My Kingdom For A Remote Volume Knob! can this be made?

[MCH]

If all you want is volume, wouldn’t the Surface Dial (or custom and Pi) work for controlling system volume? Are you using any solution now for controlling multiple app volumes?

I wish I could use the dial, but I don't know how. The farther I went was to pair it to a raspberry pi (but doing nothing), and also found this link where a guy explains how he found out what instructions the dial sends via bluetooth when actuated (link below). Beyond that is all dark as the darkest night for me. What do i use now? The remote of my topping dac in my main system and my phone in the rest. And I can't decide which one I despise more :-/

Controlling Raspberry Pi with Surface Dial

Last week, I got a Surface Dial from Riza Marhaban because the device looks cool. Microsoft always produces cool products such as the Zune music player, Windows Mobile, Nokia Lumia phone, etc. Howe…

cuteprogramming.wordpress.com

 

[IPunchCholla]

I wish I could use the dial, but I don't know how. The farther I went was to pair it to a raspberry pi (but doing nothing), and also found this link where a guy explains how he found out what instructions the dial sends via bluetooth when actuated (link below). Beyond that is all dark as the darkest night for me. What do i use now? The remote of my topping dac in my main system and my phone in the rest. And I can't decide which one I despise more :-/

Controlling Raspberry Pi with Surface Dial

Last week, I got a Surface Dial from Riza Marhaban because the device looks cool. Microsoft always produces cool products such as the Zune music player, Windows Mobile, Nokia Lumia phone, etc. Howe…

cuteprogramming.wordpress.com

The examples I posted ( I changed post #26 to link to a remote rather than a receiver) would get you there (technically, if not aesthetically, but use an Arduino rather than a Pi. Those tutorials show you how to look up (or capture) the Topping remote’s code and give examples of programming a dial encoder (plugged directly into the circuit. But I would use the code from post 24 (with the Topping’s values) myself as it is directly using the a knob as a button And is fairly elegant.

For Bluetooth/dial If you have linked the Dial to the Pi, you need to program the Pi to emit the Topping’s code for volume up and volume down. Your link tells you how to capture the input from the dial. It unfortunately assumes the reader knows what to make of that raw input, and how to translate that to code. I need to look at it more carefully to see if I can grasp it.

If you want to go the Dial->Pi->Topping route, your next step would be to figure out how to control a blinking LED. That is what will control the Topping. Link. Once you can control the topping with the Pi manually, you will need to program it to do it on receiving data from the dial.

Personally, I think I am going to look in to going the Arduino/Bluetooth route myself. As I am trying to control system volume rather than device volume.

 

[MCH]

The examples I posted ( I changed post #26 to link to a remote rather than a receiver) would get you there (technically, if not aesthetically, but use an Arduino rather than a Pi. Those tutorials show you how to look up (or capture) the Topping remote’s code and give examples of programming a dial encoder (plugged directly into the circuit. But I would use the code from post 24 (with the Topping’s values) myself as it is directly using the a knob as a button And is fairly elegant.

For Bluetooth/dial If you have linked the Dial to the Pi, you need to program the Pi to emit the Topping’s code for volume up and volume down. Your link tells you how to capture the input from the dial. It unfortunately assumes the reader knows what to make of that raw input, and how to translate that to code. I need to look at it more carefully to see if I can grasp it.

If you want to go the Dial->Pi->Topping route, your next step would be to figure out how to control a blinking LED. That is what will control the Topping. Link. Once you can control the topping with the Pi manually, you will need to program it to do it on receiving data from the dial.

Personally, I think I am going to look in to going the Arduino/Bluetooth route myself. As I am trying to control system volume rather than device volume.

Awesome, thanks, it even seems easy reading your post.
To be honest, for me either ir or Bluetooth would work, i see advantages and disadvantages in both: bluetooth - not directional. IR - could make it work with any device that has a ir receiver.

 

[MadMaxx]

Best volume knob ever was the long discontinued Emotiva Control Freak. Best one I've found since my CF passed away is the TC Electronic Level Pilot X.

TC Electronic | Product | LEVEL PILOT X

www.tcelectronic.com

 

[Kundroc]

I use a SPIN remote.

It's a programmable IR remote control. It recognizes if it's upright, upside down or if your holding it horizontally. It will send different IR codes in each position, allowing you to, e.g., change volume when upright and inputs if turned horizontally.
Unfortunately, its discontinued now and the app not available from the app stores anylonger (only on 3rd party repositories).
http://www.spinremote.com/index.html

 

[Chromatischism]

Thanks. Would you mind posting some examples? I would be specially interested in sending commands to LMS

I have not seen many ir volume knobs, the few I know are bluetooth like the ms dial, could you link to any you know too? Thanks a lot!

I can't see IR working well. It would have to blast every increment as you turn it, just like holding down the volume button on a traditional remote control. And if you turn it fast, there would be a lot of lag until it catches up.

 

[iann]

I've been looking on and off for a nice physical volume control as well and I think this might fit the bill...

The ortho remote from Teenage Engineering. Designed to control volume on their speakers, it seems that it should work as a Bluetooth volume controller for Android and iOS phones as well. Not cheap at £89, but someone was selling one for half that on ebay and I think it's worth a look.

teenage engineering - ortho remote

 

[MaxBuck]

I was watching an old Darko video in which he discussed his appreciation for being able to control an audio system with a remote volume knob.

