Crestron brings out 13-button iPanel, which snaps over the iPad and communicates via the multipin connector.
By Julie Jacobson September 16, 2010
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http://www.cepro.com/article/exclusive_crestron_brings_hard_buttons_to_ipad/
A total of 13 buttons grace the left and right sides of the iPanel:
- VOLUME UP/DOWN
- MUTE
- LIGHTS
- HOME
- GUIDE
- INFO
- EXIT
- LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, SELECT
The buttons look like the ones on Crestron’s flagship TPS-6X wireless touchpanel, and they function similarly.
Power and communications occur through the the iPad’s multipin connector. The buttons tap into the iPad’s WiFi capabilities, communicating with a Crestron controller just like the TPS-6X or any other WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel. The screen does not have to be docked for the hard buttons to work. That’s because the case itself contains a multipin connector. When you dock the unit, you’re basically stacking connectors. Engraving of the buttons is still being finalized and more details are to follow if the hard buttons can be used for instant access to the Crestron app.
Click here to view the full article
http://www.cepro.com/article/exclusive_crestron_brings_hard_buttons_to_ipad/