upstatemike
Senior Member
Cool. With SAPI 5 you can switch voices programatically right? I can have Kate and Audry trade off?Steve said:
Time to Make a Decision
- Thread starter upstatemike
- Start date
Dean Roddey
Senior Member
That is my understanding. The CQC driver is talking to SlimServer, not replacing it. It just tells it to play this or that collection of media files and pushes the associated metadata to it, and I assume it then pushes that information out to the appropriate player.
Dean Roddey
Senior Member
You could, though I'm not sure if the overhead is worth the pizzaz in that case. There's a fair amount of overhead associated with these high quality voices, and switching voices probably flushes out a lot of cached info, forcing it all to be reloaded for the new voice. Flipping back and forth would likely be the worst case scenario.
upstatemike
Senior Member
That would be very cool... What happens when you use the standard Slimserver interface (remote control or web page)? Would it operate normally using the CQC repository or would I also need to maintain a repository on the Slimserver box for that scenario?Dean Roddey said:
upstatemike
Senior Member
I suppose I could create wav files using different voices for fixed announcements that don't contain dynamic information. That should get around the overhead issue.Dean Roddey said:
You would need to have SlimServer scan the CQC media repository location so that you could also browse the entire collection via the Squeezebox remote and web page. However, even if you don't do that, when you play an album from CQC it will automatically get added to the SlimServer database anyway.upstatemike said:
As Dean said, the driver is talking to Slimserver through the provided CLI and is sending commands and reading the status information so it simply enhances the experience by allowing the Squeezebox to be a media renderer for CQC.
I'm running 2 SqueezeBox devices and a Softsqueeze instance right now and I use them both from the remote and from CQC. Other people are using the driver and the XM Radio Slimserver plugin with CQC too.
Here is an example with using it from CQC to stream DI.FM stations:
upstatemike
Senior Member
This is pretty cool! I don't use XM Radio but I listen to Internet radio stations from "SlimDevices Picks" a lot. Otherwise I listen to playlists created in SlimServer. (rarely listen by album or artist).
I could see some advantage to making a custom menu to control this from a screen in the kitchen for example. How hard would it be to make buttons to add or remove players from a synch group?
In other words have a menu to select a playlist or Internet radio station and then select which players should be included in playing it (similiar to selecting zones in a multi-zone audio system)?
I could see some advantage to making a custom menu to control this from a screen in the kitchen for example. How hard would it be to make buttons to add or remove players from a synch group?
In other words have a menu to select a playlist or Internet radio station and then select which players should be included in playing it (similiar to selecting zones in a multi-zone audio system)?
upstatemike
Senior Member
The final tally...
After sifting through all the input it looks like it comes down to 2 primary options:
Option 1- Stargate/Caddx + Homeseer + Homerunner OR MainLobby + 4X 7" tabletop screens like Samsung Q1 or similiar.
Option 2- Elk M1 + CQC + 4X TS07 screens OR Samsung Q1 screens.
Touch screens would be pretty much the same with either option. If I go the Elk route and use the TS07, I get the cool PTZ implementation on the touch screen. I don't know if either Homerunner, ML, or CQC can handle Panasonic IP cameras as cleanly as that so I have to give 1 point to option 2.
Both Homeseer Phone and Stargate have extensive phone capabilities including phone based VR using the way2call modem. The M1 can do some basic touch tone triggering that CQC can take advantage of but unless there is an upcoming Elk interface to HAL it looks like this point goes to option 1.
Homeseer can do some basic Slimserver control using xPLsend from the command line. CQC on the other hand has a very cool Slimserver plugin that would make it a breeze to run Squeezebox players from a touchscreen. This point belongs to option 2.
Homeseer can interface with my RainWise weather stations through a VWS plugin. CQC does not support VWS option 1 gets the point.
CQC includes plugins to retrieve weather forecasts and other nifty stuff. Homeseer or MainLobby can all the same stuff but there will be a lot of incremental plugin costs. point to option 2.
