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You don't have to use 100 machines, but you can!
Multiple Machine Control has long been a specialty of ours, previously with VCRs and now with DVD Recorders. The BCD DVD-1150 was designed to make it easy to control multiple machines.
The DVD-1150 has two serial connectors so you can loop the commands through from machine to machine.
Each unit has its own name (or address) like "DECK 2" and it responds only when spoken to.
You can group the machines, too, so that the command string "GRUP 1;RECS" makes all the machines record at once.
Physical Configuration
Controller-to-Machine Connection:
The DVD-1150 has two identical serial ports wired as DCE. This means that you use a single straight-through DB-9 cable, Male-Female, from your computer or Crestron®/AMX® controller. Use either port; it really doesn't matter which for normal operation, but they are labeled for clarity.
Machine-to-Machine Connections:
(Perform the Software Configuration first.)
Use a straight-through Male-Male cable from one machine to another. Again, use either port (but we like to connect them in some kind of orderly fashion to keep things neat).
Software Configuration:
- Assign each machine a number. Connect a machine directly to your computer and establish communications using Windows HyperTerminal or other RS-232 terminal program.
- For machine #1, type the command
DECN 1 ( for DECk Number 1).
While you're there, assign that machine to a Group, too.
DECK1; GRUP1 (note the semicolon ";" between commands)
- Type the command "SAVE" and that Deck Number is saved to the DVD Recorder's Flash ROM.
- Repeat for each machine.
Multiple Machine Operation:
- GRUP 1; RECS makes all the machines record.
- GRUP 1; STOP makes all the machines stop.
- DECK 3; PLAY makes only deck # 3 play.
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