That may sound like an unusual title for a blog from a tech guy like me, but maybe as you read on, that’ll make some sense.
Usually, when I retire to my theater for the evening to take in a movie, a game, or to listen to some music, I leave the (non-audio/video) technology out of the theater. The cell phone stays in kitchen, charging for the next day. The laptop is in the office and for those few rare and precious hours, I am immersed in the media of the evening. Of course, I’m not fooling myself thinking I’m away from technology mind you, but I am away from the kind that can distract me too much from the enjoyment of whatever I may be watching or listening to. My bluray player, my satellite box, my Sooloos, and my receiver are all hooked up to the internet to offer me even more information and choices of what I may want to involve myself with.
Well, in my home, that’s changing now thanks to a very cool addition to the theater, the Nevo S70 remote control. The S70 is first and foremost a great remote. I spent a day in training learning the basics around the software and the possibilities of what you can do with this remote is very cool. It of course handles the basics of theater control – most infrared controlled electronics can be controlled by this remote – as well as some more elaborate functions. The remote is also compatible with Z-Wave two way communication devices so control over entire house systems can be done from the touch screen of this bad boy. Your installer writes in a Z Wave device for say, your air conditioning system. Not only can you now set your thermostat from your remote, but you’ll also get a response from the a/c system that will tell you what the temperature is at the moment. You can do this with lighting, pool/spas, whatever can be controlled by Z wave. So, say your kids are notorious for leaving house lights on, you can look at your remote, see what status the lights are (on, off, dim, dim setting… you get the idea) and presto, you change them on the remote. Since the remote has a 3.5” LCD screen, with an IP addressable surveillance camera, the remote can be set up to monitor security cameras. You can even control PTZ functions!
Finally, the S70 also has Wi-Fi connectivity to allow the end use to get on sites optimized for mobile devices. Your installer can write buttons for favorite internet channels and after the press of a button, the game scores are right there on your remote. For a sports nut, this is the nirvana of remotes. And though it’s true that you could also do this with your laptop, the temptation (for me anyway) of having the laptop there and getting just 1 more email answered, one more bill paid, one more blog read… is just too great. With the S70, I have access to sites that might enhance my entertainment experience and not emails and things that would distract me.
So – control, some internet access, automation… all in the palm of your hand. It’s the right combination. Give your Nevo dealer a call and check out this great product.
-Clay Hankins is the CEO of The Audio Guy, LLC located in the
Dallas, TX area and serving the Dallas Home Theater, Media Rooms and surrounding
DFW area markets.
Posted
09-14-2009 12:15 PM
by
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