KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 24, 2014 13:45:55 GMT -5
The XMC-1 can already be controlled over the network connection, and we WILL be publishing the specs for the entire interface... for those who want to write their own remote control apps. (You'll be seeing that very soon.) Add an open web service (API) on the XMC-1 in such a way that an external application can control the parameters of the XMC-1. Probably a REST style interface is the easiest way. A simple interface can open up the same functions as covered by the remote control. But it’ll be more interesting if it is also possible to read and set the parameters of the detailed configuration. An application that implements this interface can then offer to the user a screen with much more information than what is possible to show on the OSD. Changing parameters using the menu structures on the XMC-1 is doable, but imagine a screen with all relevant parameters, where it is easily to make changes using a normal keyboard and mouse: an overview of all settings on one single screen; or have the opportunity to switch between two or more different configurations by a single click. With a little bit more imagination you can see a kind of graphical representation of all the PEQ settings for all speakers. Anyway, all that is possible, but the first step is to have the ability to access the XMC-1 settings by an API. Instead of providing an interface to developers, Emotiva can also create their own application. But why not make it possible for the open source community to develop an application to interface with the XMC-1? The XMC-1 is based on Linux, it should be possible to implement such an interface. Also, the XMC-1 has already a network connector so no hardware change is necessary. I don’t know how the internal software structure is, so I can’t estimate the costs for implementing this web service. I’m not sure if and how much people are willing to pay, maybe $25 to enable this interface? |
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,273
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Post by KeithL on Jul 24, 2014 13:54:45 GMT -5
For a device to do Color Management, it has to actually process the video. Since the XMC-1 switches video, but doesn't actually process it, I doubt this will be very likely. (It would require an awful lot of hardware that would only be used for that one purpose.) As such, it probably makes more sense for that function to live in a separate dedicated unit... Of course, anything is possible... Keith CMS Well, i'm very interested about this thread. My idea, and even a question to owners or to Emotiva, is to make the XMC-1 able to manage a CMS for screen and projector, only via HDMI. Many users have a valid projector without a CMS and, for a perfect calibration, the unique solution is buy an external processor, like Lumagen Radiance and so on. I don't know if now the XMC-1 is able to do this, with a firmware upgrade, thas is the hardware on-board can manage this, or this will be the next step for the future XMC-2. The CMS that i speak is without the add-on of a Radiance, but only the availibilty to work with a Calman or X-rite via USB to manage the CMS. Sorry for my english, i hope someone understand what i mean.. |
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,273
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Post by KeithL on Jul 24, 2014 14:00:35 GMT -5
As you no doubt already know, you CAN pick video from an HDMI input, and combine it with audio from another ( NON-HDMI) audio input. In order to be able to use audio from a different HDMI input, we would have to decode BOTH HDMI inputs at the same time. This is beyond our current hardware capabilities - but could conceivable be part of a hardware upgrade. HDCP (HDMI copy protection) forbids passing a full-resolution (non-downmixed) digital version of the HDMI-sourced audio out of a NON-HDMI digital audio output. Since this is a legal requirement, it seems quite unlikely to change. More functionality for the HDMI outputs 1) Output video from one HDMI input with audio from a different input 2) Output the [non-downmixed] audio being decoded in the main zone 3) Output different sources to the outputs 1) Not sure if any copy protection issues (HDCP) might forbid this.  2) Non-downmixed? If you are talking about the other zones (1 and 2) it is by definition downmixed ie. stereo output. 3) I think this already happens with zone 2. |
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Post by neo20013 on Jul 24, 2014 14:06:54 GMT -5
The XMC-1 can already be controlled over the network connection, and we WILL be publishing the specs for the entire interface... for those who want to write their own remote control apps. (You'll be seeing that very soon.) This would be perfect, and would allow developers to write applications for android, ipad, etc ... |
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Post by ÈlTwo on Jul 24, 2014 15:01:24 GMT -5
A temporary snap-on faceplate that says "UMC-1," so my wife doesn't realize I've changed the system - cost $15, value - priceless. (of course this works because I won't have to re-program my remote  ) |
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Post by monkumonku on Jul 24, 2014 15:07:28 GMT -5
A temporary snap-on faceplate that says "UMC-1," so my wife doesn't realize I've changed the system - cost $15, value - priceless. (of course this works because I won't have to re-program my remote ) And it was the firmware update that increased it from 2RU to 3RU in height, right? |
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Post by ÈlTwo on Jul 24, 2014 15:14:01 GMT -5
A temporary snap-on faceplate that says "UMC-1," so my wife doesn't realize I've changed the system - cost $15, value - priceless. (of course this works because I won't have to re-program my remote ) And it was the firmware update that increased it from 2RU to 3RU in height, right? I'm moving it from the middle shelf to the bottom shelf, it'll be just enough to fool the eye.  |
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Post by hifiaudio2 on Jul 24, 2014 16:51:15 GMT -5
For a future product... (RMC?) please put an HDMI port on the front. If for nothing else it will make connecting a laptop for REW that much easier for those of us who have equipment in a rack, etc where just routing a cable through and behind is an issue.
