[WynsWrld98]

I'm a Java developer working for a bank but am very into home theater and would like to move my career that direction. I was wondering if there are AVSForum members who are working parttime or fulltime programming Crestron remote controls. If so, I'd love to learn more about the programming language used, how close it is to Java, etc.


Thanks in advance!

 

[CINERAMAX]

It is closer to c++. The operating system is not perfect though.



Here is a sample program for an audio processor.


ftp://ftp.crestron.com/examples/c2n-...%20example.zip

 

[WynsWrld98]

Thanks Peter. I downloaded the zip and tried to view the files but I obviously don't have the proper viewer because I get garbage. Any tips on what to use to view the files or which file is the most interesting to look at?


Do you do programming for Crestron remotes?

 

[CINERAMAX]

There ia a unique file in there that will allow the view. No I do not but heaven knows I have paid dearly for it over the years.

 

[studiocats]

"The operating system is not perfect though."


Peter please explain this statement. I am curiuos as to why you think it is not perfect.

 

[studiocats]

Wayne, I am an independent Crestron/AMX programmer and I can tell you making the transition you want to make is harder than you think. Alot of the programming is not about programming as you know it. It is more about having exstensive equipment knowledge and understanding of whole systems and how they integrate with each other. Along with the other subsystems you have to be familiar with. i.e. HVAC, Lighting, Security, Pools, Saunas, etc., etc.


Search here for others who have made the transition.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Crestron/

 

[WynsWrld98]

Thanks Studiocats. I just applied to become a member of that group.


I figured with my programming background I'd be a good candidate for getting into this angle of home theater.


Any recommendations of how to get up to speed on Crestron programming? Have you taken the training classes Crestron offers? Or were you an apprentice for someone and learned that way?


Thanks again,

Wayne

 

[Mark Rejhon]

WynsWrld98,


I transitioned my career from high-tech to computer programming for Home Theater sometime in year 2000-2001, just on the nick of time of the dotcom bust.


If you want more information, please reach me by email at http://www.rejtech.com ... I don't think I should post such information in a public forum.

 

[studiocats]

In order to get Crestron certified you have to attend all the training classes they offer for programming and pass a test. My suggestion is to buy some used gear and learn all you can on your own as you take the classes.


Good Luck!

 

[apatel]

Wayne,


I have close to 13 years of programming experience (C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, etc.). Most of that has been developing corporate systems. About 12 months ago I took my hobby, home theater and automation, and made it my full time career. I've completed most of the Crestron training and should be certified within the next 3-4 months. So far I've completed about 15 Crestron projects, and more than half of them have included lighting and advanced components like AudioRequest, Escient, etc.


From my experience I can say that there is very little in common between traditional programming and Crestron programming. There is a "C" like environment for advanced programming, but it isnt used too often in the begining, and I would suggest avoiding it entirely for at least the first 3 months. I


nstead, I would focus on learning topics like Digital Logic, analog and serial signals and most importantly, basic home theater components and their uses. If you want additional info please feel free to PM me.


Hope this helped.


Al

 

[CINERAMAX]

After the most recent firmware upgrade.


My client was skying in St Moritz when his pda informed him that his house was being robbed. I happened to be driving 4 am Miami by my clients building when I saw the Lutron system Flashing on and off.


An entire 40th floor flashing on and off. I called my client and indeed he had a false alarm.


I believe that crestron has kept their programming purposedly difficult to Window's People. The level of complexity indeed hides a lot of bugs that would otherwise be picked up if CRESTRON was more entirely Windows based.

 

[studiocats]

So it couldn't have been the Lutron sending a false alarm to the Crestron? Or bad programming to begin with?


BTW I do HWI programming also and Lutron's OS has had its share of instability lately. You might want to update that firmware also.

 

[Brent McCall]

I have to agree with Studiocats.

When I have encountered a problem with a crestron system it is always programming not product that is to blame.

Apatel is also correct. Understanding the hardware and cust. operation is much more important than having a business PC programming background.

Most PC programming types tend to cram to many buttons on a page.

 

[CINERAMAX]

Jimmy Durante of Duracom is among the most copetent Crestron programmers. There are 30 screens like these. http://www.plasmatvguru.com/Cretron%20Lutron%20copy.jpg



The system was working fine until the latest firmware upgrade. At that point some of Jimmy's software modules started crashing like the alarm that triggers the Lutron.


