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Topic:
RTI status polling
This thread has 25 replies. Displaying posts 16 through 26.
Post 16 made on Saturday October 25, 2014 at 15:44
Innovative A/V
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Good for you.....you wrote a flag!!!
www.goinnovativeaudiovisual.com
Cedia certified installer
ISF Certified 'It's not how many times you get knocked down but it's how many times you get back up and go forward"
Post 17 made on Saturday October 25, 2014 at 17:19
ralliart329
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On October 25, 2014 at 15:44, Innovative A/V said...
Good for you.....you wrote a flag!!!

That's it, he's now the master programmer. We shall bow before him and be astounded by his infinite wisdom.
OP | Post 18 made on Sunday October 26, 2014 at 17:31
aag
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I humbly apologize for having provoked your scorn. Still, I am grateful to ralliart329 for telling me about the 2-way driver. And yes, I am (moderately) proud that I could figure out how to hook up the RTi with a PHP server. It's always a great feeling when, as a human, you conquer the machine!
Post 19 made on Saturday November 8, 2014 at 10:38
tomciara
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Good job aag. I appreciate your enthusiasm as well as your good attitude.
There is no truth anymore. Only assertions. The internet world has no interest in truth, only vindication for preconceived assumptions.
OP | Post 20 made on Tuesday November 11, 2014 at 12:43
aag
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On November 8, 2014 at 10:38, tomciara said...
Good job aag. I appreciate your enthusiasm as well as your good attitude.

Thanks. If only RTi would share that good attitude, everybody would win, including RTi itself.

Historically, openness in software development has always won: think of Apache beating the hell out of IIS, Linux beating Windows CE, etc. The Philips Prontos became popular because everybody could tweak them. But I have a hunch that this will never happen here - unless somebody comes up with a disruptive idea and forces the home-control companies to rethink their business.
Post 21 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 23:26
roddymcg
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On November 11, 2014 at 12:43, aag said...
Thanks. If only RTi would share that good attitude, everybody would win, including RTi itself.

Historically, openness in software development has always won: think of Apache beating the hell out of IIS, Linux beating Windows CE, etc. The Philips Prontos became popular because everybody could tweak them. But I have a hunch that this will never happen here - unless somebody comes up with a disruptive idea and forces the home-control companies to rethink their business.

At the end of the day it is a business. Business's decide what will work for them in the long run, right or wrong. RTI has made it pretty clear they are not and do not want to be a DIY product.

Look at Charmed Quark if you want full access, Dean has done a good job for the DIY crowd.

http://www.charmedquark.com/
When good enough is not good enough.
Post 22 made on Friday November 14, 2014 at 02:10
tgrugett
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On September 21, 2014 at 02:31, aag said...
Thank you for your reply, which is very useful for me. I hadn't realized that all these companies implement the policy of castrating their customers, treating them like idiots, and preventing them from servicing their systems by themselves.

Before RTi, I had used Prontos for 15 years, and I programmed everything myself - setting up a complex and well-functioning system and enjoying the full control that I had over it. Everything worked as I wanted it to work. The only reason why I have moved away from Pronto is that Philips has discontinued its development.

I do not appreciate being patronized by RTi - but I guess that legally there is little I can do about that. Come to think of it, I may consider exploring this issue with an attorney though. Maybe it's not so clear whether RTi's policy of not sharing the software would stand a legal challenge.

Matter of fact, I do have a licensed business and a tax ID. It's a medical practice though :-) . We'll see whether I can make it plausible to RTi that I treat patients and will also sell AV equipment...

I commend your healthy sense of humor and thick skin. The subject of software dissemination for control systems can be a hot topic filled with emotion for some because in all honesty, these protections allow people to stay in business and often protect clients from themselves. You may be an exception to the rule, but 99+% of the clients would likely screw up their control systems and and claim dissatisfaction with the product if they had "backdoor" access. Programming a good control system is an art that goes well beyond understanding the software and even an understanding of programming concepts and practice. Familiarity with third party products, mastery of user interface efficiency, programming efficiency to meet need and budget and years of experience in the medium can take the software itself beyond it's basic components. The control of the software from the manufacturer is designed to protect both their reputation and to provide the dealers an opportunity to stay in business because if it "available on Amazon"... none of us would make a living. Unfortunately however, not all dealers or programmers are created equal and can deliver the best potential. This is true of all disciplines.
OP | Post 23 made on Sunday November 16, 2014 at 13:20
aag
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Thanks Roddy & Tgrugett for your insightful comments. You know, in my hospital a neuroradiologist makes >500'000$/yr for interpreting CT scans. A few years ago, technology provided the means for all doctors, not only neuroradiologists, to look at CT scans on their computer screens. There was a major outcry: the neuroradiologists shouted that NOBODY ELSE would be able to provide precise diagnoses, and patients would suffer as a consequence.

As it turns out, it's not so difficult to recognize a hemorrhage or a stroke. You've seen one, you know them all. The result: the hospital needs fewer neuroradiologists, their fees get under pressure, the patients save money, and the quality of care remains excellent. Everybody wins. Well, almost everybody...

A business model based on protectionism is inherently unstable. It did not take much to pull the rug under those guys' feet...
Post 24 made on Tuesday November 18, 2014 at 00:06
tgrugett
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On November 16, 2014 at 13:20, aag said...

A business model based on protectionism is inherently unstable. It did not take much to pull the rug under those guys' feet...

We are still not there with this field. No two systems are alike and very few manufacturers like to operate with any universal standard. Until this happens... I think I still have a job regardless of any protections.
Post 25 made on Saturday November 22, 2014 at 20:18
roddymcg
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On November 16, 2014 at 13:20, aag said...
Thanks Roddy & Tgrugett for your insightful comments. You know, in my hospital a neuroradiologist makes >500'000$/yr for interpreting CT scans. A few years ago, technology provided the means for all doctors, not only neuroradiologists, to look at CT scans on their computer screens. There was a major outcry: the neuroradiologists shouted that NOBODY ELSE would be able to provide precise diagnoses, and patients would suffer as a consequence.

As it turns out, it's not so difficult to recognize a hemorrhage or a stroke. You've seen one, you know them all. The result: the hospital needs fewer neuroradiologists, their fees get under pressure, the patients save money, and the quality of care remains excellent. Everybody wins. Well, almost everybody...

A business model based on protectionism is inherently unstable. It did not take much to pull the rug under those guys' feet...

Several control companies are out there with this business model, Crestron has done for some 30 years. Would you consider that unstable? RTI is going on a decade...

Not defending or arguing the point, just stating reality.
When good enough is not good enough.
OP | Post 26 made on Sunday November 23, 2014 at 06:52
aag
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On November 22, 2014 at 20:18, roddymcg said...
Several control companies are out there with this business model, Crestron has done for some 30 years. Would you consider that unstable? RTI is going on a decade...

Not defending or arguing the point, just stating reality.

Maybe that's it. Or maybe RTi might consider studying what led to the Kodak bankruptcy, and draw the appropriate consequences.

Never mind. My own problem is, more or less, solved. After being denied access to the RTi tools, I decided that I would not send them money for smartphone licenses. Instead, I created a web page with a bunch of buttons that send the most important commands to the controller via UDP. The two-way driver takes care of triggering the appropriate macros. As a result, any browser on any device can now control the system.

I shall be happy to post all relevant code here if anybody's interested. It's not very sophisticated: 1 HTML file with some Javascript, 1 CSS file for the aesthetics, and 1 PHP file for the server-side work.
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