More Channel Codes
mkipe
Posts: 10
I'm interested in using RTI in some of our installations. In RF installations in the past, if I had multiple remotes on the same RF receiver, the AMX remotes all shared the same functions mapped to 1-254 (or something like that). If I'm using RTI, is there a way to tap into the remaining 3700+ channel codes so that I can have 2-3 remotes on the same receiver with distinct numbers? e.g. 1-254 (Living Room TV/Audio), 301-554 (Bedroom TV/Audio)
I've heard that RTI supplies the RF codes but I suspect that they only covered 1-254 that can be learned from a MIO. Can I use the hex edit functions in RTI to go beyond that range?
I've heard that RTI supplies the RF codes but I suspect that they only covered 1-254 that can be learned from a MIO. Can I use the hex edit functions in RTI to go beyond that range?
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What I do, if I need more channels, is I divide my commands into 2 halves. Think of a number from 1-255 as a string of 8 bits. I have developed a "protocol" where the first 2 bits signify which remote is sending this command (can be 00 through 11, max. 4 remotes in a system), the next bit signifies which half of the message it is (0 = command, 1 = parameter), and the next 5 bits represent the contents of the message.
Each button press on the RTI sends two codes, a command (3rd bit is false) and a parameter (3rd bit is true).
The program has an event block CHANNEL_EVENT[dvRF,0] and stores everything in an array, executing a command for a remote whenever there is a complete command present.
For instance:
00 0 00010 = remote number 1, command = 2
00 1 00001 = remote number 1, parameter = 1 (execute command 2 with parameter 1, for instance say command 2 is for sources, and 1 means turn on source 1)
So the RTI macro would send two AMX trigger codes: 002 and 033.
I have four versions of the RTI interface in my RTI file, named Remote00, Remote01, Remote10, and Remote11. They are all the same except that all the AMX trigger codes are bumped up 64 from the previous remote.
It sounds ridiculously complicated, and it can be a little slower than people expect a remote to be, but it works.
It's a limitation of the reciever box. The box is limited to 254 channels. The RTI file you'd be uploading is AMX RF codes. You could in theory get two boxes. One at 418mhz and the other at 433mhz. That way you'd have at least two sets of 254 channels.
You can add an RP6 and have it send strings to a serial port on the NI. Then you can do what ever you want.
This method is courtesy of: the8thst.
http://integrationpros.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3824&page=2&highlight=rti+amx
I think it's the best method of integrating RTI.
Not only does it give you more then 254 channels, the RTI RF receivers are less then half the price of the AMX RF gateways.
The method that the8thst uses just emulates pushes from an AMX panel with DO_PUSH commands, but you can set it up however you want. The RTI can send any kind of string.
As far as being limited by 255 channels, I don't find this a problem. I've reserved a handful of channels for things like source selection. Based on what source is selected I can reuse channels across devices.
One limitation we have found is the range of the RF signal between the RTI and the AMX-RF. Putting in 2 AMX-RF's would give a double push if you were using the remote within range of two devices. Has anybody ever come across an RF Booster which would work with the AMX-RF?
Connect the wire directly onto the PCB, removing the original coax. The wire can then poke out of the original antenna hole.
On the Antenna Screen side you'll want to add a nice big ground plane using some steel plate, if your clever this can be cut down to fit inside the case of the AXR-RF. Connect this to the PCB Screen using an appropriate sized conductor.
Obviously this will invalidate your warranty, but it will give you massive Rx improvements.
Cheers & HTH
I can't find the external forum thread outlining the RTI RP6 solution quoted above. Probably because I've not yet scanned my driving license, proved my id and got access to the Pro area. I'll do all that but in the meantime can anyone help. I've got an RTI remote, RTI RP6 processor and a NI3100 communicating. The RP6 is supposedly sending out defined 232 strings but all I see at the NI-3100 end is a single[$00]. Can someone point me in the direction of what I might be doing wrong
*************** more info *****************
The RTI RP6 is connected to the NI-3100 via the RTI 232 connector cable and then a null-modem cable
The comms settings I'm trying are 9600, N, 8, 1
************** Solved **********************
The issue was the cable. Using a null modem cable doesn't work even though pins 2 & 3 have to cross over. We made up a custom cable with only pins 2, 3 and 5 connected and all is fine. This gives us everything we need to send an unlimited number of strings from an RTI processor to a Netlinx controller