Control4’s new Media Player platform has been designed to provides custom integrators and their clients with easy access to all digital media libraries and enables streaming content, regardless of file format or location, from anywhere in the home from one menu and interface.
"Much like the path of audio distribution, more and more consumers are seeking robust, centralized media and automation solutions that can be utilized by anyone, anywhere throughout the home," Control4's CEO, Will West, said. "The Control4 Media Player is a continuation of our plan to offer consumers just that."
Designed to mount behind a flat panel TV or in a rack system, the Control4Media Player has a design that is both powerful and unobtrusive. When integrated with a Control4 Operating System, the Media Player automatically searches for all video files in the home and aggregates them into one central menu. The Media Player then distributes digital video files via Ethernet to any television in the home, without the need for additional video wiring. It can play multiple movies on different televisions at the same time, providing consumers flexibility to maximize their home viewing options.
Key benefits of the Control4 Media Player include:
Compatibility with a broad range of competing video standards such as MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264, and DivX
Media Player is powerful, yet small enough to mount behind today's wall-mount TV screens or in a rack
From a centralized list of all media both stored and streaming in the Control4 platform, users can easily identify movies through cover art and can play the movie or music in any room at any time.
As the time frame for resolving digital content rights is still undetermined, Control4 will continue to support a mixed media platform until a full transition to digital IP distribution is complete, including the resolution of the associated industry rights issues.
The Control4Media Player will ship in September 2009 and list price is $399. Visit Control4 at the CEDIA EXPO Booth 161 for a product demonstration.