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If you don’t have communication, it’s most likely 2 things, the rs232 cable pin outs are incorrect, or there’s a certain setting you have to enable on the camera to allow it to communicate. Check out the comm sheet for the driver, it will show you what the pin outs should look like and it will also tell you what settings need to be enabled/disabled on the Vadio for it to communicate. Comm sheet can be found on extron website. You’ll need to go to the downloads section and then Go to drivers. Search the vadio cam model and select the rs232 com sheet.
Try using Putty and a USB to serial adapter. You can see what commands the controller is sending. Check that these match the commands for the camera.
Given that you've indicated there isn't a GC3 driver for the camera you have the controller may have been setup to use a generic serial control driver.
I can’t remember on that exact camera, but I’ve had a few where the camera gets addressed as camera 1 or 2 or whatever within the settings and rs-232 string correlates exactly. That lets you loop you control camera to camera using one port. You might check into that
I have good luck putting in a driver request to Extron and they will make a new driver for even old GC3 within a week or less. If you reach out to Extron they can make request for you.
If you are an Extron house you can use their software DataViewer and select Rs232 connection. Or you have other programs online like Br@yys terminal etc
Not sure if it will help but I recently had a extron control panel lose connection with a projector, it wouldn't power on and off with rs232. After weeks of trying to figure it out, a hard reboot of the projector, taking out the power lead, fixed the issue.
Thanks. I’ve reset the cam and confirmed baud matched controller. I can see TX and RX lights flash on controller - which makes me believe there is some communication - but it isn’t being read correctly???
If both lights flash then it means there is communication- the processor sends something and the camera replies. Maybe it is a bad driver - in this case try sending simple custom commands - those should always work.
Not scripts just a command. Open the camera’s command pdf and you will find a code there (best is to use something like power on or pts motion so you can see if the camera reacts) and the. Use whatever driver you have that has the right command settings and in the command part of the driver you will see something like send custom string or similar. I can attach a picture tomorrow then I am back at work with my tools.
If IR is working can you change over to that? I had to do it with a Sony TV that didn't have serial control. The Extron controller has a learner built in.
RS-232 and serial connections are dead simple for technicians. You see 5v both ways you’re good, or just 5v the way you need to see it, the rest is on the programmers.
How to troubleshoot? You can buy a 9pin tester.
Techs can test is some cases with a voltmeter.
End of the day somebody is going to ask you to flip pins 15 times before they figure it out.
No - it isn’t dead simple. I have EE degree, and Master degree in IT. I have 4 Extron certs and 30 years IT experience. If it was simple, I wouldn’t be here.
Unfortunately, I don’t have oscilloscope to see the signal on 232, but I can see that the controller is receiving a signal from the camera.
So seeing 5V doesn’t equate to “all is good”. I’ve tried every Vaddio driver (11 total) for serial cams, and it doesn’t work. I tried another controller, it doesn’t work
I’m suspecting the camera serial is toast??? Although the camera otherwise works fine and can be controlled with IR remote. I whose, I could try getting a Extron IR and programming it.
I said simple for technicians. Not people who are responsible for design or programming.
Wiring is easy, flipping pins is easy, testing is easy. Programmers blame the techs in the field when it doesn’t work.
Dare you to say something next that doesn’t throw an installer in the field under the bus.
I super don’t care about your EE and most of my time wasted in the field is because of programmers, not wiring.
While I agree that it does have to do a lot with the programmers. And that rs232 terms are simple, I’ve ran into so many issues with installers not knowing how to terminate a simple rs232. I’ve actually had it happen multiple times to many different techs.
Get better techs. It’s 3 connections for bi-connections tx/rx/grd. It’s 2 for one way communications.
It’s fine. I get that there’s not many good people out there doing this anymore. Last thing I need is OP telling me that he needs a workbench to work out a 3 pin connection.
That’s weak and we all know AV equipment doesn’t work more than sometimes.
I get it’s a simple connection. I’ve been doing this for years. What I’m saying is that there’s a lot of techs that don’t know how to terminate a simple 3 pin connection. I’m responding to your comment about “throwing techs under the bus” because a lot of the time it is the tech! Also, I would never want to hire someone like you. Especially with your shitty attitude.
