NEXUS AND LASERDISC PLAYERS------------------- Nexus works with Pioneer's excellent and popular series of LaserVision players. Specifically, Nexus will work with the Pioneer models 2200, 4200 & 8000. It REQUIRES that the cable for the player be attached to the modem serial port of the GS. Be sure that the baud rate is set to 4800 in the GS control panel. Pioneer's LaserVision players are quite powerful and versitile, and while most programs use only a tiny fraction of the player's features, Nexus gives you complete control of ALL the LaserVision's capabilities, including not only playing a section, or showing a single frame, but : setting all scan rates; multiscanning; printing text on the screen; changing screen displays; changing access modes; changing user-register; setting the speed; adjusting sound; open/close the drawer; locking out the controls; ...and ALL other features! Additionally, Nexus allows you to combine commands into a "script" so that multiple player-actions can happen at the press of a single key! (For example, if your link was to the name of a painter, and your laserdisc was the National Gallery of Art, you could establish a script which would : go to the disc; show a single frame a one painting; put some text overlayed on top describing the painting; wait for the user/student to press a key; proceed to the next example painting; put up a different text-overlay; wait for a keypress; and then show 2 minutes of the tour of the national gallery which involved that painter's period. .....All with a single click on the Nexus link!) Nexus can tell the user which disc to use with this set of links; open and close the drawer automatically for the user (on the 2200); and even knows which side of the disc to use, and will prompt the user to turn it over if the wrong side is up! Naturally, Nexus keeps it all simple to do as well... CONTROLING A PIONEER LASERDISC PLAYER---------- Controling the LaserVision is really pretty simple, and Nexus has tried to make it even more simple for you. The actual commands are straight-forward: for example to find, say, frame # 2234, the Pioneer player wants the command "2234SE" ( the SE is for SEarch). To start playing, the Pioneer command is "PL", for PLay. You may either enter these commands yourself, or have Nexus do it for you: we've tried to make it both simple and versitile. When adding a link to the video disk for the first time, or playing back the first link to the video disc, you will be asked to verify that you have the LaserVision player attached to your computer, and that you have a disk installed, and the machine IS ON. If the laser player is not powered on THE PROGRAM WILL HANG UP AND YOU'LL HAVE TO REBOOT! If you do not have a player, or do not want to use it, answer by clicking on the "No Player" button. From then on, during this Nexus session, the laser player option will be disabled. To use the laser player again, you'll have to exit the program and start over. In order to access the add-video-link screen, select "Add Link" as usual. After you have selected your word to link, and the file-open dialog box comes up, you'll notice a button at the top of the dialog box named "LaserDisc". By clicking on this, you'll be taken to the video-link screen. THE VIDEO LINK SCREEN (If you're going through this for the first time, we suggest that you wait until you get to the examples before trying anything: it will help to understand it first. The "panic button" is labeled "Reset" and is near the lower right of the screen.) Across the top, you'll see four buttons: Record, Stop, Try & Accept. Here's what they do: Record: by clicking on this button, each action you take with the other controls (which send commands to the player) will be 'recorded' on the script pad in the lower right hand corner, instead of being sent directly out to the player. When you first start, the script pad is not displayed. To display the pad, click on "Record". Stop: stops sending your commands to the script pad and starts sending them directly to the player. This also causes the script pad to be removed from the screen, but without losing any commands you have entered. Try : sends out to the player all the commands currently on the script pad. The script pad does not need to be displayed for "Try" to work. In fact, we suggest that you first turn OFF record before choosing "Try" since you may otherwise add something