Sony BDP-CX7000ES Blu-ray Disc Changer

This driver is based on version 0.97 of the RS-232C/Network Control Protocol Specification dated Sept 14 2009, tested on a CX7000 running software version 15.4.018. This version of the driver controls a single changer. The driver relies on the Gracenote client in the changer to identify discs. The only information available as metadata is the disc title, type and genre; cover art is not displayed by the driver.

Release History

1.0 The first release of the driver.

1.01 Fixes an addressing error in the configuration file that caused the driver to use an invalid player address.

1.02 Fixes problems with missing occasional messages from the changer, particularly under serial control. Fixes the reversed power commands and adds extra power state variables and events.

Config Settings

Connection Settings

The driver will work with either a serial or an IP connection. Because the driver relies on the changers connection to Gracenote to identify the discs, you will need to be connected to a network anyway. The changer must be told what connection you are using under the Custom Installation Control sub-menu of the System Settings section of the Setup menu. System Settings also contains Network Settings and a setting to enable the Gracenote service.

Serial Connection difference

A bug in the changer causes the changer to return the wrong answer to track title commands when under serial control. Consequently you will not be able to get the list of tracks on CD's when using serial control. Other than that there is no difference in functionality between the two connection methods, although the initialization takes a few seconds longer with RS-232.

Serial Port Settings

The serial connection requires a null modem cable with a female connector. There are no selectable parameters for the serial connection other than which port to use.

Unit Code

The unit defaults to unit code BD1 (also in the System Settings menu). As this version of the driver only supports a single changer it should be left there

Connection Status Variable

A variable is available that will track the connection state of the driver. It is found at the end of the list of text variables and is used on the main page of the K4 in the sample file. This variable allows you to see that status of the driver as it connects and loads the disc library from the changer. The variable is actually an integer variable so you can change the text it displays for any change of state by clicking on the {var} text under the text properties. In the sample the text is set to be empty once the driver is connected and fully initialized. It will change states anytime the changer is opened and closed or any disc name is changed and the disc list has to be rebuilt but will disappear again when the changer is done.

The Disc Library

Identification

The driver has no connection with the Gracenote service and relies on information gathered by the changer itself. When the driver connects to the changer, or when the door is closed, the driver finds out from the changer which slots have discs in them, marks them as unknown discs, and creates a temporary name that includes the slot number to put in the list. If a single disc is inserted the changer will generally load it, identify it and pass the name ( as well as disc type and genre) to the driver to replace the temporary name.

If there are multiple new discs you will need to use the changers 'Load' function to identify them. This requires the use of the on-screen menu. First send the 'Home' command to get to the main menu and then 'Option' command will bring up the menu that gives you a choice of (among other things) Loading the individual disc, or loading all the discs. When you add new disc to the changer the Video and Audio menus will have a selection for Unknown Discs and the 'Options' menu will allow you to 'Load' just those discs.

These discs will initially show up in the library as 'Unknown (xxx)' where xxx is the slot number but as they are either played or 'Loaded' the changer will identify them and send the information to the XP-8 which will replace the data in the list.

If the changer makes an undesirable or incorrect choice for the disc title it can be changed in two ways, both accessed through the same 'Option' menu on the changer: first is to simply edit the title. this requires using the numeric key commands from the remote (NOT the ones under the keypad category) while watching the results on the OSD. The 'Keys' tab on the K4 sample in the sample file illustrates this setup. The second option is to use the Load option on the single disc, forcing a new Gracenote lookup. Often there are several choices, one of which will be a better choice than the one picked automatically.

Either way, the disc has to actually be played before the disc will send the information to the XP-8.

Sorting and Filtering

The discs are always displayed in the library list in alphabetical order. You can narrow the list down to help find a particular disc in three ways: first is by disc type. Creating buttons for the different disc types allow you to see only the types of disc desired, with a special aggregate disc type created for movies (DVD or Blu-ray) and data discs (photos, mp3's etc).

Secondly you can use the genre. The driver creates a list of genres actually used by the discs in the changer and you can pick from this list to narrow the search even further.

Thirdly you can enter a text string to narrow your search. The driver commands in the [Keypad] category will create a string that the driver will use to display specific titles. The sample file uses a phone type keypad to save space but you can use the 'Key' driver commands to create a QWERTY type keypad if you prefer. The sample file has the search function on separate pages on the T2 and K4 examples. Every button that can leave that page clears out the search text because it's not displayed anywhere else. If data was left in the search text the list in the library would be limited and there wouldn't be any clues as to why.

Selecting

Once you’re looking at the list you want you select the disc. Two driver commands exist for this: the first is ‘Select Item From List’. This just selects a disc and fills the Selected Disc text variables; the disc requires an additional command, ‘Play Selected Item’. The second command, ‘Play Item from List’, will load and play the disc immediately when selected.