-
Screen button update/add to iPad remote
Hi,
A little bit ago I posted about how I was upgrading the AV in the bus from Standard Definition to High Defiinition. As a part of that process I “abandonded” the Crestron and went to iPads with an App called “Simple Control.”
Continuing the process – I wanted to make the “Screens” button available on the iPad remote – in addition to the usual AV stuff.
For those who maybe don’t really know, Marathon has a system where there is a video display that tells you the status of certain systems. Such as Voltages and Tank Levels. You change the screen with “Screen” buttons that are in the bus – and – on the original Crestron. Here is what it looks like:
and here is another screen:
Here is a screenshot of the remote app with the new Screens button!
Yup – I photoshopped that custom button. The input on the left says “Techlink / iTunes” because when I did the AV, I added audio to the techlink screen since it didn’t have any before. Now, when I want to hear music in the bus, I just switch to the techlink screen and have control over my iTunes librabry on the Mac Mini I put in the bus – it’s a pretty sweet setup I think.
Here is how to do it.
Since the Crestron had this function on it from the factory, I turned the Crestron back on to figure it out. When I hit the Screen button on the crestron remote, I could hear a relay click on the crestron main unit. That told me that they were probably using some sort of momentary switch to make the screen change on the computer that makes the screens.
BTW, I thought it was a good idea when I did the original upgrade to basically LEAVE the crestron in place at all times so that I could refer back to it to figure stuff out. Turned out to be a good plan!
So, I went back into the “AV Closet” and used my volt meter to figure out which pairs were working when you click the screens button on the Crestron remote. If I remember correctly, it was 5 volts that gets passed.
Incedentally, on our bus, the Crestron also can control the blinds, some lights, and the TV going UP and Down. I might add some of these features to my remote later… but I focused on the technique and the Screen button (which I seem to use a lot) first.
This is what it looks like on the back of the Crestron. This photo also shows you the Red/Black pair I tapped into with my Simple Control remote setup – so you can see which pair turned out to be the control pair for the screens button function:
I’d bet that those heavy grey wires are the TV up and down too. The thin black with white stripe ones are IR control for AV equipment. My new piggy back pair are the red black stuck together. Thin stuff I had for all the LED stuff I’ve been doing.
If you plug into the crestron like this and then just touch the bare ends of the wires together to complete the circuit – the screen changes on your TV. So I needed a device to momentarily switch these two wires together.
Here is the device that does the switch that the Simple Control can talk to:
Here you can see my pair of red and black wires going into this controlable switch. BASICALLY it’s doing the exact same thing as the crestron did.
Now – it isn’t “cheap” but it wasn’t TOO bad eaither. That switch thing was 90 bucks. I figure it’s not that bad.
Anyway – now I can sit in my chair and hit the screens button and it changes just like it’s supposed to. And, all the buttons in the bus still work too, nothing’s changed there.
Thanks!
Walt
-
4 Replies
-
Amazing Walt, very nice work.
-
Very professional job. Looks great.
-
Very nice Walt!
I don’t have the Creston system and I’m not sure about updating to the IPad, but your set-up looks terrific …
-
Nice work!
Log in to reply.