HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Posted on
Tue Dec 19, 2017 3:38 pm
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

This thread is only to discuss any issues or suggestions you have with the new iTunes integration for Homebridge Buddy.

This new integration allows you to have some basic controls over iTunes running on the same computer as one of Homebridge Buddy's servers - this can be different than your Indigo server since you can spread out your installations across multiple computers (and thus control multiple iTunes).

The integration is the standard NPM iTunes package incorporated into HBB and does not have its own HBB device but is enabled or disabled via the server configuration.

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This CAN NOT be stressed enough, but before you start experimenting with your Indigo system GET A FULL BACKUP! Every system is a little different, every instance of Indigo is a little different and all of us have different levels of "mission critical" that our home automation may be in so you need to be able to return to your pre-testing configuration in a pinch if it all goes bad! I will work with you extensively on these plugin tests but you should have a fallback in case I am unable to resolve your issue timely. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK ALWAYS. Click here to read up on how to back up Indigo.

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Enable iTunes integration via the HBB server configuration
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So far I haven't had any real issues but some have reported that HBB may fail to start when the iTunes option is checked, this could be due partly to not having a fully functional iTunes on the Indigo server but there have only been three reports since it was released two months ago.

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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:39 am
Different Computers offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Colorado4Wheeler wrote:
This new integration



How new? I've been running HBB for months and don't see any super-recent announcements of new versions. I have super basic Home presences of some iTunes things: each AirPlay device and ElGato Eve shows the iTunes instance and allows control, but the Home app does not. Just wondering if I need an upgrade to make greater integration happen.

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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 9:51 am
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Different Computers wrote:
How new?


I released it with the Plugin Store release, so it would have been around early November. You do need to enable it in the server config (if you don't have the above screen with the iTunes option then your version is old).

And it will be an accessory.

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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:01 am
rehafer offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Interesting. I have a Home Theater Mac Mini with al my media, including music. How much overhead would having a second HBB server add?


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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:08 am
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

rehafer wrote:
I have a Home Theater Mac Mini with al my media, including music. How much overhead would having a second HBB server add?


That's a loaded question ;). It depends on what else you are running on your HBB server and whether or not the 2nd HBB server is running on the same computer as the first or on a second computer. HBB was designed to run as many servers on the Indigo server as you want (I have four myself and it runs fine) which allows you to segment your devices as well as get past the 100 device limit that Homebridge has.

If you are installing onto a second computer then you will need to either install HB-Indigo (the more technical version of Homebridge for Indigo) or run a second copy of Indigo on that computer with HBB as a plugin.

Now, depending on what add-ons you use with Homebridge, such as cameras or other high process add-ons, will determine how taxed your system will be.

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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:15 am
rehafer offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Ah, my misunderstanding. A second server for a second computer, but necessarily on that second computer. I’m going to give this a try when the holidays work load lightens up.


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Posted on
Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:23 am
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

rehafer wrote:
A second server for a second computer, but necessarily on that second computer


I'm not sure if using a second install of Indigo with just HBB as a plugin on your media server computer would be against your licensing agreement or not since you wouldn't be doing anything other than using that installation to host HBB so you could control iTunes but that would be the simplest way of doing it - then you would also be able to use iTunes on your main Indigo server too if you chose to.

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Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:06 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Please help me understand how to use Siri to her fullest with this plugin.

My controlled whole house audio iTunes instance is called "House Audio." (I named it this after a lot of experimentation to find something both sensible to say and that Siri would target correctly.) It shows up in the Home App as a switch with that name. I can tell Siri to turn it on and off, and it behaves properly. I can also turn on or off any AirPlay device connected to House Audio by its name" Hey Siri, turn off Bar Audio" works fine.

In El Gato Eve, a whole bunch of other options show up. EE seems to understand that it's iTunes and offers me some more specific info, but no more control than I have in the Home app.

Am I missing some functionality that allows this set up to, for example, correctly respond to "Hey Siri, play my Recently Added playlist on House Audio." or "Hey Siri, have House Audio skip this track."?

Until now, I've been brute forcing this with action groups called things like "Another Song" which I have to tell Siri to turn on as a way to skip the current House Audio track. Clunky. Also action groups for various playlists, but this doesn't work for "Play the newest album by Blue Man Group." or similar requests.

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:23 pm
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

In it's current state it's mostly anecdotal, it gives you basic play/pause/volume/track skip/album skip abilities for iTunes residing on the SAME COMPUTER as Indigo. There's very little to it.

That being said I'm going to be revamping it to a new package that will use DACP to not only talk to ANY iTunes in the network but also any Apple TV! Yes, I said it, controlling Apple TV from HomeKit via HBB is hopefully coming soon. Once that is in place then there is more to talk about.

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Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:45 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Colorado4Wheeler wrote:
/volume/track skip/album skip


How do you do this? Via Siri, I mean.

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:05 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Volume is generally controlled by your speaker system, whatever that is, i.e., "Alexa set volume to 5". Other commands, if you have not renamed them after they were discovered into HomeKit:

"Hey Siri, turn on Album Skipper" to skip albums
"Hey Siri, turn on Track Skipper" to skip to the next track

Otherwise you may need to use the controls in Home/Hesperus/Eve/etc to do more.

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Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:36 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Colorado4Wheeler wrote:
Volume is generally controlled by your speaker system, whatever that is,


My speaker system is the Mac running Indigo & iTunes plus a combination of wired speakers and AirPlay receivers. So in theory all could be controlled by Siri/homebridge-itunes. Could be, IF I knew a way to use Siri to target House Audio volume!

Thanks for the "Track Skipper" command, it works great. Where would I have found this on my own?

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:57 pm
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

I have every app for HomeKit and it's different for each but since you said you use Eve then when you tap on the iTunes control in whatever room that resides, you'll see the three power switches at the top.
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Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 5:22 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

Thanks!

I would not have thought those were potential commands. And I just discovered that I can't target "Audio Volume" from the same screen in the same way.

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Thu Dec 21, 2017 6:02 pm
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Re: HBB Integrated Plugin: iTunes

That's where I use a lot of Cynical Cache and remote network IR repeaters for my amps and what-not.

My Modest Contributions to Indigo:

HomeKit Bridge | Device Extensions | Security Manager | LCD Creator | Room-O-Matic | Smart Dimmer | Scene Toggle | Powermiser | Homebridge Buddy

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