SCS and 100% computer crash safe solutions (via rs232 contr

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mwfr
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:56 am
Location: Paris, France

SCS and 100% computer crash safe solutions (via rs232 contr

Post by mwfr » Fri Nov 19, 2010 9:28 pm

Mike,
These 2 past months, I spent much time using SCS.
I noticed several things and tried to find solutions as well:

About beeing 100% computer crash safe (for big productions),
i thought and did some experiments to find some solutions.
Here are the 2 solutions i advocate:

Solution 1 :
(That's what Regis at the Opera in Paris/France does) :
Use 2 computers: Each computer runs SCS with the same playlist on both computers.
Send the "Go cues" via a midi keyboard (that sends a "Go midi note" to both computers at the same time).
On the mixing console, both SCS are connected, but the "spare SCS" is muted. In case of problem, just demute "spare SCS" on the mixing console.

Solution 2 :
Some productions don't like too much computers because of computer crash risk, and want a hardware system : Here’s the solution 
Use SCS as main sound player, and use a hardware sound player that may be driven by rs232 (via SCS subcues), as spare player(s).
I did the experiment with a TASCAM SSR1 (Compact flash sound player), and a DENON CD-C640 (CD player).

TASCAM SSR1 (Compact flash sound player) is a good solution, because same price than a TASCAM MD 350 (500$), and you can transfer quickly you sound files into it.

TASCAM SSR1 can be played via rs232.
SCS can send rs232 commands as cues or subcues.
I did the experiment:

First, you build your playlist as usual on SCS.

Once finished, you transfer your sounds to one or several TASCAM SSR1 players (as you would have done at the old time with MD players...).

Then you insert in SCS Editor playlist, some subcues containing TASCAM rs232 commands (PLAY, SKIP next, Goto xxFile, etc...).

So, when SCS plays a sound Cue, SCS sends at the same time a rs232 subcue command to TASCAM SSR1, which will play the same sound at the same time.


If you use only one sound player, and if your computer does’nt have rs232 output, then you can use any USB->rs232 converter interface.

If you need more than one player, your can command up to 4 sound players via com1, com2,com3 & com4.
I found a USB -> com1,2,3,4 box ATC 804 http://www.atc-converters.eu/atc-804-p-3705.html
which costs 68 €.

IMPORTANT:
- If you use TASCAM SSR1 your need a rs232 “cross” rs232 cable male->female.
- If you use DENON CD-C640, you need a single rs232 cable male->female.


To resume, this solution2 takes a little more time to implement the subcues in SCS, but it's 100% safe, because even if your computer crashes, spare cue sound is played by TASCAM SSR1 at the same time.

And when you work on a big production and you want to have both flexibility of SCS and 100% safety with Hardware spare system, i can tell you, that’s the solution !!!

Hereby is :
- a little SCS file with main rs232 codes for TASCAM SSR1 (in this exemple, i implemented them as hot keys)
- TASCAM pdf about SSR1 rs232 protocol

(well, sorry for SCS users, but files couldn't be uploaded, i'll ask Mike if he can put them on the website)

Regards. Michel Winogradoff : mwfr

Mike Daniell
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Re: SCS and 100% computer crash safe solutions (via rs232 contr

Post by Mike Daniell » Sat Nov 20, 2010 2:20 pm

mwfr wrote:Hereby is :
- a little SCS file with main rs232 codes for TASCAM SSR1 (in this exemple, i implemented them as hot keys)
- TASCAM pdf about SSR1 rs232 protocol
The following zip file contains the above two files: SSR1_RS232.zip.

The document RS-232C_Protocol_SSCDR1.pdf is produced by TEAC Corporation and may be subject to copyright.

The Control Send cues in SSR1_rs232 commands_101119.scs can be seen in the following screen shot:

Image

Edited 22 Nov 2010 to simplify download information.
Mike Daniell
Show Cue Systems Pty Ltd
mike@showcuesystems.com
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