hello,
i am starting an install project that is pretty big for me. on the whole, it is a fairly simple install and i know what to do. however, i am having an issue wrapping my head around a concept and how to deal with it.

so what i want to do is take something like a sony megachanger cd/dvd player. the ability for it to autosort it's entire library is perfect. however, this will not interface with my mp3's. so what i would first be looking for is the ability for a device that will interface with my mp3/cd/dvd collection with search capabilty from my touchscreen remote.

now to throw a bigger wrench into the machine, say i don't have a song. i want to be able to go to the internet and downloads a song from say i-tunes or something.

under normal circumstances, i'd have no issue without this search functionality. i could simply select the audio device and que up what i want. there is probably something out there i just don't know of, but that is why i ask.

as far as budget, that is not much of a concern. so, come one come all and give me ideas. please :)

Escient

www.escient.com

andy,
thanks for the site. i'll do some research there. do you have any experience with their products and/or suggestions?

Take a look at ReQuest Multimedia's line of music management systems at www.request.com. I've had great success with them both on hardwired Crestron panels, and browsing on the TV using an MX850. There are countless other hard-drive based music serverrs out there; I'm sure you'll find something that fits.

Good luck!

thanks for the suggestions so far guys. it seems that both of these products will work. however, the only issue i see is the ability to download music or interface with a pc that can download. am i missing something or will it do music downloads

If you look a little deeper into ReQuest's website, you'll see detailed instructions on how to not only transfer your MP3 files from your PC to the ReQuest, but also set up the server on your network and map the drive for your iPod. That way, your music collection is always accessible to the whole-house system, and you can bounce tunes to your iPod any time. It's a way cool application, and really easy to do.

Check out [Link: request.com], click on the link for MAC OSX, iTunes, and iPod. Or download the manual and go to page 23.

Good luck!

jotengineer,

right, i understand how that works. but what i really want is the ability to download the music straight from an internet music provider (obviously legally) if it is not in my collection and be able to be played as soon as it is downloaded. i understand some of the drm restrictions and all that. i just am curious as to whether this is a viable solution or a dreamshot. i know how i could interface the system with a computer source, it is just this functionality that i am looking for. whether it exists or is possible is another story.

To do Exactly want you want to do heres how i would do it,
Windows MCE as the backbone
run either "my DVDs" with a mega changer
or "my movies" for DVDs stored on the server
run MCE controller with an AMX TouchPanel. and tight VNC
the Tight VNC will allow you to display the MCE Desktop right on the touch screen so it is very easy to find new songs. and if you dont need any equipment controlled outside of the MCE you dont need a AMX central controller and the programming for the touch screen is pretty much drawing one button with the right properties for the tight VNC application

Proggieus

Request is cool but you have to constanly send them in for repair!

my 2

proggieus,

that is a nice solution. it is def one i will consider and present. so far, i think i am going to lean towards a request/escient/axonix type system and then have pc playback set up seperately for new songs.

i think drm is the biggest hurdle to overcome initially. there is a few different issues as well for me to discuss with the installer and client. the more i think, drm is such a large problem that you need a software solution to overcome it and that starts boarding as a hastle for everything else that is going on.

just so you know
with the "my DVD's option there is no DRM Problem. Microsoft came out with the my dvd software to control the new sony mega changer via rs-232 the program itself is actually just the shell to load and sort the dvds as well as tell the changer what disc to play. I know the other products are well respected but you can put a MCE together for about $1500 with plenty of storage for music (>300gigs). not trying to sell ya on my opinion just wanted to make sure you had all the facts.

Proggieus

PS as a side note i should tell you that you would not be able to play a DVD movie on an extender, there is some talk of the Xbox 360 being able to do so but none of the stand alones can right now

proggieus

i do like the idea. it completely solves what the client really wants. if that is the solution, it is the solution. it still isn't the full solution, but the best solution i can see with all features. the other methods provide tighter integration but that is sacrificing a feature.

as for drm, the greater issue is for music. for instance, you download something over i-tunes, it can't be played on a devices hard drive since it is drm protected. the only way around this is to play it from the computer, or burn it to a cd and re-rip it. so thus, you lose a lot of audio quality or are back to a computer. i can't think of another method.

by the way, what is the extender you are talking about?

Sony 400 Disc DVD Changer, Media Center PC (HP works fine...), and a Harmony Remote....

Simple.

i have finally determined that to do everything the client talked about will involve a media center pc, which i was trying to avoid. oh well. i think my bid is going to include an escient, sony dvd changer and a media center pc along with a nevo, amx, or crestron remote. not to mention all the rest of the components.

I have been trying like crazy to follow up on this and there is almost no reference to it on MSs site. I have MCE 2005 w/ Rollup 2 installed on a box and I can't see anywhere to install or load anything called "myDVD."

This seems like a really cool idea as a variation on the whole Escient, Request, Elan market. Does anybody have any insight or am I missing something horribly obvious here?