Thread: My hardware/Software computer control system - Wish list/feedback - Easy power off

Hurm, interesting idea on the LAN, however it doesn't quite seem right. I'm not sure exactly why, I'll have to sleep on it.

The way I was thinking of powering on, since my box has a soft "power" switch, I was just going to run a relay system that 1) sets the relay to on, then 2) when power is current in the IDE power lines switches off. This would mock your finger "pressing" the power button. Others with a hard on/off could just relay it to a remote on line from the radio.

One thing that has slipped my mind in respects to power is, does a DC/AC inverter use any power if what's plugged up to it is off? If it does, I'll have to relay that as well and run it off my lights. They stay on for a few minutes after the doors are closed.

As for the mute, I think I'm going to use the buttons on the controler for "function" selectors. This will allow me to build in more commands that the up/down/left/right keys can use.

IE;
* Press button 1 (Windows Control Functions)
* Press left/right - volume up/down
* Press down - mute
* Press up - shutdown?

* Press button 2 (Winamp Comtrol Functions)
* Press left/right - prior/next song
* Press up/down - prior/next playlist

This leaves buttons 3 and 4 open, so I can build in 8 commands into these as well, giving 16 commands in total that can be controled via a standard game pad.

Thoughts?
Scott--

Go to winamp site and search on the plugins section for "joystick" and "gamepad". You will find at least 4 joystick plugins that work rather well.
I was planing a similiar control with at least the basic buttons like:
- Play/pause
- Next Track
- Prev Track
- 5sec. foward
- 5sec. back
- adv. 5 songs on playlist
- back 5 songs on playlist
- volume control up/down/mute

I have tried once with a plugin 4 winamp(i don´t remember the name) and i had almost all this controls available.

With the joystick interface you can have 12 diferent buttons for control and it´s easy to build.
I don´t think any of this programs do shutdown.

[ 08-06-2001: Message edited by: mpt ]

DarkWolf you are in for it now Notice how the scope is changing.

A thought just occurred to me. Many systems, these days, have network cards with Wake On Lan capabilities, which means that the network card is always
drawing limited juice, and powers the machine on when it receives certain commands to do so.

Why not just hook up a relay to the ACC line that will cut ur box on/off and call it a day. No need trying to make the setup too complicated. You do realize.

Word of advice DarkWolf. Try not to create this app just for mp3, try expanding it to other stuff like DVD,DVIX, file system....

Boy did I open a can of worms with the shutoff thing.. Really I have to think about it, mean, does the AC inverter use power even though the comp is off? Or is it also wise to cut power to it?

Otherwise, program is coming alog pretty good. So far I have 3 functions planned out, being MP3, Playlist, CD Player... I DO want to build in more for other formats as well, such as DVD is a big one. But how can I control the DVD player software via M.Car (program name)..

Divx will not be much of a problem as I can control avi playback direct from the app, and possibly even have multi parts play through without stopping.

So at this second I'm left with this. Are there API's out there for popular DVD programs?

Scott--

Hurm, starting to lean away from the in software shutdown feature. Have so many things I'm finding out I can do, seems foolish to spend time on something no one wants..

Now then, what I want is an idea of what file formats everyone uses, no matter how uncommen. Be it JPG image viewing to DVD, which is planned. Let me know..

What's going in now? Well this is in the works;

* MP3 Winamp control w/Playlist managment (Albums)
* Normal CD playback within program
* DVD Playback within program
* AVI/MPG Playback within program
* Divx is possible, it's an AVI after all, right?

So what I'm wondering is what all functions are used in Carputer installs. Be it as simple as a JPG image, or to a DVD player which is in the works. Let me know what you think would be kewl to add.

I should have an Alpha done by the end of the month. I know, long time, it'd take me a week normally, but I do have other work I must do.

Scott--

Hmmm, not sure what I'm looking for on this site.. Hardware wise though I was thinking a standard game pad that you can buy at K-Mart or something dirt cheap. This way it would be easy to modify for newbies and no so technically inclined people, and very inexpencive..

Scott--

c1: Power Off - Must have ATX MB/PS in order for the computer to power down

<--AT

[ 08-13-2001: Message edited by: Carlos C ]

im in the same boat as carlos and we have simlar designes in or systems...i am a newbie POWER person.. i dont understand why you cant have an IR remote that can be programmed to do anything yu want on windows including a shut down botton that that does it auotmaticly... and if waiting the 10 sec is too long just get one of those things UPS used to tell the computer to shut down when power is cut.. i prob dont know what im tlking about but this is what im basicly doing on my system