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MediaNet - Device Modules

Available Device Modules

Rio - provides support for Rio Receiver/DDAR

ExStr - provides support for Barix ExStreamer/ExStreamer Wireless

SliMP3 - provides support for Slim Devices SliMP3

Player - provides support for Streaming Software Players such as WinAmp and VLC

MVP - provides support for Hauppuage MVP

Synch - pseudo device for Synchronisation

Next device will be the Slim Devices Squeezebox

About Device Modules

Device modules provide the code (based around a common interface) that allows the device to interact with MediaNet and for MediaNet to stream to the device

These modules are different to other modules in that even when enabled they only loaded when a device of that type exists

A new instance of the module is automatically loaded for each device

Support modules like device discovery and NFS etc are loaded at MediaNet boot though

Information about KEYMAP.xml

Devices that support remote controls (either natively or via MediaNet) have a file called Keymap.xml

The default file for new devices detected is taken from the loader.xml for that device type, if you have the same device using different remotes (e.g. the SliMP3 and MVP were shipped with different types of remote) you can edit the keymap="keymap.xml" entry in clients.xml to a keymap for the correct remote (e.g. keymap2.xml)

This is used to map functions to IR codes, and therefore allows the user to remap keys to their own preferences if required

The commands in the keymap.xml are MediaNet commands, and do not necessarily match the wording on the button

Also the file contains additional functions that are not mapped to IR keys, but you could choose to map in favour of other functions (e..g. home, end, page up, page down on menus)

The file consists of a number of sections, this allows keys to be used for multiple purposes depending on the devices current state

<master>
    this section maps the remotes keys and IR values and shouldn't be amended unless using a different remote
    (e.g. <play ir="0x1234" />)

<menu>
    key mappings used when device is in a menu

<playlist>
    key mappings used when in the current playlist menu

<pronto>
    key mappings used for Pronto/ProntoPro

<device>
    key mappings used when in none of the above (menu falls thru to this, if key not mapped in that section)
    (e.g. <play ir="play" />) this is mapping the MediaNet play function to the button called 'play' in the master section

<remote_off>
    If a protocol interface module (like xPL) is installed then when a key press is made the relevant command is propagated via the protocol (e.g. a remote.basic trigger for xPL). The items in remote_off are sent whenever the device is in the 'off' mode, or the device is locked down.  The commands associated with the IR values in this  section are totally irrelevant and can be edited at will (by default they match the devices remote control)

When MediaNet searches keymap.xml it performs in certain ways:

a) If in a menu it searches the menu section, then the device section

b) If in the current playlist it searches the playlist section only

c) If in the status screen (i.e. no menu's) it searches only the device section

Note: in a devices loader.xml (and clients.xml) you may specify <settings keymap="keymap.xml" /> which overrides the default file on a per-device basis. This allows each device to have different functions mapped and, more importantly, allows support of a different remote (if one is lost, and you can find something that works) and allows for key mapping where a device vendor releases more than one version of a remote (e.g. SliMP3 and MVP)

Other General Information

All devices support a standard user interface, including those without a physical display

This allows for displaying of menu's thru other methods (whether the device has a physical display or not) such as an xPL OSD device/application

Also, it means any device can remote control any other device (e.g. you can operate an ExStreamer from the Display Panel/Remote of a Rio etc). If the slave device has a smaller display (number of lines) than the master, then the slave screen is locked out until released by the controlling device. In all other circumstances both devices can display/control.

By default each new device is given a standard name of Unitn (e.g. Unit0, Unit1 etc). To change these names, stop the service and edit name="Unit0" in clients.xml

Never edit the items id="", ip="", mac="" or ports="" unless you are very sure you know what you're doing!

Other items in clients.xml can be amended to suit the device. e.g. you may want an osd on a Rio near a TV, but not on one in the Bathroom

The Player device module is a software module and has no interface, and is never stored in clients.xml (this may all change in a later release though)

The User Interface

Menu - Enters / Exits the menu system (when at the status screen the numeric keys go straight to main menu items i.e. 1 = Music, 2 = Playlist etc)

Navigation - Generally 4 keys are assigned for up/down menu's, back and select. Play can also be used for selection but will queue and automatically play the selection (rather than moving thru the menus)

In menus select will navigate down the menu structure to the bottom level and then select/queue the item. Play will recursively queue everything below the current menu level selected. Some menu's with items have a 'Play All Tracks' option at the top of the menu.

Insert / Append / Clear - When in a menu the repeat key can be used to select how tracks are added to the current play list

Narrowing down selections - most menus allow narrowing down to the first character by use of the numeric alpha keys (the spare key is for non-alpha items)

Searching - when you press search button on any of the supported devices it clears any existing filter (i.e. where you had pressed letters to filter by 'A' 'B' etc) and then you can press the numbers 2 to 9 for mobile phone type filtering (up to 10 chars, all non alpha characters in titles are ignored as if they didn't exist). Pressing search when in search mode, takes you out of search mode - but leaves filter in place. When you go back into search mode the filter is cleared ready to start again. When you navigate into/out of a new level in the menu structure, the search function is OFF (but if going back a level and it had a search filter then that filter is still in place but with search mode off). Pressing back/cancel when in search mode deletes search key presses until filter is cleared, and then acts normally (if not in search mode it acts normally, even if filter is applied). If you have an ExStreamer the alpha letters do not match the remote, as the exstreamer remote has a non-standard layout

Each device module page provides details of how keys are allocated (when using the standard keymap.xml for the device)

The main menu (for Music) consists of:

Music - the main music selection page once selected this displays the list of available media sources
Playlist - the current playlist (which can be manipulated)
Clear Playlist - clears the current playlist
About - gives some general information about MediaNet and the clients name/ip/mac
Control - allows you to take remote control of any other client
Utility - a utility menu