Control over PC running Windows Media Centre

Stephen Bolton
Stephen Bolton Junior Member
in AMX Applications and Solutions
Hi all,

We have a project on hand and several of the rooms will run WMC.

I have had a bit of a sniff around Inconcert for any references to WMC, but can not find any listing at all.

Learning the remote is clearly an option, however, I am investigating a higher level of control than simply squirting IR at it.

If anyone has had any experience with controlling this with IP or serial, I would sincerely appreciate any feedback. Cracks about this M$ app happily accepted too!!

Of particular interest is clearly the music control - ie genre sorting, play lists etc etc.

I know I can fall back on the i!pclinkmediaplayer standard Netlinx module for the music side of the box, but hoped to get a bit more involved than that with the rest of it.

Many thanks (in advance!)
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Comments

  • DHawthorne
    DHawthorne Junior Member
    WMC is nothing more than a special front-end on Windows XP. The media applications are just an extension of the WIndows UI. Besides IR, Computer Control is about the only way I can think of to directly control it, which boils down to VNC. The one and only time I needed to control a WMC box, I installed a wireless keyboard and captured the IR from it. But if you want to capture the media lists to send to a panel, you are going to need a Windows app running on the machine to capture and re-direct that data.
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  • Stephen Bolton
    Stephen Bolton Junior Member
    Control over PC running Windows Media Centre

    Hi David,

    Many thanks for your prompt reply.

    I had a sneaking suspicion this might be the case...I didn't even note VNC in my post as it is going to be literally unusable due to both the speed and display size on an MVP.

    Using the WMC o/p to screen and squirting IR at it might well be the most elegant.

    I will suggest to the client that 'administrators' manipulate any in depth data (ie music sorting) via wireless KB and the end users surf the WMC GUI via the MVP.

    Sincrely appreciate your feedback.

    Steve

    'Long time listener, first time caller'!
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  • alexanbo
    alexanbo Junior Member
    There's a couple companies out there that are making software for WMC's so that you can talk to it easily over TCP and get feedback etc.

    The ones I've found are:

    http://www.autonomichome.com
    http://www.inteset.com

    which both look promising.

    If anyone has come across any others or has worked with those and could give their experience with them that would be interesting to hear.
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  • TrikinCurt
    TrikinCurt Junior Member
    Wow, autonomic looks very interesting! I signed up for the beta, I will post anything I learn. Currently we use http://kindel.com/Default.aspx?tabid=25. It is just a one way control, no list of albums or anything, but gives you IP control over transport and such, plus it is open source and free.

    Curt
    Trikin
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  • Stephen Bolton
    Stephen Bolton Junior Member
    Control over PC running Windows Media Centre

    Hi all,

    Many thanks for your input.

    I will look into each of the links and if we progress down this TCP path, I, too, will post my results/findings.

    I appreciate the support of the forum on this one.

    Regards

    Steve
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  • TrikinCurt
    TrikinCurt Junior Member
    I have the code and will be playing with it tomorrow...

    Curt
    Trikin
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  • Stephen Bolton
    Stephen Bolton Junior Member
    I'm up to my eyes in a system right now - you will probably beat me to it..

    Look forward to your findings Curt

    Regards
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  • yuri
    yuri Junior Member
    that other company has a standard module for controlling windows media centre. Gives you all the options, like listing tracks with genre etc. I *heard* AMX is going to do something like that soon, but I'm not sure if thats correct.
    Otherwise using an external application would be your best shot :)
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  • TrikinCurt
    TrikinCurt Junior Member
    http://www.autonomichome.com

    They have a ******** example, but nothing for AMX. I played with it for a bit, got a track listing, clicked a button and could play it... So it does what it says! Not sure how much work it will be to get the full module going yet but it seems like this thing works as advertised. I am off to training Sunday (Programmer I, time to learn how I am supposed to be programming)... Will play more when I get back (or get bored in class!).

    Curt
    Trikin
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  • joelw
    joelw Junior Member
    If there's enough interest I'll write a MCE side NT Service that talks native ICSP and offers the complete MCE interface.

    No I don't think I will be able to patent it, but perhaps my room combining algorithm...
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  • jwells
    jwells Junior Member
    Hi,
    We have been thinking about using the WMC in our systems but I've always been concerned about the reliability of them. How did your installations go ?

    If two way control can be achieved via IP and the unit is reliable it sound like a great little solution.
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  • Stephen Bolton
    Stephen Bolton Junior Member
    Mmmm never got around to it actually!

    The project might re-surface early next year..

    Did anyone explore the examples?
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  • Spire_Jeff
    Spire_Jeff Formerly Caffeinated Programmer
    I as a rule do not like WMC. Every time a rep/sales person/guru shows me their WMC and tries to convince me that my job will be replaced/made easier/made more profitable by the device, it seems to crash/lock up/not respond promptly/have mediocre quality in most normal applications/... I just can't see recommending a device that is so prone to virus problems to a client that just wants their system to work when they get home from a long day at the office.

    That being said, Integra has a piece (the NVS7.7) which is a WMC product. There is a serial port and a module is available from AMX to control the device. I am in the process of working with the device for a sort of side project. I can say that the module seemed to communicate without any problems. I will be working on the device more in the next couple weeks so I can go into more depth about the overall control capabilities (or lack thereof).

    Hope this helps,
    Jeff
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  • vining
    vining X Member
    http://www.autonomichome.com

    They have a ******** example, but nothing for AMX. I played with it for a bit, got a track listing, clicked a button and could play it... So it does what it says! Not sure how much work it will be to get the full module going yet but it seems like this thing works as advertised. I am off to training Sunday (Programmer I, time to learn how I am supposed to be programming)... Will play more when I get back (or get bored in class!).

    They actually made an AMX module a few month ago and if you do a search for AutonomicHome on the forum you should be able to find the thread.

    They do have product that I beleive works with any PC running WMCE via a their server app you install on that PC. Then their Netlinx module communicates between Netlinx and the Server app. There was a free beta release of the module on their site as well as a trial period version of the server app. I think eventually you would have to pay a few hundred for lincensed version of the server app.
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  • AndrewMartin
    AndrewMartin Junior Member
    MCE control
    joelw wrote:
    If there's enough interest I'll write a MCE side NT Service that talks native ICSP and offers the complete MCE interface.

    No I don't think I will be able to patent it, but perhaps my room combining algorithm...

    Wow! Any news on this, I would be very interested in contolling Windows Media Centre over TPC/IP rather that IR

    Andrew
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  • TrikinCurt
    TrikinCurt Junior Member
    Check out Autonomic Controls (http://www.autonomiccontrols.com/)

    Curt
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  • AndrewMartin
    AndrewMartin Junior Member
    MCE control
    TrikinCurt wrote:
    Check out Autonomic Controls (http://www.autonomiccontrols.com/)

    Curt

    Thanks for that link. I am downloading it now. This is for my own home project, so I was put off by the price tag. Trying to get the Kindle system to work as well.

    If it works, I'll keep you all posted....

    Cheers,

    Andrew
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