Serial Port Settings

[nealuk]

Hello,

I have a Broadcast Warehouse TX300 V3, which I understand contains a readbest RDS Encoder.

The RS232 port on the unit does allow the Baud Rate to be chosen, e.g. 9600, however, Hardware Flow Control is permanently on, and not able to be adjusted.

The transmitter Audio Feed as well as RS232 is carried over an STL link between the studios building, and the transmitter site.

At the studio-side, I have a Windows 7 PC running Piracom, this drives Com Port 9, 9600, 8 bits, no parity, stop bits of 1, Flow Control CTS and a Tx Buffer Size of 32 kB - which is connected to the STL RS232.

Piracom also has TDMA set as RDS, so that the Playout Sytem Software can send RadioTEXT of Now Playing information by IP to the Piracom PC. Additionally, Magic RDS 3 is also running talking to 127.0.0.1 for extra commands, Scheduled override of Now Playing, as well as an easier use of Traffic Announcement with the helpful big button.

I understand, that it may not be best practice, to use Magic RDS 3, and that we should change to Magic RDS 4, which is better suited to the BW/Readbest RDS.

If I understand correctly, the Virtual Ports in Magic RDS 4 mean that we could do away with Piracom and Magic RDS 3, and instead have everything we need in Magic RDS 4?

I tried to set up Magic RDS 4.0.18 with Connection Kind RDS Encoder, Device Model Redbest, and Type of Serial / USB, with Com Port 9. However, despite me chooing the Baud Rate of 9600, several speeds are tried, and then after a few seconds: "Timeout - The device does not respond."

Does there need to be more RS232 Serial Port options, or specifically Hardware Flow Control in Magic RDS 4?

Thanks and regards,


Neal

[Jan]

The Readbest encoder is a software component which is being used in several different devices. Some implementation details of the TX300 V3 are not known to us. But if the serial port cannot be configured to "no flow control", it is a mistake as the flow control may not be available in many serial data sources. You can solve it by two wires connecting pins CTS-RTS and DSR-DTR respectivelly, both on the encoder's side. On the other hand, the flow control option is missing in the Magic RDS too So we will add it and then we will see. I recommend to all users of the TX300 V3 to contact the BW with all known issues, to get a fix or support until this device becomes sold out.

To your other question - yes, the Magic RDS 4 Virtual Ports work similar way like old Piracom with RDS TDMA. Regardless of the TX300 V3, you may adjust everything using the DEMO encoder which is built in the Magic RDS 4.

[nealuk]

Thanks for the backround on Readbest. My Hardware Flow Control Serial has been working well for several years, so I look forward to trying future Magic RDS 4 with more Serial settings/options.

I am in regular contact over the last 2+ years with BW about these TX V3 units. They no long have the developer/coding person, as he left the company. The V3's are going end of line, and there aren't any plans for further firmware releases - but I still let BW know about the problems I find, and hope for improvements.

If the big Traffic Announcement button could be re-introduced to Magic RDS 4 that would also be helpful.

Thanks and Best Regards,


Neal.

[nealuk]

The improved serial in 4.0.19 is working well - thank you so much. Great solution for the BW TX V3 units. Thanks Jan.