CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Hell_Hound · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Posts: 6

Hey guys, i'm pretty new to the forums but i noticed there was some crestron gear on here so i thought i may as well see if i can get some help.

I picked up this Crestron touch screen and i've seen it working with its controller (crestron cresnet IIMS) however the IIMS is now dead.... and i would really like to use the screen for anything, but what i mainly had in mind is for relay controls

i'm pretty upset that the main conroller is dead... and if i really am able to set it up then i'd concider buying a new one but i had a crack at the simpl stuff and i ended up with a headache >_>

Simply put all i'm after is a very easy way to switch some relays with a touch screen and also cheep, as this is the only touch screen i have i was wondering if someone could shed some light on how it talks to the main unit and if theres some way to use it without its other half.

Thanks

Hell_hound

PS. i have attached the pictures

any help would REALLY be great Smile

ecrabb · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:01 am Post subject:

The touch panel is designed to send RS-232 commands to the controller. Unless you're an electrical engineer, it's really not practical to try to build or reverse engineer something to work with the touch panel... Even then, considering that you can probably find a replacement controller like the Cresnet IIMS for less than the price of a half-dozen relays alone... It just doesn't make sense to try to build something.

Here's a controller on fleabay for $25 plus s/h - probably $50 total:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330338684177

Half a dozen good relays will cost nearly half that - never mind all the other stuff!

There's a couple of great threads here all about programming the Crestron gear. Read up and make it do what you want!

SC

Hell_Hound · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Posts: 6

thanks for that advice, i'm going to look around for a replacement system however if anyone has anything else to add, i'm all ears

thanks once again ecrabb

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

Not sure how much programming you've done but they sure aren't as easy as the newer stuff, like the pro series. I have some spare IIms units. I could send you one if you pay for shipping. Shoot me a pm.

jmayes · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 116

Hi all,

Hell_Hound, you have one of the oldest panels out there however that leaves some good news in that the configuration software is built in the prom of the panel and you DON'T have to have any Crestron software to program the screens. Pretty much you Define Buttons and each button gets a 3 digit number 000-999, when you touch that button the RS232 port will output Sxxx (xxx=the assigned number) and when you take your finger off you get a Rxxx. You will need something to monitor the RS232 and convert to drive signals for relays. ECRABB was right that just getting another CNMS would be as cheap as anything DIY and if you follow the Programming thread you can do much more!

Hope that helps,
JM

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

I found a cnmsx-pro that I'll be sending to him for shipping to AUS. That should work pretty well I hope!

jmayes · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 116

Heck, their aint anything the CNMSX-Pro can't do. That's the very unit I use. Way to go Smile

JM

stefuel · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:12 pm Post subject: