Automatic Remote Control

A typical large Music collection can contain hundreds of different CD/DVD Discs and Import Discs which are collections of Music files. Assuming an average of ten Tracks per Disc, it is seen that thousands of Equalizations, Subsonics, Volumes, Balances, and Adaptive Volumes will have to be stored and retrieved in a User-Friendly manner. For a particular Track on any Disc the correct Track Adjustment must be accessed from a database that might contain thousands of Track Adjustment entries.

The Stereo Workstation makes this easy because, at the start of any Disc Session, special automation software will detect which Disc is loaded in the Player, or which Import Disc is selected, and then retrieve the correct Track Adjustments for all the Tracks on that Disc. The Track Adjustment for the first Track in the Track Order List is loaded and the CD/DVD Player is commanded to play that Track. In the case of an Import Disc the corresponding Music file is commanded to play. When the Stereo Workstation detects that the Track is done it loads the Track Adjustment for the next Track in the Track Order List and sends the command to play that Track to the CD/DVD Player. For an Import Disc the next file is played. This can continue until all the Tracks on the Disc are played or all the files for an Import Disc are played. The linkage (the Vector) between the Disc and the Track Adjustment, stored on the Workstation hard disk, is established during the first Disc Session with that Disc.

This seemingly intelligent operation is enabled by three Computer Automation features which are: Automatic Remote Control (ARC), Automatic Track Recognition (ATR), and Automatic Disc Recognition (ADR).

Automatic Remote Control is the mechanism by which the Stereo Workstation takes over control of your CD/DVD Player. The Stereo Workstation can control any Player that has the usual infra-red remote control capability. The Workstation controls the Player by generating appropriate remote control commands that are transmitted to the Player by an Automatic Remote Control Device (ARC Device). The ARC Device takes commands transmitted from the Workstation and converts them into the same infra-red signals that your hand held remote control generates. This provides for a consistent and universal control interface that easily connects to the oldest as well as the newest Players. Note that you will need to separately purchase the ARC Device. If you are only using your computer CD Drive then you do not need the ARC Device.

The Stereo Workstation learns your hand held remote control codes in a one time automated learning session, where a computer generated voice instructs which buttons on the hand held remote control to push. The ARC Device has a built-in remote control receiver that acquires and stores the codes as each hand held button is pressed. The codes for any number of Players and other infra-red controlled equipment can be stored and used by the ARC software.