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[clunker]

Warning:

• X10WavPlayer Must be run from the PC
• The PC must be turned ON
• The CM15A Must be connected to the PC
• You Need PC speakers the CM15A doesn't have any!
• AHP must be running!
• Macros which trigger the X10Wavplayer must be run from the PC

[/color][/b]
 I hope I didn't forget something! I'd hate to create something that made someone do what they didn't want to!

You left out:

• The speakers must not be broken
• The speakers must be connected to the pc's "speaker out" port.
• The speakers must be on
• The volume of the speakers must be set at the desired level
• The speakers may need to be plugged in
• The outlet the speakers are plugged into must be on
• The speakers must be compatible with the voltage supplied by the outlet
• If the speakers require batteries, then batteries must be installed
• The correct type of battery must be used
• The correct number of batteries must be used
• The batteries must be placed in the correct location
• The batteries must be placed in the correct direction
• The batteries must not be dead
• The sound on your pc must not be muted
• The volume settings of the pc must be set at the desired level
• The correct sound drivers must be installed on your pc
• The sound harware must not be disabled in the device manager
• Text files with the extension changed to "wav" will not be read to you
• Other sound files with the extension changed to "wav" will not work
• Only the sounds recorded in the wav file will be played
• Other sounds being played by the pc will also come out of the speakers
• If you connect to the pc using a remote desktop connection, the sounds may or may not be played and the location the sounds are played will be determined by the settings used to connect
• To hear the sounds:
• you must not be deaf
• you must not be dead
• you may need to be conscious
• your ears must be positioned at an appropriate distance from the speakers
• you must be capable of hearing the frequencies recorded in the wav file
• other sounds in the room must not be too loud
• there must not be a sound-proof barrier between you and the speakers
• you must not have an excessive buildup of earwax
• foreign objects should not be in your ear

[/list][/size][/color][/b]
And "AHP must be running!" should be changed to "AHP must be running on the PC!" since AHP is always running somewhere in the world.

I would normally say "I hope this is helpful", but in this case, I kind of hope it isn't. 

[JMac]

This is great!  Works fine.  Now if I could only figure out how to arm my security system (console) over the internet!

[Tuicemen]

clunker:

I think even you for got a few things!

But since this program isn't  a magic bullet [/size]   it's bound to be short on its abilities

Thanks everyone for the High praises here in PMs and e-mail!

It made my day!
 

[Tuicemen]

New release/update: version 1.6
Very small improvements!
Adds:

[li]Added minimize on start option (thanks Puck for this suggestion!)
.[/li]
[li]Added link to sound recorder to speed up file edits/creation
.[/li][/list]
The link is still the same for both the installer and the zipped file

***Tuicemen's Software***[/list]

[DB]

Well I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth and tell you how I added sound through MS Agent. I had an old copy of microsoft scripting helper(MASH the free version) and used it to generate small .exe files. I then a make a macro for each sound I want using the advanced functions. When a light is activated or a macro, James character pops up and notifies me. Using some other old freeware for msagent I turned James into a regular electronic butler who greets guests when they arrive, sounds off x10 events, interjects his own brand of butlerish comments etc. Maybe the poor man's version of homeseer. . It works pretty well but have amassed quite a few sound macros, each customized to what I want "James" to say. Occasionally multiple triggers cause an error message to appear on screen when they try to run at the same time, but you just click them off. By using the "pipe" character between different sayings, you can have James say different things at random in response to the same trigger. This gives it a less programmed feel.

[TakeTheActive]

TTA EDIT: Content reformtted into pseudo-article format.

Hopefully we can convince DB to " [/size]flesh it out " into a Complete HOW-TO![/b]

Well I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth and tell you how I added sound through MS Agent. Maybe the poor man's version of homeseer. .

It works pretty well but have amassed quite a few sound macros, each customized to what I want "James" to say. Occasionally multiple triggers cause an error message to appear on screen when they try to run at the same time, but you just click them off. By using the "pipe" character between different sayings, you can have James say different things at random in response to the same trigger. This gives it a less programmed feel.

Any feedback is welcome, positive or negative.

THE POOR MAN'S VERSION OF HOMESEER
(Adding sound to AHP through MS Agent.)
December 9, 2006
DB

[/b]

• I had an old copy of microsoft scripting helper(MASH the free version) and used it to generate small .exe files.
  
  
• I then a make a macro for each sound I want using the advanced functions.
  
  
• When a light is activated or a macro, James character pops up and notifies me.
  
  
• Using some other old freeware for msagent I turned James into a regular electronic butler who greets guests when they arrive, sounds off x10 events, interjects his own brand of butlerish comments etc.
  

