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Author Topic: Can I connect a Geffen Scaler to Doremi via serial? Matthew Philp Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Newquay, Cornwall, England Registered: Aug 2012 posted 09-10-2012 09:36 AM                     Has anyone managed to control a Geffen A/V Cinema Scaler Pro II using the serial port on a Doremi DCP-2K4? I have no knowledge whatsoever about serial commands, and although the Geffen's instruction manual includes the commands necessary I cant seem to make a connection. Ive added the geffen as a serial device and used the information given to me there to set it up, then created a macro to send the command but i get no response. Has anyone managed to do this, or does anyone have any ideas about how to achieve it? The main aim is to be able to select inputs using macro commands and eventually add them to my controlview tab on the 2K4 for easy changing of the geffen's inputs. Any help would be most appreciated. Matthew  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-10-2012 10:05 AM                        I have not used the Doremi server; I have used the Gefen scaler and have not been terribly impressed. That said, I do know about serial communication. First, you need the right kind of cable. Look up the serial pinouts in the manuals. Basic serial communication requires only three pins--TX, RX, and ground, which are usually pins 2,3, and 5 on a DB9 connector. Connectors may be of various types; DB9, DB25, and RJ45 are the most common. Ground should be connected straight-through from one unit to another. TX and RX need to be flipped (so that TX on one unit connects to RX on the other and vice-versa). This may require either a straight-through cable or a null-modem cable (the latter of which is more likely). Whether the connector is male or female means nothing--you need to check the pinouts to figure out what kind of cable you need. Second, you need to have the same communication parameters on both sides. These are typically listed in groups of four numbers, representing the data rate, number of bits per byte, parity, and number of stop bits. For example, 9600/8/N/1 represents a communication rate of 9600 baud, 8 bits per byte, no parity, and one stop bit. Also, flow control can be set to none, hardware, or software. You need to configure both devices to use the same communication parameters; otherwise, the connection will produce unpredictable results. The settings don't actually matter that much (higher data rates transmit faster, but are more likely to suffer from bad cables or EMI), as long as both sides are set to communicate with the same settings. With most devices, 9600/8/N/1 with no flow control is a good starting point. Finally, some devices need to be configured to accept external serial control and may not do so by default. Once you are sure that the cable and communication protocols are set correctly, you can begin to troubleshoot the rest of the setup.  |  IP: Logged Matthew Philp Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Newquay, Cornwall, England Registered: Aug 2012 posted 09-10-2012 10:15 AM                     Hi Scott, Ive tried both a null & straight through cable with no luck, according to the manual, the pin outs are as follows 1-NC 2-RS232 -TX 3-RS232 -RX 4-internal connect to pin 6 5-chassis GND 6-internal connect to pin 4 7-internal connect to pin 8 8-internal connect to pin 7 9-nc Bits per second - 19200 Data bits - 8 Parity - None Stop bits - 1 Flow control - none The add device screen on the doremi includes a field for Message Type, giving an option for fixed-length or end of line byte. This is the only information i cant find. Any further help you could give would be most appreciated. Matthew  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-10-2012 11:42 AM                        That's half of the information that you need (I assume that it is for the Gefen, correct?). Now you need to find the specifications for the other device (I am assuming that it is the Doremi).  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-10-2012 12:53 PM                     If the Doremi allows serial settings to be changed (and I see no reason why it wouldn't, as Dolby allows it) It should be very easy to change the settings to match the Gefen. (Or maybe it would be easier to set the Gefen to match the server?) In any event, with a little effort this will work.  |  IP: Logged Edward Havens Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 614 From: Los Angeles, CA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 09-10-2012 12:56 PM                     I'm not understanding why one would plug the Gefen in to the Doremi. When we need it, we plug our Gefen directly in to our Christie projector through its DVI 1 port.  |  IP: Logged Matthew Philp Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Newquay, Cornwall, England Registered: Aug 2012 posted 09-10-2012 01:10 PM                     I only want to be able to use the doremi to select inputs on the geffen. We do a lot of conferences etc and on a few occasions they use vga for laptops etc and component for a bluray/dvd player and i need to switch between the two. Ive got all my houselights & audio settings set up on my controlview page on the doremi, but would like to be able to control the geffens inputs from the same screen. - would make my presentation look and run much smoother!  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 09-10-2012 05:51 PM                     Maybe first you should hook up a COM equipped laptop to the Geffen and try the commands from there. Then move on. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Matthew Philp Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Newquay, Cornwall, England Registered: Aug 2012 posted 09-11-2012 09:12 AM                     I'm going to have another go tomorrow when i get a few quiet minutes. If i get anywhere, I'll report back.  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 09-11-2012 02:15 PM                     you can set the serial port on a doremi as you wish, and send anything you want.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-12-2012 12:46 AM                     There are some Geffen units that contain other forms of video input usage. Just the budget line of Gefen has the VGA input from a computer which does directly feed into the projector via the DVI-1 port and a macro assigned to that port for usage.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-12-2012 01:03 PM                     So Matthew, Marco confirmed my suspicions. Here's what you need to do: First, configure the Doremi's serial port setting to MATCH what the Gefen requires (Baud rate, Bits, Parity, stop bit and flow control). Then, program your serial commands into the Doremi using the proper syntax. Connect the Gefen to the Doremi with a standard serial cable and try it. If it doesn't work try using a null modem cable or adapter. Be patient and you'll get it working.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 09-12-2012 04:32 PM                     Remember too...different systems use different means for generating things like Carriage Return and Line Feed. Some use the Hex numbers with a special character in front like %0D for Carriage Return and %0A for Line feed. Some use the /r for carriage return and /n for line feed and some still use the carrot commands ^M for Carriage Return and ^J for Line feed. It is up to the device that SENDS the command to tell you what they are using to generate those (or other HEX based special characters). I'm pretty sure Doremi uses the /r and /n set of commands. If in doubt, hook up your computer's serial port to the Doremi (or whatever) and use a program like "Putty" in serial mode set to the same communication protocols as the Gefen and see just what the Doremi is sending out. Conversely, you can use that program to test your commands to the Gefen.  |  IP: Logged Matthew Philp Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Newquay, Cornwall, England Registered: Aug 2012 posted 09-13-2012 09:16 AM                     Right, Ive managed to make it work connected to my laptop using hyperterminal (the commands in the geffen manual are wrong by the way, the inputs instead of being "S SOURCE 1" should be "S SOURCE 01", but after spending a good two hours trying to make it work on the doremi I've given up. After a quick unrelated call to my engineer, he's told me that in the modern doremi's the serial port is disconnected and he's recommended that we look at a ethernet to serial solution. Any one have any further input? Matthew  |  IP: Logged Marco Giustini Film God Posts: 2713 From: Reading, UK Registered: Nov 2007 posted 09-13-2012 03:23 PM                     the serial port is NOT disconnected! You have to add the serial "device" into control panel/devices. There you set the serial properties (baud rate etc.). Then under MACROS you create a "send a message" macro, to the "SERIAL" device, with the command of your choice. Who's the genius that said that in modern doremis the serial is disconnected???  |  IP: Logged

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