Cavern Remote

Cavern Remote is a complete media player remote control webpage for Windows hosted in MPC-HC with a responsive UI. It takes the default MPC-HC remote website and extends the browser and controller with new features. Next to basic player controls, it adds a shader preset selector, Equalizer APO configurator, and keyboard/mouse control. The Remote is split into separate pages:

• Browser: Browse your local and labeled network drives for files to play.
• Controls: Basic playback info and controls with picture mode (shader preset) and sound mode (audio preset) selection, audio/subtitle track switching, and screen resizing.
• Corrections: Move or resize the screen if the content does not fit correctly. Audio delay is also adjustable from here.
• DVD: DVD menu navigation and audio/subtitle/angle selectors.
• Pro: Player menu control, playlist handling, fine controls, debug and setup options.
• Lights: Control Arduino-based ambiend lighting solutions.

Setup

0. Install MPC-HC. The recommended version is by clsid2.
1. In MPC-HC options, under Web Interface, enable it on any port, and set these:
   • "Serve pages from" - tick this, and browse Cavern Remote's "web" folder.
   • "CGI handlers" - set this to Cavern Remote's "handler.exe", like .md=C:\Cavern Remote\handler\handler.exe;, but use the location you unzipped Cavern Remote to.
2. Check your local IP (open a command prompt and use the ipconfig command and look for IPv4 Address) and port (in MPC-HC's Web Interface settings), and merge them like <IPv4 address>:<port>. This will be the web address that opens Cavern Remote in your browser or on your phone. Create a shortcut if it's convenient.
3. Check all optional setup tasks, and do the ones you need.

Optional: run MPC-HC as admin

For full functionality (keyboard, mouse, and Equalizer APO control), MPC-HC has to run as admin. This is required because Equalizer APO keeps its configuration files in the Program Files folder, and admin rights are needed to modify those. For full transparency and as proof that it is not malicious, the source code of the command handler is included under the src folder.

To set up MPC-HC with admin rights, open its properties from the installation directory, go to the Compatibility, and in the settings for all users window, you will find a check box to run as admin.

Optional: start MPC-HC with the computer

If you didn't give admin right to MPC-HC, simply create a shortcut for it in the Startup folder of your Start Menu. To open this folder, copy this path in the file browser: %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

For applications that run with admin rights, the Start Menu version will not work, nor adding an entry in the registry. This applications require a new task in the Task Scheduler with the following options:

• Run with the highest privileges (tick on the first tab)
• On the Triggers tab, add a new trigger after login.
• On the Actions tab, add a new action to open MPC-HC.

If you use SVP, it also has to run as admin, and needs a separate task to start with the system.

Optional: setup shader selection (picture mode)

1. Navigate to the Player/Shaders page in MPC-HC's options.
2. Create you presets here. A recommended source of shaders is the Cinema Shader Pack.
3. Open web\_cavern.js in any text editor and add the names of your presets to the shaderPresetNames list. Preserve the format of the array.

Optional: setup Equalizer APO support (sound mode)

1. In handler\apopath.txt, set the location of Equalizer APO's config folder.
2. Add any custom presets in the presets folder. These must be a replacement to Equalizer APO's main config.txt, and keep in mind that these will overwrite the active configuration when selected. Make a backup of config.txt in Equalizer APO's config folder first, or use Cavern Remote's backup feature on the Pro page.
3. Open web\_cavern.js in any text editor and add the names of your presets to the apoPresetNames list. Preserve the correct format, check the other array on how to do this properly, and don't include the .txt extensions.

Optional: setup ambient lighting control

The ambient lighting is using the Firmata protocol. Use a board on a serial port that supports Firmata, Arduino is one of them. In case of any Arduino, a StandardFirmata example should be loaded on the target. All configuration is in web\_cavern.js, including the port and the controlled pins. Cavern Remote only controls 2 relays with 2 ports or 4 relays with pairs in parallel. The wiring guide is:

• The relayPowerRed and relayGreenBlue pins should connect to the Vcc pins of +12V/red and green/blue relays' respectively. If you use single relays, split the Vcc between both enable pins.
• Wire the R/G/B relays to NO and +12V to NC.
• JDVcc should be supplied from a different source than the Vcc pins for current distribution. Ground distribution should also be considered between all ground pins of the Arduino.
• The other pin variables set the signal pins which control each relay (active high). Also set and check the COM port.

Development

Command IDs are available in MPC-HC's key bindings or in its GitHub repo, here.

Licence

The source code, just like the compiled software, is given to you for free, but without any warranty. It is not guaranteed to work, and the developer is not responsible for any damages from the use of the software. You are allowed to make any modifications, and release them for free under this licence. If you release a modified version, you have to link this repository as its source. You are not allowed to sell any part of the original or the modified version. You are also not allowed to show advertisements in the modified software. If you include these code or any part of the original version in any other project, these terms still apply.