There’s a lot more fun you could have with a 17-inch screen than the one you stare at all day long at work. If you’ve got a Crestron automation system running your home, you could add the new 17-inch Isys touchpanel for all of your controls—plus sweet graphics and high-definition.

Crestron just released this addition, the Isys TPS-17G-QM, to its HD touchpanel line as the largest screen in the series. It delivers full-motion HD video on the 17-inch WXGA widescreen display to go along with its automation and networking features.

“Touch-the-PC” remote touchscreen navigation lets you integrate it with an external PC, Crestron says, and the user interface even accounts for multimedia presentation and video conferencing for your high-performance home office.

The QM in the name stands for QuickMedia, a proprietary Crestron technology that routes all audio, video and computer signals over a single Cat 5e-type wire for simplified connectivity. The QM transmitter also connects conventional A/V and PC sources, at up to 450 feet on the single cable.

And, oh yeah, when you’re not using the Isys 17-inch screen to get caught up on your favorite web videos while you’re preparing dinner (hey, the kitchen’s a pretty good place for it, no?), you can tap it to adjust all of your lights, climate, security functions and other automated functions.

Arlen Schweiger - Editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen writes about home technology installations and product news and reviews for electronichouse.com and Electronic House magazine.