Xlobby and a multi-disk DVD player?

[Hiller]

What would you need out of the RS232 connection? I think I can whip up a plugin using xAP but for it to be funtional for a lot of people you would just be able to put a string in the variable field of the event manager. Do you have examples of what RS232 commands your CD Player would need?

Steve

[blazeby]

Steve -

If it is any help, here is the link for the app that controls the Sony CX777ES DVD changer via RS232.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cx777es-rs232/

Paul

[stevenhanna6]

the orignal way I had invisioned doing this was quite simple.

First you have to input your learned ir codes into xlobby with a usbuirt, by ir codes I mean stuff like 1,2,3..9,0, enter. Basicly all the codes you would need to load a dvd from the remote. Once we have those basic codes we can start up an event to load the dvd.

Each dvd you store in xlobby would have a "slot" number...just an extra field really to store where the dvd is in the changer.

Then we can make an event like this (i dont know if this is how it works for a changer) to play dvd in slot 140.

1) irsend>goto
2) irsend>1
3) irsend>4
4) irsend>0
5) irsend>enter

basicly if you can make an event to play a single dvd using the ir stored codes, then I can make it generate the 1 4 0 part, so in the end the single event would look like this

1) irsend>goto
2) irsend>%slot%
3) irsend>enter

where %slot% would be entered in a special you command I would make for this purpose.

anyone follow what I mean?

[blazeby]

This is a great idea.

However, operational performance would be much better if we could send the commands donw the rs232, rather than via IR....

[stevenhanna6]

In that case you'll have to try to find a small application that can take the dvd slot number and play it, like this "sonydvd.exe 140".

The point of doing it with IR is that I'm not limiting anyone to any one dvd changer. I'm not really sure how much slower doing it through IR would be, but I would imagine it cant be more that 4 seconds.

[blazeby]

You are probably correct, and when you put it that way: 4 seconds to change a DVD it's doesn't seem that bad at all.

Thanks.

[tivohax]

I agree that the IR is the way to go. RS-232 is only available on the Kenwood $900 units and the brand new Sony ES. Purchasing a second hand mega changer and a $55 usb-uirt is a great way to add 600 movies relatively cheaply. The ir lag time is truely minimal and the way I want to set it up it would go unnoticed. I would like to have just the movie burned, and have it start playing after loading a random THX or DD opening trailer off the HDD.

Steve, LMK if you can write that bit of code and I will test it on the sony changer. It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Bill Lott]

I would love to see this!!

I have the Pioneer 300 disk unit and have a similar system working with Homeseer and DVD Profiler. I can select a DVD (DVD Profiler Collection Number = disk location number), press a "watch button", use USB-UIRT to send the correct IR codes (Pause, Pause, Pause, "Disk Location Number", Play. It works great. Currently Homeseer also sends the commands to control the lighting in the theater.

I can't wait to be able to do this in xLobby!!!!!

[stevenhanna6]

Ok here is our first try at this, I dont have time to test it and I will be gone the rest of the day so hopefully she works on the first go.

http://www.xlobby.com/xlobby2.zip

You'll need to make yourself a new event, lets use "dvd changer", then add the normal commands you would need to play a dvd with the "ir>command" and you will also see the new "ir>send number" command. Here you will enter "%movies>slotnumber%" as your variable...or you can just use a number to test it, slotnumber is the name of the variable that is storing your dvd slot number of course.

The main thing you have to setup is inputting all the numbers 0,1,2...9 into the xlobby ir plugin tab for your selected device. This is so I know how to send the numbers to the dvd player.

So the main steps are
1. input all the numbers into the ir plugin section under a device
2. create your dvd changer event, and use the new "ir>send number" command

Remember you can always use a real number in the "ir>send number" for testing at first to make sure its working. I have also set the delay to 1 second in between sending numbers...this is where the problems might happen......also remember there is a "wait" command you can use if you need a delay between sending the other ir commands.

Hope thats clear enough, I'll check back tonight to see if anyone got it working.

[Bill Lott]

I'm traveling until Friday. I'll give it a try as soon I get home...

[tatatoothy]

zewt,
have all my DVD's ripped to Z:\\Media\movies, looks like they import correctly, but double click and get nothing. Ideas?

[zewt]

I think I need more information.

Like what format are they in.

What player are you using.

Can you get them to play with any player outside of xlobby?

and so forth.

[Bill Lott]

OK.

I set up the event under the movies play category and sent:
IR-Command ~Search Mode
IR-Command ~Search Mode
IR-Command ~Search Mode
IR-Command ~Search Mode

Followed by:
IR-End Number ~%movies>slotnumber%

Followed by:
IR-Command ~Play

The USB-UIRT sends the 1st four commands and then the Play command. I'm not getting anything for the slotnumber

If I substitute an actual movie number (instead of %movies>slotnumber%) then it works great.


Am I doing this correctly???

Should the %movies>slotnumber% be under the alias of my DVD Changer?

[stevenhanna6]

Should the %movies>slotnumber% be under the alias of my DVD Changer?

%movies>slotnumber% should go in the variable field where you had the actual number, I just tested it and it does work. But you have to have a "slotnumber" field in your actual database, by default xlobby doesnt know what slot the dvds are in so you have to edit your database to set that info. I used "slotnumber" as a potential variable name, doesnt mean you have to use that exact name.

[Bill Lott]

OK. I got the %movies>slotnumber% working. I open the xml file and found I had a field "CollectionNumber" and used that. Choosing a movie now works great - except - I've obviously added the IR codes in the wrong place because when I change skins I loose them.

I entered the IR commands by hitting "F2" and choosing Event Manager - Skins - Movies - Play movie and added the IR commands under the "Play movie" event. I know this is the wrong place but couldn't figure out any other way. Where and how do I add the event "dvd changer" so that it will work correctly?

I'm really getting excited about xLobby (I'm a BIG Homeseer user) and I want to get it set up correctly as I haven't decided on a favorite skin yet.

Also - is anyone successfully using a Fujitsu 510 touchpad (Win 98) with xLobby? If I try to load xLobby it hangs at "Loading: setup". When I try to load the client I get the hour glass while it looks like it's trying to load but nothing ever happens. I'm able to access other server programs but not xLobby.

Thanks again for your help.