frontend/program with line-in

[petejc]

does anyone out there know of a good looking software (as non-windows looking as possible) that has line in capability?  i don't want to fork the money out for a FM card, so i want to use a small radio and run it through the sound card.  Right now, all the program i use (Ultimate arcade, MAMEWah, and Arcade Jukebox) are "window less", and a want to keep it that way!

thanks

[Billabong]

With my soundcard, all I have to do is go to the mixer control panel, and un-mute the line in. Then, whatever I have connected to it plays back, even if no application is running. Infact, it's doing it right now!

Actually, this should work for almost any soundcard.

Later,
Bill

[petejc]

that would work if i could use windows shortcuts, but i cheated and changed my system.ini file to go to ultimate arcade instead of explorer.  looks good, but i now see the limitations of doing that.  i guess i could try to write a batch file to do that and have utimate arcade point to that.... hmmm...

With my soundcard, all I have to do is go to the mixer control panel, and un-mute the line in. Then, whatever I have connected to it plays back, even if no application is running. Infact, it's doing it right now!

Actually, this should work for almost any soundcard.

Later,
Bill

[Billabong]

If you go back to regular Windows explorer, and un-mute, it should stick no matter what your shell is.
I don't run UA, but I'll test it out with something else when I get home (at work now).

Later,
Bill

[petejc]

they only problem with un-muting the line-in is that a wanted to have the radio turn on when i power up my cabinet, but i don't want to hear the radio until i select it.  so what i need is a batch file that will un-mute line-in, maybe display a certain wallpaper (whatever, nothing fancy) and at close (hopefully with escape!) will mute line-in and and change the wallpaper.  it not like i'm asking for the world or anything!

pete

If you go back to regular Windows explorer, and un-mute, it should stick no matter what your shell is.
I don't run UA, but I'll test it out with something else when I get home (at work now).

Later,
Bill

[jaquer]

Well, this is probably not too hard. I could tell you that the name of the volume app is sndvol32.exe and it lives in c:\windows\system32. This is on my home WindowsXP machine. If that doesn't help you enough, I'm already seeing the posibility of an AutoIt script that could take care of the whole thing for you.

Let me know if you want to follow that route.

[petejc]

would that work with just the line-in or is that limited to sound in general.  if it could work, could a script be written to do line-in or or everything?

if it would work, yes that would br the route i would like to go.  How do i start?

Well, this is probably not too hard. I could tell you that the name of the volume app is sndvol32.exe and it lives in c:\windows\system32. This is on my home WindowsXP machine. If that doesn't help you enough, I'm already seeing the posibility of an AutoIt script that could take care of the whole thing for you.

Let me know if you want to follow that route.

[jaquer]

This is what I had in mind, it should work, but I'm at work right now and I can't test it for sure.

- Get AutoIt http://www.hiddensoft.com/AutoIt/
- Write this script:

Run,sndvol32.exe
WinWait,Volume Control
WinActivate,Volume Control
Send,+{TAB}
Send,{SPACE}
Send,!{F4}

Now, compile the script and run the exe. It should mute the Line In. Run it again to unmute it.

For this to work make sure that you have the Line In as the last (rightmost) option on Volume Control.

Would that work for you?

[jaquer]

Ok, I re-read your posts and I see that I missed the boat by a long shot. I had installed AutoIt on my co-worker's machine and I am testing this. Here's what you need:

<begin turn_radio_on script>
Run,sndvol32.exe
WinWait,Volume Control
WinActivate,Volume Control
Send,+{TAB}
Send,{SPACE}
Send,!{F4}
Run,rundll32.exe shell32.dll\,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl\,\,0
WinWait,Display Properties
Send,!b
Send,C:\\path\\to\\image1.jpg{ENTER 2}
MsgBox,0,Radio Tuner,Press ESC to exit

; This part runs once you press ESC and it mutes Line In and changes your wallpaper again
Run,sndvol32.exe
WinWait,Volume Control
WinActivate,Volume Control
Send,+{TAB}
Send,{SPACE}
Send,!{F4}
Run,rundll32.exe shell32.dll\,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl\,\,0
WinWait,Display Properties
Send,!b
Send,C:\\path\\to\\image2.jpg{ENTER 2}
<end turn_radio_on script>

Now you just need to change the paths to fit the images you want. Make your you insert double backslashes (\\) instead of singles. It's part of the AutoIt syntax.

Oh, and I know that little message box with the Press ESC to exit msg is not the nicest, but hey, it gets the work done.

Hope that helps, but let me know if you would like to change any of it.

[petejc]

DUDE!  i think you have way too much time on your hands!  not that i mind though.  i'm out of town right now, but i will diffently try it this weekend.  thank you very much!  where can i get more info on how to use AutoIt?

Ok, I re-read your posts and I see that I missed the boat by a long shot. I had installed AutoIt on my co-worker's machine and I am testing this. Here's what you need:

<begin turn_radio_on script>
Run,sndvol32.exe
WinWait,Volume Control
WinActivate,Volume Control
Send,+{TAB}
Send,{SPACE}
Send,!{F4}
Run,rundll32.exe shell32.dll\,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl\,\,0
WinWait,Display Properties
Send,!b
Send,C:\\path\\to\\image1.jpg{ENTER 2}
MsgBox,0,Radio Tuner,Press ESC to exit

; This part runs once you press ESC and it mutes Line In and changes your wallpaper again
Run,sndvol32.exe
WinWait,Volume Control
WinActivate,Volume Control
Send,+{TAB}
Send,{SPACE}
Send,!{F4}
Run,rundll32.exe shell32.dll\,Control_RunDLL desk.cpl\,\,0
WinWait,Display Properties
Send,!b
Send,C:\\path\\to\\image2.jpg{ENTER 2}
<end turn_radio_on script>

Now you just need to change the paths to fit the images you want. Make your you insert double backslashes (\\) instead of singles. It's part of the AutoIt syntax.

Oh, and I know that little message box with the Press ESC to exit msg is not the nicest, but hey, it gets the work done.

Hope that helps, but let me know if you would like to change any of it.

[jaquer]

DUDE!  i think you have way too much time on your hands!  not that i mind though.  i'm out of town right now, but i will diffently try it this weekend.  thank you very much!  where can i get more info on how to use AutoIt?

Hehehe, it's not that I have too much time on my hands. Well, actually I do, but that's not the point.

I've used AutoIt for a couple years now, so it almost comes natural, everytime I think of scripting something.

Anyway, once you dload AutoIt there's a very comprehensive help file with details of all possible commands, etc. Good luck.

[petejc]

i worked on your script last night, and after thinking about it alittle, i thought that escape wouldn't be the best button to use.  how, or can, i change it from escape to player 1 (keyboard #1).  i didn't see that anywhere in the script.  Is this possible or am i pushing what i want this to do?!?

DUDE!  i think you have way too much time on your hands!  not that i mind though.  i'm out of town right now, but i will diffently try it this weekend.  thank you very much!  where can i get more info on how to use AutoIt?

Hehehe, it's not that I have too much time on my hands. Well, actually I do, but that's not the point.

I've used AutoIt for a couple years now, so it almost comes natural, everytime I think of scripting something.

Anyway, once you dload AutoIt there's a very comprehensive help file with details of all possible commands, etc. Good luck.

[jaquer]

Mmmmm... yes, you might be pushing it a bit. AutoIt has no way to wait for input without pressing enter after it. In other words, the script could be changed to exit on player 1, but you would need to press player 1 button and ENTER afterwards. Do you have a button mapped to ENTER? If you don't mind pushing Player 1+ then ENTER I'll be glad to rewrite that part.

See ya.

[petejc]

hmm..  if thats the case, i think i'll stick with escape.  although a sequence of buttons would prevent acidentally shuting down the radio, but nobody else would know what to do!  would it have the same dialoge box, or would it be different?

final question (i hope), instead of changing the wallpaper, would it be possible to adjust the size of the dialoge box and maybe add graphics (i.e. a picture) to it?  the changing of the wallpaper just feels to take too long, and i don't like how you can see windows with it.  right now when i boot up, you don't see the taskbar or any icons, which looks sweet, and i'm trying like mad to keep it that way!
 thanks for the help!