DenonSerial

A plugin for SqueezeCenter

Please note: DenonSerial is currently in pre-release testing.

Releases for SqueezeCenter 7 are available here.

Installation:
SqueezeCenter 7.3: you can use the repository URL https://tuxreborn.netlify.com/slim/slim7/repodata-test.xml in the web Extension Downloader interface instead of manually unzipping the plugin.
SqueezeCenter 7.2: unpack the DenonSerial zip file in your Plugins directory and restart SqueezeCenter.
Note that DenonSerial's IR volume button remapping requires SqueezeCenter 7.2 or newer.

If you have a Denon with an Ethernet port, you should also take a look at the Denon AVP Control plugin.

Features

Control your Denon's volume with SqueezeCenter

With an old-style IR remote, the Squeezebox Controller, the SqueezeCenter web interface, or third-party apps running on devices from smart phones to netbooks to full PCs.

Multi-zone support.

Tell DenonSerial which zone your Squeezebox serves and it will control the appropriate zone volume.

Keep tabs on your amp

Periodically "polls" your Denon to see if you've changed its volume via something other than SqueezeCenter.

Idle timeout.

Can be set to turn your Denon amp off after a certain amount of time if you're not using your Squeezebox and DenonSerial hasn't seen any volume changes on the Denon or IR activity on your Squeezebox (e.g., DenonSerial recognizes most DVD IR codes and won't shut off your amp if you've pressed a DVD button). There is a pre-shutoff warning displayed on Squeezebox VFD displays and Squeezebox Controllers, too.

Amp power synced with Squeezebox.

You can have DenonSerial turn your amp on and/or off with your Squeezebox. If you have multiple Squeezeboxes using different zones on the same amp, DenonSerial should be smart enough not to turn the amp off unless all the Squeezeboxes are off.

Volume control when the Squeezebox is off.

Normally IR-equipped Squeezeboxes like the Classic ignore IR commands when the Squeezebox is turned off, but DenonSerial allows you to use your Squeezebox remote to change the Denon volume so you can use the nice Squeezebox display when listening to a different source.

Note: you must set your Squeezebox's "Volume Control" setting (in the SqueezeCenter "Audio" settings for that player) to fixed at 100%. I recommend that you do that and use one of the digital inputs of the Denon for the Squeezebox, especially if you're using Audyssey or other digital processing on the Denon.

Amplifier requirements

DenonSerial needs a Denon amp or receiver (browse on Amazon) with either an RS232 serial port or an Ethernet port. Generally the "CI" amps and receivers have at least a serial port, from the 697 CI that sells for about $6oo USD to the $7,500 AVP-A1HDCI. There are two basic ways to connect to your amp if it only has a serial port.

1. Connect a serial cable to the computer where you run SqueezeCenter. (I have found that USB-to-serial adapters work well in both Linux and Windows -- I use a USB adapter based on the FTDI chipset with my Linux server without any problems.)
2. Use a "serial port telnet server" device like a Sena LS-100 or LS-110 so that the serial port can be reached over your home network. You can use the bridge mode of a Squeezebox to connect such a device to your wireless network. Similarly, you could connect the amp to a different computer if that computer runs software to make the serial port available over the network.

If you have a Denon with an Ethernet port, you should also take a look at the Denon AVP Control plugin.

Server requirements

Linux, Mac, and Unix users: If you use a serial cable connected to your SqueezeCenter host (to a native serial port or USB adapter) and you do not run Microsoft Windows, you may need to install the Perl/CPAN Device::SerialPort package. DenonSerial includes precompiled versions of Device::SerialPort for Perl 5.8 and 5.10 running on 32-bit (i386) and 64-bit (x86_64) Linux -- so most Linux users should be OK. DenonSerial includes the source code for Device::SerialPort in case you do need to install it manually. DenonSerial includes everything that a Windows user needs to control a Denon amp (namely, the Win32::SerialPort module, which does not need to be compiled); note: I have not tested DenonSerial on a 64-bit Windows build, but expect it should work fine.

Other plugins - Home

$Id: DenonSerial.html,v 1.4 2009/12/31 03:01:13 peterw Exp peterw $