He gets to the "why" of this around 51 seconds in:

I was like: YES! Someone gets me!

I place a high value on the combination of ergonomics and aesthetics and the "feel" of equipment.

When I'm streaming my digital music in my system I'm using my iPhone as the remote (or iPad), so that just feels like, well...using my damned iphone again. Like I do all day long. There isn't anything particularly "nice" about the feel of using my phone or ipad for this purpose. For volume I can use the iphone (using logitech server software) but I often prefer to leave the volume at 0 and adjust volume via my pre-amp remote (or universal remote control). Again...pretty much held hostage to the feel of the supplied remote, or my universal remote.
Eh.

What I'd REALLY LOVE is just what Darko describes in the video: a big ol' physical volume knob to control volume, right at my listening position. Ideally one that looks super high quality and lux, and feels that way. I could even imagine a nice wood knob as the dial.

I once had this when I used a Museatex Bidat DAC, which could be run directly in to my amps, the volume was a wired remote control - a dial on a little wood block like this:

View attachment 211845

Not exactly luxurious, but it's the general idea.

I did a fairly extensive search on the web and there doesn't seem to be a product like the one I'm describing. There is the occasional product with a knob remote control, but it's usually proprietary to the device in question. There are remote knobs that you can set up via blue tooth or wired to your computer, but that doesn't solve it either. (My Apogee Duet usb audio interface I use with my DAW has a nice volume knob, though doesn't do exactly what I'm asking).

I have both analog sources (turntable) and digital, running through my preamp in to my system.

So what I'd need is a remote volume knob that is also able to learn or download remote commands to control either my LA4 or Conrad Johnson preamps. Right now those are controlled with their own remotes (and an IR repeater system).

Lacking any finished product I wondered if such a learning volume knob could be built custom. But I have no idea if there are any sort of "computer module" parts that would constitute the "learning remote codes" part somehow in concert with some potentiometer section or whatever?

To be honest, this post is more curiosity about how difficult such a project would be more than any likelihood I'd engage in trying to build one. And among the vast experience on this site, perhaps someone has actually come across something like this, or used one before.

Matt, I understand this likely won't be useful for you, but it might be for others.

I use the active bezel on my Samsung Galaxy Watch Classic as a volume control dial when I'm controlling my Bluesound Node via my phone. It works great. I can certainly understand your desire for a remote with similar functionality.

 

[iann]

I've bought the ortho remote from eBay and will see next week how well it works.

 

[kma100]

I've bought the ortho remote from eBay and will see next week how well it works.

This looks very cool. Do share your experiences (I want to see if it would work with a Bluesound Node). Was the eBay price significantly lower?

 

[iann]

This looks very cool. Do share your experiences (I want to see if it would work with a Bluesound Node). Was the eBay price significantly lower?

Was £42. Looks unused. Nice blue colour.

Will report back next week.

 

[Zaireeka]

I've bought the ortho remote from eBay and will see next week how well it works.

Think I'm gonna buy one aswell for my future Raspberry 3 based streamer. Looks sturdy and well made.

 

[MCH]

Think I'm gonna buy one aswell for my future Raspberry 3 based streamer. Looks sturdy and well made.

What pi streamer is that? How are you planning to make it work? Thanks.

 

[Zaireeka]

Don't know yet, probably Rune Audio. I'll find a way to make this thing work, I think Bluez is what I need for that project.

 

[MCH]

Don't know yet, probably Rune Audio. I'll find a way to make this thing work, I think Bluez is what I need for that project.

Keep us posted please

 

[MattHooper]

Ok I'm becoming momentarily re-obsessed with this idea.

I even imagine taking something like the ortho remote and spiffing it up with some custom wood around the dial (not a skill I have, but I'd pay for someone to do it). The thing is, I'm still looking for one that can learn the IR codes used for my CJ and Benchmark Preamps. If I could just get that, I'd be golden.

 

[MCH]

Ok I'm becoming momentarily re-obsessed with this idea.

I even imagine taking something like the ortho remote and spiffing it up with some custom wood around the dial (not a skill I have, but I'd pay for someone to do it). The thing is, I'm still looking for one that can learn the IR codes used for my CJ and Benchmark Preamps. If I could just get that, I'd be golden.

The closest thing I know that has chances to achieve that is the spin remote posted on #45. It seems to me that the ortho is only Bluetooth like the dial and others

 

[MattHooper]

I use a SPIN remote.

View attachment 213491

It's a programmable IR remote control. It recognizes if it's upright, upside down or if your holding it horizontally. It will send different IR codes in each position, allowing you to, e.g., change volume when upright and inputs if turned horizontally.
Unfortunately, its discontinued now and the app not available from the app stores anylonger (only on 3rd party repositories).
http://www.spinremote.com/index.html

I somehow missed this post!

Yeah I just checked it out; as you say, discontinued, like so many cool items.

Also, I thought it would spin on the base, but it looks like it uses all sorts of goofy gestures which I'm not in to.

 

[MattHooper]

I still don't understand why this would be so impossible to find. There are all sorts of home automation/AV system remote control systems using iphones/ipads, which incorporate IR codes and can learn codes.

 

[mglobe]

I still don't understand why this would be so impossible to find. There are all sorts of home automation/AV system remote control systems using iphones/ipads, which incorporate IR codes and can learn codes.

Because only a handful of eccentric nerds like us (self most definitely included) want one.