I included the cost of the way2call in the base price of the Homeseer to put it on par with CQC. (Both start at $500) I am ignoring costs that are the same on both sides such as touch screens, wireless security stuff, etc. I have already dinged option 1 for incremental software costs. That leaves the differences in hardware costs. Option 1 leverages my existing Stargate/Caddx hardware while option 2 replaces the existing stuff with $1500 or more in Elk hardware. This is a point in favor of option 1.
Th final score is tied at 3 to 3 which doesn't help me much. Option 1 has the advantage of time because once the price of CQC goes up option 1 will win by default. I would rather make a choice based on the best solution than on a missed deadline so if there are any final thoughts to help tip the balance I would love to hear them.
After sifting through all the input it looks like it comes down to 2 primary options:
Option 1- Stargate/Caddx + Homeseer + Homerunner OR MainLobby + 4X 7" tabletop screens like Samsung Q1 or similiar.
Option 2- Elk M1 + CQC + 4X TS07 screens OR Samsung Q1 screens.
Touch screens would be pretty much the same with either option. If I go the Elk route and use the TS07, I get the cool PTZ implementation on the touch screen. I don't know if either Homerunner, ML, or CQC can handle Panasonic IP cameras as cleanly as that so I have to give 1 point to option 2.
Both Homeseer Phone and Stargate have extensive phone capabilities including phone based VR using the way2call modem. The M1 can do some basic touch tone triggering that CQC can take advantage of but unless there is an upcoming Elk interface to HAL it looks like this point goes to option 1.
Homeseer can do some basic Slimserver control using xPLsend from the command line. CQC on the other hand has a very cool Slimserver plugin that would make it a breeze to run Squeezebox players from a touchscreen. This point belongs to option 2.
Homeseer can interface with my RainWise weather stations through a VWS plugin. CQC does not support VWS option 1 gets the point.
CQC includes plugins to retrieve weather forecasts and other nifty stuff. Homeseer or MainLobby can all the same stuff but there will be a lot of incremental plugin costs. point to option 2.
I included the cost of the way2call in the base price of the Homeseer to put it on par with CQC. (Both start at $500) I am ignoring costs that are the same on both sides such as touch screens, wireless security stuff, etc. I have already dinged option 1 for incremental software costs. That leaves the differences in hardware costs. Option 1 leverages my existing Stargate/Caddx hardware while option 2 replaces the existing stuff with $1500 or more in Elk hardware. This is a point in favor of option 1.
Th final score is tied at 3 to 3 which doesn't help me much. Option 1 has the advantage of time because once the price of CQC goes up option 1 will win by default. I would rather make a choice based on the best solution than on a missed deadline so if there are any final thoughts to help tip the balance I would love to hear them.
IVB
Senior Member
I'm still a big fan of all free drivers. Sure, you've got that collection of hardware today, but what'll you have tomorrow to replace that? Option 2 has a dozen or so driver writers all actively working on stuff that is already getting contributed to the master repository. V2.0 will have 30(35?) more drivers in it, many done by the "not dean or Mark" crowd. I find myself gravitating towards the slimserver because the developer just came up with some way to do XM Online stuff (providing you have an acct). Heck, that's how I got into HA the first place - there's no way I would have integrated HVAC/irrigation/etc, had the software bit not been free. I decided that if I found stuff on eBay cheap enough, I could always re-ebay it and get my $$ back, no harm no foul.
On that note, do you have the serial protocol doc for those rainwise weather stations? I know a pretty smart CQC guy who's written some drivers and is interesting in getting a weather station, if it's simple enough he might be able to bang it out pretty quickly. He'd have a vested interest since he's looking to do similar stuff.
On that note, do you have the serial protocol doc for those rainwise weather stations? I know a pretty smart CQC guy who's written some drivers and is interesting in getting a weather station, if it's simple enough he might be able to bang it out pretty quickly. He'd have a vested interest since he's looking to do similar stuff.
upstatemike
Senior Member
No need for the Serial protocol. The nice thing about VWS is that it does all the low level work and just writes the weather station data to a .csv file once per second. I even have a batch file someplace that will retrieve tha data and parse it out. You just need to put it someplace where it can be used.IVB said:
I guess it would mean creating CQC system variables for temp, humidity, etc and then just pull the data from the .csv file every few seconds and load it into the CQC variables.
