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May 26th, 2005 18:00

XPS Gen 2 LED Controller and LED Media Player Plugin (Lights Beat to music)

Ive wrote 2 apps for the XPS Gen 2.
 
First app is a LED controller, this not only select the colour of the LEDs like the Dell utility it also includes special effects. Plus it minimises to taskbar and uses virtually no CPU time.
 
Eg
 
LEDs change colour on mouse movement
LEDs change colour relative to mouse postion
LEDs cycle in colour
LEDs Pulse between 2 colours
LEDs fade in and out like a heartbeat.
 
Secondlay i have wrote a Plugin for Windows Media Player that will cause the LEDs to beat to the music.
 
Is anyone in these forums interested in these apps.
 
PS They are free.  Screenshot below
 

Message Edited by qualar on 05-26-2005 02:21 PM

7 Posts

May 26th, 2005 19:00

OK Im posting the download and I only ask one request. That is if you download it then you post here a comment good or bad.

To use the app you must also have the latest Microsoft NET Framework installed.  Download unzip to any location, run the command file to register the dlls.  Then you can run the app.  The Media Player Plugin can be enabled under the visualization section of media player.

 

http://home.wanadoo.nl/p.littlewood/XPSLEDController.zip

10 Posts

May 26th, 2005 19:00

very cool, where can they be downloaded from ?

10 Posts

May 26th, 2005 20:00

very cool, slick interface....  (here is the input - good and bad)

When I run media player .... it goes solid but does not change.

Someone recently posted a utility that maps system status to the lights which I think is very usefull (if one could ever quantify these LED's as usefull :->). 

Perhaps this is why you have monitor option set to use a drop down (so you can add addtional stuff ?)

Typically getting between 8-11% CPU - which is quite intensive given it's function - I'm not sure if that can be tweaked at all.

Can this be controlled via vbscript ?  (how did you write the software for this?

7 Posts

May 26th, 2005 20:00

CPU Usage is strange because i get 0-1%  only time it gets higher than this is if you switch everything to colour cycle plus heartbeat than it can reach 6% but to do that it is having to run 4 threads 1 for each area plus 1 for the heartbeat.  The colour cycle is the most cpu intensive because it is a continuous thing,  but this can be reduces considerably by reducing the colour cycle speed, also you need to enable the media player plugin in media player, as per instruction i gave above.
 
I am currently optimising the code so the cycle and twin colour only use one thread even if multple areas are selected, this will drastically improve performance in that situation.

NEW Version now uploaded same location.

Message Edited by qualar on 05-27-2005 09:45 AM

May 27th, 2005 23:00

Cool idea! I'd like to put it on our XPS notebook here at the Dell kiosk, but I doubt Dell would be very happy about that.

208 Posts

June 28th, 2005 03:00

Dang, guess not. I pot the WindowsMedia zip contents in the MediaPlayer visualizations folder. I put the other folder on C: and registered the dlls succesfully. When I play music and select the visualization it doesn't work. Running the XPS Lights program gives me an error (application fails to initialize properly (0xc0000135)) :(

Message Edited by Urlik on 06-27-2005 11:30 PM

208 Posts

June 28th, 2005 03:00

I'm going to download this right now. Can't wait to try it. I'm surprised you haven't advertised this more in places like www.notebookforums.com. Thanks!

 

 

EDIT: hmmm, no installer. I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out.

Message Edited by Urlik on 06-27-2005 11:05 PM

7 Posts

June 28th, 2005 06:00

It is on Notebookforums.com

Your problem is as stated earlier in the thread yyyou must have the latest Microsoft NET Framework installed available from MS website.

You do not need to copy anything to the windoww media player folder. Just run the setup that registered the dlls. Then run media player under visualisations select xps lights. Make sure the visualisation can be seen on screen and the lights will flash, if you minimise media player the lights will stop flashing.

With the main app make sure you have fully unzipped and once net framwork is installed just double click the exe file all will now work.

It is a good ideeea to keep net framework up to date in any case lots of apps use it and having the latest version will ensure they run to their best.

Message Edited by qualar on 06-28-2005 02:37 AM

208 Posts

June 28th, 2005 11:00

Thanks. I forgot when I wiped the hard drive the day I got it I installed everything but .net. Late night brain fart. Thanks again. I'll comment after I have it working.

208 Posts

June 28th, 2005 22:00

Works like a charm. Amazing how reading the instructions makes all the differnce in the world. Thanks for a great utliity!!!

2 Posts

November 19th, 2005 10:00

The link you posted no longer works qualar so please give us a new link

208 Posts

November 19th, 2005 12:00

Looks like the link went dead in the last few days. Hopefully he'll have it back onlien soon.

Message Edited by Urlik on 11-19-2005 08:18 AM

7 Posts

November 19th, 2005 17:00

Uploaded again, please post here if you download.

2 Posts

November 20th, 2005 14:00

thanks alot man although i did have some trouble contacting you.Its great just needs some more colours for media player.
 
Hani2005

7 Posts

November 20th, 2005 15:00

hani2005
 
I have included the sourcecode for the WMP Plugin so if you want to add more to it you can.
 
Phil
 
 
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