IR port to rs232 on plasma

joec wrote:

Does anyone know if it is possible to connect a cable from the IR port on the NI controller and connect it to the RS232 plasma port to send basic commands to the plasma?

WHY?

Are you out of RS-232 ports on the master?

Before I would try the Xantech IR-RS232 I would get an IP-RS232 serial server and set up an IP device connection through the server to the RS232 device. You can buy single servers or multiple servers. I currently using and 8/16 port serial server fron ATOP which runs around $700 that allows me to connect to an additional 8/16 RS232 devices through an IP connection to the master and a serial connection between the device and the ATOP serial server. It's a relatively simple process to set up. Single IP - RS-232 servers are around a $100 - $150.

I have used the IR ports many times on NI-1 series masters with no problems. It will give you more functionality than IR and you don't have to worry about the emitter falling off. Oh yeah, I think somewhere it says not to use it over 10 feet or something like that but I have TV's running off it over cat 5 up to 120ft without any issues so far.

I believe you can do this if you don't require two way communication (obviously would be missing the RX with a 2 pin pheonix)
The trick is in the ONLINE of the DATA_EVENT of the IR port, you have to set up the IR output to be RS232 data with a SET MODE DATA send_command.

DATA_EVENT[dvIRPORT_TV]
{
ONLINE:
{
SEND_COMMAND DATA.DEVICE,"'SET MODE DATA'"
}
}

Part of that is no doubt due to the fact that the voltage swing on IR ports is +/- 5 volts, while "standard" RS232 is +/- 12. A lot of devices expect something closer to 12 and don't work quite as well with lower voltages. Those longer cable runs more than likely caused the voltage to drop below the threshold the UART in the display was capable of dealing with.

- Chip