A cheap an easy solution for wired connection to MBP?

[ToweringPictures]

A cheap an easy solution for wired connection to MBP?

by ToweringPictures » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:49 pm

I am aware that if you don’t have or want to use a BT connection to connect your laptop to your Merlin head then you need to construct a cable with a little bit of soldering and the addition of some resistors.

For some, the thought of soldering anything to anything is daunting especially if the consequences of getting it wrong could result in a broken head, or computer.

I am one of those people and before I try to stumble my way through an electronics guide book and cobble a cable together, I wondered if this would work.

Connect a TTL-232R-5V-AJ

Found on this page

http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/Cables/USBTTLSerial.htm

to a Merlin Adapter Kit for the MX2 by Dynamic Perception
Found on this page

http://www.dynamicperception.com/products/merlin-adapter-kit-mx2

I could be missing something here though as I have very little understanding of electronics so any advice on the subject would be fantastic.

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Tue Jan 08, 2013 1:53 pm

I am aware that if you don’t have or want to use a BT connection to connect your laptop to your Merlin head ..

Why would you rather have a wired rather than a wireless (Bluetooth) connection betwen your laptop and the Merlin mount?

[ToweringPictures]

by ToweringPictures » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:03 pm

Hi mediavets!

Yes I understand that this is questionable considering how well the BT connection is documented on this forum. The desire for a wired connection comes from me working in television where we would always choose wired over wireless to rule out any loss of connection when recording. Also, I use a macbook pro and since the MBP bluetooth is a bit rubbish it would require another BT dongle to ensure a connection. The addition of more components results in the chance for more things to go wrong from my experience.

I just wondered if this setup would work as it is cheap and easy

TP

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Jan 08, 2013 3:49 pm

Let me check the schematics of the Dollyshield...

[mediavets]

by mediavets » Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:01 pm

Hi mediavets!

Yes I understand that this is questionable considering how well the BT connection is documented on this forum. The desire for a wired connection comes from me working in television where we would always choose wired over wireless to rule out any loss of connection when recording. Also, I use a macbook pro and since the MBP bluetooth is a bit rubbish it would require another BT dongle to ensure a connection. The addition of more components results in the chance for more things to go wrong from my experience.

TP

Then here is the information you require:

http://www.kolor.com/forum/p57097-2010-01-07-22-11-15#p57097

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:05 pm

Ok, I checked that the GND is on the sleeve on both sides (FTDI cable and Merlin Adapter Kit for the MX2). So it should works fine.

[ToweringPictures]

by ToweringPictures » Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:21 pm

Fantastic! Thanks fma38! I was hating the idea of having to solder something together as I haven't picked up a soldering iron since I was about 13 (long time ago)

I wish I knew what a GND was and a sleeve is something on a shirt to me

Thank you so much for helping me!

Now I just have to figure out how to get the timelapse preset to work on my MBP

All the best!

TP

[fma38]

by fma38 » Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:54 pm

GND = ground = OV = common line for signals.

sleeve = ring closest to the cable on a jack connector (see http://www.dynamicperception.com/content/using-remote-inputs-and-outputs)