AIC Crestron Module Problem

muzicman82

Hello all,

I'm hoping someone else out there is using the Crestron module and can help me. For this post, I am only referring to the Analog Input Card.

If no one else has noticed, the demo SIMPL Windows program and GUI that are included with the modules has a problem. I'll explain.

Download the v4.1 (or v4.11) module kit from the BSS website and load the SIMPL Windows program, the VTPro-e GUI, and the London Architect file... You'll need to reconfigure some settings for your hardware. This is what will happen.

In the GUI, go to Analog Input Card. Select Channel 1. Slide the Gain input, but leave it to some value. Verify you have control in London Architect. Then, select Channel 2. You'll see that Channel 2's gain will jump to whatever you had previously left Channel 1 set to. Please note that it does NOT matter if you subscribe or not for this to behave this way.

I have posted a screencast of this behavior here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3071354/AIC_Module_Behavior.swf

I've spent the past month and more trying to figure this out. I talked to Scott and John @ BSS who suggested different practices with the subscribe input, but it turns out that it doesn't matter what you do with that. The Interlocked channels will always change the selected channel's value.

I've been told by BSS that Crestron originally made the demo SIMPL program before BSS took over the module. That's all fine, but it needs to be fixed to properly demonstrate how to interlock the channels.

I called Crestron for logic help on this, and they insisted I get support from BSS since I got the module from them. They offered to help if I used their module, and when I asked where to get it, they went and reposted v4.0 on their site. I assume they are almost the same.

I understand the modules themselves work just fine, but the SIMPL demo needs to show how to use it in working fashion.

I deconstructed the logic from the demo SIMPL program and started over. I figured that things should happen in this order:
* Subscribe to the AIC. This will populate the gain values from the card. You could then unsubscribe, but I don't think it matters either way.
* Set the gain feedback values from each channel of the card equal to the input values of each channel. So AIC_channel_1_gain_fb = AIC_channel_1_gain. Also set AIC_channel_1_gain_fb = AIC_gain.
* Create a delay using the button pressed as triggers to delay setting AIC_gain = AIC_channel_1_gain.

What happens with this is that if I switch from channel 1 to channel 2, channel 1's gain changes to whatever channel 2's is AFTER the interlock has switched to channel 2. Doesn't make any sense since nothing is driving channel 1 at that point.

A much less elegant solution, but perhaps the down and dirty method may be to just create a subpage with sliders for each channel's gain and AIC data. The interlock would switch subpages.

The internlocked analog value method works fine for the mixer modules. I was just hoping I could make the AICs work the same way.

If anyone can lend some assistance, I am all ears. PM me for a phone number. I can explain and demonstrate this much better with a shared remote desktop.

Dan Lynch

What are you actually trying to accomplish? What's the end result you want from the Crestron/Soundweb interaction?

Dan

muzicman82

Around 2006, I worked with Crestron and BSS to get a BLU working with Crestron during the VERY early stages of the module development. In fact, it was sent to me as beta. I had to control over Ethernet and receiver feedback over RS-232. It was clunky, but it worked. Once this job was done, I created a program archive.

Fast forward to 2011. The client needed to replace a DVD player. I opened the archived program. I used to think archiving programs was a way to ensure that they could be opened later on without problems. Guess I thought wrong. I got TONS of errors from the Crestron modules. Nearly all of the signals between them and my logic were broken.

Rather than repair the code with the old modules, I figured I should do a proper implementation with only Ethernet. A few years ago, I had successfully done an Ethernet only implementation with module package v5 (old version sequence). Scott worked with me on this and a few module bugs were ironed out then as well.

The client in question has a virtual mixer on their Crestron touchpanel. They can switch between any of 12 inputs and control input gain, aux routing, mixer gain, master output gain, etc.

I tried just loading up the v4.1 modules and using the logic I've used before, but I'm having the issue described. Instead of hacking away at the job code, I wanted to make sure I could make it work from the demo program.

The demo Crestron problem included with the module package has four input numbers on the AIC page. You switch between them to select one of the four channels and then the controls on the page control only that input. This is simpler than having to lay out separate controls for each input.

This mostly frustrating because I've done this several times before... and that the 2006 code wasn't expected to break. I was told by Crestron that some of the logic modules used in the old modules may have changed. I would have had to downgrade the Crestron Database and SIMPL Windows versions to near 2006 versions to open the program correctly.

If I can get the demo program (only the AIC module) to function properly, I can then apply the same logic method to my own program. How am I suppose to implement a module when the example program doesn't even work? I know the module works, but you've gotta tell me how you see it being used. If you don't want the input card gains interlocked, then they shouldn't be set up that way in the example program.