Believe me something is cuikoo at Crestron.

 

[David Richardson]

Not saying that Crestron is not at fault but it could be most anything. Maybe he can remote monitor the system over the net or leave a computer on site to log actions/reactions.


Dave

 

[CINERAMAX]

The events are random and unrelated, there are literally 6 miles of cable in this install, with 5 lutron panels 18 booster boxes, occupancy sensors, 26 motorised curtains, weather station that monitors 20 parameters, 6 cameras, robotic doors, Finger print ID, 7 VAV a/c zones, 16 music zones, audio request, a theater with four racks of equipment. It' scary.


And this is a year and a half after the owner ripped out of the walls the 10 year old AMX system.


The stainless steel plates alone that combine the Cres. Lutron cost $20G.


Programming costs of $30G. Before the new bug.


This is the 40 th story flat:

http://www.plasmatvguru.com/images/Bristol%20tower.jpg

 

[David Richardson]

Peter


I've had a call a few weeks ago. A board room crestron system we put in was going nuts. The screen would go up and down at random without the projector being on. Um! Well the ONLY way that screen will come down is if the relays on the processor close. Um! Change panel ID and all is well ! Seems like someone else on another floor had a system put in using same ID.


As far as firmware updates, I've created modules to do xxxx, depending on the speed of the processor and the ORDER in which they are in the program can make a difference. Etc. You get the idea.




Dave

 

[apatel]

Peter,


Crestron programming may be difficult for Windows programmers but I dont believe it was purposeful or is a conspiracy. The inital integration market for Crestron, and still the majority today, is made up of hardware installers who have a sound understanding of circuits, logice, etc. IMHO software developers make lousy hardware integrators/installers. Clearly the market is moving increasingly towards software implementation and I believe Crestron has identified this and from what I've heard the next generation of Crestron development software will be much more geared towards software developers. But I think this may lead to more "bad installs" in the short run because individuals with limited hardware experience will entering the market.


And firemware upgrades in the Crestron environment is like Windows software patches. In many instances where the Windows environment is interfacing with a hardware component (video, RAID drives, UPS's, etc.) patches cause unpredictable glitches. I think this is just the playing field for sofware based systems that can be upgraded and improved without replacing the hardware.


Just my 2 cents.


Al

 

[CINERAMAX]

Very valid points, except I don't think that these Hot Shot Programmers are so Hardware saavy. I think my hardware installs rip with double redundancy, built in robusteness, mercedes like attention to detail & fit, whilst being simple and super high performance. I had a very difficult time making Jimmy Durante do what I wanted in Dan Marino's Job.


This time around, when my client which is a xillionaire Eurostyle Home Automation Geek threw a wad of cash then, Jimmy started to listen.

But My client had to force him to do things over and over again.


The Hardware installer can have software tools with companies like xantech to do even the most cumbersome rs-232 strings.


Incidentally, did you know that some programmers bill out hex calculation time. Guess where there is a free hex calculator? Insidde windows. I'll do my own check sum values, thank yoiu very much.


If Xantech can do it Crestron is just a plump goat dragging it's feet.

 

[Tony Golden]

Quote:

Originally posted by CINERAMAX Incidentally, did you know that some programmers bill out hex calculation time. Guess where there is a free hex calculator? Insidde windows. I'll do my own check sum values, thank yoiu very much. If Xantech can do it Crestron is just a plump goat dragging it's feet.

It's quite likely the programmer was billing for deciphering and implementing the serial communications protocol, and not merely "hex calculation time". Also, there are many devices with very complex checksums, not easily calculated with a mere calculator, or even possible without a fairly sophisticated OS.


The advantage of processors like Crestron or AMX's, is that the complex checksums can be calculated "on the fly" using an equasion written by the programmer. Even if you could calculate the checksum manually yourself, it may not be feasible to calculate the value for *every* possible string. With an advanced control system, you can change only one or more parameters, and the controller will calculate and append the checksum byte(s) automatically. This type of coding provides much more flexibility, but can often be difficult to write -- *that's* what programmers charge for