Audio Controls Menu

[wesblack]

xLobby Version 3 will have more control over the sound environment. This is a work in progress screenshot but you will get the idea. Each player assigned in the system will have control over Volume, Mute, Balance independently, this will provide the users the ability to match levels of content when moving from the movies menu to the music menu, etc.. Test files for different audio formats are easily accesable for Dolby Digital, DTS, WMV-HD, Stereo Imaging. We plan on adding some cool features in this area like.

1. Graphic EQ.

2. Audio Ramp up or down, (Fast) or (Slow)

3. Audio levels adjustable or preset by lighting scenes, Insteon, UPB, etc.

4. Audio Visualizations.

5. Audio and EQ settings tied to a individual song or Artists album or playlist.

6. Audio playback crossfading and auto volume leveling.

7. Switch between SPDIF out and Analog outputs. We are also working on a hardware solution for SPDIF pass-thru that will provide simultaneous Dolby Digital to a receiver as well as decode stereo analog audio for whole house distribution.

8. VU level meters both analog and digital.

What items here would be important to you and have I missed something you would like to see added for the Audio control area.




Wes Black \ Calrad

[jowaldo]

looks pretty slick, and handy.

DO the WMV/DTS/DD tests on the left play a sample that rotates through each speaker? Also it might be nice if possible to have something that is like what is on the right of that screen, (the left/right test) but maybe an individual button for each speaker up to a 7.1 configuration... Sometimes it would be nice to test speakers one at a time like that for the whole surround setup..

[wesblack]

Yes the 5.1 dolby digital, wmv-hd audio test file steps thru each speaker. I have 7.1 and DTS files that test speakers independly.





Wes Black \ Calrad

[lpg]

Wes, would it make any sense to add individual zone volume control here. I am assuming that the volume settings are the max volume for the entity described. I could see it useful to preset the max volume for each zone.

[lpg]

I like the idea of logic tied to lighting seens etc... I was wondering if it will be possible to have controls tied to time of day events. i.e not to let a user turn on the whole house music at 1 am. It would also be great if there was a master user that could change settings reguardless of the programmed logic.

[wesblack]

All of this will be possible and more. The insteon 6 button in-wall dimmer can be used to start a playlist or control volume for any multizone room, any keypad or dimmer on the system can be tied to any event in xLobby or that xLobby controls. Create macros with lighting, music movies, russound, IR commands linked to the WACI, what ever you want to link together. Virtual keypads installed in minutes without the complexity of running wires, using existing AC wiring. Need a video switcher control interface for your bedroom, no problem just replace a standard wall switch and you now have the ability thru xLobby to link the commands to any brand switcher you want not just Calrads, now switch video and turn the light on/off. .

Wes Black \ Calrad

[cubesys]

using the insteon KPL is a really interesting idea. By the way Wes, The same key pad can be used with 8 buttons offering even more options.

Itai

[S Pittaway]

visulistations are important to me, i have milkdrop tied into a few of my music playing screens so as it stands i cant use the in-built player...

what are to planing on using?

Milkdrop is by far the best...



Sean.

[samgreco]

using the insteon KPL is a really interesting idea. By the way Wes, The same key pad can be used with 8 buttons offering even more options.

Itai

There are UPB switches that do this as well. With 40 or 8 button configurations.

[cmhardwick]

There are UPB switches that do this as well. With 40 or 8 button configurations.

40 buttons? WOW, must be a huge switch, or tiny buttons (don't you just love people that pick on typos?)

[wesblack]

We are also adding support for the UPB devices. Steven is currently working on Ver 3 and the full ighting service \ Widget as I write this. After coding to the insteons API and running numerous tests, we have decided not to interface with insteons API directly as planned because it has some issues with speed and reliability and does not do everything we want, so the decision has been made to communicate with the PowerLinc controller directly. This will provide us with increased performace, endless posibilities but most importanly reliability.


And yes we plan on adding some type of visualization module for audio playback, as I want this too!




Wes Black \ Calrad

[S Pittaway]

i supose i am say i would like support for the milkdrop plugin not a generic visulisation

i know theartertek uses it and it is accessable from other apps not just winamp....

[cmhardwick]

Wes,

On insteon, and other lighting solutions, PLEASE CONSIDER CONFIGURABLE UPD listening. PowerHome has implemented this broadcast on all changes of whatever devices are in it's dabase, regardless of technology if I'm not mistaken. If we had that, even as a plugin, we could easily trigger off of that and those of use with a home automation system in place would not have to "re-invent the wheel".

and yes, the INSTEON API (I'm assuming you mean the SDM software) is VERY BUGGY. Several applications are bypassing it and going straight to the PLM and some even to the PLC.

Thanks for all the work!

[samgreco]

There are UPB switches that do this as well. With 40 or 8 button configurations.

40 buttons? WOW, must be a huge switch, or tiny buttons (don't you just love people that pick on typos?)

I am sufficiently embarrassed

[vaporhat]

7. Switch between SPDIF out and Analog outputs. We are also working on a hardware solution for SPDIF pass-thru that will provide simultaneous Dolby Digital to a receiver as well as decode stereo analog audio for whole house distribution.

I am very interested in this feature. Do we have any idea is this is going to in-fact make it into the v3 update?