Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems virtualMSR (vMSR) iPad App for Meridian

Ken,

As far as I understand that:

a) The "virtualMSR" on the iPad communicates wireless to the home network.
b) You connect the IP2SL to that network (free place on your router as an example) Doing that the "virtualMSR" can give instructions or communicate on the wired network. This is not the same "language" as the standard Sooloos protocol.
c) The IP2SL generates a serial output and that output communicates with the M processor and can also read the answers and finally display them on the iPad.
d) The further "down" communication goes from the processor down to the master speaker or other M devices/sources as usual.

You can use the IP2SL on another devices that have a serial interface like the DSP (master), but just that communication what Meridian have enabled in there firmware. So, when you hook up the IP2SL output to a master speaker, it will speak with the master speaker. When the master speaker is also the controller in a system - the slaves will also get some instructions. If the master speaker is NOT the controller, the slaves will only communicate with the master when M enabled that.

For your original question, for the master DSP the RS232 connection is not necessary, but useful.
There is no usage at the moment (apart from programing), but could be a future use a M SL-DSP already have the RS232 connection in the SL cable.

Note with the Reviver, the RS232 can used to upgrade the firmware from the processors place simply with unplug the SL cable and have a SL to serial converter (two plugs with wires) that plugs into your PC.

So to do "more" with the IP2SL in a system with no traditional M controller-just using Sooloos and DSP�s- you are limited what M have enabled to do -its the same as with a controller.

I only can say here for the great "virtualMSR", I believe more will come up in the future.

Robert

Hi John,

The vMSR can be set to 'Search for a device IP address' in which case it will connect to the first IP2SL it finds.
However, if you turn off the 'search' and enter the IP address of a particular IP2SL then you can select which IP2SL to use.

Should you wish to operate the other IP2SL, then enter its associated IP in the settings box.

Cheers,

Rick

I like that Rick, but have a follow up question.

Does the vMSR remember this manually entered IP address? If it did then for those with multi-zones they could have a 'dedicated' iPad in each room; with each iPad / vMSR remembering which IP2SL device to communication with.

Regards,
Carl

Hi Carl,

Yes indeed the vMSR app remembers the static IP of the IP2SL even if it's completely closed.
The idea is precisely as you suggest, you can 'tie' a particular iPad to its related IP2SL. So the lounge IP operates the Lounge Meridian system, and the Cinema iPad operates the Cinema system.

Cheers,

Rick

Perfect, just like you have thought about it

Thanks,
Rick

On my Dune HDI remote iPad app I'm able to switch between Dune units quite easily through pre-programming the individual IP addresses into the iPad (a bit like selecting a different zone in Sooloos).

It would be a useful feature for vMSR2.0 to allow easy switching between IP2Ls.

Indeed, it's down for consideration in the 'wish list'.

Cheers,

Rick

Hi Rick,

Is it likely the v2 version would incorporate IR and learning capabilities.

Regards Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

No that won't happen, the vMSR is intended just for Meridian control.

However, if you'd like to PM me with your specific requirements, then I could discuss the possibility of a bespoke solution using a vMSR 'look' which would use RTI or AMX controllers to interface from the iPad app to your other equipment.

Cheers,

Rick

Rick, as discussed in the separate thread on removing unused presets, cycling through all the presets is annoying. Can't be done. But I've been told RS232 can directly address presets, like Stereo and Direct. So how about listing the DSP presets as blue Function values, on the number keys, or the source keys?

Or even on a whole new row of keys dedicated to presets. No reason that the virtualMSR should be limited to only the hard keys that the real MSR has.

+1