ZoneSkin4 - Final Update 22/07/08 www

[Marbles_00]

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http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/ ... eSkin4.jpg
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ZoneSkin 4:
Read more in forum or just download:

http://www.mediafire.com/?vyjjc1eybnl

Have fun
Marbles

Reason for the skin:
I decided to expand the capablilities and take on a different philosophy from ZoneSkin3. ZoneSkin4 allows for zones to share any source without any additional third party software like VAC. Somethings like the zonemap had to be dropped, but I think I have pretty much tapped the KX drivers, and xlobby for all they are worth for this sort of application. I hope all enjoy.

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Zone Screen:


Sources Screen:


Control Screen


Music Selection


Tuner Selection


Volume Control


Weather


Theater/Showtimes


Now Playing Screensave Sequence (Buddabings Now Playing screensaver modified...I think even he would be impressed)


Various PPC Screen


Please understand that I'm still working on the skin, and there may be some bugs. If there is, please let me know so I can correct. I totally understand that in order to use this skin, users may have to modify it to work in their applications. That's fine and expected...modify to your hearts content.

If you have questions, please ask

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Pretty pretty

[timwarner]

This looks perfect. I just to find some time to get my setup ironed out, ready for the skin's release.

[Marbles_00]

I figure, this will act as a tutorial for the lead up to ZoneSkin4 release. This way others may get their systems prepared, so it will be an easy adaptation to using this skin.

To start, as most of you know, I'm running with two CL Audigy 7.1 Value cards. Each one, when using the KX drivers is capable of 4 stereo outputs...or zones. My two DSP formats are the following:

Main Floor (consisting of livingroom, familyroom, backyard and garage):


Upstairs Floor (consisting of bathroom/masterbedroom, bedroom2, and bedroom 3:


Just a reminder, my value cards use a different sort of output setting than the other Creative cards. Though for the most part, the routing should be the same, when it comes to the Epilog (or in this case the k2lt), other cards may be routed differently.

[Marbles_00]

So what does that jumbo mess all mean?

Basically the Scr modules replace the FXBus. For either card the Scr modules from top on down are inputs 0/1, 6/7, 4/5, 8/9 and the line-in inputs. Each input goes to each FXMix. The line-in inputs first goes through a gain control, as I found the levels way too high. Each output of the FXMix go through a 10 band EQ. This was more for taking care of room anomalies and could be omitted if you want. Finally the output of each EQ terminates at the K2lt (which is the physical outputs of the soundcard). The main aspects of each DSP which are controlled by P3rvTalk (kXd and P3rvhub) are the FXMix. These control which source goes to which zone. As well as each FXMix has a master volume slider that is controllable.

How the system will be setup will be that each input will be treated as a source. Each card is treated as a "floor", and each "floor" will have three dedicated sources of either CD quality music or streaming internet audio. These signals will be on inputs 4/5, 6/7, or 8/9. The line-in input will be shared between each "floor" meaning that the AM/FM Tuner will be playing the same station. Inputs 0/1 is unique in that it will be a source to allow the two "floors" to interact with each other...meaning this source will allow the same music to be played between say the livingroom and bedroom2. The 0/1 inputs will also be setup for a whole house sync capabilities....much the same as how the current ZoneSkin3 does it. To do this is by assigning a winamp instance with the multi-output plugin.

That's enough for now. Later I will explain the winamp setup and discuss the P3rvTalk *.ini file setup.

[Marbles_00]

Now in setting up the winamp instances, I created a main directory called "Sources". In that directory are the winamp subdirectories for each source as shown below:

Main1/2/3 will cover the following zones: livingroom, familyroom, backyard, garage.

Upstairs1/2/3 will cover the zones: bathroom/masterbedroo, bedroom2, bedroom3

House will allow syncing between the mainfloor zones to the upstairs zones. As well, there will be a button provide for whole house sync where all the zones will play the same music.

Each instance of winamp is setup to a differnt KX input. for all the individual sources, I use the waveout.dll. I don't do anything extravagent as shown below:


For one card I define the inputs (waveout.dll configuration assignment) as this:
Input 6/7 - Main1
Input 4/5 - Main2
Input 8/9 - Main3
Input 0/1 - House

For the second card I define the inputs (waveout.dll configuration assignment):
Input 6/7 - Upstairs1
Input 4/5 - Upstairs2
Input 8/9 - Upstairs3
Input 0/1 - House

Now if you have followed my routing examples above, and have setup your instances of winamp in accordance to how I have indicated...if you open any one of the instances outside of xlobby, you should be able to hear music out of any particular zone, providing you have your KX FXMix sliders set accordingly. This should be performed prior to messing with P3rvTalk devices and ZoneSkin4...or xlobby in particular. I should also mention that for all the winamp instances except for the "house" source, I use winamp v 2.95. There is really no reason to use a higher version with xlobby, as they don't offer me anything that xlobby can take advantage of. For the house source, I use version 5.08 as version 5 allowed me to use the multi-output plugin, and I also use the kernal streaming plugin. This allows for near perfect sync between the two kx 0/1 inputs.

