Chowmain - Zappiti Media Player Driver

[alanchow]

4 hours ago, jevansoh said:

Hello,

It's been another week so I just thought I'd check in.

Cresson said you were able to reproduce the error and that there was a problem with the API.

I understand that means you may have to wait on Zappiti to act and who knows how long that will take, but I'm just checking in to see if you have an ETA or even a guess as to when this might be fixed.

Also, if there is a problem with the API, wouldn't this affect everyone and not just me?  Is the Zappiti Library driver working for anyone at this point?

Thanks,

--Jason

It was reproduced by us.  It is likely to effect everyone who is on the latest firmware.

Anthony from Zappiti got back to me at the end of last week and they are investigating.

No ETA yet.  They're investigating.

[alanchow]

On 11/14/2022 at 8:56 PM, alanchow said:

It was reproduced by us.  It is likely to effect everyone who is on the latest firmware.

Anthony from Zappiti got back to me at the end of last week and they are investigating.

No ETA yet.  They're investigating.

Zappiti have fixed the issue.

Note customer's will need to uninstall Zappiti Video and install it again for it to work.

No changes needed at Control4's end.

[jfh]

3 hours ago, alanchow said:

Zappiti have fixed the issue.

Note customer's will need to uninstall Zappiti Video and install it again 

The software on the Zappiti or the Chowmain driver?

[alanchow]

1 hour ago, jfh said:

The software on the Zappiti or the Chowmain driver?

This is a Zappiti thing.

No changes are required on the Control4 end.

 

[jevansoh]

17 hours ago, alanchow said:

Zappiti have fixed the issue.

Note customer's will need to uninstall Zappiti Video and install it again for it to work.

No changes needed at Control4's end.

I have successfully uninstalled Zappiti Video then reinstalled it but it's still not working.  When I tap on Zappiti Library in C4 there's still just a circle going round and round.  I don't know what else to do at this point, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[BY96]

I have a Zappiti on order and will be using the Chowmain C4 driver (which my dealer already installed for me). I am wondering what version of Zappiti Video has the fix in it so I know whether I need to reinstall it or not. Does someone have a software number? Also, if Zappiti Video is on the Zappiti itself (as I assume you are not referring to the server software), how do you uninstall and reinstall it? 

Thanks! 

[jevansoh]

According to the Zappiti website, the latest version is 4.28.280, but the version that was installed on my Zappiti when I first set it up over a month ago was 4.28.281.

There are two ways to uninstall/install apps on the Zappiti directly.

You can use the Google Play Store or, for the Zappiti Video App and a few others, you can go to Zappiti Services.

I uninstalled it from the "Apps" section of the Zappiti and reinstalled it, but it reinstalled the exact same version, 4.28.281, which did not fix the issue.

The Zappiti is controllable with C4, but the Zappiti Library part of the driver package is still not working.

Apparently it is on Zappiti's end and the C4 driver does not need updated, but for me, uninstalling and reinstalling didn't work.

I'm now going to try uninstalling and reinstalling it again from the Zappiti Services instead of the Apps section and we'll see if that works.

Hope this helps.

[jevansoh]

Also, if your dealer installed the driver before you physically have the Zappiti, it will NOT work when you set your Zappiti up.

You will have to first update all the preinstalled apps, including Zappiti Video, before the driver will be able to connect to your Zappiti.

You'll also need to set a static IP and/or Reserved IP address in your router.  

But once you do that it should connect just fine.

Hope this helps.

[BY96]

Thank you! I knew I had to set a static IP address and then enter that address into the driver information in Composer HE. I did not know I needed to first update all the preinstalled apps. Keep me posted on your progress. I assume I will have the same issue as you once my Neo comes. Thanks!!

The integration with C4, including being able to view the Library on my NEEO and phone, was a major reason I went with Zappiti over Zidoo, so I hope they can get this working for us!!

 

[jevansoh]

Good news!

I uninstalled using Zappiti Services and not only did it uninstall and reinstall about 5 times more quickly, the Zappiti Library is now working on my C4 Touchscreens.  I don't have a Neeo remote, but I'm sure it would be working on that, too, so you should have no issues as long as you update everything before trying to connect it to your C4 driver.

The only thing I'm not sure of is in a new installation whether you'll have to first install Zappiti Video then uninstall it and install it again, or if by updating the software as soon as you get it, that will work.  So worst case scenario, you'll just have to install, uninstall, then install again.

