In what will be seen as very sad news by most in the control industry, iRule (and OnControls) have announced the formal end of their current product offerings, which includes the eventual shutdown of any ability to modify existing systems using their cloud programming interface, within four years. Read more...

Now that a very painful and untimely computer crash has been resolved, I’m very pleased today to present the first batch of Remote Central’s CEDIA 2015 video reports! Each company will have their own report this year, and they’ll be available both here and on our YouTube Channel.

For today, sit back, relax, and spend a few minutes learning about the latest products from Just Add Power, Control4, Simple Control, plus ELAN and Niles! Read more...

Just when we were coming to grips with the idea that the Philips Pronto was good and truly gone, comes a press release from Philips that digs up the old name again. Sing praise: the Pronto is back!

Well... sort of. The new Pronto has precious little to do with the advanced Pronto remote controls we’re all familiar with, and is more Philips capitalizing on a well-known (and respected) brand. In this situation, Philips has teamed up with Peel for an iPhone-based remote control system that utilizes the Peel Smart Remote App, paired with a small Bluetooth-based basestation, dubbed the “Pronto”, which features a central IR blaster and an “IR extension cable” for home theater control. Read more...

As everyone prepares today for the start of the winter holiday season, I’m pleased to present the final two control company reports in our CEDIA 2013 video series... namely, iRule, and AMX!

First up the CEO of iRule, Itai Ben-Gal, provides viewers with a concise introduction to iRule’s IOS and Android-based control platform along with examples of a few of the system’s advanced capabilities. Then, set aside a few minutes for Joe Andrulis as he presents what’s new for AMX... including the Enova DGX digital media switchers, the Alero audio amplifier, the Modero X series of desktop & flush mount in-wall touchpanels, plus the new economical Modero S series. Read more...

With my house buried under a thick blanket of snow and the warmth of summer but a distant memory, my thoughts turn to the joys of home automation... and our ongoing series of CEDIA 2013 videos! Today I’m very pleased to present three new reports covering DemoPad, Crestron, and Savant Systems!

First, Mike Cain presents viewers with a run-through of the DemoPad iOS-based home control software, and then introduces their first hardware product: the brand new CENTRO 8 Control Processor. Next, come with Jeff Singer as he shows off Crestron’s new wireless home automation capabilities, a home control app made for Samsung Smart TVs, plus the TSW series of in-wall touchscreen controls ranging in size from 5" through 10". Finally, go on a detailed booth tour with Savant co-founder Jim Carroll as he discusses their economical “Big Boy Automation” platform, the SUR-0500 handheld remote, SmartLighting Wi-Fi, advanced climate control, power management and monitoring, plus the SmartLink HDMI to HDBaseT matrix switch. Read more...

It’s Monday morning, and that means we have another pair of CEDIA Expo 2013 videos for you!

To begin, Will Price, founder of Roomie Remote, presents an in-depth introduction for the sophisticated iOS 7-based Roomie Remote 2.0, discussing setup and control capabilities, interface customization, third-party device integration capabilities, new gesture controls, along with demonstrations of advanced features ranging from the program guide to IP camera support. Next, Joe Lautner from CORE Brands offers up a concise overview of the latest ELAN g! control system innovations, including hardware interfaces, partner integration, and concludes with a quick demo of the system. Read more...

Continuing with our series of CEDIA Expo 2013 reports, first we present an exclusive TouchSquid Technology video where you’ll hear from company co-founder Jason Shannon, who introduces and demonstrates their powerful and economical universal remote control solution for Android tablets and smartphones.

Then, spend a few minutes with Mike Everett (at the end of a long and busy day – you’ll see!) as he previews PRO Control’s latest products such as the Pro.rfz Zigbee extender, along with their upcoming Pro.zwi Z-Wave to WiFi adapter. Read more...

It’s that time of year again... time for a Remote Central tradition dating back to 2002: our famous CEDIA video reports! This year’s CEDIA ended up being a particularly good show, and over the coming weeks we’ll be releasing videos for an unprecedented 14 different control companies!

For today, sit back, relax, and spend a few minutes learning about the latest products from Logitech Harmony and Bitwise Controls! Read more...

Pro Control has officially released their software control app for iPad, iPhome and iPod Touch devices. The new apps allow full two-way control over any Pro Control system based on the ProLink.z processor. Read more...

Logitech may have revealed earlier this year that they’re looking to sell off the Harmony line, but that apparently doesn’t mean they’re content to rest on their laurels in the meanwhile. Some users have noted a recent unavailability of all but the newest Harmony remotes in retail stores, and attributed that to Logitech winding down production. Nope! Turns out they were merely waiting for their brand new models to become available! Read more...