Hi all, I am new to the forum and can help in programming Crestron systems. I put a brief description of me and basic Crestron Primers in Part 1. In this Thread please limit the discussion to just the procedures and issues pertaining to Crestron System setup and programming. Hopefully this will bring in a few more DIY'ers that have this used stuff just laying around when it should be taking care of much needed system controls.
Thankx again for all the support,
I hope this thread will be helpful!
Jmayes
Last edited by jmayes on Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:48 am; edited 3 times in total
Link Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:26 am Post subject:
Ok I am not a programmer and I would consider myself computer challenged. I have a Crestron ST-1500 B+W touchscreen and a Crestron ST-CP that were thrown in as a freebee with my latest BG 1209s purchase. I have too many remotes and none are good in the dark with my remaining eye sight....
Would like to control the following:
Barco 1209s CRT projector
Krell Audio+Video standard - Audio/video switcher preamp
Toshiba HD-XA1 and HD-AD2 HD DVD players
Where do you start ? Assuming you have the Crestron software programs ?
Link Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:44 am Post subject: Post #1, Installing The Crestron Programs
Ok, it's time to Rock-n-Roll! 8)
To begin with your setup you will need to install the following programs;
Crestron Database
Simpl (for windows)
Pro-E
Deal
1. Crestron Database, currently version 18.x is required for everything, install it first.
2. Simpl or "Simple" as it's called is the primary program for putiing commands in to the ST-CP controller
3. Pro-E is used to make the screens to download in the ST-1500
4. Deal is used to learn or edit IR that is not already in the Crestron Database
Last there is a program called Simpl+ this is optional mostly for advanced programmers that wish to add "C" programming into the regular Simpl program. You will get a NAG message that you need to install it but it can be ignored.
There are actually many other programs out there but these are the required ones that are up-to-date and will be the ones I use in this thread.
Note 1; During the install you will be asked if you want to install a "Unified" Viewport or "local copy", choose "Unified"
Note 2; You can install the programs in any order or re-install them at will, nothing will be lost.
Note 3; Use all the defaults, just keep clicking "Next" and follow the on-screen directions.
You will need to make (or accquire) some programming cables.
One is a DB9 to an RG11 phone line connector for the ST-CP serial programming,
the other is for Cresnet which is an RG11 to a 1/8" mini connector to program the screen.
Another Note, you must have one serial port on your computer you plan on programming with. If you do not you can use a USB to serial converter but most of the time they will end up above comm-8 which is the highest commport the Crestron software can use. There are tricks that will get an usb converter on a lower comm port but that is beyond the scope of this thread and you should consolt a local computer techie or a forum that deals in such issues.
I will post some pix of the cable drawings shortly.
To be Continued
Jmayes
Last edited by jmayes on Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:37 am; edited 3 times in total
Link Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:56 am Post subject:
Tom.W wrote:
Oh by the way it has already been programed with a reasonable template. Should I start from scratch and if so how do you erase it ?
Ok, all the better. Making the new touch screen files are really another process completely and we should do it in another thread, not right away, I want to sink our teeth into the system programming before starting on the UI (user interface) project.
And besides, I love to reverse engineer things.
Notes;
Programs can not be downloaded from either the system controller box's or the touch screens, it was made one-way on purpose so programmers could hold their clients hostage. Anyone paying a programmer should stipulate in the contract before proceeding that they will get a copy of the programs, they won't like it but if they want the business they will agree.
Now what can be done is that many of the older systems and touch screens have plug in memory chips which can be removed and read in standard chip programmers, that won't give you the source file but will give you a re-downloadable copy of what is in the screen or controller, good for backups or clones.
I will get a cable drawing for the ST-CP in my next post
Link Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:20 am Post subject:
Here is the manual for the ST-CP, it is posted on the Crestron Website in the Clear.
You will find a cable drawing on page 6 for the system programming.
Page 7 has the drawing for the Touch Screen Cable.
There is a guy on ebay selling cables for $45 (a complete set), a bit steep for my taste but if someone can not get one made locally that would be an alternate.
I am sorry but I am not in a position that I can make cables at the moment.
That is it for tonight, if anyone has issues figuring out how to install the software please post away and I will address them tomorrow.
Link Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:43 am Post subject: Setting up Your first Simpl Program for the ST-CP, Part 1
Ok, Lets Continue.
One quick program install note; If you have followed the instructions exactly above then when you open Simpl it will present you with a NAG saying that "Toolbox" is not installed. This is not required and you can just answer "ok" or "next". Toolbox is the newest Crestron Communications Program which is only really needed or the latest generation of products since we will be working with older equipment installing Toolbox is purely optional and either way it will not change the instructions I will present below.
