AlienFX Pidgin + Winamp plugin

Just want to express my gratitude to Ingrater (if he needs more lol)
Not the best, but it's a start.
Jay Sean - Down

 

Ingrater,

I just want to say awesome job on the plugin! It's really cool, especially at parties!! I do have a question, though. Is it possible to have the plugin work with line in audio? I use my rig (Area-51 m15x) to DJ using Virtual DJ, and it would be awesome if my AlienFX would sync to the music using that program. Is there any hope? Thanks again!!


x01660

 

I would like to say good job on the plugin thus far. I really wish it would work properly with the m11x so that I wouldn't be limited to the official plugin (which sucks). Whenever I try to configure or start the plugin in winamp I end up with winamp freezing. I've tried various versions of winamp, tried with and without my pc security active. Though I am curious about something, is your plugin attempting to function via AlienFX or are you trying another way of controlling the LEDs?

 

Any support for m14x in sight?

 

There are only a few things stopping me from using the source code to create a version of the plugin for the m11x... Mainly being I don't understand any of the C programming languages. Another reason is, even using the LED tester only 2 LED's changed states, my left and right speaker LED's haha. A third reason being I don't know how Ingrator's plugin is accessing the LED's, whether its using the third party function of AlienFX or directly.

Maybe when I have some more free time I'll grab some books and eBooks and give it a shot.

 

any tried this on m18x yet to see if works or not?

 

I'd to be a fourth request, I got the same error as him when i try to start the plugin. If you can make another update for to incl M14x that would be awesome.

 

this right here.

 

I can confirm it says "Alienware device not found. Plugin not active" for the m18x. Would love m18x support please!

 

Would also like some m14x support =]

 

Hello All,
I hate to bump old threads, but hopefully this will be one that doesn't die...

Ingrater, this seems like a seriously cool plugin. Hopefully you're not too tired of dealing with it and all it's development issues... Lord Vath, looks like you deserve a big thanks with this as well...

I've got a brand new M11x R3 and before I've even gotten around to putting the productive things like office/acrobat pro on here, i decided to play around with this.

I know there's the "official" alienFX winamp extension, but it seems very basic and it crashes immediately upon real-time changes, and the light show is "simple" to put it kindly, and to be honest, I'm not impressed with it at all.

i've seen videos of Ingrater's (even on some lucky m11x's) and it seems waay better, but sadly I can't get it to work myself and was hoping for a little help.

Again, it's a M11x R3, Win7 (64 bit of course)
Winamp v5.62 (latest and greatest supposedly)
and a new download of the plugin from Ingrater’s 3D Blog Winamp AlienFX Plugin
And AlienCC 2.6.8.0 I believe...(it updated yesterday for me, so assuming latest and greatest here too)

I get the same error message as many before me (around page 32-34 of this thread and a few pages back as well) "alienware device not found. Plugin not active"
Tried following the advice back a few pages (uninstall winamp, then reinstall and immediately add plugin). No joy.
I guess back a few versions of the plugin, you used to have to add your own model number, but not so anymore, so can't change that in the .xml.

Anyone have any friendly advice for a fellow alienware owner?

Thanks in advance,
MM

 

From his blog:

AlienFX Winamp plugin update & source
May 14th, 2011
Filed under: alienfx — admin @ 4:42 pm
With some help of Nils Reichert I was able to modifiy my AlienFX Winamp plugin so that it now supports the M17X R3. It should also support the M15X R3 now as the used AlienFX devices should be the same. You can find the download locations in my old post:

>>> Winamp AlienFX Plugin <<<

I also decided to release the source code for both the plugin itself and the led tester I've written, so that someone else can continue the developement as I don't have time for it anymore. You can freely modifiy the programm under the following conditions:

you have to name me as original author
you may not use it for anything commercial
you have to distribute it under the same conditions then I do



looks like this project is closed for now

 

Please add Support for m18x.

Thanks.

 

If so, please so make like the newer laptop like M14x available as well, thanks.

 

the m18x already has that function built in, no need to wait for a 3rd party app
also the m14x lights work in itunes plugin

=) enjoy

 

I'm hoping for M14x support too.
I despise itunes, and this plugin looks more promising.

 

very amazing demonstration of this plugin here => Ingrater's AlienFX Winamp plugin - 3/29/2010 - YouTube
Any news on an eventualy support for the m14x ??

 

Always nice to see my video come up

 

This plug in broke my lights after using it for half an hour. While using it, suddenly the lights froze and they didnt change anymore EVER. Restarting doesnt work, reinstalling the command center doesn t work, trying all the solutions from dell technical support doesnt work. The only solution I was offered was to replace the motherboard, thanks god that my warranty expires in one month. NEVER ever will use this plugin again.

If you have gone through the same and you found a solution please let me know.

 

Yep, same thing just happened to me.. The fix?

Open Winamp, Stop plugin, Start plugin, Voila.

 

@migualo
Disconnect your laptop from the power supply and remove all batteries for at least 15 minutes. If you boot up your laptop after that you should be fine.

 

As no one picked up the developement for the plugin I put some more time into it. The newest release features a xml file which can be used to add support for currently unsupported laptop models just by editing a xml file.
For a guide how to add support for your yet unsupproted laptop see this guide:
Adding AlienFX devices

If you manage to get a working xml for your laptop be nice and share it here on the forums. Feedback always welcome.

If you can not manage to get the plugin to run on your laptop alienware might changed the protocol once again. In that case contact me here on the forums if you are willing to help me adding support for the new protocol.

