I just finished converting my Pronto Pro theater control app to an iPad. I used the iRule application which was adequate for the task. Bear in mind that I only communicate with the PC that controls all aspects of the theater over TCP so I had no issues iPad wise with IR or RS232 or missing device codes etc.

I am not planning to abandon my Pronto Pro's. Members of my family asked me if I could build A/V control systems for their iPads, hence my interest

It took me about 10 days from start to finish. Most of the effort was spent getting a reasonable set of graphics and then dealing with the iRule application which is in a very early state of development. Since the iRule/iPad combination does not allow two way communications I had to eliminate one capability in my theater but not a big deal. The iRule learning curve was not too step, and the forum and customer support operations were very good. Not as good as RC (Here) but their formal customer support was excellent even on weekends. Remember they are a new forum we are an old established one. The iRule product is aimed at hobbyists at DIY'ers as much as installers and the formally recognize the DIY base.

The following comments pertain more to the iPad and really have nothing to do with iRule. iRule is analagous to PEP at about a development level of PEP 1

I really missed the hard keys!!! With the Pronto I had the hard keys doing very common things and could always locate them by feel. With the iPad I always had to look at the screen and that was a pain.

The iPad is very bright and it is always on. The screen does not have (AFAIK) a blanking feature with a user controlled timeout. It was very distracting. I ended laying it face down on the couch next to me.

Which brings up the next issue. When I picked it up the iPad always tried to adjust orientation. I only implemented landscape pages so it would show blank pages for the portrait modes. It would be nice if one could tell the iPad not to be so fancy. I did not implement gestures but the sliding gesture was there. Will be implementing the portrait pages but need to redesign the graphics slightly.

Jailbraik your iPad, do some home work

- won't get a auto lock any more
- always on is possible.

In a few weeks there come's an app that enables the motion sensor to wake up the screen! (that problem solved ;) )

I agree totally on the hard buttons, but i'm swiping now on the iPad to change menu/channels, wich is working pretty good. .

Hi Barry,

The switch on the right hand side is an orientation lock.

I've been testing iRule as well and I agree the lack of hard buttons and the current inability to dim or blank the screen are the two major annoyances.

Jeff

Crestron has a hard button add-on for the iPad:

[Link: hardwaresphere.com]

Don't have an ipad, but would be interesting to see a video of this in action.

I've had a play with iRule, and thinks it does just enough to allow you to control the very basic stuff.

I definately think there is a market for an iPad surround with hard buttons, similar to the Crestron solution.

The problem may be when Apple introduce the new range of iPad without physical docking ports. What would this surround interface to?

Interesting times...

I'd love to see some screenshots of your iRule panels Barry.

Cheers, Lee

Hi Barry.
One question why did you choose to use Irula instead of Command Fusion?
I'm thinking of moving on to ipad and wonder how you thought.
Command Fusion 2-way wireless communication, or?
What cand of receiver do you use to your ipad.
Global Cache or someone else?

Sincerely,
Niclas

I was contacted by the iRule people and asked if I would assist them/advise them. I never looked at command fusion since I did not know about it. I do intend to look at it. My real goal is to eventually code on the iPad natively, i.e. using the Cocoa framework. My experience with the iPad so far is much less satisfying than with the Pronto form a usage standpoint.

My theater is controlled by a PC. My home automation system is PC based TCP and UDP are the only modes of communications (Transport layer) I use. I have a Global Cache GC118 as part of the house infrastructure to handle all IR except in the theater where a USB-UIRT handles it.

Iscolman2, I just posted a zip archive with the screen snapshots from the iPad. It is on my web site. They are very similar in layout to what is on the Pronto Pro with addition of more soft keys (buttons) for such thing as cursor and volume control. My profile has my website address

Well Barry the pronto was made for with the home control application in mind.

About the ipad.
How does it work as a remote control, given that one is not made for it?
How often do you recharge it?
What do you think about it so far?

Currently I am not using iRule, but I must give them credit for good support. I sent them an email on a Saturday afternoon and within the hour he had tracked me down through the company website and called me.

They seem aggressive and willing to listen.

I have mixed feelings about developing my programs through a Google cloud.

I am using both TSU9600 and iPad to control my theater. The Pronto does everything I could possibly wish for, and then some more. It's brilliant. The iPad is very savvy as well, it normally lives on a wall dock and also, quite often, I find the iPad and Pronto sitting next to each other on the couch. They are both rock-solid on wifi, no issues at all (I have them tuned into different WAP's).

Pronto is my preferred device because of it's size and the tactile response of hard buttons. I can't assimilate with the iPad screen observations of Barry, I've never found myself needing to turn it upside down due to screen brightness. Actually I think my iPad screen times out to sleep, and lights up when I pick it up. I rarely use the screen lock but I do understand things can go haywire with screen orientation until you get used to it.

My Pronto and iPad basically show the same information. I have DVD and CD coverarts display on the panels (2-way feedback), I can scroll/sort through the media collection and choose what I want to play using touchscreen on iPad, or the scroll wheel on the Pronto. I can also search for content, by Artist name etc, using both the Pronto and iPad via touch keypad. Transport controls via iPad work with double tap on the coverart, or using the dedicated transport control icons. When I use the Pronto to scroll through coverarts the function is replicated on the iPad, and vice versa. It's really cool to be using my Pronto to control playback of content and see the iPad mounted on the wall mimicking everything the Pronto is doing!

2-way feedback on both iPad and Pronto extends to the normal things you'd expect, like time elapsed, time remaining, track titles, chapter number etc etc. I don't have volume level feedback display on either the Pronto or iPad, although if I knew prontoscript I could make this work on the Pronto.

With iPad I can grab the TV guide off the net, and set my PVR to record any program I want, up to 2 weeks in advance (I can't do that with Pronto...I'm sure it can be done I just don't know how). I can't directly control the PVR as such, I can only tell it what to record based on choosing programs via the on-line TV guide.

Volume control is slightly tricky on the iPad, but only because of my unconventional application (I'm still working on it, it involves interfacing iPad with CBUS and then have CBUS issue the vol+, mute, vol- commands). If I went conventional using a GC IP2IR gateway then volume control in my theater would be straightforward. I'm only using CBUS in this way so I can also control my theater using my CBUS touchscreen. Otherwise I'd stick with the GC gateway.

Anyway, that's theater control in my house. The kids love it, both the iPad and the Pronto. I'd say the iPad wins out with them because they also play games and do other stuff on it that Pronto isn't intended for. Pronto/iPad are probably the only 2 things my wife has never complained about, so that is testament to the fact that they work, and are useful.

brodricj: Can you share with us what applications you run on the Pronto and iPad and what media player you use?

The software (module) on Pronto is by Kaleidescape, via IP control and it's free. Source switching and volume control etc etc via RS232/RFX9600, by me using basic Level 1/2 skills in PEP2. The app on iPad is by Remotescape, $90 from memory. IP control (obviously), volume control also possible via IP or RS232 using suitable gateway hardware. Both platforms simulate each other very closely. So simple and intuitive that my 3 year (now 4) old can operate the system entirely on his own, and he taught himself how to do it (and he taught me a few things as well!). The other app on iPad for TV guide and setting PVR record timers is by Foxtel, and it's free. The apps and Pronto module only work on the platforms for which they were designed (i.e. Kaleidescape and Foxtel).

They are both very powerful control systems and they work together in complete harmony with no issues what-so-ever. It just demonstrates what the Pronto and iPad are capable of when very clever people put their mind to writing the software to make it work.