Serial over Ethernet

[english_1969]

Hi,

I was wondering if I could get some feedback from anyone using a serial over ethernet device/application. I have a need to do this and would like to get some impressions on capability and reliability.

I've been looking at the Elk IP232 and a few other devices.

I need to be able to 'talk' to a device (a russound CAV6.6 if you must know) from a couple of different devices/controllers (MLServer and a crestron controller - older model without ethernet). So, I'm thinking I need 2 devices, 1 to connect to the russound and 1 to connect to the crestron and for the MLserver, i could use the virtual software driver.

I believe i read the elk could do this.

Can anyone with experience with these devices (the serial devices) chime in?

Thanks,
W

 

[fcwilt]

There are many devices that can do this. I have used ones from Elk, Global Cache, HomeLogic and others. They all have worked fine. In my current home system I have seven serial-over-ethernet ports in use and I have no problems with them.

 

[english_1969]

There are many devices that can do this. I have used ones from Elk, Global Cache, HomeLogic and others. They all have worked fine. In my current home system I have seven serial-over-ethernet ports in use and I have no problems with them.

Do you have a specific situation where you have 1 receviing device and 2 devices talking to that simultaneously?

Thanks,
W

 

[gatchel]

Most of the Lantronix and Digi units that I have used are "speak when spoken to" devices. I have seen them work when spoken to by more than one host but have never tried it at the exact same time.

 

[Spanky]

The Elk IP232 was designed to work with the Russound CAV6.6. The TS-07 Touchscreens communicate directly to the IP232, sending Russound commands. There is no encryption on the IP232. You make a socket connection to the IP232, send the data in a packet and the data is spit out the RS232 end of the IP232.

There can be up to 12 socket connections at a time into the IP232. That way if you have multiple touchscreens or PC's, they can all be connected to the Russound system or any system with a RS-232 serial port.

The IP232 can also be configured as a client which will connect and maintain a socket connection into another server IP232 or other Ethernet device.

The IP232 is a well kept secret!

David Steele

 

[MikeB]

The Elk IP232 was designed to work with the Russound CAV6.6. The TS-07 Touchscreens communicate directly to the IP232, sending Russound commands. There is no encryption on the IP232. You make a socket connection to the IP232, send the data in a packet and the data is spit out the RS232 end of the IP232.

There can be up to 12 socket connections at a time into the IP232. That way if you have multiple touchscreens or PC's, they can all be connected to the Russound system or any system with a RS-232 serial port.

The IP232 can also be configured as a client which will connect and maintain a socket connection into another server IP232 or other Ethernet device.

The IP232 is a well kept secret!

David Steele

With the IP232, can the Elk M1 control the CAV6.6 through rules? (if light 1 is on, turn on zone 4)?

 

[english_1969]

The Elk IP232 was designed to work with the Russound CAV6.6. The TS-07 Touchscreens communicate directly to the IP232, sending Russound commands. There is no encryption on the IP232. You make a socket connection to the IP232, send the data in a packet and the data is spit out the RS232 end of the IP232.

There can be up to 12 socket connections at a time into the IP232. That way if you have multiple touchscreens or PC's, they can all be connected to the Russound system or any system with a RS-232 serial port.

The IP232 can also be configured as a client which will connect and maintain a socket connection into another server IP232 or other Ethernet device.

The IP232 is a well kept secret!

David Steele

Super! Just to confirm, I can have a PC running a virtual serial port driver talking to the IP232 connected to the russound and I can have another IP232 talking to the same one connected to the russound. When commands are issued from MLserver to the cav, both connected devices (PC and other IP232) will receive the response issued from the CAV...right?

Have there been experiences of connection issues with tunnelled setups - meaning if the network drops out temporarily, how does the device handle it?

Thanks,
W

 

[123]

Search eBay for "Lantronix UDS-10" (or UDS-100). A few months ago, I bought a used UDS-10 for $25. They usually go for more but rarely over $75. "New" ones are north of $100 (I say "new" because Lantronix discontinued the UDS-10 a long time ago).

 

[drozwood90]

I built my own software to take in a telnet session...lets you send serial commands.

I did this as I wanted my HTPC to be the interface to my TV...BUT I wanted my HAPC to be the point of command execution.

It's a pretty simple program.

--Dan

 

[Spanky]

The Elk IP232 was designed to work with the Russound CAV6.6. The TS-07 Touchscreens communicate directly to the IP232, sending Russound commands. There is no encryption on the IP232. You make a socket connection to the IP232, send the data in a packet and the data is spit out the RS232 end of the IP232.

There can be up to 12 socket connections at a time into the IP232. That way if you have multiple touchscreens or PC's, they can all be connected to the Russound system or any system with a RS-232 serial port.

The IP232 can also be configured as a client which will connect and maintain a socket connection into another server IP232 or other Ethernet device.

The IP232 is a well kept secret!

David Steele

With the IP232, can the Elk M1 control the CAV6.6 through rules? (if light 1 is on, turn on zone 4)?

The ability to control whole house audio equipment from the M1 is included in an upcoming M1 and M1XEP software release. The audio systems that will be controllable are Russound, Nuvo, and Proficient. Currently, the Russound CAV6.6 has the most control capability from the Elk TS-07 Touchscreen.

The IP232 allows any device sending the proper serial protocol to control the audio systems through the Ethernet.

 

[MikeB]

The ability to control whole house audio equipment from the M1 is included in an upcoming M1 and M1XEP software release. The audio systems that will be controllable are Russound, Nuvo, and Proficient. Currently, the Russound CAV6.6 has the most control capability from the Elk TS-07 Touchscreen.

Fantastic! Hopefully this will give me some incentive to spend more time with my Elk M1...

 

[Spanky]

English_1969
Up to 12 Ethernet sockets maybe opened into an IP232. Data from any of the socket connections is sent out the RS-232 port on the IP232. Any data coming into the RS-232 port is broadcast out to all socket connections.

Example: You have 12 PC's or Touchscreens throughout a house needing to control one whole house audio system. A command from any Touchscreen goes into the IP232 and it sends the command along the RS-232 serial port into the audio equipment. Any replies from the audio equipment are sent to all the touchscreens. In this mode the IP232 is setup as a server.

It is up to the client device to maintain the socket connections if they are broken. If an IP232 is setup as a client device and is connected to the server IP232, anytime a socket connection is lost, the client IP232 will attempt to reconnect at a timed interval.

 

[Helheim]

The ability to control whole house audio equipment from the M1 is included in an upcoming M1 and M1XEP software release. The audio systems that will be controllable are Russound, Nuvo, and Proficient. Currently, the Russound CAV6.6 has the most control capability from the Elk TS-07 Touchscreen.

I saw on a post on avsforum that you were planning on supporting the SpeakerCraft MZC units as well is this still the case?

 

[Spanky]

If my memory holds true, SpeakerCraft owns Proficient. I will have to check on the model numbers.

 

[gatchel]

Search eBay for "Lantronix UDS-10" (or UDS-100). A few months ago, I bought a used UDS-10 for $25. They usually go for more but rarely over $75. "New" ones are north of $100 (I say "new" because Lantronix discontinued the UDS-10 a long time ago).

(Begin shameless sale promotion)
http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showtopic=11756

I have a few of the UDS-100

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