Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Wanted: Serial Command Protocols

This is topic Wanted: Serial Command Protocols in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-04-2014, 01:17 PM:

I'm looking for serial command protocols for some SONY products:

HDW-M2000....HDCAM DECK
SRW-5500.....HDCAM SR VTR
SRX-T420.....4K DATA PROJECTOR

I've found a couple of web pages created by some kind folks with Sony 9-Pin experience. This is good. But I'd LOVE to see an actual document produced by Sony.

Why's this stuff so darn hard to find?

Search bait: RS-232 RS-422

Perhaps future users may want to add their requests to this thread, so I have intentionally omitted product info from the subject header.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 03-04-2014, 01:39 PM:

This is the best reference that I have found for the Sony decks. The basic protocol is the same for all of them, 3/4" through HDCAM, although not all decks implement all of the commands (of course).

You need to have an RS422 device (or RS232->RS422 converter) to talk to the decks.

As I am sure you already know, the local/remote switch on the deck must be set to "remote" in order for most of these commands to work (which normally disables all of the front panel controls except for "eject").

No idea on the Sony 4K projector. Have you tried calling Sony? Their broadcast division has been helpful to me in the past.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 03-04-2014, 01:51 PM:

Thanks, Scott.

I'll likely give that a try.

I have been in touch with Sony (via email) and "my request has been forwarded to the appropriate team." Before long, I'm probably going to pick up the phone and call one of my contacts... and then they'll pass me along to the "appropriate team" or whatever.

I'm using Crestron, so 422 isn't an issue. The basic transport commands are already programmed. I just want to add "preroll" to a routine.

And, yeah, that either/or (local/remote) thing is a gotcha for sure.

No info so far on the projector.