My iPhone Talks To My Building And My Building Talks Back

Grant's Perspective on ... the AMX TPC-Apple application that lets me talk to my building and my building talks back to me.

I posted a blog a while ago on the Internet of Everything and wanted to post an example from AMX (audiovisual system control hardware and software). The AMX authorized touch panel application for mobile devices (for remote access to system in addition to wired controller) is TPC-Apple. TPC-Apple enables users to control their AV systems from their iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone to control office HVAC system, lighting, cameras, projectors and videoconference systems.

One of the TPC-Apple application features is that you can use your voice to send commands to the system. The text below was lifted from the AMX website and is a great example of the Internet of Everything as you can talk to your building (instead of another person) and the building can act on your commands and tell you that they have been executed.

VoiceControl - Using Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech functionality within TPControl allows you to talk to your control system and have it talk to you. For example, you say "Turn the entry lights on" and TPControl initiates the command and replies "The entry lights are on" when completed

BTW - We (Inland AV) are an AMX dealer and are available to talk to you about your AV system design and integration.

Grant

iPad as a Crestron Controller

Grant's Perspective on ... the iPad as a Crestron controller.

A while back Crestron produced an App for Apple iPads and Apple iPhone / iPod touch that will control your Crestron System.   We've programmed systems that include control specifically from iPads and receive more & more requests to include this functionality.  I've been wondering if this is the best way for organizations to go.

In the world of AV we (Inland AV) specialize in commercial grade control systems for boardrooms, meeting rooms, classrooms, lecture theatres and the like.  My comments are focused on professional AV and not home theatres or home automation.  

Traditionally the control system user interface is a graphical one - a touch panel.  There are many different sizes and types depending on the application.

Crestron control via Apple products is a great idea.   Actually prior to this we've done many systems where an IP based control panel (Crestron X-Panel) is a duplicate of the primary touch panel hardware, could be accessed anywhere via a web browser from a PC, and of course the almighty Mac.   

An example of where this feature is beneficial is in a Help Desk application.  In a facility using touch panels in many training rooms (Schools, Universities, Colleges, manufacturing facilities, etc.), or even a smaller facility but with many different first time users (education, hotels, public/rental facilities, etc) the Help Desk personnel can see any rooms' touch panel pages on their own computer and assist the user to know what button to press, and even press it for them.

While the X-Panel works great in the AV world, and while I believe control via Apple products is fantastic, the iPad control system doesn't necessarily have its place in the professional AV World.  It's more of a residential thing, as marketed in this ad.

I doubt the education market will ever want to use control via iPads but the corporate market - boardrooms - seem to want this.  While that's cool, and the iPad looks really good, the corporate boardroom and training rooms should still have the customary Crestron touch panel.  The iPad may be a great secondary device but the touch panel should not be replaced.

Reasons: a touch panel is attached, ideally, to the room and is always there - like a light switch, and not like remotes getting misplaced or inadvertently stuffed in a laptop bag.  Also, the user needs to be able to access the touch panel when required - it should be there close by and readily available - the user shouldn't need to flip through Apps or wait for the App to load and connect.  That's not corporate boardroom functionality.  

The touch panel is a solid commercial grade device and should not be replaced by an iPad. An iPad makes a great secondary control but it is not quite ready to be the sole source of an organization's AV system control.

Grant