Exceptional Innovation shows off Media Center distributed audio

Got a Media Center PC, but don't feel like you're getting the most from it? Streaming loads of video around the house but wondering why you've still got to drop more coin on a Sonos or custom rig for a better audio streaming experience? Well, Exceptional Innovation wants to see you through this one with their forthcoming release of Life|ware (which apparently will be shown off at the Electronic House Expo), that is supposed to allow for proper third party bidirectional control and Media Center metadata transfer for multi-zoned streaming home audio on cheap touchscreen panels. If you're not really with us on this one that's cool, but we have a feeling there a few people out there who've been wanting a household-wide audio control system on the cheap(er) that are going to be pretty stoked about this.

[Via Chris Lanier]

[anonymous @ Mar 27th 2006 7:10AM]

yea get that snow off it, dont want to get the thing wet !

[threEchelon @ Mar 27th 2006 7:29AM]

I've been waiting for something like this!

[Joshua Hernandez @ Mar 27th 2006 8:38AM]

Just going off of the interface alone looks like there is a reason to drop the coin on a sonos .. its REALLY STUPID EASY to use. Video however is something the sonos cant handle just yet.

[brownopher @ Mar 27th 2006 9:37AM]

Where do you get cheap touchscreen displays?

[TrikinCurt @ Mar 27th 2006 9:43AM]

Sorry to say, that is a picture of an $8000 panel, doubt that is what most all cheap. (I am a Life|Ware dealer, great product, but far far from cheap).

Curt

[Brian Workman @ Mar 27th 2006 10:17AM]

I also have been waiting on this. Now we just need EI or someone to come out with the hardware end of the audio nirvana.

[silverton mountain @ Mar 27th 2006 12:13PM]

This is a nice addition ot the media center platform. I see quite a few systems installed in homes up here but most are a little basic from a control and music selection standpoint. If there are truly affordable panels availible I'd expect to see quite a few of these installed.

[DK1 @ Mar 27th 2006 1:12PM]

Anyone know what does the basic Lifeware for Media center cost? Can it be controlled from any web browser?

[DK1 @ Mar 27th 2006 1:12PM]

Anyone know what does the basic Lifeware for Media center cost? Can it be controlled from any web browser?

[Julie Jacobson @ Mar 27th 2006 9:14PM]

well, this blog is slightly off. This touchscreen is not inexpensive. the key new innovation is that lifeware is enabling two-way control via inexpensive distributed audio systems (not pictured!). The caption from my original blog reads like this:

It's one thing to enable feedback and control via costly toucshcreens, as Exceptional Innovation has demonstrated in the past. It's another thing to enable inexpensive third-party keypads to display metadata from an MCE, and enable users to control their PC-based content right from the keypad. That's what EI will show at EHX.

-Julie Jacobson, CE Pro
http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/7577.html

[sev @ Sep 15th 2006 2:14PM]

If you want a cheap streaming media and home automation system, build your own using http://www.plutohome.com 's software on your hardware. You'll probably need to build your own hardware or buy a quality computer with proper specs, but well worth it.

[GadgetMike @ Mar 19th 2007 1:47AM]

Figure on spending $1500 to $5000 for the software license (it's based upon how many devices you hook up to it). If you want access to tech support that's another 8% a year, and if you want access to software upgrades that's another 8% a year. Lifeware's pricing model is a bit screwed up. The dealer configuration software is pretty crummy too, but if you're a user then that's not your problem. buying lifeware's devices will send you to the poor house just about as quickly as AMX or Crestron. What you should do is buy your own touchpanel, install XP embedded and roll your own. Other things Lifeware doesn't do well are video distribution, take full advantage of the default menu navigation structure in Windows Media Center (though they're supposed to address this in a future release) (i.e. you have to navigate to a room to then access weather information instead of just clicking a weather button in the initial menu...duh. They're spending an absolute ton of money on marketing at the moment. I was at the Electronic House Expo, which they sponsored and they had a big presence there. Advantage over Crestron is that you don't have to learn a programming language to add a device and its commands. They have an interface called UDI (i.e. Universal Device Interface or something) that allows an installer to add in codes for devices that are not on the partner list....So, if you want to do video switching and lifeware doesn't support it out of the box, you could add the RS-232 codes via the UDI and get lifeware to talk to your new device. Much better than calling up your Crestron programmer and having them charge you 8 hours at $100/hr to add your device.

I'm considering becoming a dealer for them but they're still kinda pricey.