Window Media Center

alvinyow
alvinyow Junior Member
in AMX Technical Discussion
Any one try to control window media center using rs232/ethernet before?
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  • DHawthorne
    DHawthorne Junior Member
    alvinyow wrote:
    Any one try to control window media center using rs232/ethernet before?

    Windows Media Center is essentially a software package, not hardware. Control of it is going to be dependent on the hardware implementation, which varies as widely as the PC's it's installed on. I've controlled Media Center PC's with straight IR; there are a number of controllable interfaces for it out there ... you are going to need to post specifics for a better answer.
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  • alvinyow
    alvinyow Junior Member
    hmm......okay...here is what i wan to do with the Window media centre.
    Could be integrated with the RFid for the security and identification purpose.
    When the owner enter the room, it will automatically controll to the lighting mode of his preference and the background music that he likes.
    I dun like the idea of using IR cos it is a one way communication. RS232 or ethernet connection would be the best way to go.
    Any idea how could i accomplish this?
    Regards
    Alvin
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  • vining
    vining X Member
    HAI has a software interface that works with WMC but I've never used it. HAI also does security, audio & lighting control so there might be a way you can tie all these together through HAI or AMX controlling HAI.

    Autonomic Home has an AMX module and HAI Module for WMC here:
    http://autonomichome.com/

    There are AMX modules for HAI available in the InConcert Site.
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  • vining
    vining X Member
    Has anyone been brave enough to try this Autonomic Home MCE-CS EX package yet. It look pretty complete and migth be good low cost solution instead of Escient.
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  • alvinyow
    alvinyow Junior Member
    Thanks you very much vining
    I'm doing some reading on the document now.
    It is indeed something great to know about.
    Thanks
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  • a_riot42
    a_riot42 AMX Wizard
    alvinyow wrote:
    Thanks you very much vining
    I'm doing some reading on the document now.
    It is indeed something great to know about.
    Thanks

    I have this package running at an install. It works ok, but has a few weirdnesses. It doesn't drive the Windows UI, but rather has its own UI using the meta data from WMC, similar to a SATP Kaleidescape install. It seemed weird to me to hit the My Pictures button and not have the UI go to the My Pictures screen. I have found with every WMC that Next Track and Rewind doesn't work, but this is true even with the factory remote (thanks M$!). Other than that it works pretty well, although having looked at the code, I wouldn't say it was written by an experienced AMX programmer.
    Paul
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  • gusgizmo
    gusgizmo Junior Member
    I have this package running at an install. It works ok, but has a few weirdnesses. It doesn't drive the Windows UI, but rather has its own UI using the meta data from WMC, similar to a SATP Kaleidescape install. It seemed weird to me to hit the My Pictures button and not have the UI go to the My Pictures screen. I have found with every WMC that Next Track and Rewind doesn't work, but this is true even with the factory remote (thanks M$!). Other than that it works pretty well, although having looked at the code, I wouldn't say it was written by an experienced AMX programmer.
    Paul

    This is only in WMC XP with any non-standard codec (not out of the box). This should be fixable in Vista using the right codec packs.
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  • AutonomicHome
    AutonomicHome Junior Member
    a_riot42 wrote: »
    I have this package running at an install. It works ok, but has a few weirdnesses. It doesn't drive the Windows UI, but rather has its own UI using the meta data from WMC, similar to a SATP Kaleidescape install. It seemed weird to me to hit the My Pictures button and not have the UI go to the My Pictures screen.

    Paul,

    Our protocol supports direct navigation to My Pictures, My Videos, etc.

    The buttons on the sample UI we provide don't drive the WMC by design. This is meant to enable browsing media content on the TP without affecting what's happening on the WMC screen. Most customers prefer it that way, but many, like yourself, prefer the WMC interface to follow.

    Here's an easy mod to make the Media Center Interface follow the Navigation Buttons: In the "Command Output" property of the associated buttons, place the following strings.

    MCE:Navigate MyMusic
    MCE:Navigate RecordedTV
    MCE:Navigate MovieLibrary
    MCE:Navigate MyVideos
    MCE:Navigate MyPictures

    Our module looks for the "MCE:" header, and will send whatever follows directly to the protocol server. We have a TP4 file setup like this if you like - just drop us a line at support@autonomichome.com

    -Michael.
    Autonomic Controls, Inc.
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  • mcotton
    mcotton Junior Member
    Is the control limited to the MCE interface or is there extended control of the rest of the OS?
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  • AutonomicHome
    AutonomicHome Junior Member
    mcotton wrote: »
    Is the control limited to the MCE interface or is there extended control of the rest of the OS?

    Windows Media Center, Media Player, and in version 2.0 (release scheduled in June), iTunes.
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