Hi David,
When dealing with the Pelco Matrix Switcher, or any Matrix switcher for
that matter (Kalatel, Bosch, etc...) you have to start with a document
that actually lists the protocols / commands that the interface you are
wanting to use can handle.
I have worked with Matrix Switchers before, having worked in the
security industry, and I am confident that we can solve your problem
here. The devices are not the complicated from a programming point of
view.
Lets start at the beginning:
1/ Do you have the Protocols / commands and port / data specifics that
the switcer wants you to use?
2/ Since we know they are serial based, how you connect from a PC to
the switcher is a matter of knowing if it is RS-232 or RS-485. If it is
RS-232 then it should be fairly easy to do via the standard .Net 2.0
framework. If it is RS-485, we may have to consider hardware issues
when dealing with the comms. Off the top of my head I cannot remember
which one it is for the Pelco.
You can find some information on using the serial comms via .Net at
this website:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/10/netserialcomm/default.aspx
The examples are in c# and VB .net
What it really comes down to then, and the way I would approach it, is
to make a simple trial application in .Net (pick your language - I
should say VB since we are in a VB group), and start with simply
getting a serial communication to occur. Maybe from a PC to another PC
running Hyperterminal.
VB .net 2005 Express is available here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vb/default.aspx
Once you have the ability to send information via the serial port, then
you can use the protocol document to create a big list of commands that
you can send to the switcher.
When you have the commands in the application, then it is simply a
matter of deciding a way that the users can interact with the
application to send the commands. You have suggested that you want to
use a web page, so I would suggest using something simple to start
with, then move to a web platform. I would try simply doing a stock
standard VB program with a form and a few buttons.
If all that works fine then try using Visual Web Developer Express
2005, to take your solution to a web page based one. The software is
available here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/vwd/default.aspx
I hope this gets you on the right track. Unfortunately I dont have any
scripts already done, or a out-of-the-box solution ready to go, but you
should find solving this problem fairly straight forward if you use
what I have said as a guide.
Generally CCTV equipment isnt that complex to deal with from a PC point
of view (with the exception of some really poorly documented asian
DVR's), you just have to have the right information to talk to it. The
rest is pretty straight forward.
Cheers and good luck
The Frog
