Here are some tips:
How to: Play video scene #3 when the user presses Button # 3
Easy.
- Preparing the Disc
Make your DVD with a Menu. Most authoring systems assign, or let you assign a Key Number to each menu item. (When you press the '3' Key on your Remote, the player plays the third item on the Menu.) Most DVD players (and all of the ones we use) map the Numerical Keys to Menu Items.
- Programming the DVD-C7
Use a serial port terminal program like HyperTerm that comes with Windows® or BCD's DOS-based BCDComm communications program.
Type the command BT03 NUMB 3 (NUMB means NUMBer.) This assigns the command "NUMB 3" to Button # 3. Then type SAVE and your new command is saved in the non-volatile Flash memory.
- Machine Notes: Most machines put an indicator, usually a number, in the corner of the video when a numerical command is issued. This is usually acceptable as a confirmation of a pressed button. If your application requires that NO indication appears on the screen, we suggest using the Pioneer DVD-V7400 (V7300 for PAL) and a BCD VC-16 controller. Alternately, send us a machine that you like and we sill install the BCD-C7 controller for $595 for the first one and $495 for additional machines of the same model.
All of the commands on the standard remote control are available as RS-232 serial commands. Any of the RS-232 commands may be assigned to any of the buttons!
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How to: Run Multiple DVD Players with a single BCD VC-16B Controller.
This is the easiest of all. The VC-16b has an infrared emitter at the end of a thin cable. The emitter attaches with Velcro® to the front of the DVD player, over the IR receover port.
To run two to four machines, we use "Y" adapters and several IR emitters.
- To run many machines, we make Breakout Boxes to permit up to 10 machines to be controlled simultaneously.
Officially, the VC-16b is not a DVD synchronizer. However, the synchronization accuracy (about 1/4 second) is close enough to please many of our clients. It is important to note that
- All DVD machines must be the same make and model
- DVD disc planning is important! The same command will be sent to ALL the machines.
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How to: Run Multiple Machines from One Serial Port.
It's not hard, just a little more complicated.
You can control many machines from one computer RS-232 Serial Port.
- Assign each machine a DECK number. Zero (0) is the default DECK number and is not used in multiple machine operation.
- Type DECN and see that it is already Zero.
- Type DECN 1 to make this deck be #1.
- Type SAVE so the deck will remember its number until you change it.
- Do this for all of your decks, assigning each a different number.
- Connect the decks together with BCD's C7 Multiple Deck Kits. (Or make your own with some 1/8" mini-plug cables an some "Y" adapters.)
- Type DECK 1 to control deck #1. All subsequent commands will go to DECK 1.
- Type DECK 2 to control deck #2. All subsequent commands will go to DECK 2.
- .... etc.
- Yes, you can group machines together with the GRUP command so that they all do the same thing at (nearly) the same time. NOTE: Only the Pioneer DVD-7400 with external video sync will lock several machines together in absolute sync.
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