Speco DVR16TH

Bigsquatch

Anyone had to control one of these? The protocol is easy enough but I can't seem to get any comm with the device.

I get a transmit light and an instantaneous receive light as if the pins on the device end were shorted but they're not. Also when I monitor the port I see the sommands that I send but nothing coming from the Speco.

Speco tech support has been no help. I asked about the pinout on the 232 port as their documents show the device having a RJ11 instead of DB9. They didn't know the pinout and eventually sent an e-mail telling me that it was standard pinout, just Google it. Nice...

jjames

What exactly are you trying to control? The actual DVR unit or cameras?

Speco tech support is a joke; the guy I spoke with last week had no idea what I was talking about, but was telling me that what I wanted to do (shut off the DVR from a Minuteman UPS softly) was possible because he could do it at home - yet he had never heard of the Minuteman UPS before or AMX. Not to mention either he was washing his hands, pouring himself a glass of water or . . . well, need I say it, but I could definitely hear liquid hitting liquid. Still waiting for a phone call from someone that "knows what" I'm "talking about." I wish all tech companies would take a lesson from AMX and their kick-butt tech support team.

Could you post or send me the protocol? They said there wasn't one . . .

shr00m-dew

Same here. I've never gotten anywhere with a protocol with them. Been stuck with IR.

Kevin D.

John Gonzales

Dave posted the DVR protocols here:
http://www.amxforums.com/showthread.php?7092-Nuvico-Protocols&p=48964#post48964

Spire_Jeff

You might have to connect into the 485 bus to control the DVR. If you do this tho, you should be able to directly control the PTZ cameras as well.

Jeff

John Gonzales

Spire_Jeff wrote: »

You might have to connect into the 485 bus to control the DVR.

That would make sense. The protocol doc that Dave posted has the RJ11->RS485 pinout on the first page.

If you're using 485 don't forget to enable the port on the Netlinx controller for 485.

jjames

I'm still a bit confused . . . are we talking about controlling the DVR itself, or the cameras hooked up to it? Or both?

shr00m-dew

The codes for controlling the DVR are WAY at the bottom of the PDF he links to. Nothing more then standard IR commands, but at least that means one port for PTZ's and the DVR. (if it works)

Kevin D.

jjames

I think I know who I'll be calling tomorrow.

Bigsquatch

I'm trying to use the multiplexer commands to change the video out image so we can modulate the output to tv's and the customer can select the camera from his iPads. I'm assuming that it's possible, the trunk slammer who originally took the job from us had the output modulated but couldn't make anything else work (and he stopped showing up, and didn't finish the job, and the customer ended up paying thousands of dollars to fly in a HAI programmer to try to salvage the install cause the slammer vanished.)

So I'm not very familiar with the device. I have the same PDF that is linked to in the other thread. It says the T series uses a RJ11 jack but the one my client has has a DB9.

If anyone has the irl file metioned in the other thread I'd love to grab a copy.

I've tried with 485 enabled and disabled. Only one way do I get a receive light (but see nothing in device notifications)

I have a FTP link to Speco's documentation & firmware server. It's public access, no login or password needed. I'll post it here next time I'm on my work computer.

And BTW: We had a client who got burned by the same trunk slammer call this guy (I'll call him Mr. H) and tell him how he got burned and that he would regret going with the slammer. He ended up having us finish the Lutron system but let slammer do the automation. 2 years Later we get a call from Mr H and I go out there to make lighting changes and he tell's me "I should have listened to you guys, I got ripped off. You even tried to warn me." :- ]

jjames

Bigsquatch wrote: »

I have a FTP link to Speco's documentation & firmware server. It's public access, no login or password needed. I'll post it here next time I'm on my work computer.

Perfect, thanks! In this case, automated self-support is much better than the real thing.

John Gonzales

Bigsquatch wrote: »

If anyone has the irl file metioned in the other thread I'd love to grab a copy.

The other thread was for a Nuvico piece. There was thought that it might be sharing the Speco codes and so a link was posted to the Speco 485 protocol, but the ir file was for the Nuvico.

Bigsquatch

Here's the address

ftp://65.254.18.217/pub/

Most of the files appear to be firmware but there is a SDK directory.

shr00m-dew

Speco IR File...

Bigsquatch

shr00m-dew wrote: »

Speco IR File...

Thanks!

This post is no longer too short.

PHSJason

Sorry to dig this up, I searched for something else Speco and I ran into this. The DVRs are controllable via serial, but you have to log in with username and password at least once to enable it.

DATA_EVENT[dvSPECODVR]
{
ONLINE:
    {
    SEND_COMMAND dvSPECODVR,"'SET BAUD 9600,N,8,1 485 ENABLE'"
    }
STRING:
    {
    LOCAL_VAR CHAR cBUFFERSPECO [200]
    
    cBUFFERSPECO = "cBUFFERSPECO,DATA.TEXT"
    SEND_STRING 0, "cBUFFERSPECO"
    IF (FIND_STRING(cBUFFERSPECO,'login:',1))
	{
	SEND_STRING dvSPECODVR, "'admin',$0D,$0A"
	SEND_STRING 0, "'speco USERNAME SENT'"
	CLEAR_BUFFER cBUFFERSPECO
	}
    IF (FIND_STRING(cBUFFERSPECO,'Password:',1))
	{
	SEND_STRING dvSPECODVR, "'1234',$0D,$0A"
	SEND_STRING 0, "'speco PASSWORD SENT'"
	CLEAR_BUFFER cBUFFERSPECO
	}
    CLEAR_BUFFER cBUFFERSPECO
    }
}