HowTo: build a multi-zone A/V architecture

[penngray]

.........to be continued

[penngray]

hehe, I have no idea


Someone want to help me out here.

first what is the best way to display my templates here?

[jkmonroe]

define multizone a/v architecture. are you talking about multi-zone mp3's, a hard source like XM, using a matrix video switcher, etc?

[penngray]

The idea behind this is to create a fundamental architecure so I can understand how to build the templates for it.

my example is the following...

6 zones, each zone has the ability to play XM, DVDs, Music (MP3s) in those zones. Autopatch is my switch.


How do I design the templates.

ie...

global variables pass from template to template. eg... Zone, playing currently and any other variable I dont know about.

popups vs overlays for source selection.

General design philosophy would be good.....example. When I click on a zone what should be displayed? What is currently playing?

I know this could be too broad and maybe its impossible to have a howto but for me its good to just type things while I try to sort through my own messy thoughts.

My head hurts

[jkmonroe]

Well ... thats an awful lot. Check out this link to my 2.0 thread to get some ideas how to do this:

http://www.charmedquark.com/vb_forum/sho...php?t=2875

I will make my templates available so you can download them to see how it works. The basic premise is that my audio sources are independent of my video sources so I can watch TV while listening to a different music source. Comes in handy when playing Nintendo. :-D

[penngray]

here is my main template (thanks Johnnynine for the graphics ideas).





I click on AV and the following overlay is inserted into the middle of the main template.




That is about it for my multi-zone A/V design..Im kind of stuck on figuring out what a great design will be.

[IVB]

multizone control is the hardest & most personal thing in screen design - what's easy to you is hard to others/etc.

did you check out my screenshots? I personally chose to have the same set of templates for all zones, whereas others prefer a custom set of screens per zone so you can automagically set stuff.


On the left-nav wrapper, when you press the current source button on that zone, a popup comes up asking what you want to listen to. A GVariable is set to the source# you select (ie, 3 for XM, to match the Xantech source#) and the screen it should load when selected. Upon return, I can now set the Xantech for that Zone to source 3 and load the right screen. Here's the commands on that button.

Code:

IntfViewer::InvokePopup(Popup_ChooseSource, 0)
   Devices::FieldWrite(sample-xantech.Z2Input, %(GVar:TargetSource))
   Main_Overlay::LoadOverlay(%(GVar:ScreenToLoad))

That code is for Z2, which is the kitchen zone. See below.

Same basic theory applies but in reverse if you press the CD button - now you know the source, but not the zone.






This is what comes up if you press the CD button.

[penngray]

The basic premise is that my audio sources are independent of my video sources so I can watch TV while listening to a different music source. Comes in handy when playing Nintendo.

Thats a great idea and kind of flexibility I want to have.

[penngray]

IVB, I use your templates all the time for reference (THANK YOU!! Your weather template got me up to speed quickly) but Im still not sure how they flow but that isnt that important because you are right its all about personal choice.

I am attempting to understand the "flow" of the process instead what is displayed. We will all want to see and click differently but underneath we all have the same variables etc. that we are changing and so on....or maybe not??

[penngray]

So in general terms here are my thoughts....


1. We click on A/V or something similar to get into the A/V overlay

2. The A/V for me doesnt show any details just buttons for zones on the left side and all sources on the right side, I think I might default the middle to show all zones and what source is currently used and what title is currently playing.

3. Click on any zone and several things should happen....

For me the global variable is set and I change all other button colors to Blue and the current button to Green

Code:

zone1_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
zone2_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Green)
zone3_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
zone4_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
zone5_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
zone6_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
zone7_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
allzones_button::SetNamedImage(Unpressed, \System\Buttons\Gel\Short Blue)
//
GlobalVars::SetVariable(GVar:Zone, 2)

I still dont have any thing displayed for that zone, I have to add what source is being used and what title is playing. I would assume these will be stored in variables that correspond to that Zone I just set.

We dont have access to array variables do we? that would be nice because I wouldnt have to great Zone1Source, Zone2Source, Zone3Source variables at all.....maybe there is an better way of doing this?