One of the booths that I really wanted to check out at CES 2007 was the RICAVISION booth where they were showing off a full lineup of Windows Vista enabled remote controls.

RICAVISION Windows Vista SideShow Media Center Remote Control

Of course the main attraction was the Microsoft Windows SideShow Media Center Remote Control that made the waves on the net a few weeks back. Unfortunately I didn’t take a good picture of the device but I do have tons of information about the remote.

Features of the RICAVISION Microsoft Windows Vista SideShow Media Center Remote Control include:

• 2.5 inch QVGA color LCD display
• Class 1 (100 meter) Bluetooth capability
• Provides a set of four Vista Gadgets that will be an extension of the Media Center for Windows Vista

• TV
• Music
• Pictures and Videos
• Now Playing

Here’s a breakdown of the above Gadgets and what you’ll be able to do with them. (The information was courtesy of RICAVISION)

TV:

• Browse TV and schedule recordings: You can browse the TV program guide, view metadata on upcoming or current shows, and pick shows to watch and record without interrupting the current TV viewing experience
• Recorded TV – For previously recorded TV programs, a list of programs by name and by date will be available along with details such as:

• Program name
• Channel number of ID
• Episode title if there is one
• Program summary
• Date Recorded
• Program Length
• Program picture snapshot

Music:

• Play Music – browse the media library, control music playback on the PC by using the remote instead of the TV
• Play radio presets – browse your radio presets and playback that station
• Add to Queue capability – add tracks to the Now Playing List

Pictures and Videos:

• Browse the pictures and video libraries – Make a selection on the remote, and the specified media will show on the TV

Now Playing:

• Provides “now playing” information – the remote control device shows the information about the current playing medium

• Album name
• Artist name
• Track title
• Elapsed time and total track time
• Album art

Of course that’s not all with the Windows Vista SideShow Remote Control. You can select other Gadgets to be viewed on the remote – such as email, calendar, and RSS feeds. You can also receive calendar reminders and notifications of when your friends sign on to Windows Live Messenger.

Some notes on the GUI display on the remote. The options are laid out in a similar fashion as the Media Center UI. The menu will always be “center locked” which means the selected menu option or category is always in the center of the device.

With the RICAVISION Windows Vista SideShow Remote Control, you get the remote and an external USB RC6 receiver.  Finally – availability – the RICAVISION Vista SideShow Remote Control and Receiver Kit will be available for an MSRP of $199 in April of 2007.

RICAVISION Microsoft Windows Vista Remote Controls

The SideShow remote control wasn’t the only remote control from RICAVISION. They actually have a family of three Windows Vista Remote Controls – the Standard Vista Remote Control, the Multifunction Remote Control and the Universal Remote Control.

General features of the RICAVISION Vista Remote Controls include:

• Conveniently access your digital entertainment from a single remote
• Remote control designed to work with Media Center application

The three remotes are for slightly different purposes of course.

The standard Vista Remote Control is designed for PCs only with an RC6 signal. The Multifunction Remote Control is designed for PCs and TVs – with an RC6 signal and a TV signal from the remote. Finally, the Universal Remote Control is designed for PCs, TVs, DVD players, VCRs, and an Auxiliary device with an RC6 and IR signal.

One other sidenote – RICAVISION also has a SideShow enabled Keyboard design for Windows Media Center. Unfortunately, I do not have a scanner with me so I can’t provide the pics that I have on the keyboard from their press releases. Nothing on their website about the keyboard either but I can provide some info.

The keyboard comes with a charging plate which also works with their SideShow remote control and mouse.  The keyboard itself has a LCD display at the top of the keyboard and comes with hot keys for:

• My Music
• My Videos
• My Photos
• My TV
• My Radio

Media keys on the keyboard include:

• Rewind
• Play
• Forward
• Replay
• Pause
• Record
• Stop
• Skip
• Volume + and -
• Mute

There are also Internet shortcut keys and optional backlighting for the display. That’s all the info I have on it thus far.

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