Announcing the j9 Automation Engine v0.10

[johnnynine]

I'm proud to announce the release of an update to the j9 Automation Engine software. This release introduces the PocketPC Touchscreen Viewer, UPB support, new Touch Screen controls and performance enhancements, an at-a-glace system status panel, new home theater drivers and much more. It is available for immediate download here.

This release has a large number of enhancements, too many to cover in this announcement. Here is a list of the highlights: (The full change list can be viewed here.)

PocketPC Touch Screen Viewer
View your touch screen interfaces from your Mobile Phone. This allows control and status review while you are on the road.

Touch Screen Viewer
Several new user interface controls have been added, such as album cover art viewer, slider, image list, and more. A new kiosk mode can be used to lock the interface in fullscreen and prevent the user from accessing any other applications. Many performance enhancements have also been made. A popup menu now appears when pressing the space bar or menu key.

New Device Support
The much requested UPB (Universal Power Bus) support is here with auto-network discovery, two-way communication, fade rates, channels, links, blinking, toggling, and state polling. Support for other home theater, lighting and music control includes:

* UPB (Universal Power Bus)
* Anthem D2 AV Processor
* JVC DLA RSx and Meridian MF10
* Velodyne DD Series Subwoofers
* Sanyo PLV-Z Series Projector
* X10 ACT TI103 Driver
* Winamp

Configuration and Diagnosis
Added infrared library support to the action lists which makes sending IR commands easy. A new driver chooser makes it easier to find the device driver you are looking for. The system status dashboard gives you an at-a-glance view of the health of you system and can recommend solutions to problems. The log viewer can now display individual event items with copy to clipboard support.

Screenshots
Here's a few custom touch screen interface examples. Visit the screenshots page to see more.



Many thanks to those who helped contribute drivers and testing.

Johnny

 

[johnnynine]

Thanks so much for everyone's support. The next version will be posted earlier than expected and will include a few fixes to minor issues reported in version 0.10 as well as User Account integration. User accounts prevent unauthorized access to the system. Each user account can optionally limit the time of day the user is authorized to use the system, which touchscreens the user is authorized to view, and more. The sign in window should look familiar to most users increasing it's ease of use. Look for it in about a week.

Here's a quick preview screen shot showing the sign-in window including user picture, username, and password.