tvCompass SR 1500 Digital Media Remote Integrates WiFi, Hi-Res Color Screen and More
By David Walker |
January 30th, 2008
Comments (3)
I have to admit, there have been times that I wish my $30 all-in-one remote control could do more. All it does is adjust volume, change channels and control my measly five or six home theater devices. However, I’m not so certain that the solution to my woes is what tvCompass has put together in it’s SR 1500 Digital Media Remote (via Crave). There is feature-rich and then there’s feature-rich’s big brother: feature overkill. The SR 1500 is their bulky uncle with a miserable temperament.
So, what does the Digital Media Remote do? It’s cliche to say, but it truly is almost easier to tell you what the SR 1500 does not do. Here’s a quick overview:
- 2.2″ mobile LCD screen
- 802.11b/g WiFi
- Advanced Microsoft Windows operating software
- XHTML microbrowser wth RSS client
- WAP mobile browser
- DRM support for apps and content
- PayPal Micropayment transaction client (seriously)
- Light sensor to adjust LCD for room brightness
- Motion sensor (Wii anybody?)
- Integrated speaker
- Digital Audio Playback
- Support for games, videos and messaging
- EPG application for off-line access to TV listings
This device is almost obscene with the number of features it is touting. Unbelievably, the list above still does not cover everything this mini-monster does. It can actually do useful things like download new device support wirelessly, create personalized TV-listing guides and handle up to (or more than) 24 home theater devices with activites and macros.
Personally, I don’t think this thing is targeted towards me, as I don’t expect to have over 24 devices in my home theater - mainly because I can’t afford to build a power-plant in my backyard. However, if you have a home theater that consumes the same amount of power as all of downtown Atlanta, you may be interested in the SR 1500 digital media remote. No word yet on pricing or availability.
January 30th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Ummmm…wow? With a feature list like that you have to wonder: price? battery life? how do I use this thing again? I can just imagine trying to explain to my wife why we should buy this remote.
January 31st, 2008 at 8:46 am
Supposedly the TVCompass SR1500 is a white label device available to OEMs, not for consumers. So you’d have to wait until a cable provider or such offered it to you, you can’t buy it directly.
(according to this)
January 31st, 2008 at 2:07 pm
That’s true. I would not buy it directly from TVCompass. However, any OEM could rebrand it and sell it directly and only us geeks would be the wiser.