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RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG?

v8media
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Jul 18, 2007, 5:20 PM

Post #1 of 9 (2546 views)
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RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG?	Can't Post

Hi there, I've been using Isadora for live visuals as well as installations of various sorts for quite a while now and love it.

One of the pieces of equipment that I use at live shows is a video conferencing system. It's a Panasonic WG series (3 chip!), of which almost no information is to be found. Here's a link which includes a little bit of info about the main unit: http://www.broadcaststore.com/store/model_detail.cfm?id=662604. The camera is controlled by RS-232C.

So here's the question: How can I find the RS-232 commands necessary to control this camera? Are there standard commands? If so, could someone send me the commands or a patch for their camera to check out?

I have the base unit and am able to use this to control the camera. Can I hook the base unit up to a serial port and scan the information coming out of the base unit and then turn around and try those codes to control the camera? If anyone can lead me to not having to carry this huge box with me, I'll be in love.

Thanks for any and all information, Ian

http://v8media.com
visuals, interactive/installations, video

JCipriani
Novice

Jul 19, 2007, 2:46 PM

Post #2 of 9 (2534 views)
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Re: [v8media] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Maybe somebody else here can offer better advice but this is all I could find.

From that link I'm guessing you have a WG-AV120. The WG-AV120 User Manual (http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/WGAV120.PDF) mentions the WG-PT100 Pan/Tilt controller. Is that what you have, the WG-PT100? Looking at the WG-PT100 user manual (http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/WGPT100.PDF), it appears from the pictures that the control input is not a standard serial port connector like the kind you would find on a computer. It sounds like you want to drop the WG-AV120 completely (this is the "huge box" you refer to?) and control the Pan/Tilt directly? But the RS-232 connector is on the WG-AV120 not the WG-PT100. If that is the case, you will have to do it through that strange looking little connector on the WG-PT100?

Maybe I have the wrong idea, I don't actually have this equipment I'm just looking at pictures in user guides. What equipment do you have, and what exactly are you trying to connect to the computer? I could try to hunt around for more information.

Jason

(This post was edited by JCipriani on Jul 19, 2007, 2:55 PM)

michel
User

Jul 19, 2007, 3:30 PM

Post #3 of 9 (2524 views)
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Re: [v8media] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello Ian

If you hardly find information for rs232 commands why don't you ask the panasonic support. I am sure the have a data sheet of all the commands. I don't think there are standard commands for various cameras, every brand and most models have their own.

You say the camera can be controlled bei rs232, what model is the camera you have, you only mention the main unit, and is the camera rs232 capable or the pan/tilt unit?

The camera I use, has a round "Mini Din 8 pin connector" you can buy 8 pin to 9 pin serial adapter and the manual also says how to make your own adapter. So if you should need a custom cable ask panasonic how the pin connections are. I hope for your they are willing to help you.

The answer for the question you asked me in an other thread:

I have several canon vc-c4 cameras and I can control all of them at once or each separately.
The command for camera 1 pan left looks like this:
FF 30 31 00 53 32 EF
for camera 2 like this
FF 30 32 00 53 32 EF

The bold numbers say which camera is to be controlled, 30 would control all cameras.

Michel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It happens every day: information overload! Time for a reboot..."
(traditional haiku poem)

film:projekt ------------------- autodidakten

(This post was edited by michel on Jul 19, 2007, 3:53 PM)

v8media
Novice

Jul 19, 2007, 3:40 PM

Post #4 of 9 (2522 views)
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Re: [JCipriani] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yeah, I was looking at Michel's camera control patch and just figuring I should go out and buy some adapters. Then I looked at the back of the equipment again to check what's back there. You're right. The WG-AV120 has the RS-232C port, which is about parallel port width, while the WG-PT100 has a BNC input for control from the WG-AV120. So yes, I'm using the WG-AV120 (which is huge) as pretty much a remote control adapter right now.

Would the BNC type connector for control on this camera be adaptable to a serial USB adapter? And is there a recommended USB serial adapter on the Mac side of things?

Thanks again, Ian

http://v8media.com
visuals, interactive/installations, video

michel
User

Jul 19, 2007, 3:59 PM

Post #5 of 9 (2518 views)
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Re: [v8media] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I am using the usb serial adapter from keyspan and it works fine for Mac and PC (I'm on Mac):
http://www.keyspan.com/products/usb/usa19hs/homepage.spml

Quote

Would the BNC type connector for control on this camera be adaptable to a serial USB adapter?

I don't think so.

Michel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It happens every day: information overload! Time for a reboot..."
(traditional haiku poem)

film:projekt ------------------- autodidakten

JCipriani
Novice

Jul 19, 2007, 6:28 PM

Post #6 of 9 (2512 views)
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Re: [michel] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes, it could be anything going over that BNC connector. You could try asking Panasonic for details, perhaps they have a PC-controllable adapter specifically for your pan/tilt device, or maybe they'll give you technical specifications and it will be a simple enough protocol that you could find somebody to build you an adapter.

I found this (http://www.expandore.com/.../Models/AW_PH600.htm), the AW-PH600 (and there are lots of other devices there that fit different types of cameras), which claims to be a PC-controllable pan/tilt head. I don't know what "PC-controllable" entails, but one option is to look into replacing your hardware with other devices designed specifically for computer control (serial port / USB / ethernet / etc, with an open protocol so you can use Isadora to do it instead of some kind of proprietary software).

Jason

(This post was edited by JCipriani on Jul 20, 2007, 6:39 AM)

v8media
Novice

Jul 21, 2007, 8:24 PM

Post #7 of 9 (2490 views)
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Re: [JCipriani] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I've been talking to some Panasonic and ex-Panasonic people. Seems like these devices are rarer than I thought. Maybe they'll come through with some useable info. Otherwise, it's looking like I should find something else.

I do have a couple small wireless cameras that I pan and tilt using a VEX robotics system, but they don't have the capability to zoom. This thing makes some nice video and looks nice while switching from preset location to preset location.

Thanks for the help, I'll post any helpful information I find.

Thanks, Ian

http://v8media.com
visuals, interactive/installations, video

michel
User

Jul 22, 2007, 3:39 AM

Post #8 of 9 (2484 views)
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Re: [v8media] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

This year we bought another two cameras from Canon (VC-C50iR), they have 26x optical zoom and I think they are really good. They work with the same rs-232 commands like the vc-c4, additionally you can control to switch the IR Mode ON or OFF, what the vc-c4 doesn't have. Here is the link:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=158&modelid=11206

Michel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It happens every day: information overload! Time for a reboot..."
(traditional haiku poem)

film:projekt ------------------- autodidakten

(This post was edited by michel on Jul 22, 2007, 3:40 AM)

v8media
Novice

Jul 22, 2007, 2:57 PM

Post #9 of 9 (2474 views)
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Re: [michel] RS-232 Control of pan tilt on Panasonic WG? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Those look very, very nice. I think I'm drooling a bit. Quite a bit spendy though.

The pan and tilt thing I have now I got the whole setup for $50 at a surplus parts place. It was not functional until I took it apart and figured out that one of the old ISDN communication cards was broken. Of course, I don't have ISDN, so I took out the communication card. I usually go with the ghetto tech. Usually makes for a more analog look anyway, which is what I love. Only problem with this is that I'm stuck with a huge computer sized base unit.

Hopefully the Panasonic guys will come through with some info for me.

Ian

http://v8media.com
visuals, interactive/installations, video

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