Is this unit still available from Escient? Has anyone ever used it, and if so, it it easily controlled by other interfaces other than their touchscreen system?

No, apparently the company that manufactured the multi-disc transport stopped making the unit for them. They may be working on a replacement, but there is no official annoucement of a release date, let alone an actual product spec.

The unit, after a couple of firmware updates, worked flawlessley. It is very easy to integrate with Crestron out of the box, and because of its navigator interface, should be able to be used with 1-way control systems/remotes as long as the client has access to the on screen display.

1 BIG ISSUE... companies should not base their product on another product that is inherently flawed... i.e. Microsoft Windows 98. Even NT, 2000, and XP are not enterprise class that can be assured to be stable after months of operation. This fact requires that the unit be rebooted every once in awhile... maybe every month or every other month or so...

Give a round of applause to companies like Request Multimedia that use Linux.

-Tom Visser

Thanks for the info. I did find out today that Escient is planning on a second generation of the PowerPlay that used their own operating system. They said that this will be released mid-year, and that they will provide info at some U.S. tour that they have going on.