backlit screen so you can use it in the dark.
2. Infrared port for controlling components.
3. Completly open for making or installing new programs. Like having different pages for different components. Macros are possible to. One button dvd playing that sets your audio receiver your projector,lights,screen. 🙂
4. Touchscreen for easy control.
5. Size.
6. Could use to control basic functions on a computer.
 
Well I downloaded a demo of it and installed it on my palm IV, three feet is the max and it does get all the the command, missed most. There are DIY cicuit for IR extender on the net, so you could, for example, build a dome that sits on the coffee table and retrasmit everything to the various devices. Total cost for one of these extander are less than $10(thank you radio shack)

<p>
 
I have a piece of software on my Palm M100 called OmniRemote. This software works great like described above, and can work well at about 4 to 6 feet. I might have to try the remote extenders, it might allow for better reception to the equip.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.