MAY 16, 2011 by Martin LaMonica
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http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20062743-54.html
Semiconductor company Marvell today is set to introduce a chip geared at improving the light from LED bulbs and connecting them to a network.
The 8801 chip is small–about the size of a penny–and will be about the same price as existing LED lighting electronics.
If Marvell signs on light manufacturer customers, it could bring the very good light quality of some commercial LEDs to more affordable consumer products, said Kishore Manghnani, vice president of Marvell’s Communications and Consumer business. He said the chip, which integrates multiple functions on this single controller chip, is being tested by commercial or consumer light fixture makers now and it takes them about six months to introduce products with new chips.
Light quality for consumer LED bulbs has improved over the past few years but the color rending index (CRI), a measure of quality, is still not as high as incandescent bulbs. With the chip, Manghnani said a CRI of 95, higher than most of the consumer LED bulbs available now, is possible.
The chip can control the current and temperature of two types of LED light sources. So a fixture or bulb maker could use the chip and driver to use LEDs with two different colors, such as white and red, to improve color rendering. Until now, the electronics to control different colored LEDs would be too large or expensive for consumer products, Manghnani said.
The Marvell component will also make LED dimming more precise and allow a lighting company to embed a wireless chip in the bulb. With a wireless ZigBee or Wi-Fi radio, lights can be controlled from a central point or set on a schedule. Last week, Google demonstrated a networked LED bulb controlled by its Android@Home software due for release by the end of the year.
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ThinkEco’s plug-in modlet learns your usage patterns and offers scheduling recommendations.
May 03, 2011 by Steven Castle
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http://www.electronichouse.com/article/intelligent_device_automates_energy_savings/C155
Like many of us, Mei Shibata has a home entertainment system with a sizable TV, DVD player, Wii game console and a cable box. But unlike many of us, she’s saving energy and money with it.
While no one is at in her New York home during certain times of the day, power is cut to the entertainment system—including the “always-on” cable box. Then, before her child arrives home and watches TV, power is resumed to the system and the cable box has time to boot up and download the necessary programming information.
It’s all done with a product called the modlet, from ThinkEco. The modlet is a plug-in device with two outlets and wireless ZigBee connection to a computer for the software interface. The modlet can monitor the energy of an appliance of device plugged into it—and it can cut or resume power to that device automatically. Even better, this is based on your preferences and your usage patterns.
The modlet and its software learns how you use the things plugged into it, and recommends savings plans.
ThinkEco estimates that cutting power to a cable box alone for 12 hours a day results in annual savings of $17, and cutting power to it 18 hours a day can save $25, based on a rate of 15 cents per kilowatt hour…
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<strong><a href="http://www.electronichouse.com/article/intelligent_device_automates_energy_savings/C155" target="_blank">http://www.electronichouse.com/article/intelligent_device_automates_energy_savings/C155</a></strong></p>
Avoca to launch voice recognition for Control4 automation systems, enabling users to navigate to movies or set back thermostats just by saying so.
By Joe Whitaker April 21, 2011
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http://www.cepro.com/article/voice_recognition_coming_to_control4_systems/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email
Ontario, Canada-based Avoca Semiconductor has demonstrated voice-activated A/V and home automation systems for a couple of years but it looks like the company is almost there. During the recent Electronic House Expo (where I suggested in my “Game Changers” session that voice control trumps gesture control), Avoca demonstrated its voice-enabled solution for Control4.
A Modern-Day Scotty
At EHX 2011, Avoca principal Iain Scott controlled lights, music, scenes, even a DVD (The Matrix, of course) through voice. I was astounded at how well it worked. I was surprised not because the show floor was noisy, but because Scott has as a thick Scottish accent – just like the guys in that elevator video.
I always thought nationality would be the biggest obstacle for voice-controlled devices, as in the case of the other Scotty who travels back in time in a Star Trek movie and tries to talk to the unresponsive computer.
Challenges of Voice Technology
The technology Avoca calls Voice-enabled User Interface, or VUI, falls into a category called Voice Control and Search Technology (VCST).
While VCST has been successfully deployed for years by government and other agencies around the globe, the service has not made its way into consumer electronics in any meaningful way, except for mobile phones and GPS devices. These devices are often subject to hands-free laws that mean to keep drivers focused on the road ahead.
In the home, no one is making you talk to your TV, and you could look very silly doing it, especially if the technology is such that you have to repeat yourself to, “Record Myth Busters at 6:00.” (“Did you say, ‘Purchase Dust Busters on CVS?’”)
In theory, voice control is the easiest way for people to express their “wants and needs,” says Scott. The technology is becoming ever more compelling with shrinking remote controls and TVs, and a baffling array of entertainment options. Scott says, “Voice is the only technology that lets you go straight to what you want.”
After seeing the technology firsthand I couldn’t agree more. Even with short-cuts and “favorites” on a standard remote control or touchscreen, bringing up a DVD can still take three button presses.
With voice control, there’s just one button to press: the one that puts the device into “listen” mode.
