Floppyhead – Digital Media and Streaming

Crestron and Microsoft are teaming up for a media center home automation system. One of the benefits of Vista’ media center interface is its flexibility, allowing third parties to develop plugins that seamlessly fit into the media center interface. It looks like Crestron might tap into that flexibility to offer home automation solutions for the media center crowd.
From the press release:

Crestron and Microsoft are doing something big together. The two companies are expected to launch some kind of media-centric control platform that will take their offerings “to a whole new level,” says Fred Bargetzi, VP of technology for Crestron.

Exceptional Innovation has typically been the only company to offer home automation integration with media centers. Crestron should definitely add momentum to the home automation marketplace. I have mixed feelings about home automation. I am not sure I have the need to turn off lights through the media center interface. I guess if you could set-up macros so when you turn on the DVD player the lights dim and change your settings on your surround sound receiver. However, I would quite frankly would not pay alot of money for that capability. My house just is not big enough for me not to get off of the couch. I guess I just need to be sold on home automation.