Touchscreen & Wireless Touchpad Thread

[Aaron]

Hi Everyone,
I thought I'd start up a thread on this since we've had several small discussions over the past year or two but nothing major discussing the +/- of different devices to be used as touchscreens/pads for XLobby.

Please add your comments, devices, and your goals to this thread. I think this is a great way to share experiences, ideas, and help eveyone get to the implimentation they want.

Currently I have no touchscreen at all (I sold my Neta980). I have decided not to use WindowsCE as it just does not seem to have the horsepower in many cases and also 802.11b does not seem to have the speed to keep up with higher resolution refresh with XLobby.

I'm currently leaning towards getting an older slate PCs... like Motion Computing M1300 or Compaq TC1100 due to the lower cost then for the current models.

My overall goal, for reference:

Aaron's Home Automation & Control Goals...

Use XLobby as my front-end for my Home Theater and Home Automation.

I currently use Homeseer (with an ASP front end) for home automation & control and XBOX Media Center (XBMC) for Games/Music/Movies/Pictures.

XLobby & Homeseer are being integrated via the xAP plug-in (thanks ptrinchi), thus this will allow me to use XL as the front end instead of the ASP pages. I'd like to control XBMC via HTTP commands; not sure if XLobby can send raw HTTP - this might be a feature request if it does not.

Homeseer will store any/all IR commands and send them via USB-UIRT to my entire system. It will also control all X-10 devices and events. If XLobby builds in X-10 controls/events I could completely replace Homeseer with XLobby, but I'm not sure if Steven's goal is to become a total "Home Media & Control" application.

XLobby will control the 6 zone audio I have throughout the house. I will build a PC with multiple sounds cards, one for each zone.

I'd like to control everything with a wireless touchscreen that does at least 800x600 resolution and has at least a 7", prefer 10" screen.

My thoughts on a few devices so far (though without actual hands on use)...

Viewsonic V110
+ Wireless and stays connected via wireless when docked.
+ Allows the back-end PC to have as much horsepower needed - upgrading less costly.
+ 10" screen
+ light weight
+ easy to carry around / handle
+ boot time is instant (not sure about reconnect time for wireless)

- low battery life
- only 802.11b
- Must have dedicated PC to run front end since it does not allow dual display output to only go to the V110

+/- Apps run remotely, not locally (rate per your specific needs)


WinXP Tablet/Slate PC
+ Wireless via 802.11g/b/a or anything upcoming
+ Stays connected via wireless when docked.
+ largest screen size avail

- horsepower is dependant on the tablet, not backend - upgrading more costly.
- high cost of tablet device
- heavier then standard remote display or WinCE touchpad
- boot time is slower then WinCE or Remote Display technology

+/- Apps run locally, not remotely (rate per your specific needs)

[rhinoman]

I have an acer c110 tablet with a wifi-g built in, its a small form factor pc running xp tablet edition. I bought it for other purposes but have tried it with xlobby.

Running the thin client at 1024*768 native res is painfull, and the thin client not much better. Xnet runs fine and works ok but the web server using mozilla is as good if not better.

I still prefer to pick up a ppc and use that instead, wakes up quickly, responds quick enough.

I'd like to see coverart caching on the ppc but I dont suppose it will happen, sounds pretty complicated according to Steven.

[Hiller]

I have a progear and the response is somewhat slow using the thin client. Because the thin client sends all it's art(cover and buttons) over the network, this is to be expected. It can be made a little faster by deleting the down button images.

I spoke with Steven about having a mimic function for fat clients. This would allow a tablet to be running it's own fully working and independent XL while sharing the database from the server but would give the functionality of the thin client. This would GREATLY speed up the way the client works because it would not be getting the art over the network.

Steve

[Aaron]

I spoke with Steven about having a mimic function for fat clients. This would allow a tablet to be running it's own fully working and independent XL while sharing the database from the server but would give the functionality of the thin client. This would GREATLY speed up the way the client works because it would not be getting the art over the network.

