M1 Newsletter

July 21, 2005

Using ELK-MV480 for Additional Custom Recordings

The M1 Control features an extensive vocabulary of more than 500 words/phrases, as well as 10 custom recordable messages of 6 seconds each.  While this allows the voice annunciations for each application to be customized, some applications may require more or longer custom recordings.  This newsletter will discuss interfacing the M1 with the ELK-MV480 Recordable Voice Module to offer additional custom recordings.

The ELK -MV480 offers 400 individually recordable and addressable message channels and a maximum record time of 480 seconds (8 minutes).  Message channels are 1.2 seconds in length; however they may be combined for longer messages.  (Note:   It is not practical to use all 400 channels when interfacing with the M1 Control.)  Messages are played by transmitting ASCII strings to the unit.  Messages may be recorded using the built-in microphone or may be downloaded as .wav files from a computer using its sound card output and an ELK-129 sound card interface. 

The following parts are required for this application:  

• ELK-M1 Gold or Standard Control

• ELK-M1XSP Serial Port Expander

• ELK-MV480 Recordable Voice Module

• ELK -MK485 Magic Module Programmers Kit (includes MB485 Data Bus Interface, 4 pin ribbon and 9 pin serial cable, and Magic Module Software)

• Four (4) - 10 uF 35/50 VDC Non-Polarized Capacitors

• ELK-129 Sound Card Interface (optional- required for downloading .wav files to MV480)

Programming New Messages
Programming of new messages requires the following basic items: 1) A personal computer equipped with Windows 98 or higher and an available RS232 serial port. 2) An ELK -MK485 Magic Module Programmers Kit.   See Figure 1 below for hardware connections.

Figure 1

 
For a printable copy of this diagram, click here.

1.       Start the Magic Module Development software and click on the VOICE tab.
 2.       Set the System box (top left corner) to MV480 and the Address box to match the RS-485 address of the
         MV480.

Direct programming using the MV480’s on-board microphone

3a.    Estimate the message length to determine how many message locations will be needed. Each location is 1.2 seconds.

4a.    Highlight the message location(s) (1 to 400) by clicking or dragging the mouse pointer. Enter a description and click the purple Replace. The message start and ending locations will be reflected in the Start and Stop Boundary window.

5a.    Click the yellow Microphone Program button. Instructions will be sent to the MV480 board and a message box will inform you to press the Record switch while speaking into the MV480’s microphone. Release the record switch when you are finished. The message will automatically play back. If you speak longer than the length set by the start and stop boundary a portion of your message will be lost. If that happens, you must re-record the message and either increase the number of message channels or, if you are unsure of the length of the message, set the stop boundary to 0 to will allow the message to overflow into the appropriate number of channels.   If the record switch is not pressed within 45 seconds after the record command is received the command cancels and the unit returns to normal operating mode.

Application Note: Instead of using the on-board microphone to record your spoken phrases, we recommend using the Windows Sound Recorder to record and store those phrases into .WAV files. WAV files are easier to program into the MV480 as shown below. In addition, they may be reused on future programming sessions.

Automated programming using computer stereo sound card and stored .WAV files

If your computer is equipped with a speaker output jack, you have the option of using computer sound .WAV files for messages. In addition to the basic hardware requirements you will need an ELK -129 Sound Card Interface. This connects between the computer’s speaker output and the MV480 as shown in Figure 1. The software that comes with the ELK -129 is not required. Note: When using an ELK -129 with an MV480, DO NOT CONNECT an AC Transformer to the ELK -129’s 12VAC input terminals.

3.       To program using a computer .WAV file, highlight the location (1 to 400) where you want the message to begin. Click the tan Browse button and find the desired .WAV file. Double click on the file or click Open. The .WAV file name will appear in the selected location. Messages of 1.2 seconds or less occupy one location. Messages longer than 1.2 seconds will overrun in the following location(s) as indicated by the “...”. This allows for longer messages, but it also decreases the total number of available messages. Note: Location 400 cannot overrun. The software supports .WAV files recorded at sampling rates of 11 kHz, 22 kHz, or 44 kHz.

4.       To hear the .WAV file, click the green Play Computer WAV File button. The volume slider can be used to individually lower the volume of loud wavs in your message list. Continue to add more WAV files into your list.

5.       When you have finished selecting .WAV files and are ready to program the MV480 you may either click the orange Program all WAV’S button or highlight message(s) number(s) and click the green Program A WAV . The appropriate message(s) will then automatically record into the MV480.  

6.       To playback a message(s) that has been programmed into the MV480 simply highlight the message(s) and click the yellow Play Voice Module Message button.

7.       A listing of your programmed messages can be saved onto your computer as a .VCM file for future use. Just click File, Save As, and type in a descriptive filename.

8.       The purple Find Messages button can be used to scan the MV480 and return message lengths stored in its memory.

Connecting the MV480 to the M1
Once the new messages are programmed, connect the MV480 to the M1 as shown in the diagram below.  

Figure 2

On the M1XSP, the baud rate must be set to 19,200.  Also, set the mode jumpers for “Serial Port Expander” and JP3 to the 485 position.  Refer to the M1XSP instruction manual for details.  If you have more than one M1XSP on the data bus, ensure that each expander has a unique sequential address (1, 2, 3, etc).   The address of the M1XSP corresponds with the port number (i.e. Address 1 is Port 1, Address 2 is Port 2…).  Enroll the M1XSP using the 01-Bus Module Enrollment submenu of  9- Installation Programming menu, or if connected to ElkRP, access the “Show KPs and Expanders” option under the send and receive menu and click the enroll button.    

