Wishlist: present the exact display of the AVR LCD as seen in AvrPioRemote

[addexcel]

(I did purchase the Windows Store app so I'm not just a freeloader)

I don't know how portable it is, but the Sourceforge project AvrPioRemote has a function that works on my 2016 Pioneer VSX-1131 (has the updated Onkyo EISCP protocols vs the legacy Pioneer stuff) where it's main in-app display is a 100% mirror of the physical AVR's LCD.

The code for that project is C++ and I didn't know how easily portable it is to Enhanced Music Player, or how many of the other Make/Models that Enhanced Music Player supports can leverage the same implementation (or is it just Onkyo/Pioneer specific).

What's awesome about it is that it is 100% verbatim what's on the display, which means the AVR/display can be hidden to whatever degree of hidden you wish, with no compromise. You can browse the native setup menu, audio submenu, MCACC, prompts, see the exact text of the different sound modes...

[mkulesh]

Hi @addexcel,

thank you for pointing on this project. I will take a look on the code. However, this app does not work for Onkyo devices - I have NS-6170 and the app does not show the content of player display:

[mkulesh]

Hi @addexcel,
which receiver model do you have?

[addexcel]

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I wonder if the content is not showing on yours due to the DPI scaling (see my next post below)

I have the Pioneer VSX-1131. It is a 2016 model that supports the Onkyo EISCP commands rather than the legacy Pioneer stuff. It connects via port 60128.

I found it really interesting that the application AvrPioRemote is able to display exactly what is on the LCD screen of my AVR at any time. For instance, a volume change causes my receiver to temporarily display the volume level and then back to display the source input... AvrPioRemote does the exact same thing in it's UI. Same with navigation of the various setup menus of the receiver, it displays identically what is on the LCD. I don't think the developer is "faking it", I think he discovered how to read the display output.

The rest of the controls in AvrPioRemote do not work very well for my AVR, but it is the only way I have found to see my LCD so that I can keep the AVR in a separate room and control it with Home Assistant.

[addexcel]

One more thing, to allow AvrPioRemote to display correctly, right click the executable, Properties, Compatibility, Change High DPI settings

It is an older application and the author hasn't touched the project in a long time.

[addexcel]

Example of it displaying the contents of my LCD:

[mkulesh]

Hi @addexcel,

thanks for High DPI settings trick - I am not really experienced Windows user :)

I found some ISCP messages that may provide the device screen content, but my Onkyo Player does not support this functionality and therefore AvrPioRemote shows empty screen. Could you please help me to trace this functionality on your device?

If yes, please do following:

• Start AvrPioRemote on one host, and my app on the other host (maybe on a phone or in an VM)
• In my app, navigate to the settings and switch on the "Developer options"
• Close and open my app again
• In AvrPioRemote, start to play something and take a screenshot
• In my app, navigate to application menu -> About -> Latest logging and press "Copy to clipboard"
• Send this logging together with the AvrPioRemote screenshot to me per email on [email protected]

I hope this log may help me to identify the message and than I can add this functionality into the app

[addexcel]

@mkulesh , I have just now sent the email you requested to your gmail account. It has two attachments and is from da...@cor...com (censored)

[mkulesh]

Hi @addexcel,

I added the receiver display view. Please download and manually install the file MusicControl-v2.14.3-windows-x86_64.msix from here:
https://1drv.ms/f/s!At2sh2-YDyGFdsDFl6N3ncDowMg

Since this build is signed with a developer test certificate, you may need to install this certificate into your Windows manually. Please follow this manual if it`s needed: https://www.advancedinstaller.com/install-test-certificate-from-msix.html

By default, the receiver display view appears on the top of the RC tab:

You can reorder this view (as well as move it to an other tab) in the "Tab layout" windows accessible from the application menu.

Could you please test how does it works for you?

[addexcel]

Generally speaking, the results are excellent. I hope that there are other Onkyo/Pioneer models that benefit as well. I've customized my "RC" view to perfection now using the "Tab layout" and ordering everything they way I want it.

I just now sent you an email with attachments and some observations, but it is optional if you choose to address them because there are no critical bugs, and I didn't want to share them here in case you do not.