Using a mixer for HA

[hult]

Oh it's worse, I bought one of the MarcHult ones too

My concern about using the AP800 is:
1) I dunno if it actually works (as-is auction)
2) For the tiny amount of $$ that this is ($60 for the one I got, $25 for the MarcHult one) I'd rather keep 2 seperate systems until I get it all stable, then look into combining it.

#2 is actually the bigger issue - i've spent more time pissing around on things only to realize that the problems are inter-related and i'm stomping on my own feet. I'm sure I can sell off the stuff I don't use, I'm sure I can get most if not all of my $$ back (given how cheap this was).

Sounds way familiar ;-)

2-3 years ago I worked up a list of devices to give or lend to Dean Roddey for CQS driver development. The Ivie mixers were near the bottom of the list and never got sent to Dean although others did.

The ASCII command set to control them is simple enough, and the graphical user interface would be similar for any matrix mixer. So Dean might now have time to do it. I'd be glad to sent him a pair of 884PW's and compatible Ivie PW530 1/3-octave equalizer.

The 784PW is the same as a 884PW but without auto-mixing/gate and has fewer LEDs on the front panel. The current model, the 884+PW is identical to a 884PW but with an RS-232 interface also as well as RS-485. If I recall correctly, I was able to talk to the Ivies through both an 8-port Comtrol RS-232/422/485 and a $15 generic RS-232 -->RS-485 convereter. I'd send Dean the original equipment Ivie RS-232-->RS-485 converter.

Ditto if there is someone that wants to work up a HomeSeer plugin.

Right now I'm focusing on HomeSeer development to replace my aged Savoy CyberHouse system, but longer-term plan is to add in CQS for AV aspects.

Marc

 

[Helheim]

So what exactly does automatic matrix mixer mean compared to a manual one?

 

[IVB]

The ASCII command set to control them is simple enough, and the graphical user interface would be similar for any matrix mixer. So Dean might now have time to do it. I'd be glad to sent him a pair of 884PW's and compatible Ivie PW530 1/3-octave equalizer.

The 784PW is the same as a 884PW but without auto-mixing/gate and has fewer LEDs on the front panel. The current model, the 884+PW is identical to a 884PW but with an RS-232 interface also as well as RS-485. If I recall correctly, I was able to talk to the Ivies through both an 8-port Comtrol RS-232/422/485 and a $15 generic RS-232 -->RS-485 convereter. I'd send Dean the original equipment Ivie RS-232-->RS-485 converter.

Ditto if there is someone that wants to work up a HomeSeer plugin.

Right now I'm focusing on HomeSeer development to replace my aged Savoy CyberHouse system, but longer-term plan is to add in CQS for AV aspects.

Marc

Is the protocol the same between the 784 & 884? If it's simple enough, I might be able to take a crack at it via a PDL driver. I dunno CML though.

 

[hult]

So what exactly does automatic matrix mixer mean compared to a manual one?

The 884PW and 884+PW have four inputs that are typically connected to microphones and that intelligently select and auto-mix the signals. So in a conference room with (eg) four table mics, the mixer will listen to all four channels. When one speaker begins to talk, the gain on the other three inputs/mics is reduced such that the signal on the first-to-speak predominates. (I can think of some 'shouting-head' comentator talk-fests that could benefit from such an arrangement.)

In the home automation context, this allows for mics in different locations to be constantly sending a signal to the voice recognition engine. When one signal predominates, the others are reduced thereby improving recognition by effectively reducing the signal- to-noise ratio. There are a variety of different parameters that can be adjusted and different manufacturers claim superiority of their own algorithms/approaches. For example, one modality is the 'filibuster mode' in which once a input gets priority, it doesn't relinquish until it is quiet again. Some smart mixer can distinguish partially reject non-speech inputs, and so on. In theory one could do all this with a PC with multiple audio inputs, but using an automixer avoids the overhead that would be entailed on pc computing power.


http://www.bnoack.com/index.html?http&...ta/automix.html

Google "automatic microphone mixer " for much more.

... Marc

 

[hult]

[/quote]

Is the protocol the same between the 784 & 884? If it's simple enough, I might be able to take a crack at it via a PDL driver. I dunno CML though.
[/quote]

Yes, it is the same.

Here's the Ivie AudioNet programing manual:

http://www.ivie.com/pdf/anet.pdf

... Marc