Controlling 50 to 55 projectors and plasma tvs

[babson philip]

HI mr shyward.
you are realy a great professinal indeed. i will be very happy if you can solve my problem about the visual system in my church auditorium. firtly my name is babson philip i work with babsotechaudiovisual company. i am the head for my engr crew in my church. mr shyward this is the help i need from you. in my church h/quarter and branches we have about to 50 to 55 projector and plasma tv that we use in every sunday services. we face a lot of challenges on how to countrol all this projector wirelessly by monitoring and countroling all the equipment online. i was told by a friend which told me that it is possible to countrol and monitor a projector and plasma tv online without line off sight. now mr shyward i need your help to put me 2ru on how to countrol and monitor the projector online without connecting the projector to any devices before it can be countrol. reason is this my district pastor told me that we should find way that we should have access to be countroling our branches church projectors in the church headquarters. but to go to church branches to be connecting a projector with a device for controling is avery big task for me due to my office work. this is the reason why i need to know if it is possible to countrol a projector and plasma tv by knowing only the model number e.t.c to countrol a projector without connecting it to any devicese for countrol. pls let me know if this is possible and link me to any website you know i can find a solution. your quick reply to me at this time we be a good help for me. babson philip

[babson philip]

somebody tell me on how to be countroling and monitoring a multiple projector that is using in diferent far places. without making no connection on both the projectors and computers.mean does he possible to countrol a multiple projector by knowing only the model number and product name of the projector?. without bringing the projector together to the pc inform of connection before it can be countrolled. because of the far distance of where all this different projector are. need advise from a/v professionals if possible.babson philip

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by babson philip

somebody tell me on how to be countroling and monitoring a multiple projector that is using in diferent far places. without making no connection on both the projectors and computers.mean does he possible to countrol a multiple projector by knowing only the model number and product name of the projector?. without bringing the projector together to the pc inform of connection before it can be countrolled. because of the far distance of where all this different projector are. need advise from a/v professionals if possible.babson philip

Okay, hi. So let me understand your question, you want to be able to control (turn on and off, select inputs, etc.) multiple projectors in different unrelated buildings (possibly in different cities) from a computer in another unrelated location? Do these projectors and control computers have a data connection between them?

[shayward]

Hi Babson

Welcome to the forum!

The number of projectors and plasma TVs, be it 1 or 1000 is not the issue. The issue is how to communicate with one of them. And that depends on the Makes/Models as well as your specific goals. Mind you, 50 is a lot.

First, you use the "online". Are you implying that you'd like to be able to do this over the Internet? For example, if there was a special wednesday night event you could just open up a web browser, connect to your church web site, and fire up the whole system? Or is it over your church's network from, say, the computer in the A/V Booth?

Second, you mention "wireless" and "without line-of-site". That depends.

- If you're controlling the equipment over RS-232 then Moxa has an NPort (not sure of the model off the top of my head) that is exactly like the NPort 5110 that I mentioned above except that it's WiFi so you get RS-232 over the network wirelessly. Sweet!
- If your projectors and plasmas might have an Ethernet jack built in. At that point, you'd just need an Ethernet to WiFi Bridge. Chances are that the device would already have a built in web server that you could use to control it through a web browser.
- If your projectors and plasmas only have Infrared Remote (no RS232, no Ethernet) then you're still in luck. There are RS232-enabled Infrared Transmitters available. I've never actually played with one (although I'd like to). If it works the way I think it does, you'd need an RS232-enabled Infrared Transmitter plus the WiFi Moxa device.

And ultimately you'll need software to drive something like this. That may prove to be your biggest challenge. But physically, it is possible.

[shayward]

I think what you may want to do is find a good A/V automation consulting firm in your area... people who specialize in exactly what you're doing and have experience doing it. They won't be cheap but they will be able to come in and look at your exact situation as well as develop a solution just for you.

Although it looks like you are in Nigeria - is that correct? I'm not sure what kind of consulting services might be available there.

If they aren't available, this forum is great place to discuss solutions.

[cmchamp]

Babson
What you are asking be done is very close to what we call "Digital Signage" in the states. Cayin Technology is one company that manufactures both the hardware and software for remote controlled digital signage. I can only assume that it would provide RS232 type control of properly equipped projectors. I have yet to explore all of the options from this manufacturer.

[babson philip]

NEED MORE INFO ON HOW TO CONTROL A MULTIPLE PROJECTORS LINE OFF SIGHT

[babson philip]

thank you for your reply i am greatfull of it. the working distance i mean is about 100 to 200 working distance.withou line off sight. i need some thing be like a universal for projector control that can control all the product of projector from long working distance about 100 to 200 meters.without making no any installation on the projector it may be by rs232 or via internet. i was told by a friend which i have lost his contact that say it is possible to control a multimedia projector even from another state or contry via ethernet. pls let me know if anything like this is possible. waiting for your soonest reply on this.thanks and God bless.babson philip

[NdEd]

If the projectors and plasma have native RJ45 ports for ethernet control, then it would be very easy to control them over your LAN (or from anywhere in the world). You should also look at our new HDMI over IP solution, as it would let you independently switch the content on all 55 screens (HDMI over IP supports up to 200 screens an unlimited inputs), with practically any number of inputs located anywhere in the facility. You could techncially do it all over one piece of CAT5, but it would be better to run 2 CAT5 cables to each screen location.

[daver2]

Yes. It is possible to control A/V equipment remotely. I can control the projectors and monitors within our church from anywhere in the world via the internet providing the power to the equipment is left on. We do this on a number of occasions when we are updating the software and we can't be bothered to drive into the church!

The only reason we can do this is that the equipment was installed with this in mind. All of the projectors and cameras have an RS232 port and they have all been wired back to a multiport serial interface board on our PC.

I notice from your very first post that you imply that you already have the projectors and flat panels installed and that you want to remote operate them. have I understood your post correctly? If this is the case, can you supply make and model numbers for the equipment that you have installed? if the equipment does not already have the necessary RS232 or ETHERNET ports installed, then it can't easily be added (unless the manufacturer has an add-on kit available). Even if the necessary ports are installed - the manufacturers do not have a common standard/protocol for driving such equipment. if all of your equipment is from the same manufacturer you stand a chance, if it is from different suppliers - you will have more of a problem.

Extending ETHERNET or RS232 control via non-wires is relatively easy - although with the numbers you are talking about the costs could start to mount up. I only know of equipment in the UK that could potentially do what you are asking (e.g. RS232 or ETHERNET over wi-fi, radio or mains wires) but I can't even suggest anything unless I know what you have installed.