INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Jukebox => Topic started by: Cephlen on August 14, 2002, 01:50:43 pm

Title: Serial or Parallel Port Interface
Post by: Cephlen on August 14, 2002, 01:50:43 pm

Hello,

Winamp has a few nice Serial port interfaces that allow you to control it via buttons hooked up using a simple circuit.

I am wondering if you guys have something similar.

I am creating an HTPC and want to wire up a few switches that will control simple navigation such as previous, next, rewind, fast forward, pause, play, stop, volume, etc...

Thanks!
-p

Title: RE:Serial or Parallel Port Interface
Post by: cjdshaw on August 14, 2002, 02:34:24 pm

Your best bet for something like this is Girder ( http://www.girder.nl ). There are a lot of people on the forum using Girder to control MJ as part of their HTPC setup. It has input plugins supporting serial and parallel ports as well as lot's of IR remotes. Don't bother using the MJ Girder interface. That was really for before MJ had keyboard shortcuts for everything. Now you can just use them.

Best of luck.

Title: RE:Serial or Parallel Port Interface
Post by: JimH on August 14, 2002, 02:36:58 pm

Check our SDK's on the Developer's page if you don't mind getting your hands dirty.  The interface plug-in allows an app to control MJ.  Webremote is an example of such a program.

If you get anything going, keep us posted.  Good luck.

Title: RE:Serial or Parallel Port Interface
Post by: Cephlen on August 16, 2002, 02:39:49 pm

Hey JimH,

I have done as you recomended.

I have an interface to the serial port working.  6 input buttons with 2 functions each - click, and hold.  So, 12 functions total.
(click to goto next song, hold to fastforward)  It only took a few hours, pretty easy stuff.  I have 1 more input (the ring indicator) but its behaving in an odd manner.  I think its bounce, so I am either going to create a debounce circuit, or a debounce block of code.  If I can get that to work later on, it will bring it up to 15 buttons (binary - 4 inputs gives me 15 combinations) and 30 functions.  Am thinking of adding a double click too - 60 functions.

But, I am having a lot of issues getting the interface to work inside the jukebox.  Once I get those fixed, I should have the plugin aviable in a few hours!  There might be a few different issues depending on how the jukebox handles plugins (like, is the plugin active when its not activly selected?)...  I posted the imortant ones on the development forum, and am waiting to hear back.

:)

Title: RE:Serial or Parallel Port Interface
Post by: JimH on August 17, 2002, 10:25:07 am

Good news!  You'll get a merit badge for that.

We'll try to make it work for you if you run into problems.  The developer's page is the right place to ask.