You can send a string of text to XBMC on the tv with Jason calls I think some developers send icons as well.
I cant find the lua code snippet unfortunately will be here somewhere on forums
Thanks all
For me the ideal solution is device agnostic, that way you could be watching anything on your TV from any source device connected to it and still receive alerts/notifications etc.
If anyone knows a SmartTV that supports HTTP notifications, that would be awesome.
The good thing about WMC, is you only need one source. It’s provides the following features:
- TV & DVR (including all pay channels with CableCard)
- Local Movies (using MediaBrowser 3 addon)
- Radio FM or XM (using Niveous plugin)
- Netflix
- Home Automation (Using mControl plugin)
- Music
- Pictures
- and using XBox One to pass through HDMI from Media Center, a Game Console (though I only see notifications when I’m in TV mode).
Also, with Windows Media Center HTPC + Media Browser 3 Server, you can access all your media from XBMC now too: http://mediabrowser3.com/community/index.php?/blog/1/entry-31-new-xbmb3c-video/
[quote=“cw-kid, post:10, topic:173472”]As I am using Windows Media Center HTPC’s connected to my TV’s, I can easily send msgbox popup’s. So if my porch motion sensor detects motion it tells me on the TV screen. Or if my foscam camera detects motion in the back garden, I have a message popup on the TV.
I guess this is much harder to achieve without having a HTPC sat under the TV.[/quote]
I am using WMC as DVR as well. How do you send the pop-ups?
I like the concept, but $170 for the mControl software? That seems high.
And does your WMC DVR still sleep, or would you have to keep it powered up? Right now my Ping Sensor with WOL shows my WMC DVR PC is sleeping. (For at least another 30 minutes until my wife’s soap starts…)
You don’t need mControl to send popups. For that, just use the base driver that mControl uses and have Vera send a request via LUUP:
http://vmccontroller.codeplex.com/
Forum Posts on Syntax:
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,6824.msg88568.html#msg88568
MControl lets me interact with Vera devices via the Remote Control interface. I also do have it set to fire audio alerts too (can’t do that with VMC Controller without changing the playing content) when certain vera devices or virtual switches status change. This allows me to run my bedtime scene, turn on or see the status of switches, view cameras, change thermostat etc all via the TV remote.
Also, my PC ('aka Central Media Server and whole home HDMI source) does run 24x7 in the garage…so no WOL. It’s also my camera server hub running iSPY, my uTorrent downloaded (Media Center Master program automates and processes everything automatically), displays camera feed when motion detection outside on motion sensor with camera coverage for 10 seconds, and speech to text server for announcements (Window X has been opened or Motion at front door).
Details on HW:
http://mediabrowser3.com/community/index.php?/topic/4115-ot-new-server-build-opinions/?p=64719
[quote=“AgileHumor, post:26, topic:173472”]Also, my PC ('aka Central Media Server and whole home HDMI source) does run 24x7 in the garage…so no WOL. It’s also my camera server hub running iSPY, my uTorrent downloaded (Media Center Master program automates and processes everything automatically), displays camera feed when motion detection outside on motion sensor with camera coverage for 10 seconds, and speech to text server for announcements (Window X has been opened or Motion at front door).
Details on HW:
http://mediabrowser3.com/community/index.php?/topic/4115-ot-new-server-build-opinions/?p=64719[/quote]
VERY impressive hardware. I am headed a somewhat different direction, as I am centralizing 24x7 operations on a Synology NAS (Surveillance Station, Movie Storage, PC Back-Up Images). So my Media Center PC is TV/Movie/Entertainment only, and sleeps when not in use, and home automation is not dependent on a PC. I will research mControl, but would really just want it to be WMC front-end for VERA, and hence be fairly light and allow PC to sleep when there is no user interaction and no active DVR recordings.
BTW, I am envious of your wiring project. I own a three-story townhome and am doing all the wiring myself on an as-needed basis, and it is a huge pain navigating wire into 16" crawlspaces. Have three new drywall holes just in the past two weeks to support outside surveillance cameras via Cat5…
[quote=“AgileHumor, post:26, topic:173472”]Details on HW:
http://mediabrowser3.com/community/index.php?/topic/4115-ot-new-server-build-opinions/?p=64719[/quote]
I enjoyed looking at your list and setup. But, I’m curious how you managed the heat in the garage.
During the summer, my garage would melt your average PC/server. I’m considering building a server “closet” in the garage, but the recirculation fan requirements for such a setup would still be problematic or prohibitively expensive.
