Audio soft on and off

[duck_man]

I would love to have the audio zones ramp up and down instead of just ON and OFF. It's so harsh the way it is now.

[turls]

Good idea.

[Godzilla]

you can set a default volume level for each zone....when it starts, if that helps

[msgreenf]

hmmm...could you achieve this in programming? I like the idea too...I like the ramp up/down. Sounds much cleaner.

[turls]

You know what, I bet you could do it in programming. Combine it with a low default volume level. I'm envisioning this..a slow ramp up and if I pressed a key it would interrupt it or set it back to the default volume. I am having a lot of trouble with deciding how I want my default levels to go, and the different volumes of the sources doesn't help. At least I don't think there is a way to normalize that.

[Cyknight]

-Normalising is possible if your equipment allows it - make sure cable/sat boxes aren't set to stereo etc if the have such option (sometimes you set the type of connection, ie "TV" or "Receiver"). Some switches etc also allow some volume settings per input.

-Yes default volume is progammable using HE - the variable is exposed under eaqch room's room variable. If it isn't set to USE default volumes make sure to change that to true (it's in the same list).

You could do this in a piece of one-time programming to set defaults without having to need a dealer.

-REMEMBER however that using the default volume requires discrete controlled volume.

-Also, when a room turns on, it starts at last volume and THEN the system sets it to default, possibly causing things to start loud for a split second anyway. Using programming to set output volume levels a second or so AFTER turning a room off prevents this.

-Using that last bit of programming this could lead to a ramp up on start - just create a timer, repeating, of for example a second, and on expiry program a "Room x current volume = Current volume +1.

Then use a button to set it or a variable that adds up 1 every time the timer expires with a "when variable chenges - If variable is more than 20- stop timer". Or just stop the timer when Current Room volume reaches 30%.

Exact numbers changeable to preference.

You could even make the end volume depend on current source - or even have different ramp speeds per source if you want to go nuts on this.

[Godzilla]

or you could set the default volume levels on the rooms properties page, under the misc tab, with this setting i have never had any zones start with at last volume.....but i know what ur referring to.

i for one am not interested in ramping to my desired level........but have fun

[Cyknight]

Oh I've had it happen. It's not always noticable at all though.

I've no interest in the ramping personally, but I can see the attraction - and have done this before. Personally the Default Volume is all I want. Be it via C4, or the direct option on many receivers.

[CFUG]

I don't quite understand why ramping would be desireable. Ramping for lighting is nice but low volume is low volume- just select it from power-up.

[turls]

I'm not sure if I will like it or not until I try it, but I would think it a room that you like to keep loud at default, or outside, ramping would be nice. Less jarring to the speakers too.

[TexasBill]

On this subject I have wanted a "mixer" type capability - for example -

I am listening to music in rooms 2,4,6,8 and have announcements in 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

What happens when an announcement occurs is that in the odd numbered rooms I get bleed through of the music very loud and then the announcement. The music drops off in the even rooms and you get the announcement -

what I would RATHER have is simply that the music drops in level and the announcement plays over the top of the music and then the music comes back to normal volume.

In the room where the announcment only is going to play it should drop out the music and play only the announcement.

Bill

[turls]

-REMEMBER however that using the default volume requires discrete controlled volume.

And unfortunately I have a lot of Pioneer receivers that are not IP or serial control. But in some cases I think you can set a default power on volume on the receiver and then that is a decent workaround (right?).

Another thing on my list of to-do's I haven't actually gotten around to seeing if the theoretical works in practice.

[Cyknight]

Most pioneers have this option (start-up volume) - mine do and yes it's an alternative way of doing it - Mine are serial or IP and I STILL use the receiver's setting as it 100% prevents any volume "spike" because the system has to wait before it can set the volume until AFTER the receivers has started up completely.

Doing a volume ramp here will be a bit more tricky as you'd have to do some sort of press and hold or a frequent pulse, plus IR control this way has an inherent risk of not "stopping" nicely.

[Cyknight]

On this subject I have wanted a "mixer" type capability - for example -

I am listening to music in rooms 2,4,6,8 and have announcements in 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

What happens when an announcement occurs is that in the odd numbered rooms I get bleed through of the music very loud and then the announcement. The music drops off in the even rooms and you get the announcement -

what I would RATHER have is simply that the music drops in level and the announcement plays over the top of the music and then the music comes back to normal volume.

In the room where the announcment only is going to play it should drop out the music and play only the announcement.

Bill

Certainly would be preferable - or at least get rid of the bleed. This of course has been on the "gimme" list for a long long time.

[duck_man]

If you have any experience with B&O equipment you get used to the soft ramp up at power on and the ramp down at power off, just like you do with dimming lights, and then the normal music on and off seems so ... abrupt.