http://www.dijitcommunity.com?src=articles_rss DijitCommunity - Latest Articles Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:03:46 GMT admin@dijitcommunity.com DijitCommunity 60 http://www.dijitcommunity.com/brand/dijit/community.gif http://www.dijitcommunity.com?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/95968/Dreaming-of-Beacon-2-My-Vision-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Beacon-Hardware/?src=articles_rss <p>I've been using Dijit and Griffin's Beacon for several months now, and while great, the current model Beacon leaves me wondering if the way it works exactly how I want it to. If I were to build the next Beacon (or another Beacon sold along side the current models) here's the way I would do it and why.</p><div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/95968/Dreaming-of-Beacon-2-My-Vision-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Beacon-Hardware/">[Read more]</div> Griffin Beacon Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:39:47 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/95968/Dreaming-of-Beacon-2-My-Vision-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Beacon-Hardware/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/95968/Dreaming-of-Beacon-2-My-Vision-for-the-Next-Generation-of-Beacon-Hardware/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/92005/Dijit-Insider-1-Jeremy-Toeman-on-Dijit-for-Android-iOS-updates-and-the-future-of-television/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/92005/501a4d8d579923f2-3a305876-1344823bebc--331a-498176854.jpg">Welcome to our very first Dijit Insider interview, where we go face-to-face with team members at Dijit for an insider's look at the latest Dijit news, events, and more. A few days ago I got the opportunity to get Dijit's Chief Product Officer (and old friend), Jeremy Toeman, on the phone for a little Q&amp;A. In this interview, we discuss the present and future of Dijit, and dive deeper on the new Android software , the upcoming iPad update, and more. Matt Whitlock, DijitCommunity: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Please, take a moment to tell us a little about you and what you do at Dijit. Jeremy Toeman, Dijit: I am a veteran of the future of TV industry. I've helped build a couple-dozen products, everything from the first digital media receiver with HP to the home DVR with Denon. Probably the best known is the Slingbox, where I was in charge of building and marketing; it was a resounding success. I've also worked with companies like Boxee and Vudu. I joined Dijit in June to run all product marketing efforts. That's quite a history you have, with a lot of well known products....<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/92005/Dijit-Insider-1-Jeremy-Toeman-on-Dijit-for-Android-iOS-updates-and-the-future-of-television/">[Read more]</div> Dijit Software for Android Dijit Software for iPhone and iPod Touch Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:42:06 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/92005/Dijit-Insider-1-Jeremy-Toeman-on-Dijit-for-Android-iOS-updates-and-the-future-of-television/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/92005/Dijit-Insider-1-Jeremy-Toeman-on-Dijit-for-Android-iOS-updates-and-the-future-of-television/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/91162/Dijit-for-iPad-Preview-Dijit-s-iOS-App-Gets-Reimagined-for-the-Tablet/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/91162/501a4d8d579923f2--18ac1a30-133fb5f3679-5e49-1065625897.jpg">iPad owners using Dijit have been itching for a native iPad app, to say the least, and it looks like that wait will be coming to an end in the near future. It's not that you can't use the current version of Dijit on the iPad (many people do), but it's hardly an "optimized" experience for the increased amount of real estate the iPad's 9.7" screen offers. Update 1-6-12: Now available! Today, Dijit has gone public with the first look at the upcoming Dijit for iOS app, complete with native iPad support. The good news, however, is that Dijit has informed me they plan to submit the bits to Apple within the next two weeks. From the looks of things, they've put in quite a bit of thought how to evolve Dijit for the bigger screen. "In a nutshell, we've taken our iPhone app, and reimagined it for the iPad," says Jeremy Toeman, Dijit's Chief Product Officer. "We've tried to think through all the nuance of what a full, 10" entertainment console sitting on a user's coffee table should look like. We've made it very iPad-centric, and thought through nuances like how to visually help a user through seemingly complicated...