NOTE: If you should here the same music regardless of inputs 6/7 and 4/5 slider positions...or if it seems that inputs 6/7 drives more outputs than you would suspect...check that the setting shown below in the main KX Mixer window is set appropriately. Some cards require this checked...others don't.


Now it is time to look at the PervTalk .ini files, which are included in the ZoneSkin install. These are located in the applications directory, and the contents of this directory should be copied over to the xlobby/applications directory. In applications/pervware there are two ini files that are used for ZoneSkin4. These are default3.ini and default4.ini. Defaults 1/2 were used for ZoneSkin3. These ini files are used to control all the FXMix modules of both cards. One .ini file is for the mainfloor zones, the other .ini file for the upstairs zones. I am not going to get into a line by line description, but in general:

Code: Select all

FamilyroomS1:0:2:0x8004
FamilyroomS2:0:2:0x8005
FamilyroomS3:0:2:0x8006
FamilyroomS4:0:2:0x8007
FamilyroomSync:0:2:0x8003

Defines the sliders that will route each source to the zone
Where:
Familyroom - zone name (there is additional listings for livingroom, backyard etc.)
S# - is the source number. 1/2/3 are albums/shoutcast, 4 is the tuner on the line-in
Sync - is the house source (for syncing zones on different floors)
0:X - corresponds to the module number in the KXDSP. Each module is defined by a number that can be seen in square brackets.

0x800Y - where Y corresponds to the individual slider within a particular module.

There is also:

Code: Select all

Familyroom:0:2:0x8009

This is the same stucture as defined above, but is for volume control (controls the FXMix master volume).

Look through the .ini files (when I finally release them with ZoneSkin4 or download the current ZoneSkin3) to understand the actual command sturcture. Also view the forum thread on kXd in the plugins area of xlobby to help in understanding them.

This is a good time to take a break. I apologize for this long winded post...didn't realize that I would get this indepth. Questions are welcome...hopefully I can answer them.

[rika]

Marbles, this is great stuff. Good tutorial.
Thanks

Rika

[sharp_1]

Very nice work Marbles. I noticed the FamilyroomSync:0:2:0x8003 zone...what does the "2" mean in this sequence?

[Marbles_00]

Basically it means that the Familyroom zone is tied to FXMix module [2] (looking at my DSP routing map). 0x8003 defines the slider. So FamilyroomSync:0:2:0x8003 will control FXMix module [2], slider 0 (top most...I think it starts at "0"). How do I know that it controls that slider? P3rvB3ar explains how to use the pervhub/kXd via command line in the kXd forum thread. Using this technic way back when, helped me in defining the slider control for the FXMix.
0x8003 is slider "0"
0x8004 - slider "1"
0x8005 - slider "2"
0x8006 - slider "3"
0x8007 - slider "4"
0x8009 - master volume slider

Looking at all the slider definitions used for all the FXMix modules for the Mainfloor Audigy:

Code: Select all

FamilyroomS1:0:2:0x8004
FamilyroomS2:0:2:0x8005
FamilyroomS3:0:2:0x8006
FamilyroomS4:0:2:0x8007
FamilyroomSync:0:2:0x8003
FamilyroomStandby:0:2:0x8008
LivingroomS1:0:3:0x8004
LivingroomS2:0:3:0x8005
LivingroomS3:0:3:0x8006
LivingroomS4:0:3:0x8007
LivingroomStandby:0:3:0x8008
LivingroomSync:0:3:0x8003
BackyardS1:0:4:0x8004
BackyardS2:0:4:0x8005
BackyardS3:0:4:0x8006
BackyardS4:0:4:0x8007
BackyardSync:0:4:0x8003
BackyardStandby:0:4:0x8008
GarageS1:0:9:0x8004
GarageS2:0:9:0x8005
GarageS3:0:9:0x8006
GarageS4:0:9:0x8007
GarageSync:0:9:0x8003
GarageStandby:0:9:0x8008
Familyroom:0:2:0x8009
Livingroom:0:3:0x8009
Backyard:0:4:0x8009
Garage:0:9:0x8009

First disregard the "Standby" lines as I was thinking of using them, but I realize they are not required, and will be removed for the actual skin release. But looking at the above portion of ini, and by going by my description above in relation to the KX DSP the Familyroom zone is tied to FXMix [2], Livingroom zone to FXMix [3], Backyard to FXMix [4], Garage to FXMix [9]. Each corresponding slider of each FXMix is connected to the same SCR input, so to tie it all together with the screen capture in my first post (sneak peak) by selecting Familyroom source "1", adjusts FXMix [2] slider "1" to play the winamp instance Main1 which is outputing to 6/7. Selecting Backyard source "1" will adjust FXMix [4] slider "1" to the same winamp instance as the Familyroom...hence syncing the two zones together.