CQC events could watch for a weather related variable to change value and then act on it. It really is that simple!
Dean Roddey
Senior Member
Not the most robust protocol of all time, but I guess it'll work. Can you tell it where to put the file? If so, you can output it into the CML file space and then it would be pretty simple to pull in the values and load them into driver fields periodically. You'd have to deal with file contention becuase you are bound to hit the file when it's locked. I don't think it would be necessary to try to read it at anywhere near once a second probably. Once ever 5 seconds would probably be fine.
in CQC-Speak you'd have a driver for the device and the data would get loaded up into driver fields. How many values are there?
Steve
Senior Member
Just a few additional thoughts and comments...
I am a fan of as few possible components to integrate as possible. In Option 1 you have the stargate/caddx/homeseer and homerunner(or ML), thats 4 separate piece to maintain/upgrade, etc. In option 2 you only have 2 - Elk and CQC. I would think in the long run it would be better to only have 2 manufacturers to deal with.
HAL *does* have a driver for the M1 but unfortunately I think it is still only serial. That means you could not use it if you will be using an M1XEP network adapter.
As much as I love Elk, I wanted to make sure you are aware of the limitation of IP cameras on the TS07. You can have 2 sizes - full screen or mini. The mini streams well and the video is smooth. But if you bring up the video full screen it is too intense for the TS07 and the video is choppy, something like 5 fps I think. Don't get me wrong, it all works very nicely, but if you are expecting very smooth 20-30fps video in the full 7" you will be disappointed.
And I also agree with IVB. I know its hard to decide on something based on promises or vaporware but I think there are enough talented CQC people now where someone would either volunteer (based on the need) for a small fee create a driver that does not exist. And now that ver 2.0 is essentially done, I think we will see many more drivers come direct from Dean. And because of the architecture, you are pretty well assured even a driver that is perhaps not optimal will not take down the whole enchilada which ultimate increases system reliability.
I think you also need to consider the current state and future of the products. While the Stargate seems like a very nice panel, what is the future of it? I never hear about new announcements or features for it. Whereas Elk seems to be cranking out new stuff all the time. Even a next gen panel (M2?) is in the works.
But I understand it is hard to throw away an existing investment and the acquired expertise, so I don't envy you and the decision.
I am a fan of as few possible components to integrate as possible. In Option 1 you have the stargate/caddx/homeseer and homerunner(or ML), thats 4 separate piece to maintain/upgrade, etc. In option 2 you only have 2 - Elk and CQC. I would think in the long run it would be better to only have 2 manufacturers to deal with.
HAL *does* have a driver for the M1 but unfortunately I think it is still only serial. That means you could not use it if you will be using an M1XEP network adapter.
As much as I love Elk, I wanted to make sure you are aware of the limitation of IP cameras on the TS07. You can have 2 sizes - full screen or mini. The mini streams well and the video is smooth. But if you bring up the video full screen it is too intense for the TS07 and the video is choppy, something like 5 fps I think. Don't get me wrong, it all works very nicely, but if you are expecting very smooth 20-30fps video in the full 7" you will be disappointed.
And I also agree with IVB. I know its hard to decide on something based on promises or vaporware but I think there are enough talented CQC people now where someone would either volunteer (based on the need) for a small fee create a driver that does not exist. And now that ver 2.0 is essentially done, I think we will see many more drivers come direct from Dean. And because of the architecture, you are pretty well assured even a driver that is perhaps not optimal will not take down the whole enchilada which ultimate increases system reliability.
I think you also need to consider the current state and future of the products. While the Stargate seems like a very nice panel, what is the future of it? I never hear about new announcements or features for it. Whereas Elk seems to be cranking out new stuff all the time. Even a next gen panel (M2?) is in the works.
But I understand it is hard to throw away an existing investment and the acquired expertise, so I don't envy you and the decision.
upstatemike
Senior Member
It is not just the existing investment but also the logistics and costs to cut over. HS lets me move gradually if I want to retire the Stargate. With CQC I have to purchase the software now and potentially do nothing with it until I can purchase and install enough Elk stuff to do a cutover event. Not saying I wouldn't do that... I just need to be real sure of my decision before making a commitment like that!Steve said:
