Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Barco Communicator Touch panel

This is topic Barco Communicator Touch panel in forum Digital Cinema Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Christopher Pettersen (Member # 8328) on 12-04-2015, 05:21 AM:

Hi!

So i recently got 5 new Barco's with IMS2000 (as useless as a door stopper).
I don't see the need of buying 5 panels, aren't they the same way as Christies that you can move them around when needed? I want to avoid putting a third layer at the network there just so they can access them on a computer..

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-04-2015, 07:20 AM:

First off...you can't really move the Christie touchpanels around...they are serial number tied to their respective projector...you CAN move them but you'll get errors and such and will need to reconfigure it for the projector it is to be used with. The touchpanel in the Christie is more than the user interface, it is the brains of the outfit.

On the Barco...they are nothing more than a purpose built computer with a touchscreen. Everything is 100% available in Barco's Communicator software. For most of our multiplexes, we have taken to making our own low-cost computer system and putting in a KVM switch so one can look at the server or the Communicator software.

In our singles/twins, that tend to do more than just show flat/scope movies, we tend to put the touchpanels in because they are used quite often.

What I strongly recommend is either put them in 100% or don't put them in at all. Moving them about will yield you a broken touchpanel/cable in very short order. Note, you cannot control/vnc into the Barco touchpanel on the network. It's IP address is there to communicate with the projector and to receive updates. Since you have IMS2000s and will need some form of PC to work with them via the WEB interface, you might as well load in Communicator as well and thus have both projector and server control.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 12-04-2015, 09:57 AM:

Agreed. Cheapest way is buy an old/used laptop (WinXP is fine) and load Communicator: you're good to go. You can then run the servers as well with its web browser. If the laptop isn't on internet then there's no security issue. If it stays plugged in, the aged battery an old laptop will have is not a problem.
You can also use a new PC of course.
Communicator PC has a listing of all networked projectors and you just click on the one you want. The DCTP is set to one projector and you need to revise its network setting to go to a different one.
The round DCTP jack on the projector is relatively delicate - someone will ruin one if you're moving the panel between systems. You can buy extra cord sets, I suppose, to use the connections at the DCTP - at Barco prices...
I've seen $$$ projector boards destroyed from a damaged circular connector having some pins shorted.
The DCTP panel is nice, and simpler in some ways than a PC.
If you have S series projectors, the touchpanel is somewhat useless for software updates because in-update reboots also power cycle the DCTP. B and C models keep it powered and it can finish updates much easier.
It can not be used to control the Doremi IMS servers, and Barco assures me it never will.
Barco also recommends doing TI updates (ICP firmware) using the TI ICP/Enigma control program rather than using the Communicator update app - not possible on a DCTP but fine on a PC.
A current PC can talk to an S series projector via USB if the network connection is wonky. The DCTP has a serial connection backup: serial is ONLY on the DCTP round socket on an S projector but B and C have an available serial connector.
Overall a PC is a better solution for many locations. Particularly with IMS servers: you'll need a PC to talk to the servers anyway.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-04-2015, 12:55 PM:

I don't know the last time you spoke with Barco on doing ICP updates...but there is nothing wrong with using Communicator now...it is VERY stable...no less stable than using the ICP software directly.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 12-04-2015, 04:54 PM:

In my opinion it is far simpler for 5 screens to just install communicator on an old laptop and do it from there, I agree that its really an "all or nothing" approach as moving the touch panels around really isn't a good idea.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-04-2015, 05:37 PM:

What I do .. Have Communicator on a laptop, but can go either way with either CAT-6 cable, or WiFi, to communicate to 15 Barco units.

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 12-05-2015, 12:04 PM:

3 weeks or so. I had to help recover an ICP updated through DC update assistant last week.