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<strong><a href="http://www.cepro.com/article/voice_recognition_coming_to_control4_systems/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">http://www.cepro.com/article/voice_recognition_coming_to_control4_systems/?utm_source=CEPWeekly&utm_medium=email</a></strong></p>
by Rachel Cericola/Electronic House
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http://hdliving.com/home-technology/2011/04/30/mog-select-lg-products
LG just added one more reason to get one of their web-enabled products. The company just announced that they now have MOG available on select LG devices.
The streaming music service can be accessed through LG’s Smart TV platform on select Blu-ray players and home theater systems. Once you select the MOG app, you can browse and play millions of songs, all from your remote control.
“MOG remains focused on ensuring our users have the best listening experience wherever they are, and thanks to LG’s Smart TV platform, consumers can now enjoy high-quality, on-demand streaming of music in the living room,” said David Hyman, CEO of MOG. “We designed this app specifically for the living room and can’t wait for people to experience the gorgeous graphics, simplicity of the app, and high quality audio.”
A few key MOG features include unlimited, ad-free listening; charts, editors’ picks and new releases; MOG radio; and music streams at 320kbps.
Another key feature: the price. That’s right; MOG isn’t free. The MOG Basic service delivers MOG access on LG’s Blu-ray players and home theater systems, as well as on MOG.com for $4.99 per month. To add in iPhone and Android access, expect to pay $9.99 per month. If you want to try before you buy, MOG does offer a free 14-day trial.
For now, MOG is only available on LG’s BD650, BD670, BD690 Blu-ray players, and LG’s LHB336, LHB536, LHB976 home theater systems. It’s also available through LG’s new Smart TV Upgrader set-top box. LG expects to add the service to Smart TV Enabled HDTVs soon.
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Google TV to miss Google IO but get Samsung, Vizio
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http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/05/04/google.tv.to.miss.google.io.but.get.samsung.vizio/
Google’s revamped Google TV won’t show until much later in the year but will have some partners in tow, insiders said Wednesday. The new platform would skip next week’s Google I/O conference entirely and would only be unveiled in “coming months.” AllThingsD was, however, told that Samsung and Vizio were signing on to join Logitech and Sony.
Stories that it would hinge on faster processors weren’t ruled out, but the source pointed to the Revue and Sony’s Internet TV hardware being upgradeable.
Google is known to be considering the new, as yet unseen version of Google TV a practical reboot of the platform following a tepid launch late last year. Despite marketing from itself and its early partners, the Android-based TV platform quickly fell out of favor. Logitech reached less than a third of its projected revenue in early 2011. Promised support for third-party apps early in 2011 also never materialized and now won’t arrive until the new revision later this year.
The platform is widely considered Google’s attempt at countering Apple TV but has been criticized for being too web-centric and presumptive about TV providers’ plans. It was designed to show web video and TV results side-by-side but was rendered near-useless for mainstream content after most major providers blocked it. Without a dedicated media store like the Apple TV or support for third-party apps, Google TV devices provided relatively little advantage and were also docked for higher prices and sluggish performance.
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<strong><a href="http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/05/04/google.tv.to.miss.google.io.but.get.samsung.vizio/" target="_blank">http://www.electronista.com/articles/11/05/04/google.tv.to.miss.google.io.but.get.samsung.vizio/</a></strong></p>
by Rachel Cericola/Electronic House
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http://hdliving.com/home-technology/2011/04/30/harman-revel-launches-architectural-speakers
The Revel portion of Harman’s business is reveling in a new speaker launch. The company just announced that they are now shipping the Harman Revel Architectural Series.
The new line of bezel-free in-wall and in-ceiling speakers features a sleek look and the company’s patented RollerLock tool-free installation mechanism. The RollerLock means that it these speakers can handle almost any wall thickness and a variety of construction methods.
Besides the quality, the Architectural Series is pretty big on quantity as well. Featuring 21 different models, this line can handle almost any type of install. The Architectural Series includes 11 in-wall models that range from a 6.5-inch-woofer 2-way to a 9-inch-woofer 3-way speaker, as well as 10 in-ceiling models, ranging from a 4-inch-woofer 2-way to a 3-way LCR speaker.
All of the speakers have Zero-Bezel magnetic grilles that attach magnetically. The in-ceiling models come with both round and square Zero-Bezel grilles.
Boasting high-end driver technologies, aluminum-dome tweeters, Micro Ceramic Composite (MCC) woofers, and Revel’s CAI waveguide, Harman says that any of these models can deliver a more natural sound.
Designed as a complement to the company’s Ultima2, Performa and Concerta floorstanding, monitor and center channel loudspeakers, all of the in-ceiling models (except the C540) are available now. Expect the in-walls to start shipping in June.
