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[Yummycarp]

Currently using Cinemar MainLobby for HTPC but decided to end use of that and look for another solution. I THINK I can use JRiver but have some questions because JRiver isn't meant to be a HTPC engine like MainLobby.

1. In MainLobby, I can define the movie PLAY command to: 1. dim the lights, wait 10 seconds, choose a movie on my Sony CX777ES megachanger, turn on the Denon Amp, wait 5 seconds and then turn off the theater lights with Insteon commands. I have found command line APPS to control the Insteon and Sony Megachanger the COMM Port controlled Video Switcher, etc. and just assumed that I could associate a similar type of external script to JRiver's PLAY command. Is this TRUE and if it is WHAT VARIABLES can be passed to the script. I need to know which Sony CHANGER and SLOT to start. At a minimum I would need  the PLAY command to know WHICH Folder to look into to RUN the script. Wost case is that I have a script in a unique folder per movie. Some movies will be .iso and some will just represent DVD's in the megachanger but I will need to launch a script for every movie because I need to dim the lights, play an .iso on HD or launch a DVD from a megachanger, turn on Denon, turn off lights, etc.

2.  If step 1 is possible, then I still need a way to control the Sony Megachangers and Insteon lights and Denon amp (volume control for example) via ipod touch remote. Is there any way to build remotes for external devices with JRiver or in other words, any clever ways to accomplish this. Again, I have located command line apps to control the megachanges and insteon lights and the denon.

[Matt]

Media Center is quite scriptable (command line, windows messages, automation).  You might look here:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DevZone

You can also create multi-step remote commands in Options > Remote.

[Yummycarp]

Thanks.

Here's a more specific question that can only be answered by someone who's done it. I need to assign custom fields to a video file record/description. I will call these CHANGER and SLOT. Can this be done?

When I initiate a PLAY command, for example out to an external script, how do I access variables for 1)what video was selected 2) my custom CHANGER value 3) my custom SLOT value. I don't see anything like that in the /MCC section but surely calling an external program is passed, or can access, something.

[Scolex]

Yes you can create custom fields.
I don't know the particulars but you should be able to send calls to an external script/program through the windows message system.
Have you looked at the scripting summary in the wiki.
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DevZone#Media_Center_Plug-ins
How do your changers interface with the computer? (DLNA, RS232, an IR remote interface)

[glynor]

Here's a more specific question that can only be answered by someone who's done it. I need to assign custom fields to a video file record/description. I will call these CHANGER and SLOT. Can this be done?

Options -> Library & Folders -> Manage Library Fields

[Yummycarp]

Yes you can create custom fields.
I don't know the particulars but you should be able to send calls to an external script/program through the windows message system.
Have you looked at the scripting summary in the wiki.
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DevZone#Media_Center_Plug-ins
How do your changers interface with the computer? (DLNA, RS232, an IR remote interface)

I have 4 Sony CX777ES megachangers connected by USB to Serial cables. I found a command line utility called sony_cx777es.exe that allows me to control them.

It would be great if I could create a file, maybe xml, and define all my movies and include a descriptor for Changer# and Slot# and import that into MC without having to create a directory structure and batch file for every movie BUT it seems MC needs a file of some sort to play. I experimented with .bat and it did play that. I manually assigned cover art to my .bat file. I'll keep experimenting.

How come I cannot manually edit the Changer and Slot Field Properties I added in Files view. I cannot add values to those columns.

[MrC]

How come I cannot manually edit the Changer and Slot Field Properties I added in Files view. I cannot add values to those columns.

You can.  How did you define them?  Screenshot, or description of the relevant fields from the anage Library Fields dialog.

[Yummycarp]

thanks for the help. I'm making progress.

I exported a playlist with 5 entries in txt format and then modified it to test import. File-Import Playlist.. doesn't create a playlist with these 5 records. I can see the imported file as a single .txt in the documents view. I'm trying to create a playlist based on the info below by importing a file. Any idea what I am doing wrong?  Also, what will MC do with with the .ps1 extension. I don't see where I can define/add file types so does it just use the OS default behavior? .ps1 is a powershell script.   

|Image (small thumbnail)|Name|Genre|Changer|Slot|Media Type|File Type|Filename|
||X-Men||1|100|Data|ps1|c:\Users\superman\downloads\playDVD.ps1|
||Bourne Identity||2|101|Data|ps1|c:\Users\superman\downloads\playDVD.ps1|
||Bolt||2|102|Data|ps1|c:\Users\superman\downloads\playDVD.ps1|
||Chicken Run||4|103|Data|ps1|c:\Users\superman\downloads\playDVD.ps1|
||Limitless||1|104|Data|ps1|c:\Users\superman\downloads\playDVD.ps1|

[Yummycarp]

Also, assuming I can create this playlist like my example above which starts a common powershell script which will turn on the projector, dim my theater lights, start the amp, start the correct megachanger, select the correct disk, turn off the lights, (like cinemar did).. I will need a way to query MC for the changer and slot number from my script. Any ideas? Ideally a command like mc17.exe /mcc getPlayValue(slot). These are the last pieces of the puzzle. Can jriver pull something out of its butt and make this work... drum roll here.

thanks for the help.