03-02-2015, 10:49 AM
I'm going to document here my experience with learning RTI and getting it working. I needed to get away from a touch-screen only remote control for the TV so I did a little research on solutions and decided RTI would be a clean option.
The first task was to figure out what hardware I needed. This was not very straight forward as RTI is dealer only. I found the software, crappy PDF manuals, and lots of ambiguous hints of information online. I finally ended up picking up a ZRP6, RM433, and T2CS. It turns out the ZRP6 has a serial port so you don't need a CM232. I later discovered there are two-way communication options, which I didn't purchase. Finally, I discovered a good way to figure out what options are available is by loading the devices into Integration Designer and seeing what features appear in the menus. For example, I noticed there is a nice new theme, but its only available in the newer remotes. Also 2.4ghz /zigbee two-way communication options appeared when loading those devices into the software.
Next was to setup what I had. I wasn't sure I was going to keep it, but it was working okay during my initial tests and it seemed better gear (aka the next generation with two-way) was much more expensive. I was initially worried that it might be too slow having a the remote tell the processor to send a command over the serial port to a serial server (ethernet). Then CQC gets the info via virtual serial port, runs a script, and finally tells a GC100 to send an IR command to the cable box. BUT. It works fine
.
I used the RP6 driver in CQC since that is a serial port driver. (I think if you have an XP* processor you can use a generic ethernet driver). I initially starting having CQC learn the RS232 commands from the ZRP6 processor but that got to be too tedious so I created a script with Enum types etc that used a parameter. Creating the script to read a parameter took a bit of time but once it was done I could configure buttons much faster and it was ultimately much cleaner and less prone to setup errors.
Anyway, for right now I only have the TV controls on the RTI but so far I'm very happy with it. Having CQC in the middle of the RTI interface is also very nice. The user experience with the remote is extremely simple because CQC makes sure the user request works for the media center state by add/subtracting to the user requests.
In the future I'll add some lighting, thermostat, and other stuff, but in the first day of use with the TV it appears to be very solid.
The first task was to figure out what hardware I needed. This was not very straight forward as RTI is dealer only. I found the software, crappy PDF manuals, and lots of ambiguous hints of information online. I finally ended up picking up a ZRP6, RM433, and T2CS. It turns out the ZRP6 has a serial port so you don't need a CM232. I later discovered there are two-way communication options, which I didn't purchase. Finally, I discovered a good way to figure out what options are available is by loading the devices into Integration Designer and seeing what features appear in the menus. For example, I noticed there is a nice new theme, but its only available in the newer remotes. Also 2.4ghz /zigbee two-way communication options appeared when loading those devices into the software.
Next was to setup what I had. I wasn't sure I was going to keep it, but it was working okay during my initial tests and it seemed better gear (aka the next generation with two-way) was much more expensive. I was initially worried that it might be too slow having a the remote tell the processor to send a command over the serial port to a serial server (ethernet). Then CQC gets the info via virtual serial port, runs a script, and finally tells a GC100 to send an IR command to the cable box. BUT. It works fine

I used the RP6 driver in CQC since that is a serial port driver. (I think if you have an XP* processor you can use a generic ethernet driver). I initially starting having CQC learn the RS232 commands from the ZRP6 processor but that got to be too tedious so I created a script with Enum types etc that used a parameter. Creating the script to read a parameter took a bit of time but once it was done I could configure buttons much faster and it was ultimately much cleaner and less prone to setup errors.
Anyway, for right now I only have the TV controls on the RTI but so far I'm very happy with it. Having CQC in the middle of the RTI interface is also very nice. The user experience with the remote is extremely simple because CQC makes sure the user request works for the media center state by add/subtracting to the user requests.
In the future I'll add some lighting, thermostat, and other stuff, but in the first day of use with the TV it appears to be very solid.
--Kill all the serial ports--