Compulite Vector and Catalyst

[andystone]

I have been chatting to Ross Williams about having the ability to connect Catalyst to the Vector via Ethernet and having the bitmaps from Catalyst automatically downloaded to the Vector pickers.

Compulite are very keen to implement such a function, but how do we proceed?

Andy Stone
Stagetec Distribution
Compulite UK Distributor

[samsc]

I have been chatting to Ross Williams about having the ability to connect Catalyst to the Vector via Ethernet and having the bitmaps from Catalyst automatically downloaded to the Vector pickers.

Compulite are very keen to implement such a function, but how do we proceed?

Andy Stone
Stagetec Distribution
Compulite UK Distributor

you need to create a udp based protocol that requests a small bit map.

<poll request bitmap>
<library number>
<File Number>
<End message>

the reply from me is

<bitmap>
<library number>
<File number>
<Image size x,y dimensions, bit depth, rgb or rgba>
<bitmap data>
<end message>

might need some fiddling around with protocol to keep reply message length less than maximum size of a udp packet.

[samsc]

does the vector console have an ethernet port?

Are the developers able to send a udp packet?

[andystone]

The Vector is an Ethernet based system, it incorporates two processors, one running VX Works for the real time and the other running Windows XPE for the user interface.

Everything connects internally via Ethernet, all the keyboard panels, output boards, multimedia boards, etc, have their own DSP and then everything connects to an internal Ethernet hub.

There are three Ethernet sockets on the back, two connect to the Vector network (one crossed and one straight) and the other just connects to Windows.

[samsc]

sounds like they wouldnt have a problem making a udp request.

[andystone]

Not at all.

What Mony says is that he thinks we will need some kind of detection/ handshake - otherwise the Vector won't know what the Catalyst IP address is.

Once we know the address for each of the Catalyst devices we can communicate. Another option is sending the Poll Request in Broadcast, but I'm not sure it's a good idea.

[samsc]

Not at all.

What Mony says is that he thinks we will need some kind of detection/ handshake - otherwise the Vector won't know what the Catalyst IP address is.

Once we know the address for each of the Catalyst devices we can communicate. Another option is sending the Poll Request in Broadcast, but I'm not sure it's a good idea.

each catalyst has a name.
can you have a name as part of a device gui?

You can then send a broadcast message with a poll request for a particular name as part of the protocol.

Names are easier than ip addresses.

[samsc]

Names are easier than ip addresses.

IP addresses change too easily and often under mysterious circumstance as far as the user is concerned.

Name matching is much simpler.

The protocol will say:

<broadcast message>
<Catalyst 'tv out 1'>
<send me file 0 library 1 bitmap>
<end message>

this way the ip address can change at will, and systems can even be swapped out and it will still work.