TV RS232 commands...how to..

[geekyhawkes]

Right guys, after some digging on the internet i have managed to find the rs232 protocols for my Dell 37In LCD.  I have attached the page from the spec document, but am unsure how to get this information into MCE in a usable fashion. 

Can anyone help please?

[pigdog]

Hi,

Did you see these?  This might start things http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/AV_Devices ...

... and here's an example of an LG TV from the wiki...http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/LG_42LB5D

I'm not sure if they are what you are looking for.

There used to be another document on a Sharp TV out there but it's empty now.

Good Luck - sorry I couldn't be any more help.

[geekyhawkes]

Thanks for the post, i had been looking for the sharp tv one but found the wiki empty as well.  I have looked through the LG wiki you posted but have a few questions after reading it and comparing it to the spec document i have for my tv.

"Device data
Current Data                                        Comments                        Default Value
#37 COM Port on PC(string)                  The serial port                   
#76 COM Port ParityBit/Stop(string)          Parity/Stop bits (factory defaults)    N81       
#78 COM Port BaudRate(string)                Baud rate (factory default)            B9600       
#157 Discrete Volume(bool)                  Indicates if the volume on...             1

Settings are factory defaults and shouldn't be changed (9600 baud rate, 8 bits, 1 stop bit). Make sure that the check box for Allowed to Modify is checked, so that you can change to the appropriate COM port later. "

But according to my spec document i should set the baud rate to 19200 and no parity.  Are there major issues if i do this? (Once i get my machine up and running i might go for trial and error here if there are no answers....)

Secondly i am not sure how to deliver the payload to my TV.  The spec document calls for a very long string to be sent, much longer than in the LG example IE;

EF BE 10000 329 E8 1111 000 10C    which is much longer than the LG example.

Can anyone help me out with this? 

[pigdog]

Hi,

You will need to set the baud rate to match the comm input used or you'll have no communication on the port or misunderstood/garbage syntax.

What model of TV or you trying to hook up to?

Cheers.

[geekyhawkes]

dell 37in LCD widescreen

[geekyhawkes]

Is anyone able to offer me a few more clues on using rs232?  I am also planning on using rs232 to control a yamaha ysp1, i have the details from yamaha of all the commands but dont really have an idea where to start!  Are there any copies of working rs232 scripts i could look at / change for the hardware I own?  The sharp tv stuff seems to have been taken of the wiki and the rest is all pretty general.

[hari]

there are plenty of rs232 based tv templates in lmce, like LG or Sharp. You want a template for a GSD (generic serial device). You implement the "infrared codes" as ruby codes for rs232. It is really easy, just look at the existing templates, create a new one in the proper category, select device data and such, select command groups (tv commands, ...), put in ruby snippets for each command. There is a macro for the ruby conn_.Send("example\r") command, saves some typing: <$"example\r"$>

read this:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Generic_Serial_Device

then this:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Control_A/V_equipment_with_RS232/USB/Ethernet

more background:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/GSD_-_Ruby_codes

even more background:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Make_a_DCE_Device_in_5_minutes

best regards,
Hari

[castlec]

On the same front, since the topic is already up, does anyone have any suggestion on a place to buy USB to RS232 converters in the US?  Any suggestions on what to avoid if anything?

Chris

[geekyhawkes]

Thanks for the links.  I am hoping it will be more obvious when i get my install up and running.  The only issue i have is that the commands my tv/amp ask for seem much longer than some of the other devices listed...  EF BE 10000 329 E8 1111 000 10C to just turn my TV on! 

[hari]

and where is the problem with the command length? Those few bytes are send way fast over rs232.

br, Hari