GuidePort Software Short User Guide Version 1.0 of 27 July 2000 Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG Am Labor 1 30900 Wedemark Germany Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 SETTING UP THE BASE STATION HARDWARE...................................................3 INSTALLING THE CELL TRANSMITTER LOADER SOFTWARE.....................4 CENTRAL UNIT PC .......................................................................................................6 3.1 3.2 3.3 CENTRAL UNIT SOFTWARE...........................................................................6 DATABASE DRIVER...........................................................................................7 PALMTOP SOFTWARE .....................................................................................8 CREATING A GUIDEPORT INSTALLATION FOR YOUR EXHIBITION ..........9 ANNOUNCEMENTS.....................................................................................................18 DOWNLOADING THE CONFIGURATION FILES TO THE GUIDEPORT TRANSMITTERS ..........................................................................................................19 GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 2 Setting Up the Base Station Hardware 1 First connect all Cell Transmitters via a USB hub to a Base Station PC. Then connect the Base Station PC to your local area network. Via the network, the Base Stations are connected to a Central Unit PC. Cental Unit PC with:
Sound Card, capable of 32 kHz sampling rate G7.22++ converter and announcement software GP CU software Base Station PC with CT Loader Local Area Network Base Station PC with CT Loader Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter USB-Hub Base Station Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter Cell Transmitter USB-Hub Base Station Figure 1: System Set-Up N.B.:
Instead of a local area network solution with separate Central Unit PC and Base Station PC, you can also work with only one PC or laptop computer with Windows 98 and a USB connector. Via the USB, the Base Station PC detects the IDs of all Cell Transmitters connected to it, and transfers the configuration files to the Cell Transmitters. (N.B.: These configuration files will be created later with the Central Unit Software, see chapter 4) When starting the Base Station PC or hot plugging the Cell Transmitters into the PC, a Windows 98 message will inform you about the detection of a new USB device. Please insert the USB Driver disk to install the missing driver. Now your hardware is ready for the installation of Software. the Cell Transmitter Loader GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 3 2 Installing the Cell Transmitter Loader Software Insert the Cell Transmitter Loader disk and run setup.exe to install the Cell Transmitter Loader Software on your Base Station PC. The following screen will be shown:
Click [Next] to continue installation. The InstallShield assistant will suggest a destination directory where to install the program files. You may either accept the proposed path or click
[Browse] to choose a different path. Please make a note of the path as you will need it later for setting up the cell transmitters. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 4 Installation will then continue. The Shield assistant will close automatically when the program has been installed. Now start the Cell Transmitter Loader program from the program directory of the Windows 98 start menu. The following window will be displayed:
Switch on all Cell Transmitters connected to your Base Station PC. Click
[Find Transmitter] to locate the transmitters. The number and IDs of all transmitters found will be displayed:
Number of transmitters found Transmitter ID Buttons for selecting for a transmitter GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 5 The Cell Transmitter Loader Software will create a TXxxxxxx.ini file in its destination path for every transmitter it has found. These files will be used later for configuring the transmitters with the Central Unit Software. Now you have to install the Central Unit Software on your Central Unit PC. N.B.:
Instead of a local area network solution with separate Central Unit PC and Base Station PC, you can also work with only one PC or laptop computer with Windows 98 and a USB connector. 3 Central Unit PC The Central Unit PC is at the heart of the GuidePort system. It serves to configure the entire GuidePort installation with its cells, transmitters, events and identifiers. 3.1 Central Unit Software Insert the Central Unit Software disk and run setup.exe to install the program on your Central Unit PC. The following screen will be shown:
The InstallShield assistant will then suggest a destination directory where to install the program files. You may accept the proposed path or click
[Browse] to choose a different directory. In order to run the Central Unit Software, you now have to install the GuidePort database driver. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 6 3.2 Database Driver the first disk of GuidePort Database Driver Ver. 3.5 and start Insert Setup.exe to install the driver. The following window will be displayed:
Select both items and click [Next] to continue. The next window contains additional, optional data formats:
Select all formats and click [Next] to start the installation. When the program asks for disks 2 and 3, insert the respective disk and click [OK] to continue installation. When the installation has been completed a message will be displayed. Click [OK] to leave the InstallShield assistant. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 7 3.3 Palmtop Software To complete the configuration of your GuidePort installation, install the identifier programming software on your 3Com Palm IIIx or PalmV. First install the Palm Desktop Organizer Software as described in the palmtops manual. The GuidePort.prc application is contained on the GP Palmtop Software disk. The installation of an application program is described in the palmtops manual, too. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 8 4 Creating a GuidePort Installation for Your Exhibition Start the Central Unit Program on your Central Unit PC. The following screen will be shown:
1) 2) 3) 4) 5) First select an Administration No. for your installation. Three different installations are possible (Administration Nos. 1 to 3) Enter the number of audio sources, classifying them into Stereo Events and Mono Events. The program will automatically calculate the number of transmitters required. Enter a name for your first cell under Cell Editor.
