On screen display for volume?

[SpatiallyAware]

I use two griffin powermates to control volume, itunes, etc..

I'd love to have an OSD for volume and possibly iTunes tracks..  Any thoughts on this?

I've read that autohotkey can do it, but this seems like something a freeware program should be able to handle..


Thoughts?

[nowsharing]

I had the same quest for my Griffin Airclick, and ended up giving up. I had it basically working, but it disconnected sporadically and couldn't be relied upon. Griffin had given basically no support for the device, and the drivers & included software sucked.

[kishy]

I actually I have an HP rubber dome keyboard which has software that puts up a HUD for the volume level and stuff. It's not pretty but it works.

The OSD comes up for volume changes regardless of how the volume is changed (not just that one keyboard) so it may be usable without the keyboard being present. I'll try to get a copy for you soon.

[SpatiallyAware]

AutoHotkey is free.

The bad news is that it doesn't recognize any scancodes - the Griffen uses a custom driver to capture the commands.  And IMHO it's a VERY flakey driver.

Eh... I've seen much much worse.  I read about the 'having to unplug it and plug back in' problems of yore, but on 7 x64 I've had (almost) no issues.

Every now and then the 'click to play iTunes' command doesn't seem to work.  It's very possible it's iTunes and not the driver so I'm not complaining too much.

[SpatiallyAware]

I've been using a freeware program called 3RVX. http://matt.malensek.net/software/

It might even support the Powermate since the hotkey programming feature accepts input from lots of different USB devices. Give it a try.

Thanks, I'll give it a try..

[hyperlinked]

I'd love to have an OSD for volume and possibly iTunes tracks..

Can't you use the "mini-player mode in iTunes for iTunes tracks?

[Rajagra]

I actually I have an HP rubber dome keyboard which has software that puts up a HUD for the volume level and stuff. It's not pretty but it works.

Logitech SetPoint does the same, and shows changes to lock key status too. Not sure if all versions do it (I had a dinovo installed so it needs those displays on screen.) Also not sure I'd install it just to get this effect. But it's an option.

[kishy]

What I'm talking about is a visual display of the volume level when you make a change, then after a short delay it goes away.

The keyboard is an HP 6511-SU. Here's what I found on my external HDD. I remember having two versions of the software, one mediocre and one crap...no guarantee as to which this is.

[Rajagra]

What I'm talking about is a visual display of the volume level when you make a change, then after a short delay it goes away.

Me too.

[kishy]

Oh whoops. When you said the thing about lock status I figured you meant a fixed display.

[SpatiallyAware]

Logitech SetPoint does the same, and shows changes to lock key status too. Not sure if all versions do it (I had a dinovo installed so it needs those displays on screen.) Also not sure I'd install it just to get this effect. But it's an option.

I actually have setpoint (for my wireless m/kb) but it doesn't show the volume status for anything other than they wireless keyboard..

[SpatiallyAware]

I've been using a freeware program called 3RVX. http://matt.malensek.net/software/

It might even support the Powermate since the hotkey programming feature accepts input from lots of different USB devices. Give it a try.

Yes...  This is perfect for my volume control needs.

[ricercar]

Download IBM's "drivers" for Rapid Access keyboards. This displays the volume change bars even if you have no Rapid Access keyboard attached.

[Rajagra]

I actually have setpoint (for my wireless m/kb) but it doesn't show the volume status for anything other than they wireless keyboard..

Yes, seems to work with a keyboard with volume keys (typing on a Microsoft Ergo 4000 right now and its volume keys trigger the Logitech OSD) but an autohotkey script that changes the volume does not make it show.

Which reminds me, Microsoft Intellitype also has an OSD for volume, but it probably has identical limitations.

[SpatiallyAware]

That 3RVX thing works with my Griffen.  Spiffy.

Now if I could just figure  out why the Griffen drops out so much.   Win7-32bit.

FWIW


I NEVER had to reconnect mine (like everyone complains about) unless they're plugged in through a USB hub.  Plugged directly into my mobo and things are fine..

Also I like the 3rvx program..  It doesn't show itunes popups but I like the 8 bit skin and it works on reboot, no problems.

