DVD Jukebox Controller

[Skot]

I have to admit this is one of the best software packages I have seen and I am in the custom home automation industry. The best part is that it is FREE!

One wish I would like to see is a DVD Jukebox controller. There are currently media servers that can control a Sony 400 disc DVD changer. When a new disc is added it checks to see what it is and retrieves the Disc information and files and views the DVDs like any media server and will Que the disc when selected from the GUI. The advantage of this is, first of all you wont need terrabytes of Hard Drive space A DVD Jukebox is less expensive then all of the harddrives to hold them all. Also when the standard on the High Def DVDs come out I would rather buy a different DVD changer than even more Hard Drives. Also the advantage of this is you can still use the component out on the DVD Jukeboxes and still get the quality with out buying a better graphics card. It would also be nice to controll multiple DVD Changers, most media servers can control 2. This would be perfect for starting the Hi-Def collection in the other Jukebox.

Let me know what you guys think of this idea.

[nightwalker]

you can use a slink-e, if you can find one. they do a very nice job of that but have been discontinued. I wonder if the CD jukebox's are next. I've used them before and have used Homeseer as a method to link control between the two. Has worked very well. It's only drawback was if something went wrong you really needed to go back to the beginning, especially if you were a novice user and didn't know anymore than push the button to play.

I've since converted to a HD based system and have gone through a few looking for the right one, I've tried both Élan and Russounds media servers. Both did a fine job but were just feature poor. I've not used either since i found this program. Gives me all the function of either of those boxes plus letting me do other things as well.

[Skot]

I did see the slink-e that you are talking about but if the computer that is being used has a serial connection the slink-e is not needed. Most media servers that I have seen look just like a basic computer with a couple of RS-232s on the back which interface with the Jukeboxes. Control4 is comming out with a Home Theater interface which will control DVD Jukeboxes and retrieve the clipart and DVD information and store all of that in a library on a flash card. The Control4 rep that came to our company said that the clipart isnt very large so a hard drive isnt needed. Their interface also looks preety nice and very similar to GBPVR. Their control products are very glitchy still however their concept is very simple and effective.
I guess all I am looking for is a plug-in that can communicate with a DVD Jukebox. Its purpous is to read each disc and log its contense and display all of the DVDs in the DVD library just as though you have them all burned onto a harddrive. Then when a DVD is selected it sends the commands to the Jukebox to play the appropriate DVD. I do understand that I would have to change my Video display from GBPVR to a different input but that is fine. The jukebox will look much better than my graphics card anyway. I am using a Pronto to control my system now so to add a swap button on a page isnt a problem.
For me this would be a great way for me to quickly log all of my DVDs without purchacing many harddrives.
Like I was saying before, when the Hi-Def standard comes out for DVDs, it will be easier and much cheaper to purchace aonther DVD Jukebox that is Hi-Def rather than 10 new harddrives in a Raid 5 setup. Not to mention save time in not sitting around burning DVDs to my computer for a month.
I may be willing to try and work on a plug-in myself but im not sure where to find the information on how to communicate with the hardware or where on the net I could find the DVD info once the information is retreived. I know a couple of AMX programmers that will help me and I know some programming myself but if anyone knows any good places to start looking, that will help point me in the right direction.
Thanks for any info or feedback.