Windows Volume Mixer - control it remotely?

[wirednuts]

i love my htpc. i love multitasking on my wee little i3 overclocked to hell. i have 4 screens hooked to my htpc so at times i have at least 4 different volumes going and i want to control them separately without fricking up my screens (minimizing fullscreen windows just to do some volume changes is a PITA)

i would be fine with two ways. one, just a simple 5 knob box (made from potentiometers) that connected to the pc via serial or something. i could probably figure that out, but i am no software guy so i would get stuck there.

two, for easier application, just a simple software server on my htpc that would allow a remote web page to control each individual volume slider. the webpage could show you exactly what volumes are being controlled and look just like the windows native one. if i did it this way, i would simply buy a $100 tablet pc or old smartphone and mount it on the wall next to the couch.

anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Binky]

There's a neat little app I use on my work system called volumouse. With it, you can set pretty much any key or mouse action to change the volume. If you can find some way to send commands, this program may help.

 

[wirednuts]

thanks. i used volmouse in the past although i did not realize they recently added support for application specific volume control via the new beta they are working on.

ill post back with results. i should be able to use comcontrol for winamp to give me 15 on/off buttons via serial port. that should be 7 programs for up/down volume control.

EDIT- actually, i have a harmony remote. i can setup the soft keys to do the individual volume control via hotkeys through volmouse, and i can label them accordingly via the harmony software. this should work easily and i wont even need to make anything. gonna take a min to setup....

 

[wirednuts]

bah. no go. logitech harmony remotes CANNOT command hotkeys or any keyboard keys by default. the only way is to trick it by having an IR keyboard and physically learning each key to the remote.

so i have to find a (cheap) ir keyboard first, then program it all. sucks, but itll still work. id rather do this then making a hardware controller... as the hardware version would be nice but also comes with a long cord.

 

[Leros]

You can buy a cheap $10 IR remote that has a USB receiver. They're aimed at Windows Media Center. They basically just sent over keyboard commands (such as the ones for changing system volume).

 

[wirednuts]

i would need an IR keyboard... cheapest i could find is $30, and i just dont see why i should spend that money. i do have a ms IR6 media remote kit that can blast IR signals... if i had like a service program or something that would let me blast any keyboard key then i could probably get it to work but blehhhh... lots of frickin around.

so last night before bed i caught the bug and i ripped apart one of my $2 usb-to-serial adapters. i added 2 momentary buttons to it and setup Com-port control for winamp. then i setup volmouse.

and it works! ok, well i set it up to change the volume for wmp and firefox. the volume changes on wmp perfectly. and the firefox volume slider DOES move down in the volume mixer, but the sound doesnt attenuate. then, if i just click the slider with my mouse the sound lowers immediately.

so it looks like volmouse beta still needs some work, but i think ill just go this hardware route and hope they fix the software soon.

im just going to do the 4 button one too... you can do this for 15 buttons but you needs lots of diodes to make it work. but even with just 4, i can control 4 volume sliders though combo actions. so basically, if i tap tap tap the button the corresponding volume goes up. then, if i hold that same button down, the volume drops down fast.

so today im going to try to make a nice little 4 button panel to mount on my window sill next to the couch. not hard to do, but i want something that looks somewhat nice.