I just started playing with ProntoScript and I've got the screen part of an issue working with it, but now I'm stuck.

The issue is that I've got 3 Sony DVD Changers (2 DVP-CX875Ps and a DVP-CX995V) as well as an Oppo 83 Blu-ray player. As PEP2 strongly encourages the use of activities, it occurred to me that the Watch DVD activity might be able to have an initial screen of "Select the player you want." with 4 buttons for the units I have. I would select the unit and it would take me to the Transportation screen with the label at the top indicating "Watch DVD B", "Watch Blu-Ray", etc. based on my selection.

Well, I got that selection part working after about 4 hours but I haven't been able to find anyway to change the "default" equipment for an activity via script. For that matter, I haven't been able to find a way to set "Actions" for a button via script either. I've scanned and searched the Developer Guide to no avail.

Any suggestions, folks?

LewK

I'm not quite sure which part of the issue you are struggling with but here are three broad possibilities:

a. Separate screens for each of the four players located within the one activity, which might look the same to the user but which have different (i.e. player-specific) actionlists on the various buttons.

b. Separate screens for each of the four players located in different activities.

c. A single screen for all four players, with each button having a script which invokes one of four actionlists located on hidden buttons depending on which player has been selected. In other words, selecting a particular player sets a 'selected player' variable to a particular value and then each button script uses a switch statement to select the appropriate actionlist.

If you want your hard buttons to do different things for the different players, then option a. becomes much less attractive (because hard buttons are defined at an activity level).

Note that, in PEPv2, there is no such thing as "default equipment" for an activity. Rather, the whole idea of PEPv2 is that you can use any equipment in any activity.

Guy, thanks for the quick reply!

The a option you mention is what I basically have in my PEP1 project.

The only other possibility I've thought of is to reconfigure my RXF9400 and change the port depending on which changer is selected. That would at least let all of the Sony's work properly since I could set them all to use the same code set, and the different ports would address the different units. But then, I don't see a way to change the port on command either. :-(

If I'm understanding things correctly, the difference between b and c is largely whether or not the buttons are on separate on separate screens in 4 different activities or the buttons are basically all on one page and I switch between sets. That choice seems to be a case of 6 of one or half a dozen of the other. In one case the look is harder to maintain but everything is clear and the only trick is selecting the correct activity (not hard but a lot of duplication of screen) while with the other case the look is easily maintained but it is harder to manage the buttons times 4 on a given page.

I suspect I'll go with b since it is so close to what I already have and so should be fairly easily transferred/copied from my old project. Do you see any particular advantage to c over b?

LewK

So near and yet so far!

LewK

Sorry, I meant that b option is what I basically have in PEP1! Must be getting late. :-} Please substitute a for b in the one paragraph.

And is there any way to define the equipment, function and extender or port for an action from within ProntoScript?

LewK

The basic difference between b. and c. is that in c. you are using prontoscript to control things. I would generally go for b. on three grounds: simplicity; easier de-bugging; and the ability to make the screens for the different players look different.


No. Actionlists are sequences of functions etc, and each function is for a defined piece of equipment and extender. Prontoscript can only be used to choose between different actionlists.

I just happen to own a CX875P .

On the back of the unit there is a Command Mode switch. Set one unit to 1. The second unit to 2. And set the CX995V to 3 , if it has a switch ( or keep the number and set the CX875P's to different numbers). You can also power on the CX875P by pressing Play. If you have a Sony audio equipment you might need to adjust again.

You might need to learn the alternate commands from the original remote. The switch is under the left AA battery on the CX875P remote .

If the codes aren't listed, could you post your codes in the file area ? I might need to change my set-up soon.

Assuming that you would like to use only one generic control page (Play, Stop, etc...) to control any of the three changers, here is a suggestion in its simplest form. You could make it more complex as needed.

- Three Firm keys could be used on that page to set a variable "changerNum" to "Changer1", "Changer2" or "Changer3". It would be wise to display which Changer is currently set somewhere on the page.

- On a specific control button ("Play", for example), use the variable to execute the corresponding action on that specific Changer's hidden page. You would have one specific such page for each changer, with all the functions on that page pointing to the proper device. Let's say that the Changer1 hidden page is called "Changer1", and the Play button on that page is called "PLAY", you could code the following Prontoscript command in the Play button on your single generic page: CF.widget("PLAY", changerNum).executeActions();

I have 6 Scientific Atlanta set top boxes which I control in this fashion from a single set of channel logo pages.

Hope this helps.

Paul

Alpha:

That's how I have things currently set up. I got the 3 sets of codes online, I thought from here, but I don't see them there now. I've never posted anything to the forum and I'll have to check and see what the best way to post sets of commands is. Or if you like, I could just email a backup of my database from PEP1. Let me know which you'd prefer.

LewK

Paul:

I think I've got that. I'm just not certain if triplicating all the buttons on a page will simplify things or not. :-} And a possible variation on your approach would be to simply make the appropriate set of buttons visible and the others invisible.

