Powerscheduler vs PVR Scheduler? (2 Viewers)

[Taipan]

I am using PVR Scheduler v1.3.2 with Media Portal v0.1.3.0 CVS Aug 19.

All the details about versions are available at the PVR Scheduler download page.

 

[MediaTobiPortal]

Thanks for your testing...

Really great news,

Tobi

 

[MediaTobiPortal]

Can anybody help to enable the ecp2, please !!!

Am I stupid ?? Can´t find it in configuration, but already copied ecp2.dll to plugins/process.

Thanks

 

[MediaTobiPortal]

Sorry I found out, that PVR Scheduler installs ecp2 automatically.
I don´t know why, but when I installed PVRS the first time ECP2 wasn´t installed. The second time it worked....why ????

 

[BigBuddha]

It reliably wakes my PC for a recording, re-starts MP (good to avoid DVB-T driver issues), shuts down MP at the end of the recording, and then quietly puts the PC to sleep (S3) again.

Are you using standby/hybernate or shutdown with RTC Alarm?

I also use it to wake my PC early on Fridays to grab the next week's EPG data.

I can see how this is done.

And, I use it to run a job that turns my power amplifiers on just after startup/resume, and then turn them off again just before standby/shutdown, to avoid "thumps" through my sound system. I am intending to extend that to control my projector automagically, too!

Now this is the one that I can't work out!. How are you getting it to do jobs outside of the scheduled timer recordings and updating the EPG?

 

[Taipan]

Are you using standby/hybernate or shutdown with RTC Alarm?

I am only using "standby" - S3 mode. Fortunately, the 240V mains supply at my house is extremely reliable, so I have not lost any scheduled recordings due to a power interruption, yet... .

A much safer option to use would be hibernate (S4), so that if a 240V power interruption occurred while the PC was "asleep", then it would still wake and resume correctly (if the 240V was back on...)

Now this is the one that I can't work out!. How are you getting it to do jobs outside of the scheduled timer recordings and updating the EPG?

There is a feature in PVR Scheduler, under /EPG/Miscellaneous that enables you to run scripts before standby and upon resume. I have some scripts set up to output commands via the RS232 interface, which power on and un-mute my audio amplifiers upon resume, and which mute and power-off my audio amplifiers before shutdown.

 

[winsys11]

sounds like a good setup.

what brand/model amp is it?

 

[Taipan]

what brand/model amp is it?

Its my own design and construction, with active cross-overs and a separate power amplifier for each speaker driver.....

 

[winsys11]

Sounds good !

I had exactly the same idea. I've been trying to find a suitable amp without all the bullsh!t. All thats available in the shops have huge remotes,
10 zillion inputs etc.

MP is supposed to make it easy for the mrs, I don't need another hi tech device.

Did you use off the shelf modules, or DIY?

I'd love more details, if you're willing to share.
(I'm interested cos i'm a electronics technician)

regards,
Mark

 

[Taipan]

Hi Mark,

I've been trying to find a suitable amp without all the bullsh!t. All thats available in the shops have huge remotes,
10 zillion inputs etc. MP is supposed to make it easy for the mrs, I don't need another hi tech device.

That's exactly my sentiments, too! - which is why I have built all the electronics into the sub-woofer box, so my entire hi-fi system/media centre is just a small case containing the PC and MediaPortal, a DLP projector and the 5.1 loudspeakers. And it is all controlled by one remote control - a MCE remote.

Did you use off the shelf modules, or DIY? I'd love more details, if you're willing to share. (I'm interested cos i'm a electronics technician)

Its all DIY, including the speakers. The current power-amplifiers are my own 50W discrete design, and there are a total of 9 power amplifiers. There are 2 amps powering the sub-woofer (with an active cross-over that splits the signal to the sub-woofer), 2 amps powering each front satellite (which each have an active cross-over to split the signal between mid-bass and tweeter), and 1 amp for each of the centre, left-rear and right-rear speakers.

I have a little module containg a PIC microprocessor that receives the RS232 signal from the PC to turn the power-amps on and off, and to control the mute on the power-amps. This module is also built into the sub-woofer box, but is separately powered so that it is always on (so it can constantly monitor the RS232 lines).

I use the PC's sound card to decode the digital sound (stereo, AC3, DTS etc) and feed the analogue outputs directly to the power-amps. Apart from the active cross-overs, there is no pre-amplifier or any other knobs and whistles! All the control of the sound is done from within MediaPortal and Windows.

I use COM Controller to output the appropriate RS232 commands from the PC, and the COM Controller command-line script is executed by PVR Scheduler after a "Resume" or before a "Standby". At the moment, if the PC is resumed for a scheduled recording, or to grab the EPG, the power-amps come on too - which is unnecessary - but STSC (the author of PVR Scheduler) is going to add an option to disable the scripts when the PC is resumed by a Scheduled Event.

My next challenge is to also control the DLP projector from the PC, and I am upgrading the discrete power-amps to a new (more compact) design based on the National Semiconductor's LM4780 & LM3886 power amplifier ICs.

I am happy to share as much detail as you require, but being DIY, there is not much that I have documented! PM me if you would like more specific info....