Serial control of Panasonic plasma monitors

[AceCannon]

I have two Panasonic plasma displays that will eventually make it into our new construction (breaking ground any day now).

Can I just use cat5 as a long serial cable, connected to the correct pins? Or is there some sort of balun I need to use in order to get serial control from my wiring closet, approx 40 feet away?

Or, there's always the $5.00 50ft serial cable from Monoprice, I suppose. Doubt it is rated for in-wall use, though.

 

[politics123]

I have two Panasonic plasma displays that will eventually make it into our new construction (breaking ground any day now).

Can I just use cat5 as a long serial cable, connected to the correct pins? Or is there some sort of balun I need to use in order to get serial control from my wiring closet, approx 40 feet away?

Or, there's always the $5.00 50ft serial cable from Monoprice, I suppose. Doubt it is rated for in-wall use, though.

Building a serial cable from cat5 is easy. Just get two DB9 modular adapters, then connect the pins per the pin-out you need. Total cost for each should be around $1.50. You then terminate your ethernet cables with RJ45, and plug them in.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

FYI, here are links to RJ-45 to DB-9 adapters:

http://www.deepsurplus.com/DB9-Female-to-R...amp;category=27

http://www.deepsurplus.com/DB9-Male-to-RJ4...amp;category=27

 

[AceCannon]

Great info, thanks!

Really bummed that one of my monitors is their commercial version and as such has no serial port. Only their "industrial" models have rs232, along with telltale BNC connectors. Looks like IR control for the commercial model.

I had an online chat with someone at Panasonic who claims this monitor does not even have discrete IR codes for inputs and aspect ratios. That won't be fun.

I am thinking an IR emitter ought to completely cover the monitor's detector. . . but maybe there is some reason I should try to leave it partially exposed. (?)

 

[IVB]

I'd def leave it partially exposed, so you can use a local intelligent remote like my MX850 to do any macro stuff you want. I use a local remote to control inputs and power directly, but part of the macro is a trigger to CQC to go start doing tons of stuff. I.E., when I press "777" on my MX850(one of the LCD hardbutton keys), it switched to component 1 and sends a signal to CQC, which in turn sets the Denon to master-zone on, power-on, source-input=DVD, volume=(-25).