Your Universal Remote Control Center
RemoteCentral.com
RS-232 & IP Control Forum - View Post
Previous section Next section Up level
Up level
The following page was printed from RemoteCentral.com:

Login:
Pass:
 
 

Topic:
Speakercraft MZC 232 gotcha
This thread has 9 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Friday May 8, 2009 at 21:35
HiFidel
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
July 2005
165
This customer's system consisted of an AVR zone and six Speakercraft MZC66 zones with the MKP push-button on wall controls. On top of this is an RTI T3 with RP6 that's controlling the MZC via 232 (using the RSA module). The T3 has control of the theatre and any of the MZC zones, and the keypads have their usual control over their own zones and sources.

I wanted to make it so when any zone, including the theatre, was first turned on, the source equipment would power on, and when the last zone turns off, the sources turn off.

The MZC can do this very simply under the Events section of EZtools (Last Zone Off and First Zone On events) but that doesn't account for the theatre, which shares all its sources with the MZC.

The solution I came up with was making the "First zone on" and "Last zone off" macros send a single trigger command to the RP6. Now that zone power status info is being kept track of at the RP6, if the theatre is on when the last MZC zone turns off and the "Last zone off" event fires, a "theatre is on" flag can stop the source components powering down.

When I tested this using the T3, I found the components weren't powering on and off at all. I was turning the MZC on by sending "Zone X select source Y" 232 commands.

I then tried IR control for source select and power off (by right clicking the buttons in EZtools and exporting the pronto hex) and then it worked.

I figure that the 232 equivalent (emulate button ID X press) would probably trigger the last off/first on events, but I didn't have the time to find or construct the hex I needed for all these commands.

So in summary:
  • Turning an MZC on with the 232 commands for "Zone X Source Y" will not cause the "First Zone On" event programmed in EZTools to fire
  • Turning an MZC off with the 232 commands for "Zone X OFF" will not cause the "Last Zone OFF" event to fire
  • Using the 232 commands for emulating source and power button presses MAY cause these events to fire
Also if you're having trouble with the RSA, have a good look at your cables.  I'm really mad at the guy that printed "patch" on the side of what turned out to be the crossover cable I was trying to use to connect the MZC and RSA!
Post 2 made on Sunday June 7, 2009 at 19:29
SnowBred
Lurking Member
Joined:
Posts:
June 2009
4
Where did you get your RS232 commands for you Speakerscraft MZC. I am in dire need of them. thanks
OP | Post 3 made on Monday July 13, 2009 at 03:24
HiFidel
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
July 2005
165
The most vital 232 commands can be found in RTI's 232 database, but you can generate any serial command you like using the MZC emulator: [Link: speakercraft.com]

By the way, it turned out that emulating the button presses does cause all MZC programming to work as normal (first zone on, last zone off)
Post 4 made on Monday October 12, 2009 at 04:54
SavasF
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
May 2009
14
Hello there!!!

Is there any way to control MZC-66 with RS232 Commands via Control port ? Or you must use RSA-1.0 for this.

My Installation includes this machines and i need your help :

1- Philips Pronto TSU9800
2- Philips RFX-9600 Controller
3- Speakercraft MZC - 66
4- Imerge S-3004
5- 2x Denon Tuners....

The first time that i install a Speakercraft MZC-66 with Pronto Philips RFX-9600 i use ir commands and works perfectly.It was so easy that i wanted to do that again to my next multizone installation.

The problem is that my new MZC-66 didn't reply so i guess that amplifier might have problem so i use an another one but the problem was the same. So i though that the amplifier hadn't any problem so i want to try RS232 commands.

If you can control MZC-66 via Control port , does anyone know the pin-out of the cable?

Any other suggestions ????

Thanks in advance
Post 5 made on Monday October 12, 2009 at 05:27
makitamark
Advanced Member
Joined:
Posts:
April 2004
984
maybe this is the document you need...
[Link: speakercraft.com]
Post 6 made on Monday October 12, 2009 at 05:42
SavasF
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
May 2009
14
do you have the password because i can't download it without it.
May be i have to make an acount i suppose!!!!!
Post 7 made on Monday October 12, 2009 at 14:25
makitamark
Advanced Member
Joined:
Posts:
April 2004
984
the dealer you bought the MZC66 from will be able to give you the password required, i didn't think that document required password access.
where in the world are you??
regards mark.
Post 8 made on Tuesday October 13, 2009 at 04:58
SavasF
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
May 2009
14
Thanks man!!!!
I already take the password that i wanted from the dealer
OP | Post 9 made on Sunday October 18, 2009 at 23:53
HiFidel
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
July 2005
165
On October 12, 2009 at 04:54, SavasF said...
The first time that i install a Speakercraft MZC-66 with Pronto Philips RFX-9600 i use ir commands and works perfectly.It was so easy that i wanted to do that again to my next multizone installation.

The problem is that my new MZC-66 didn't reply so i guess that amplifier might have problem so i use an another one but the problem was the same. So i though that the amplifier hadn't any problem so i want to try RS232 commands.

If I recall correctly, MZCs with different firmware will generate different IR codes for their virtual button presses, so IR codes that worked on one job might not work at the next one even if the keypads in programming you're generating Pronto hex from are at the same address. This is one of the reasons I use serial when I can with the MZC66.
Post 10 made on Monday October 19, 2009 at 05:55
SavasF
Long Time Member
Joined:
Posts:
May 2009
14
Hey HIFIdel,

Finally i resolve my problem with my customer MZC-66. I had a grounding problem with one of my rack machines(Allied Tellesis 16port Switch). That was the problem. When i unmount the switch from the rack everything works perfectly. The ir codes that i had , worked correctly.

Thanks all for the help


Jump to


Protected Feature Before you can reply to a message...
You must first register for a Remote Central user account - it's fast and free! Or, if you already have an account, please login now.

Please read the following: Unsolicited commercial advertisements are absolutely not permitted on this forum. Other private buy & sell messages should be posted to our Marketplace. For information on how to advertise your service or product click here. Remote Central reserves the right to remove or modify any post that is deemed inappropriate.

Hosting Services by ipHouse