Multi-room entertainment system with in-room media player

A method of providing media data to one of a plurality of in-room systems comprising:

• storing a plurality of media data in a central database;
• providing a server including a plurality of preprogrammed play lists, each play list having associated media data and defining a media-data channel;
• presenting to the in-room system a selection menu through which one of the media-data channels may be selected;
• upon selection of a media-data channel, accessing the media data associated with the selected media-data channel, in play list order, and transmitting it to the in-room system and presenting to the in-room system a player menu through which one of the plurality of media data associated with the selected media-data channel may be selected for immediate playing;
• and
• in response to selection of one of the media data for immediate playing, accessing the selected media data from the central database and transmitting it to the user in-room system.

A system for providing audio data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

• a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;
• a central database having a plurality of audio data stored therein;
• a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to:
• present to the video monitor an activation menu by which communication between the central database and the user interface may be established for a fixed period of time;
• present to the video monitor a selection menu through which a compilation comprising a plurality of the audio data may be selected during the fixed period of time;
• upon selection of a compilation, present to the user interface a player menu through which one or more of the plurality of audio data may be selected for playing;
• and
• in response to selection of one of the audio data, access the selected audio data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface.

A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

• a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;
• a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein;
• a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server including a plurality of preprogrammed play lists, each play list having associated media data and defining a media-data channel, the server programmed to:
• present to the video monitor a selection menu through which one of the media-data channels may be selected;
• upon selection of a media-data channel, access the media data associated with the selected media-data channel, in play list order, and transmit it to the user interface and present to the user interface a player menu through which one of the plurality of media data associated with the selected media-data channel may be selected for immediate playing;
• and
• in response to selection of one of the media data for immediate playing, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface.

A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

• a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;
• a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein, one or more of the media data associated with a compilation of media data commercially available on a CD;
• a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to:
• present to the video monitor a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected;
• in response to selection of one of the media data, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the in-room system over the communication lines;
• and
• present to the video monitor a purchase menu through which the commercially available CD associated with the selected media data may be purchased.

A system for providing media data to any one of a plurality of users, said system comprising:

• a plurality of user interfaces each having a video monitor, an input device, speakers and an interface device;
• a central database having a plurality of media data stored therein;
• a server interfacing with both the user interfaces and the central data base over communication lines, the server programmed to:
• present to the video monitor a selection menu through which at least one of the media data may be selected;
• in response to selection of one of the media data, access the selected media data from the central database and transmit it to the user interface over the communication line;
• present a mood menu comprising a brightness menu through which the brightness level of an image displayed on the video monitor may be selected;
• and
• any upon the selection of a brightness level, affect the brightness of the image independent of brightness control inherent in the video monitor.