Sony 777 and CQC

[zaccari]

Ok, I'm a bit perplexed and before I fudge my way through this I'm curious how others suggest to proceed. I currently am using the CQSL Repository with disk-based media files. I have a new Sony CX777ES and I want to add my DVDs to a repository. I have loaded the 777 driver and the changer driver.

My questions:

one of the threads I was reading suggested DVD Profiler. what value does DVDProfiler add for me?
do I need to manually add each DVD as I put them in the changer?
how do I change my PlayMedia command so that it will do the command on the appropriate command? I know I have to switch my projector input and the receiver selection once I figure out where to do that.Russ...

[ellisr63]

Ok, I'm a bit perplexed and before I fudge my way through this I'm curious how others suggest to proceed. I currently am using the CQSL Repository with disk-based media files. I have a new Sony CX777ES and I want to add my DVDs to a repository. I have loaded the 777 driver and the changer driver.

My questions:

one of the threads I was reading suggested DVD Profiler. what value does DVDProfiler add for me?
do I need to manually add each DVD as I put them in the changer?
how do I change my PlayMedia command so that it will do the command on the appropriate command? I know I have to switch my projector input and the receiver selection once I figure out where to do that.Russ...
1.With DVD Profiler you will only input the barcode (or put in the PC drive just like CQC and it will retrieve the info)...you then would export the XML file and retrieve the XML with CQC. If you are using the CQC repository as of now you will most likely be inputting data...so far only the name and images have appeared on mine.... whereas in DVDP all the data is there 99% of the time.
2. once you have the data in the XML or in CQCs repository you will put the DVD in the 777ES.

[Dean Roddey]

If you are using our respository, then just process the DVDs the same way that you are doing the CDs. Just put the DVD in and it'll get metadata (not always as complete as for music though), then select Changer Based at the bottom and enter the changer moniker, and then press the button to the right and it'll let you select a slot number.

You then play it just like you play anything else, by sending the collection cookie to the renderer.

However, you don't use the 777 driver directly. You use the CHanger Manager driver (in the Miscellaneous section of the supported devices list.) It sits in front of any changers and looks like a renderer driver.

[zaccari]

However, you don't use the 777 driver directly. You use the CHanger Manager driver (in the Miscellaneous section of the supported devices list.) It sits in front of any changers and looks like a renderer driver.
Actually, I gathered that piece. I put the cookie in the Changer Manager and that's where I started wondering about the other manipulation pieces (switching things around since the file based items come up in ZP/TT and the 777 will come up directly to the AV receiver). I saw where two changers required a macro (or did it require a macro before the Changer Manager).

Just an observation about the DVD Profiler driver. It's not totally unexpected that a person might have both file based and a changer based setup. Additionally, it might be nice to allow the CAB to merge multiple repositories types. A part of me still wants to separate the children's movies from the adults' movies but there I guess that wouldn't be as interesting to me if I could better mask categories.

Russ...

[Dean Roddey]

There is a %(MediaRTV:LocType) runtime value available when you select a collection from the CAB. You can use this to know whether it's file based or changer based and do one thing or another.

[zaccari]

Actually, that part I understand. My problem is when it's changer based, where do I put the cookie? According to the CurrentDisc field documentation in the Changer Manager
For read it indicates the currently active slot on the currently active changer. You can write to it in order to do a manual selection of a new slot, but normally you'd do this by writing a title cookie to the PlayTitle field. This is fine and dandy but the only fields exposed in FieldWrite for the ChangerManager are: Transport, CurrentDisc, CurrentTrack, Power and PlayMedia. I tried to set that to the cookie but it was rejected by the driver. What am I missing?

The detail shows:

The value written to field ChangerManager.PlayMedia was rejected by the driver.
Action trace shows:
CMD: 015. Devices::FieldWrite
P1=ChangerManager.PlayMedia
P2=0,1,26,1
Russ...

[Dean Roddey]

Turn on verbose logging and do it again and it'll tell you why it rejected the cookie.

[zaccari]

I'm trying to convince myself that this new F/F null modem cable is working.

As to verbose, I set it to high for both the changer manager and the sony 777 and nothing is logged but the message

The value written to field ChangerManager.PlayMedia was rejected by the driver.

Russ...

[zaccari]

Well, it seems that if you don't select another driver before closing the driver dialog, the verbose level isn't changed. The errors are:

The value written to field ChangerManager.PlayMedia was rejected by the driver.
Could not select slot 12 on changer sony777
Field CurrentDisc is currently in error state

Seems my serial interface isn't working. Off to the manual. The cable is brand new so I'm a bit confused.

Russ...

[Dean Roddey]

The 777 is a dumb device that doesn't respond to anything when off. So the driver never goes offline, it just puts its fields into error state when it's powered off. So likely it's just that the power is off.

[zaccari]

The 777 is a dumb device that doesn't respond to anything when off. So the driver never goes offline, it just puts its fields into error state when it's powered off. So likely it's just that the power is off.
No, I'm sitting in the room with it. It's powered on.

Russ...

[Dean Roddey]

OK, then it might be a cable thing, since not being able to talk to it wouldn't take the driver offline.

[ellisr63]

Well, it seems that if you don't select another driver before closing the driver dialog, the verbose level isn't changed. The errors are:

The value written to field ChangerManager.PlayMedia was rejected by the driver.
Could not select slot 12 on changer sony777
Field CurrentDisc is currently in error state

Seems my serial interface isn't working. Off to the manual. The cable is brand new so I'm a bit confused.

Russ...
What are you using for a serial port?

[zaccari]

com1 on my MS. I guess the next step is to plug that damn F/F into my laptop and see if the thing is really sending out data. I wish I had a breakout box with LEDs. That's one thing NOT in my tool box.

Russ...

[ellisr63]

com1 on my MS. I guess the next step is to plug that damn F/F into my laptop and see if the thing is really sending out data. I wish I had a breakout box with LEDs. That's one thing NOT in my tool box.

Russ...
Yeah I would def try another comm before you buy another cable... I just recently did an OS reinstall and I just found out that the driver for my second Moxa card is messed up.

[zaccari]

When I bought the F/F null modem cable, I ordered 2 of them. I figured an extra wasn't a terrible idea.

Russ...

[wuench]

The 777 will also reject if it doesn't think there is a disc in that slot. If you have all you comm working try playing the disc first in that slot so the changer knows one is there.

You can tell if the comm is working by just looking at the fields in the admin interface, they'll exit the error state. And then I would try to power it on/off from there.

Also, I hope you actually have a null modem cable and not a RS232C F/F. I made that mistake initially as well.

[zaccari]

Ok, for those still wondering about the cable, it really is a 9pin F/F Null modem cable. Cyberguys has these suckers for $4.97 each. They come in 10ft (http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?productID=3388) and 6ft (http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?productID=3387) lengths. I won't admit how I messed this one up, but it was my fault. Now to get the project working so I can tell whether ZP or the 777 is showing. Right now my template has 2 sets of controls on it, one for ZP, one for the 777.

By the way, does the 777 not support serial FF and Rew?

Russ...

[Dean Roddey]

I removed FF/Rew because they weren't working. I'll try again to see if I can figure them out.

[zaccari]

Great. I won't remove the buttons from my template yet.

Russ...