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[bhampster]

Hi,

I'm just getting up and running with JRiver and I love it. I did buy and do use JRemote.

In my HT I control everything with IP control (no infared as most of my gear is outside the HT and using repeaters isn't fun.) I use Roomie Remote and that DOES work in a basic way with MCE Controller.

However,... I long for a better integration of JRiver and Roomie.

For example, I used to use Kodi and Roomie fully supports Kodi and has an amazing guide so finding and selecting media is practically instant and a joy.

Usually Roomie does everything for me in the HT and I want to keep it that way.... But, when I use JRiver for audio only (don't want the projector on) I use a special activity in roomie then open up the JRemote app.

I hope to hear that Roomie and JRiver have made contact and are working for better integration. There's no reason the very best HTPC software shouldn't be fully compatible with the best remote software.

-Brian

[JimH]

Welcome to the forum.  I looked Roomie up and found it here:

http://www.roomieremote.com/

Which product?  What do you expect MC to do?

[JimH]

You might try a search here.  It has been discussed before.  Here, for example:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=87710.0

[bhampster]

Thank you for the reply.

For all I know there is only 1 product... Well... actually they have a special version for outdated IOS devices and another special version with only 2 devices which is a sort of trial type app. So I guess I understand your question after all. After checking the product page at Roomie, my answer would be what they simply call Roomie. Some of the other "products" are plug ins or demos.

I have been using Roomie for a long time and it controls everything in my HT. - The Projector, AVR, BDP, and now my HTPC.

With my gear located outside the HT, using IP control was a fantastic solution to trying to bounce Infared and came with the bonus of 2 way communication so that I get the status of devices and so on.

So... what I would want from roomie is the ability to see my media --- My music, my videos and such. They tend to have "guides"... like the program guide for PVR sources.

Using that would simplify my use of JRiver when I want to be headless (not have the projector and it's fans on.)

They added this functionality for Kodi recently and it was truly amazing. What it essentially comes down to is part of the J Remote functionality but built right into Roomie so that one app does everything... A very essential "want" when it comes to remotes.

By the way, There is a thread on the Roomie forum with at least 8 users (Incuding myself) requesting JRiver support.

Let me know if that explains my part or if there is any way I can help move the issue.... And, thanks again for responding.

-Brian

(Edit - I did search the forum for Roomie before posting...I found some mention in the JRemote thread and also some help for someone using MCE Controller with Roomie which is something I currently do. It's a bit of a work around though... it's possible to get actually compatibility with Roomie... it's actually not difficult. I added compatibility for my projector maybe a year ago and shared my work back to the Roomie support people they added my projector to the compatibility list and expanded the support for it.)

[JimH]

I think you mean that Roomie is an iOS app.  If you want Roomie to control MC, they would need to do that work.  We have a Developer page.  MCWS is the protocol they would use.

But why not use JRemote for MC?  User Horse described this kind of setup in the post I linked above.

[bhampster]

Yes, I went and read that post.

I believe he is sort of where I am... He uses both the roomie app and JRemote app. And really ... that does work.

I could also use the Roomie app and use the app specific to my AVR ... but that's not quite the experience of one app that does everything.

Roomie aims to be the one and only app needed. I don't want to put down JRemote or something...I Bought it and use it and like it... But in the HT the only time I would use it is when I wanted to listen to music without the projector on and just having to go back and forth between two apps would be a nice thing to resolve. Because sometimes you want to pause the program and change the volume without going back and forth between to IOS apps.

When watching video, then the Roomie app does it all via MCE Controller app which I keep running. And, for my wife and kids... they will never need JRemote or never need to switch between 2 apps so I'm in a good place already.

However,... typically it's easy to add compatibility to Roomie. They have some tools online at the site. It's possible I can download some of their tools and try to add features myself maybe basing the work on the MCE Controller plugin. If a end user manages to add functionality to Roomie they can feed that back to Roomie support and get it built in. (I have actually done that in a small way with my projector that wasn't originally supported.)

-Brian

(edit - Exploring J Remote ,.. it has a lot of functionality. I, personally, wouldn't be trying to reproduce all of J Remote's functionality with Roomie. What I would be interested in is having Roomie provide a media guide so that I can choose music (but other media types would tag along) when I don't have my projector on.)

[JimH]

Please use JRiver, not J River.  It works better for searches.  Thanks.

[bhampster]

OK sorry ... I'm trying ... I noticed I was using it both ways but trying to use it right.

[bhampster]

Just as a reference, Here's the thread in the feature request forum for Roomie.

http://www.roomieremote.com/forums/topic/jriver-mc-support/

I think I'll see if there is anything I can do with the tools available on the Roomie site for adding features. It was a while back when I added support for my projector and I don't at all remember how I did it.

I've downloaded the Device Development Kit and will try it on a day when I'm more caffeinated. Sort of only half looking forward to it.

Quote "The Roomie DDK shows how to construct custom command additions. The format is identical to Apple’s plist format derivative of XML thus allowing you to use many widely available tools to edit such files."

[Sparks67]

The better solution might be for JRemote to develop another app inside Roomie Remote.   JRiver doesn't offer any solution for home automation, but roomie offers that solution. Customers only want one app to control thier home theater, but now it require multiple apps.  I had Control4 in the past, but it doesn't give me the functionality as roomie.  So, I have sold my Control4 equiipment and have migrated to Roomie Remote.  I like bluray menu's for my movies, but JRiver doesn't have that option.   

So, I bought a Dune HD Smart D1 media player, and I use Zappiti media center.  There is a request to put Zappiti media center inside Roomie.  Roomie Remote uses a Dune HD Smart D1 with Kodi, but honestly I prefer the design of Zappiti over Kodi.  http://www.zappiti.com/   I wanted an easy interface for my movies, but now it requires 2 apps.  Regardless, I have full bluray menus with the dune, and  zero problems with playback.   I also have dvd's in zappiti, but I use it all in the movie section.   They are all ripped to ISO, and give me full menu's.  I experimented with JRiver over the years, but DVD's would have problems in playback.  JRiver is the best for audio in my opinion, but I will try again to see if anything has improved with JRiver MC 20.   

Negative thing about doing Bluray with a HTPC is hard disk space, so you might want to get a sas expander setup for bluray.   http://www.sasexpanders.com/  The advantage is that you can expand in the future.

Jeff

[horse]

Not sure how much integration you are looking for, however using MC web services I have set up buttons that use the open url silently function. This give me control of the player, playlists etc.

I launch JRemote to select what music to play, then switch back to Roomie to control MC.
I have defined playlists as buttons in activities that calls them directly.

It is not the integration of the Media Guide you get with Kodi / Plex, but it's very useable.

It would be really nice to get a media guide for MC and the zone / player controls. MC has the API I wish I could understand Roomies DDK better

Let me know what you are trying to do and I can share some of the urls for you to test

Cheers

[glynor]

Yes. The MCWS API could absolutely be used to build something like this. If you aren't up for the task, I'd ask Roomie for help, as that would seem to make their product better as well. And if they did it for Kodi, they might be interested in doing the same for MC.

JRemote itself was long a third-party product, and is only relatively recently JRiver owned.  Itis built using MCWS.

I'm sure if the Roomie people reached out, JRiver would help them if they could, and probably kick them a free license.