The same philospy goes with the upstairs floor as well.

Hope this helps and not confuse anyone...it can get pretty hairy that's for sure.

[Marbles_00]

To give you all an update. Almost all the main screens and overlays have been ported over from ZoneSkin3. I only have one thing left, that I'm going to try out, which I'm hoping will add a factor to the skin. All that's left are PPC screens...which if they go as well as the main ones, the skin should be released by this weekend, or early next week.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

When scientist discover speeds faster than light... those will be called marb speeds.

Skipper take us to marb 3

[Marbles_00]

Well, all I know is that I have to do this as quick as possible.....the server is down for this, and I miss my music

[Marbles_00]

I may as well explain some of the commands found in the default .ini files. As stated before, volume control is handled by sliding the FXMix master volume. This is defined in the ini file as:

Code: Select all

Familyroom:0:2:0x8009

Where:
Familyroom is the associated name given to a module
0:X is the actual KX module number defined in the DSP by having square [] brackets around it. In the example above, the Familyroom FXMix module is number 2
0x800Y is the actual slider that will be controlled. In the example above it will be slider 0x8009, which I found out to be the master volume slider (took the guess work out for you all).

I have commands that increment the volume in 10% increments. An example of this type of command is shown below:

Code: Select all

FadeLivingroom20{
Livingroom:200
}

Where:
"FadeLivingroom20" is the name associated to the actual command. This name will be called upon by events within the skin
"Linvingroom:200" is the command to set the slider too. Notice that I call on the FXMix associated name as defined above.

The other sliders control which source will be played to that zone. Source commands look as follows:

Code: Select all

FadeLivingroomS1Max{
LivingroomS1:1000
}

Again "FadeLivingroomS1Max" is the name associated to the command which will be called by the skin events. "LivingroomS1:1000" will take that corresponding slider as defined previously (LivingroomS1:0:3:0x8004) to 100%

Some command I group sliders together. Ones like a standby command:

Code: Select all

FadeAllStandbyMin{
FamilyroomS1:0
FamilyroomS2:0
FamilyroomS3:0
FamilyroomS4:0
FamilyroomSync:0
LivingroomS1:0
LivingroomS2:0
LivingroomS3:0
LivingroomS4:0
LivingroomSync:0
BackyardS1:0
BackyardS2:0
BackyardS3:0
BackyardS4:0
BackyardSync:0
GarageS1:0
GarageS2:0
GarageS3:0
GarageS4:0
GarageSync:0
}

Will set all the source sliders to 0%. I do this to reset the system on exit, or when the server goes to sleep. This way I have a known start point when the system comes back online.

Now the only other thing is setting up the winamp instances in xlobby. I have set them up in the following order:
Main1
Main2
Main3
Upstairs1
Upstairs2
Upstairs3
House

Now, once this is done, you will be pretty much set to go with the default settings of the skin. Once you have some understanding of the fundamentals, you will be able to modify the skin and the settings to your personal setup.

Once I release the skin, I will dive more into some of the unique...and rather lengthy events.

To give some more updates, I have almost completed all the PPC screens. I really only have to setup the House configuration now, and to run through some final testing...so this weekend for a release is looking quite promising.

For plugins, I'm using xEvent, xoapweather, xScriptNG (for the intheater script), CDEX, xusbuirt, xPert. I will be including the perhub.exe and kXd.exe files in the download (like I did with ZoneSkin3). As well as some fonts, and my shoutcast database. Speaking of shoutcast, that will most likely be the only outstanding thing (hopefully), that is refreshing the shoutcast database. I don't use shoutcast as much as I thought I would, so I don't have much of a drive to complete it.

Well that's if for now...If I can think of anything to add...well I will. Looking forward to the weekend.

[Marbles_00]

ZoneSkin4 released...version 1.0.

Please see first post to download and see additional screenshots (refresh of browser may be required).

Have fun.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Just as i was going to ask engineers to go on propulsion deck and figure out whats wrong with marbdrive

Could u now reveal us what was that last planned feature? and did u got it to work?