Best Homeseer Audio Plugin

[Rick Tinker]

I switched from the JR Media Player to Microsoft's media player. There was mention of improving the JR plugin but it wasn't happening. I've been looking at other touchscreen jukebox player software but haven't found anything I really like yet.

No, really, it IS happening! It is just taking a really long time because the rewrite I am doing was much larger than anticipated! Send me an email and I will send you what I have done so far if you want to see it!

I like J River because of the ease of which you can create multiple zones with multiple audio devices. I have 3 zones playing different types of music, and each zone is connected to a source on the Russound system. In the mornings, two of the zones are used for the wake-up events for my kids, and then they return to playing their normal music genre.

The old version of the plug-in is working with HSTouch where I display album art, track info, even review text about the song/album, and I can control it there too.

At any rate, I have used SeerAMP, iTunes, and now J River, and so far I like J River the best. SeerAMP was the best in concept because I could run WinAMP on remote computer(s) which offloaded the HS system, but my large library prevented the client/server stuff from working very well when it came down to interactive control, and I have no idea if Dale has incorporated the MusicAPI into the plug-in yet.

[drozwood90]

I rolled my own. This way it fit my exact needs.

--Dan

[jackpod]

Well since I don't use Homeseer to distribute my music I shouldn't post I guess, altho I do have HS integrated in the mix, I send metadata to HS for displaying on my betabrite via the Ledam plugin. I also have one of the zones configured to speak the metadata between songs (DJ Style) via TTS (great for when entertaining). I have a separate box with M-Audio sound cards feeding my Nuvo. I implemented this a long time ago, like 5+ years ago

[Pete]

I currently utilize separate sources for audio. Personally I don't prefer that HS serve up the audio.

BLMedia player doesn't cut it for me. I mix both audio music streams and internet audio. This is just one TS setup. I couldn't get BLMediaplayer to stream internet audio. The GUI is kind of kludgy and its responses to touch is rather slow (it works fine though using a keyboard and mouse).

Kind of looking at the Maestro LSX approach with a separate "audio" server getting its playlists from MSMediaPlayer. Only thing is that I cannot get the media server piece to work right now. Meanwhile just using MS Mediaplayer on the TS and its working for me. Running this with the Maestro Music module sourced to the media server works for me. With Speaker running concurrently still hear HS TTS.

BTW - Jack you mentioned a separate speaker for HS TTS and stereo speakers for your Nuvo setup. I am curious how you are installing the 3rd TTS speaker - is it hidden? I am curious why you didn't just connect your HS Audio out to your Nuvo setup?

[nightwalker]

I also have a separate systems for TTS and music. Not that the two couldn't be combined. The reason I do it that way is I'm forever looking for that perfect way to choose, control music from HSTouch ala jukebox style, so far it's not really been written and I keep searching and trying different things. So when playing music from one system and TTS from another all I really need to do is send an IR command to pause the music when TTS comes on and another to un-pause it when done. It makes it pretty simple to keep trying different music players. One of these days I hope to find the right player but until then this works well.

[Pete]

Marty -
Are you using two sets of speakers in the house?

Currently I have around 10 stereo zones. These are currently connected to an AB8SS. They typically do TTS. Two zones are divided into two subzones. MB has two sets of speakers/switches/volume/local source/HS Source. The other bedrooms have both local and HS source switches.

I'm looking to install the Russound 4 zone setup only for the main floor and 4 rooms. Not sure how I want to do HS sound though.

[nightwalker]

Pete:
Yes I am, one set in each room for TTS another for music. The TTS speakers are controlled via BLSpeech and UPB appliance modules and the music via whatever the player of the month is powered by either a Russound or Elan system (depending on which I'm testing at home this month ). If I ever find something to either replace my DVR's jukebox player or get control of the DVR system via HomeSeer I'll happily integrate the two.

Marty -
Are you using two sets of speakers in the house?

Currently I have around 10 stereo zones. These are currently connected to an AB8SS. They typically do TTS. Two zones are divided into two subzones. MB has two sets of speakers/switches/volume/local source/HS Source. The other bedrooms have both local and HS source switches.

I'm looking to install the Russound 4 zone setup only for the main floor and 4 rooms. Not sure how I want to do HS sound though.

[Pete]

What size and how are you mounting your TTS speakers? I was thinking if I could make them small I could change the main floor sound setup. I am using small "appliances" for music/network audio streaming and Media tanks for TV (replacing DVD players attached to the TV's in the bedrooms) - IE: one bedroom is just using the media tank plus the DTV tuner. Media tank audio goes to a local amp source then to speakers. Speakers have an AB switch for local and remote audio (TTS).

For now want to use the Russound only on the main floor for four sources/4 sets of stereo speakers - IE during the holidays/Christmas etc with family over only play music on all of the speaker on the main floor.

[nightwalker]

Depending on room location I use small 5" dual voice coil speakers mounted inside the wall with a heater vent type grill to cover it. In other rooms I use a set of computer speakers mounted the same way and covered with the same heater return vent cover. I use PCH units to distribute A/V to rooms and use multiple zones so the wife can watch her soaps and I can watch a movie or whatever I choose. Music is distributed the same way. Her being a classical music buff and me being a rock n roller a zoned A/V system is a must.

