Premise Missing properties in Scenes in Builder

[samgreco]

So I am creating some scenes that include media and I have nothing but Content for each media object. The should be adjustments for Volume, etc. I have tried to go to Set Property Order, but no other properties exist.

I feel like I'm forgetting something simple. Wasn't there an advanced editing mode in Builder? Can't remember how to turn it on. Is that what I am missing?

 

[samgreco]

"Expert Mode" is not the answer

 

[chucklyons]

If I am following you, you are trying to create a scene, with some media, and trying to have a volume setting. Forgive me if I point out an obvious...the volume should be on the 'player' object, not the content? I have default volumes set (especially on the outside..Premise is perfect, but sometimes....) for zones, but I can't think of how you might do it on content....

 

[samgreco]

I think you're following

The attached images should help.

 

[samgreco]

Second Image here:

 

[123]

Here's what I've learned:

• I have a MediaZone that uses ComputerAudio to render the sound. If I include this MediaZone in a Scene, it does not display an "Audio" property.
• I created a new MediaZone and added a Receiver. If I include this MediaZone in a Scene, it displays an "Audio" property.

I believe the Audio property will appear in a Scene if the MediaZone contains a suitable AV object. I don't know which objects qualify as "suitable" but ComputerAudio doesn't seem to be one of them.

Another thing I discovered is that objects added to a Scene are static and not dynamic. In other words, it a standalone copy and not a live link.
For example:

1. Create Home/MediaZone then add it to a Scene. The Scene does not contain an Audio property.
2. Now modify Home/MediaZone by adding a Receiver. You'd expect to see the Audio property appear in the Scene but it won't because the Scene contains a static copy of the original Home/MediaZone.
3. Delete the MediaZone from the Scene and then add it again. Now the Audio property will be visible in the Scene.

 

[samgreco]

But I do use a Xantech ZPR-68 Matrix switcher/preamp. It has suitable controls. So I would think that the audio controls should appear.

To be clear, I have computer audio going into the Xantech, but all controls for the media zone are indeed the Xantech's controls.

 

[samgreco]

Also, one of my zones has a receiver on one of the outputs of the Xantech's zone 1. I dragged that zone into the scene and still did not have audio controls.

 

[123]

It's the MediaZone's generic AV objects (like Switcher, Receiver, TV, etc) that determine which properties will appear in the Scene. The Xantech driver gets bound to a generic AV object and is too far down the chain to have any influence.

Whatever governs the way this works is very particular about which generic AV object will cause the Audio property to be displayed in a Scene. For example, make a MediaZone containing a MatrixSwitcherZone object. Add it to a Scene and there'll be an Audio property. Try the same thing with a Switcher object and there won't be an Audio property.

 

[samgreco]

Unless I misunderstand you, which is VERY possible, I am not figuring this out.

I created a new test zone. It consists of only a generic receiver, with a generic cd player connected and of course, it's own tuner. I created a radio station for the tuner. That's it. I then dragged that zone into the scene and get nothing.

So I am beginning to think I am just not understanding this whole thing. It's strange. I have a scene with zones using group manager, it works as expected. Everything plays, I just can't pick a preset volume level. Whatever the last level was is what it p[lays at.

 

[chucklyons]

I created a zone, as you described - generic zone (New->Audio-Video->Media Zone), added a receiver and a cd player. Not bound to anything. I then added the zone manually (no drag and drop); it doesn't provide a volume setting. I then dragged and dropped the Media Zone from the palette. The Media Zone does not have a volume setting. If you look at the Media Zone, you'll see it has a ' + '. Selecting that will display the receiver and the cd player. The receiver will have a volume setting; the cd player won't.

Now, add a MatrixSwitcherZone to your mediazone. Bind it to an output of the ZPR68-10 (I also use that). Now go to Scenes, drag and drop your test mediazone. You should now see: MediaZone (without volume); MatrixSwitcherZone (with volume); Receiver (with volume); cd player (without volume).

Scenes (at least for me), took me a bit to get my head around....

 

[samgreco]

Thank you Chuck and 123! That was NOT intuitive at all I had never added a MatrixSwitcherZone anywhere in Premise. This is the only time it's come up as an issue.

So I still don't entirely have my head wrapped around this concept, but I'm a lot closer and it is now working as expected.

 

[samgreco]

So here's one for you...

When I add zones to a scene, everything seems to work as expected, except that only the last zone unmutes itself. All the zones play the playlist, but only the last one in the list makes noise. I can move them around the list, and whichever is on the bottom works. The ones moved up the list are always muted.

Ugh

 

[123]

... All the zones play the playlist, but only the last one in the list makes noise ... whichever is on the bottom works.

Well, that's ugly. I don't understand why it does that. The only thing I can offer is to experiment with "SetPropertyOrder" ... that's the icon in Builder that's labeled "123". If all properties are selected (as they are in the attached image) and the scene is played, Premise will execute each property in the listed order.

Referring to the image, it will set the PowerState, then adjust the Volume, followed by Mute, then Base, Treble, etc. You can rearrange them in whatever order you need although moving any property ahead of PowerState would be a mistake (i.e. the first step is to turn the device on). You can also de-select a property so that Premise doesn't bother executing it. If you de-select Bass, Premise won't bother transmitting a command to set the Bass level.

Try de-selecting Mute and see if that does any good.

 

[samgreco]

You are STILL the Man!

I had tried messing with the priority order before I had added the MatrixSwitcherZone and had virtually no choices. But once I tried it with the MSZ added, I was able to see all of my choices. It was just a matter of setting source choice, mute and volume to the right order.

Thanks again.