IP to Serial Control

Anyone familiar with a device that is OH friendly that can send serial commands via IP?

There are many boxes that out there that provide this solution, just wondering if anyone has any experience connecting them up with OH.

I did see a binding that someone had put together for BENQ projectors that offered a setting for these type of devices, but I did not see the ability to change the commands the device was sending as it was designed to control BENQ projectors.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Squid

Share Z-wave dongle over IP (USB over IP using ser2net / socat ) guide uses a zwave dongle for the example but it should apply to any serial device.

@KidSquid - have a look at this post from @swamiller - he’s using a GlobalCache iTach Flex which appears to be a multi-protocol to/from IP converter (including serial).

If on Windows, you can use mine.

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Rick -

My only concern with using that strategy is I would need to use another converter to go from USB to serial…so that would be a couple of different breakpoints to watch instead of one unit that has the IP and serial connections. I might end up taking that route but this is a remote location and I’d like to minimize the opportunities for failure.

Squid

Global Cache iTach (WF2SL or IP2SL) or iTach Flex (WiFi or Wired) with serial cable or GC-100 using the GlobalCache binding.

https://docs.openhab.org/addons/bindings/globalcache/readme.html

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I second the iTach Flex. I am currently controlling my 6 zone amp and 8x8 HDMI matrix switch via serial commands, and a couple IR controlled TV’s via iTach Flex devices, controlled by OH (thanks to @mhilbush) through my network. I use the POE version of the iTach Flex so I don’t have to have a separate power supply. Makes for a very clean install; network cable on one end, serial or IR output on the other.

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Steve, do you have a guide on how to control devices via global cache itach IP2IR and IP2SL? I tried to go through the binding for global cache but can’t figure what files are needed and what each of the contents are for items, map, sitemap,etc. If you can provide an example of each of them you use for ir and serial as an example so I can duplicate it would be great.

I am trying to use it so I can it expose to my neeo brain to control tv (rs232) and xfinity (ir).

Thanks

@pintu1228
Hopefully this isn’t a silly question, but have you referenced the binding instructions?

Yes, @pintu1228, please take a read through the docs, especially the examples. There are examples for IR and Serial. Post back here with questions and we’ll get you up and running.

Also, if there’s anything you find lacking in the docs, please let me know.

Thanks, I have gone through the examples but had a few questions:

  1. do I need to create my serial and ir codes in 1 map file as shown or separate it out for each device/type of codes (example: samsung tv - serial codes, xfiniity - ir codes, etc)?

  2. my serial codes are in this format to control my tv (I used iRule in the past and they work):samsung tv rs232 commands

  3. Do I need a items file, map file, sitemap and rule file in order to get ir/serial working? what is the purpose of the sitemap file and rule file?

Thanks for your help

You can have a different MAP file for each GlobalCache device, or you can have just one. I find it easier to put everything in one file, but you can have separate files if you want to manage it that way.

Currently, the binding supports only URL encoding for hex encoding. I’ve been meaning to add support for the \xNN notation but I haven’t gotten around to it yet… So, it would look like this in the MAP file.

POWERON=%08%22%00%00%00%02%D4

The if you want to control the device using Basic UI, you need a sitemap. You also could control the device using a HABpanel dashboard, in which case you would not need the sitemap file.

You only would need the rule file if you wanted to do something more advanced. An example would be operating multiple devices, such as using a motion sensor as the trigger event to turn on multiple devices, set the volume, and select an input source, etc.

Thanks, so only files needed are map (which includes all my codes) and items file?

I will try this evening to get it working hopefully

Correct.

Which UI do you plan to use to control the devices?

paperUI/habpanel dashboard, I plan to use the binding with Neeo remote.

I control my Benq video projector with a Wemos D1 Mini and a RS232 to TTL converter.
Connect the converter to the Wemos and plug in the beamer RS232 connection.
Before transferring a suitable Arduino sketch to the Wemos.
RS232 documentation from Benq can be found on the internet. I use MQTT to send the commands to the beamer.

Hardware: