Where am I

[Sat32]

I'm new to girder, and trying workout what I want the interface to do, and how it will do it.

I have a usbuirt and want it to control my Olevia LCD TV. The problem is switching inputs works like this. Source button on remote cycles through the various inputs ie... S-Video1 > S-Video2 > HDMI > ect, back to S-Video1

Now for it to be able change sources correctly girder will need to know what the current source that it is set on with out any feedback from the TV. Then alter how many times the source button code is sent to get to the next desired input.

How or what would the best way to do that? and how could I get it to keep that info after a system shutdown??

Thanks

[Rob H]

Is there a way to force a particular input e.g. by tuning to a TV channel? If you can do that then you can cycle through inputs in a predictable fashion.

What model of Olevia TV is it? Most of them seem to have RS232 connections which can often (usually) be used for control. This is generally far preferable to using IR - see http://www.olevia.com/jsp/rs232/rs232.jsp

[quixote]

Failing that, I like to set variables that I store in the registry to keep track of what state my devices are in, though Mike C frowns on the registry method (I think). This way, if I have to reset my computer it will recover the variables on Girder start so I don't have to go in an manually set them all again.
I would listen to Rob, though.

[Treetop]

No idea about your particular tv, but you maybe able to find discreet codes (that can be transcoded) for the set at http://www.remotecentral.com/files/index.html#search

No idea if they are out there or not... just an idea.

Since we don't know the model number of the tv, if it does have a serial port, you may (or may not) be good to go...

I still use Quixote's method with one of my old CRT tv's... though its not as reliable as RS-323 (aka serial port). I don't use the registry to keep track however... I just have dedicated buttons on the remote for different inputs... though they all start at the beginning of the cycle...

Video 1 = tv
Video 2 = computer
Video 3 = Xbox

So the button i press actually sends several signals to the tv, starting with video one.... just to get to the xbox

Edit: This reminds me of a thread from years ago where I asked the same question... I also have the USB-UIRT and no discreets on my old set.

[Sat32]

I have a Olevia MTK 237v

Hunted through remote central some but couldn't find any discrete codes.
but there where a few people complaining that the RS232 interface wasn't working right. Since there are warnings about damage to the TV from using the RS232 input incorrectly I am leery about that, coupled with bad results I've heard USBURIT maybe the best way.

Could Girder read and write values to a simple *.ini file?

My other thought is to write a autoIT script and compile it to a executable
that would do this using copy/paste from clipboard feature.

Thanks

[Rob H]

The problem with keeping track of the state of any electronic equipment is that if someone changes the source input using the remote control or (even worse) on the TV itself then you end up being out of sync. There are workarounds for this, but they can be a bit tricky to get right.

What happens on this set if you have the source input set to say DVD and then press the number buttons on the remote to tune to a channel? Does it switch to TV aerial input automatically?

Personally I think it should be a criminal offence for a TV manufacturer to not provide discrete codes for source input.

[Sat32]

If you hit a button on the remote that doesn't correspond to the input that is being used ie Channel up when set to VGA, the TV displays "not effect" or "only for TV effect" message.

I planned to hide the original remote away somewhere once I get this working.
Plus I am the only one who really uses this TV so sync issue's shouldn't be a problem.

There was more I wanted to do then just switch source's, lighting, PIP but they all have the same issue. Knowing what it is on at the time the command is sent.


Thanks

[quixote]

You could always set up a script action that changes the variable appropriately, then attach events from the UIRT for numbers 0 to 9. That way, any time the buttons are pressed and the TV jumps back to cable input, the variable is corrected.

[Rob H]

I have a Olevia MTK 237v

Hunted through remote central some but couldn't find any discrete codes.
but there where a few people complaining that the RS232 interface wasn't working right. Since there are warnings about damage to the TV from using the RS232 input incorrectly I am leery about that, coupled with bad results I've heard USBURIT maybe the best way.

From what I could see they were trying to use it with a Crestron, which may mean that they didn't have low-level access unless they were a Crestron dealer.
Can you point me at the warnings about misusing the RS232 interface - I couldn't see anything about that, other than from one guy who made up his own cable. If you were to get a cable from Olevia it should be okay. Serial control is definitely my preference for any device that supports it.

[Sat32]

There is a warning on the back of the TV next to the connector and there is also a warning in the operating manual page 11, describing connectors

http://olevia.fileburst.com/manuals/UM-En_MTK_237_240_242_060824.pdf

The RS232 might be the best way to do this, but I really don't want to see a mushroom cloud come out of the thing.

Thanks

[Rob H]

That's just a warning against plugin in just any old mini-DIN cable. Using an Olevia supplied cable would be just fine.

If they didn't expect people to use RS232 then why would they bother to document it.

[Sat32]

Your probably right, but if I do it now I have to get the cable and upgrade to
girder pro, write serial driver. But I'll still have the same issue when it comes to
PIP, Lighting, ect. The only thing this will gain me is a more reliable interface to the TV hopefully.

Cycle type controls like this are rather common I would have thought Promixis dealt with a question like this long ago with a plugin or script.

Thanks

[Rob H]

Cyclic controls are a complete nightmare unless you can find some way of getting the device into a known state.

If this isn't possible then you need to incorporate some means of telling Girder what the current state is in order to resync if something should go wrong (e.g. power failure; a pet or human wandering past the IR receiver on the TV just as you've changed the input source).

The case of using the real remote to change input source can usually be handled by having Girder watching for IR commands and updating its internal state accordingly, but it's not pleasant.

This is why I only buy new consumer electronics with serial ports whenever possible.

[Sat32]

True but using a ir blaster should negate those problems of interference with reception.

Does girder actions maintain there last state after a reboot?
or does it reset.

Thanks