Areas that are always on for TTS like the kitchen and living room, and a first floor hallway are all fed from a single amp while bedrooms are done independent via computer speakers mounted like described above.

What size and how are you mounting your TTS speakers? I was thinking if I could make them small I could change the main floor sound setup. I am using small "appliances" for music/network audio streaming and Media tanks for TV (replacing DVD players attached to the TV's in the bedrooms) - IE: one bedroom is just using the media tank plus the DTV tuner. Media tank audio goes to a local amp source then to speakers. Speakers have an AB switch for local and remote audio (TTS).

For now want to use the Russound only on the main floor for four sources/4 sets of stereo speakers - IE during the holidays/Christmas etc with family over only play music on all of the speaker on the main floor.

[Pete]

Thanks Marty.

I have returns in all of the bedrooms and "could" hide speakers inside of the returns. (thinking out loud here).

Are you doing any HTML remote control of your PCH units? Still have a SA/DTivo running (with remote control, HTML etc on them); but these are only used by my wife.

On the main floor have installed pairs of speakers in the dining room, living room, kitchen and hallway (went to second floor hallway with second speaker - large open area though) plus garage (separate subzone). Family room is independant with 7.1 sound in place - no TTS though.

[drozwood90]

I have returns in all of the bedrooms and "could" hide speakers inside of the returns. (thinking out loud here).

Pete,

I don't think that Code allows for electrical wires in air vents. I know for CERTAIN on the heating ducts. I assume also on the returns, as that has the same implications during a fire.

--Dan

[nightwalker]

I don't have the speakers in the returns, I'm just using the same cover so it looks like a return.

I don't use HTML remote since my DVR system supports the PCH directly (GBPvr) it's all handled through IR from whatever remote you're using at the time. My Home Theater is also independent, it has it's own PCH and Verizon Box plus access to any other source, DVD, BluRay etc. It does also have TTS and I just send an IR command to pause things when TTS happens. I do have a virtual device I use as a condition so I can choose not to have TTS or any pausing happen once I start a movie.

Thanks Marty.

I have returns in all of the bedrooms and "could" hide speakers inside of the returns. (thinking out loud here).

Are you doing any HTML remote control of your PCH units? Still have a SA/DTivo running (with remote control, HTML etc on them); but these are only used by my wife.

On the main floor have installed pairs of speakers in the dining room, living room, kitchen and hallway (went to second floor hallway with second speaker - large open area though) plus garage (separate subzone). Family room is independant with 7.1 sound in place - no TTS though.

[Pete]

Understood on the return vent speakers. Thanks Dan.

Another thought was to use dual gang boxes with a smaller speaker on one side/controls on the other side. I went to a local high end HA store a couple of months ago and they "hid" the speakers in the walls or ceilings and painted over them. I've tested the acoustic tile speakers a few years ago and they worked well. It would be nice to hide the TTS speakers in the ceiling or walls.

Relating to family room - cleaned it up a bit when we purchased LCD. Now its only the MM receiver, Bluray, media tank, Tivos, and MS Media Center PC (still using an Aopen Mini-PC - though now running W7). Cable, Satellite and OTR are TV sources (only for my wife though in that I don't really every watch broadcast TV). Due to WAF have three other LCD's (2 in the kitchen and 1 in the laundry room) rebroadcasting my wife's Tivo'd stuff.

For the main floor TTS I was going to use one of the four audio sources on the Russound and not add any TTS only speakers. I am adding another audio zone outside this year (deck).

[jackpod]

Pete,
When I installed the Nuvo I bought extra speakers and installed a 3rd speaker in the ceiling. I wanted TTS totally separate for many reasons. One example is when the phone goes off hook, it mutes the music (if it is on) but only lowers the volume of TTS, so I can still hear announcements. It also makes life a lot easier in setting levels for the different rooms as the level for TTS and music are different in most rooms.
My current setup is I have all my CD's ripped in wav format (700 gigs) on a box with 2 M-Audio Delta 1010LT (each card has 4 pairs analog in and out and SPDIF in and out) I run J River with the Musiclobby server plugin with 6 zones. 3 of the j river zones feed the nuvo and the other 3 zones (balanced lines) feed other amplifiers (Garage, outside and secondary zones) this box is also my HT PC with ripped video. I use the SPDIF to feed my HiFi and my Home Theater systems. I then have a "mix" of the 7.1 feeding a nuvo zone, a feed from the satelite reciever and a feed from XM Radio.
For TTS I have an 11 zone ESS and an AB8SS so I can feed music through the TTS system for those rooms that don't have dedicated music speakers. Having the systems isolated from one another gives so many more options than if I was to setup one nuvo zone for TTS. I have one zone setup to have a 5 second delay between songs and TTS announces song title, artist and album between each song, really nice for when entertaining. It also allows me the option of varying the volume of either without affecting eachother

[Pete]

Jack,
I see the logic about TTS being separate. I don't have many TTS events but like to be able to hear if the garage is open or CID on a telephone call. Historically I've heard of using the PA piece of the Nuvo or Russound system (I don't have that feature though).

Why wouldn't you use the PA piece of the Nuvo system?

Trying to visualize your setup relating to TTS. See if I have it right:

HS-TTS Audio out to:
11 zones (ESS) and 8 zones (AB8SS) = = > 19 TTS zones (autonomous from the Nuvo zones)