Crestr0n Digital Media HDMI switcher controlled by AMX

John Paul

I have a client who wants to use an AMX controller to control the Crestr0n Digital Media HDMI switcher. Its an ip based switcher, more details found in this link http://www.********.com/solutions/digitalmedia_hdmi_distribution/

Has anyone tried this before ?

felixmoldovan

For sure, if you specify a Crestr0n processor to operate it and use some sort of home brew intersystem communication protocol between AMX and the cost effective, let's call it MC2E.
Trying you luck with "sniffing" the protocol might come to a larger bill, counting your hours spent, and, I would expect, much more frustration.

true

Yeah, just throw a lower cost box in like an MC2E or something...probably the cheapest way of doing it, all said.

Danny Campbell

I know that this is an old thread, but I have a customer who has asked me to integrate a Cre$tron DMMD8x8 with an AMX system. Anyone had any luck with this during the year+ that has passed since the last response?

Thanks,

Danny

Auser

Check this thread:

http://www.amxforums.com/showthread.php?7414-Controlling-Cr8stron-DM-Switch-from-AMX

Jorde_V

@Danny Campbell

I've used it successfully with AMX sending commands to a crestron controller, and the crestron controller doing the DM commands. Easiest and most cost efficient way to do it.

Danny Campbell

Auser wrote: »

Check this thread:

http://www.amxforums.com/showthread.php?7414-Controlling-Cr8stron-DM-Switch-from-AMX

Thanks. I remembered seeing this thread but could not find it again with the "excellent" search feature.

Danny

champ

I fail to see how buying a thousand dollar controller as an interface device for each installation then having to write a protocol is more cost effective than talking directly to the device. The telnet protocol is not even complicated and only has to be written once.
Even if you wireshark CIP and talk to it natively that's barely a days work.

I guess i have never had the luxury of buying extra hardware when it is possible to solve an issue with software so i am set in my ways.

felixmoldovan

In my company (and probably in many) the RND budget is looked at carefully as these expenses come difficult to quantify, justify and to reflect against a particular project as well as getting a particular client to pick up the bill, although entirely legitimate.
Therefore, if I had to do this "NOW" and I had a deadline of a day, I would not hesitate to inform the client:
- "you are integrating a device with a non documented protocol, you want me to stick to the given timeline, this is what I propose, this is what it is going to cost you and I can promise a 100% functionality"

Going the route of sniffing the protocol, accessing community (incomplete) resources, counting on luck might leave some gray areas, might take more of my time, might fail to implement some "little features", at the end of the day might become an ongoing PITA for the declared purpose of saving a buck to the client.

Have gone that route many times, trying to find the most affordable solution for the client, and just as many times it still left one little spot not covered, which engaged unforeseen future resources (another day spent on site, another session of testing and sniffing), and the client never appreciated my attempt of being "nice and clever", rather took the whole thing as a failure to implement.

This is a generic thinking framework, which might prove to be overly cautious, and the other way would have worked as well, but the moment you take a chance, Murphy's laws will be upon you.

Is is NOT what costs you in the best case scenario, it is what costs you in the worst case scenario.

Auser

I concur. And if you can make it work without the extra hardware with a minimum of work, the client will think you're great for the cost saving you can offer them at the end of the project.

On the flipside, it is an unfortunate commercial reality that pricing is dictated by the market and it's not always (ie. rarely) possible to price the additional hardware in to the job to cover your behind if you want to win the job. You just have to make a call on how much R+D is involved, what the likelihood of a high quality outcome will be and what risk there is in the project for the company and customer.

edgelitoc

Digital Media Controller by AMX

Jorde_V wrote: »

@Danny Campbell

I've used it successfully with AMX sending commands to a crestron controller, and the crestron controller doing the DM commands. Easiest and most cost efficient way to do it.

I have this project now to control an AV2 with DMD8x8 and their endpoints. Any thoughts of how to do it.