[SpatiallyAware]

That 3RVX thing works with my Griffen.  Spiffy.

Now if I could just figure  out why the Griffen drops out so much.   Win7-32bit.

Griffen

http://www.elfwood.com/art/r/a/ramos/evil_black_griffen.jpg

Griffin

http://www.disabledhands.com/_images_DSC05461.jpg

[DreymaR]

3RVX seems like A Really Really Useful Little Thing! Since I'm sending volume control keypresses via PKL's Extend key functionality, I've been missing a pop-up display like that.

Brilliant!

I wonder if it can run fully portably, or if it uses the Registry...

[Rajagra]

3RVX seems like A Really Really Useful Little Thing!
...
I wonder if it can run fully portably, or if it uses the Registry...

I just wonder why it has such a silly name.
I better check it out despite that.

Edit> Looks good. One small problem is it doesn't pop up unless the volume changes enough to change the number of bars shown on whatever skin is used. I changed my AHK script to change volume by 10% at a time instead of 5% to work around this.

[Rajagra]

You could just change the percentage to the lowest possible setting in 3RVX to make the popup appear at all times - the popup is not a skin-dependent feature. As far as I can remember, Autohotkey volume scripts + 3RVX + Windows 7 is not a very successful combo.

The popup IS a skin dependent feature. In fact if you check, changing the skin also changes how much 3RVX's hotkeys change the volume. Some change it by 6-7%, some by 10%. In other words, it applies the same fix to itself as I applied to AHK.

[Rajagra]

What's wrong with the standard AutoHotkey ToolTip popup?

I have two big-ass screens and the AHK tooltip is tiny, I struggle to locate it in time.

It's not so much that I need another indicator, but it's rather nice to have one in a known location. Maybe AHK can do that?

[Rajagra]

That's the problem. Finding the mouse arrow isn't always easy without moving the mouse. And half the time it's hidden at a screen edge when I'm not using it. If I have to move the mouse to see the arrow so I get to see the volume tooltip in time, it starts to defeat the point of using keyboard volume control in the first place.

This isn't a problem for me. Normally when I adjust the volume it's because I'm listening to something! And I let my ears tell me when it is right, not my eyes. But If you're going to use an OSD you may as well use the best you can find.

[DreymaR]

Rajagra: What I do is to send two VolUp for each keypress and three VolDown for each keypress. With hotkeys, you don't need/want the same precision as with a slider and efficiency is more welcome (but as you can see I could get any setting by overshooting and backtracking if I wanted to!). Personally, I don't care if the display doesn't exactly match the clicks but it would get annoying if a click seemed to do nothing.

Code: [Select]

SC040 = Volume_Down 3
SC041 = Volume_Up 2

Ripster: Can you make the AHK popup react to ANY volume changes like the weird-name-app does? Because your example with hotkeys both setting volume and displaying tool tips at the same time is suboptimal for my needs. Therefore, weird-name-app wins - plus, it's oo pretty.

I'm pretty sure it can be done, by using OnMessage - but I don't know which messages to listen for and I can't be arsed to research it.

Tip for tools: I'd use a tray tip instead, to ensure a known location, a nice look and compliance with implementation paradigms (tool tips are for info about whatever you're mousing over, whereas tray tips are for info about resident stuff - like AHK scripts and the volume controls). Remember that tray tips are buggy and so you'll need to send an empty tip after a little while to clear it.

[Rajagra]

As far as I can remember, Autohotkey volume scripts + 3RVX + Windows 7 is not a very successful combo.

I just installed it on my Vista machine. I don't know if my soundcard or the OS is behind this, but every application has its own volume control. The consequence is that AHK only changes the volume for AHK. D'oh!

3RVX's hotkeys seem to do the job though.

[SpatiallyAware]

Ripster;

I discovered that my powermate wasn't always working on reboot when connected to my usb hub or to the front usb ports - but when connected directly to the mobo it works 100%...

[chimera15]

If you have windows 7 or vista there's a gadget for this I believe...  You can also get xp to use gadgets and sidebars of course with alky.