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Alan of Audible Solutions just pointed
out something here, which is how he integrates touchpanels into his solution. IIRC, he's using Crestron, but the point still remains - he has the ability to press a hardbutton on the panel, which not only performs an action but can also bring up a given screen.
All we'd need to do that with CQC is a physical device with buttons that are trappable - I've searched here, can't find it, but wasn't there a thread about the options here recently? If not, do any of you know of such a panel? UMPC with dock, as long as it's cleanly wall-mountable, would also do just fine.
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12-18-2007, 03:06 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-18-2007, 03:10 PM by wuench.)
I researched how PPC's hard buttons worked at one point in the past and all they do is send special keycodes in normal windows keypress messages. To Windows they are just specialized keyboard keys. If other Microsoft OS based devices like the UMPC are the same then this might be as simple as adding support for those keycodes in the Admin/IV's key mappings.
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I was kinda thinking about the same thing the other day.
Here is how I think you could do. It would take a bit of customization, someone that knew plastics, electronics, and so forth.
Take the popular umpc of the day and build a plastic case that would go over the entire case. Hopefully it wouldn't be too thick. The case could be nothing more than two halves screwed together and hopefully wouldn't damage the original umpc.
On the inside of the new case, you could running wiring for the power as well as some soft/hard buttons. My only idea so far is to take one of these.
http://www.pacificgeek.com/product.asp?I...C=206&S=-1 (flexible usb keypad) and hack it up to put the buttons on the external case as you want. Then the usb connection could be plugged into the umpc or hard wired if you were a brave sole.
What the external case would buy you is you could then design a proper wall docking station and a proper desk stand. Also you could make the wall dock universal and you'd only have to change out the new plastic case as you upgraded umpcs.
Anyway, just my random thoughts.
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wuench Wrote:I researched how PPC's hard buttons worked at one point in the past and all they do is send special keycodes in normal windows keypress messages. To Windows they are just specialized keyboard keys. If other Microsoft OS based devices like the UMPC are the same then this might be as simple as adding support for those keycodes in the Admin/IV's key mappings.
The UMPC is the same - I've mapped the user keys on my Q1 to volume up/down/mute...
Mark Stega
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I've long been a proponent of such design but haven't found a solution for CQC. It's available on some Crestron panels, C4 IIRC and on some universal remotes that include touchscreens as well. Being able to do basic commands like volume, mute, pause, channel by feel without having to light a touchscreen is very handy.
Les
