Spider and SchedSeven: Difference between revisions

Added spider hardware section
(Added old docswiki page)
(Added spider hardware section)
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Just two short years later, in the Summer of 2011, a project named [[docs:Tarantula]] was hatched, on account of the Video Server's software packing up and Spider being generally naff, to replace Skedular and the ageing Spider with an all singing, all dancing new scheduling and automation system ([[Michael Cullen]]'s new job in broadcast automation probably had something to do with it too).
Just two short years later, in the Summer of 2011, a project named [[docs:Tarantula]] was hatched, on account of the Video Server's software packing up and Spider being generally naff, to replace Skedular and the ageing Spider with an all singing, all dancing new scheduling and automation system ([[Michael Cullen]]'s new job in broadcast automation probably had something to do with it too).


== Spider ==
== Spider Software ==
This has been ripped out of the old docswiki page and preserved for posterity, since Spider is (not especially) sadly defunct.
This has been ripped out of the old docswiki page and preserved for posterity, since Spider is (not especially) sadly defunct.


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* Device Drivers -> USB Support -> USB Modem (CDC ACM) Support
* Device Drivers -> USB Support -> USB Modem (CDC ACM) Support
(setup instructions are WIP - nearly got it working right now!)
(setup instructions are WIP - nearly got it working right now!)
== Spider Hardware ==
Again, another one from the docswiki:
The main scheduling hardware is provided by the Hedco network mux - the NetMux.
This provides two 16 input, single output video muxes, and the same for stereo audio. Currently both video boards are fed from the same video sources from the distribution amplifier. Audio comes from the NetMuxBreakout, and currently only uses the campus network audio layer to feed both stream and network outputs via the compressor. For more details of the wiring see NetMuxWiring.
The network mux is controlled over a serial port from the custom NetMuxController built by Rob. This has a series of preset manual settings (to send live shows, vidserv, clock and inform to net / stream) and the Obey switch that gives the computer control system authority over the system. To cut other sources to net, use the mux front panel (for how, see the NetMux page).
The desk controller is plugged into a USB port on the old office PC which is now used to run SpiDer - the heart of the network control system. This accepts command requests from all the possible control sources (a command line interface and SchedSeven currently), and sets the highest priority requests onto the hardware.
The firmware within the NetMuxController is currently being updated to move away from using serial emulation over USB to communicating using a lower level access to the USB and a custom protocol. This custom protocol is defined in SpiderUSBProtocol.