The camera control program was designed to control a PictureTel PTZ camera, but any similar device could be controlled.

User interface for a cybiko camera controller

The operation of the cameracontrol program can be used in two mode:

• With the SerialRelay and optionally the Repeater program if additional RF distance is required.
• Direct RS232 serial mode.

PTZ Camera ← rs232 → SerialRelay ← RF → CameraControl

The basic operation of the camera control program is to transmit a pre-defined string to the attached camera head.

The Camera control program does actually run in Full Duplex mode, and any string sent from the PTZ camera will be recieved by the cameracontrol program, however, at this point in time it is simply displayed in the debug console and ignored.

• PictureTel command set for the PTZ-2N.
• Hardware specifications

The unit requires power at 12VDC - N.B. the centre pin of the power socket is -Ve. Serial port config is 9600, 1 start, 1 stop, 8 bits with Odd parity. Be sure to configure the Serial Relay program with these values.

The standard serial cable for the PTU terminates in a 9-way D-Type female connector. The Cybiko serial cable also terminates in a 9-way D-Type female. To connect these together, use two male D-Types wired with pins 5 to 5, 2 to 3 and 3 to 2.

To test that the camera is working before connecting the cybiko camera control rig you can verify it's operation with a http://www.bdlcam.com/ freeware Windows UI.

PictureTel Pan and Tilt unit
PictureTel Control unit

The first time the program is started no settings would have been setup so you will need to enter the camera control strings.

The top row of keys QWERTYUIOP was used to send a preset string due to the fact that when running this application on an Cybiko Xtreme the number keys required a function operation to be selected. Using Shift- with the preset key will send an alternate string this is useful for associating a SAVE PRESET string to be sent to the PTZ unit.

• <TAB> Cycle available modes
• <QWERTYUIOP> Send a preset
• Shift-<QWERTYUIOP> Send a preset (Alt)
• <Z> Send initialiZation seq
• <ENTER> Configuration options
• <SELECT> Invite remote Cybiko
• Fn-<SELECT> Screen dump
• <C> Clear debug console
• <J> Toggle wrap mode
• <D> Toggle debug console
• <L> Toggle line numbers
• <ESC> Exit the application

• Use %xx and hex to embed special characters.
• Use #nn and digits for wait period in seconds.
• <Enter> to change a setting
• <Arrows> to navigate
• <Esc> to exit

• When in 'Pan' mode, it would be really handy if there were a way to have keys that also allowed access to the zoom in/zoom out functions. e.g. Del for zoom in, Ins for zoom out.
• It is likely that there will be more than one camera being controlled from the one Cybiko. Currently, the only way to know which 'partner' camera the controller is connected to is to enter debug mode. Perhaps the partner info might be shown on the main screen (top LHS)?

7-Jul-06 0.7

• Can now operate in Direct RS232 tethered mode.

10-Jul-05 0.6

• Added FN-SELECT screendump to Camera.pic

18-Jun-05 0.5

• Added support for messages via the repeater
• Unified classic/xtreme releases.
• Remapped 0-9 to Qwertyuiop.
• Added SHIFT qwertyuiop to send the “Preset (save)” setting.
• Sub-menus for settings

11-Jun-05 0.4

• Added file camera.dat
• This has codes for reset/PTZ and one preset.
• Config file version management.
• 200 chars for initisation string
• W key toggle console window line wrapping
• Partner name on debug window
• Chars > 126 displayed as <xx> hex in debug console.

1-Jun-05 0.3

• Added feature
• Line numbers on debug console (L) toggles.
• C key clears the debug console.
• Control character expansion
• Debug window output auto wrap

29-May-05 0.2

• Added feature
• Send a buffer to a remote cybiko pausing for a number of seconds between buffer characters. If buffer contains #nn it is a delimiter for a string and a period in seconds to wait. 2 digits must always be supplied after the # character.
• Added <D> key debug console.

23-May-05 0.1

• Initial release, features
• 4 selectable modes
• Fully programmable buttons for down/up events in each mode
• Hex enterable command text using URL style escape character (%)
• 10 Definable presets
• Persistant configuration file independant of executable
• Startup initialisation string
• One shot or repeatable button events.