New C4 User Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I am a new Control4 user, and I have a question for the veterans and programming gurus out there. I just got my C4 installed in my new home about 45 days ago. We are loving it, and everything is great with one small exception which is what I am seeking some guidance on. I use Control4 for distributed audio and video. I have three zones with TV's, and 8 zones of audio, and a 7.1 surround theater. When you are watching a video source on the TV, the audio is played through the TV speakers. When you are listening to music, the audio is played through the speakers in the ceiling. I told my dealer that I wanted to be able to play the TV through either the TV speakers OR the speakers in the ceiling and he said this would be no problem. He set it up this way, but it doesn't work very well and here is why.How it is setup is such that if I am watching my video source, then on my remote SR-250 I push the listen button, and I select something called "video's audio". This then mutes the TV and puts the audio through the speakers in the ceiling. GREAT! I can then activate party mode and have it play through all the speakers in the house, which is what I wanted. This way for parties you can have it playing on the TV, but you can hear it in the entire house. The problem is that when I am in this mode I can no longer control the video....all I can do is control the audio. This is the problem. Throughout the installation process the dealer and I got to be pretty good friends, and when I pointed out this frustration he basically admitted that he knew that would be a problem, and was trying to figure out a better way to do it. Apparently he is a fairly new dealer and has never had this request before. I told him that I was going to get on this forum I found and search for a solution that he could implement. He is as excited to hear your suggestions as I am.So, he told me how it is setup currently. He created a generic driver that simply handles left/right audio, can called this device "videos audio". He put an audio cable from one of the outputs on my A/V switch into an input on my AMP. When videos audio is selected it tells the A/V switch to put the appropriate input (based on what video source is being used) to the output "videos audio", and then mutes the TV. Hopefully that makes sense, this is how it was explained to me.I have been playing around with ComposerHE and trying to think of a better way. We were talking about it last night and he mentioned maybe there was a way to do this using the audio sensing ability on the AMP? He said something about making a "fake room"?What do you guys think? I would be happy to work out compensation for the person providing the solution if necessary. I just want to be able to press one of the colored buttons on my SR-250 and have the audio switch from the TV to the speakers in the ceiling, and still be able to control the video source, but have the volume buttons control the volume on the speakers in the ceiling.I should also mention I am using an 8x8 component video/audio matrix switch and the Control4 Multi Channel Amp.Thanks so much for your input. Your not only helping a new end user (long time lurker of the forum) but also a new dealer. If you need any more information please let me know and I will get it for you. My dealer is standing by so if it is a question I can't answer he should be able to provide and answer in short order.Regards,New C4 User Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian m Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 one method -create two separate rooms -- one for tv speakers and one for the ceiling speakers, same equipment, same ir out ... since you can't bind the video switcher output to two rooms, you have to use a either a fake video switcher or an unused output (i just use fake switchers) ... you have to, in programming then tell the matrix to go to the right output .... then just switch rooms another is to use the second audio binding in connections - that is what it is for. zones may have still have a issue - but you can program around it in most cases .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New C4 User Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 another is to use the second audio binding in connections - that is what it is for. zones may have still have a issue - but you can program around it in most cases ..Can you elaborate please? I know that he has the second audio binding setup to the digital audio, but which is why I can adjust the volume when using the "videos audio" but it doesn't allow for control over the video device. Does that make sense?Can elaborate on how he might use the second audio bindings? I will email him and refer him to this thread.Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian m Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 i would have to see the project file to be able to say what is what ...i prefer the 2 room method, but there are some real advanced programmers here that may have a better method Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I think the only way this is possible is to either use a second room, or a second device.The videos audio end-point 2 is used if you have a seperate volume control (ie: receiver) for some devices.Unfortunately I don't think this is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New C4 User Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 Anybody else? I appreciate the input provided, but I was hoping for "some real advanced programmers" that brian m mentioned above to chime in. I said I would offer compensation if necessary if someone knew how to do this for us.Brian M, is there some way that I can send you my "project file"?ILoveC4, how certain are you on the impossibility?I am surprised this thread isn't getting more response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian m Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 you can back up your project file in composerHE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dentalben Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I have somewhat of a similar setup, but the only time I have a video source play through in-wall speakers is in my theater room. I'm assuming when you go to the in-wall speakers, it starts up the 7.1 amp to run the room's speakers. If your other house speakers are connected to a C4 multi-channel amp as mine are, you should be able to run an audio (stereo) from the 7.1 amp to an input on the C4 amp, then when you select video audio, just program it to connect the input to all of the output channels you want (so it goes to all the rooms in party mode). It sounds like the problem lies in that when you go to that mode, the remote doesn't think you're still in the same room. Either you need to tweak the audio connection so the remote allows you to continue the function you want, or you need to enter another line of programming after the video selection to change the room back to the video source you originally chose, so the remote works like you want it to. I don't use the new 250 remote, but it shouldn't change anything. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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