Using iPad as home cinema controller - where to start?

Hamish

Hamish

Hamish

Soldato
Joined
14 Apr 2003
Posts
4,950
Location
Deepest Yorkshire
Currently I have a Logiech Harmony One and I'd like to switch over to something iPhone/iPad based, but there are so many options I'm not sure where to start.

The devices I'm controlling are:
Samsung TV (IR Based)
Onkyo TX-NR609 Recieved (IR or Ethernet control)
Apple TV (IR)
Popcorn Hour A-110 (may upgrade to XBMC HTPC in future)
Sky Plus box

Ideally I'm looking for the following:
Hardware solution which is widely supported by many software solutions and is expandable and diverse in options (I have been looking at the Global Cache iTach range which looks ideal)

Software solution which is highly customisable, well supported but not too difficult to configure. Ideally it would also have stuff like an EPG for Sky and be able to browse the XBMC with a nice interface, as well as control the TV and amp and recieve feedback from the network port on the amp. One solutions I've found so far are iRule.

Does anyone know more about this?
 
Sky has its own app, although you may need to upgrade to their HD box for it to work. I find that works well.

As above, XBMC commander works well for XBMC and for the Apple TV theres an apple remote app which i believe you can use.

For the TV and Amp, i'm not quite sure what you can do. I know some TV's (My Panasonic is one) have apps on the App store to control the TV. With Samsung having their own range of phones though they may only have apps for Android.

Again, i believe some newer Amps have Ipad apps but not sure if yours does.

Have you considered one of those RedEye devices you plug into your ipad to send an IR signal? That could be your best option :)
 
I Use

DeRemote - Controlling my Denon Amp
XBMC Commander - controlling my xbmc box, including WOL for HTPC and Server
SKY Remote - For sky obviously
Remote - controls apple tv but I am getting rid of this anyway as my amp supports airplay for music anyway
 
I currently use a Harmony 1100 to control all my AV kit (Amp/TV/Xbox/Lighting/Bluray player/HTPC/fans/SkyHD box) and i'm looking to achieve the same.

I think realistically you'd need to get an iR blaster than comes with an accompanying iOS app. There are a few around I think, but I haven't come across a particularly impressive looking one (yet!)
 
In theory I could do the same too

iControllerAV2 - Pioneer Amp
Romote Pro - ATV
XBMC Commander - XBMC

Either from iPhone or iPad.
 
One thing I think I would miss, when using an iPad, would be quick access to actual physical buttons, as I think i'd prefer to use those for quickly changing common settings (volume/power etc).
 
While all the above will provide some degree of control, they are in effect just a bunch of remotes on an iPad. That might be sufficient, and it's certainly cheap. But it's hardly an integrated solution.

In the custom install world we have control systems that pull together IR, RS232 and IP control in to one unified interface. The tablet is simply the control surface. A processor box handles the actual control of the various devices. This opens up lots of possibilities. But the thing that impresses people is the one-touch control of the entire system.

Systems such as this aren't cheap. There's money for the hardware plus money for programming. This last item can make or break a system. Designing something that meets the client's needs and is intuitive takes real skill, but it is worth every penny.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom