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1) Allonis builds CANVAS system and adds TV, MAC, Date of manufacture, Windows OS license, CANVAS license into Allonis.com database. System is NOT activated.
2) Allonis ships system to AVPro for distribution
3) AVPro Sales discusses system with potential client
4) System is spec'd and number of connected devices (a connected device is either a source (DirecTV receiver) or an output (a TV or a light or a thermostat) and optional software features (families, apps, drivers etc) are determined
5) If there are any unusual devices or capability requested, AVPro Sales discusses with John. John can also serve out to Allonis for additional scope input.
6) Based on those specs, a price is provided to client for such system, including any "unusual device" or customization support.
7) Client agrees upon price and purchases.
8) AVPro ships base CANVAS controller out of inventory to client (integrator).
9) Integrator installs hardware and connects to rest of installed system (lights, thermostats, amplifiers, matrix switches etc)
10) Integrator contacts AVPro to schedule installation
11) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer remotes into the system with TeamViewer.
12) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer adds all optional software components into system. If Allonis custom development is required, John serves out to Allonis.
13) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer receives licenses for all optional software components from Allonis
14) Allonis invoices AVPro for optional software licenses and any professional services required.
15) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer adds all customer and dealer contact info into myServer.
16) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer requests Activation within myServer.
17) Allonis provides Activation for all software components installed and purchased. For initial systems, Dave will QC system looking for any obvious (to him) issues.
18) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer ensures system is fully licensed, activated, and performs to the customer specifications ordered.
19) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer does remote walk through of system with Integrator to ensure programming and wiring / devices are configured correctly. Adjustments made as required.
20) AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer provides end user training to Integrator
21) Integrator provides end user training to client and does walk through of system with client to ensure all is working and useable by client's employees.
22) AVPro pays for all Allonis hardware / software on a monthly invoiced basis.
23) If there is a warranty related failure (hardware) within one year of Activation, Integrator contacts AVPro CANVAS Control Engineer who contacts Allonis (if applicable) for replacement component.
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myServer 6 supports powerful capability like:
Can change behaviour of the system based on Who is using the system, What action is wanted, When the action should occur, and Where the desired action is to occur
This can be complicated to setup. This document attempts to describe how to setup a myServer system. Allonis is actively working on means to make this simpler yet still maintaining same extremely flexible capability.
The foundation for the capability lies in that all drivers / applications share a common command structure and methods. This is very unique in the automation control system market. Allonis can then develop and provide user interface examples that can "plug and play" with a huge number of possible devices and situations.
On most user interface templates, there is a "User" webpage. On this page, the user selects from the dropdown which User (configured in myServer) is the "Active User". Then, the user selects which Room is to be the Active Room.
The User list is created in Dashboard / Configuration / Users webpage.
The Room list is created in Dashboard / Configuration / Rooms webpage.
When you select a room from the template list, UI actions runs macros called: Active-room.<<roomname>>
When you create a room in Dashboard, the default macro for that new room is created based off of the Active-room.reference macro. So, if you want a feature to be added for most all rooms, just add that in the reference macro and it will be copied automaticaly whenever a room is next created.
So, let's look at an example room macro where we add DirecTV and Roku as video sources and a Samsung TV. Note that "//" starts a comment that the system doesn't process. and all commands end with a ! in a macro.
Create the Room Macro
edit your "Bluray" activation macro and find these lines
// Tell the driver what device is active!
AV|{{{{activeroom_{{clientname}}}}_bluray_id}}~SelectDevice!
and insert the power on command before the SelectDevice command like
// Tell the driver what device is active!
AV|{{{{activeroom_{{clientname}}}}_bluray_id}}~Power~On!
AV|{{{{activeroom_{{clientname}}}}_bluray_id}}~SelectDevice!
Similarly, in the room power macro inject the following command to turn off the Bluray
AV|{{{{activeroom_{{clientname}}}}_bluray_id}}~Power~Off!
Macro|
Create the Media Source
Click on Create New Source in Dashboard.
Enable and name the new source "DirecTV"
Define a path to the icon that displays on the media page(s)
Define the path of the "activate-source.directv" macro. Best for organization is to follow this naming convention.
With the above media source settings, the activate-source.directv macro runs when the media device is selected.
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JellyFin is Allonis's supported media management system.
It will support Movie database metadata lookup (coverart etc), Music, and Picture management.
There are JellyFin client applications that run on a Roku, Linux, Windows, MacOC etc.
JellyFin is installed in the myServer 6 Master Image. It is disabled from running by default. To enable it, go to the Linux dashboard and open a terminal window.
Type:
To startup JellyFin:
sudo systemctl start jellyfin ==== start now
To have JellyFin always start with Linux boots:
sudo systemctl start jellyfin ==== start on boot
to access Jellyfin
Basic:
Us the /home/allonis/applications/media/ folder for your local (to the Pi) media storage
You will see "images" folder there. This is used by Allonis's Digital Signage product.
Your family pictures, should go into the "pictures" folder, not in the images folder.
If you create a new folder, type in lower case the name.
Good practice for music folder management:
Artist name / Album name / Song name
By default, Allonis sets JellyFin up where the images associated to a song are maintained in the song folder.
Create a shared, mounted folder on the Pi
sudo mount 192.168.1.171:/mnt/user/media /mnt/towermedia -vvv
/etc/fstab folder on Linux
Example of connecting to a NAS (unraid example):
192.168.1.171:/mnt/user/media /mnt/towermedia nfs defaults 0 0
Video describing how to mount a USB drive in Linux
You can also add the "Disks" app which gives you an easier to use GUI to mount a drive:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnome-disk-utility
Once Disks app is installed, run it from Pi desktop / Accessories / Disk
Example of Synology path:
synology
#192.168.1.171:/<synology username>/<synology share name> /mnt/media nfs defaults 0 0
Once that is setup, add your Library to JellyFin Setup
Folder path example:
/mnt/media/music
Device type should be "Jellyfin".
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myServer now supports Jellyfin Media Server.
Jellyfin was created by the original developer of Emby - a popular media server in it's own right. Jellyfin is more feature rich and less commercial. Perfect for implementation with myServer.
to install Jellyfin from a Debian command line:
wget -O- https://repo.jellyfin.org/install-debuntu.sh | sudo bash
If you have a NAS (likely) where your media is stored, you have to "mount" the path to the NAS from the myMediaServer Pis, folder.
Then, Jellyfin is pointed to that mounted folder for the contents.
Here is an example of how to mount the NAS folder:
From the Terminal editor on the myMediaServer Pi:
sudo mkdir /mnt/nas
sudo apt-get install cifs-utils
sudo mount.cifs //192.168.1.171/media/Videos /usr/local/Allonis/media/nas/videos -o user=share,pass=share,vers=2.0
Certainly you will have to edit the above for your NAS configuration. The "1.171..." that is the NAS folder. The "...nas/videos" is the path on the local myMediaServer Pi. The folder properties are set that anyone can edit, create, view directories and files.
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myServer 1U Build
Label Pi Gb on the ethernet port with Sharpie (ie: "4")
Put heat sinks on CPU, RAM, USB, ethernet (use black "low height" heat sinks)
Put HDMI extension on Pi4.
Put Pi on 1U. Careful putting ethernet NIC into front panel. Two screws to affix Pi, to mount, two more screws for HDMI extension to mount.
Put GPIO Waveshare heatsink on 40 pin GPIO pins. Be carefull all are lined up.
Put Allonis decal on front face.
Burn latest myServer image to 128gig USB 3.0 / 400mhz storage drive
Install USB drive to bottom blue 3.0 usb slot
Plug HDMI cable to monitor into top HDMI port.
Plug Internet connected ethernet cable to PI NIC
Plug wireless keyboard / mouse adapter to top USB 2.0 port
Plus USB-C wallwart and power on.
Wait for OS to boot second time.
Accept Teamviewer License
Open Teamviewer console from bottom right icon
Write down TV ID
Go to TV desktop on a second PC. Login to Allonis's TV account. Add new Remote Computer. Click + icon at top, then choose Add Remote Computer.
Type: TeamViewer ID, then Password: Allonis=1
Alias Name computer with "Project name - Integrator name"
Put into "Current Project" Teamviewer folder
Type Allonis=1 in description.
Enter in any other relevant information in description.
Save by clicking OK.
Open Teamviewer myServer instance from list (Current Project folder)
Accept: Unlock Profile and Relaunch if asked.
Open 127.0.0.1/dashboard in browser (click on browser icon on bottom left to launch browser)
Click Commands. Enter SetName|<<myServer project name (typically the name of the bar)>>
System will automatically rebooot. Upon reboot:
Update myServer and all project relevant drivers / apps from Software Updater (dropdown far right Utilities tab)
Upon reboot, ask DaveP to license system.
System can be shipped. If Template / Configuration work is available, best to update as much as possible before shipping.