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[SteveGoff]

I am using the iRule iPhone app to control my home theater. It can control other devices on my home network directly or through a gateway device that will send IR and RS232 commands. I would like to control Media Center via IP using network codes that are assigned to buttons on the iRule app. With other programs this can be done by identifying the computer and port (e.g. 192.168.0.251:52199) and issuing commands for button pushes. I see that one way to control Media Center is by using the command launcher, mc15.exe, and the Enum for the command. Can this be used remotely from another device, or only from the command line of the computer? Can I start Media Center remotely this way? Should I use WM_MC_COMMAND instead? Thanks in advance.

[Matt]

You might look here:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/DevZone

The web service underpins WebRemote (which also works on an iPhone).  Command line or IR codes could also work.

[SteveGoff]

You might look here:
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/DevZone

The web service underpins WebRemote (which also works on an iPhone).  Command line or IR codes could also work.

Thanks,
The commands available using the MCWS web service interface are fairly limited, judging from the docs. I've used them successfully in a browser over the network. The command line interface works running cmd on the same computer, but I can't seem to get it to work from another device on the network. The point is not to use IR but network control.

[SteveGoff]

I was able to make play/pause, next, and previous buttons work using MCWS controls (e.g., MCWS/v1/Playback/PlayPause), and they work well to remotely control basic playback functions. But I cannot find a way to control navigation (up, down, left, right, enter, etc).

Again, this iPhone app is a universal remote that can control a whole theater or house through networked gateway devices such as the Global Cache GC-100-6 that will send IR or RS232 commands, through A/V equipment that have Ethernet connections through which they can be controlled, and through HTTP gateways (essentially, computers on the local network). You define an HTTP gateway with the IP address and port (e.g., 192.168.1.101:52199) and then send data to that gateway.

As noted, I'm looking for such commands to control basic keyboard and remote control finctions, such as left, right, up, down, enter, back, etc. Other programs have a whole host of such commands. For example, XBMC has an HTTP API with a plethora of commands that retrieve information, modify settings, generate actions, modify files, and the like. My needs are modest: I only want up, down, left, right, enter, and back buttons to control Media Center 15 in Theater View.

[avid]

It probably won't help you too much as you sound as though you are well advanced down a different route. But look at http://www.brianavid.co.uk/Avid2/Avid2.htm. In particular click through to the "interactive demonstration" and click on buttons in the images - especially through "Music".

I have chosen to "go with the flow" and base my iPhone music control around MC's WebRemote and HTTP. There is some IR and other remote control there via Girder - but not used for MC. So if you have taken another direction, my experience won't necessarily help much.

Brian

[SteveGoff]

It probably won't help you too much as you sound as though you are well advanced down a different route. But look at http://www.brianavid.co.uk/Avid2/Avid2.htm. In particular click through to the "interactive demonstration" and click on buttons in the images - especially through "Music".

I have chosen to "go with the flow" and base my iPhone music control around MC's WebRemote and HTTP. There is some IR and other remote control there via Girder - but not used for MC. So if you have taken another direction, my experience won't necessarily help much.

Brian

Thanks very much. I've come across and investigated your brianavid interactive stuff, which is impressive. I'll look closer. It looks like you use Girder for its web server capabilities. I suppose I could go that route, but I'm not sure. I wish there was an easy way.

My iPhone app permits one to embed a web URL in a page, and I have done that to control MC15 through WebRemote. I just want to also control it using a button-style remote, for use with the Theater View. I guess I'll have to do that part using IR, which is the other means I know to work for remote control of MC15.

[Matt]

It seems like it would be no problem to add an MCWS function to simulate a keypress.  Is that the only need?

[SteveGoff]

It seems like it would be no problem to add an MCWS function to simulate a keypress.  Is that the only need?

That would work great! The playback controls now present work very well, and permitting this kind of control over the network would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps something like a command to send the key with an ASCII hex value to define the key. Or however you want to do it.

[Matt]

In a coming build:
NEW: Added webservice functions for remote controlling the program: Control/MCC, Control/CommandLine, Control/Key.

Code: [Select]

   Control

      MCC
         Perform a Media Core Command (MCC).
         Parameters:
            Command: The command (an integer value from the MC_COMMANDS enumeration; visit DevZone for the command list) (default: )
            Parameter: The parameter to the command (default: 0)
         Response:
         Examples:
            Play / pause
            Shuffle Playing Now

      CommandLine
         Run a command line.
         Parameters:
            Arguments: The command line arguments (default: )
            Target: The target for the command line (uses launcher when empty) (default: )
         Response:
         Examples:
            Toggle pause

      Key
         Simulate the press of a keyboard key.
         Parameters:
            Key: The key to simulate (i.e. A, 3, Insert, Backspace, Up, NumPad3, etc.) (default: )
            Focus: Brings the program to the front and takes focus if set to 1. (default: )
         Response:
         Examples:
            Up
            R
            Enter


[avid]

Hi Matt,

Sounds good. Don't forget the need for moderators (Control, Shift) for key emulation

Thanks

Brian

[SteveGoff]

In a coming build:
NEW: Added webservice functions for remote controlling the program: Control/MCC, Control/CommandLine, Control/Key.

Code: [Select]

   Control

      MCC
         Perform a Media Core Command (MCC).
         Parameters:
            Command: The command (an integer value from the MC_COMMANDS enumeration; visit DevZone for the command list) (default: )
            Parameter: The parameter to the command (default: 0)
         Response:
         Examples:
            Play / pause
            Shuffle Playing Now

      CommandLine
         Run a command line.
         Parameters:
            Arguments: The command line arguments (default: )
            Target: The target for the command line (uses launcher when empty) (default: )
         Response:
         Examples:
            Toggle pause

      Key
         Simulate the press of a keyboard key.
         Parameters:
            Key: The key to simulate (i.e. A, 3, Insert, Backspace, Up, NumPad3, etc.) (default: )
            Focus: Brings the program to the front and takes focus if set to 1. (default: )
         Response:
         Examples:
            Up
            R
            Enter


WONDERFUL!!!!!

[SteveGoff]

Hi Matt,

Sounds good. Don't forget the need for moderators (Control, Shift) for key emulation

Thanks

Brian

A very good point.

[Matt]

Build 87 and later changes this:
Changed: MCWS Control/Key function supports key combinations like Ctrl;C, Ctrl;Shift;Left, etc.

[SteveGoff]

Build 87 and later changes this:
Changed: MCWS Control/Key function supports key combinations like Ctrl;C, Ctrl;Shift;Left, etc.

Great! I'll look for it. Excuse my ignorance, but the latest version seems to be 15.0.80. Does your mention of Build 87 suggests that I should look for version 15.0.87?

[JimH]

Great! I'll look for it. Excuse my ignorance, but the latest version seems to be 15.0.80. Does your mention of Build 87 suggests that I should look for version 15.0.87?

Correct.  It should be available in a few days.  It will be at the top of this board first, then later on the download page.

[SteveGoff]

Correct.  It should be available in a few days.  It will be at the top of this board first, then later on the download page.

Great! I just downloaded it. It looks to do exactly what I need! Thanks so much for such a fast response to a new user request!

[SteveGoff]

Correct.  It should be available in a few days.  It will be at the top of this board first, then later on the download page.

Thanks so much! I now have functional buttons in my remote program for going into theater mode, up, down, right, left, enter, play/pause, next, previous, and exit. I suspect I'll do more as the occur to me. And for those without his iPhone app, a WebRemote page could be made for running in theater mode, with a link that starts theater mode and buttons to control navigation. A great addition to a great program.