Global Cache Home Network Adapter

[Guliver]

Hello Ben,

I just bought a Global Cache Network Adapter.
http://www.globalcache.com

The adapter is IP base and provide IR passthrough, Serial & relay control. No need to use a PC anymore.

The adapter doesn't support yet the native Pronto IR Code. As such we must for the moment translate the Pronto code to the Global Cache IR Format.

For example, an IR command looks like that:
sendir,5:2,45234,34500,4,3,34,48,24,12,24,960

To start I want to send ASCII commands over the network to the Global Cache adapter from Netremote.

Could I use the Girder driver or NRirSrv and put the address of my network adapter and simply enter in the name field my own IR command?

The adapter provides an acknowledgement to indicate when it is ready to
accept the next command. Is this possible to get this feedback from Netremote like Button Up/Button down ?

Thanks for your help

Guliver

[brockgr]

Guliver

As always, I would suggest a Girder/LUA solution :lol:!

If you define an event in your CCF like:

GLOBALCACHE(sendir,5:2,45234,34500,4,3,34,48,24,12 ,24,960)

Girder can recieve this, extract the payload, and then use a LUA Socket to send teh data to the Global Cache and receive the response - this will block girder until the chit-chat is complete. It's probably about 10 lines of code.

I guess that if you really want to avoid the PC server, it would be possible to add another Plugin to NetRemote to handle this directly - but it would be a lot more work (I assume).

Gavin

[brockgr]

Some variable manipulation script like this:

local sock, err = connect(ipaddr, port)
if not err then
sock:timeout(10) -- seconds
if not err then
err = sock:send(pld2)
if not err then
local resp = sock:receive()
end
end
sock:close()
end

The variables ipaddr and port are the Global Cache TCP details

Note, you will need the Girder LUA Socket Library plugin eneabled

Gavin

[Guliver]

Gavin,

Yes the idea is to avoid the PC server, but if this is to much work I can live for the moment with Girder.

Personnaly I think a generic TCPIP plugin could be benefit to the Netremote community.

We could use it not only with the Global Cache but for example with the use of a Lantronix serial adater, users could easily web enable serial IR device, like the Adicon Ocelot, Slink and JDs infrared expander.

The Generic Tcpip plugin should permit us to assign an IP, Port, username and password and simply passthrough the ascii command to the network device port.

Hope that everything make sense.

Thanks for your Help. :D

Guliver

[Ben S]

Oops! Cross-posted

If you don't mind having a PC that talks to the Global Cache, I think
Girder makes a lot of sense.

However, with the idea of getting rid of the PC, does the TCP/IP listener require a user/password on the global cache? Is it a standard format? When it connects is it expecting anything from the global cache before it posts the ascii message?

I'm thinking perhaps a generic TCP/IP driver, where either each message is posted in the IR name, or where each button references a message number in a flat file. The flat file may also have to be similar to how dial-up scripts work, where it expects "User:", and then will post the user info, etc.

[Guliver]

The TCP/IP listener doesn't require any user/password.

The format is standard Ascii message.

It's not expecting anything from the global cache before it posts the ascii message, but the adapter provides an acknowledgement to indicate when it is ready to accept the next IR command.

I like your idea about using an external file to map the bouton command.

Does this involve a lot of development?

Guliver

[Ben S]

I don't think it should require a lot of development. It is basically a duplication of the current IR driver, except instead of using the internal learned code, it will grab the code from a text file.

What is the acknowledgement that it sends?

[Guliver]

Wicked,

As request please follow more info about the Global Cache API:

For example after sending this string:
sendir,5:2,2445,40000,1,1,4,5,6,5

The Global cache will return this acknowledge message after completion:
completeir,5:2,2445

5=Global Cache Port IR module number (each module have three IR port that could be define as a Ir input or Ir output)

2=Infrared port number

2445= User define ASCII number generated by the sender of the sendir command, which is included later in the completeir command to indicate completion of the respective sendir transmission.

Also if a sendir command is not understood, an unknowncommand will be sent by the Global Cache . Sent from Global Cache is response to unknown commands: unknowncommand

I send you last night to your prviate email more info about the Global Cache API.

Thanks again for your support

Guliver :D

[Ben S]

Thanks Guliver, I have the email. I will look into the generic driver first, so that you can implement the global-cache protocol, and then look into converting the pronto format for you.

UIRT/UIRT-USB support is my number one priority, followed by Gavin's new feedback code, and then this will be in the group of priorities behind that.

Thanks!

[dkal]

I am looking for knowledgeable input on which device I should purchase to use to control my A/V equipment and possible X-10 control.

Please understand that I know very little about the trade-offs, protocols, and compatibility issues related to IR, X-10, and general home automation. I am a raw newbie trying to find the simplest way to control my A/V equipment from my 802.11b Wireless PocketPC 2002. I do not want to have any line of site issues and I definitely want to use CCF skins.

This is the only place that I could find on the Web where the Global Cache Ethernet/IR device is discussed in any detail.

I am leaning towards the purchase of a Global Cache unit as it seems to already talk TCPIP and I am assuming that my wireless 802.11b PDA could talk directly to this device without an HTPC server as people in this forum have mentioned via Netremote once the protocols can talk. There is no need to have "IR Passthrough" because the Global Cache would do this directly, correct?

One simple question that I did have... (or at least I hope it is simple). Can't I just send the appropriate IR command string directly to the Global Cache's IP address from my PDA's Netremote CCF skin? PDAwin software seems to allow direct IR learning and assignment of IR to buttons(graphics) of a CCF skin directly onto the PDA over the top of the pre-defined CCF buttons. Can Netremote do the same and learn/override pre-assigned commands onto it's CCF skin right on the PDA? I am guessing that the trick will be in finding a way to learn, store, and/or create Global Cache formatted IR commands.

I am going down this route because from my research, the only standard interface that I can see that every interface controller software seems to support either directly or via plug-ins is some type of web-based configuration.

If I understand Netremote correctly, I should be able to use this software as my front end for virtually everything. Is this a fair assumption? I want to be able to directly address the Global Cache device for IR and address my HTPC via girder for when I get that fully working at a much later date.

I do like the feature of SLinkE for easy changer database management via Sony's Control-S. However, the Global Cache device mentions Control-S as a feature, but they don't elaborate on this at all on their product datasheets. Can anyone elaborate on this functionality?

At the moment, I use my HTPC primarily as a HD movie server with a hot-swapple Firewire hard drive array for my ripped DVDs right now I have a Terrabyte of capacity. I am messing around with MainLobby and DVD profiler... I have no idea yet on how I would get a "MainLobby" control interface with feedback working on my PDA( its a long-term project).


Any and all help, comments, and feedback is more than welcome.


Drew K.

[Cocophone]

Is it possible to have a "universal" tcp driver for netremote on the pocket pc?

That could be modified by the user to adapt to the server they are using on the pc?

Then no matter what OS is on the PC you could setup the TCP sent by the pocket pc to the server.

I would really like to use Netremote with a a mini-itx motherboard running linux on a compact flash card.

The mp3 player would be xmms.

I have found some plugins for xmms for receiving commands over the network, but I don't know how to get netremote to work with the servers for these plugins.

Robert

[Ben S]

That's what I've been thinking. Something like the old "dial up" scripts that would wait for something, then send something else, etc.

I haven't done the GlobalCache work yet, so this may fit into the scheme.

[dkal]

I had some good feedback from Global Cache and I asked for them to see if they could contribute to this forum.

They forwarded me a little program that translates Pronto CCF commands to GC formatted ones. This program is designed to be run on a PC on the network that is to receive the Pronto command input. Hopefully, someone can figure out how to implement it with Netremote as I am lost when it comes to coding. I tried to upload the file through the site, but I am too much of a newbie to do this (...I have to wait 10 days and have 10 posts). I will try to email to the admin instead.

They seemed intrigued by the idea of being able to load customizeable web pages to their device. This way one could simply design web pages with their codes assigned to text, buttons, icons, and hotspots. Then you could simply open a PPC browser and go to the URL directly and use the Web page as your remote control GUI. This would bypass CCF's altogether and Netremote, but it would make for a simple stand alone home automation controller.

Their device directly supports bi-directional X-10 as well.

They did say that there is no bidirectional Sony Control-A support but rather Control-S which simply emulates one-way IR through a hard wired connection.

I was concerned about memory limitations of their equipment and that it might not allow for web pages to be uploaded. To my surprise they commented they have plenty of web page memory capacity and that right off the top of their head, they see no reason why customizeable web pages couldn't be uploadable as a feature in the future other than the market viability of it. They state that they will consider this and keep me informed as to its feasiblity or not. What they might not yet realize is that if they can do this, they can effectively "store IR commands" by keeping the command strings resident in the web server pages.

I may not have understood the technician correctly, but I think he stated that they will be coming out with an IR learning (interpreting) device very shortly that is to be connected to a serial port of their unit.

Is there any way to store and broadcast non-standard Pronto formatted IR command in a Netremote CCF skin on a PDA that is not necessarily handled or interpreted by Netremote Server or Girder? Such as a Global Cache formatted IR command? If so, this command should be able to be sent directly to the IP address of the Global Cache device from within netremote PDA software... correct?


Drew K.

[Ben S]

Hi Drew,

I have a lot of information from Guliver regarding the GlobalCache, including the program to convert the Pronto CCF codes.

I don't think it would be a problem to "Store" the codes within the .ccf, but I'm thinking it would be super difficult to maintain your ccf. What we're doing with other devices is firing the IR within the .ccf out to a process which converts it to the "native format" of the IR device.

When I find time to do this, I'm thinking this could be handled via a generic driver would looked up it's data to send via a simple text file.

So you would have the data to send to the GC in a text file, and when you press a button, the generic driver would open the text file, find the corresponding event, and fire that to the GC.

Does this sound like it would fit? Does anybody want to be the developer on something like this?

[Guliver]

Wickedwok,

Any plan to integrate to add GlobalCache support in NetRemote 1.0 ?

Thanks

Guliver

[Ben S]

Hi Guliver,

Yes. This is on my list of requirements for a 1.0 release of NetRemote.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

[Guliver]

Thanks for the update !

[Ben S]

Hi Guliver,
I'm about to order a GlobalCaché device for development purposes. GlobalCaché support should be a new driver versus a new NetRemote release, so depending on priorities and difficulty I may be able to get support in before a 1.0 release.

Thanks!

[Guliver]

Good news!

I'm sure this Global Cache device will become very popular.

I using it right now with a Coraccess touchscreen and I'm very satisfy with the product.

[Guliver]

Ben,

Did you receive your Global Cache Device?

Guliver

[Ben S]

Yes Guliver, I have it here. I have passthrough working for it, but I need to enable the ability to store which port to send the IR through, because I do not see a way to have it blast to all IR ports.

I hope to have this ready for you and others in the next week or so.

[Guliver]

Good News!

Looking forward to test those new functionnalities with NetRemote.

Guliver

[kennybroh]

Are you designing this to support multiple global cache devices on the same network?

[Ben S]

For COM Ports, Yes.

For IR, No. Not for the first pass.

The way IR passthrough works is that any IR code that isn't linked to a driver (Media Center, Girder, etc.) falls through to driver -3 (the IR driver), which can currently only have one host.

Theoretically it will be possible to have multiple instances of the IR driver, and you can flip between them, and I'll keep that in mind for a future revision.

[kennybroh]

Hmmm.... so help me understand. How can I practically control various devices in multiple rooms in a large house? The thought of multiple NetCache devices (independant of computers) on my network in various parts of the house seemed to be a good solution.

So what is the second choice? Can I have multiple computers each with its own USB-UIRT? How do I configure everything to communicate with that sort of setup?

Kenny Frank

(I am still waiting, patiently, for delivery of my first USB-UIRT....)

[Guliver]

Kenny,

I will suggest you to connect a Xantech IR distribution system to the back of the Global Cache IR output to send your IR to the different room of the house.

The GC-100-12 have six independent IR outputs. Additional modules can also be added if you need more IR output.

Guliver

[kennybroh]

Gulliver---

For me the question is one of wiring. I have a computer network in my house, so it is a simple matter to hook up either a computer with an IR device or a network addressable device like the Global Cache in each room where I want IR signals.

My understanding of the other IR distribution options, including the Xantech I sssume, is that I would have to run additional wires wherever I want to have the IR. In this house (about 130 years old and 3 1/2 stories high) that is a pretty major undertaking. Hence the desire to be able to address different IR devices directly over the network.

That is, of course, the ultimate beauty of NetRemote, and therefore it would be really nice if a single remote could talk over TCIP to a range of IR transmitters.....

Am I wrong about the Xantech or other more conventional IR distribution schemes? Could I accomplish the same thing using Girder to send a message to a particular network device?

Kenny

[Ben S]

Kenny, this can be supported the same way multiple MC drivers are supported, but it might be a pain to setup the ccf. If you don't mind having a panel for each room it might be okay, because the jump to that rooms panel could change the current driver to the correct instance.

The difficulty here (versus other drivers) is that the IR driver is the "default" for any IR action that NetRemote itself doesn't use.

[Guliver]

Kenny,

If you already have a wire network in your house you could use the unused cat5 pair to carry the infrared signal to each location of your house.

Infrared signal only use three pair: Power, ground and IR.

Wh/br Brow and Wh/blu Blu are free and frequently used to carry power over ethernet.

http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~magarret/wiring/

Ir signal could also travel with special adapter throw coax cable.

Guliver

[kennybroh]

Gulliver-- I have a mixed network; partially wired, partially wireless.... Wireless enabled me to avoid the issue about wiring the house for a computer network, precisely the issue I'm trying to deal with here.

Ben-- I have absolutely no problem with separate panels for each room, so how would I set the ccf to jump to a different driver?

Kenny

[Ben S]

Kenny - There would be an action similar to the way it's handled in MC that allows you to select a specific instance, or switch to the next instance, etc.

It's not there yet, but it makes sense to do this.

[chocorem]

Any news about Global Caché support for netremote ?

thanks
Greg

[Ben S]

Yes - IR support is in (but currently unselectable on the PPC), and I've written/am completing a Generic TCP/IP driver that uses a text file to interpret stuff coming from any port.

I'm using this to "connect" to my Denon receivers through the GlobalCaché's serial port.

I'll release another code snapshot shortly with it selectable on the PPC.
Dave T. has greatly enhanced the IR Driver, so I need to take his code back in and make sure it works with the GlobalCaché, but then we're in business.

[ebariaux]

I'm now trying to use the Global Caché IR stuff with NR 0.993 but I did not find any example of how to do this.
I looked in the CCF bundled with the PPC version but did not find anything.
I also saw the stuff with the generic driver to control your Denon but no IR.

Could anybody point me to an example of how to do this or explain shortly?

Thanks,
Eric.

[Ben S]

You can change the IR driver to use GlobalCaché mode instead of Passthrough mode. Once you have that set, configure the host and port. It should now pass the information required to the GC to have it send the IR.

Note by default it will use the first port found. To switch ports, you need to set the IR.PortNumber value to the port to use (0-5). I'll upload an example ccf tonight that does this.

Thanks,
Eric

[AussieInSeattle]

I'm about to get a GlobalCache from worthdist.com - seem to be the cheapest.

