New WiFi IR emitters from Global Cache´ get us excited about home automation

We've written about Global Cache´ before and we're sure anyone who's done a little home automation around the house has ran across them; but with the new iTach line just announced today, we'd bet the a whole lot more of you will get excited about the little company. While emitting IR or controlling an RS-232 device over the LAN is an old trick for this company, the latest line really takes it to the next level. The first thing we noticed was how much smaller the box was -- comes in handy when there isn't much room behind the TV -- but we quickly said who cares when we learned that WiFi was built-in. But even if you already have a network drop behind your TV you'll be happy to hear that the new line also offers PoE. Those two features alone are enough to get us excited, but the fact that an IR learner is now built-in (used to be an extra $75) and the device is no longer limited to a single connection (so you can have up to eight iPod Touch remotes now). Top all that off with a lower starting price, and being user upgradable, and you have our home automation gears working in overdrive.

[yaksplat Posted Sep 9th 2009 10:11AM]

Now i'd love to see the same thing, but wired. 3 IR ports, one ethernet port, low price, nothing more.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:15AM]

ummm, the ethernet versions have been out for a VERY long time.

http://www.globalcache.com/products/gc-index.html

What'd you mean?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:25AM]

http://www.hot-link.com/pages/products.cgi?mrchcatid=1&mrchid=2

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:12AM]

This is a very interesting technology. I already use the following apps for iPod touch to control my media center, but I wonder what other apps I would need to control e.g. A/V receiver.
http://mymediaexperience.com/2009/08/how-to-control-media-center-iphone/

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:24AM]

Your answer lies here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1124844

Cubesys has been working hard to integrate his app with the various GC devices and building a large library of controllable equipment. Plus, he's already tracking on this new WIFI device from GC.

Hopefully he releases his app soon...

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:22AM]

Does this require an automation controller or can I just use the iphone app? What is the app called?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 11:31AM]

It's almost as though those multi-tens-of-thousands of dollars "professional installer" automation systems have been over-priced this whole time. Although I'm sure that no pro installer out there would ever take advantage of his clients being rich and too disinterested to double check the price.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 12:22PM]

I read somewhere that home automation is for fat lazy people.Is that true?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 9th 2009 5:03PM]

kevon27 said
"I read somewhere that home automation is for fat lazy people.Is that true?"

Being well off is more like it, fat lazy people don't usually have the money for HA.

I have been using GC100s for years, good stuff.