Pioneer Receiver discussion

[nsheldon]

Thanks for the additional details. That is strange. I'll see if I can reproduce the problem. Do you happen to know about how long of a delay there is between when your Harmony remote sends the ON command and when it sends the input change command for H.M.G?

I doubt the use of iControlAV2 would make any difference. I've tested the use of that app while using the Pioneer Receiver plugin at the same time. The two connect on different TCP ports and work simultaneously. Changes made from one source are echoed on the output of the second (i.e. if a command is sent via Indigo and Pioneer Receiver plugin, the response from the receiver is sent to both the plugin and to the iControlAV2 app).

Anyway. I'll try to reproduce it. It may take some time to track down though. I've seen possibly related behavior on my own VSX-1021-K when switching from the TV's audio input to another HDMI input.

[davvi]

I'll add a slightly longer delay between ON and INPUT CHANGE and report feedback.

[nsheldon]

I did some testing tonight with debug logging turned on. It appears that sometimes (and it's not entirely predictable from my tests), the VSX-1021-K doesn't send a confirmation response when switching from one input source to another. Most of the time it does, but occasionally it doesn't. Until I can get more consistent, predictable results that I can program into the plugin, you might try adding a delayed action that takes place after all your other delayed actions which performs a "Refresh All States" action (Pioneer Receiver Actions -> System -> Refresh All States). This should update the input source information. I noticed that opening the iControlAV2 app and touching the "Control" area (to show the volume, etc), caused the receiver to send the input source status update (because the iControlAV2 app requested the status). This isn't the first communications anomaly (ahem... bug) I've found in the VSX-1021-K. It also has a pretty serious control lockout bug (only recoverable via IR remote tuning) if you send the published Tuner Up or Down command. I had to work around this bug in the plugin code by not sending that command at all if using a VSX-1021-K.

[durosity]

One thing i'd love to see in this plugin would be the ability for you to send a command for the source you want, even if it's off and for it to then wake up the receiver and switch instantly to this source. At the moment i have an action group to switch it on, then delayed signal to select the source..

Why doesn't this work for me, i hear you ask? Well it does mostly.. but because i've setup my system to effectively be a universal remote control occasionally if last time the receiver was used it was using HDMI 1 (for Sky HD) when the av receiver switches on, but before it sends the signal to switch to Apple TV or whatever, it'll trigger another action to switch on the sky STB.. which is a right pain as it has a horribly noisy hard disk in it and the sound really bugs me. It'll recognise the new source after a brief moment and turn off the box, but by then it's to late, the hard disk has spun up and is going to make its incesent noise for another 20 mins for gawd knows what reasons.

Other than that minor issue it's a beautifully wonderful plugin.. i just wish Pioneer still made TVs with the same kind of protocols.. if they did i'd have replaced every TV in my house with theirs rather than using IR controls (Are you listening, Pioneer? .

[davvi]

My plan is to pickup up an IRTrans that will sit in the living room, picking up any signal the Harmony sends out and notifying Indigo. This way if the IRTrans reports that I pressed the Listen to Music button and the receiver doesn't report being turned ON, Indigo will send a Refresh All States message to regain control.

This isn't just to troubleshoot the receiver, but sort of a workaround for the Harmony Smart Control not having an API. I really wish they did, because they're considerably cheaper than multiple IRTrans modules.

One way around this is picking up 1 USB IRTrans to sit by the Mac running Indigo/iRed 2, and use multiple IR Extenders throughout the house to forward the IR signal wherever it needs to be, though I realize the issue with this is having duplicate devices both reacting to an IR command. I also wish the extenders didn't look like UFOs or Pyramids... sigh...

[nsheldon]

One thing i'd love to see in this plugin would be the ability for you to send a command for the source you want, even if it's off and for it to then wake up the receiver and switch instantly to this source. At the moment i have an action group to switch it on, then delayed signal to select the source..

Thanks for the feedback.

In your specific instance, is the Sky set-top-box being activated by an Indigo action or via HDMI CEC commands? If it's being activated by an Indigo action, that might be worked around, but if it's acting in response to an HDMI CEC command from the receiver, there's not much that can be done other than making sure the receiver has a different input source selected before turning it off. This is because when the receiver is turned on, before it'll respond to any commands, it activates the last input source selected when it was last turned off and there's nothing the plugin can do to prevent that.

My plan is to pickup up an IRTrans that will sit in the living room, picking up any signal the Harmony sends out and notifying Indigo.

That sounds like it should work. Let us know how it goes.

That is a bummer that they don't have an API for the Harmony remotes.

[durosity]

In your specific instance, is the Sky set-top-box being activated by an Indigo action or via HDMI CEC commands? If it's being activated by an Indigo action, that might be worked around, but if it's acting in response to an HDMI CEC command from the receiver, there's not much that can be done other than making sure the receiver has a different input source selected before turning it off. This is because when the receiver is turned on, before it'll respond to any commands, it activates the last input source selected when it was last turned off and there's nothing the plugin can do to prevent that

It’s being activated by an indigo action - I have action groups which tell the av receiver to switch on, then select the appropriate source. Then when the av receiver switches on the zone1sourceName field updates i’ve got an action group setup to switch on/off the relevant devices that are needed for that source. The problem is the slight delay between sending the on command and the action to select the appropriate source.. the av receiver will switch on, indigo will pull the current source info, trigger whatever the source was previously set to and then it will send the action to switch to the new source. Ideally it’d be nice if instead of having an On action, then a delay to switch source that it could simply send the source command and that would also wake the receiver (or at least the plugin combine the two together so that as soon as the av receiver can switch the source it’ll send it, hopefully making it so instantaneous that it doesn’t even tell indigo it was previously on the original source).

