Autonomic Home,
makers of Media Control
Server have a new product in beta to accompany those looking for two way IP
control of Media Center. Mirage is a Flash-based
application that works with Media Control Server to provide control of Media Center
on just about anything you can imagine.
While it will work on a standard desktop or laptop, the selling point of
this program would be for touchscreens.
Mirage will allow two-way control of Media Center and Media
Center Extenders on both Vista and MCE 2005.
Two-way control means that you can not only do things like change the
channel or control the guide, but it will also relay back what’s currently
playing. For example, if your Media
Center is currently playing music, Mirage paired with Media Control Server will
allow you to control playback, show you exactly what is playing, allow you
to browse your whole library, show you what is in your queue, edit and delete
from the queue, and just about everything else.
Album art and ID tags are also relayed to Mirage.
Besides music control, Mirage and Media Control Server allow
control of TV, videos, pictures, and even movies from My DVDs (or DVD Changers)
as well as the My Movies plug-in.
Media Control Server also can let you control Media Center through Creston, HAI, AMX, and other
control systems.
If you are interested in giving it a try, sign up for the beta here.
FYI, Media Control Server is more of a professional
application then a small private use one.
The price of the server is about $500, and while the pricing for Mirage
has yet to have been released it does relay on Media Control Server for
use. The beta include a free trail of Media
Control Server.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/