RE: WHA, controlling MP3's

["Graham Kiff" <graham.kiff@xxxxxxx>]

My 2p worth....

I currently have the following setup:
HomeVision controller
Dedicated HA PC
with ~6GB of MP3s
1 soundcard linked to the lounge HiFi
Pronto remote

I have created some screens in HomeVision that I use to select the tracks
to
play, by using the Pronto remote with a A-Z, 0-9 keyboard.  I created the
pronto "keyboard" using "standard" remote codes, so
that HomeVision would be
able to decode and recognise them.

In addition to this I have written a "helper" application that
runs in
parallel to the HomeVision software and communicates using DDE.  This
application performs a number of tasks including the following:
Watches for variable changes, to determine what MP3s to play
Downloads weather information every 15 mins & updates HomeVision
Watches the 1-wire bus
Downloads TV Listings once a week
Forces HomeVision to display (overlaid) information of favourite TV
programs about to start.
...and lots more when I think of it.

The Weather, TV Listings and MP3 Listing are all held on SQL Server.

So this is what happens.
I bring up the music selection screen in HomeVision
Select the track(s)
The HomeVision helper app then plays the tracks on the lounge HiFi
(switching it on, and selecting AUX if necessary)

I also plan to install >1 sound card to enable multi-zone control.  As
I'm
not using WinAmp I have more control, so should be able to independently
control >1 soundcards.

Hope this helps
Graham

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Gordon [mailto:paul_gordon@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 05 March 2001 15:07
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] WHA, controlling MP3's


>
>WHA, controlling MP3'sI'm pondering WHA at the moment - though
controlled
>entirely by a PC. My HA PC (when I eventually get all the pieces
together
>in one box) will have a graphics card with TV out so I was planning on
>plugging that into a TV, then either using a radio mouse/keyboard (not
>ideal) or preferably using an IR keyboard and just learning a few
crucial
>buttons onto a Pronto (BTW has anyone done this?


I have exactly this arrangement, and tried to do just what you have
described. Basically, I had no success getting the pronto to learn the IR
from the keyboard :-(  However, I have subsequently changed to a different
IR keyboard (A "digital Edge" one), and I haven't tried to learn
anything
from that into the Pronto yet... so fingers crossed...



can it be done?). I was planning on a more ambitious system giving actual
whole house control via a web interface, but if you just want music then I
don't see why you just couldn't use WinAmp/whatever normally.
>
>If you don't have a dedicated PC already it might be pricey but it
would
>still be cheaper than dedicated touch screens in each room, I should
think.
>Especially if you have a lot of televisions around the place (I'm only
>really interested in one control point)


Dedicated touchcreens, whilst undoubtedly one of the most attractive
options, is also far and away the most expensive! - Even the dreaded...
(wait for it...) EPODS at the bargain knock-down price of £230-ish is more
expensive than a DDAR. - Plus of course, there aren't any left at that
price, so you can pretty much forget about getting any touchscreen solution
for any less money than that. (Even the bog-standard monochrome X10
Touchlinc screens are £287.88, and that's without any kind of stand or
wall-mount kit...)

As far as a PC-based system is concerned, 'cos I have lots of PC's, I have
up till now just put a PC wherever I need an audio zone - I figured that
sending ethernet from place to place is easier (and better) than sending
audio over long cable runs... This gives zone-able output, but still
doesn't
address the problem of selection/control. I still haven't really got a
solution to this... - For example, in the master bedroom, because SWMBO
wouldn't let me put a PC in there, I drilled a holw stright through the
wall
to my study which is adjacent, and fed an audio cable from the amplifier in
the bedroom through to a PC in the study. So to select tracks or control
the
player, I have to wander into the next room, and use the PC.. (not ideal!)
Next step will probably be to put a radio-based cordless keyboard on that
PC, and feed another cable through the wall to connect the TV-out on the PC
to the TV in the bedroom. Alternatively, I have just resurrected my old
laptop (Thanks Vince!) and I might see if I can get away with sneaking that
into the bedroom...

Longer term, I'm thinking of a single PC in node 0, with multiple
soundcards
(ideally about 4 of them!) giving 4-zone independent control. Ideally, I'd
then be able to use it in either of 2 main configurations:
a) individual zones, for listening to a seprate audio feed in any zone,
when
I'm in one room and SWMBO is in another...
b) Whole-house audio, - IE sending the same single audio feed to all zones
simultaneously, for parties and so on.
I still don't know what combination of hardware/software will currently
allow that level of control - IE with 4 soundcards, how do I
"bind" a
particular instance of a player (Winamp for example), to a particular
soundcard? If I manage that OK, I then have 4 instances of Winamp on a
single PC, so how do I seperately control each instance from a remote
location? In the other scenario, how would I then "kill" the
other 3 Winamp
instances, and then "bind" a sinlge Winamp instance to all 4
soundcards to
get te whole-house audio that I want?

Questions Questions!!

Paul G.


>
>
>   Hi list,
>
>   I'm a new member so forgive me if this subject has come up before.
>Basically I'm very interested in a whole house audio solution, however
I
>see one significant drawback limiting how I would personally like to
>implement it.
>
>   I have an Empeg (www.empeg.com) Car MP3 car stereo.  In order to
listen
>to MP3's on the device I have ripped my entire CD collection and keep a
>local copy on a PC and sync this up with my empeg every time I buy a
new
>CD.  Obviously, if I were to install WHA I would like to use my MP3's
as
>one of the music sources.  I know I can buy a DDAR but that requires a
>receiver in every room I wish to listen to MP3's in, hardly an ideal
>solution, which would result in a crippled WHA system as I don't really
>like the idea of buying 5-10 DDAR's!!!
>
>   The other way of doing this would be to wire the MP3 player into a
more
>traditional central source/amplifiers WHA solution.  This obviously
leaves
>you wondering how you choose which MP3 you want to listen to, etc.  I
don't
>want to be tied to a PC monitor or TV to show MP3 status/info displays.
>
>   Basically, the ideal solution would be a customisable wallmount LCD
>touchscreen in every room, so you could control the rest of the WHA and
>possible HVAC, etc from this LCD.  The screen would have to be
inexpensive
>in order to be affordable for every room.  Does anyone have any idea
>whether there are suitable solutions available, or will I have to work
on a
>homebrew device?
>
>   Cheers,
>
>   M
>

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