to the script-pad which you did not intend! Accept: click here when you are satisfied with the script and want to file it in the Nexus set, so that it will be executed when the user clicks on the linked word (or area of a graphic). If this is the very first link to a video disc, you'll be asked to enter a name for the disc. This name will be recorded by Nexus, so that when the user tries to play his/her very first video link, a message will appear, not only remining them to turn on the player, but telling them the name of the disc which this Nexus set uses (the name you entered above). Nexus also records which side of the disc to use. Since Nexus is free-form this will (on the model 2200 player) open the drawer ask the user to flip over the disc close the drawer then play the link IF the incorrect side was up when the link was retrieved. In the lower right-hand corner, is the button "Cancel": it cancels everthing done so far (except "Accept") and exits the video link dialog. Reset : resets the player to it's normal mode - the same as when you first entered the video-link window. This is IMMEDIATE command: it cannot be scripted. (Consider it your "Panic Button"...) It sets: video ON audio STEREO RegA 7 motor ON pause ON display ON mode FRAME (or time if CLV) clearScreen ON KeyLock OFF Recording OFF scriptPad EMPTY Speed NORMAL StopMark CLEARED All the rest of the pop-up menus, buttons and text-editing controls are used to send commands to the player (or the script pad, if recording is on.) At the bottom left you'll see a row of buttons. These are much like the buttons on a tape recorder, but with an extra pair on the end. Here's what they do: Play: starts the player playing. Still: freezes the frame (on a CAV/standard play disc) or pauses (with a CLV/extended play disc). (Hit Play to resume.) < & >: steps forward or back a single frame at a time (CAV only). << & >>: scans forward or backward about 500 frames at a time. <<< & >>>: the "multi-scan" function. This is similar to play, but will work either forward or backward, and will run at a rate which you can set with the "Speed" pop-up menu. The normal speed is 30 fps (frames per second), but you can go at up to triple speed (90 fps) or as slow as 1 frame per second. (Sound is disabled when using multi-scan). The Pop-Up Menus----------------- Speed: this pop-up is used to select the frame rate for the multi-scan feature. You may select from triple-time to 1 frame per second. It defaults to 30 fps (normal speed). Sound: lets you select either channel, both or no-sound. Stereo is the default. Mode: This is the access method by which you'll be finding locations on the disc. CAV disks ues either chapter or frame mode. CLV discs may use chapter and do use time. Usually, you'll select Frame mode for CAV and Time mode for CLV. Frame is the default. In the Frame mode, you'd do a search for frame number 12345 as "12345SE" and in the time mode, to goto 0 hrs 18 min 22 sec you'd use "01822SE". In the chapter mode, going to chaper 7 is "7SE". Misc: Commands which didn't fit in any other menu... Open: opens the drawer. Close: closes the drawer. Start: starts the motor. Reject: turns off the motor. Clear: clears the players input buffer, including any numbers; Search, stopmarker, and AutoStop. ClearScreen: clears text from the screen (but not the FTC display) Video: toggles the display of video on or off Lock: toggles access to the player's remote & keys on/off. Display: toggles the FTC (frame/time/chapter) display on/off Pause: inserts a pause command Special Nexus-only commands: Wait: inserts a command to wait for a keypress before doing the next command. Show Wait: same as above but puts a message on the screen. Use Arrows: toggles use of the keyboard arrow-keys on or off in the playback mode. The right & left arrow-keys will step forward or backward by a single frame (on a CAV disc). The up-arrow will start forward play; the down-arrow will do a still or pause. If you are allowing the use of arrows, then "<+>" will appear on the screen in the lower-left corner, indicating that the keys are active. The user may them use the arrow-keys AND the ESCape key to exit the video play. Enabling use of the arrow keys makes life nicer for the user, but it also gives him or her control over the range of the disc, and not just the area you have specified. Values : These commands REQUIRE that a number FIRST be