New to Homeseer and nd advice...

[Zaksbro]

Hello all, I'm trying to find out if I can have my integra avr turn on and play from Sonos using HS. Mark, at HS recommended a plugin from a gentleman named Dirk. Can anyone please guide me or point me in the right direction if this is possible?

Thanks much in advance!

[dcorsus]

Hello all, I'm trying to find out if I can have my integra avr turn on and play from Sonos using HS. Mark, at HS recommended a plugin from a gentleman named Dirk. Can anyone please guide me or point me in the right direction if this is possible?

Thanks much in advance!

Hi and welcome to HomeSeer. The Sonos plugin has the capability to generate triggers when a Sonos player stops/plays/pause/track change/volume change etc. Therefore you could use this trigger to create an event which has an action to turn your amplifier on or off. What this plugin doesn't do, is communicate with your amplifier.

So here would be the options on the amp side:

1. you use an X10 or Z-wave device that you put in between your wall socket and your power cord of your amplifier and through the right HW (X10 or Z-wave controller) you could turn that power on or off. Drawback is that you can only turn the amplifier on/off (see option 2). I use this setting on one of my Sonos players. It is programmed to turn the amplifier off after 5 minutes of inactivity on the player (either stop or pause state).
2. if you are in luck, your avr might be accessible via Ethernet and you buy a plugin (via HS) that can control your Integra avr. If not Ethernet, perhaps rs232 but then you need to buy some more HW, or Infrared (need to buy some other HW). Either way, if you can find the right solution, the Sonos trigger could lead to events/actions that would turn your amplifier on, set it to right volume and set it to the right input.

So, you'll have to do some more homework on the plugin side for your Integra avr.



As a new user, make use of the 30 days trial to see if everything can be made to work for you. If you have to buy additional HW like z-wave controller, x10 gear, IR or RS232 gear, this option will be a bit harder but this bulletin board has tons of information and tons of very willing people to help you out.


Dirk

[Zaksbro]

Hi Dirk and thanks for the quick reply. it seems there is a plugin on the HS site for my amp (Integra). So if i understand you correctly i need the following:

1. HS software running on a pc. (trial ver)
2. Sonos plugin you've developed.
3. AVR plugin for integra.

Do i have that right? If so, I'm assuming that somehow the AVR and Sonos plugins get loaded on the PC? Then somehow by virtue of the s/w running on the pc, Sonos "play" for example, can turn on the amp and set it to right input?

Do i have that right?

Again thanks so much for the help.

[dcorsus]

If so, I'm assuming that somehow the AVR and Sonos plugins get loaded on the PC? Then somehow by virtue of the s/w running on the pc, Sonos "play" for example, can turn on the amp and set it to right input?

It is scary when you say it that way but that sums it pretty much up

Now the devil is in the details ..... For the sonos functions you would only need to install HS, go to the updater, check mark the Sonos plugin and follow the instructions. Once downloaded, the PC and the Sonos players MUST be on the same network and once you activated the plugin it will automatically detect all your players (make sure they are on-line) and create HS devices for them. So far so good.

Depending on what AVR you have, if it is "controllable via the network", you would do exactly the same as above, go to updater, check mark the right plugin and follow the installation instructions. If your AVR can only be controller via Infrared or via a serial port, now you need to go out and buy specific HW and hook them up to your HS PC.

Once you have the AVR plugin working, the last thing to do is create an event. It is very simple but if you haven't done it, read the HS documentation, there may actually be instruction videos on youtube. You would click on Events' tab, click add event, give it a name, go to trigger tab, select the SonosController, select right player and select "Trigger when Play", go to the action page, add the right actions for the AVR. Save it all, enable the event and that's it. Create a second event to turn amplifier off.

Dirk

[Zaksbro]

It is scary when you say it that way but that sums it pretty much up

Now the devil is in the details ..... For the sonos functions you would only need to install HS, go to the updater, check mark the Sonos plugin and follow the instructions. Once downloaded, the PC and the Sonos players MUST be on the same network and once you activated the plugin it will automatically detect all your players (make sure they are on-line) and create HS devices for them. So far so good.

Depending on what AVR you have, if it is "controllable via the network", you would do exactly the same as above, go to updater, check mark the right plugin and follow the installation instructions. If your AVR can only be controller via Infrared or via a serial port, now you need to go out and buy specific HW and hook them up to your HS PC.



Once you have the AVR plugin working, the last thing to do is create an event. It is very simple but if you haven't done it, read the HS documentation, there may actually be instruction videos on youtube. You would click on Events' tab, click add event, give it a name, go to trigger tab, select the SonosController, select right player and select "Trigger when Play", go to the action page, add the right actions for the AVR. Save it all, enable the event and that's it. Create a second event to turn amplifier off.

Dirk

Sorry, i don't mean to diminish everyone's hard work. I just need to simplify things in my own head. http://board.homeseer.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Are the plugins available for free trial as well?

[dcorsus]

Are the plugins available for free trial as well?

They usually are, mine for sure is. When you go to the updater page, it usually shows it. If you download them, you may have to go into the interface page to activate the trial version. They normally have 30 days

Dirk

[Zaksbro]

They usually are, mine for sure is. When you go to the updater page, it usually shows it. If you download them, you may have to go into the interface page to activate the trial version. They normally have 30 days

Dirk

I downloaded the plugins but dont see them listed in the interfaces page?

[Rupp]

I downloaded the plugins but dont see them listed in the interfaces page?

Which plugins aren't showing?

[Zaksbro]

Which plugins aren't showing?

I got the sonoscontroller running but no good on the onkyo/integra plugin. Its throwing an .msi error of some sort.

How would i have HS turn on and start playing one of my zoneplayers? I see the trigger and action areas but its not clear what i need to do??? I guess i need to do some reading

[dcorsus]

I guess i need to do some reading

That would be highly recommended