1. Now open Simpl (if you have not yet) and you will be presented with a pop-up window titled "What do you want to do". Since we are starting a new project from scratch you will choose "Create a new Program".
2. The nest window is titled "Program Header Information", Give your project a name and put it in the "System Name" box. All other information in this window (Dealer Name, Programmer, Comments, etc) is optional, you can fill in as much or as little as you wish. Click OK to Proceed.
3. You will be presented with a 3 pane window, a list of folders will be in the window on the left.
4. The folders on the left will open up in a "Tree" format. Hit the "+" key next to "Control Systems" and a sub-tree of entry's will expand. The ST-CP is near the bottom of the list, left click on it, hold down and DRAG the "ST-CP" to the upper right empty window. When the curser changes to a "+" (Plus) sign let go of the click button.
5. Now an image of an mini rack will be in the upper right window, it contains several items which represent each sub-system in the ST-CP, starting with IR out, then Com A/Com B and Net devices. Below the rack image you will see an item called "CNRFGWA" (short for CN- RF- Gateway). An "ST-CP" tree style folder will also be added to the lower right window.
6. You can now (scroll if needed) and close the "Control systems" folder in the left window by clicking on the "-" (minus) next to it.
7. Lets save what you have done by clicking on the "Disk" icon in the upper toolbar or clicking "File" and select "Save" in the normal windows file menu system on the very top. You will be asked to name the file, give it any name you like.
At this point you have a very basic skeleton file for your control system.
If anyone is having problems, just jump in and post here anytime- no need to PM me, that way everyone will gain.
Link Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:58 am Post subject: Adding IR Drivers from the Crestron Database
Ok, Now that we have set the target control system and saved our first file we are ready to add some drivers
Note; the above instructions are the same for any of the Control systems, the "System View" Graphic in the upper-right window will change according to what is equipped in the control system. If the control system will take plug-in cards you find the cards in the tree on the left and drag them to the slot they are installed in on the Graphic.
Following suit, drivers and network devices which we will go step by step below are also just "Dragged" to the graphic in the appropriate place. (Drag and Drop)
Tom W. has the following devices;
Item 1. Barco 1209s CRT projector
Item 2. Krell Audio+Video standard - Audio/video switcher preamp
Item 3. Toshiba HD-XA1 and
Item 4. HD-A2 HD DVD players
Tonight we will set the IR drivers for the above devices. The Barco may be serial linked too which may be a better choice, we will cover that later, for now IR for simplicity.
To begin with the Barco 800 uses the same IR codes as the target Barco 1209, the 800 is already in the database so we will use it as an alternate.
Step 1. On the Folder Tree in the window on the left, (form now on we will call it the "Device Library") expand the last folder called "User Devices" (use the Plus sign next to the folder).
Step 2. Expand the "Crestron DB (Database)" folder (as of today's writing the current is 18.9.1)
Step 5, Click down on "800 (Infrared Control)" and Drag it to the "IR out" BOX in the graphic until you see your curser change to "+", then let go. Same procedure as before Note: These hot-spot Boxes in the graphic are called "Slots"
Note: Nothing will appear to happen on the System View Graphic, to confirm you got the driver to "Take", go to the folder in the lower right window "ST-CP", this is the SYSTEM TREE. As you expand the folders of the system tree you will see they coincide with the items in the SYSTEM Graphic above but have additional breakouts for smaller items like device drivers.
Step 6. In the System Tree Window Expand "ST-CP", Then "CNIR-4," Then "Port-A:IR Port" and you should see "Barco IR Remote". If port-A is not a folder then your DRAG did not TAKE, try step 5 again.
Note: Each IR device will be added the same way. Locate it in the Device Library and drag it to the IR box, they will be put in ports 1,2,3 and 4 respectively.
Step 7, Locate "Krell", then "Unclassified", then ""Drag AV Standard" to the IR port Slot.
Another Note: Yes you will need to look around a bit sometimes to find the correct IR code or driver and/or like in step 1 use an alternate model if it uses like codes.
Step 8, Locate "Toshiba", "DVD", Drag "HDA2"
Ok, there are the easy ones that are already in the database, in the next post I will show you how to add an item not there to the "User Database"
Link Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:43 am Post subject: Add IR Codes Not in the Database
Ok, Great!
Now for those pesky IR code sets that is not in the database. There are several ways of doing it.
