CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

[Tom.W]

Ok couldn't stand the silence but think I figured it out how to fix it ... I think all is fixed now or I really screwed the pooch and up to step 15. The press button is now populated with the corresponding button number 1-999. Hit save but the menu did not disappear. All the button numbers are now in black and in correct order and labeled 1-999.

[jmayes]

[Tom.W]

Thanks Jeff ! Tried that three or four times with no luck. Had to do a reset and then start over on step 9. Up to step 15 I hope ! Program saved.

[stefuel]

Here's something for you to do in your spare time. While in programming mode, open the logic folder and see how many choices you have . In due time, you'll need to understand these, what they are and how they work. The best way to figure these out is to right click one and select help. A complete description of that logic symbol will pop up. Many of them have samples of use for you to view. Happy programming

[Tom.W]

Thanks Chip. Will do that. Project appears to be on hold a day or so till I borrow a digital camera for some screen shots of the Crestron touch screen display for Jeff.

[stefuel]

It may be fun for him to reverse engineer the pre-configured touch panel but it's equally as fun and a good learning experiance for you to try to make your own. I'm pretty sure you have the software for that also. Just don't download it to the panel. As soon as you try to load it, the old panel is erased.

[jmayes]

Ok, we have made to to a point where we need to establish communications with the Crestron ST-CP (Control system) and download our simpl program in it

This will be done using the Viewport program.

Step 1, On the Simpl toolbar 4 icons to the right of the configure button (the 20th one from the right) is a green computer monitor Icon, hit this button.

Step 2, A White window will pop up, it may have some black (unreadable) characters in it. On the top line there is a "Diagnostics" item in the title menu, click it, then Click "Establish Communications (find rack)"

If you get an window that says "Control System Located on Com1 at ????? Baud" then we are ready to go, then proceed to step 3 below. (Note: ????? Baud can be any valid port speed)

Step 2a, Clear the Error box (hit ok), Now click "Setup", then "Communication Settings"

A window will appear titled "Port Settings"

Step 2b, If your computer is using a com port other then Com 1 then make the correct setting. If you are using a laptop then just try Com 2, click it and hit ok on the bottom of the window. Go back to Step 1 and try again.

Note: if you have confirmed your settings with step 2a and 2b and you still can not gain communications with the rack then recheck your cables and try unplugging the control system for 10 seconds. If you continue to have difficultly then most likely there is a problem with your comport in the computer or you have a defective or incorrect cable.

Proceed here at Step 3 only after you get the "Control System Located" message in Step 2

Step 3. On the top line click "Diagnostics", then "Check Operating system"

Version X.XX.XX-X should readout in the white box (Current valid versions include 4.01.04-s 7/30/2002)

If you have successfully completed the above step then we are ready to transfer the program

Step 4. Close Viewport (X in upper right corner)

Goodluck!
JM

[jmayes]

Ok, back in Simpl.

Step 1, The very next toolbar button to the right of Configure is marked "1010 1010" (the 17th button), click it.

An pop up box will briefly appear that says "Compiling" and have a blue bar that fills it.

After another larger window will pop up with lots of lines that say "Notice ....... Signal "Button-x" has no destination. Please ignore these errors, they are expected at this point.

Step 2, There is another smaller box that says "Conversion Complete. Transfer File?", Click "Yes"

Step 3, A box will appear that is titled "Program Transfer" and says "Would you like to create a permanent memory image?", click "yes"

That's it! The program is Transferred!!




Next we will learn to use "Test Manager" and start mapping the buttons programmed in the ST-1500 Touchpanel.

To be continued......

JM

[Tom.W]

Com issue now solved but the version I have is 4.00.29-s created on 7/31/97
how do I update to 4.10.01 or greater ?

[stefuel]

Tom, You asked the question in the other thread but I'll answer it here. I use the CT-3500 touch screen. It is a 10.4 diag screen. It works well but no fancy buttons here. I will soon upgrade to at VT-3500 or better so that I can view full motion video from my securety system.

[jmayes]

No need to do any updates yet, we can do them down the road once your in the groove of the operations. See if you can download the program into the box and I will proceed to mapping the touchscreen buttons.

The CT-3500 is a pretty nice screen but wired vs. the wireless st-1500 and would be a good addition for Tom once he gets the 1500 running. Down the road once a Pro-E file is made for the ST-1500 it can be downloaded into any of the other Crestron screens so one can keep building from what is already done.

I also have a VT-3500 here and love the video option, I have it on a separate output from my Autopatch switchers so I can use it as a Preview monitor as well as security.

JM

[stefuel]

My youngest boy is autistic and likes to wander. We had to fence in the whole back yard (450 feet of fence) to protect him.
I'll be adding the securety camera's with DVR to the whole yard this spring. The master plan is to set up the TP with a window and full screen to view securety. I also plan to split the signal to the scaler and be able to view the same from my projector in the theater. Intruder/escapee id

[Tom.W]

Permanent memory image completed.

[jmayes]

Ok, Comm is up and the program is loaded. It's time to map the Button numbers that have been pre-programmed into the ST-1500 Touchpanel.

Just to clarify Crestron calls signals that cross to and from a Touchpanel an "Join", in the case of the ST-1500 they only go in one direction and the Simpl symbol actually has the signals marked "Buttons" so before things get out of hand I will cross over and call all Touchpanel signals "Join" numbers or "Joins" but remember that really means button number(s) in this case.

In the down time Tom_W has sent me digital pictures of the touch panel screens currently programmed, I have input each visible button into a Excel Chart which I have attached for others that want to follow suit (create a similar chart). In this exorcise will open "Test Manager" and if everything is working each button we touch on the ST-1500 Touchpanel will display with it's associated Join number, you will then need to put that number in the chart and continue to the next button until you have mapped all the available buttons.

Step 1, (only if Simpl is closed) Open Simpl, the wizard should pop up, choose "Open an Existing Project", then select your program with the name you choose. Your one Symbol for the Touchpanel should appear.

Step 2, Now on the top menu bar of Simpl Click "Tools", then "Legacy device support", then "Test Manager"

An new window will appear with 3 vertical sub-windows. The left one shows the raw information being exchanged with the control system, the middle window shows the signals that we are "Watching" and should be filled with button numbers. The window on the right is called the "Trace" window and now if all goes well when you hit a button on your touch screen you will see it show up in this window.

Step 3. Hit buttons on your Touchpanel and see if they show up in the Trace window!

Step 4. Go button by button on each screen and log the results in the chart.

Once we have the full map we can start making connections from the Touchpanel symbol to the various IR devices we defined.

To be continued..............

Good luck!
JM

[Tom.W]

Left the touch panel at work yesterday by accident and took the day off today therefor will continue tomorrow. It's always something ...

Will also take another photo of the DVD menu to add to the spread sheet.

[jmayes]

Will continue when your ready- getting real close now!!!

JM

[Tom.W]

Jeff you should have the information we need now

Please continue...

[jmayes]

This is good news! Tom has emailed me the full map of his Touchpanel. I will format and post it tonight and we will get on to making the Simpl connections that will make IR from the Panel. Things are coming together nicely,

JM

[Tom.W]

[jmayes]

Ok, we are all set for making some virtual wire connections in the Simpl program.

Tom has provided all the Join numbers from his Touchscreen and I have put them into the Excel chart which is attached.

Basically each signal (which we can name anything we like) behaves like a wire would in the real world. The one symbol we already made for the Touchpanel provides the Source Signals and each one we want to use must be sent to a designation.

In this case (today's lesson) we are going to use the Barco IR symbol as the designation.

Step 1, open Simpl and load your program, put Simpl in program mode (15th icon on the toolbar). Locate the Touchpanel Symbol we created in the right window (Detail View).

Note: We will need to give each signal a name, as I said earlier that can be anything. Personally I like to come up with a short name that indicates both the device we are wiring and the function. In the chart I have given each device a short designation in column 2, then tied it to the function name with an underscore "_" and the result is in column 5. IE: Projector=PJ, add the function "Power" and you get "PJ_Power". This provides for a fairly short name that is easy to decode when debugging the program later.

Also Note: Tom does not have many functions in his Barco screen page so we will also use the TV screen buttons to augment the other functions he needs to control.

Step 2, Taking the Signal Names (Column 5) from my chart, locate the Projector and TV entry's. Using the "Join #" (Column 4) find the "Buttonxxx" on the Touchpanel Symbol that is the same number. IE: PJ_Power is Join #21 so we will find the signal now called "Button21" and replace it with "PJ_Power". We do that by double clicking on the signal (it will turn blue with an green background) then type the appropriate new name- hit enter to finish the edit.

Step 3, Repeat Step 2 until you have finished all the TV and PJ buttons.

(Whew, almost there!)

Step 4, In the center window (Program View) open the top folder "Central Control Modules:ST-CP", then open "Slot-01:Built-in CNIR-4", Next Locate "Barco 800" and Drag it to the right window (Detail View) . Special Note: The Barco is under one of 4 ports A,B,C or D- note which port it's under in the Program View.

An Symbol will appear Titled "Barco 800 (Infrared Control)". It will look like the Touchpanel symbol except the connect lines are on the left with arrows pointing to the body of the symbol. This indicates destination signals.

Step 5. Note: You can move Symbols by clicking on the title bar and dragging them, move the Barco IR symbol directly to the right of the Touchpanel Symbol. The signal lines will be facing each other. Also you can grab the corners of the symbols and re-size them so they are approximately the same size, I like to make them skinnier too as the default size seems to waste allot of space but don't make them too small that you can fully read the signal names and functions. You can now scroll either Symbol to get the appropriate line to match up to adjoining symbol's signal list.

Step 6. Scroll the Touchpanel Symbol and locate "PJ_Power" (on Press21), next scroll the Barco IR Symbol until you locate "Power" (that is marked in the body).

Step 7. Click down on "PJ_Power" and drag it to the blank "Power" line of the Barco Symbol, it will duplicate on that line when you let go of the click button (un-click).

Step 8. Now we will drag the other signals we defined in step 3 over to the Barco Symbol, most of them will be obvious matches- the ones that are not you will need to make a decision as to what will work better for you (to remember the function), any that don't match up perfectly make a note on the chart so you can refer back to it later (and not forget what you decided). Repeat this step until you have used up all the available buttons for the PJ and TV signals. You don't have to connect a function that you feel is useless. (blank lines are ok to leave on the IR symbol)

Once your done transfer the program to the control system and connect an IR flasher (Emitter) to the Barco and the port that you noted in step 4 and give the Touchpanel and your program your first functional test!!

Gooooood Luuuuuucccckkkk!
JM