I've worked on a system that is using a URC MSC-400 base station and MX-650 remote that keeps mind boggling me!

They are controlling 6 set top boxes through IR and 23 LG TV's through RS232, all discretely. The set top boxes I understand... the TV's though... mind boggling...

What I've found is that they ran one cat5 from 1 of the 6 RS232 ports on the MSC to each zone, 6 zones in all, and from there they are just using beanies to spit off other cat5 to each TV in that zone.

I know LG TV's can have ID's assigned to them and can be controlled discreetly that way through RS232 but I've downloaded the file from the MSC and can't find anything in there with TV ID's attached to it, can it be within the MX-650 programming itself? That file I have not had a chance to download.

The remote is programmed to have ability to pick each TV (TV 1, TV 2, TV 3... etc...)

Thanks!

If multiple TV's are connected to the same RS232 port, I can't see how you could control them discretely.

You sure about that, mx650 only controls 20 devices.

Supposedly it's do able with LG since you can assign them Set ID's, so you just have to write the command for that set.


So you're saying it is possible that it could be written within the mx650 but with only with 20 TV's?

Somethings not right....

It could not be within the 650 programming as it only sends trigger commands to the MSC-400 for 232 codes.

When you say each TV.... what are they controlling? Individual volume? Power off & On would likely be simultaneous on all displays.

When you say the remote has the ability to select each tv, is that from the main menu or is it labeled for each zone on the main menu and then within each zone has tv commands? Difficult to say without seeing the files.

If you've ever turned to the back of an LG TV manual (at least 2-3 years ago, when they still printed manuals) and read the serial command information that is printed there, it should be quite clear that it is possible to discretely control multiple TVs from a single serial port. I'm talking consumer models, too; not just the commercial models which had dual RS-232 ports for serial passthrough.

For example:
"ka 01 01/r" (ka = power command; 01 = Set ID; 01 = power on). Set ID can be 01-99; selectable in the TV menu. The Set ID is part of every command.

It controls everything, power, channel, volume, aspect...


It's selectable from the main menu of the mx650. Can't really see anything from the msc400 file, it's set up like it normally would be for 6 TV's, nothing abnormal...

This is what I've found from LG, but I don't know where it'd be imputed with URC.

[Command1][Command2][ ][Set ID][ ][Data][Cr]
* [Command 1]: First command. (j, k, m, d)
* [Command 2]: Second command.
* [Set ID]: Set up the Set ID number of product.
range : 1~99. by setting '0', server can control all products.
* In case of operating with more than 2 sets using set ID as '0' at the same
time, it should not be checked the ack message.
Because all sets will send the ack message, so it's impossible the check the
whole ack messages.
* [DATA]: To transmit command data.
Transmit 'FF' data to read status of command.
* [Cr]: Carriage Return
ASCII code ‘0x0D’
* [ ]: ASCII code Space (0x20)’

I have never worked with a mx650 so I could be wrong, but I believe this is a non pc programmable remote. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Believe your correct. No PC.

You are correct, the MX650 is a non-computer programmed remote.

To manually program the MX650, learn the trigger codes, and then duplicate it in the other MX650s, with that stupid URC box for the MX350 & MX650... well, just stupid. The amount of extra hours it took to save a few pennies, is the reason that phrase exists "Penny wise, Pound foolish".

The RS232 programming is in the MSC-400. I can't remember where in the programming it would be, as I haven't touched one of those in years. But it is in there.
PeterN has your answer in post 8, about what the RS232 codes look like for that.

Golden,

Correct,

It can't be a 650 remote. If it looks like a 650 it has to be an 850 or a 700.

Let me double check on the remote I might have it wrong. I'll try to pull the file from there too when I go back in.

Do you know what color the remote is?

If tan - mx700
silver - mx800
black - mx850

The mx700 is IR only.