[Add to List] will add this Cell Name to the Cell List. Continue with steps 3) 5) until every cell of your installation is on the Cell List. Example of a cell list:
GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 9 Now go to the Cell Transmitters page to assign transmitters to your cells. 1. First select a cell from the Cell drop-down list. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 10 2. Then click [Select Cell Transmitter]. A window will open; select the directory files (TXxxxxxx.ini) were copied during the into which the transmitter installation of the Cell Transmitter Loader Software. 3. Select the desired TXxxxxxx.ini and click [ffnen]
to add the Cell Transmitter and its address to the list of Cell Transmitters. 4. Back on the Cell Transmitters page, under Active antenna, select a channel for the chosen transmitter (Channel: 1-94), choose the desired antenna power (Power: 100%, 50%, 25%) and select the type of antenna used (Antenna: Internal Chip Antenna, External Antenna). 5. Then click [Add to List] to include the transmitter and its data on the list.
-> COF behind a cell transmitter indicates that its configuration has not yet been completed. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 11 6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 until all transmitters for this cell have been added to the list. 7. Then select the next cell and add transmitters as described above. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 12 Now go to the Events page. Here, you can define which audio events are to be emitted by which transmitter. 1. First select a cell from the drop-down list Cell. 2. Then select the transmitter you want to assign the events to from the Cell Transmitter drop-down list. 3. Enter the name of the event to be added into the field Input Events. 4. Select the audio mode of this event from the Mode list. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 13 5. Then choose the audio input(s) (AF IN) for this event; inputs 1&2 or 3&4 for a stereo event; input 1,2,3 or 4 for a mono event). 6. The event ID will be assigned automatically. 7. Click [Add Event] to include the event on the Events list of this transmitter. One transmitter can be given 4 mono events, 2 stereo events or 1 stereo event and 2 mono events. 8. When you have assigned all events to your cell transmitters, click [Create Output Files] to create the configuration files for all transmitters. ->COF behind the transmitter names will change to OK. If the creation of output files has not been successfully completed for some transmitters,
->ERROR will be displayed after the transmitter name. To get more detailed information about such an error, change to the Cell Transmitters page and click the transmitter in question. An error message will be displayed. GuidePort will save the configuration files on the Base Station PC(s)
(destination path of the Central Loader Software). GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 14 9. When all transmitters have been successfully assigned to their cells, the status info at the top right The creation of output files has not yet been completed will change to Creation of output files completed. 10.When the output files have been generated, the program will automatically create an installation code for this specific installation. Now go to the Identifiers page. Here, you have to enter the parameters for the magnetic field identifiers. The identifiers are installed near the exhibits (events) to trigger the associated audio information. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 15 1. First select a cell. All events in this cell will be displayed on a list. 2. Select an event name from the list. 3. Choose the Antenna to be used (internal ferrit antenna or external loop antenna), the Power required (from 10% to 100%, adjustable in steps of 10%) and the Cycle, i.e. the time after which the identifier signal is to be repeated, adjustable from 0.5s to 1s in steps of 0.05s) 4. Use the [+] and [] buttons under Start and Stop to enter the starting time and end of identifier transmission, for example from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. The below screenshot shows a complete list:
Now you need to transmit the identifier parameters to the palmtop. The palmtop will enable you to program the magnetic field identifiers. 1. Start the GuidePort application on your palmtop. 2. Put the palmtop into the docking station connected to your Central Unit PC. N.B.: The desktop organizer software of your palmtop has to be closed before transmission can start!
3. Select the main menu of the GuidePort application on your palmtop. Then choose Read Database from the File menu. Now click [Transfer Data] on the Identifiers page of the GuidePort Central Unit software to transfer the identifier parameters to the palmtop. The following window will be displayed:
GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 16 Select the COM interface to which the docking station of the PalmPilot is connected and click [Send Data to Palmtop]. When the identifier data has been transmitted successfully, both the Central Unit PC and the palmtop will display a message. Click [OK] to end the transmission between the Central Unit PC and the palmtop. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 17 5 Announcements The Announcements page serves to integrate standard announcements into the audio database of your exhibition. Your announcements should be available as Wave (.wav) files. Use recordings with a sampling rate of 32 kHz; 16 bits per sample;
mono; PCM format. You can create a Wave file with, for example, an audio recording program using your PCs sound card and a suitable microphone. 1. First compress your Wave file by clicking [Audio Conversion]. The file will be converted to G722++, a format that is suitable for downloading to a transmitter. 2. Click [Select Announcement] to select a converted file for downloading. 3. If you want the Announcement to be repeated; click [>] under Loop. Up to five repetitions are possible. 4. To play the selected Announcement click Start Announcement. Please wait until all transmitters have finished sending the announcement to the receivers before you make a new announcement. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 18 6 Downloading the Configuration Files to the GuidePort Transmitters 1. To download the configuration files, start the Cell Transmitter Loader the program and click [Find Transmitter]. The number and IDs of transmitters found will be displayed. 2. A) Manual Downloading Select the first transmitter and click [Update Now] for downloading the configuration files to this cell transmitter. A message in the Transmitter Status window will inform you about the downloading process. When the information READY is shown, select the next transmitter and continue downloading until every transmitter has been configured. B) Automatic Downloading By checking (ticking) the box [Update Data Automatically], the data will be downloaded immediately after a transmitter has been selected. GuidePort: Software Description 27. Juli 2000 Seite 19