ORCA explained
- ORCA stands for Open Remote Control Application.
- ORCA is designed as an Open Source Framework to provide Remote Control Capabilities
- OS Support: Android, IOS, Windows, Linux
- Hardware Support: Tablets, Phones, PC‘s
- Communication Support: (W)LAN, IR, (extendable by interface plugins, eg Bluetooth, Home Automatisation)
- Bi-Directional Support: ORCA can transmit and receive commands (if interface is bi-directional)
- Control Target: Multimedia, Home Automatisation
- Open Source, Non Profit application
- Skinnable: Look and feel can be adjusted to user needs
- Adjustable Layout: The layout is not hardcode and be adjusted as requiered
- Multi Language Support: All screen messages are stored in external language files and can be selected
- Unicode and 3rd party fonts support to support APAC region
- Macro Support: Actions can be performed based on rule sets (far beyond Logitech Harmony capabilities)
- Multi target support within one screen. Similar to Logitech Harmony , Activities are supported to control several targets from one screen
- Gesture Support: Gestures are supported to control your targets
- Loadable Interfaces: Target Interfaces like WOL, Telnet, Eventghost, IR will be loaded at runtime are scripted. 3rd party developer can contribute interfaces without adjusting the ORCA application
- There is a increasing demand for Remote Control Capabilites for tablets and large screen phones.
- Current market solutions are limited:
- Requiere a web server
- Supports only limited interfaces
- Closed source and vendor specific
- Limited layout and design capabilities
- No support for macros / linked actions
- Orca is designed to overcome these limitations
- But: Unlimited options increases complexibity. Ready made remote definitions are available, but to change / create remotes ORCA will target experienced IT users and integrators. Designers and wizards are planned for a second phase
- ORCA is based an Kivy, a portable framework for Android, Windows, Apple and Linux
- Screen design is based on XML description files for screen elements
- Application logic are based on XML ruleset files
- Skins can be selected by gui
- Communication interfaces are script pased (python) and will be loaded and executed at runtime
- Communication interfaces can control multiple devices
- Device setup will be handled by communication interface
- Multiple communication interfaces and multiple devices can be used at the same time