An extra track is encoded on a DVD. This extra track contains data that is fed to a wireless X10 lighting controller built into the DVD player, or over Ethernet to a box running the X10 home automation software. The DVD signal could tell the lights when to dim, when to fade up slowly during the credits, when to swith the phones over to instant answering machine, etc.

Could be baked currently with a little hacking on homebrew PVRs like Freevo or MythTV.
-- Novysan, Dec 30 2003

Nice idea - as you say, should be possible. For more immersivity, when a character in the film operates a microwave oven, this programmatic interface will set your own microwave oven such that it pings simultaneously with the one on screen.
-- hippo, Dec 30 2023



random, halfbakery