Handhelds (and handsets, in particular) have long since been used as tools for home automation, but the forthcoming App Store is likely to bring a niche concept to the masses... or some of them, at least. Beginning on July 11th (that's the iPhone 3G launch day, you know), a Crestron interface titled iLoveControl will be available for download; during the first 30 days of launch, said app will "offer a one-room Crestron solution free of charge, configured for the control of lights, drapes, HVAC, audio and video." If you're looking to control more than that, it'll cost you $250 per configuration. This is just one example of what's likely to fill the App Store, and quite frankly, we're pretty excited about the possibilities.

We know, the lack of SideShow support up until now is somewhat baffling, and while having Crestron onboard certainly won't hurt matters, we doubt this is just the boost Microsoft was waiting for. Regardless, the aforementioned figurehead in home automation has just announced that its touchpanels and control systems will support Windows SideShow, giving owners of such devices easy access to news feeds, sports scores, weather alerts, e-mail, etc. through a simple network connection to a Vista PC. For those curious if their devices are included in the fun, any touchpanel or 2-way device that supports dynamic text (such as the APAD wall mount controller and MLX-2 handheld remote) is game, and if you're eager for more, just head on down to the read link for Creston's official take.

TiVo is starting to roll out their fall update for the TiVo lineup including the TiVo HD and Series3. This brings them to version 9.1 which includes some bug fixes and a few new features. The WishList feature gets enhanced and now allows more advanced searches, but they've also added Crestron integration for the Series3. The TiVo HD gets left in the cold as does the rest of HA market, as only Crestron is supported. The integration is via IP, so hopefully TiVo will release the protocol, or someone can reverse engineer it. We'd assume that the more anticipated features like TiVoToGo, Multi-Room viewing and eSATA support are included too, but not yet activated. Perhaps it's time to start trying to find new kickstart commands.

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

Crestron's booth was rivaled in size only by the likes of Sony and AMX, and while the bulk of the exhibit dealt with highly technical home automation, it was the programmable remotes, HD media distribution systems, digital video processors, and media server integration that tickled our fancy. Granted, a good deal of Crestron's booth wasn't exactly aimed at the consumer market, but if you categorize yourself as high-end, chances are you'd find a good bit of this stuff useful. You know the deal, click on into the gallery.

There's just no way to followup a visit to Dish Network's booth than to hit up DirecTV directly afterwards, eh? Sadly, DirecTV's space was packed to the brim with individuals and an excessive amount of TVs, but we squeaked our way through the madness to get some shots of the company's HR21 Pro, which touts a sexy black chassis, a slew of ports in the rear, and interestingly enough, Viiv-certification. Oh, and the only murmurs we heard about the next big rollout of channels involved the phrase "between next week and next year."

Just in case you were waiting for something a bit more sophisticated to drive that LCD4620, Crestron's DVPHD-PRO should make complex ads a whole lot more attractive. The self-proclaimed "advanced multi-window digital video processor and touchpanel interface" enables up to eight simultaneous video windows to be outputted onto a single HD display, as users can utilize four DVI inputs and four BNC arrangements (shown after the jump) to create an on-screen graphical montage. Moreover, the unit can handle both NTSC and PAL signals, is HDCP compliant, and boasts Crestron's 24-bit Isys graphics engine, which enables the creation of high-resolution images / backgrounds, dynamic text, and full-motion animations. Notably, the RS-232 and USB ports allow the box to be controlled via an external touchscreen monitor or whiteboard, and while pricing details aren't listed, we can't envision this bad boy coming without a serious premium.