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/91162/Dijit-for-iPad-Preview-Dijit-s-iOS-App-Gets-Reimagined-for-the-Tablet/">[Read more]</div> Dijit Software Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:03:21 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/91162/Dijit-for-iPad-Preview-Dijit-s-iOS-App-Gets-Reimagined-for-the-Tablet/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/91162/Dijit-for-iPad-Preview-Dijit-s-iOS-App-Gets-Reimagined-for-the-Tablet/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/88751/How-to-modify-your-Griffin-Beacon-to-use-an-optional-AC-adapter/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/88751/501a4d8d579923f2-366aed3c-133419d9cf3-732e-427130926.jpg">I needed a reliable remote control solution for my bed-ridden wife, who resides in a nursing home. She can only move one arm and hand with much difficulty. Apple's iPad + Dijit + Griffin Beacon was the solution that I chose. Unfortunately, this thing eats batteries in weeks - not months. With no option to use an AC adapter for the Griffin Beacon, getting it to run off of AC required a bit of tinkering. With a little effort, you too can go from AA to AC by following the directions below. ( Warning: Don't try this if you are faint of heart or can't afford a new Beacon.) First, you'll need to acquire a 6V AC adapter to use. I looked around the house and found two "left-over" AC adapters: one 6V 150mA and the other 6V 200mA. Didn't want to cut off the plug until I was sure they worked, so I bought a "DC power pigtal female adapter" from my local electronics hobby shop for $1.25 (but you could cut off the plug if you're sure it will work). Once you're ready to dive in, cut two 1/2" wooden dowels at 1 7/8" long. Strip the wire...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/88751/How-to-modify-your-Griffin-Beacon-to-use-an-optional-AC-adapter/">[Read more]</div> Griffin Beacon Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:22:51 GMT Hal_in_Houston http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/88751/How-to-modify-your-Griffin-Beacon-to-use-an-optional-AC-adapter/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/88751/How-to-modify-your-Griffin-Beacon-to-use-an-optional-AC-adapter/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/87796/How-To-Create-and-Use-Dijit-Activities/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/87796/501a4d8d579923f2-7b44ca62-132f5decfbb--51f4-1108864035.jpg">Pick up any universal remote control at your local shop, and you'll discover the vast majority of them control multiple things with one remote, but still operate like you have six different remotes in your hand. Anytime you want to start controlling a different device, you have to press a button to select the device first. For certain activities that often involves controlling functions like video or sound modes, inputs, and more across several devices, getting everything done can be a bit of a pain. Wouldn't it be nice if the remote control you were holding could combine all your devices together and display only the buttons you need to use for a certain activity? It's not pie in the sky, or even a new concept. Advanced programmable universal remote controls, like the now defunct Pronto line from Philips, gave users an extraordinary amount of control. You could create anything you want... if you could afford the high price tag or figure out how to do it. Dijit, however, gives users the ability to control their devices both ways. You can select individual devices with all functions for one device, or you can create special "Activity" devices that offer up...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/87796/How-To-Create-and-Use-Dijit-Activities/">[Read more]</div> IR Controlled Devices Dijit Software for iPhone and iPod Touch Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:36:01 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/87796/How-To-Create-and-Use-Dijit-Activities/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/87796/How-To-Create-and-Use-Dijit-Activities/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86815/Program-Your-Dijit-Activities-With-Discrete-IR-Commands/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/86815/501a4d8d579923f2--3f60ec3e-13283a5f2a9--49f91845092933.jpg">When combined with the Beacon, the Dijit app can serve as a full featured universal remote control for your home theater system. One of the useful functions in many universal remotes is called Macro programming; Dijit offers it as well, but opts to call it "Activities." See my article " Using Macros to Simplify the Use of a Home Theater Remote Control " at TechLore.com for a little macro 101. We'll cover the Activities feature in greater depth later this week, those who have already started playing with this feature know that Activities let you to perform many actions at once. The basics usually work quite well, like Activities to turn on or off all devices at once, but as many users who've taken the plunge into creating their own have discovered, programming complex Activities isn't easy. For example, an activity like "Watch DVD" might be programmed with a power command for the TV, but that would end up turning the TV off if it was already on. Same goes for switching inputs on TVs or receivers, the simple input command found on most remotes isn't useful unless it is always starting from the same source. Fortunately, one of the...