Now i’ve explained all that.. it sounds horribly over complicated doesn’t it? :/

[nsheldon]

I see. It might be possible to modify the plugin to do what you're wanting, though probably not without significant code modifications. I've tried sending commands directly to the receiver right after it turns on. The plugin actually sends the command right away. The problem is that almost every time, the receiver either returns an error code (not ready) or completely ignores the command until after it has "booted" and has already sent out the current input source message. During my initial testing while writing the Pioneer Receiver plugin, I found that even without prompting from the plugin (i.e. turn receiver on -> send nothing to the receiver, just wait for output from it), soon after the receiver is turned on, it sends out a few status update messages, one of which is the current input source. It does this before it responds to any other commands you send it. Because the Pioneer Receiver plugin relies on the receiver's status update messages in order to update Indigo device states, to work around your specific scenario, the status update method and the zone 1 on response method would both have to be significantly rewritten.

A possible solution to your situation might be to introduce a delay in the action that turns on your STB to allow the receiver input change to take place before the delayed action for your STB change happens. In the trigger/s that perform the other actions (for the Apple TV, etc. input source), add an action that's delayed by the same amount of time as the action that switches to the desired input. In this new action, use the "Remove Delayed Actions" action (Server Actions -> Remove Delayed Actions) to remove the delayed STB action. This may or may not work depending on what method you're using to turn on the set-top-box. Another alternative might be to use an embedded script in the delayed action that turns on your STB. The script could check that input source of the VSX-1021-K before acting on the set-top-box. If the receiver's zone1sourceName is "HDMI 1" (or whatever you named it on the receiver), then turn on the STB, otherwise do nothing.

[durosity]

A possible solution to your situation might be to introduce a delay in the action that turns on your STB to allow the receiver input change to take place before the delayed action for your STB change happens. In the trigger/s that perform the other actions (for the Apple TV, etc. input source), add an action that's delayed by the same amount of time as the action that switches to the desired input. In this new action, use the "Remove Delayed Actions" action (Server Actions -> Remove Delayed Actions) to remove the delayed STB action. This may or may not work depending on what method you're using to turn on the set-top-box. Another alternative might be to use an embedded script in the delayed action that turns on your STB. The script could check that input source of the VSX-1021-K before acting on the set-top-box. If the receiver's zone1sourceName is "HDMI 1" (or whatever you named it on the receiver), then turn on the STB, otherwise do nothing.

Yeah this sounds like what i was thinking would be needed.. woulda just been nice to avoid it had it been an easy modification at your end!

On a complete side note, do you know if the plugin will work with any of the 2013 models of receiver? I’m hoping to setup a mini home cinema early next year and (here at least) the price of the 2013 models like the VSX 923 is almost the same as the 2012VSX 922 ones.

[nsheldon]

On a complete side note, do you know if the plugin will work with any of the 2013 models of receiver? I’m hoping to setup a mini home cinema early next year and (here at least) the price of the 2013 models like the VSX 923 is almost the same as the 2012VSX 922 ones.

Unfortunately, I have no idea if the plugin will work with the newer 2013 models. Pioneer's A/V receiver custom installation command code site (here) doesn't list any 2013 models yet, that I can tell, and I don't have the resources to go out and buy one just to test. I'm betting Pioneer didn't change their command codes though, so if you can connect with the 922 (which other's have confirmed here), then the 923 will likely work. No guarantees though, obviously. Perhaps someone else monitoring this thread who has a 2013 model could comment on compatibility.

[durosity]

[quote="nsheldon”] so if you can connect with the 922 (which other's have confirmed here), then the 923 will likely work. No guarantees though, obviously. Perhaps someone else monitoring this thread who has a 2013 model could comment on compatibility.[/quote]

Yeah that was me that confirmed the 922 Closer to the time i may try and test a 923 at my local hifi shop.. they’re pretty accommodating apparently.

[nsheldon]

Yeah that was me that confirmed the 922 Closer to the time i may try and test a 923 at my local hifi shop.. they’re pretty accommodating apparently.

LOL! So it was! Let us know if/when you test it out.

[durosity]

LOL! So it was! Let us know if/when you test it out.

Will do! It’s very much a question of timing and cost.. we’re currently due to move into our new house mid november.. but that might slip to the 19th december which would be a dire time of year to move house, but would mean we had a lot more money available to spend on such extravagances.

[ckeyes888]

Having issues getting the zone 2 volume to work.
I have a virtual volume setup for zone 1 that works fine, but the zone 2 virtual volume
always stays at 100 regardless of how I try to set it.

I have zone 2 on and playing but the volume can't be changed.

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

Carl

[nsheldon]

Having issues getting the zone 2 volume to work.
I have a virtual volume setup for zone 1 that works fine, but the zone 2 virtual volume
always stays at 100 regardless of how I try to set it.

I have zone 2 on and playing but the volume can't be changed.

Hi Carl.

Is the receiver powering Zone 2 speakers or are you using the Zone 2 RCA outputs? If the receiver's amp is not powering Zone 2 speakers, the receiver will not allow the volume to be adjusted (I noted that in the original Pioneer Receiver plugin announcement, though it is kind of buried in the text).