I don't think that Radio Shack was responding to us when they started selling this: Model number 26-152 (I tried to post the link, but this system won't let me post links yet), but it is a 6' female to female straight through serial cable.
There are cables made for about all types of pinouts, and I'm not saying things to be a jerk, but because most CE manufacturers simply choose to ignore industry standards.
Seriously, you talk about "should be" and "standards" where there aren't any. There are "conventions" but even then they are all over the board. If you talk to the engineers at Crestron (arguably they know more about this than most of us-- also we are the interntaional distribution point for their products), they will agree that products are all over the board. This is why most installers just wire their own cables the way they need.
This is not correct. There are standards, and they are used by every single computer manufacturer in the world, as well as Crestron.
EIA-574 standard, as shown here:
http://www.arcelect.com/rs232.htm
Your competition, including Barco and Clarity as well as a long list of others utilize input and output RS-232 DB9 connections which follow industry standard: Input = DB9F TX2, RX3, Gnd5 - Output DB9M RX2, RX3, Gnd5
When 100% of PCs follow this standard, Crestron follows this standard, and your competition follows this standard, I would say that you are incorrect when you say that there is no standard.
It is more accurate to say that much of the industry doesn't care enough to actually understand the standards in place to follow through with them on their products.
You should know that in the world of consumer AV and custom installation, we are one of the most highly regarded to work with. We were the first to the game with all discrete IR codes, DC triggers and more. We are one of the few that includes not only direct flasher inputs, but IR receiver inputs which can directly power a separate IR system with no connecting block necessary. And if you are to believe Crestron, we have one of the best 232 protocols in the industry.
So is it cocky, or is there room for improvement? Seriously, step back because I'm not going off on it as a bunch of crap product. It really bugs me when the rhetoric from companies emphasizes how great they are instead of recognizing areas they could actually improve upon.
Such as:
Does this projector actually have voluntary feedback, or must it be polled for status update?
Does this projector instantly turn on and then off? If not, why are there only two power states? Shouldn't there be four? At least? Power Off, Warming Up, Power On, and Cooling Down.
What if there is a lamp failure or some other problem that is preventing the projector from turning on? Is that reported via serial?
I'm not here to complain about the image quality, or other things which are good with the projector, or even to complain about the serial protocols that are there. It is just that if you think there isn't room for improvement, and that others don't have better, then you are incorrect, and I would consider how to improve as a company everytime a new model comes out so that it can be better.
FYI: In my years dealing with Marantz products, your projectors have stood out head and shoulders above other products I have used from the company for quality and controlability. Yet, I wouldn't go so far as to say that the controlability of the projector is better than many other companies out there. I would consider it close to average.
Anyway thanks for the interest!
That's all it is man, interest in the product.