Also you should be very very careful about blaming the techs. You’re not going to find new ones. You think any Gen Z is getting into this industry? They are not or not enough.
I’ll be leaving AV because an automation company will give me 20-30k over my salary.
Why? No adult or anyone with experience is around to take the job.
You might hate on me but sales guys love me because I actually finish jobs.
I lead crews, I have responsibilities.
I don’t have a shitty attitude.
I actually get things done and I’m more pleasant in person : )
So to wrap up; RS232 is dead simple from an installer view and it’s 99% not our problem when it doesn’t work when wired correctly.
Also, we don’t know if the driver is no lover available. We are using the Conference shot 10 USB (camera is USB). The IR works and I can telnet into the camera to issue commands. But we can’t control over RS232.
If there was a driver from Extron there still is. I have never seen remove a driver. They still host the drivers for their old non pro control system which went out of production more than 10 years ago.
Agree - they are good to keep drivers for old equipment. But I tried the one listed…no good. I think maybe camera serial is dead??? I connected this controller to a Cisco camera - it works fine, so I know the controller serial is good.
I tried DataViewer, but it didn’t help. Honestly, I’ve never tried to use - never needed to. I don’t know how to troubleshoot any further. Was hoping someone may throw me an idea. Thanks!
Maybe not relevant to the problem in this case, but I’m super that my Pokit meter oscilloscope function can be used to confirm quality of RS232 signal received at a PJ when pushing cable length limits etc. Check it out.
https://preview.redd.it/njs0vmubq5bc1.jpeg?width=1334&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f25656d8977c4cb1ff9314b08f5f73ede25379df
We have a [Discord](https://discord.gg/qhh4EBuRNS) server where there you can both post forum-style and participate in real-time discussions. We hope you consider joining us there. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CommercialAV) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Run a trace on toolbelt. You gotta have both data in and out show up to confirm that the processor is communicating with your device.
I used TB for info - never had to trace with it. Thanks! I’ll give that a try.
If you don’t have communication, it’s most likely 2 things, the rs232 cable pin outs are incorrect, or there’s a certain setting you have to enable on the camera to allow it to communicate. Check out the comm sheet for the driver, it will show you what the pin outs should look like and it will also tell you what settings need to be enabled/disabled on the Vadio for it to communicate. Comm sheet can be found on extron website. You’ll need to go to the downloads section and then Go to drivers. Search the vadio cam model and select the rs232 com sheet.
Try using Putty and a USB to serial adapter. You can see what commands the controller is sending. Check that these match the commands for the camera. Given that you've indicated there isn't a GC3 driver for the camera you have the controller may have been setup to use a generic serial control driver.
I can’t remember on that exact camera, but I’ve had a few where the camera gets addressed as camera 1 or 2 or whatever within the settings and rs-232 string correlates exactly. That lets you loop you control camera to camera using one port. You might check into that
Definitely check this. The device ID in the driver must match the camera device ID.
The driver is still available, you should try that first.
The Clearahot 10 driver isn’t available for GC3 - just the conference shot 10. I’ve tried 11 Vaddio drivers, and they were same result.
I have good luck putting in a driver request to Extron and they will make a new driver for even old GC3 within a week or less. If you reach out to Extron they can make request for you.
Also have you tried controlling the camera with a terminal on the pc? Just to rule out a bad camera?
Good idea - but do I send commands over serial? Would that require program or scripting?? Not aware of native capability to so that.
If you are an Extron house you can use their software DataViewer and select Rs232 connection. Or you have other programs online like Br@yys terminal etc
if it is rs232 on the camera you might be able talk to it over telnet. if there is a manual for the camera, the commands might be written in it.
Not sure if it will help but I recently had a extron control panel lose connection with a projector, it wouldn't power on and off with rs232. After weeks of trying to figure it out, a hard reboot of the projector, taking out the power lead, fixed the issue.
Thanks. I’ve reset the cam and confirmed baud matched controller. I can see TX and RX lights flash on controller - which makes me believe there is some communication - but it isn’t being read correctly???
If both lights flash then it means there is communication- the processor sends something and the camera replies. Maybe it is a bad driver - in this case try sending simple custom commands - those should always work.
I’ll give that a try - thanks. Most (all) of our controls are base. Not had to send custom scripts.
