Power Devices and multiple displays

Hi,

I've got an iTach IP2IR . Roomie seems set up to assume a single display unless I'm mistaken. Perhaps someone can help me figure out what I should set up.

My setup is fairly simple:

Sources:

Sky HD (satellite PVR)

Freeview (TV antenna)

Blu-ray

Displays:

Samsung TV

Epson Projector

All of the sources (except freeview) connect to a Yamaha receiver and the output from that is split to the 2 displays.

So, I've created activities for all the sources (x2 for projector), but none of my devices are suitable for the "Power for All Activities" option as if I want to watch a blu-ray on the projector, I need the BD, Receiver and projector on. But if I want to watch Sky on the TV without the receiver, I just need Sky and TV on (receiver has standby passthrough)

OK, so none of my devices have Power for All Activities on, but for each activity it seems like you can only specify 1 power device.

I tried adding in power commands individually (both start and stop), but then it doesn't seem to remember what's on and what's off, so switching from Watch Sky (Sky + TV) to Watch Freeview (just TV) switches off the TV and switches it on again!

Also, if you specify a receiver for the volume in an activity, shouldn't it make sure it is powered on?

I seem to be approaching it from a Harmony angle and maybe that's wrong.....

TIA,

pingu.

We have discrete codes in the main library for on/off for both Epson Projectors and Samsung TVs, so that should make remembering what is on not relevant if configured correctly.

There are two basic ways to configure that depending on how you'd prefer to use it. Either (1) configure everything in one room and make sure to enter all of the power commands for the projector and TV on each activity [do not use power for all activities for those two], or (2) use 2 rooms to represent the two different room types you're creating. Option 1 is generally simpler especially since you have devices with discrete codes, but option 2 will automate the commands much more. Note that you would never use the "Power Device" setting for a TV or Projector under any normal configuration and most definitely would not use that in a dual monitor room. Power Device is for devices like a Blu-ray player that apply to a specific activity only, not room-wide devices like a TV or Projector or Receiver, etc.

Receivers are typically marked as Power for All Activities. It would not be correct to "make sure it's on" as the user may not want that (many scenarios there such as setting different zone volumes, or HDMI passthrough). That's one reason there's an explicit setting for that.

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply and good ideas. So, in option (1), if I have 2 activities Watch Blu-ray and Project Blu-ray with the BD player as the power device for both - would switching between them turn off the BD player and then turn it on again or does Roomie remember the state and not bother to turn it off?

Also, is it possible to select an activity and NOT run the stop commands of the current activity or the start commands of the next one, like a long press or double tap? Sometimes I want to switch to a "Help" activity that I've got (which allows me to correct power/input states for the whole system) without triggering changes.

How that is best setup will depend on your Blu-ray Player brand and model and control method. Many BDPs have discrete codes. Sometimes even the models that don't have discrete codes have methods by which they are effectively discrete. For instance Panasonic uses Play as power on. Thus, Play is Power On, and Play then Power Toggle is Power Off.

In general, the replacement for the Help concept you're referring to is to turn on "Show Remote" for the device(s) that you find get out of sync. You then have direct access to that device's remote whenever you need it.

My BD is a Sony BDP-S570. I've got IR control for power (as not set to have power on via IP) and IP control otherwise.

But with Show Remote, you only get that device, so if I needed to correct the TV input, receiver input and BD power, I'd need to visit 3 remotes. With my help activity, it's all there.

If you want to target multiple devices, then you would just define an Activity with Opens Remote set to None and the Start commands that perform the settings. In that scenario, it's just a room-wide button.

Sony BDP IR is explicitly discrete, so you're also in a good situation there.

I've been using Roomie for a few weeks now and I definitely think an option to switch to an activity without running it's start commands would be a good feature. When you restart Roomie it starts at the blank screen and sometimes you don't want to rerun start commands for your activity as it may interrupt the viewing. Maybe you could add a button to the confirm option so you can switch to the activi remote without running the commands?

Can you also Have an option to hide the tv guides by default?

Version 1.6 does introduce a feature to resolve that which we'll be talking more about soon in the 1.6 preview.

Wheer do I find more on this feature to resolve this problem?