Vanco International Evolution HDMI Switcher Driver

Overview

The Vanco Evolution EVMX44PRO and EVMX88PRO are HDMI video switchers used to distribute video and audio content to multiple viewing endpoints (rooms). The EVMX44PRO includes 4 inputs/outputs, the EVMX88PRO includes 8 inputs/outputs. The driver enables the programmer to integrate with either model switcher, providing control and feedback for the switcher state. The driver supports both IP and RS232 connections. The port for an IP connection is 4001, the required baud for an RS232 connection is 9600 bps.

Manufacturer: Vanco International

Models: EVMX44PRO, EVMX88PRO

Driver Developer: Control Concepts, Inc.

Revision History

Revision 1.0: The initial release of the driver.

Test Environment

The driver was developed using an RTI XP-8v control processor with firmware version 2.0.11.20, and tested with an EVMX44PRO, firmware version 1.0.0; and an EVMX88PRO, firmware version 1.0.0.

Driver Features

The following features are supported by the driver:

Switch video input to output

Switch analog input to output

Switch far IR input to local IR output

Analog volume raise

Analog volume lower

Analog volume pulse up

Analog volume pulse down

Analog volume mute

Enable/Disable IR switching follows video switching

Lock/Unlock front panel buttons

Save preset

Recall preset

Vanco Evolution EVMX44PRO/EVMX88PRO Configuration

The EVMX44PRO or EVMX88PRO switcher will need to be installed according to the Vanco Evolution installation document prior to integrating the unit. The switcher will need to be connected to the IP network and be reachable from the control processor or be connected to the control processor using an RS232 cable. The connection properties of the switcher will need to be entered in the driver configuration of Integration Designer.

Driver Integration and Configuration

Follow the steps below to add the driver to your Integration Designer project.

Open Integration Designer and click on the control processor icon in the System Workspace window. If this is a new project, right-click within the System Workspace window and select Add New. Select the XP-8s or XP-8v control processor from the Add Device dialog and click Close.

Click on the control processor icon in the System Workspace window to view the Control System window. Click the Driver tab and select Add from the dialog menu. Browse for the location of the VancoEvolutionHDMISwitcher.rtidriver file. Once the driver is added, you will see the configuration settings of the driver in the Driver tab of the Control System window.

Follow the steps below for each configuration section to configure the driver.

System Settings

Processor: This setting is set to Master and cannot be changed.

Connection Selection

Connection Type: Select the connection method for your setup – either RS232 or TCP/IP. This selection displays the communication settings required for the selected method. For the network driver, enter a static IP address for the switcher you wish to control. The default port is 4001 and cannot be changed. Click Apply at the bottom of the driver configuration page to update the driver with the IP address.

RS232 Connection

Serial Port: Specify the serial port the control processor is using.

Baud Rate: This setting is set to 9600 and cannot be changed.

Handshaking: This setting is set to None and cannot be changed.

Network Connection

IP Address: Specify the IP address of the Evolution switcher. Be sure the control processor can ping this IP address.

IP Port: This setting is set to the switcher default port 4001.

Switcher Configuration

Debug Trace: Check this option to turn on debug trace in the driver. With this option enabled, the driver will print debug output to the TraceViewer console window.

Size: Select the switcher size you are connecting to – either 4x4 or 8x8.

Commands and Variables

This section describes commands used for programming control of the switcher and variables used to show feedback of the switcher in a user interface panel.

Commands

IR Follow Video: Turn on or off the switcher feature that forces IR switching to automatically change when video switching occurs. Options for the this command include Toggle, Off, or On.

Panel Lock: Lock or unlock the switcher front panel buttons. When locked, the user will not be able to press the menu/navigation/selection buttons on the switcher front panel. Options for this command include Toggle, Unlock, or Lock.

Power: Turn the switcher power on or off. Options for this command include Toggle, Power Off, or Power On.

Save Preset: Store a video switching configuration in one of the available preset numbers. The switcher can store up to 9 presets. Parameters for this command include the slot number to store through 1-9.

Recall Preset: Restore a previously saved video switching configuration. Parameters for this command include the preset number to restore 1-9.

Zone Commands

Commands below are all grouped by zone number. A zone corresponds to an input/output pair on the switcher.

Connect Output: Connect the output (enable it). Options for this command include Toggle, Output Off, or Output On.

Switch Video Input To Output: Route an HDMI video input to the zone output. Parameters for this command include the input number.

Switch Analog Audio Input to Output: Route an audio source to the zone analog output. Parameters for this command include the audio input number.