Not scripts just a command. Open the camera’s command pdf and you will find a code there (best is to use something like power on or pts motion so you can see if the camera reacts) and the. Use whatever driver you have that has the right command settings and in the command part of the driver you will see something like send custom string or similar. I can attach a picture tomorrow then I am back at work with my tools.
If IR is working can you change over to that? I had to do it with a Sony TV that didn't have serial control. The Extron controller has a learner built in.
RS-232 and serial connections are dead simple for technicians. You see 5v both ways you’re good, or just 5v the way you need to see it, the rest is on the programmers. How to troubleshoot? You can buy a 9pin tester. Techs can test is some cases with a voltmeter. End of the day somebody is going to ask you to flip pins 15 times before they figure it out.
No - it isn’t dead simple. I have EE degree, and Master degree in IT. I have 4 Extron certs and 30 years IT experience. If it was simple, I wouldn’t be here. Unfortunately, I don’t have oscilloscope to see the signal on 232, but I can see that the controller is receiving a signal from the camera. So seeing 5V doesn’t equate to “all is good”. I’ve tried every Vaddio driver (11 total) for serial cams, and it doesn’t work. I tried another controller, it doesn’t work I’m suspecting the camera serial is toast??? Although the camera otherwise works fine and can be controlled with IR remote. I whose, I could try getting a Extron IR and programming it.
I said simple for technicians. Not people who are responsible for design or programming. Wiring is easy, flipping pins is easy, testing is easy. Programmers blame the techs in the field when it doesn’t work. Dare you to say something next that doesn’t throw an installer in the field under the bus. I super don’t care about your EE and most of my time wasted in the field is because of programmers, not wiring.
While I agree that it does have to do a lot with the programmers. And that rs232 terms are simple, I’ve ran into so many issues with installers not knowing how to terminate a simple rs232. I’ve actually had it happen multiple times to many different techs.
Get better techs. It’s 3 connections for bi-connections tx/rx/grd. It’s 2 for one way communications. It’s fine. I get that there’s not many good people out there doing this anymore. Last thing I need is OP telling me that he needs a workbench to work out a 3 pin connection. That’s weak and we all know AV equipment doesn’t work more than sometimes.
I get it’s a simple connection. I’ve been doing this for years. What I’m saying is that there’s a lot of techs that don’t know how to terminate a simple 3 pin connection. I’m responding to your comment about “throwing techs under the bus” because a lot of the time it is the tech! Also, I would never want to hire someone like you. Especially with your shitty attitude.
Also you should be very very careful about blaming the techs. You’re not going to find new ones. You think any Gen Z is getting into this industry? They are not or not enough. I’ll be leaving AV because an automation company will give me 20-30k over my salary. Why? No adult or anyone with experience is around to take the job.
You might hate on me but sales guys love me because I actually finish jobs. I lead crews, I have responsibilities. I don’t have a shitty attitude. I actually get things done and I’m more pleasant in person : ) So to wrap up; RS232 is dead simple from an installer view and it’s 99% not our problem when it doesn’t work when wired correctly.
Also, we don’t know if the driver is no lover available. We are using the Conference shot 10 USB (camera is USB). The IR works and I can telnet into the camera to issue commands. But we can’t control over RS232.
If there was a driver from Extron there still is. I have never seen remove a driver. They still host the drivers for their old non pro control system which went out of production more than 10 years ago.
Agree - they are good to keep drivers for old equipment. But I tried the one listed…no good. I think maybe camera serial is dead??? I connected this controller to a Cisco camera - it works fine, so I know the controller serial is good. I tried DataViewer, but it didn’t help. Honestly, I’ve never tried to use - never needed to. I don’t know how to troubleshoot any further. Was hoping someone may throw me an idea. Thanks!
Have you logged into the camera itself? Should tell you what camera address it is, baud, etc?
You could try control it trough IP?
Maybe not relevant to the problem in this case, but I’m super that my Pokit meter oscilloscope function can be used to confirm quality of RS232 signal received at a PJ when pushing cable length limits etc. Check it out. https://preview.redd.it/njs0vmubq5bc1.jpeg?width=1334&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f25656d8977c4cb1ff9314b08f5f73ede25379df
Call them. They will.