Overview :
This MXM lets the user
play with and control the audio MiniDisc player, model MDS-B5. Two modes
are available : CONTINUE and MULTI SELECT. Some facilities are available
in only one given mode.
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Installation (MXM) :
No special installation required.
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Creation (Device) :
Device creation window
:

COM Port : Com port number used to communicate
with the Device. Only one device can be connected to one given Com port at
a time.
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Commands (List Of) :
Stop :
Restrictions
: None. Description : Stops the device (either playing
or recording). Parameters : None.
Prepare Play :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop” (practically, command "Locate" must have been
issued immediately before). Description : When a track has
been located (see command “Locate”), fills the audio buffer with the
beginning of the track, so the playing of the track (see command
“Play”) will be instantaneous. Parameters :
None.
Play :
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Pause". It must be preceded by command
“Prepare Play” ("continue" mode), or by command
“Pause”. Description : Starts playing audio, or restarts
playing audio after pause. Parameters :
None.
Pause :
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Play” or “Record”. Description
: Suspends either playing or recording. Parameters :
None.
Prepare Record :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop”. Description : Prepares the player for
recording, so the recording of the track (see command “Record”) will
start instantaneously. Parameters :
None.
Record :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Pause” : it then must be preceded by “Prepare Record”
command, or “Pause” command. Description : Starts recording
audio. Parameters : None. Get Track List :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop". Description : Retrieves the amount of
tracks on the disc, and their titles. The titles are copied onto
system variable "TrackNameList". Parameters :
None.
Next Track :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop" or "Pause". Current track cannot be the last
track of the disc. Description : Locates the next
track. Parameters : None.
Previous Track :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop" or "Pause". Current track cannot be the first
track of the disc. Description : Locates the previous
track. Parameters : None.
Locate :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode”). Current
status must be “Stop" or "Pause". Description : Locates any
track on the disc. Parameters : Acces Mode : [Type
: Enum] : Specifies if either the track number or the track name will
be used to locate it.
Availables
values : "By Index" : Parameter "Track Index" will be used,
and parameter "Track Name" will be filled out if available. "By
Name" : Parameter "Track Name" will be used, and parameter "Track
Index" will be filled out. Warning : You must be sure that command
"Get Track List" has been issued previously, so the name is
available. Track Index : [Type : Integer] : Number of the track.
The first track has number "1". Track Name : [Type : String]
: Name of the track. The content of the system variable
"TrackNameList" must be up to date (command "Get Track List" must have
been issued previously). The search for the name in the track name
list is not case-sensitive (i.e. "DuMMy" equals
"dUmmY").
Get Track Info :
Restrictions
: None. Description : Retrieves information about any
track on the disc. Parameters : Acces Mode : [Type
: Enum] : Specifies if either the track number or the track name will
be used to access it.
Availables
values : "By Index" : Parameter "Track Index" will be used,
and parameter "Track Name" will be filled out if available. "By
Name" : Parameter "Track Name" will be used, and parameter "Track
Index" will be filled out. Warning : You must be sure that command
"Get Track List" has been issued previously, so the name is
available. Track Index : [Type : Integer] : Number of the track.
The first track has number "1". Track Name : [Type : String]
: Name of the track. The content of the system variable
"TrackNameList" must be up to date (command "Get Track List" must have
been issued previously). The search for the name in the track name
list is not case-sensitive (i.e. "DuMMy" equals
"dUmmY"). Duration : [Type : Time] : Duration of the track
in hour, minutes and seconds.
Set Track Name :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode"). Current
status must be “Stop". Description : Allows the user to set
or modify the title of a track. Parameters : Track
Index : [Type : Integer] : Number of the track. The first track
has number "1". Track Name : [Type : String] : Name of the
track. The only 100 first characters are used. Marked characters are
translated (i.e. "é", "è", "ê" or "ë" are stored as
"e").
Set Disc Name :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode"). Current
status must be “Stop". Description : Allows the user to set
or modify the title of the disc. Parameter : Disc
Name : [Type : String] : Name of the disc. The only 100 first
characters are used. Marked characters are translated (i.e. "é", "è",
"ê" or "ë" are stored as "e").
Select Audio Input :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode"). Current
status must be “Stop". Description : Allows the user to
select which of the three audio inputs is to be used when
recording. Parameter : Source Type : [Type : Enum]
: Specifies the desired audio source.
Availables
values : "Analog" : Refer to documentation of player for
details. "Digital (AES/EBU)" : Refer to documentation of player
for details. "Digital (coaxial)" : Refer to documentation of
player for details.
Eject :
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Stop”. Description : Ejects
the disc. Parameters : None.
Lock Front Panel :
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Stop". Description : Allows
the user to disable or enable the keys on front side of
player. Parameter : Mode : [Type : Enum] :
Specifies the desired mode.
Availables
values : "Disabled" : Pressing any key on front side of
player will have no effect (except key "Eject"). "Enabled" :
Pressing any key on front side of player will have direct
effect.
Play Mode :
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Stop". Description : Allows
the user to switch between the two available modes : "continue" or
"multi access". Parameter : Play Mode : [Type :
Enum] : Specifies the desired mode.
Availables
values : "Continue" : This is the "normal" mode. "Multi
Access" : Allows the user to play tracks grouped in a list of up
to 10 tracks (see commands starting with "MultiAccess..."
hereafter).
MultiAccess Clear List :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “multi-access” (see command “Play Mode”).
Current status must be “Stop". Description : Clears the set
of up to 10 tracks stored in the 10 available slots in multi-access
mode. Parameters : None.
