ray@spca6.UUCP (Ray Price) (09/16/88)
A last plea for help... I have a Pioneer CLD-900, which I am very pleased with. However, I'd like to be able to control it with a computer. The CLD-900 has a DIN type connector on the back labeled I/O port. From what I've been able to DRAGGGGG out of Pioneer, this is meant to be plugged into a box that will change the I/O ports signals into something compatible with an RS-232. The problem is no one I talk to at Pioneer can tell me where I can buy one of these magic boxes. Does anyone know of anyway I can use a computer to control this player. I'm hoping someone out there has one of those I/O port to RS-232 adapters that they are willing to sell. But, barring that does anyone know what the format/characteristics of the signals in the CLD-900 I/O port are? I've tried for two years to get information on that screwy I/O port but so far nothing. Please email any information you have to me at the address below. Thanks. = ray price ray@spca6.uucp mit-eddie!uccba!spca6!ray
greg@bilbo (Greg Wageman) (09/16/88)
In article <4934@spca6.UUCP> ray@spca6.UUCP (Ray Price) writes: >I have a Pioneer CLD-900, which I am very pleased with. However, I'd like >to be able to control it with a computer. The CLD-900 has a DIN type >connector on the back labeled I/O port. From what I've been able to DRAGGGGG >out of Pioneer, this is meant to be plugged into a box that will change >the I/O ports signals into something compatible with an RS-232. The problem >is no one I talk to at Pioneer can tell me where I can buy one of these >magic boxes. >Does anyone know of anyway I can use a computer to control this player. >I'm hoping someone out there has one of those I/O port to RS-232 adapters >that they are willing to sell. But, barring that does anyone know what >the format/characteristics of the signals in the CLD-900 I/O port are? >I've tried for two years to get information on that screwy I/O port but >so far nothing. Please email any information you have to me at the address >below. Thanks. I just recently saw an adverisement for a Mac-to-CLD900 interface, but I can't remember where. I will report back when I have more details. I believe it was in a museum-oriented periodical. Greg Wageman ARPA: greg%sentry@spar.slb.com Schlumberger Technologies BIX: gwage 1601 Technology Drive CIS: 74016,352 San Jose, CA 95110 GEnie: GWAGEMAN (408) 437-5198 UUCP: ...!decwrl!spar!sentry!greg ------------------ Opinions expressed herein are solely the responsibility of the author.
jim@athsys.uucp (Jim Becker) (09/20/88)
From article <4934@spca6.UUCP>, by ray@spca6.UUCP (Ray Price): > A last plea for help... > I have a Pioneer CLD-900, which I am very pleased with. However, I'd like > to be able to control it with a computer. The CLD-900 has a DIN type > connector on the back labeled I/O port. > .... > > ray price ray@spca6.uucp mit-eddie!uccba!spca6!ray The DIN connector on the back is called a "eight-pin non-standard DIN", which I believe that you can only easily get from SwitchCraft in Chicago. It was also used with some consumer products, but SwitchCraft is the best source. The connection is a timed pulse that simulates the remote control chip in the handheld unit. It is at TTL levels, and you shouldn't plug the cable into a standard RS-232 outlet -- as the levels are a lot higher. The format of the data pulse you probabily don't want to have to create, it takes some gritty work. There are a couple of chips or some other hardware setup that can be used to control this guy, or you can do it in software. The best way to do it is to buy the connector and software for the PC from John Blakney, at Visual DataBase Systems. He is up in Scotts Valley, Ca. Sorry, no phone number. I would assume that you can also get a hookup from Optical Data Corp in Florham Park, NJ. The Blakney solution is about $70. If you want to hook up to a Mac talk to the HyperCard people. I'm sure that they have it figured out. Funny story, I originally got down and dirty figuring all this out for an Amiga hyperinformation system I developed (Genlocked videodisc). Getting the info from Pioneer was an amazing feat, as the people that I was talking to seemed to change departments all the time. When I finally got the docs for the hardware specs they were all many generations of photocopies old. When the new players can out (about a year later), I asked for the new specs. They sent me the photocopied docs, but all the cut/paste charts had not been pasted in! There were big, gaping holes in the docs where such things as the hex code charts and the timing pluse charts were supposed to go!! They didn't help much. If you want further information, ask! -Jim Becker Terrapin Software