I'm going to have 5 or so hours this afternoon to play with ideas and try things out. I'm hoping there won't be to many interruptions as I'm filling in on dorm duty this afternoon for a friend. Ahhh... the wonders at working at a private boarding school! ;-)

LewK

I own 6 of the Sony DVP-CX985V changers myself. Haven't started using the 6th one yet. Have 24 slots left in the 5th changer. In any event, in my TSU9600 configuration file I have one activity dedicated to selecting the given DVD changer that I'd like to use. Example pic below.



Once making my selection the appropriate macro is run based on the current power states of my equipment where I'm then taken to my activity for controlling the DVD changers. Alternatively, I can tap the image of the DVD changer to load the DVD changer that was last in use. This is very handy if I want to resume watching a DVD, but forget which changer it was in. If ProntoScript is unable to determine the DVD changer last in use the below message is displayed instead.



One activity is then used for controlling all 6 DVD changers. This activity consists of only one page. The one page has 4 possible button configurations which can be displayed with only one button configuration being displayed on the page at any given time. Using ProntoScript I am also able to control which button configuration is initially displayed on the page. Example pics below.

Default button configuration:


Default button configuration with lighting integration enabled:


Keypad button configuration:


Keypad button configuration with lighting integration enabled:


Note also the label in the top left corner of the screen calling out which DVD changer is selected. This label is populated by ProntoScript. When initially selecting the given DVD Changer activity a Global Variable is used to store the value of the selected changer prior to the activity macro being run. This value is then used to populate the label shown above.

As for the sending of IR commands to the changers...
In my case I have all 6 changers set to Command Mode 1. I'm then using a Xantech RT8 Addressable IR Router (which I purchased from Lyndel actually) for independent control of each changer. This simplifies things with respect to my configuration file a great deal. If I were using all three Command Modes instead I would end up having to duplicate the activity for controlling the changers at least twice. One activity for each Command Mode. Yes, I could use ProntoScript to still keep things to one activity, but I refuse to use ProntoScript per the executing of an action list which contains only a single IR command. I avoid this at all costs, hence the reason I would use separate activities for each Command Mode.

Lowpro:

Good grief! :-) SIX 400 disk changers? I can imagine the comments you get! :-D

By the way, what is the Lighing w/ Play, Stop & Pause? Is that room lighting? Interesting idea. It certainly wouldn't be hard to do that with my system as I have Start and End Movie lighting actions already set up.

Hmmm... Using something like that would sure simplify the coding! Do you know if $180 for an RT8 is a good price? Also, I don't see any codes in the files here for Xantech. Any chance you can post them? And I'm making the assumption that I could directly connect an output from my RFX9400 to the input of the Xantech RT8.

I also have two JVC SuperVHS decks that I could use the same approach on with something like the RT8.

Thanks for the suggestions!

:-)

LewK

Yes, it integrates room lighting with the given transport control. With the feature enabled the lights will brighten just slightly when pressing, "Pause". They'll brighten more substantially when pressing, "Stop". Pressing "Play" the lights will fade to black.


Per the RT8 ... I am running a cable from one of the IR outputs of a RFX9400 to the IR input of the RT8. Works great! Per the price ... $180 doesn't sound bad, but I'm not really sure. That being said, you may want to consider the RT16 versus the RT8. The RT8 allows for having all IR outputs on or off or just one given IR output on. The RT16 however, also allows for having any combination of IR ports on which is something you might need depending on how you plan to use it. Also, the codes for the RT8 and RT16 are available in the files section here.

Lowpro:

Thanks! I suspect that the RT8 will be more than sufficient for me. Unless I win the lottery, I don't think I'll be buying all that many additional units. :-) For that matter, I've really cut back on my DVD purchases. Nearly all of what I buy now are Blu-ray. Now when the Blu-ray changer prices start getting reasonable... ;-)

I hadn't realized (or had forgotten) that the codes for the Pronto NG group would work with the 9600. That should give me a lot more options.

LewK

No need to email me the codes. I Have decided to digitalise my collection from now on. I have been toying around with XBMC and it has been working out pretty well.

Lowpro:

My RT8 showed up but I'm not having any luck. I don't know if my unit is simply DOA or what. I took one of the IR Emitters I bought with it, cut the mini-plug end off with about 2' of cable. I then stripped the ends, tinned them with solder (REALLY fine wire) and plugged the mini-plug into one of the outputs on the RFX9400 and ran it into the IR in on the RT8. I hooked up the emitter to one of the outputs, plugged in the RT8 and got nothing. I used the codes I found in the Philips Database for the RT8.

What concerns me and makes me wonder if the unit was simply DOA is that the IR In light on the RT8 never flashes other than when I first plug the power supply in. I did remove the grounding jumper, but that made no difference.

I have the code set that I downloaded from this site at the link you gave above, but honestly have forgotten how to load the suckers in. :-\ I'm going to figure that out and give those codes a try next.

Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. :-)

LewK