How do I have video playing while an audio source is selected?

[Taylor]

Ok, here's the scenario. I have 3 areas with video and audio sources. The clients would like to be able to play their special DVD's (by special I mean cool photos and images meant to be played in the backround) at the same time their music source is playing. The two music sources are XM Radio and the Media Controller. They want to be able to select music, say an XM Channel, and have the DVD come on and start playing.

Can anyone think of a somewhat simple way to accomplish this without messing with the inputs on the receiver? My mind is kinda fried trying to think about this, but I have a few ideas I'm going to try out. Here is what the system is composed of:

1 Onkyo TX-SR503

1 Comcast Cable Box

1 Home Theater Controller (I just realized that the XM is streaming through the HTC as well as the digital audio)

1 Onkyo DV-CP703 DVD Disc Changer

1 NEC 50" Plasma

That's pretty much it. Again, I have a few ideas, but any input would be MUCH appreciated.

[danlevine]

Manually Setting the inputs is the only way I can think of (Not the customer setting them Manually, but tieing them to a custom button)

We have setup this type of functionality for some systems and the best way we found is to turn rooms on to a certain zone (preferably the zone the audio is coming from) and then changing the displays / video switches to the correct inputs.

Should work like a charm.

Dan

[sfleck]

i have always wondered if there was a way through programming to duplicate audio/video inputs/outputs to anther room.

as i have only slowly and recently been trickled product i haven't done much goofing around yet.

so in this scenario i would create a "bogus" room.

then through custom programming

if room "Bogus" selected

set audio from "Required Audio Device" to "bogus" room audio endpoint

set video from "Required Video Device" to "bogus" room video endpoint

create a custom button maybe to "watch and listen"

something like that

is that at all possible?

[Taylor]

@sfleck

I'm afraid I'm not following you on the bogus room idea.

UPDATE: This is what I have so far, and seems to be working fine except for a few bugs. The client selects whatever it is they want to listen to. Once doing that, they are then allowed to select a custom button which I labeled Play DVD Video. When they select that custom button, this is the macro I attatched to it:

1. Turn on DVD Player

2. Select DVD as input for RECEIVER

3. Select CD (that's the HTC input) for RECEIVER

4. Select Play on DVD Player

What this does is tricks the system. The DVD player is "manually" started through programming and then that video source is selected momentarily on the receiver. When it is switched back to CD (or HTC input) the receiver then leaves whatever video source it was on last on screen and changes the audio to the correct input.

This is ok, except that the system is tricked. It doesn't allow you to press the C4 button to return to the onscreen display, and then the client has to either turn the system off or select the next source with the System Remote LCD.

I found a workaround for that, by tricking the system yet again:

1. Turn on DVD Player

2. Select DVD as input for RECEIVER

3. Select CD (that's the HTC input) for RECEIVER

4. Select Play on DVD Player

5. Select Television as the video source for that room

What that does is allow the client to press the C4 button and return to the on screen Navigator. By selecting Television, the system leaves everything intact without switching audio/video sources and turning off the streaming media from the HTC.

Unfortunately that fix also leaves a bug. I am unable to control the digital audio when it switches to Television as the source. The client wants to be able to change/skip songs on the system remote while their backround video is going.

Can anyone think of a way that the system will return to the onscreen Navigator after tricking the system and still having control over the streaming audio.

[sfleck]

taylor,

i think it is because i see the room as the "device" i want to control and the C4 approach is to control the devices in the room. once C4 has a "macro under a custom button" capabilty ... which will require fully customizable screens, this will be a much simpler solution.

steve

[Taylor]

I called tech support and found that if you press the big red C4 button 4 times quickly, it will go back to the C4 Onscreen Navigator. It's a fix for now, but you have to press it REALLY fast. Hehe, talked the client into getting another touchscreen which has no problems at all doing this.

[danlevine]

That 4 Button fast find is awesome if it works. Often Times the systems especially while programming and testing get out of sync. If pushing that works it will be awesome.

[Taylor]

Oh it works. I tested it like 20 times today.

[danlevine]

Awsome Man... Great Find..

[tshepherd]

He he, I found that by accident during a frustrating moment with an IR connection...

[sfleck]

cool. that works easier than what i was thinking.

see, i was thinking, if i set up a "bogus" room (to mimic the required room), i would just have to select that room after the audio was already playing in the required room, and then press the red button to get the video selected in that same room. still not sure if the concept works in reality.

but this is certainly simpler.

[Taylor]

I don't think your room idea would really work because the client still wants control of the music, and if you switched locations, it wouldn't work that way.

[sfleck]

yep, most likely you're right as i need a lot more experience with it before i would know.

i was more or less thinking out loud. thanks for letting me know.

steve

[Taylor]

That's why I'm on these boards so much . Even if I end up figuring out the problem on my own, just saying it out loud (hehe, typing in this case) will often trigger the solution.

[chambrick]

I've never had to do the Control4 button "fast" when I do the 4 press solution. ...meaning that I can press it about 1 time per second or just a hair under that without fail. But you may be calling that fast.

Also, I would bet that with the 1.3 your fix will be "broken", but I will be anxious to hear if that's the case.