Zionworx

I would really love a generalised I/O control module/plugin.

Input Examples:
MIDI - Worship Leader can use foot pedal or lowest keys on keyboard to control word selection (next song, prev song, next verse, next page etc).
Ethernet - PDA or laptop user can send commands to ZionworX from the other side of the room.
Multiple PCs - When one is not enough, a master can control slaves.

Output Examples:
RS232 - Projector Control.
DMX - Lights (dim the lights that are near the screen when songs are projected, etc.)
Multiple PCs - as above.

These are only examples. I'm not suggesting that the creators of ZionworX need produce all the code to interface with all these protocols... just allow a method of controlling the software other than keyboard and mouse. Power users and developers who need a specific protocol could then write a plugin to the ZionworX spec to do the interfacing.

Things that would need to be exposed:
Basics: Lyric controls - Next/Prev Song, Section, Verse, Corus, etc. Show background/lyrics/blank
Intermediate: General output (i.e. "general output command 1" which would be defined in plug in setup)
Advanced: Lyrics and where the page breaks appear (i.e. all that would be required to create a "play only" interface on a PDA)

With some sort of plug in specification much could be done.

Thanks,
Alan Geering


PS I saw a few requests for individual protocols on the board so I hope this isn't repeating too much.

I think you are talking about a separate type of interface that is optimized for remote play control of the slides from a PDA...but for now couldn't you just VNC into the Zionworx machine from the PDA?

Or a USB interface for projector control.

We have an Epson EMP 760 which will take ascii commands sent to a USB port to control the projector. I suppose that Zionworx could have a menu called Projector with a set of items such as On | Off | VGA | S-Video etc. and have these defined in an XML file on the machine which says what port to use, what to display for the menu item and what text to send when said menu item is selected and what to expect as a return code (: in the case of the Epsons).

vetto: I could use VNC but I'm looking for an approach that is more general i.e. providing the option for hardware controllers (other than the usual PC keyboard)

brainer: I often use projectors with Rs232 and USB control. Using an IR remote control is a pain so I usually have to write a helper program or build a little wired remote based on an 8-bit microcontroller. At my current church I've just bought a video switch that will send rs232 commands out to control the projector when a new input is selected.

There are some things available already:
VNC (for remote control from Windows/Linux)
Midi2keys (forgot the exact name, will find it soon) takes a midi input and sends keystrokes to the chosen application