1. Locate the *.ir file from someone that has already dealt with the issue
2. Use Philips Pronto Codes (CCF), this requires DEAL software- more on that later
3. Use a Philips Pronto and learn the code, then step 2 (Pronto 1000's are cheap on Ebay)
4. Obtain an Crestron CNXLIR and learn the code directly to to DEAL (Expensive, even on Ebay)
Note: The CNXLIR doesn't interface to a system, it is only for learning and testing IR and making *.ir files.
2nd Note, There are converters out there to convert AMX *.IRL files to *.ir and numerous converters to convert to and from Pronto codes so web hunting will usually find what you need.
I was able to obtain the HD-XA1 codes from the web, I have attached the file.
Step 1. Download and uzip the attached file and place it in "c:\crestron\simpl\userdb", if the "userdb" folder is not there then create it, after unzipped the file should end in ".ir" (Dot IR)
Step 2. In Simpl, goto the very top line above the toolbars and select "Options" then "Rebuild User and Project Database"
Step 3. Now in the Device Library Tree, Close all the Crestron Database folders (to clean up the screen), then just below "Crestron DB" is "User DB"
Step 4. Locate "User DB" folder, expand it, expand "Manufacturer" and now you will see only "Toshiba", expand it and you should see "HD-XA1" Drag it to the IR Slot.
Note: As you add files to the userdb folder a new entry in the userdb will appear but remember to rebuild the database!
Now that's it for the IR drivers, on to setting up the ST-1500 Touch screen in the next post.
Link Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:06 am Post subject: Setting up the ST-1500 Touchscreen in Simpl Part 1
Tom.W wrote:
Sorry but will have to continue tomorrow night...
I will just have a head start on you...
In order for the ST-CP to receive the ST-1500 Touch screen we need to know what "RF ID" the screen is set to. There is a hidden setup mode built into the screen here is how you get to it.
1. Remove the Battery
2. While putting the battery in, hold down anywhere on the screen.
3. After about 5-10 seconds it will say "Setup Mode", take your finger off of the screen quickly.
4. Wait for the Crestron Logo, will take up the whole screen (white screen).
5. Tap the screen anywhere.
Now the setup options should be displayed. If not repeat steps 1-5
The top half of the screen is a very large box called "Calibration"
6. Some smaller boxes are below, tap the "Advanced Settings"
7. On the next menu tap "Interface"
8. Write down the RF ID (10 on my unit) and the Cresnet ID (3 on my unit)
9. Tap "Return"
10. Tap "Return" again to get out of the sub menu
11. Now back to the main setup screen go ahead and hit "Calibration" and follow the directions (just a good idea to re-calibrate any used screen)
12. When done with the Calibration procedure hit "Return" to display the current downloaded program (normal mode).
Unless your screen came from a special mulit-screen setup it most likely will be "RF ID 10" (RFID Ten)
Next we will set this information in the Simpl program
Link Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:43 am Post subject: Setting up the ST-1500 Touchscreen in Simpl Part 2
Ok, now that we know the magic number(s) we can add the ST-1500 to the Simpl Program.
Like we did before we need to locate the touch panel in the "Device Library" on the left.
1. near the top of the Device Library tree open "Discontinued" folder, Next "Touch panels (Discontinued), then locate the ST-1500
2. Click on the ST-1500 and Drag it over the "CNRFGWA" which is just under the System Graphic where you were dragging the IR.
3. Now in the ST-CP System Tree in the bottom right window, open up the following
4. Expand "ST-CP", Next "STCPNET-Device", next "CNRFGWA"
5. Verify the ST-1500 is present on RFID 10, if that is the RFID your screen is set to we are all set.
6. If your screen is a different ID then click on the ST-1500 in the system tree and drag it to the correct location. Valid locations for this touch screen will be even numbers, 10, 20, 30, etc. It actually takes up 16 slots so all ID's below it to the next valid ID will be gray'd out.
Note; Dragging items around in the System Tree is the way to move devices from one part of the system to another. For instance, we let all four IR drivers go to 4 separate IR ports in the above instructions but if we wanted to use a "Dual Emitter" on two IR devices we need both drivers to be attached to one port, just find them on the system tree and drag the 2nd device from it's separate port to the port you want to share. Many drivers can be set to the same port in this way, I don't know the limit but I have about 20 on my central Ir port channel now. Another acceptable practice is to drag devices from the "Device Library" directly to the "System Tree", this way you can get them exactly where you want them on the first try but for simplicity dragging items to the System Graphic and letting them default is fine.