entered in the small box just below this menu BEFORE selecting one of these menu items. ONLY NUMBERS will be accepted. This one-line tall box is called the "number-box". To enter a number click the mouse pointer in the box. To clear out a number in the box, press the "Clear" key on the keyboard's keypad. All standard editing features are enabled. THEN, once you have the number you want showing in the box, use the Values menu-items to select which command the number applies to. For example, to enter the command to search for frame number 1234, enter "1234" in the one-line box and then click on the Values menu, and, holding the button down, slide it to the word "Search" and release the button. (If you have Recording on, you'll then see "1234SE" appear on the script-pad; if recording is not on the machine will immediately search for that frame.) In the following, the two letters in (parenthesis) are the actual command sent by Nexus to the player Print (PR): enter a number between 1 & 11 for the line on which you wish to print UP TO 20 characters. (Then to actually do the printing, enter the text (IT MUST BE LESS THAN 21 CHARACTERS LONG!!) and press return. If you have recording on, here's exactly how you'd print the text "Hello World" on line 5: (optional: Click on "Reset") Click on "Record" enter the number 5 in the NUMBER-BOX select Print from the VALUE-menu click the mouse BELOW the line "5PR" which is now on the script-PAD type in Hello World (no quote marks) and press return (click on the "Try" button to see it work) NOTE!!! this will work ONLY if you have set RegA to the number 7. THIS IS DONE AUTOMATICALLY FOR YOU BY NEXUS, but it may have been reset accidentally. If so, the print command won't show you anthing. The command for setting RegA to 7 (enabling screen printing) is : 7RA. Search (SE): this will search for the frame number you entered in the number-box. StopMark (SM): this is the frame or time where playing will automatically quit. MultiRight (MF) MultiLeft (MR): using the speed number you have entered this will do a multi-scan either Forward or Reversed at that rate. StopPlay (PL) : starts playing and will continue to play until the number you entered is reached (time or frame). There ARE additional commands which are NOT included in the pop-up menus. You DO have access to these commands, but you'll have to type them in yourself: using the script-pad. script-Pad---------------- The script-pad not only shows you what you've recorded but just it can be used by itself to enter a script: it is a fully editable pad. In fact, after you've grown used to the commands, you probably find yourself using this feature _more_ than the menus and buttons: just type in what you want to have happen, "Try" it, and either re-edit or "Accept" it. To get the script-pad, click on "Record". Click on "Stop" to make it go away without losing your commands. The script-pad is FULLY EDITABLE with standard Apple controls (ie double clicking; cut, paste, delete and clear). Thus, to clear it out, highlight all the text you want to remove, and press the "clear" or "delete" key. --------------------------------------------------- How To Do Simple Links... ...using just the buttons and pop-up menus. (Suggestion: just read the following first; in only a few paragraphs are some examples for you to try...) When the video-link window opens, you are in the "immediate" mode: that is, any commands you give the player will happen right away. YOU ARE NOT MAKING A LINK WHEN YOU ARE IN THIS MODE: you're just "messin' with the player". (Go ahead...it's FUN!) To actually make a link, you have to turn recording on. This is done by clicking on the button "Record". Now, all the commands you issue will appear on the script-pad, instead of immediately going out to the player. To see if you've got it just right, click on the "Try" button. This will send the commands on the script-pad out to the player, one at a time, first to last. The script pad is fully editable, just like a "mini- word processor". When you're satisfied with the script, click on the "Accept" button: this will actually establish the link by updating the Nexus.set and will then exit from the video-link window. (To see the link in action, naturally all you have to do from now on is just click on the linked word/graphic...) The most common player command is "SE": SEarch. By entering a number followed immediately by SE (12345SE) the player is instructed to search for that numbered frame, if you are in the Frame mode. If you are in the Time mode, you number should be expressed as HourMinuteSecond. Thus 05923 is 0 hours, 59 minutes and 23 seconds. In the Chapter mode, the number is a chapter number: 5SE searches for the fifth chapter. The next most common command is "PL": PLay. If you do not enter a number before the PL, then playing will begin where you currently are on the disc. If you DO enter a number before the PL (ie 12345PL) then playing will begin from where you are, and then STOP when the number is reached. From these two we can see that to play a particular section of a disc, all you have to do is 1) SEarch for the place to start (ie 12345SE) 2) PLay until you get to the stopping point (ie 13000PL) HOW THE COMMANDS WORK: The Pioneer player must fully complete one command before starting another. This means that if you tell the player to SEarch for frame 0, it cannot do anything else until it has found frame #0. Likewise, if you then tell it to play until it reaches frame 30000 ( 30000PL), then it cannot execute any other commands until it has reached frame #30000. That's why, for example, there is a difference between the SM (Stop Mark) command and the PL (Play) command. (See example #6 for more information). EXAMPLES (At last! you actually get to try some...) So, here's how to.. A) make a link which will goto a place on the disc; start playing and quit when you get to another place: (Click on the RESET Button if you have been " 'messin' around ".) 1) Be sure recording is off (the script pad will be missing...) by clicking on the STOP button. 2) Goto the place you want to start playing. Do this by pressing the PLAY button and then hitting the STILL button when you get there. You can use the STEP buttons [ < or > ] ( if you're using a CAV disc) to get the exact position. 3) Click on the RECORD button to turn recording on. 4) From the VALUES menu, click on SEARCH. (Verify that there is no number in the NUMBER BOX: turning on Record clears the NUMBER BOX for you. If you click on any value item and there is no number in the number box, the Nexus will get and use the CURRENT value.) This will insert a SEarch with the current frame number. 5) Click on STOP to turn recording back OFF. 6) Now find the point where you want to stop. You can use the single frame step buttons as noted above to get it just right. 7) Click on the RECORD button to turn recording on. 8) Once again from the VALUES menu, click on STOPPLAY. Nexus will supply the proper frame number for you. 9) Click on STOP to turn recording back OFF. Click on TRY to try it out. (If you want to KEEP the link, you'd next lick on the ACCEPT button to establish the link.) (Here's the 'expert' way to do the same thing: type these two lines into the script-pad: 12345SE (search for frame 12345) 13000PL (play until frame 13000 is reached) ) -------------------------------------- B) goto a frame and show it (Click on the RESET Button if you have been " 'messin' around ".) 1) Be sure recording is off (the script pad will be missing...) by clicking on the STOP button. 2) Goto the frame you want to show. 3) Click on the RECORD button to turn recording on. 4) From the VALUES menu, click on SEARCH. 5) Click on STOP to turn recording back OFF. Click on TRY to try it out. (Here's the 'expert' way to do the same thing - if you want frame #23456 , then type into the script-pad this line: 23456SE ) ------------------------------------------------------- Here are some samples of the most common links you'll be making, and how they will appear on the script-pad: 1) goto a place on the disc; start playing and quit when you get to another place: 23456SE 23900PL (search for frame 23456: 23456SE play until frame 23900 23900PL) 2) goto a frame and show it 23456SE 3) show 9 frames (beginning at frame 23456) at 1 second intervals and stop 2SP (set the speed = 2 x the desired fps) 23456SE (search for the first frame -#23456) 23465SM (set the stop make 9 frames later - at 23465) MF (start multi-scan Forward at rate 1) or 2SP 23456SE 23465MF 4) show 3 frames (begin at 23456), put up a text overlay about the first, wait for a keypress before going on to the next. 7RA (usually optional, just just to be sure...) 23456SE 1PR (on the first line...) Flemish Painters (print this line - it's < 20 chars long) 11PR (on the last line...) any key continues... (print this - exactly 20 chars) WA (Nexus WAIT for keypress command) CS (clear the screen) Note: Nexus has a special command which is the same as typing the previous 4 lines: WK SF (Step forward 1 frame) WK SF (Step forward 1 frame) WK 5) Tell the user to turn over the disc PA (pause) 7RA (see above) 8PR Please turn the disc 9PR to the other side... WK OP (open the drawer for them) WK CO (close the drawer) 6) using the arrow-keys (goto a location on the disk and play, allowing the user to use the arrow-keys to pause or step during playback.) 