I have a client with an existing system that has a Niles Z4. We are putting in a Prodigy pmc2 and ptx3 for media room control. I would like to give him at least some basic control of the ZR4 system from his iTouch.

I think I can figure out the 1-way control, but am going to try and do it all. I know there are others on here learning SB with me, so if anyone wants to take a crack at it, please do and I'll be happy to test

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Here's the doc from Niles:
[Link: dl.dropbox.com]

Okay, so I found a lot of the send commands in the RTI data base.

So now I'm trying to wrap my head around how to implement the feedback.

I'm using SB to create a new Serial Device. I have all my main Commands done. I am now working in the Events/Feedback tab. There are three sections "Serial String, Feedback, Event". Can someone explain each of these?

I'm guessing the Serial string is the string that the device is sending back (often the sent command with an "r" in the front). If that's true, I think the feedback would be what the feedback is saying like "Zone 1 Active", not sure what the event is.

Or maybe the COMMANDS tab is only for one-way strings and the EVENTS/FEEDBACK tab is where I do 2-way, in which case the "Serial String" is the sent command, the "FEEDBACK" Is the received string back and the "EVENT" is the "Zone 1 Active" or whatever?

Am I even close here?

I cannot confirm, but one of the niles trainers indicated to me that the ZR product will accept a serial command, but they do not respond as well as their IR command control...so it may be worth a quick test.

It is very easy to write 232 in SB, just use the protocol that niles provides and whip up a quick module and IR driver and test to see which performs better, as you get no feedback from the 232 (from what I have been told) and if that is true then it is only a matter of which control option performs best.

That's weird I saw a project with Niles and amx integration I figure they would have something for crestron in hand, no wonder why they didn't even have a prontoscript module....... The lack of "module" from niles is just appauling..

well you have to see it from niles perspective, the zr products were meant to be in and out installable gear that can be configured through the front panel (according to the niles trainer I spoke with) with ease and speed, so to offer advanced integration is not what seems to be what they are after.

They respond to serial commands just fine. I've had one connected to and controlled by a MSC400 since the product was introduced (one of he keypads was a takeoff from the CEDIA Demo Wall). No problems.

jcmitch

good to know, any latency issues or reason not to use serial?

What's the trick? I never got ours to respond.

I remember that I had to splice the 232 cable we used and switch the rx and tx wires so maybe a null modem adapter will get you up and running