Hope this helps.

[BY96]

I am sure this will all make more sense when the unit comes, but what is Zappiti Services? Is that for more advanced, behind the scenes, settings? 

So glad yours is working!!

[jevansoh]

No, it's just another icon on the settings menu.  Very simple.   Let me know if you need any help figuring it out when you get it, but I promise it's really easy.  You'll just select Zappiti Services instead of the Google Play Store in the menu.

[alanchow]

10 hours ago, jevansoh said:

Good news!

I uninstalled using Zappiti Services and not only did it uninstall and reinstall about 5 times more quickly, the Zappiti Library is now working on my C4 Touchscreens.  I don't have a Neeo remote, but I'm sure it would be working on that, too, so you should have no issues as long as you update everything before trying to connect it to your C4 driver.

The only thing I'm not sure of is in a new installation whether you'll have to first install Zappiti Video then uninstall it and install it again, or if by updating the software as soon as you get it, that will work.  So worst case scenario, you'll just have to install, uninstall, then install again.

Hope this helps.

Glad to hear that its working for you now.

For some reason the Zappiti guys made it the same version number which is why you need to uninstall then re-install.  I asked them to increment it but they told me that the procedure we need to tell owners is to uninstall and re-install.  I did the same method via Zappiti Services which worked for me.

[BY96]

I am thinking when my unit arrives (early next week, hopefully), I will just use Zappiti Services to uninstall and reinstall. I bet the one I get has been on a boat for the past few weeks on its way to the U.S., so I doubt it will have this change already. Much rather do the uninstall/reinstall first then to find out later I need to do it 

Thanks everyone!!

[BY96]

I started another thread, but maybe this is the best place for me to be. I got my Zappiti yesterday. I uninstalled and reinstalled Zappiti Video on the Services menu. The Zappiti had no problem finding the C4 driver after I entered the IP address in HE. The Zappiti Library on the NEEO and iPhone app shows my movie list. 

Here is my problem. At first, when using the Zappiti, C4 kept turning my room off. I posted the issue and was told to look for the auto off in the driver properties. I found it and set it to "0," which seemed to solve the turning off problem. However, a few times C4 turns the room on out of nowhere, going to the Zappiti input. Most troubling, my running a different video device in the room, for some reason, C4 is every so often changing the input on my AVR to the Zappiti from the other device. I disconnected the Zappiti from the driver (by removing the IP address) and then reconnected, but the problem continues. 

I had previously programmed that when there is a device change in the room, the AVR would change to the proper input. My dealer told me that sometimes C4 does not like devices with dual HDMI outputs, like the Zappiti, and I figured that was a way to ensure I was getting the correct input on the AVR. I just disabled that programing to see if it makes any difference. So far, no unwanted AVR changes. 

Update - Disabling the device change in the room did not help. Still changed the AVR's input to the Zappiti for no reason. 

[lippavisual]

Is there any CEC option in the Zappiti?

If so, turn that all off.  C4 isn’t turning the rooms on, it’s CEC either on the Zappiti or AVR. And probably your TV too. 

[BY96]

2 hours ago, lippavisual said:

Is there any CEC option in the Zappiti?

If so, turn that all off.  C4 isn’t turning the rooms on, it’s CEC either on the Zappiti or AVR. And probably your TV too. 

I haven't seen any such settings but will look. Thanks! 

Edit - The Zappiti itself is actually turned off, so I don't think the device is causing the AVR input change. Must be the C4 driver for the Zappiti. 

Edit #2 - Removing the Zappiti's IP address from the C4 driver in HE has so far stopped any changes to the AVR input. 

Edit #3 - I put the Zappiti IP address back into the C4 driver but removed a command I had programmed which was to have the AVR change to the Zappiti input whenever the Zappiti turned on. So far, with the driver back in operation, but that command removed, there have been no input changes on the AVR. I really hope this is the answer to my problem, but if the Zappiti was off and not being turned on, I am not sure why that command was being triggered. 

Edit #4 - So far, no input changes on the AVR after I removed the programming. Still not sure why C4 was seeing the Zappiti as turning on when it was off. 

Edit #5 - The problem clearly continues. I am watching an ATV but out of nowhere, even with the Zappiti turned off, the AVR switched to the Zappiti input. I have disabled the connection between the driver and Zappiti until I can get a resolution. 

