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[hoyt]

I'm not sure if I have this setup properly, but it annoys me, so I'm hoping it's a setup issue...

I have a HTPC with a Benchmark DAC, and an HDMI connection to the TV.  I have three zones: Benchmark, TV and Headphone output.  Each zone is driven to the different audio outputs.  I oftentimes will turn on my HTPC and want to watch TV, but not want to power up my stereo.  Sometimes I have the HTPC on and the stereo on listening to music, then I switch to TV and want the TV output to go to the Benchmark. 

Basically, I want MC to drive the audio output based on a rule of what is currently on.  If the Benchmark is on, that should be my primary audio output.  If the Benchmark is off and the HDMI TV is on, that should be the primary.  This used to work when I set MC to output to the "default Windows output" because Windows would sense that the Benchmark wasn't connected and it would then direct output to the TV.  But with MC as the WDM, this no longer seems to work.  Now often what happens is I hit play, no audio comes out, I say some expletive, I hit stop, go back, switch the zone from Benchmark to TV, and then go back and hit play again. 

Is there a better way to accomplish this?  From what I understand of Zone Switch, it's defined by the media type.  I want it defined by what's currently connected.

Thanks!

[JeTie]

This is no solution in terms of automatic zone set but maybe the "Zone Link" functionality does provide a sufficient way which spares you the annoying zone switch procedure:

hit stop, go back, switch the zone from Benchmark to TV, and then go back and hit play again

.

I see 2 alternative approaches:

A) You create a custom command in Remote Control, say "Link Zones" and map it to a script, say "MC_LinkZones.vbs" which does the job (the 1 button workaround).

Here is the playground, you have to work out the minutiaes by Try&Error, whereas I assumed you renamed the original default zone "Player" to "Benchmark" in your environment.

MC_LinkZones.vbs

Code: [Select]

Dim oShell, mcVer
Set oShell = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.Shell")
mcVer = "20"

' Figure out the Zone IDs by changing zone via /MCC 10011,<ID>
' Set Current Zone: 0=Benchmark?, 1=TV?, 2=Head Phones?
'oShell.run "MC" & mcVer & ".exe /MCC 10011,1"

' Toggle Play/Pause
'oShell.run "MC" & mcVer & ".exe /MCC 10000"

' Link Zone: 0=Benchmark, 1=TV, 2=Head Phones
oShell.run "MC" & mcVer & ".exe /MCC 10060,1"

' give MC time to breathe if necessary
'WScript.Sleep 500

' Link Zone: 0=Benchmark, 1=TV, 2=Head Phones
oShell.run "MC" & mcVer & ".exe /MCC 10060,2"

'WScript.Sleep 500

' Toggle Play/Pause
'oShell.run "MC" & mcVer & ".exe /MCC 10000"

Set oShell = Nothing


B) Provided A) works, it could possibly be done during startup of MC, i.e. you simply link your zones by default (the zero button workaround) via startup script, linked in the Win Autostart folder. Adapt the "Windows Startup" option in MC accordingly to prevent autostart collisions.

MCx.bat

Code: [Select]

@echo off

rem ============================================================
rem
rem  JRiver Media Center autostart
rem
rem Config: JRiver Media Center version
set mcVer=20
rem
rem ============================================================

rem Make sure most recent mc*.exe is available under SysWOW64 as well
copy /Y C:\Windows\System32\mc%mcVer%.exe C:\Windows\SysWOW64\

rem Give Win logon a little time to sort out
mc%mcVer% /Sleep 2000

rem Start MC into Theater View: 1=Home, 3=Audio, 5=Video
mc%mcVer% /MCC 22001,1

rem Set Current Zone: 0=Benchmark, 1=TV, 2=Head Phones
mc%mcVer% /MCC 10011,0

rem Link Zone: 0=Benchmark, 1=TV, 2=Head Phones
mc%mcVer% /MCC 10060,1

rem Link Zone: 0=Benchmark, 1=TV, 2=Head Phones
mc%mcVer% /MCC 10060,2"

Have Fun 

[hoyt]

Interesting thought...  But if I link the zones, I'll always have sound coming out of the TV.  There is a function in the TV to shut off the internal speakers, and that might be less of a pain than the "stop, go back, change zones, go back, play" that I'm doing today.

I'll play with this idea.  Thanks!