Members Sharing Their Original X10 Home Automation Ideas [Updated: 2006/10/21]

[Puck]

Any feedback is welcome, positive or negative.

positive or constructive

 

[TakeTheActive]

Any feedback is welcome, positive or negative.

positive or constructive

 

I used JimC's article as a template:

Adding a Voice to X10 - Posted: « on: 2006-10-21, 16:25:39 »

[DB]

To further add to the story above, adding sound events to the computer alone is great if your in the room, but I wanted to be able to hear "James" the butler elseware.

 So I decided to run a wire to the living room as well (which is near my front door also). The output from the computer needs to be amplified, which you could do with self powered computer speakers.  But I was at a liquidation store and saw a futuristic looking kareoke machine with a small B/W television screen built in with inputs and outputs on the back for about $50. So in a moment of divine inspired geekness, I thought it could be a "presence" for "James" and also be able to constantly monitor the camera system I have and provide speech.

With an appliance module attached, "James" turns himself on in the morning with a greeting. A few minutes later he announces that he is going to open the drapes and see what kind of day we're in for. A little later yet, he announces that the mail has arrived by means of a washing machine lid switch in the mail box wired to a powerflash module.( I was thinking of adding an outdoor speaker near the mail box\front door to thank the mail lady; or have a sound file with a ticking count down but that would probably get me arrested - I am sure she wonders why my mailbox has wires coming out of it as it is.)  Later in the evening while I am at work, "James" closes the drapes, turns on lights, makes passes at my wife ( he keeps suggesting they run away together), reminds her when her shows are on, monitors the yard, winds up the dog, reminds my wife when it's time to make meals and is totally offended at the obscenities that follow, etc. Still later, he announces that he is getting tired and that he is going to retire for the evening if we have no further need of him.

Sadly, I believe Jame's days are numbered in his present form, as I believe my next computer will be a media centre PC.  I should be able to have James appear on the TV screen.  But for now, I think it was a good idea, as a good pair of computer speakers would probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $40.00 and the total effect would not have been as fun.  This way I also did not have to try and hide the speakers.

Recently, while we were away, the neighbor's daughter was over feeding out cats and was totally creeped out by James and his capabilities (turning on lights when she entered rooms, the drapes opening and closing,talking etc.) as she was unaware the house was automated.  It was good for a laugh.

I am having a problem with the flags and sound events. I have a motion sensor outside the front door (controls cameras and lights) and one inside (sounds chime in back yard if someone enters the house while we are in the back yard and is also used for greetings). By using flags I should be able to detect if someone is leaving the house or entering and play a different sound for each case. I think the problem lies in the fact that sound macros must be run from the PC and don't seem to respond to flag conditions. I think the flags are only used by the interface. If someone could think of a work around I would appreciate it.

Anyway, I just wanted to illustrate how much more fun and useful adding sound capabilities can be, so maybe X-10 can incorporate sound capabilities in a future update. (better yet ms agent)




waf = mixed as I spend quite some time keeping "Jame's" intellect sharp

[Tuicemen]

I too played with MS agent before using BXVC and started a thread MS Agent and AHP
DB:  Perhaps you can post in that thread which program your using so others that wish to do something similar will know where to start!
X10WavPlayer  was really only created to help those wishing to add sound with the On Alert plug-in although you don't need that for it to work!

[Vandalized Victim]

Dear All,

I've downloaded both the installer and changed to .exe file and x10waveplayerV1.6.zip file and both are X10WavePlayer.exe anyway. After installation it seems no luck. The error message prompts "X10waveplayer failed to initialize properly (0xc0000135). Click OK to terminate the applation." Did I miss something? Appreciate your help.

Thanks,
VV

[Tuicemen]

You need Net Framework 2.0   installed for this to work!
Have you instaled this it is needed for most newer window apps and games!

[Nishant Pant]

No offense to x10wavplayer. I am a programmer myself and love writing tools that help the community. But you can achieve the same thing without need of any software.

"C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" C:\alarm1.wav

WMPLAYER.Exe is nothing but windows media player, which is part of all Windows PCs.

-Thanks
Nishant

[Puck]

"C:Program FilesWindows Media Playerwmplayer.exe" C:alarm1.wav

AHP will not allow you to call a program with a variable attached. X10WavPlayer simplified this task. 

[Tuicemen]

Actualy there are several methods for executing sound from AHP but as Puck mention this just simplifies things as well it adds the ability to repeat the sound X # of times. Many don't know how or want to write a batch file, X10Wavplayer does it for them! But with the next release users will have the abliity to use TTS (Text To Speach) and play mp3's.