PreProgrammed Movie Time DVD Issue Sorry so Long

Indobos

Hello, I am having a bit of an issue that I am hoping someone can either tell me what I am doing wrong or if what the customer wants is even possible.
Equipment is:
NI-700 placed on the customers network.
NVX-300 touch panel interface also located on the customers network.
Here is the scenario.
Customer has a rs-232 Sony 400 disc DVD player and they want to run certain discs at specified time. So what I did was create a structure that holds the disc number, start time as well whether the movie plays or not. The customer does not own the discs and they rent from red box, netflix or other source. So it is not a library of movies that I could find out what chapter the actual movie starts at. Here are some of the issues I have found.
What I did notice is that the movies that are in the player and if played from the front panel of the player or from the program or through studio with Control a Device they will:
1. Play all the way through.
2. Play trailers and then stop at the menu select, scene select extras and so on.
3. Will bypass all the titles and will get stuck on the format select screen.
The system has been very inconsistent with how the discs play. Below is portions of the code.
// Module used for DVD
DEFINE_MODULE 'Sony_DVPCX777ES_Comm' mdlDVP_APP(dvDVD, vdvDVD)

DEFINE_MODULE 'Sony_DVPCX777ES_UI' mdlDVP_APP(vdvDVD, dvTPArray, nTransportBtns, nMenuBtns,nKeypadBtns, nWriteBtns, nGoToDisc, nOtherBtns)
// here is where I create the Play timeline event
DEFINE_CALL '3 PULSE PLAY'
{
if(TIMELINE_ACTIVE(cTL1))
{
TIMELINE_KILL(cTL1)
}
TIMELINE_CREATE(cTL1, vTIME_ARRAY, 5, TIMELINE_RELATIVE, TIMELINE_ONCE)
}
// Setting time for Timeline Events
DEFINE_START

vTIME_ARRAY[1] = 1000
vTIME_ARRAY[2] = 5000
vTIME_ARRAY[3] = 180000
vTIME_ARRAY[4] = 180000
vTIME_ARRAY[5] = 180000
// This
//This is a section of the mainline to check to see if the movie needs to be played on the specified day
// as well as where I actually send the command to que up the specified disc
IF(nDAY = 1)
{
SELECT
{
ACTIVE(RS_SUN_1 = 1 && TIME = SHOW_INFO[1].nSTART_TIME):
{
SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'DISC=',SHOW_INFO[1].nDISC_NUMBER"
wait 50 'test wait 1'{CALL '3 PULSE PLAY'}
}
// this is the timeline event that occurs
TIMELINE_EVENT[cTL1]
{
switch(Timeline.Sequence)
{
case 1: {SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'TRANSPORT=STOP'"}
case 2: {SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'TRANSPORT=STOP'"}
case 3: {SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'TRANSPORT=PLAY'"}
case 4: {SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'TRANSPORT=PLAY'"}
case 5: {SEND_COMMAND vdvDVD,"'TRANSPORT=PLAY'"}
}
}
// So basically I am stopping the disc to make sure it doesn't just auto-play. I am then executing the play command a few times spaced 3 minutes apart to play through any menu or title screens. This works with decent regularity but the few times. The customer and I agree is unacceptable. I have no way to tell what movies they are getting nor is this system having consistent errors which would lead me to a code issue. The unfortunate thing is they are trying to do something that Myself nor AMX or any other control manufacturer has tried doing. I have contacted AMX they checked out the code and said it looks fine and they didn't see anything wrong with the code. Obviously it could have been done a bit better but the outcome is the same. Has anyone tried doing this and had any luck? I am at my end and maybe a fresh idea or thought is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Spire_Jeff

Are you able to get time elapsed or time remaining from the player? If you can get time remaining and it is less than 70 minutes, the movie is probably not playing. If you see the time elapsed never get past a couple minutes, it might also indicate the player is playing trailers or repeating the menu.

Jeff

DHawthorne

I think all players are inconsistent this way; it's in the disc itself whether it stops on the menu, and then whether it will continue with a play command, or needs an select/enter instead. The only exception I have seen to this is in players that rip the media and edit out all the blocks, allowing you to go directly to the movie (MAX does this, for example). But I don't imagine that's going to help you.

I would try putting a select command in that timeline. I think you are pretty much going to be stuck with trial and error catching all the varied circumstances. I haven't used any method of control but IR for this model changer, but if it spits back track info or elapsed time, that may help you determine if it's playing or stuck on the menu.

John Gonzales

I agree with both posts above, it's going to be very inconsistent from disc to disc. Jeff's time remaining idea is good. Since this is so random based on the disc and if I couldn't recommend another source, I would consider maybe just throwing a bunch of 'play' commands and 'select' commands for the first 15 minutes of play, maybe spaced every 30 seconds. Nothing wrong with a little brute force once in a while.

-John

Indobos

Thanks Again!

Thanks Guys for all the responses. I have been successful to some degree with the program and the customer understands the caveats with the system running this way. Now they are asking to just replace the DVD players to 5 disc units instead of the OFE 400 disk monolith they have currently. Anyone have any good experience with DVD players? Something RS-232 capable but with easy commands structures and decent feedback from the unit? Again any help appreciated!!

Spire_Jeff

Indobos wrote: »

Anyone have any good experience with DVD players? Something RS-232 capable but with easy commands structures and decent feedback from the unit? Again any help appreciated!!

Check out the Integra 6 disc changers. They have a good RS232 interface and they do provide some disc related feedback that might help you. I'm not sure how much information is provided as I have not really needed it, but their protocol is available if you want to check it out.

Jeff