CAV6.6 / MC11 link software - Page 7

I'm finally setup with my Russound, MC11, and this program - and it's awesome! I am definitely sending a donation in. Please let me know where to send it.

One thing I don't like, is that it doesn't show the source name when switching between sources.

For example, I have sources 1-4 configured as MC zones 1-4. When I hit the SOURCE button on the keypad, it immediately shows the track name rather than showing a source name.

I'd like it to show the source name for a second, then show the track name.

I planning on making my sources categories, say source 1 would be 'Mellow Music', source 2 would be 'Classic Rock', source 3 would be 'Current Pop', etc...

Hitting the source button and immediately showing the track info makes it more difficult to find the source I'm looking for.

One more question - how the heck do you edit the custom source names on the CAV6.6? I can toggle through all the predefined source names, but there are 'custom names' listed that I can choose. How do I edit that name?

OK - I re-read this thread again (the first time I read it was before I had used the software or CAV66 or keypads, so I guess a lot slipped by me). To summarize, I guess I have 2 questions:

1 - I saw someone else mention this as well, so I know it's not just me. When I switch sources, it pretty much immediately shows the current track for that MC source. It flashes the source name VERY quickly, but basically it's unreadable. Is there any way for the source name to show on the keypad for a couple seconds before switching to the track name? Seems like it would have been a common request, so I'm wondering if something's just not right on my end...

2 - Apparently you need the PC Power Tools software to edit the CustomNames on the CAV6.6/S2 keypads. Is there any other known way to edit the custom source names?

Thanks guys!

One more thing, then I'll wait for some replies. I found this post in the archives about sending a fake 'source name' to display on the controllers when you switch sources.

Is this something that could be implemented into this software? That way us users without the PC Power Tools software could customize our source names. Maybe with a SourceName= under each source?

Also, I'm dropping you a donation today. Thanks again for this awesome software!

You could use the Cinemar MLCav66 plugin to send a message to the Russound keypad each time you press the Source button. You would see the the underlying source name for a split second, but actually you coudl set the russound to display nothing instead of a name. Then you will see a custom defined name supplied by the plugin.

For example:
MLServeCmd.MLCav66|Message~1~4~4~Rockin Jukebox~Center

The plugin allows you to configure every keypad for up to 4 controllers.

You'd just need a license for MainLobby/MLServer and you'll have the capability.

Also, you'll also be able to use a computer to control the Russound too from a great looking user interface.

I'm near completion of a PocketPC control for the Russound as well.

Keep in mind, you can also use the CallerID plugin to pass names to every keypad. Huge bonus in my opinion.

Thanks for the reply!

The custom source names isn't a huge issue to me, but would be nice.

However, having the keypad display some sort of source name is of great use to me. I plan on using different sources for different types of music, say source 1 = Rock, source 2 = Oldies, etc... So, when changing sources I'd like to quickly be able to see what I'm switching too.

If it's not hard to have it display a custom source name for 2-3 seconds before switching to the track information, that would be 100% ideal to me. A 'Name=' setting for each source sounds great to me.

As for the MainLobby stuff, I was just quoting that text to help explain the custom source name request. I don't have any interest in it.

Thanks!!

Hi Hyslop,

I'm currently looking to control my MC11 by serial strings,
Your program looks very fine, I guess that you use the MCC commands to control the MC11.
So my question if your program can easily adapted just to pass thru the MCC commands to a serial port or TCP/IP Winsock port.

Otherwise I could look to adapt my serial protocol to the CAV protocol.

Thanks,

Dimitri

I did some tests and I'm convinced that simulating the Russound will be the easiest way to connect the MC11 to my device.

So if you could give me some hints on what Russound commands you trigger.
For example :
Zone 1 on : [F0][00][00][7F][00][00][70][05][02][02][00][00][F1][23][00][01][00][00][00][01][12][F7]

Zone 1 off : [F0][00][00][7F][00][00][70][05][02][02][00][00][F1][23][00][00][00][00][00][01][11][F7]

That is what a third party system should send to trigger the button which activates Zone 1 ON en Zone 1 OFF
I don't know what a keypad sends, I guess that you trigger on the bold section because this is the source address which invokes the command.

So if someone could give me some samples of a string that you recieve fom the CAV6.6 it would be a great help for me.

Greetz,

Dimitri

DimitriDC,

I'm not quite clear on the "big picture" of what you're looking to do. It sounds like you have some sort of "device" and you'd like to issue serial or TCP/IP commands from this device to control MC11. In your last message your thinking looks to be to have your device emulate the keypad control serial commands coming from the Russound controller and then somehow pass these as inputs to hyslopc's cav66.exe program such that the cav66.exe program would then issue the corresponding commands to MC11.

Does this sound right? What kind of device is this and what kinds of programmatic control do you have over the formatting and transmission methods of commands that can be sent to the PC? Is Russound equipment at all involved in your target configuration?

Hyslopc's program is written in C++ and uses Media Center's automation interface libraries to control MC11. Are you familiar with the MC automation interface SDK? Could this be used to write a simple program in C++, VB, or a number of other languages to serve as an intermediary between your device and MC11?

You're absolutely right,

my device is a Crestron controller, the CAV6.6 is controlled by it and takes cares for the sound distribution. As a music server the SMS3 is too limited for my needs.
I have to take care of about 600 GB of music and it is still a growing collection.

So I would like to simulate the keypad and use the CAV66.exe
Crestron has all the flexibility to work with serial commands even by a TCP/IP connection (that would be the best solution because then I don't have to use a separate serial port).

The SDK would absolutely fit to my needs to control the MC11 with my controller.
But my programming skill stops at simple C-programmed microcontrollers, So I'm not capable to program ***********grams in C++
A simple program between my controller and MC11 would be the most intelligent solution, but beyond my limits. Therefore I would use Hyslopc CAV66.exe because it looks very well developed and it has all the functionallity I need.


Greetz,

Dimitri

Hi, has anyone verified that this software works with the CAM 6.6 models? I saw an earlier post in this thread that asked this question but no one had verified if it works or not.

Thanks for any info.

I'm just starting to setup MC11 to play some web radio stations. For some reason, every time I try to play this station CAV66 crashes on me. Media Center plays the station fine, but if CAV66 is running it will crash.

Classic Rock Rocks

I've added several other stations and CAV66 seems to have no problems.

Any idea what's "different" about this station??

Thanks!

Here's another that crashes CAV66 on me:

Rockland USA


Here's another:
Planet Zeb

And another:Fab 4 Radio

No, it's up and running for me. I wonder if that link is tied to me (it has my Live365 used ID in it, and I believe my IP address).

You can go to www.live365.com and get their free membership. They have tons of stations. I have it configured to use an external MP3 player (rather than their web browser interface). When I open a station, it saves out a PLS file for me that includes the URL for the streaming audio. That URL is what I posted here.

Am I on the bleeding edge here, or are others playing Web Media stations through MC11/CAV66?

Thanks!

That's if you want to try out the VIP access (additional stations) or use their custom player.

If you just want to listen to a station:

- go to www.live365.com
- in the "Find Stations That Play" type 'Classic Rock Rocks' and click GO
- click the little yellow speaker icon next to Classic Rock Rocks! (number 6 on the list)

If that station is full, try one of the others:
- search for 'Fab 4 Radio'
- click the little yellow speaker icon next to FAB 4 RADIO (number 1 on the list)

If it asks you to register (it might not), you can do that with your name & email address.

Live365 is a popular streamer. I believe it comes on TiVo now, and Windows Media Center.

Sorry to be a pain...

Hyslopc -

Let me try again, but I'll walk you through the registration. You definitely don't need to give them your credit card info.


- go to www.live365.com
- click the My Account link in the upper right
- click the center purple "Join Now" button and register for a free account, no credit card
- follow the instructions to signup, then login to your account
- click the My Account link, then click the Listen Settings tab
- for your MP3 player, choose the "MP3 Player" option
- save your settings

Close your web browser, go back in and go to www.live365.com
- sign in if you're not already signed in
- in the "Find Stations That Play" type 'Classic Rock Rocks' and click GO
- click the little yellow speaker icon next to Classic Rock Rocks! (number 6 on the list)
- If that station is full, try one of the others (search for Fab 4 Radio)
- when you find the station, click the little yellow speaker icon
- this will open a player window and ask you to download a PLS file
- open this file with a text editor, it will contain the URL for the streaming station


If you have Skype, we could walk through it together. My Skype ID is Kremlar.

Thanks again!

Hey, hyslopc ... well, I'm back - had been following your thread since the previous iteration, but I've been gone for the past few months (ahem - suffice to say that the d*mn contractors working our remodel required some significant handholding). It's finally coming to a close, so I'll soon have my CAV on order and be putting together an HTPC.

I'm wondering, do you have a FAQ of any sort for your software? If not, I'd be happy to put one together for you and host it ... if you're interested, just lmk. (It's not entirely selfless for me to offer to do this - figured it'll take less time for me to put together a FAQ from any saved notes you may have, than read thru this whole thread again!! )

Hey - that's great! Thanks!

By the way - did you ever get a chance to implement a 'source name=' switch like we had talked about before?

Anyway, it seems like Live365 stations might not work well for me after all, however - the links I had bookmarked stopped working, it seems like the sessions time out after a while.

Anyone know if there's a good source of web radio URLs out there?

Thanks!

Thanks!

You also mentioned possibly adding code to sort playlists in the future - I'd definitely be interested in that if you decide to do so.

BTW - my system doesn't seem to be wrapping the playlists. When scrolling using the +/-, it reaches the last playlist then stops. Any reason it would be doing this?

Thanks,
Mike

With this version, I've had to exit and restart CAV twice in the past few days because my keypads stopped responding.

Anyone else having any issues?

Thanks!

Does anyone know if this will work with the CAA66 system? Quite a bit less expensive and the wife prefers the keypads.

I guess I assumed the display on the keypad could show information other than input device. Here is a pciture of the keypad:



Is it possible to manipulate the display?