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Post by UT-Driven on Jul 24, 2014 17:13:01 GMT -5
For a future product... (RMC?) please put an HDMI port on the front. If for nothing else it will make connecting a laptop for REW that much easier for those of us who have equipment in a rack, etc where just routing a cable through and behind is an issue. I have mixed feelings on this myself. I don't like having port holes on the front of gear for visual reasons. Can't you leave a HDMI cable hooked to the back? Does this have any negative impact at all? |
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Post by igorzep on Jul 24, 2014 17:30:42 GMT -5
For a future product... (RMC?) please put an HDMI port on the front. If for nothing else it will make connecting a laptop for REW that much easier for those of us who have equipment in a rack, etc where just routing a cable through and behind is an issue. It has no HDMI in on the front? OMG.. how did it passed beta-testing? Unimaginable!!!   But really... nobody complained? Ahh... and my +1 for it. |
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Post by hifiaudio2 on Jul 24, 2014 17:44:13 GMT -5
For a future product... (RMC?) please put an HDMI port on the front. If for nothing else it will make connecting a laptop for REW that much easier for those of us who have equipment in a rack, etc where just routing a cable through and behind is an issue. I have mixed feelings on this myself. I don't like having port holes on the front of gear for visual reasons. Can't you leave a HDMI cable hooked to the back? Does this have any negative impact at all? I have a rack with no open holes in a hall outside of my theater. Running a cable "though" it means removing a faceplate, routing the cable, etc. Just a bunch of trouble. The front "hole" could always be covered. A little plastic tab that fits into the connection and flush with the rest of the unit. But heck it already does NOT have a cover for the front USB. At least not in the pictures. EDIT : I stand corrected. The Emotiva pictures on the site dont show a cover. User pictures do. |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 24, 2014 18:02:49 GMT -5
Back lit remote. I know the argument that everyone defaults to universal remotes. But, if that were truly a valid point, then why invest in the cost to manufacture one of the best feeing, but poorest seeing renotes ever made? My theater is dark. I cant see anything on this remote. I'd pay $3 or $4 extra. So would any care if we went to a plastic remote? We make the metal remotes because in the past everyone said they didn't like the plastic ones, they said they were cheap. The metal remotes are expensive to make and we could easily change to a back lit plastic remote, but I wonder what people would say if we did. Lonnie While the heavy metal remotes are cool, I don't use them. As soon as my Logitech is programmed, the remote of mass destruction goes in a drawer...only to be used if the Logitech batteries die. I nwould rather you offered a cheap remote and made the weapons grade an upgrade option for those who want it. Mark |
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Post by Gary Cook on Jul 24, 2014 18:18:29 GMT -5
So would any care if we went to a plastic remote? We make the metal remotes because in the past everyone said they didn't like the plastic ones, they said they were cheap. The metal remotes are expensive to make and we could easily change to a back lit plastic remote, but I wonder what people would say if we did. Lonnie While the heavy metal remotes are cool, I don't use them. As soon as my Logitech is programmed, the remote of mass destruction goes in a drawer...only to be used if the Logitech batteries die. I nwould rather you offered a cheap remote and made the weapons grade an upgrade option for those who want it. Mark Hi Mark, but that would mean packing/unpacking every box to include/exclude the remote. Or carrying stock of different SKU's, different prices, with and without remotes, warehousing them separately and guessing the demand split. Or shipping and charging for the remote separately which involves duplicate freight costs. Not to mention price list, web site set up and ordering. None of the option are particularly cost effective and/or customer service friendly. One product, one SKU, one location, one box, the KISS principle always applies in logistics. Cheers Gary |
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Post by petew on Jul 24, 2014 18:38:37 GMT -5
For a device to do Color Management, it has to actually process the video. Since the XMC-1 switches video, but doesn't actually process it, I doubt this will be very likely. (It would require an awful lot of hardware that would only be used for that one purpose.) As such, it probably makes more sense for that function to live in a separate dedicated unit...Of course, anything is possible... Keith CMS Well, i'm very interested about this thread. My idea, and even a question to owners or to Emotiva, is to make the XMC-1 able to manage a CMS for screen and projector, only via HDMI. Many users have a valid projector without a CMS and, for a perfect calibration, the unique solution is buy an external processor, like Lumagen Radiance and so on. I don't know if now the XMC-1 is able to do this, with a firmware upgrade, thas is the hardware on-board can manage this, or this will be the next step for the future XMC-2. The CMS that i speak is without the add-on of a Radiance, but only the availibilty to work with a Calman or X-rite via USB to manage the CMS. Sorry for my english, i hope someone understand what i mean.. I totally agree with doing video processing in a separate unit. Let Oppo build blu ray players. Lumagen can do the video processors. Emotiva can build the parts that sound really, really good. |
