Russound just announced its first control solution designed to work with Apple's popular iPhone and iPod touch products. The new RNET Touchpoint user interface allows end users to control zones and source components in a Russound multiroom installation wirelessly, from anywhere in the home, through a friendly graphical user interface (GUI) designed expressly for their iPhone or iPod touch.

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"The RNET Touchpoint is more than an application for the iPhone or iPod touch," said Russound Product Manager Roger Soucy. "It's a true IP-to-serial control interface that gives users a convenient, one-touch wireless control solution, through a platform that they're already comfortable with, and without the need for any additional downloads or plug-ins."

The Touchpoint TCHS1 is a network connected device that works with any IP-based wireless LAN, and serves up customized interface screens that can be viewed with the built-in Safari browser on either an Apple iPhone or iPod touch. Any user with access to the home's Wi-Fi network simply types in the IP address of the Touchpoint TCH1S device and saves it as a bookmark on the iPhone or iPod touch home screen. This places a Russound icon on the home screen, which allows for one-touch access to control functions for any zone or source component in a Russound RNET multiroom audio system, including instantaneous status feedback.

The commands that the user enters into RNET Touchpoint are converted from HTML to RS232 serial data, which is sent to the Russound audio system through supplied USB to Serial adapter cables. This adapter in turn connects via DB9 to the Russound audio system's controller. The TCHS1 hardware can be connected to the user's wireless access point or router through either through wireless 802.11a/b/g, or a hardwired CAT-5 connection.

The RNET Touchpoint offers the end user comprehensive control over individual components throughout their Russound multiroom installation. This includes source selection through both direct-entry and scrolling functions, and a full complement of transport controls for source components, including Play, Pause, Previous, Next, and Plus/ Minus, as well as buttons for direct numeric entry and "Disc" and "Enter" commands.

Wireless control over specific entertainment zones in the home are made just as easy through the Touchpoint. With it, the user enjoys simple access to zone selection and power, as well as volume adjustment and muting, bass, treble, loudness and balance controls, a Do Not Disturb (DND) function and a Party Mode setting. The system also provides useful system feedback, including Wi-Fi signal strength and metadata from Russound RNET Smart Sources. Zones and sources can be custom named during Touchpoint configuration by the installer.

Russound's RNET Touchpoint TCH1 control system for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch will become available in June at a price of $599.00.