EUROPE - RS232 ~ USB - HOWTO?

[Lexje]

Hi forum,

Trying to find out more about controlling remotely via RS232.
My quest started with a search for what LCD to buy that will offer best price / quality value to go with LMCE.

I found that in Europe more than often RS232 is lacking. The Sharp Aquos series is available and they have it.
I also found that Sony BRAVIA for the US market have it (XBR extension in type e.g. KDL-46w3000 XBR4)
In my country (Belgium) it's simply not available... they have the same type but without XBR and without RS232...
I also got in touch with Philips as they do sell some fine quality LCD's.
Same issue: has been available on past models but has been replaced by the faster type USB... so tech support wrote me...

I also (don't remember where exactly) that in fact our european SCART connection is a bundling of sound and image (S-Video (?)) together.

Now I would really really badly want to find out what I can do with all this?
- Which part of LMCE does the RS232 communication? Is this lirc? Or?? Are there any pointers to more detailed information about this subject? Is USB indeed possibly a 'newer' alternative?

Where to find out more about 'possible codes'? I'm thinking about the codes for the Sharp Aquous series but also about receivers from MARANTZ and DENON.

Many thanks for your input!!
And thanks a lot for a really beautifull product!!

[bulek]

Hi,

try Wiki (search for GSD, and also for Marantz, Denon, etc...)...

BTW, LG TVs have rs232 in majority of models...


hth,

regards,

Bulek.
 

[skerit]

I actually bought an LG especially because of it's RS-232 support

But, once you have a serial port, you're not out of the woods yet!
I just bought a serial to usb converter, only to find out it's a male USB out and a male serial-out! But these televisions also only have a male out. Joy!

Even finding a male-to-male usb cable (for the TV's service port) is impossible in Belgium, I've only found usb extension cables or, when both ends are male, they're never the same type (those mini usb connectors for camera, those square connectors for devices) As long as they can squeeze money out of us for every product we buy..

[Lexje]

Bulek,

Thanks for your reply;
I actually already did search the wiki about this, and read most of the MARANTZ and AQUOUS stuff.
But I would try to grasp the underlying technology in order to be able to better judge what may and may not work or be more easy to get to work with LMCE.

e.g. I read about the Philips RS232 codes somewhere, even found a link to a pdf documenting these codes (SICP manual), but am unable to find the relevant document at all...

I can't imagine that those Sony BRAVIA LCD first of all do exist in the US with RS232, these same type numbers exist in Europe but don't seem to have RS232, and can't get to be remotely controlled by LMCE at all...

Thanks

[Lexje]

Skerit,

I seem to have read that the LG RS232 is only a service outlet and not a so called 'complete' RS232, but I may be mistaken and mix up with some other (Samsung (?)) brand.

Did you find the RS232 codes in order to get your LG to be controlled by LMCE?

My first goal would be to connect this LCD directly to the core or to a media director. These both have RS232 aboard so, I would interconnect by RS232 cable.

As far as your USB cable problem, I would think the cable layout is somewhere on the internet, and connectors are for sale, so it would be imaginable to build ones own cable.. 

[bulek]

Skerit,

I seem to have read that the LG RS232 is only a service outlet and not a so called 'complete' RS232, but I may be mistaken and mix up with some other (Samsung (?)) brand.

Did you find the RS232 codes in order to get your LG to be controlled by LMCE?

...

Hmm, weird. But to be true I cannot confirm that it is working, cause I still don't use it (doing other things).... But RS232 codes are part of user's manual for LGs TVs, and if I remember right, one guy already did this and it seems to be working :

http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/LG_42LB5D

HTH,

regards,

Bulek.

[Lexje]

Hi Bulek,

You are correct, in the mean time I also found out that the codes are in the manual. (downloaded to check)
Nevertheless I would still like to grasp why EU models from renown players like SONY and PHILIPS don't seem to have RS232 any more, and PHILIPS points towards USB.

I also noticed in case of LG and PHILIPS that they both have Linux on board.... This may someday turn out in favour of interoperability..

I wonder if TOTALLYMAXED has any experience with SONY for that matter. I can't imagine a customer requiring a high-end SONY LCD. After all they are famous for them...

Regards,

Erwin