Press a button to make a sound on a different PC?

[beelzerob]

I'm looking for a way that my wife can "beep" a PC down in the basement where I frequently am, so as to get my attention. I looked at the System:layWav(), but that only plays the wav on the PC the interface is running on (apparently).

So what would the easiest way be for me to be able to set it up that pressing a button a computer A will play a sound on computer B (it can be as simple as the standard PC "beep")? Do I have to use the embedded player for this?

[Dean Roddey]

There's not currently any way to do that, actually. Well, no way outside of the app control server, but that would only work if you are actually logged into it. In that case, you could auto-start the app control server and the other machine could run a simple external program on that machine that does something.

Easier would be to run the TTS driver on that machine, then give you a screen with a set of things she can have it say to you :-)

[potts.mike]

Couldn't you also run the cqc audioplayer and play some mp3 of your choosing?

[sic0048]

Hold on there guys. You aren't seeing the big picture here. We don't want Rob's wife pulling him away from his basement dungeon. He is suppose to be down there slaving away on all things CQC. Giving his wife a means to easily call him back to the real world will result in a slow down of CQC drivers.

;-)

[klindy]

How about thinking of this from another angle (or two).

If I recall you have multi-zone audio. Is there a zone in the basement? If so, you can use a command button on the PC upstairs to switch the audio input to something that alerts you she's looking for you...

Or, switch a TV in the basement to QVC or something equally annoying which should be a signal to you...

Or, I know you have some ALC lighting, have a command button dim/flash the lights...

Or, have a command button on her PC upstairs fire off a POP3 email to you. That way, assuming the email is pushed to your cell phone, you can get her message even if you're not sitting in front of the PC...

Or, hook up that BetaBrite so she can send you a message...

Or, setup a timed event which alerts you on your PC that you should 'check-in with the boss' effectively eliminating the need for her to find you!!!

Or, if she doesn't need you immediately and wants to signal her approval/disapproval of the time you spend in the basement, have a command button raise/lower the temperature in the basement until you get the idea. Unless you were formally a tadpole, you should be able to notice the 'water is beginning to boil'! hock:

You've got a full-featured HA system at your disposal. Be creative!! ;-)

[beelzerob]

Ooo, good suggestions, all of you...but sadly, I still don't seem to have a solution:

Dean: TTS is a GREAT idea, and would certainly have been what I'd use...but the PC I'm planning on having down there at the moment is the 5700 thin client, which we haven't found a TTS solution to yet. However, at least replying BACK to her, I had planned to make an interface I could press with buttons for "Yes", "no", "I love you too", etc that would TTS on her machine. Semi-2 way.

Brian: Think "Dinner". That's the all-important message I need to get from her. The other important messages is when I've accidentally set off the house-fire alerts on the TTS, she usually likes to make sure it really is me doing that (it's happened only a COUPLE times...)

If I recall you have multi-zone audio.

I prefer this life of mine that you recall, though it is not the reality. I *want* multi-zone audio, and have the wires for it...but no speakers, amp or control capability yet.

Or, switch a TV in the basement to QVC or something equally annoying which should be a signal to you...

No TV in the basement....but that's a darn good idea! Now I just need a TV...

Or, I know you have some ALC lighting, have a command button dim/flash the lights...

That's another good idea....but what few ALC switches I've had the budget to purchase are installed in the walls. There's got to be a cheaper solution than putting an ALC relay on my wiring room lights!

Or, have a command button on her PC upstairs fire off a POP3 email to you. That way, assuming the email is pushed to your cell phone, you can get her message even if you're not sitting in front of the PC...

We have the basic "it makes phone calls" cell phone plan. I know I know...sooo 2008. Plus cell phone coverage in the basement is iffy.

Or, hook up that BetaBrite so she can send you a message...

Through supernatural ability, I managed to keep myself from jumping into that group buy, as I know it'd be sitting in the box still if I had. Even if I did have one though (or bought IVB's when he finally gives into the same fact, that he'll never actually use it), I'm not sure the sign would catch my attention.

Or, if she doesn't need you immediately and wants to signal her approval/disapproval of the time you spend in the basement, have a command button raise/lower the temperature in the basement until you get the idea.

Well, I've got an awesome wife who not only approves of what I've done in the house so far, but actually encourages it! So, it's not about her trying to pry me out of that room (though if I *do* put a TV down there, then it may come to that)...it's just that when she does need to tell me something, like the all-important "dinner is ready", it's a pain for her to let me know that. Right now, our pre-arranged signal is for her to stomp on the floor twice (kitchen is directly above me). Kinda crude and rather 1-way, so I'm hoping we can come up with something better...and that would be less hard on the floor or her foot.


I had thought of using VLC Media player, as I've already demonstrated you can make an impromptu intercom with 2 PC's running it via the streaming...but alas the thin client won't install VLC.

My other thought was to hook up a relay to something that would buzz or ring, as I've got lots of un-used relays in the basement and her pressing a button on the IV could "ring" it...but relays are foreign to me, so I can't think of what I could do that would make noise or maybe flash a light without me having to buy yet more crap.

However, if I COULD come up with such a way, then I think my next task would be to try and develop an interface we could both be looking at that would essentially let us pass text to each other (assuming I couldn't rig up something for actual audio to be passed).

[sic0048]

OK - you are alllowed to eat (but let it be know that you should really have your food slid under the basement door on a metal tray ;-)).

On a more serious note, what about hooking up one of the Zeebox outputs to a simple buzzer - like a doorbell or something similar. It won't let you know why your wife is looking for you, but at least you'll know when she is calling.

[123]

What about: net send BasementPC "You are needed upstairs."
BasementPC will beep and display the message in a dialog box.

You'll need to activate the Messenger service on the transmitting and receiving PCs.

[zpollock]

123's net send solution is a pretty good one if the XPe image on the thin client supports that, but I don't know if that feature remains in the very stripped 5700 embedded image.

Rob, I know you're ALC, but do you have an X10 transmitter somewhere in your system? I know I kept a legacy one for cheap Christmas light control, etc. If so, I have an SC546A in my sale post that I'll toss in complimentary to the package headed your way. It's just a plug-in module with a chime that dings when a specific X10 code is received.

[beelzerob]

On a more serious note, what about hooking up one of the Zeebox outputs to a simple buzzer - like a doorbell or something similar. It won't let you know why your wife is looking for you, but at least you'll know when she is calling.

Well, that's what I was talking about right above here, since I have a plethora of relay outputs....but that whole "simple buzzer" is the part I haven't figured out. I guess really, if I can find ANYTHING (like one of my kids annoying toys) that makes noise, then all I'd have to do is run the wire through the relay, right? (dunno the specs on the relay, but I'd imagine it'd handle something that small....).

And all I'm looking for at this point is just the notification...the whole "why do you want me" part can be implemented with some simple CQC IV 'isms I think.

That's a great solution 123....I'll try it on my thin client tonight to see if that functionality is enabled. How *do* I enable the message service, btw? Is that just under Manage->Services?

That's a very nice offer, Zac...but unless it's built into something I have and I don't know it, then I don't have any X10 capability. I have an Ocelot, secu16, zeebox, datanab, ALC...and I think that's about it.