Best way for tuner channel display

puma88 · January 2007

Hey all,
I'm kind of new at this and I would like to know the best way to display current DSS tuner channel info on the TP and in addition giving feedback when the number buttons or channel up/down is pushed so the (faux) feedback is real time. Also, if a tuner channel is selected but not confirmed (by pushing enter) the channel display should revert back to the current channel. I am trying to work out a scheme with a variable, but I am having trouble. It is IR so no buffer for the tuner. This is kind of a novice issue, but I would appreciate any tips.

Thanks in advance.

Spire_Jeff · January 2007

In order to fake feedback of the tuner channel, you will need to do a few things:

1. Permit ONLY the AMX processor to control the sat receiver. This means hide it in a rack and lock it down.

2. You will need to create an array of ALL available channels.

3. You will have to ONLY send discrete channel changes, no CH+ or CH- IR codes. You can still have CH+/- buttons, but each push will have to send a complete channel (ie 005. 006. 007.... )

4. You have to remember to adjust the current channel based on favorite buttons and direct channel input and update the current channel accordingly so that CH+ and CH- work.

5. You have to remove ANY interaction with the guide on the receiver (unless you want to do A LOT of coding).

Optionally, you could provide a way to add and remove channels from the array (to deal with channel changes)

Keep in mind that this will slow down the operation considerably when using CH+ and CH-. You will also still have the potential to have the wrong feedback if the receiver is in guide mode when the channel info is sent, gets an error that requires user intervention, have to wait for signal to be located.... Obviously, by sending discrete channels, you should be able to get the correct channel reporting after the cause of the problem has been remedied and the user pushes CH+/-/FAV button.

Those are the hurdles that I can think of. The way I do it, is I track the easy ones like direct channel entry and favorite button pushes. The minute I see an arrow button push or a CH+/-, I change the channel feedback to unknown.

Jeff

P.S.
I would like to hear other approaches to this problem in hopes that I have over complicated the issue.

VLCNCRZR · January 2007

Jeff,

You forgot one:

6. Pray that your IR emitter never falls off!

Creating feedback code for a device that has no true feedback
is always a challenge.

I dont know of an easy solution. As your steps indicate, you simply
have to take the time to anticipate every scenario that the client
may encounter, and code as necessary.

The only bad thing is that there is no hardware to blame when it
decides to have a fluke day!

DHawthorne · January 2007

I've come full circle on this. If the device can only be controlled by IR, I will only provide feedback for discrete commands. Anything else gets a momentary button. I used to have this elaborate system of fake feedback that worked 98% of the time, but it was always that 2% that I heard about later, so I scrapped it.

As far as channels for something like a DSS receiver, I am using a preset list stored on my master, and explicitly telling my customers that the feedback only reflects the last channel explicitly selected by the system, and cannot know if someone chose a channel then hit channel up or down a few times. The fact that channels can be skipped based on subscription, location, etc., makes it impossible to track ups and down without continuous updates to the system, so I won't even offer it anymore if the device itself doesn't report back where it is.

Thomas Hayes · January 2007

VLCNCRZR wrote:

Jeff,

You forgot one:

6. Pray that your IR emitter never falls off!

Creating feedback code for a device that has no true feedback
is always a challenge.

I dont know of an easy solution. As your steps indicate, you simply
have to take the time to anticipate every scenario that the client
may encounter, and code as necessary.

The only bad thing is that there is no hardware to blame when it
decides to have a fluke day!

LMAO, I haven't had any fall off in at least 2 mins.(That I know about.)

setholle · January 2007

IR control of DSS

I agree that I only do feedback for DSS on customer favorite selection, everything is momentary. I give full control of the dss guide with the touch panel. This is much more easier and never is wrong.
I haven't had an emitter fall off in the last minute either, but had one fall off yesterday.

alexanbo · January 2007

I've found that hitting the info button on the Sat Receiver and looking at the display provides pretty good feedback.

In situations where we're using a receiver to only provide an audio source we've fed the video into the house video mux and feed an output from there to a video server that then allows us to put a little window with the active video on the touchpanel page.

vining · January 2007

VLCNCRZR wrote:
6. Pray that your IR emitter never falls off!

That's why I always use plastic 2 part epoxy and apply a thin bead around the top of the flasher w/ a tooth pick. If the unit needs to be shipped for repair I simply cut the flasher free with enough length to splice again behind the piece of equipment. Flashers with a 2 foot 3.5mm quick disconnect would be nice. Supposedly Speaker Craft has a flasher cradle that sticks to the front of the equipment which could be epoxied on and the flasher snaps into that. If the piece needs to be remove you simply remove the flasher from the cradle and unit is sent to repair or discarded with just the $1.00 cradle attached.

To simple stick the flasher on with only the supplied sticky back is IMHO is inadeqauate and a poor installation practice. I'd rather throw away a $10.00 flasher if a piece of equipment needs replacement than make a service call to a pissed off customer because a flasher fell off when ever the cleaning crews comes through.

alexanbo · January 2007

We actually put a male 3.5 mm end on the device side IR flasher and then have a wire with a female end to the AMX controller to allow for equipment removal.

Spire_Jeff · January 2007

Rubber cement seems to work well and still allows easy removal when necessary. As for the speakercraft IR emitters.... the cradle works well, but can be fragile. It is just plastic and it doesn't take much to break the sides that hold the emitter in place. In fact, I have had some arrive broken from shipping (generally when they toss them into a box with other items like power supplies).

Jeff

vining · January 2007

alexanbo wrote:
We actually put a male 3.5 mm end on the device side IR flasher and then have a wire with a female end to the AMX controller to allow for equipment removal.

I've always wanted to but it seems like I'm always rushing so it gets put aside. It would be nice if Xantech actually made a line of quick disco flashers w/ 2' tails and then supply their mate with a 10' tail.

To get back on subject feedback on TV channels isn't all that important to me. Momentary is fine. If the customer forgets where they are let them push the "info" button.

DHawthorne · January 2007

We frequently will embed an emitter inside the device, and once I even put a jack on the back like to connect the AMX controller to it. I'm more likely to just run the wire through a vent slot though, as long as it's not visible to the customer. My installers can handle a splice if it needs to be pulled

. Inside the machine, if it falls off from where you stick it, you can still be pretty sure it's going to work, and you can also remove the hood and secure it with a dab of crazy glue.

NMarkRoberts · January 2007

DHawthorne wrote:

crazy glue.

Well that had me puzzled so I Googled it and for those of us who are similarly puzzled:

Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate adhesive)

DHawthorne · January 2007

NMarkRoberts wrote:

Well that had me puzzled so I Googled it and for those of us who are similarly puzzled:

Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate adhesive)

Ah, thanks, it never occurred to me I was using a local variant.

Best way for tuner channel display

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