Housebot new user - Observations and some questions
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:22 am
Hi Everyone,
First post to this forum, and I think the first thing to say is how impressed I am with the product so far.
Came to Housebot through a requirement to control the Sonos music system installed in my car (Large MPV / Camper). Osler has developed a great solution for the Sonos, and I have really enjoyed working on this (especially the excellent graphics implementation). Top Man Osler.
My car system is based on the use of an encoder and soft switches. The switches change function dependent on the screen and the menu. I have previously used girder for all of the solution, but Housebot has dramatically simplified how the graphic front end controls and handles the soft-switch logic.
Question time...
I am still using Girder for the encoder control of the applications, and also emply a lot of logic / program state checking/housekeeping to keep the system working smoothly. I quickly got the Housebot>Gider 5 plugin working well, and have replaced all the menus/front end GUI with Housebot.
I'm now looking to get some status messages/commands back from girder into Housebot. I'm guessing this might be done using external control, but I've had no luck getting started with this. Has any done this who could share their wisdom??
Observations and suggestions
So far, so good with Housebot. As a user who doesn't use touch screens, I guess my requirements and experiences are a little different. I use the PC keyboard shortcuts within each screen of a remote theme.
What I would like to see is a few more "non-touchscreen" friendly options;
1) More control on the GUI graphics for when you scroll through the buttons using an encoder (which simulates the scroll of the mouse). Currently, each scroll affects a small yellow highlight around the control button. I would like to be able to configure this (as I did in Girders old HTMLOSD, using HTML), to make the scrolling options more visable (as you need in a car).
2) The ability for a keyboard shortcut to execute the "button down" graphics when buttons are pressed i.e. achieve the same same as a touchscreen button push.
3) A HID plugin for joysticks, keypads, encoders etc - I'm using the excellent U-HID usb interface for all my switches and encoders. Expensive but very configurable: http://www.u-hid.com
4) An expansion of the HID trigger options within the Software Remote Theme Pages, currently keyboard shortcuts with modifiers, but would like joypad buttons (they don't clash with application shortcuts!), and mouse scroll up/down.
Hopefully you understand the basis of my suggestions are an expansion of the interface for hardware buttons for a PC remote, and not just a PDA remote.
That's it for now, as I said; really enjoying the app so far.
First post to this forum, and I think the first thing to say is how impressed I am with the product so far.
Came to Housebot through a requirement to control the Sonos music system installed in my car (Large MPV / Camper). Osler has developed a great solution for the Sonos, and I have really enjoyed working on this (especially the excellent graphics implementation). Top Man Osler.
My car system is based on the use of an encoder and soft switches. The switches change function dependent on the screen and the menu. I have previously used girder for all of the solution, but Housebot has dramatically simplified how the graphic front end controls and handles the soft-switch logic.
Question time...
I am still using Girder for the encoder control of the applications, and also emply a lot of logic / program state checking/housekeeping to keep the system working smoothly. I quickly got the Housebot>Gider 5 plugin working well, and have replaced all the menus/front end GUI with Housebot.
I'm now looking to get some status messages/commands back from girder into Housebot. I'm guessing this might be done using external control, but I've had no luck getting started with this. Has any done this who could share their wisdom??
Observations and suggestions
So far, so good with Housebot. As a user who doesn't use touch screens, I guess my requirements and experiences are a little different. I use the PC keyboard shortcuts within each screen of a remote theme.
What I would like to see is a few more "non-touchscreen" friendly options;
1) More control on the GUI graphics for when you scroll through the buttons using an encoder (which simulates the scroll of the mouse). Currently, each scroll affects a small yellow highlight around the control button. I would like to be able to configure this (as I did in Girders old HTMLOSD, using HTML), to make the scrolling options more visable (as you need in a car).
2) The ability for a keyboard shortcut to execute the "button down" graphics when buttons are pressed i.e. achieve the same same as a touchscreen button push.
3) A HID plugin for joysticks, keypads, encoders etc - I'm using the excellent U-HID usb interface for all my switches and encoders. Expensive but very configurable: http://www.u-hid.com
4) An expansion of the HID trigger options within the Software Remote Theme Pages, currently keyboard shortcuts with modifiers, but would like joypad buttons (they don't clash with application shortcuts!), and mouse scroll up/down.
Hopefully you understand the basis of my suggestions are an expansion of the interface for hardware buttons for a PC remote, and not just a PDA remote.
That's it for now, as I said; really enjoying the app so far.