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Post by hifiaudio2 on Jul 24, 2014 19:16:11 GMT -5
One of the reasons I like the EMotiva processors is that they leave the video completely alone. Please don't change that.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 24, 2014 19:39:55 GMT -5
Hi Mark, but that would mean packing/unpacking every box to include/exclude the remote. Or carrying stock of different SKU's, different prices, with and without remotes, warehousing them separately and guessing the demand split. Or shipping and charging for the remote separately which involves duplicate freight costs. Not to mention price list, web site set up and ordering. None of the option are particularly cost effective and/or customer service friendly. One product, one SKU, one location, one box, the KISS principle always applies in logistics. Yes - I am aware of that. Here's how I think about that. I bet it costs almost nothing to make a basic plastic remote and include it (relative to what the weapons grade costs). For those who really want the weapons grade remote, they could pay extra to cover all the costs associated w/what you note. My guess...sales of weapons grade would drop to nothing. Mark |
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Post by Gary Cook on Jul 24, 2014 21:05:33 GMT -5
Hi Mark, but that would mean packing/unpacking every box to include/exclude the remote. Or carrying stock of different SKU's, different prices, with and without remotes, warehousing them separately and guessing the demand split. Or shipping and charging for the remote separately which involves duplicate freight costs. Not to mention price list, web site set up and ordering. None of the option are particularly cost effective and/or customer service friendly. One product, one SKU, one location, one box, the KISS principle always applies in logistics. Yes - I am aware of that. Here's how I think about that. I bet it costs almost nothing to make a basic plastic remote and include it (relative to what the weapons grade costs). For those who really want the weapons grade remote, they could pay extra to cover all the costs associated w/what you note. My guess...sales of weapons grade would drop to nothing. Mark Since the internals/electronics would need to be basically the same the only cost difference between the plastic and the weapons grade remote would be the case. My guess, a handful of dollars in $1,999 (ie 0.25%), not really worth the effort. Plus, I don't know about the other weapons grade remote users but I'd object strongly to paying for 2 remotes. BTW, I think you would be surprised at the number of us who like the manly feel of a good Emotiva remote.  Cheers Gary |
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Post by GreenKiwi on Jul 24, 2014 22:39:54 GMT -5
I'd really like to have airplay support.
Video would be a bonus.
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Post by sme on Jul 25, 2014 0:39:46 GMT -5
Would it be possible to allow open source room correction to run on DSP 2? If I understand correctly, the DTS and Dolby code and other decoder code lives in DSP 1, then the data goes through the asynchronous sample rate converters to DSP2 for further processing (room correction). (Is PEQ implemented in DSP2 also?) I think it would be appropriate to unload Dirac code if a user wanted to load open source room correction code into DSP2. I also think it would be appropriate for Emotiva to have a heavy hand in the open source code since the potential for harm is great. This would get me to buy without a moments hesitation. I'd likely volunteer time to develop for it too. I do recognize that this may be difficult or even impossible given licensing restrictions. It may be theoretically possible if Emotiva were to review every piece of code before publications, but this would likely be too burdensome and expensive for Emotiva to do. Even then, I imagine some of the software vendors may be uncomfortable, which could put Emotiva in a difficult position. Still, I'd love to see a product like this. |
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Post by petew on Jul 25, 2014 2:44:01 GMT -5
^^
Lonnie said no can do since some post processing for Dolby runs on dsp2, plus other license restrictions.
Perhaps a future processor from emotiva could have a dedicated dsp board downstream of the system dsp for user code. It could be optional plug in
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Add an open web service (API) on the XMC-1 in such a way that an external application can control the parameters of the XMC-1. Probably a REST style interface is the easiest way.
)
But really... nobody complained?