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by Jeff Kleist on Apr 19, 2011
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http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/powerdvd-11-coming-soon-includes-smartphone-remote/
In several videos, since made private on the official Cyberlink Youtube channel, Cyberlink has demonstrated some of the new capabilities of PowerDVD 11. A new remote control application, confirmed for Android and presumably coming to iOS as well, will let you control every aspect of playback right from your tablet or smartphone, or even use a touchpad area to control your cursor like a standard mouse. Other features coming to PowerDVD 11 include 3D simulation on 2D movies, improvements in Blu-ray playback and compatibility, and supposedly tighter integration with Windows Media Center.
PC Blu-ray playback has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years. At the beginning, HTPC enthusiasts had to keep a copy of all the major software playback packages on their machines because usually any compatibility problems with a disc wouldn’t affect all three. As the format has become more stable and standardized, including Blu-ray in your HTPC has become more practical and affordable, with BD-ROM drives coming in as low as $50 on sale. Future laptops may include glasses-free 3D features, made practical by the fact they are mostly used head-on with a very limited viewing angle, so computer playback may be on the verge of getting very popular as the price of screens like the one used in the Nintendo 3DS come down.
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<strong><a href="http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/powerdvd-11-coming-soon-includes-smartphone-remote/" target="_blank">http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/powerdvd-11-coming-soon-includes-smartphone-remote/</a></strong></p>
by Jeff Kleist on Apr 19, 2011
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http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/hbo-debuts-hbo-go-app-for-appletv-ios-and-android/
After giving Netflix a very public cold shoulder, HBO has debuted its new HBO GO app, which works with movile devices and set top boxes like Apple TV and GoogleTV. While still requiring an active HBO subscription (which must be obtained as part of a cable package, no streaming only kids), HBO GO claims to provide every episode of every season of every show they’ve got, as well as a selection of current movies available on the channel. While availability is at the whim of your cable provider/ISP, much like ESPN service on Xbox Live, it’s expected to be up and running on all the majors by the end of next month, including the lagging Time Warner Cable.
The real question is how long this honeymoon period is going to last, where the cable companies can continue to demand fealty from the heavy hitters like HBO, and with young people cutting the cord, how long will it really be before they want to collect that $14 a month direct? I know I’d consider picking up HBO a few months a year if I didn’t have the albatross of a cable subscription hanging onto it when a show or miniseries I want to see is on. It’s just a question of how many subscriptions they have to lose before that happens
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<strong><a href="http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/hbo-debuts-hbo-go-app-for-appletv-ios-and-android/" target="_blank">http://www.hometechtell.com/hometechnologytell/comment/hbo-debuts-hbo-go-app-for-appletv-ios-and-android/</a></strong></p>
By Richard Hart
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http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=8065430&rss=rss-kgo-article-8065430
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – In a conference call, or in a videogame, all the voices seem to come from one place. That is changing, with a new kind of surround sound. Richard Hart reports on the Drive to Discover “spatial sound” for videogames.
In videogames, 3D has made tremendous progress on the screen – but not in the headphones. Gamers like to chat with each other while playing online. And surround sound doesn’t work well for player voices.
Surround sound in a game is great. But what is not great is when you’re playing with your buddies in a multiplayer game, and everybody else sounds like they are all in the middle of your head. New technology is seeking to change that.
“It’s multichannel voice chat in a game,” says Jamie Goodyear of Dolby Laboratories in San Francisco. “Right now, voice chat comes out of the center channel – pretty much exclusively – no matter where you are or where the person doing the talking around you is. What this does is mix that audio in realtime with the rest of the game audio.”
Of course, you can’t appreciate this in a broadcast, because you don’t normally listen to it in surround sound. But believe me, in Electronic Arts’ game “Need for Speed”. When your opponent is tailgating you, you hear his taunts from behind you.
That is called spatial location. It’s not just about games. In a conference call, you could use this to drag and drop other people from one ear to the other so you could tell who was who during the call. Another effect is occlusion.
“When I step behind a wall, “Goodyear explains, “my voice sounds like I’m behind that wall.”
To hear these effects, you must be playing a game online. The sound must be processed on powerful servers that are operated by Dolby in the cloud. So the game must be enabled with its Axon technology. “Need for Speed” will be the first game to use it.
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<strong><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=8065430&rss=rss-kgo-article-8065430" target="_blank">http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/drive_to_discover&id=8065430&rss=rss-kgo-article-8065430</a></strong></p>
Crestron introduces a stylish line of docking stations for both the original iPad and the new, thinner iPad 2. The new charging docks turn the popular Apple tablets into a table top or wall mount Crestron touch screen for complete control of the home, classroom and building. With IDOC-PAD and IDOC-PAD2, your iPad or iPad2 can be stationed and charged in either a sleek in-wall dock or in an elegantly shaped tabletop model.
Available in a gloss white or piano black finish, both docks perfectly complement either iPad model with a minimalist, Apple-inspired design. The flush-mounted wall docks allow you to easily slide your iPad or iPad2 in and out as you please. Simply press the slim frame and the dock extends, inviting you to slide the tablet in or out. The discretely curvaceous tabletop model is designed for quick docking – and then swiping it off again – so you can flow freely from room to room or across the office, keeping you as mobile as your iPad.