@Z-Waver - Right now I have a vent above the rack. Half the garage has attic cover so I vent up to that. It’s also not too hot since my house only gets sun about 50% of the day as I live on the side of a canyon ridge. I’ll keep you posted, this will be my first full summer.
PS - I’m working on an Alpha WMC plugin. I am using Vera 100% for TTS now weaning myself away from mControl…and just need to get the media control working.
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,22854.msg154886.html#msg154886
my google tv has hdmi pass through and i can already overlay basic info like twitter feeds and email. Let me try and get back in a day or two
Thanks @bdvaux
The ideal model is to have a device that is not impacted by the source you are watching, so if the Google product you’re talking about has a HDMI passthrough (so it’s always at the front) then that sounds very promising.
This Kickstarter project looks promising: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2128859975/inair-the-worlds-1st-augmented-television
imagine integrating this with Vera alerts…
I am using a Raspberry Pi at each TV running XBMC, grabbing live and recorded TV from My comcast cable card through the HDHomeRun Prime, plus much more 
.
When my cameras pick up motion I have Vera send a command to my xbmc on the Raspberry Pi’s to popup the video feed for 10 seconds in the bottom right of the tv screen. My next project will be integrating control back to Vera from the tv.
I was also looking for something that went in between the line of the source and my tv but with the HDMI encryption I don’t think this will be a viable option. Even went out and bout a sony google tv box and it sucked, still need to out it in eBay.
[quote=“Chris H., post:33, topic:173472”]I am using a Raspberry Pi at each TV running XBMC, grabbing live and recorded TV from My comcast cable card through the HDHomeRun Prime, plus much more .
When my cameras pick up motion I have Vera send a command to my xbmc on the Raspberry Pi’s to popup the video feed for 10 seconds in the bottom right of the tv screen. My next project will be integrating control back to Vera from the tv.[/quote]
When using the cable card to XBMC method, what resolution are you able to acheive? Are you getting 1080p or are you being throttled to a lower resolution?
The connection between XBMC Pis and the HDHomeRun is wired or WiFi? If WiFi, how well does it work? Drops, buffering? Which streaming protocol are you using, DLNA or some other streamer? Max number of streams?
@Z-Waver - HDHomeRun doesn’t stream Cable Card (encrypted) channels. You need a Windows Media Center PC only which is the only PC device to support CableCard.
You can stream ClearQam/unencrypted channels currently
[quote=“AgileHumor, post:35, topic:173472”]@Z-Waver - HDHomeRun doesn’t stream Cable Card (encrypted) channels. You need a Windows Media Center PC only which is the only PC device to support CableCard.
You can stream ClearQam/unencrypted channels currently[/quote]
I believe the HomeRun Prime doesn’t have that limitation. I will more than likely be getting one of these units (or a similar cable card solution).
Sadly, it will not stream encrypted channels 
They don’t mention that specifically, but I can assure you it is.
ClearQam/Unencrypted only with DLNA. There is one provider whom I’m aware of that does allow streaming the CableCard channels…It’s FIOS (I can’t confirm). Every other cable provider does NOT mark it as (copy-freely). There may be small cable companies that also don’t do this, but Cox, Time Warner, and 99% most other major cable providers do. U-Verse is not cable, so it doesn’t have a digital cablecard connection.
When Cablecard Active - You only can pair with Windows Media Center to recieve all the channels.
Ref:
DVR applications
HDHomeRun PRIME supports streaming access-controlled copy-freely channels to other DVR applications including MythTV. These are channels that you subscribe to, are encrypted on the cable system (access-controlled), and do not impose restriction on use inside the home (copy-freely).
This is one of several “gotcha” limitations imposed by content providers and distributors that severely limit what I would like to do. Yet anther case of DRM impeding the paying consumer while having ZERO impact on piracy.
I would argue that it does in fact have an impact on piracy. Just not the one they want it to have. I’m sure there are people who are now “pirating” this content when if it was easier to obtain through normal channels, they wouldn’t.
As stated, the technology/hardware does in fact allow you to stream encrypted channels your cable card/subscription allows you to view. The restrictions are place by the local cable companies, so YMMV.
From the MythTV wiki:
“Some cable operators, such as Verizon FiOS and Comcast mark most channels Copy Freely. Others, such as Time Warner, mark most channels Copy Once. You should ask your cable company what CCI settings they set before purchasing a CableCARD tuner to understand which channels you will be able to view under Linux.”
I’ve used WMC in the past and will probably do so once I start rebuilding my media PCs since I believe it doesn’t need the Copy-freely flag set since it is DRM compliant. I could be wrong about this, but my preliminary research shows that users of Cablevision with HR Primes are able to receive all their subscription channels. Again, YMMV.