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86815/Program-Your-Dijit-Activities-With-Discrete-IR-Commands/">[Read more]</div> IR Controlled Devices Dijit Software Griffin Beacon Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:10:28 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86815/Program-Your-Dijit-Activities-With-Discrete-IR-Commands/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86815/Program-Your-Dijit-Activities-With-Discrete-IR-Commands/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86283/How-To-Create-Your-Personal-Master-Remote-Control-Using-Dijit-Rooms/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/86283/501a4d8d579923f2--3c249f62-1324f8744a0-2231534882693.jpg">Did you know that you can quickly create your own personal, master remote control for every room in your house? With Dijit's Rooms feature, you can move your Dijit experience from Living Room to Man Cave in no time flat. We'll show you how. While many would argue a dedicated, programmable home theater remote control like a Harmony or Pronto offers more flexibility as a remote control compared to Dijit (although would lack the integrated guide and social features Dijit offers). However, there are a few problems with these old-style programmable remotes in today's modern home. Designed for one system - most universal remotes only support one particular system in the house, meaning if you have more than one room for entertainment (like a living room, man cave, bedroom, etc.) you have to buy multiple devices. Even for those that do support an unlimited number of devices, programming them to do more than one system can be tricky. No personalization - Unless you arm every member in your house with their own device, how it's programmed has to work for the whole family. Extra cost - Face it. Lots of families today now have an iPhone, iPad, or Android device...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86283/How-To-Create-Your-Personal-Master-Remote-Control-Using-Dijit-Rooms/">[Read more]</div> IR Controlled Devices Griffin Beacon Dijit Software for iPhone and iPod Touch Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:40:38 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86283/How-To-Create-Your-Personal-Master-Remote-Control-Using-Dijit-Rooms/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/86283/How-To-Create-Your-Personal-Master-Remote-Control-Using-Dijit-Rooms/?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/85750/How-To-Setup-and-Control-Devices-Using-Beacon-and-Dijit-Gestures/?src=articles_rss <img align="right" hspace="10" src="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/imagelib/contentitem/85750/501a4d8d579923f2-5816d02f-13221480069-95f-679890601.jpg">If you believe tapping buttons is so last century, you'll definitely want to try out Dijit's custom gestures for your finger-swiping control pleasure. With a simple swipe of two or three fingers, Dijit and your Beacon can control various functions on a specific device, or even the device you're currently using. Here's everything you need to know to set up and use gestures with Dijit. Note: in order to use gestures with IR controlled devices, the Griffin Beacon is required. What is a gesture and why do I want to use them? Anyone with an iOS device or Apple computer should be pretty familiar with gestures, but for those new to them, a gesture correlates a uniquely identifiable action you perform on the screen to a command. For example, swiping up with two fingers on the screen simultaneously would be a gesture the device can uniquely identify. Gestures can help speed up performing specific common actions, like volume and mute. A gesture can be programmed to work on the specific device in use, or be assigned to perform an action on a specific device all the time. In the case of volume, those with a surround system can program the...<div><a href="http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/85750/How-To-Setup-and-Control-Devices-Using-Beacon-and-Dijit-Gestures/">[Read more]</div> IR Controlled Devices IP Controlled Devices Dijit Software for iPhone and iPod Touch Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:03:10 GMT Matt Whitlock http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/85750/How-To-Setup-and-Control-Devices-Using-Beacon-and-Dijit-Gestures/#discussion?src=articles_rss http://www.dijitcommunity.com/article/85750/How-To-Setup-and-Control-Devices-Using-Beacon-and-Dijit-Gestures/?src=articles_rss