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Thinkflood intros RedEye Pro networked home automation controller

Talk about slamming down on the left of the wheel. Quite frankly, we haven't seen a veering this drastic since ZeeVee decided to shelve its consumer plans in favor of more professionally oriented wares, but we're willing to give Thinkflood the benefit of the doubt here. The same folks made famous for their IR-beaming iPhone remote dongle have just come forward with something completely out of the ordinary -- the RedEye Pro. The company claims that this newfangled A/V accessory works exactly like the original, attaching to one's home network in order to control a gaggle of devices. Everything from your iPhone to your PC can be dictated, and with eight dual-purpose 3.5mm infrared emitter / contact closure sensor ports, all but the hugest of mansions should be taken care of. We're guessing that the install is only for the brave (and the jobless, given the time away from work that you'll need), but it certainly sounds like an appealing option for those who've grown tired of getting up to activate their HVAC unit. Oh, and if you're curious about the original RedEye, you'll be pleased to know that Thinkflood just shot out the gen2 today; it'll retail at $199 and offering a newly added IR-out port for those who keep their components in a cabinet or rack. Details galore in the source links below.

RedEye Controls Go Pro

ThinkFlood releases the second generation of their award-winning RedEye control systems, including a professional-grade home automation processor

Waltham, MA – April 4, 2011 – ThinkFlood (http://thinkflood.com), developer of RedEye control systems, today announced two additions to their platform of solutions for the home.

ThinkFlood representatives say the company has been busy developing RedEye Pro, a networked home automation processor capable of whole-house control. The company has also released an update to their original RedEye universal remote control.

Introducing RedEye Pro

RedEye Pro allows iPhones, iPads, and personal computers to function as controllers in an array of home automation applications. The RedEye Pro works at a "whole-house" level and can control multiple rooms from a single unit.

Designed with input from some of the custom home installation industry's leading professionals, RedEye Pro offers extensive customization tools for installers.

RedEye Pro comes equipped with:
• Eight (8) dual-purpose 3.5mm infrared emitter/contact closure sensor ports
• Four (4) contact closure relays
• Two (2) RS-232 ports
• Four (4) USB ports
• 10/100 Ethernet (via RJ45 with an internal switch)
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi

All of this new connectivity enables RedEye Pro customers to interact with a wide variety of equipment, such lighting systems, garage door openers, security systems, HVAC, and more. As with existing RedEye products, RedEye Pro makes it easy to control these systems from a single button on their iPhones, iPads or PCs.

Home automation made affordable

Sophisticated home automation solutions have been available for decades, but recent advances in networking and mobile technology enable RedEye Pro to bring these features to a broader market. A new wave of mobile touchscreens, including Apple's iPad, can replace dedicated controllers, which used to cost thousands of dollars. In addition, web-based technologies and other software advances make customizing these systems simpler and more cost-effective.

Even so, integration of these various systems still requires specialized knowledge, and RedEye Pro is available exclusively through authorized dealers and installers.

"Enterprise system integration is a complicated business dominated by massive software companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and IBM, which in turn are supported by thousands of boutique consultancies," said Craig Materick, chief software architect at ThinkFlood. "We are just beginning to scratch the surface of what integration can be in the residential market. Over time we hope to make these systems more widespread, but the industry is still in its nascency."

RedEye Pro is available exclusively through authorized dealers and installers. Visit http://thinkflood.com/products/redeye-pro/ for more information.


Original RedEye, revamped

ThinkFlood has also updated its original, award-winning RedEye remote control in response to customer feedback. The gen2 unit features a sleek, all-black enclosure, but the real improvement is the addition of an infrared-out port, which provides more flexibility for customers who keep their components in a cabinet or rack.

"When we launched our beta program back in the summer of 2009 we emerged from stealth mode with a product that we had designed and developed internally," recalls Matt Eagar, president and co-founder of ThinkFlood. "Since that time we have made numerous updates to RedEye software in response to customer feedback. We are grateful for the help we have received from our customers thus far, and glad to offer them this update in response."

RedEye gen2 debuts today for $199 and is available at http://thinkflood.com/products/redeye/.
sourceThinkflood (1), (2)

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