12345SE 30000SM (this is important!!! DO NOT USE 30000PL!!) WU PL (Here's why you MUST use the Stop Mark command: the player has to FULLY execute a command before the next one is accessible. If you had used 30000PL, the player would have to reach frame # 30000 before the keyboard could be checked for a keypress. Instead, you should set the Stop Mark (ie 30000SM) which takes only a moment to complete, then issue a PLay command. Since this simply starts playing, it too takes just a moment, and the keyboard can be checked almost immediately...) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the commands for the Pioneer LD-V2200/4800/8000 series of players. Not all commands work on all players. (In the following, * means an optional number may preceed the command ie 2345PL or PL & means a number MUST preceed the command ie 2345SE # means see the footnote ) OPEN OP open drawer (2200 only) REJECT RJ stop disc rotation START SA start disc rotation PLAY PL * play (*play until) PAUSE PA pause STILL ST still frame STEP FORWARD SF move ahead one frame STEP REVERSE SR move back one frame SCAN FORWARD NF scan forward by about 500 frames SCAN REVERSE NR ditto except in reverse MULTI-SPEED FORWARD MF * scan at rate set in SPeed (*ms until) MULTI-SPEED REVERSE MR ditto except in reverse SPEED SP & set the speed for multi-scan SEARCH SE & search for a frame/time/chapter STOP MARKER SM & set the stop marker FRAME FR set the mode to frame access TIME TM set the mode to time access CHAPTER CH set the mode to chapter access AUDIO CONTROL AD & turns sound on/off/channels VIDEO CONTROL VD & turns the picture on/off DISPLAY CONTROL DS & turns the display of access mode on/off CLEAR CL clears the last command FRAME NUMBER REQUEST ?F returns the current frame number TIME CODE REQUEST ?T returns the current time CHAPTER NUMBER REQUEST ?C returns the current chapter PLAYER ACTIVE REQUEST ?P #1 returns coded string about player's state DISC STATUS REQUEST ?D #2 retruns coded string about type of disc COMMUNICATION CONTROL CM & #3 CCR MODE REQUEST ?M #3 DOOR CLOSE CO close drawer LVP MODEL NAME REQUEST ?X returns coded string for player model # KEY LOCK KL & turns access to remote/front panel on/off REG A SET (DISPLAY) RA & #3 REG B SET (SQ CONT) RB & #3 REG C SET (MISC) RC & #3 CLEAR SCREEN CS clears the PRinted stuff from the screen PRINT PR & sets line for following text print to screen LEAD OUT SYMBOL LO #3 REG A REQUEST $A #3 REG B REQUEST $B #3 REG C REQUEST $C #3 --------------- #1 replies: P00 = door open P01 = disc not spinning P04 = normal play going on P05 = still picture P06 = Pause P09 = playing at multi-speed #2 replies: ABCDE a = disc loaded 1 = yes 0 = no b = CAV/CLV CLV CAV c = disc size 8 12 d = disc side 2 1 e = chapter code yes no ('X' = unknown) #3 these indicate a sophisticated code generally not needed for normal programming of a Pioneer player. Users interested in these codes should request a manual, as noted below. We should note however, that Register A must be set to 7 for printing commands to function. Nexus takes care of this for you... ------------------------------------ We at dataSmith would like to thank Pioneer for their kind permission in allowing us to include the above information for you. If you would like to recieve the full manual for programming the Pioneer series of laser players, simply address a note to: Pioneer Corporation of America Laser Optical Products Division 3545 Long Beach Blvd. Suite #400 Long Beach, CA 90807 --------------------------------------------------------- Miscellaneous Notes: Special nexus commands: WA = wait-for-keypress WK = WA + "any key continues..." at the bottom of the screen WU = Let the user use the arrow keys during a display, and prints "<+>" at the bottom-left of the screen. Limitations: 251 characters total per link.