Steve

I would like this too. I'm trying to decide what to get... I'm leaning toward the full blown WinXP Slate (Tablet), although they are costly! I'm thinking I might get an older one like the Motion Computing 1100 or the Compaq TC1000 (transmeta chip); hopefully it will be fast enough to run XL well.

Anyone what experience with these or any other WinXP based Slate PCs?

[briands]

One comment I didn't see mentioned in your summary was if the touchscreen is stylus or finger. I personally would not want one that required the use of a stylus.

[rhinoman]

One comment I didn't see mentioned in your summary was if the touchscreen is stylus or finger. I personally would not want one that required the use of a stylus.

Thats the problem with xp tablets.

[Aaron]

I definitely would require a finger-enabled touchscreen... I think those are???

[SmartArse88]

Did this ever happen.
I too want to use a slate with effectively a fat client for speed but I want it to control the server computer....
What is the current best solution?

Thanks
SS

[CiXel]

For now there is apparently the "Thumbnailer Speed Boost" under Misc tab that you can use to speed-up the thin client response. You have to delete and then reimport your database for it to do it's thing, but it's at least an option. You can see the post about it on the front page.

The Fat thin client idea is a great one that I had forgotten about.

[kris]

Almost all current tabletPC use an active digitizer and thus need to be used with the a stylus. You can tap all you want with your fingers but they will not move at all.

Active digitizer are more precise than the passive ones and allow e.g. handwriting recognition. That's why MS forced manufacturers into putting active digitizers on their tablets.

What you want for Xlobby (or any home automation application) is a passive digitizer that can be operated by your finger.

You can find passive digitizers on some older models of Fujitsu Siemens as well as on some very expensive ruggedized duo-touch tablet pc's from Itronix. (combining active & passive)

My current collection of devices:

Tablet PC HP TC1100
-- Stylus required (that additional action of ejecting the stylus is just to much for me)
+ high resolution
+ complete win xp allowing all types of application and video codecs
- EOL product. You can only pick up used ones on ebay

Nokia 770 Internet tablet
+ small & sexy
+ passive touchscreen
- linux based so can only use webserver
- slow cpu and little memory
- no cradle available, takes to long to reconnect to wifi

Dell Axim X3 PPC
didn't convince me either (don't even remember why not)

Built in touchscreen
++ Always on, always available
+ passive digitizer
+ fast
- $
- not portable

Anxiously waiting for the first goodlooking UMPC's. They will be equipped with a passive digitizer and combine the looks of a Nokia with the power of a complete XP pro.

Trying to wait for the Asus UMPC, but might end up ordering the new Sony UX50

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/05/sony ... -to-order/

[SmartArse88]

How about these?

http://www.tabletkiosk.com/config/pc/vi ... ategory=17

I know that they are very expensive but you have plenty of room to make a very nice Xlobby experience... With these though I would want a Fat Thin Client, or Xnet to control video sources too... Or I suppose you could RDP onto the HTPC/Server and have for example Theatertek on display 2, that way you have a very fast and responsive remote. (I have a projector for movies and trailers and basically want the rest of the 'experience' to be on the touchscreen)

Can you use a stylus on them as well like most PPC's? to increase your accuracy?

-SS

[CiXel]

Wow! Those are freakin' Great! They are also 2k... But the first touchscreen I have seen with a resistive panel and also some power and memory behind them to run XP and a true Fat client.

[SmartArse88]

But I don't want a true fat client as I want the a/v output by my HTPC...

[capecodscot]

I wonder if anybody can help me. I have a 10" Romvue wireless panel running CE. I would like to run XLobby on this in server mode. It works really well and very fast but the XL screens do not fill the display. How do I adjust this so it fills the screen? Also is there a way to get rid of any toolbars or scrollbars on Explorer?

Thanks in advance.

[jowaldo]

I wonder if anybody can help me. I have a 10" Romvue wireless panel running CE. I would like to run XLobby on this in server mode. It works really well and very fast but the XL screens do not fill the display. How do I adjust this so it fills the screen? Also is there a way to get rid of any toolbars or scrollbars on Explorer?

Thanks in advance.

If you are just running xlobby (not a thin client) just hit f2, then go to skins, then set the resolution to "auto"