In order to use one speaker for announcements from both the M1 and the MV480, capacitors must be used to isolate the signals from both sources (see diagram above).  Extreme caution should be taken to prevent both sources from being activated at the same time.  If the M1 and the MV480 will be using separate speakers, the isolating capacitors are not needed.

Generating Playback Strings for the ELK-MV480
The next step is to set up the ASCII strings in ElkRP that will activate the desired channels. This is easy to accomplish using the Magic Module Code Development software.  Please view the “Generate Playback Strings for the ELK-MV480” document, which outlines this process.  Below are a couple examples.

Open the Magic Module Code Development software.  Click the “XMIT” button.  Then click “Properties” and choose “Generate Test CRC”.  Enter the proper information in each field as shown in the “Generate Playback Strings…” document. 

Address data must be converted from the decimal address of the voice message to a hexadecimal address notation.  For example, the decimal value 346 is equal to 015A in hexadecimal notation.  With the address in hexadecimal notation, the value is split into a high message address (01 in our example) and a low message address (5A in our example).  The high and low message addresses are used to enter the appropriate value in the “Data” field of the ‘Generate CRC’ screen.  The Address Lookup Table contained in the “Generate Playback Strings for the ELK-MV480” document lists each decimal address with the high and low hexadecimal address notations, making it easy to enter the data into the “Generate CRC” screen to generate the ASCII string needed to trigger a channel on the ELK-MV480 from the M1.

The value entered in the “Data” field consists of the two character low message address, a two character special function command, the two character high message address, and two characters of padding.  Using the Address Lookup Table in the “Generate Playback Strings…” document, enter the value in the “Data” field that correlates with the channel you wish to activate.  For example, to activate channel 1 enter 01000000 in the “Data” field.  The figure below outlines where each character comes from.

Let’s look at one more example.  To activate channel 346, enter 5A000100 in the “Data” field.  The figure below outlines where each character comes from.

Note:  The special function characters determine if a message will play just once or repeat when triggered.  If the special function characters are set to 01(Repeat), an additional command is needed to stop the message when desired.  To generate the string for the “stop message” command, enter 21 in the ‘Command’ field and 00 in the data field.  When using the repeat function, one rule must be written to send the play command and other rule must be written to send the stop command.

Highlight the string in the “Generated character string with CRC attached”.  Copy the string by right clicking it and choosing copy from the menu.   In ElkRP, access “Texts” under automation.  Click “New” and paste the string into the “Enter text string” box by pressing the “Ctrl” and “V” keys on the keyboard.  Use the “Insert” drop down box to add “Carriage Return/Linefeed (ASCII 13/10).  Click OK and send the string to the M1.  A rule can now be written to send that string out of the M1XSP port (Port 1 in this example) in a particular event.  The rule below will send this string out of Port 1, every Wednesday when the system is disarmed.

Use the ELK-MV480 to expand your custom messages in applications where all the custom recordings on the M1 have been used, or messages have been composed in all 10 Miscellaneous Voice Message spots.  The M1 has 10 custom recording blocks of 6 seconds each.  A longer message can be composed by using more blocks.  If the application will require many custom recording of different lengths, use the 6 second blocks on the M1 for shorter messages and the ELK-MV480 for the longer messages

ELK RP Tips 

Modem Connection Methods 
Wait For Call
This feature places ElkRP in auto-answer attended mode.  The operator must be expecting the call and must know before hand who is calling.

Open the account expected to call in, and select Wait for Call… on the Connection menu.  ElkRP will wait indefinitely for the incoming call.  The customer or installer at the installation site must cause the system to dial ElkRP’s number by navigating to Keypad User Menu 8, sub menu 85, and selecting 2: Seize Line Unattended Mode.  When the call comes in, ElkRP will answer on the first ring.  If the system’s serial number and RP Access Code match those of the opened account, the connection will succeed.  From that point on, the operator is in control and may send or receive items as desired.

Auto-answer And Send
This feature places ElkRP in auto-answer unattended mode.  The operator may place ElkRP in this mode and leave it unattended.  This is useful for a one-man operation.  The operator may create a new account in ElkRP, program it, and save it.  He may then put ElkRP in this mode, go to the job site, cause the system to dial ElkRP and automatically send the entire new account to the system.  While in this mode, ElkRP logs all incoming calls and downloads to the screen and to its log file so that the operator may verify what was done upon his return.

To place ElkRP in the auto-answer and send mode, select Auto-answer and Send on the Connection menu.  ElkRP will wait indefinitely for the incoming call.  The installer at the job site must program Telephone 9 with ElkRP’s number.  This is done though Installer menu 8.  The installer at the job site must then cause the system to dial ElkRP’s number by navigating to Keypad User Menu 8, sub menu 85, and selecting 2: Seize Line Unattended Mode.  When the call comes in, ElkRP will answer on the first ring.  It will look up the account in the accounts database based on the serial number of the calling system.  If it finds the account, ElkRP will open it, send all, and then disconnect.  If the account is not found, ElkRP will disconnect and log the error.

Got Questions or Ideas?
Email me at amy.strickland@elkproducts.com