Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sony SMS Controller on linux

This is topic Sony SMS Controller on linux in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 10-08-2015, 04:12 PM:

The title is, more or less, self explanatory.
I can get up to one point with wine, while on a 32-bit system, but the program is not operational. (It can't connect anywhere.)

I would really love to be more platform independent with this, but I am running out of ideas here.
(And I won't go as far as to mention barco's software with 64bit linux systems.)
I can understand that this might not be the best place to ask for advice about it, but any OS specific forum wouldn't have a clue about what a Sony SMS Controller is...

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 10-08-2015, 04:22 PM:

What is on the SMSC that you cannot do by using VNC and connecting to the server? Seriously, I don't know [Smile]

Posted by Michael Kurtzke (Member # 7512) on 10-08-2015, 11:55 PM:

I don't believe you can pull logs from the PJT.

I've always had to pull logs from the SMSC.

Also, if you don't have a TMS you can't schedule performances from the PJT [as far as I know]

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 10-09-2015, 01:14 AM:

The thing about scheduling is correct (Michael).
You can also, apart from getting logs, ingest KDMs or administrate remotely, without disturbing the monitoring or work of the projectionist on site.

It can make your life a bit easier.
But, even if it didn't, I find it an obstacle worth investigating.

Those are my notes on the issue:

I ran the installer via wine.
A window shows up that reads:
Self-Registration Error:
The following files did not self-register or unregister:
1. C:\Program Files\Sony\SMSController\Led.ocx
Module not found.

2. C:\Program Files\Sony\SMSController\Lgauge.ocx
Module not found.

3. C:\Program Files\Sony\SMSController\NumLed.ocx
Module not found.

4. C:\Program Files\Sony\SMSController\Slider.ocx
Module not found.

5. C:\Program Files\Sony\SMSController\Toggle.ocx
Module not found.

That was rather simple to bypass.
I used winetricks and installed MFC42.DLL

After that, I opened a terminal, navigated in app folder and ran:
wine regsvr32 ./Led.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./Lgauge.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./NumLed.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./Toggle.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./MyClock.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./vsflex8l.ocx
wine regsvr32 ./MyCalendar.ocx

The application is now starting, but when trying to connect to a server, I get -almost instantly- an error message of no connection.

All that, in an XFCE 32bit distribution.
I really doubt that could go as far on 64bit libraries.

Is there anyone here that found out (or introduced to) the way of making things work?

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 01-06-2018, 02:24 PM:

It has been 820 days since the last post.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 01-06-2018, 02:24 PM:

quote: Ioannis Syrogiannis
The application is now starting, but when trying to connect to a server, I get -almost instantly- an error message of no connection.

I've recently run into this on 64-bit Win7. SMSController runs fine on Windows XP, but Windows 7 64-bit at the same location with the same .ini file cannot connect to any players.

SMSController version 5.50.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 01-06-2018, 03:35 PM:

Well there are two things.
a)There is the 5.51.0.2 version of the SMSController.
b)Other than that, there is an issue that showed up more than 18 months ago, with a windows update by the code number KB3161608 witch adds new Cypher Suites to the SSL network protocol.

At the time, and until recently, that I checked a Win7 machine, the issue was met solely on the 8.1 and 10 versions of windows(I was using an XP virtual machine into my windows 10 laptop I use for work to be able to connect remotely to the servers for some months), so that wouldn't be the first thing I would check.
Firstly, I would check if I can connect via VNC to the server, or even ping to its IP, so I can establish peer to peer connection. If I had that established, I would guess it's the issue with the windows update.

The latest software version for RSX-R320/220 (2.51.7) supposedly shorts that out, but might create an issue with the server's connectivity with non-Sony TMSystems. A correctable one, by means of configuration file editing. I don't have any first hand experience with that (the latest version), so I can't write much.

To get back in the subject, now that I am thinking about it again, it might be the same Linux SSL network protocol modules that create the connection failure in both cases.
I have to admit I wouldn't know how to deal with it in that operating system.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 01-06-2018, 04:18 PM:

Your comment about KB3161608 made me think that maybe there was indeed some sort of "no overlap" of cipher suites between the PC and the player, which would account for the instant-ness of the network failure.

It looks like KB3161608 was deprecated and replaced with KB3172605 for Windows 7 or KB3172614 for Windows 8.1. (Unrelated, the original KB was deprecated because it broke Intel Bluetooth.)

Uninstalling KB3172605 allows the SMSController software to connect to the Sony player and solves my immediate problem. Hopefully removing it doesn't break something else.

This is classed as an "Important Update" in Windows Update, so you'll want to hide the update or it will reappear in your Windows Update list next time you run it.

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 01-06-2018, 04:54 PM:

There is a detailed Sony Tech-Bulletin dealing with that issue.

DCB094 SRX-R320 SRX-R220P SMSC Windows Update.pdf

No need to uninstall important components to make it work. However, you need to run a version of windows that has the group policy editor. So the method explained in the techbulletin wouldn't work with any Windows Home versions. However, if necessary, the group policy editor can be added to the Win Home versions using tutorials that can be found through Google.

- Carsten

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 01-06-2018, 05:13 PM:

Would you mind emailing me that tech bulletin?

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 01-07-2018, 01:07 PM:

Sure I would. ;-)

- Carsten

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 03-14-2019, 10:12 PM:

It has been 431 days since the last post.

Posted by Royce Patton (Member # 3449) on 03-14-2019, 10:12 PM:

I could really use a copy of that bulletin too. Could you email it to me as well?

Thanks!

Posted by Carsten Kurz (Member # 5396) on 03-15-2019, 05:59 AM:

Check this post on a german forum, the description is in english, and there are screenshots as well.

https://www.filmvorfuehrer.de/topic/24727-sony-320er-viele-fragen/?do=findComment&comment=277916

- Carsten