# Hi-Rez Designs Video with $30 Looping Video Player & $10 Relay Decoder



## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

Scifideity said:


> I'm looking to build a Containment Unit and Monster in a Box 2.0 this year so a cheaper HD media player would be awesome if one has been found that will work.


I tested the Hi-Rez Designs Zombie Containment: ZIB Volume 3 - Breakout Edition "zombie" video with a $30 Unbranded / Generic *Looping* Video Player,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262533084373​
and my $10 Wicked Stone Video Player Controller / 8-Channel Relay Decoder,

http://www.wickedstone.com/Halloween/Html/relay_decoder.htm​
*Note:* With a looping video player, we only enable the Wicked Stone Relay Decoder functionality (no need for a Video Player Controller).

Everything worked flawlessly. The "zombie" video starts on power-up and loops seamlessly.

I also tested the "zombie" video with a $20 Unbranded / Generic Looping Video Player,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172332000590​
The behavior was identical with one exception ... the $20 video player could *not* be configured to play the audio via the A/V port with 1080p / 60 Hz video via the HDMI port. This is needed in order to split off and connect the right audio channel (with the DTMF tones) to the relay decoder.

*Note:* You could configure the $20 video player to play both audio and video via the A/V port.

Both video players (as well as the MedeaWiz Sprite) use the Boxchip F10 chipset. The $30 looping video player firmware,

TVD2.0 2014-10-11​
is more up to date than the $20 looping video player firmware,

TVD2.OSD_20131231​
This *may* account for the difference. I'll go in search of a $20 looping video player with the ability to play audio via the A/V port with HDMI video.

*Note:* A looping video player is not suitable for props: involving a "trigger" (e.g., switch or motion sensor); nor props involving multiple video players requiring coordination / synchronization (e.g., Hi-Rez Designs Zombie Containment: ZIB Volume 3 - Breakout Edition "analysis" videos *and* "zombie" video).

Make sure you check out the Monster Guts Monster-In-A-Box 2.0 - Build Tutorial,

http://www.monsterguts.com/forum/sh...EXCLUSIVE-Monster-In-A-Box-2-0-Build-Tutorial​
wbn



wickedbeernut said:


> Hi Scifideity,
> 
> Skim through my updated Wicked Stone Video Player Controller / Relay Decoder page,
> 
> ...


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

wickedbeernut said:


> I also tested the "zombie" video with a $20 Unbranded / Generic Looping Video Player,http://www.ebay.com/itm/172332000590​The behavior was identical with one exception ... the $20 video player could *not* be configured to play the audio via the A/V port with 1080p / 60 Hz video via the HDMI port. This is needed in order to split off and connect the right audio channel (with the DTMF tones) to the relay decoder.


If you were using a TV for the display, I guess you could bring the audio out of the TV's headphone socket, split it off to the decoder there and send the audio track to a set of powered speakers.


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

Excellent suggestion, David! In fact, I tried that. I tried all three settings,

http://www.wickedstone.com/Halloween/Jpeg/Configuration Example 3B.jpg​
At best, the left and right audio channels were "mixed". Both the left and right audio channels contained the DTMF tones. I don't think the MT8870 DTMF decoder module can reliably extract the DTMF tones in that situation.

There was a setting to play only the left audio channel or the right audio channel, however, we really need both.

I think I've found a $20 looping video player which will allow us to configure analog audio via the A/V output and HDMI_1080P_60HZ via the HDMI port. I'm just waiting to hear back from our neighbors in China.

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

I already had one of the cheaper ones ($20 one in your earlier post) on the way, but will probably only use it for running a video loop on a TV. Good to know the limitations in advance though.

Is there much of a gap at the loop point and does the OSD show up each time?


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

David_AVD said:


> Is there much of a gap at the loop point


Best I can tell, it's less than a second. I can try to get you a more accurate number. The Hi-Rez Designs "zombie" video has 3 seconds of black screen at the beginning and 12 seconds of black screen at the end. It's kind of hard to gauge when the video ends and begins.



> does the OSD show up each time?


No. Completely seamless. For $20, you won't be disappointed.

Please let us know if your $20 video player supports the ability to play audio via the A/V port with HDMI video. Your video player may have more up to date firmware than the one I have. I'll let everyone know if I find a $20 video player that supports the ability to play audio via the A/V port with HDMI video.

Thank you for taking the time to share.

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

A friend of mine is using the new Hi-Rez Designs monster in a box video, but is playing it on a Raspberry pi running the Falcon Player (FPP) software.

Instead of using the DTMF tones, he created an XLights sequence and hung a cheap relay PCB off the pi's GPIO pins. It works a treat. The same sequence can control anything you want; solenoids, LEDs, pixels, etc.

I'll let you know about the cheap video player once it arrives in a couple of weeks time.


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

Yup, all kinds of possibilities. At the bottom of my how-to,

http://www.wickedstone.com/Halloween/Html/relay_decoder.htm​
I demonstrate how to leverage the DTMF tones in the right audio channel of a Hi-Rez Designs video to "configure" $10 in Arduino parts using the most excellent (free) OctoBanger. You can control up to eight outputs (including the standard solenoid valves, light and air cannon / water sprayer). Once the OctoBanger is configured, there's no need for the DTMF tones.

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

My apologies for hijacking your thread with the FPP mention.

I do like the value for money that your DTMF solution provides.


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

I just received my media player in the post. The firmware is TVD2.0SD_20161108 if that helps.

I've not got it working on HDMI yet, only composite. It does loop and be be set to play at power up, but I haven't looked closely to see how much of a gap there is at the loop point.


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

David_AVD said:


> I just received my media player in the post. The firmware is TVD2.0SD_20161108 if that helps.


Wow! That must be close to the latest and greatest firmware.



> I've not got it working on HDMI yet, only composite.


What's the issue with HDMI? Make sure you're selecting the correct refresh rate (e.g., HDMI_1080P_60HZ),

http://wickedstone.com/Halloween/Jpeg/Configuration Example 2A.jpg​
Does the set-up menu allow you to configure an "Analog Output Mode" of "Analog audio",

http://wickedstone.com/Halloween/Jpeg/Configuration Example 2B.jpg​
I'm still waiting on a second $20 Unbranded / Generic HD Looping Video Player in hopes it'll support "Analog audio" via the A/V port.

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

The only monitor I had to hand was an older one with DVI input. It doesn't seem to support the high resolution so I'll grab a TV later and try again.


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

OK, I just tried it set to HDMI with a 720p 50Hz output. With a sample divx file the loop point gap is almost non-existent. I need to find a true seamless loop file to test that better.

As for the audio, unfortunately it follows the video; ie digital audio via HDMI when using HDMI video and analog audio when using composite video.

If you need to feed the audio into an analog input amplifier you'll need to plug into the headphone socket of the TV or use a HDMI audio extractor (US $15 on eBay).


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

David_AVD said:


> With a sample divx file the loop point gap is almost non-existent.


That was my experience.



> I need to find a true seamless loop file to test that better.


I'll be interested in your test results.



> As for the audio, unfortunately it follows the video; ie digital audio via HDMI when using HDMI video and analog audio when using composite video.


That's too bad. What are the options under the "Analog Output Mode" sub-menu?

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

I tested it with a seamless loop and there's less than a 500ms pause (not black screen) at the loop point.

I don't think there was a menu marked "Analog Output Mode". There was an audio menu item but the options were Normal and a couple of PCM modes. I'll check again when I get to work.


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

OK, here's a quick video showing the short pause at the loop point. You can see the hangman and the clouds stop moving about half way though.






Also shown here are the audio options.


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

David_AVD said:


> OK, here's a quick video showing the short pause at the loop point. You can see the hangman and the clouds stop moving about half way though.


That's not too bad for a $20 looping video player. Do you have another looping video player that is 100% seamless with that content?



> Also shown here are the audio options.


So much for my theory that more up to date firmware has the "Analog audio" option. There must be hundreds of branches of the F10 firmware.

I'll report back if and when I receive my latest eBay looping video player,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182241379742​
wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

wickedbeernut said:


> That's not too bad for a $20 looping video player. Do you have another looping video player that is 100% seamless with that content?


No. It is supposed to be a seamless file, but I've only tried it with VCL on a PC before. I should dig out a pi and see if it plays it without a gap.


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## wickedbeernut (Dec 14, 2016)

I received a second $20 Unbranded / Generic HD Looping Video Player from China in the mail today,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172332000590​
Everything worked flawlessly. The video starts on power-up and loops "seamlessly". I didn't have video content to test for the 500 ms pause reported by David.

The 1080p / 60 Hz video is played via the HDMI port. Most important, the analog audio is played via the A/V port allowing the audio channel with the DTMF tones to be split off and connected to the relay decoder.

One caveat ... the eBay listing depicted a US power plug. The item arrived with a UK plug. I've requested a refund.

There are clearly many "branches" of the F10 firmware. Unfortunately, there's seemingly no correlation between the firmware date (as encoded in the firmware version) and whether or not the video player supports an Audio Output Mode of "Analog audio".

wbn


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## David_AVD (Nov 9, 2012)

The wrong plug is not an issue for me as I never use the supplied plug pack (wall wart) as I don't trust them.


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## Scifideity (Sep 25, 2016)

Hi guys,

Over the past few months I've been pretty slammed. I had to deal with getting my father moved to Independent Living and then get his house cleaned out/up and sold. FINALLY got all of that knocked out and house sold at the beginning of Sept just in time for DragonCon and now Halloween prep. I've been focusing on my builds for the past few weeks and have Monster in a Box 2.0 ready to wire up. I wanted to use Wickedbeernut's relay decoder for this guy but can't find a download of the Wicked Stone Configurator to get it set up. I've got all the components, just no way to configure them as instructed on http://wickedstone.com/Halloween/Html/relay_decoder.htm

Has anyone heard from him lately? I've reached out via email a few times but no response over the past few weeks. Does anyone have a copy of the Configurator they could share and any docs on it?

Thanks,


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