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Hello,
I'm wondering what people have found to be the best way to setup the interface for choosing media and locations to play media on.
Obviously this is personal preference, but i am curious as to what people have found works the best.
What i mean is basically the order of designating what device to play, lets say, a movie on.
Is it more convenient to first tell cqc what room you're in and then select a movie to watch? Alternatively, one could look at all the movies and the send one to a device.
Is there a good way for these two options to co-exist?
Add to this the fact that sometimes i just want to select a movie from riva and have it play instantly, while other times there's a group of us that want to look at all the movies on screen, and the options start piling on.
So, in a nutshell, what have people found as the most intuitive way (Waf) of setting up the interface?
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I have implemented it several ways and currently like the "choose your room" method. Prior I used the choose your device method followed by choose your room. I find that selecting the room first results in less screen presses to get the task completed. The minimum number of presses required to complete a task it what it is all about. The room method also seems to be easier for a user who is not familiar with the system.
Thanks,
Dave Bruner
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personally, my favorite is to not even ask what room, just automatically know what room...
but Dean keeps slipping on his Psychic Interface Driver release... (due to unforeseen circumstances? maybe?:tounge ), so other than GPS or something I am not quite sure how to do this... yet?
but less button presses is always the end goal...
NOTE: As one wise professional something once stated, I am ignorant & childish, with a mindset comparable to 9/11 troofers and wackjob conspiracy theorists. so don't take anything I say as advice...
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SomeWhatLost Wrote:personally, my favorite is to not even ask what room, just automatically know what room...
but Dean keeps slipping on his Psychic Interface Driver release... (due to unforeseen circumstances? maybe?:tounge ), so other than GPS or something I am not quite sure how to do this... yet?
but less button presses is always the end goal...
Great point - I have implemented several interfaces this way but only have accomplished this when there is a mounted screen in each zone. Each screens primary zone is where the screen is mounted. Bedroom1 screen controls bedroom1 and so on but still has access to other zones. This applies to Audio, Video, Lighting, Climate, Shades and so on.
Thanks,
Dave Bruner
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I do this on a small scale (1-bedroom apartment, 2 people) with "presence logic" using motion sensors + logic server + variable driver + triggered events. not sure it would extend well to a larger installation though.
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Yeh, in some way you would have to either have an RFID system (that really works well) or a way for the user to select what room they want to control. The latter also has the benefit of allowing you to control any room from anywhre, not just the one you are in.
Dean Roddey
Explorans limites defectum
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I do all mine by room selection as well.
I have often thought it would be great to be able to get the IV to vhange automatically as you moved through the house, but as indicated, this is not an option yet.
Mick
Mykel Koblenz
Illawarra Smart Home
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Dean Roddey Wrote:Yeh, in some way you would have to either have an RFID system (that really works well) or a way for the user to select what room they want to control. The latter also has the benefit of allowing you to control any room from anywhre, not just the one you are in.
I think linuxMCE (pluto) does this with bluetooth. Various bluetooth receivers are setup and the strength is measured to determine the room. It's how they know where to resume playing on their 'follow-me-tv'.
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Every computer on my system defaults to a particular location and the device set for that location is already set. You can then change the to any other location and/or device. Some devices change the matrix switch, others don't (i.e. bringing up the video repo does not change what is currently showing on any location until you start a movie but switching cable boxes is instant). This works extremely well for the waf and children. Additionally, the IR remotes only control the locations in which they're located. The remotes are all the same but they work in any location and function exactly the same. The USB-UIRT receiving their commands is what decides what you're doing (there's no reason for a remote in the living room to change anything in the master bedroom). I know IVB is using RF remotes and that complicates things. In that case, each room should have a different selection on the remote even if the buttons end up being the same.
One problem with doing the bluetooth game is for those utilizing a bluetooth interface on their phones to release them from the lease on their hip. When I get home, my cell phone comes off and stays off until I leave. The bluetooth enables it to ring in appropriate places in the house without having to worry about it. You can not have your phone linked to two things at any one time.
Russ...
