TPD3, AMX AXT-CA10, axcess3, IRedit

csapp

Our courthouse just purchased a new DVD/VCR combo for one of our court rooms. I connected everything and mechanically, it works fine. This unit replaced a VCR and I am using the same IR connector on it. It is registered as device #10 on our Axcess3 unit. I could not find IR Codes for it online and do not have the AMX IR Eye so I used my iPaq to receive the controller codes in hex format. I used a program called Remote Controll II. I saw on a forum note that this was possible if you copy each button hex that shows up under the ir edit database and paste into a text file. I saved it on my SD Card. I put the SD Card into a reader on my PC and pulled off the text file with each button code that i want to use. I am very confident in the button codes being correct. I can use the ipaq to manipulate the new dvd/vcr combo device. I imported each section of code into IREdit using the Discreet IR import and created a new remote with the ir codes located inside. I matched the code line numbers (device IDs) to the appropriate ones already on the touch panel, having the file opened in TPD3 that I downloaded from the touch panel via rs232. I had to add more buttons to the design and used the codes menu to see the device numbers that were still available to map to. I made sure that matched up with the numbers on my IR database file. Uploaded the IR database to device 10 using iredit, then the new tpd3 file using that software uploaded back to the touch panel. The screen comes up and the page that I edited shows up fine but none of the buttons work.

Is there something I am missing? Do I need the source code from the Axcess 3 unit? If so, I am stuck because it won't download any of it to my laptop and the company that originaly put this together for us is located in Alabama while we are in Kansas. I can send the files on request, maybe there is something that I have done wrong or just dont know about? Any help would be greatly appreciated so we can get these new units up at our other locations as well!

Thanks,

Chris Sapp

JustinC

Well if you had to add new buttons for more control and the push statements are not defined in the axcess code then it won't pulse the IR

DHawthorne

JustinC wrote:

Well if you had to add new buttons for more control and the push statements are not defined in the axcess code then it won't pulse the IR

From how I understand the post, he kept it in the framework of the original code, so it should pulse the same IR channels it did before, just from the updated file. He said he tried to keep the new functions within the channel ranges of old ones.

The first thing I check with an unresponsive IR device is whether the IR light on the Axcent3 is flashing when my butoon is pressed. If it's not, you have a dead IR channel, or something wrong in the code. If it is, then the probelm is in the IR file or there is a problem with the emitter. That will also verify that it's going out on the correct port.

I've had rotten luck dealing with hex representations of IR codes. Often, there is more to it than is published that is assumed, or automatically taken care of by the target device (which may be the case with your iPaq) that does't port over to the AMX file. I think the IREdit hex editing capacity needs a little more help in this regard. If it's not exactly right, it's not going to work.

I would strongly recommend you get yourself an IRIS, it's well worth the investment if you are going to be working with AMX equiment. Then you could just capture it from your iPaq. If that's not an option, AMX can do the capture for you, or someone here might be able to (I'd volunteer, but I don't have an iPaq to load your working IR file on). If you can make it work on a Marantz RC5400 or Philips Pronto and post the file, then I could help you.

csapp

thank you for your willingness to help me! I really really appreciate it. I will find out if work will get me an iris. I am really excited about this! Also, I'll check on the axcent to see if it is transmitting anything.

Thanks again,

-Chris

csapp

oh, one more thing, The first replier was correct in assuming that i have added additional buttons. I also used the ones that were there. I will go back and just use the essentials using the pre-defined buttons because I don't think the source code is available, and even if it was, I am not an AMX programmer. Although, I have had a lot of success learning from these posts and the training vids on AMX's site.I think that the cost of an IRIS is definately going to be cheaper than to contract a pro to come out and take care of all of this for us. Plus, I really want to learn this stuff, it interests me a lot and not many things catch my interest.

csapp

good news! my request was approved for an iris! The only trouble is it can't be purchased until 2007 (budget rules or something like that). More good news, I have access to any installs source code for everything that has been implemented in each court room in our district since 2004. That means I can update the source and recompile for the other courtrooms but this one that I am working on now was done prior to 2004 so I can only use the button codes that are already in use which is ok I can get the basics for what i need from them like play, pause, ffd, rwd, scan fwd and back which are going to point to chapter select.

How much does AMX charge if I send them my remote to program an IR file? I've got a Sylvania DVD/VCR Combo model dvc865F with the remote model NB177. I am going up to test the IR port stuff now on the accent3 device and will post my results.

csapp

OK, I went up and watched the axcent3 unit while i pressed buttons on the page that controls the new unit. Even if I used the buttons that were already there, I get no response. To make sure everything was working right, I went to a different device, a vcr for recording, and pressed those buttons on the screen and the LED blinked twice after each button press. Is there a possibility that its from an invalid IR file? I looked at some other sylvania IR files that were posted on AMX's site and they register as 36Hz which mine does as well, which i think gave me false hope. Another odd thing is that when I try to download the ircodes for device 11, the VCR Recorder that works with the buttons, it stops about halfway through and errors out. I tried setting the com port speeds down lower to no avail. I can however connect to device 10 and get the ir codes that i uploaded to that spot. But havent been able to get any from any other device. Do I need an AMX programming cable for that? I have been connecting directly to axcess3 unit with an rs232 null modem cable. Is this the correct procedure? I hate being, and sounding, like such a newbie. I hope I don't annoy anyone.

Thanks for your help!

DHawthorne

If you aren't seeing the IR lights flash it's one of two things: (1) your button press is not activating any code or (2) the IR file loaded doesn't have an entry for the channel you are asking it to pulse. Since you had an error loading the IR file, I'd go with number 2.

A standard null cable should be fine. I frequently use a stock cable with a null adapter. I would think if it was your cable you wouldn't even get half there. I think your IR file is corrupt.

What is the exact make and model of your device? It could be someone here has an IR file for it already. I don't think AMX charges if you send them a remote, but you can't expect real fast turnaround either.

csapp

It's a Sylvania DVC865F DVD/VCR Combo unit with the remote model NB177. The IR file loads for device #10(the sylvania unit), and I can download it back and successfully completes a "verify" from IREdit. I can't download the codes for any of the other devices for some reason though, they all crap out about a third of the way through. I am going to try a different cable. The buttons that I have been pressing were the original ones and I kept the numbers device numbers for those the same. If I don't see any posts for my unit by any of the awesome people here by Monday then I'll assume that no one has it yet and will send my remote off to AMX. The nice thing is that I pretty much have all the time I need to do this because it is more of a learning assignment from my manager that would be nice if it worked but it is not imperitive. We have 3 other of the same units in the court house, so if they need a remote for one of the hearings then I can get them one from on of the other units :-) Thanks again for your willingness to help me on this.