Switch Far IR To Local IR Output: Route an incoming far IR input to zone local IR output. Parameters for this command include the far IR input number.

Set Volume: Specify a level for the zone analog volume, range is 0 to 100. Parameters for this command include the volume level.

Adjust Volume: Pulse or ramp zone analog volume up or down. Parameters for this command include the ramping direction up or down.

Mute Volume: Mute or unmute the zone analog volume. Options for this command include Toggle, Mute Off, or Mute On.

Variables

Device Properties: These variables provide general information from the device.

Device Model: String variable contains the name of the switcher reported by the device.

Connection State: These variables provide feedback on the connected state of the driver to the device.

Connection State: Integer variable represets connected state as a range from 0 to 1, where 0 = disconnected, and 1 = connected;

Disconnected: Boolean variable is true when the driver is disconneted from the device and false when the driver is connected to the device.

Connected: Boolean variable is true when the driver is connected to the device and false when the driver is disconnected from the device.

Initialization State: These variables provide feedback on the driver initialization state. The driver is initialized when it has updated all state information from the device.

Initialiation State: Integer variable represets the initialization state as a range from 0 to 2 where 0 = not initialized, 1 = initialized, and 2 = initializing.

Not Initialized: Boolean variable is true when the driver is not initialized and false when the driver is initialized.

Initialized: Boolean variable is true when the driver is initialized and false when the driver is not initialized.

Initializing: Boolean variable is true while the driver is in the process of initializing and false when the driver is not in the process of initializing.

IR Follow Video State: These variables provide feedback for the IR Follow Video switcher function.

IR Follow Video: Integer variable represents the feature state as a range from 0 to 1, where 0 = Off and 1 = On.

Off: Boolean variable is true when the switcher function is off and false when the function is on.

On: Boolean variable is true when the switcher function is on and false when the function is off.

Panel Lock State: These variables provide feedback on the Front Panel Lock switcher fucntion.

Lock State: Integer variable represents the panel lock state as a range ffrom 0 to 1, where 0 = Off, and 1 = On.

Unlocked: Boolean variable is true when the switcher function is off and false when the function is on.

Locked: Boolean variable is true when the switcher function is on and false when the function is off.

Power State: These variables provide feedback on the switcher power state.

Power State: Integer variable represents the power state as a range from 0 to 1, where 0 = Off and 1 = On.

Power Off: Boolean variable is true when switcher power is off and false when switcher power is on.

Power On: Boolean variable is true when switcher power is on and false when switcher power is off.

Zone Variables

The following variables are all grouped by zone.

Available: Boolean variable is true when the zone is detected by the driver and false when the zone is not detected by the driver. The driver supports both 4x4 and 8x8 switcher sizes. For a 4x4 switcher, zones 5-8 will not be available.

Connected: Boolean variable is true when the zone output is connected and false when the zone output is disconnected.

Mute State: Integer variable represents the zone mute as a range from 0 to 1 where 0 = Off and 1 = On.

Mute Off: Boolean variable is true when the zone is unmuted and false when the zone is muted.

Mute On: Boolean variable is true when the zone is muted and false when the zone is unmuted.

Volume: Integer variable represents zone volume as a range from 0 to 100.

Zone Video Is Mapped: Boolean variable is true when the zone output is routed to an input and false when the zone output is not routed.

Zone Video is Mapped To Input: Integer variable represents the zone video mapping as a range from 1 to the number of inputs.

Zone Video is Mapped To Input [X]: Boolean variable is true when the zone output is mapped to the specified video input and false when the zone is not mapped to the specified input. [X] indicates the input range from 1 to the number of video inputs (4 or 8 depending on the switcher size).

Zone Audio Mapped To Analog Input: Integer variable represents the zone audio mapping as a range from 1 to the number of analog inputs.

Zone Audio Mapped To Analog Input [X]: Boolean variable is true when the zone analog output is mapped to the specified audio input and false when the zone is not mapped to the specified audio input. [X] indicates the audio input range from 1 to the number of audio inputs (4 or 8 depending on the switcher size).

Zone IR Mapped To Far IR Input: Integer variable represents the zone IR mapping as a range from 1 to the number of IR inputs.

Zone IR Mapped To Far IR Input [X]: Boolean variable is true when the zone IR output is mapped to the specified IR input and false when the zone is not mapped to the specified IR input. [X] indicates the IR input range from 1 to the number of IR inputs (4 or 8 depending on the switcher size).