[rmoberly]

This is pretty awesome. I am building an HTPC setup and am torn between Win7/8 MCE and XBMC, but just read today you can integrate XBMC into WMCE. I Need to keep the WAF as high as possible. WAF=Wife Acceptance Factor.
Working on some basic stuff at the moment but would sure like to move to what you have accomplished.
If I can figure out how to friend someone in these forums, I will sure do so.
Already have my Flirc for two systems. Now have to get the video card to work correctly/again in my windows system for the big TV.
Have a laptop with the XBMC live running on it for the bedroom tv.

My home network consists of:
The office hard cabled
AT&T Uverse 12mb. Motorola Modem/Router
Home built Windows Home Server 2TB for Recorded TV and Movie Storage. working fine
Desktop system with Win7 Media Center +Hauppauge TV Tuner for recording TV working fine

SunRoom No network connections other than wireless
10" Acer Laptop for travel and Family Room use. Old eyes so connect usb keyboard/mouse and 20" monitor to it.
Dell XPS 200 Windows XP running XBMC hooked to Panasonic 52" rear projection TV. component, Composit and S-Video is all. work in progress
Visio 7" Android Pad

Bedroom hard cabled for network
HP Laptop running XBMC Live hooked via VGA to 32" Visio Flat Panel TV. work in progress

Samsung Android phone (personal)
Iphone 4S (work)

Spare equipment
Netgear 824 wireless router
Cisco n router (can't remember model)
Another wireless router but can't remember the model. G band though.
A couple of Video cards,
PNY GEForce8400 256 pcie Dell XPS 200 would not boot with this in it after a couple of days. was working
Another one but will have to pull it to see what it is. Video output works but is very bad, distorted and totally wrong.
(lots to do here to diagnose the problems)

X10 Cameras various places around the house but they are old models and probably will not be able to be used.

I really like your interface idea. Makes good sense for overall control.
Rich

Eskro:

Since you run windows and your builds seem to be unique you should totally use the built-in XBMC web server and Eventghost since you are windows based. Create an easy webpage to control all of your system. If you can take a look at some of the stuff I created for my home automation project, I was able to use the HTTP API commands to control XBMC and Eventghost web server which controls all my com devices. BTW the system works flawlessly in eden and dharma.

IMO would rather have an interface, rather than having to open app after app just to get something done. I am sure you have some programming skills in simple html if not I would help you out no problem and come up with something unique and functional.

I have yet to find a negative, however one of the plus sides to creating an interface is you could use your own artwork to create buttons and backgrounds and add on pretty much anything you like. Integrating your system this way can create macros using a single button, the possibilities are really endless.

I use tablets to control my home all you need is one really although I have three, They are V210 Viewsonic 10" touchscreens and I have zero complaints about the size and speed. One sits on a dock on my Living Room coffee table, another one sits in my bedroom, and the last one is wall mounted in the hallway. I can control the entire house from a tablet using a web interface that I specifically built.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...automation

Just to give you an idea.