MultiAccess Register Track
:
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “multi-access” (see command “Play Mode").
Current status must be “Stop". Description : Stores any
track into one of the 10 available slots. Warning : user must start by
storing a track in slot #1, then in slot #2, and so
on. Parameters : Acces Mode : [Type : Enum] :
Specifies if either the track number or the track name will be used.
Availables
values : "By Index" : Parameter "Track Index" will be
used. "By Name" : Parameter "Track Name" will be used. Warning
: You must be sure that command "Get Track List" has been issued
previously, so the name is available (remember that command "Get
Track List" cannot be issued in "multi-access"mode).
Track
Index : [Type : Integer] : Number of the track. The first track
has number "1". Track Name : [Type : String] : Name of the
track. The content of the system variable "TrackNameList" must be up
to date (command "Get Track List" must have been issued previously).
The search for the name in the track name list is not case-sensitive
(i.e. "DuMMy" equals "dUmmY"). Slot Number : [Type :
Integer] : Specifies the desired slot number where to register the
track. Warning : when registering tracks, always start with slot #1,
then slot #2, and so on.
MultiAccess Load Slots in
Memory :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “multi-access” (see command “Play Mode”).
Current status must be “Stop". Description : Starts reading
the beginning of the tracks registered in the slots for further
instant playback. Parameters : None.
MultiAccess Instant Playback
:
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “multi-access” (see command “Play Mode”).
Current status must be “Stop", "Pause" or "Play". Command "MultiAccess
Load Slots in Memory" must have been issued previously while still in
"multi-access mode". Description : Starts playing
immediately any of the up to 10 tracks registered in the slots. When a
track is played using this command, it can then be paused using
command "Pause", and restarted using command "Play". Parameter
: Slot Number : [Type : Integer] : Specifies the desired
slot number to playback immediately.
Cue :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode"). Current
status must be “Play". Description : Allows the user to move
fast inside the currently played track, forward or
backward. Parameter : Direction : [Type : Enum] :
Specifies the desired sense.
Availables
values : "Forward" : Moving is performed
forward. "Backward" : Moving is performed
backward.
Cue Standby:
Restrictions
: Current status must be “Play". Description : Goes back
to the beginning of the playing. Parameters :
None.
Erase Track :
Restrictions
: Play mode must be “continue” (see command “Play Mode"). Current
status must be “Stop". Description : Deletes or erases any
track on the disc. Parameter : Track Index : [Type
: Integer] : Number of the track. The first track has number
"1".
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Variables (List Of) :
CurrentStatus:
Type :
Enum. Description : Current status of the
device. Available Values :
"Play" : The
device is playing. "Pause" : The device is paused. "Stop" :
The device is stopped. "Eject" : The disc is being
ejected. "Disc Out" : No disc is present in the device. "Cue
Forward" : The device is in fast forward play. "Cue Reverse" :
The device is in fast rewind (backward) play. "TOC Writing" : The
device is writing datas on the disc. "Record Standby" : A pause
has been issued during recording. CurrentError :
Type :
Enum. Description : Last occured error. Available
Values :
"No Error" : No
error. "Command Error" : The last command could not be completed
because it was not supported in current state. "Not Online" :
Communication with the device is corrupted. DiscName :
Type :
String. Description : Name of the disc. This information is
automatically updated when a disc is inserted.
TrackCount :
Type :
Integer. Description : Amount of tracks on the disc. This
information is automatically updated when a disc is
inserted.
TrackNameList :
Type :
String. Description : List of the titles of the tracks on
the disc. This information is updated when command "Get Track List" is
completed, and cleared when the disc is ejected.
CurrentTrackNumber :
Type :
Integer. Description : Number of current track. This value
can be 0 (zero) if no track location has yet been performed on a just
inserted disc.
RemainingRecordTime :
Type :
Time. Description : Time remaining on the disc for
recording. This information is automatically updated when a disc is
inserted.
Local :
Type :
Enum. Description : Current availability of keys on front
side of player (updated after command "Locak Front Panel" is
completed). Available Values :
"Disabled" :
Pressing keys on front side of player has no effect. "Enabled" :
Pressing any key on front side of player has direct
effect.
CommandCompleted :
Type :
Enum. Description : Indicates if a command is still in
progress or not. This variable should be tested when its results must
be known before continuing (i.e. "Get Track List"). Available
Values :
"Not Yet" : A
command is still in progress. "Yes" : The last command has
reached completion.
PlayMode :
Type :
Enum. Description : Indicates current mode ("continue" or
"multi-access"). Available Values :
"Continue" :
This is the "normal" mode. "Multi Access" : Allows the user to
play tracks grouped in a list of up to 10 tracks (see commands
starting with "MultiAccess..." above).
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Support (Difference with previous versions) :
V 1.0.1:
- Added: support of Showmaster
V 1.0.2:
- Bug Fixed: device doesn't communicate after the serial port has been changed
- Bug Fixed: device stops communication after a disc is reinserted
- Bug Fixed: disc name is sometimes not updated after a disc is inserted
- Added: Support for Showmaster.
V 1.0.3:
- Bug Fixed: when cueing backward, the status was "play"
- Bug Fixed: when recording, the status was "record standby"
- Improvement: When sending "Record" while the device is paused, now the device accept the command and goes in "Record Standby"
- Bug Fixed: the status variable was not updated when the device was disconnected
V 1.0.4:
- Fixed: delay at start for improving the first infos retrieving
V 1.0.5:
- Added: support of Showmaster Pro
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