I am in the early stages of setting up my Vera and SQ Blaster system and have to say that I am very impressed so far. Using the SQBlaster Device, The SQ Remote app and my Vera, I have a slick ipad remote interface to control all my AV equipment and Vera scenes with one touch on my ipad. My friends love it when the lights go up after you hit pause and dim again when you hit play–very cool.
One of the next steps on my system will be to add whole house audio and hopefully control of it without spending a fortune. I’ve had good luck with Home Theater Direct Products and am looking at their 6 zone controller as the brains of the system MC-66-Multi-Zone-Controller. It can be found at the home theater direct web site with specs and owner’s manual.
The system is designed to be controlled by keypads in each zone connected via ethernet. However, it also has an RS232 port and an interface file. I have not messed around much with RS232, but have read that you can control all the functions of the device if all the pieces are in place.
Micasaverde also talks about the LuaUPnP implementation on the wiki and touches on adding RS232 device control–how hard/technical is this to do?
Again, I am just getting into this, but can tell it will be quite the hobby. What I would like to do in an ideal world would be to be able to control the functions of the audio controller via my vera device and the RS232 port. I’d like to be able to use my SQRemote app to develop an interface for the controls such as selecting the zone/room, source and volume. These are all controls available on the keypads, but I’d rather not buy a bunch of keypads and then run ethernet everywhere.
Sorry if this was long-winded I am eager to hear thoughts on this possible application of Vera control. Thank you for your input in advance.
If you’re used to scripting languages, then it’s fairly simple to do “basic” control of AV Gear. There are a bunch of example AV Plugins over on: http://code.mios.com
where you can browse the source online and get a sense for how they work. Most are fairly simple, in that they’re controlling one Physical device, that in turn really only implements one Logical device. The lads working on the Denon were working on Multi-Zone support, which I think you’d need for your Multi-room/channel device, but you can add it later relatively easily.
Once you do that, and you implement the MiOS-specific UPnP interfaces, they’ll show up in SQRemote. These interfaces include actions for things like VolumeUp/Down, ChannelUp/Down, and a zillion more (see examples in the various Plugins in the AV Category on code.mios.com)
Usually the hard part is getting the API clearly documented by the manufacturer…
Not sure about interface for system you are proposing, but I have my set up using Aton DLA4 controller, which has an IR interface that i use SQ Blaster to control allowing me to control not only On/Off for each zone, but also the volume of each Zone from my iPhone/iPad. You can also create sound scenes using SQ Remote as well, although I have not done this yet. The IR file for the Aton system is already available for SQ Blaster so set up and sue was easy.
Have you scoped out the ChannelPlus MDS-6A?
Depending on how you plan to do your install, each room can be controlled via it’s own keypad (connected via cat-5) giving you six independent zones of source and volume + one master keypad (I’m not sure about the 7th keypad on the newer units, my unit is 10 yrs old and allows it)
You could control the master keypad (or one of the 6) via IR which would override the individual room controls and select a single source for all zones and control the volume of those zones too.
All,
The MCA-66 can choose between 6-sources and route them into 6 zones, with each zone selecting the source it wants to hear. The SQ Blaster Pro can command a whole room full of audio gear to provide the 6 sources. I can also see how a USB-RS-232 converter could drive the MCA-66 from Vera. However this solution still is limited by the six zones and having to run speaker wires from the Multi-Zone Audio Controller to the speakers in each zone. Also, each zone requires a keypad and wire from it back to the MCA-66. I really want to avoid having to fish lots of speaker and keypad wiring through the wall.
Consider a completely different model where the audio distribution is wireless. Zwave can replace all of that keypad wiring. I think that Wi-Fi is broadband enough in a wireless LAN (or wired LAN) to carry audio streams as needed to a DLNA rendering boxes (Roku?) connected to a stereo amplifier in each zone and then to the speakers. Could Vera control several of these streaming boxes as part of selecting scenes (source and volume)? Could a DLNA media server like a PS3 take the input in the media room from local sources such as a CD player, a TV, an FM tuner and stream them into the wireless network? Can this whole scheme be leveraged to include video sources? Would this reduce the amount of wire I have to fish into my walls?
This is some really great feedback! I think my ideal system would be something akin to the Sonos system type interface only without an amp in each room and bookshelf speakers. Before we insulated, I ran speaker wire in order to have in ceiling speakers. I want the AV gear away in a closet.
After reading the replies, I am thinking something of a hybrid system. If I can turn off and on zones and volume via vera and/or sqremote, I could possibly control audio source and selection directly via an ipad.
