RE: Family Friendly Media PC

["Darryl Mattocks" <Darryl.Mattocks@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Wayne.

I face just the same problem, and have gone some way towards solving some
of
your issues with Harmony ( www.iDomus.co.uk <http://www.idomus.co.uk/> )

You can have a large "SWMBO" interface for your MP3's that can be
navigated
via any remote control (you'll need a redrat for this).  Its somewhat flaky
at the moment, but if you want to try it out could prove a bit of fun.  NB
Should work with DivX's etc but haven't tried those bits out in any depth
yet.
Regards
Darryl

Director, Simply Automate
Tel 01865 784 080
Web www.SimplyAutomate.com
Call me with any Home Automation queries

-----Original Message-----
From: wayne [mailto:wayne@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 16 July 2003 21:09
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: [ukha_d] Family Friendly Media PC

Hiya all
Just a little thing to think about while your sunbathing in the garden
replying to this over your wifi connection :)

Having just managed to get my TV out to work on my pc (new nVidia drivers
if
anyone's got one :) one thing is blazingly obvious, what to use as an
'interface' to the media playing functions on the pc.

If any of you have tried using windows on a telly you will soon realise
that
the resolution, while ample for films played full screen, is a bit rubbish
for normal window operations - menu navigation and all. More to it - when
the family doesnt have an interest on pc's at all - how the hell do you get
them to use a mouse and click all over the place, let alown read the
screen.

Therefor - what would be the best way to control such. Idealy you need big
bold text displays/ menus - including file / title browsing for your media
(mp3's avi's etc) and somthing that is, shall we say SWMBO friendly to use,
and idealy with a remote controller rather than a keyboard. Also the
'interface' would need to support the ability to fire off the relavent
programs for the media being played (maybe winamp for mp3's, zoom player
for
videos / dvd's the like) and if possible custom web pages to spy on your
MV1000 :) - Text overlays etc? the list is endless...

I guess you get the idea - is this goal reachable?
Point me in the right direction!

Thanks
Wayne.

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