Why just flip on the lights, when you could turn on your entire entertainment system?

Instead of just putting dimming features into the WACI PAD-12, Aurora Multimedia made its touchpanel a complete control system—with 12 buttons.

Sure, it doesn’t have a touchscreen or the ability to surf the web, but you can bet that you’ll never get stuck into one feature, only to spend the next three hours fighting your way out. The company says, “In the background the internal 250 MPS web server rapidly triggers macros that may switch on a display, power up an amplifier and switch the input, dim the lights and activate the DVD ‘play’ function.” Press the DVD button… sounds pretty simple to us.

It can also control volume, lighting, and more. The unit has serial, IR, and Ethernet ports and supports power-over-Ethernet infrastructure.

The WACI PAD-12 can be used as a stand-alone controller or with Aurora’s WACI NX line. Both 6- and 12-buttton configurations are available now for $1,499.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.