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Samsung RS232 via TVs with EX-Link

Hello, I thought with all of the heartache these TVs have given me, and the inability to control them via IP since Power on/off isn't available, I thougth I'd share the code I use when controlling newer Samsung TVs via the EX-Link port (typically 2010 & newer TVs). This has worked with all of the newer Samsung's I've tried it with, and has worked very consistently. I had a lot of these serial commands, but never had access to channels before I created this. I still have yet to come across a newer protocol document; I scavinged all of this from a big blue module & made it work for AMX. This is pretty much a one-way serial module. Samsung doens't reply in any sort of discrete way. Different TVs respond differently to power on/power off, so I just fake that rather than try to figure it out per model. Sorry.

I didn't include a touchpanel file; I figured you could figure that one out on your own. It just a basic .axs file. It's pretty easy to extrapolate what I'm doing via the comments.

Enjoy!



P.S.- don't make fun of my indenting. I've done it that way since I was a young'n in my first C classes in the early 90's, and it's just how I was taught & it's my old fart way of doing things! :)

Comments

  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    What's the procedure for enabling 232 control. I read various things from entering the service menu [mute], [182], [power] when off which works on the set I'm trying to control and then set the EX-Link serial in "control' to debug but I've also read to set to hotel, while Autowall wall is off & Hotel mode is off. Of course that's for sets that require 'N' for PON and 'n' for POF which I assume are the newer LED LCD's. I also think I've seen instruction to leave it in UART mode.

    I'm trying to control a PN64D550.. 64" plasma which the customer picked up to replace the Pana Pro 65 which was having issues. I can't believe how difficult it is trying to find info on these TVs. I'm not really sure what protocol should be used or what the setup for enabling control is. The TV spits out a bunch of strings when powered on which may be for the autowall thingy but nothing I send seems to work. Of the 3 protocols I've found none seem to control the TV which could be a result of the 232 cable wiring to that 1/8" stereo jack used for the EX-Link, the wrong protocol being used or the sets not properly setup/enabled to re-act to commands.
  • IC-STL-JBIC-STL-JB Posts: 21
    Sorry... I shoudl have qualified that this protocol is for the consumer models only; the pro models do the items you're speaking of, and that PN64D550 is just a consumer model. The crap you see it spitting out only happens on power on/power off, and that's exactly why I mentioned that I just faked my power on/off confirmation; that crap isn't consistent across (consumer) TV models.

    The bright side- you can use my code without any sort of work; that TV will control out of the box without any service commands, etc. I've controlled a PN60D550 with no problem. The down side, no two-way information like you can get out of (some of) the pro models.

    Hope that helps!!

    Jeff B
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    IC-STL-JB wrote: »
    Sorry... I shoudl have qualified that this protocol is for the consumer models only; the pro models do the items you're speaking of, and that PN64D550 is just a consumer model. The crap you see it spitting out only happens on power on/power off, and that's exactly why I mentioned that I just faked my power on/off confirmation; that crap isn't consistent across (consumer) TV models.

    The bright side- you can use my code without any sort of work; that TV will control out of the box without any service commands, etc. I've controlled a PN60D550 with no problem. The down side, no two-way information like you can get out of (some of) the pro models.

    Hope that helps!!

    Jeff B
    So you just leave the EX-Link port as UART? I do have all if not most of those service mode options. I don't recall where I left it but in every mode I tried the TV would not turn off when sent the off command. This could be that my connection on the 1/8" jack is faulty since I can barely see crap that small, I'll have to verify I guess by shorting tip to ring, maybe base and ring are swapped but I don't think I'd rx anything which I did, all that gobble-di-goop that comes in when powered on when using Samsung's IR remote.

    When this is working will this power on when off or was that just IP control issues? Is there any ECO settings that need to be changed to allow the port to RX when powered down.
  • IC-STL-JBIC-STL-JB Posts: 21
    I'm not 100% on the eco options, because after Sharp, I pretty much turn off eco crap on all sets regardless of brand. So that may be an issue... My off has worked solidly, though. As I said, I've never entered service mode on these sets; you may want to try to just factory default the set & try again. Sorry I'm not more help than that. If you're getting the gobbldy-gook, you definitely have your receive right, anyway... Again, I turn off the eco mode (which has no effect on the NIC; IP power on won't work for power on under any circumstance; stupid Samsung...), and my power on command definitely still works.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    IC-STL-JB wrote: »
    I'm not 100% on the eco options, because after Sharp, I pretty much turn off eco crap on all sets regardless of brand. So that may be an issue... My off has worked solidly, though. As I said, I've never entered service mode on these sets; you may want to try to just factory default the set & try again. Sorry I'm not more help than that. If you're getting the gobbldy-gook, you definitely have your receive right, anyway... Again, I turn off the eco mode (which has no effect on the NIC; IP power on won't work for power on under any circumstance; stupid Samsung...), and my power on command definitely still works.
    Thanks for the info. When i go back i'll check my cable and then reset to the factory default if i didn't already.
  • vincenvincen Posts: 526
    Hi,

    What is the EX-Link port ? Is it the only name ? as I find it on none Samsung consumer TV here in France !

    Thanks,

    Vincèn
  • jweatherjweather Posts: 320
    EX-Link is a 232 port on many Samsung displays, in a 1/8" stereo jack format. It can be used to connect the TV to a motorized articulated mount, which is why it spits out a string when the TV turns on. Also accepts the EX-Link protocol for display control.
  • vincenvincen Posts: 526
    jweather wrote: »
    EX-Link is a 232 port on many Samsung displays, in a 1/8" stereo jack format. It can be used to connect the TV to a motorized articulated mount, which is why it spits out a string when the TV turns on. Also accepts the EX-Link protocol for display control.
    Thanks for explanations :) Unhappy nothing on samsung website indicates if this port is avalaible or not on each model so no way to select compatible model that can be controlled this way :(
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