Kind Regards
Ingrater

 

Thank you so much for all your hard work, Ingrater. I received my All Powerful M15x back in late January and have been trying to get your plugin to work since then with no success. That is, until now. The thing works beautifully! As requested, I have attached the xml device config I set up for my M15x. MAKE SURE TO CHANGE FROM .txt TO .xml!!!

EDIT: Changed xml post to attachment because [ html] adds excessive \'s.

 

I use your file on my M14x (because I believe that the keyboard and stuff is the same except for the prod id) I did every as Ingrater said, but in the end after I test it on Winamp, I click on Start, but nothing happen, and I also do see the config panel, just it's nothing happen, what wrong did I do?

 

You should probably only use my config if you have an All Powerful M15x. What productid did you use in the .xml?

 

I use 0x521, originally it said PID_0521.

 

Well if it starts up without complaining it at least managed to connect to a AlienFX device. You now need to configure your zones to certain frequencies to actually make the beatdetection work. There are a couple of tutorials in this thread about it.

 

Well at first try, it gave me an error but after the next try it actually working, I can access the config panel but just no light is changing, I'll have a look at those tutorial, thanks.

 

I'm on my friend's M14x and I'm experiencing the same issue. Maybe the m14x uses a different protocol?

 

If it is, so what is it? change the protocol to number 3?

 

That won't help ^^. (Because I didn't implement a protocol version 3)
Did you try running the led tester as described? Does it work?
If they indeed use a new protocol I would need someone to help me figure it out by allowing me to remote connect on his laptop and run some stuff there.

 

Yeah I did run the led tester, and it does work.

 

Well if the led tester works, the winamp plugin should work too because it uses the exact same code to talk to the alienfx device.
Please post the device.xml you made.

 

Well when I use my version of devices.xml it doesnt work (Giving me errors) but when I use ToxicTension's then it work. But here is the file:

View attachment alienfx_vis_devices.xml (Mine).txt (Mine)
View attachment alienfx_vis_devices (M15x's).txt (ToxicTension's M15x)

 

The only difference are the led codes. Can you please post the results.log file of the leds tester?
What kind of errors does it give you? Please post the error message.

 

This is the only error I had, and after that one disappear, it seem to work ok, without error but just the lighting isnt change. This is what it look like:



And this is the result file: View attachment results.zip

EDIT: I just check the readme file again, and I think that error I got is the same one you stated in that readme file, so it does look like it should work, but it doesnt, and I would willing to help just there's a question, which is will it damage the keyboard AlienFX? Because I worry that it would corrupt the keyboard render it useless.

 

According to your results.log file the correct devices.xml should be a litte bit different. You got the led codes of the first 2 leds wrong.
See attachted file.

 

Ah I see, so what should I do next? Re-run the test again?

 

Yes you could try the device.xml I posted and see if it works with that.
I'll hopefully meet with ToxicTention at the weekend to sort out the m14x problems.

 

I am getting totally different codes than you but still no progess.

 

But can you run it with the config panel as well?

 

Don't exactly no what your talking about but i go through the test program fine and i get all the files in the right place. The plugin alienfx visualation configuration seems to pick up sounds from music because the bars move up and down. When clicking on start in the preferences it doesn't seem to do a thing. the keyboard continues with the theme i have set thorugh command center. I wonder if the problem is between the vis_winamp_-alienfx-plugin.dll and the libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll which would explain why the test program changes the lights on the keyboard and why the plugin doesn't but would think if it would work on other alienfx models it should work the same the the m14x. dunno...

 

I meant the Winamp Config panel when you start the plugin. And on my M14x, I can access it no problem, just problem is that the lighting stay the same.

 

Believe we are having the same problem. It sounds like the plugin is going to have to be reprogrammed specially for the m14x because dell probably changed something.

 

Only partly true. They didn't change that much otherwise the led tester wouldn't work. I would need someone who owns a m14x to help me out here.
If you want to help out please send me a pm with some contact data (msn / skype).

 

If you're unsure about working with Ingrater, know the following:

1. He is very professional and puts in a lot of time to work with you once you figure out common times you can work.

2. He will remote into your computer and run some tests. From time to time he'll ask you for some input, but a lot of it is allowing him to do some things on your laptop. You can see everything he's doing.

3. You don't need a ton of computer knowledge to do this. It's helpful but all you really need is a computer and the ability to communicate with him.

In short, our experience was great. It's pretty cool to think that someone in GERMANY is writing a plugin for a laptop with a potential HUNDREDS of effected people, all from the comfort of your HOUSE!

 

Well, I will willing to help. Because it will not only help me to get this plugin working, but like you said, for others as well. As long as it is not damaging the keyboard's lighting, then it will be no problem with me, as I dont have important files or stuff like that store on my M14x - only games lol.

 

Where is the Virtual DJ plugin? Or wich one should I use?
I have managed to do a lightshow with virtual DJ but not like in winamp or wmp, it was just a simple pattern that looped. Has anyone managed this?
Here is a video that shows what im talking about. AlienFX + Virtual DJ + Propellerhead Reason + Xbox 360 Controller - YouTube
Thanks.

 

I'm sure this has been asked before.
I just wanted an update on that.
Anyone got this working with M18x yet?
Used it on my M17x and absolutely loved it.
M18x came with something like this already but doesn't work as well.

 

I will pay you to make a profile for orangebox engine games (CSS, TF2, DODS) to work with AlienFX Lite/AlienFX. They are the only games I play and I never get to see the light shows

If such a customization/plugin exists already, please indulge.