I need to control 3 devices:
- TV
- Receiver (has IR in and out on back)
- DVD
- TiVo

With 3 ports on the GC I should be fine since I have passthrough on one of them, but I read in here that NR only sends to one of those ports, thus meaning I would need to get a connection block? Is there a way to get the IR to blast to all 3 ports?
I'm trying to work out what IR cables to get and need this info before I can get them.
Thanks,
Matt

[Ben S]

The weird thing about the GC is that you can't blast to all 3 at once, so you need to use NetRemote to change the IR port depending on the port you want to blast through, which I think is a bit weird.

It works, it's just something I haven't had to do with any of the other devices.

[AussieInSeattle]

I've read some of the GC API and understand the whole IR port thing. When you say I need to use NetRemote to change the IR port to send the command to, can I do this on the fly in the CCF file (if so, how?)? So then for my receiver I know that its on a blaster on port 1, so my ccf blasts to that port. But for my TV on port 2 the ccf blasts to that port. Or are you telling me its a manual thing I have to do in NetRemote each time I swap between tv and receiver?
Thanks,
Matt

[Ben S]

Yes, you change the port "on the fly" in NetRemote. In the user downloads area, there is a file called "gc-ir-sample.ccf". Download that and you'll see buttons 1-6 (I have the GC12 which has 6 IR ports) which switch which port it's talking to.

[cgkarras]

I'm about to get a GlobalCache from worthdist.com - seem to be the cheapest.

I need to control 3 devices:
- TV
- Receiver (has IR in and out on back)
- DVD
- TiVo

With 3 ports on the GC I should be fine since I have passthrough on one of them....

If all three devices are in the same area, why would you not use one blaster from the Global Cache to address all three of them? Are not the IR codes for the deviced sufficiently different?

[AussieInSeattle]

I actually used emitters, not blasters - not sure if they are the same thing or not - i try to hide all my emitters inside my equipment so i need one emitter per device.

[CKarras]

Following my question, I understand that emitters are more reliable than a blaster, but not as good as an electrical connection. My receiver has a IR in jack that I plan to use with my Global Cache, as soon as it comes.....

[Ben S]

That will work, as well. My denon is plugged both via IR and via the RS232 from the GlobalCaché.

[winnienet]

Yes, you change the port "on the fly" in NetRemote. In the user downloads area, there is a file called "gc-ir-sample.ccf". Download that and you'll see buttons 1-6 (I have the GC12 which has 6 IR ports) which switch which port it's talking to.

Well i understand, and i tested all the IR ports. They do all work.
But let's say my Receiver is on port 1 and my tv on port 2.
I change the tv channel by siwthing to port 2. Next, i would like to set the volume.
Then i have got to switch to port 1 and back to 2 every time i press volume up?
Or should i program every button with the command to set a port??

Thanx 4 ur advice

[jameswing]

winnienet,

If you place more than one command in the button's action list, (set port number; send IR code = 2 commands), then you have a macro, and the IR code will not repeat. This will pooch your volume control.

You will likely want to have the volume control on port 0, and have only the IR code action on that button. Then for everything on the other port, have three items in the action list -- set the port, send the non-repeating code, then set the port back to 0.

--Jim

[winnienet]

winnienet,

set the port, send the non-repeating code, then set the port back to 0.

--Jim

Thanx for the advice, but i think this wil reduce the speed of for instance channel switching. But i will give it a try. If it is not fast enough, then i might buy an emitter expansion block. For instance 1 port in 4 ports out.

Is it possible to control 2 devices with one port? Dual IR emitters?
Or does that not work. It would be great because i could buy a 4 port expansion block and control 8 devices.

GreetZ Winnie

[jameswing]

yes. example: SmartHome part number 8171S (dual stick-on IR emitters)

--jim

[Packerbacker]

This Question is for Ben. You mention in the above forum that you have succesfully sent RS-232 data to your Denon through the GC unit. Do you have an example on how I could do this in a CCF file from a Pocket PC with some sample X-10 commands?