[jfh]

2 hours ago, BY96 said:

I haven't seen any such settings but will look. Thanks! 

Edit #3 - I put the Zappiti IP address back into the C4 driver but removed a command I had programmed which was to have the AVR change to the Zappiti input whenever the Zappiti turned on.

This is/was unnecessary.  When you select Zappiti as the source, C4 will turn it on and set the proper AVR output.

Never heard the problem with dual HDMI but the Zapitti’s second HDMI output is audio only.  I presume you are running primary to the AVR and not using the second?

[BY96]

10 minutes ago, jfh said:

This is/was unnecessary.  When you select Zappiti as the source, C4 will turn it on and set the proper AVR output.

Never heard the problem with dual HDMI but the Zapitti’s second HDMI output is audio only.  I presume you are running primary to the AVR and not using the second?

I am running the audio only HDMI to the AVR and the video HDMI to a Lumagen Radiance Pro. Given some rare audio dropouts with the Lumagen, I wanted to run audio directly to the AVR. 

For some reason, ever since I connected the Zappiti to the C4 driver in HE, C4 has a mind of its own!  

[alanchow]

23 hours ago, BY96 said:

I am running the audio only HDMI to the AVR and the video HDMI to a Lumagen Radiance Pro. Given some rare audio dropouts with the Lumagen, I wanted to run audio directly to the AVR. 

For some reason, ever since I connected the Zappiti to the C4 driver in HE, C4 has a mind of its own!  

Remove the room selected in the 'Auto Room Select' property.  This will automatically select the source when Zappiti provides feedback that it is playing something.

[alanchow]

If that doesn't work your integrator will have to troubleshoot the programming you have put in through detective suite as you may have done something in programming to cause undesired results.

[BY96]

Thank you for your response @alanchow. I did remove the room when the problem started, but it continued. However, I added the Zappiti IP address back into the C4 driver today, and so far, have had no issues with the AVR changing, or the room shutting down, while watching the Zappiti. I need to also test and see if the AVR stays the same when using a different device in the same room. If that works, it must have just been a glitch in the matrix. 

[alanchow]

1 hour ago, BY96 said:

Thank you for your response @alanchow. I did remove the room when the problem started, but it continued. However, I added the Zappiti IP address back into the C4 driver today, and so far, have had no issues with the AVR changing, or the room shutting down, while watching the Zappiti. I need to also test and see if the AVR stays the same when using a different device in the same room. If that works, it must have just been a glitch in the matrix. 

Best of luck..  The driver will only start up a room on that one condition.  Otherwise its something in a script that has been programmed by either yourself or your integrator.

If it happens again and your integrator has issues resolving it get them to submit a support ticket and we'll work with them to pinpoint the issue.

 

[BY96]

13 hours ago, alanchow said:

Best of luck..  The driver will only start up a room on that one condition.  Otherwise its something in a script that has been programmed by either yourself or your integrator.

If it happens again and your integrator has issues resolving it get them to submit a support ticket and we'll work with them to pinpoint the issue.

 

I can't explain it, and almost feel like I am going crazy, but everything has worked perfectly fine ever since I reconnected the Zappiti and the C4 driver yesterday. While watching the Zappiti, the AVR never switched inputs. When the system was on, there were no random shut downs of the room. When the system was off, the room never randomly turned on. Lastly, while watching a different device, the AVR never switched back to the Zappiti. It is the darnedest thing I have seen. Guess whatever spirit haunted my system has left. 

Thanks again @alanchow! Having seen your responses to other people here, I never was too worried as I knew you would help us get to the bottom of the problem if needed. 

[BY96]

And so the mystery deepens...

In using that Zappiti, I noticed that whenever I play a movie, there is a very brief static noise emitted through the speakers. So, in HE, I programmed that whenever play is triggered on the Zappiti, a command is sent to the AVR to mute, followed by a 2 second delay, and then the AVR unmutes. Seemed simple to me. However, last night, when I was watching the AppleTV, and NOT the Zappiti, the AVR randomly began muting for 2 seconds at a time. The muting was completely random, not at all related to me sending play or any other commands. After the second or third time, I deleted the programming in HE and it immediately ceased. 

Somehow, for some reason, any programming I do with the Zappiti in HE is impacting other devices. This makes no sense to me but I am not too knowledgeable on how these things work. I really want to be able to set up some simple commands in HE for the Zappiti, but so far, it is proving to be problematic.