Ok, Save the program!!!!
The initial System Configuration is Complete!!!!!
Next we will get into some real Simpl Code and start Communications to the St-CP.
Link Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:15 am Post subject: Making our first Symbol Part #1
Ok, now we will change from configuration mode (in Simpl) to Programming Mode.
There are two very import icons (buttons) on the toolbar
The first one is the 15'th icon from the left (which looks like a yellow bug) but is actually suppose to look like a "Symbol", this is "Program System Mode".
The 2nd is the 16'th icon which is to the right of the program button above, it looks like a black box with two arrows coming out of the bottom. This is "Configuration System Mode"
We are in "Configuration System Mode" now, we will be switching to "Program System Mode" to continue.
Note: Both modes are also available in the regular menu system under "Project", then "Program System" or "Configure System"- the tool bar buttons are just 1 click shortcuts.
Step 1. is hit the "Program Mode Button"
Now we will see a new set of three vertical windows.
The left most window is called "Symbol Library", the middle window is called "Program View" and the right window is called "Detail View"
The Symbol Library and the Program View windows both have a folder tree. The right window should be empty.
The middle window, "Program View" has a duplication of the system folder tree that you worked with in the Configuration Mode.
Step 2. In "Program View" open the "Network Modules" folder, then open the "RF Receiver: CNRFGWA", Then locate "RFID-10: Wireless Touchpanel: ST-1500"
Step 3. Click on (select) "RFID-10: Wireless Touchpanel: ST-1500" and Drag it to the empty "Detail View" Window. You will see your first "Symbol" to appear!
This first Symbol is a representation of the buttons that are available on your ST-1500 Touchpanel, each button translates to a line with an arrow at the end. These are actually "Virtual Wires", like you actually have a wire going to each button on the remote. These "Virtual Wires" are called "Signals" which we will call them going forward.
Now the default size of this Symbol is only 32 buttons (Signals), there are actually 999 buttons possible in the ST-1500. We will be doing a fishing expedition in order to figure out what is already programmed in the ST-1500 so we need to be able to watch all 999 possible signals.
Step 4. Select the Symbol by clicking anywhere in it, then use the scroll bar on the right (attached to the Symbol box) and scroll down to the last signal (#32).
Step 5. Select Signal #32 by clicking once on the line, it will turn Blue
Step 6. Without moving your mouse, Right-Click and a pop-up menu will appear, select "Insert Mutable Signal/Parameter Fields"
Step 7. Another pop-up window will appear called "Insert Multiple Signals or Parameters" and a box with "1" in it, you can change by using the up/down buttons to the right of the number.
Step 8. We want to add 967 signals to the symbol so using the up/down buttons will be very slow, just click on "1" (it will highlight in blue) and type "967", then click "OK"
The Symbol will jump just a bit and all pop-up windows go away. Now the Symbol will have 999 signals (967 + the original 32).
Step 9. Scroll back to the top Signal and select Signal #1 (it will highlight in blue)
Now we will create our first Signal Name, they can be anything we want but for clearness I will choose Button1
Step 10. Type "Button1" and Enter
Now the first Signal should have the Name "Button1" and the blank signal below it will be highlighted in blue,
Step 11. Again Left click (select) signal 1 (now button1) again and re-highlight it.
Step 12. Scroll all the way to the bottom (Signal 999)
We could type Button1, Button2, Button3, etc all the way to 999 but that would take all night. Simpl provides a tool for auto-naming signals that are numbered in order (Thank goodness!)
Step 13. Hold the SHIFT key on the keyboard and left-click (select) Signal 999. All the signals you can see in the window should light up Blue.
Note, if that did not work the first time, go back to the top, click on signal 1 (button1), then go back to Step 12
Once you see all the visible signals highlighted in blue continue.
Step 13. Hit "F4" (this is the function key on the top row of your keyboard, not the letter/number F and 4)
You should see the highlighted signals change to "ButtonXXX" (the XXX being 999,998,997,etc - counting upwards). If you do not see this then Scroll back to the top and go back to Step 11.
Almost done now.
Step 14. Anywhere on the Symbol, Right click and in the pop-up menu select "Set watch on all signals in Symbol" (it's 3/4 way down the menu)
Nothing will apparently happen but the menu will disappear, that is normal.
Step 15. SAVE!!!!!!
We have our first Symbol Program!!!
Something to put in the BOX
Next we will communicate with the ST-CP and transfer this program.
To be continued.............
Last edited by jmayes on Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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