I am going to take the long weekend and research each of your suggestions in detail.
Just completed home theater set up with Vera and Sqblaster/remote. One tap powers up system (projector, screen, AV gear), turns on lights and sets interfaces. A second tap closes the DVD drawer and dims the lights.
Triangle Dave,
I have not yet started down the path of adding audio and video to my automated house. So I’m still fighting with the question Distributed audio or centralized audio?
To add on to the distributed audio information pile:
The Sony SMP-N100s and SMP-N200s can connect to composite video, component video, and HDMI and cost $49 and $99 respectively.
A company here in the Seattle area has an interesting product: A Lagotek HIP-25 mini media hub. http://www.lagotek.com/products.aspx?product=1
It looks like it includes hardware for audio streaming and an IR blaster for controlling the amp or receiving commands from an IR remote.
Yes, one of the trade-offs is that you need to figure out where to put a small amp and bookshelf speakers. And, there is the issue of controlling the TV, amplifier and the streaming device with and IR Blaster. I’m not sure I want all that in every zone either.
In a centralized audio play, will the SQ Blaster Pro work inside of an audio/video cabinet? Does it only send or send and receive?
The sqblaster is made to work outside of a cabinet and blast in, however, it does have one IR 3.5mm cable port that I use with a couple of 3.5mm splitters and mutli-head IR emitters. My Blaster is tucked away in the cabinet. The blaster receives wifi from the sqremote app for ipod touch or ipad and blasts IR. The set up works very well for pretty much any IR device and is fully programable for multi-macro set up. The squremote app finds Vera pretty easily on your home network. Enter your vera access info and you are up and running. The sqremote app can see and initiate vera controls and scenes. Create a scene to dim lights to 20% and have that scene be part of a macro that runs when you hit play on the DVD.
The Sony devices you mentioned sound similar to the Popcorn Hour media players. I will be getting a Popcorn Hour media player primarily because of the movie jukebox functionality/interface. I believe there are some audio jukebox apps for the Popcorn Hour as well, so that might be my primary audio source too.
I don’t know how long they’ve had this device, but hometheaterdirect has an HTDNET-MC that creates a virtual keypad for smartphone or ipad to control zones, select sources and adjust volume. This looks like it is 95% of the way there in terms of the set up I wanted and since the controller is a web page, I’ll likely be able to integrate it with sqremote. It looks like I’ll have two steps, one for zone selection and volume and the other for controlling the source device.
It is looking like I will be able to control zone on/off, volume and zone audio source through the virtual keypad app. I plan to connect to existing audio sources such as Satellite and home theater reciever for radio and may CD. I can control any of those devices through the sqremote system. The only thing that gets run to the different rooms is speaker wire (which I’ve already done). No need to buy and install a bunch of keypad controllers. Not as slick as some of the controllers for the Nuvo system or the Sonos system, but also significantly less money.
At least for now, I won’t have to figure out rs-232 control through Vera if the virtual keypad works as advertised. Though I am sure I will eventually move beyond noob status with the techier parts as my hobby evolves.
My basic goal is to figure out how to have most of the high end home automation features without the high end price. Control4 wanted $8000 for home theater automation and control of a couple of lights. I was able to duplicate pretty much all the functions and features for a little over a $1200 and that includes the cost of my ipad.
I’ll keep folks posted as my project evolves.
FYI-The Sqblaster folks say that a model designed for in-cabinet use is in the works.
I am currently using a hybrid solution involving my multi-zone controller and a sonos connected as a source. The only thing I do not have integrated is the ability to switch the different rooms on or off from an iPad / iPhone. Once the Zones are turned on and the source is selected as Sonos I can control everything from the iPad / iPhone including volume.
My next step is to RS232 into the multi-zone controller and tinker with some simple commands. Athough my “next step” has taken me over a year to get back around to thinking about it.
I think at this point I am leaning towards an MCA-66. On the HTD website, it looks like they now have a web based virtual keypad that you can add on. With this, you don’t have to buy keypads and you don’t have to run the wires. I’ll probably use sqremote and make a web frame control panel so that I can access the audio control keypad from within the sqremote environment which also gives me access to Vera controls and scenes.
Sadly, I am probably a few months out on the MCA-66 purchase with the other projects I have in he works.
I’d love to hear more about the wireless and hybrid ideas. Maybe something with the 12 channel amp controlled by something else, hmm?
[quote=“kgrr, post:6, topic:169563”]All,
The MCA-66 can choose between 6-sources and route them into 6 zones, with each zone selecting the source it wants to hear. The SQ Blaster Pro can command a whole room full of audio gear to provide the 6 sources. I can also see how a USB-RS-232 converter could drive the MCA-66 from Vera. However this solution still is limited by the six zones and having to run speaker wires from the Multi-Zone Audio Controller to the speakers in each zone. Also, each zone requires a keypad and wire from it back to the MCA-66. I really want to avoid having to fish lots of speaker and keypad wiring through the wall.
Consider a completely different model where the audio distribution is wireless. Zwave can replace all of that keypad wiring. I think that Wi-Fi is broadband enough in a wireless LAN (or wired LAN) to carry audio streams as needed to a DLNA rendering boxes (Roku?) connected to a stereo amplifier in each zone and then to the speakers. Could Vera control several of these streaming boxes as part of selecting scenes (source and volume)? Could a DLNA media server like a PS3 take the input in the media room from local sources such as a CD player, a TV, an FM tuner and stream them into the wireless network? Can this whole scheme be leveraged to include video sources? Would this reduce the amount of wire I have to fish into my walls?
I bought the HTD MCA-66 and HTDNET-MC controller because of this thread.
Does anyone know how to craft a url that I can pass commands with via a button on SQ Remote?
I can see that the keypad page on the controller is using ‘application/x-www-form-urlencoded’ to send the commands. I can’t figure out how to add the form data as a string to the url. I’m new to all of this.
According to the HTDNET-MC’s User manual, you can run a URL like:
http://ipAddress/keypad.html
where ipAddress is the actual IP Address of the HTDNET-MC device.
This will give you some sort of limited HTML Based UI, you could then try a WebView in SQRemote to “embed” this as a starter UI until you’ve had time to decode how it works, or get an API from the manufacturer so you can write a plugin.
Looking at the HTD website it seems like their HTDNET-MC package is basically a rebranded Lantronix UDS1100 ethernet to serial device with some custom firmware. Incidentally, Lantronix seems to make really good hardware so that is probably a good thing. The UDS1100 also retails for about the same price as the HTDNET-MC.
Anyway, the point is there is a serial protocol for the MCA-66 that might be easier to deal with than the html UI. It might be possible to interact with that directly through the HTDNET-MC.
I’ve been talking to Mike Smoot over at Home Theater Direct about the serial interface to the CA66. He informed me that he could send me the information necessary to write the interface between an appropriate RS232 device and the CA66. He said there are several others, to which he has sent this information, who are very excited about their successful RS-232 control of the CA66.
Unfortunately, my non-existent programming skills may be a hindrance to my coding anything functional but I am happy to pass this information along to any interested parties.
Mike also offered the contact information of the person who wrote the HTDNET-MC interface should interested parties want to hire that person to write an interface. This person is obviously very familiar with the CA-66 but is likely not writing for the betterment of the community (read $$$).
I am very keen on an integrated RS-232 solution for my 2 planned CA-66s across 12 zones. If someone more skilled than me doesn’t have the bandwidth to the code out, I may try to fumble my way through it with some help on the forums.
Triangle Dave - go with HTD - you won’t be disappointed! The Crestron boys wanted $22, :o :o :o for a pretty limited setup… and that didn’t even include the cost of speakers! Gimmie a break! If I ever wanted to add a new controllable switch to the system, they’d have to come out to install it and charge me an hour of programming time to integrate it ::). I told them they were out of their minds.
So, I recently completed installing HTD’s advanced 6 zone system and in-ceiling speakers in my house, and I’m very impressed. Now I’ve started playing with Vera, Z-wave lighting controls, and SQ Remote. I’ve got a couple of refurb iPad 2’s are on the way, and the RS-232 for the advanced HTD system is supposed to ship sometime this month, as is the new SQ Blaster, so my complete automation package is on hold until they arrive.
I was just planning on using a WebView in SQ Remote to control the HTD system as Guessed suggested. That’s how I control the Squeezebox Touch, which I use to get internet radio and the MP3’s from my PC piped into the HTD system. If there was a way to control it with a “cleaner” interface on the SQ Remote, I’d be very interested. I’m just getting started with Vera, and I have zero knowledge of LUUP, but I have programmed in VB. I’m happy to offer my limited skill set in programming or I’ll beta test someone else’s code with my system once I’ve got the RS-232 interface from HTD.
I forgot that I had already received the RS232 commands from HTD for the Lync-6 and Lync-12 systems back in December. If anyone is interested in taking a look at them, let me know.
