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Phidget

Overview

The Phidget device allows Onlyview to connect to Phidget USB sensor and interface boards. It gives access to physical buttons, switches, relays, and encoders through ActionGraph.

A Phidget device can be physically plugged into any machine of the show (the Producer or a Media Server). Onlyview automatically starts a Phidget server on that machine and lets every other machine in the show connect to it remotely, so the channels can be accessed from any machine of the show, regardless of where the hardware is actually connected.

Setup

A Phidget device must be created for each physical Phidget connected to a machine.

  • Serial number: Enter the serial number of the physical Phidget device (visible in the Phidget Control Panel utility from phidgets.com, or printed on the board).
  • Server: Select the machine the Phidget hardware is physically connected to — Producer, or one of the configured Media Servers.
    • If Producer is selected, enter its IP Address so other machines can reach it.
  • Channels: Add one row per channel to use (see below).

Channels

A single Phidget device can expose several channels — for example a VINT Hub with multiple digital inputs, outputs, and an encoder. Use the Channels table to declare each one:

  • Name: A descriptive name for the channel
  • Hub Port: The port number on the Phidget VINT Hub the channel is attached to. Leave Unspecified if the Phidget is not connected through a hub port.
  • Channel: The channel index on the device.
  • Vint Digital: Enable when the channel is one of a VINT Hub's built-in digital I/O ports.
  • Type: The kind of channel — Digital Input, Digital Output, or Encoder

Use Add channel / Delete channel to manage rows.

Info

Not all Phidget channel types are currently implemented in Onlyview.

ActionGraph Nodes

The Phidget device provides a node for each channel type, available under Devices/Phidgets in the ActionGraph node palette. Each has a Channel property: clicking it opens a picker listing every Phidget device in the show and their channels, filtered to the matching channel type.

Phidget Digital Output

Sets the value of a digital output.

Properties:

  • Channel: The Digital Output channel to control.

Input Slots:

  • Value: Boolean — the desired output state.

Input Events:

  • Set: Writes the current Value to the selected channel.

Phidget Digital Input

Gets the value of a digital input.

Properties:

  • Channel: The Digital Input channel to monitor.

Output Slots:

  • Value: Boolean — the current state of the input. Invalid until the channel is attached and a first value is available.

Output Events:

  • Changed: Fired whenever the input state changes.

Phidget Encoder Input

Gets the position of an encoder.

Properties:

  • Channel: The Encoder channel to monitor.

Output Slots:

  • Position: Integer — the absolute encoder position.
  • Position Change: Integer — the change in position since the last event.

Output Events:

  • Changed: Fired whenever the encoder moves.