Universal MSC-400, Справочное руководство

Страница: 48 / 94

MSC-400 Reference Manual
Rev 4 48
Action Variables
Variables enable the MSC-400 to track the status of a device or a user by “remembering” what state
it/he/she is in.
Think of them as a way for the MSC-400 to take notes while your client uses the system so that when
your client presses a button, the MSC-400 can make a decision on the best thing to do in the Smart
Macro.
There are some important rules that will help you use variables:
1. The MSC-400 supports up to 255 variables. Each must be named uniquely to be used. Thus, to
create a variable, simply create a unique name for it.
2. A variable can be equal to one of two states: TRUE (1) or FALSE (0)
3. By default, after downloading to the MSC-400 all variables are FALSE.
4. You can do TWO different things with Variables in Smart Macros:
a. Set a Variable to be either TRUE or FALSE
b. Write an IF/ELSE statement that does one step or series of steps if the Variable is TRUE,
and something else if the Variable is FALSE.
Can Variables get “Out of Sync”?
Yes they can. Variables are not as trustworthy as actually sensing what state a device is in via Video or
Voltage sensors. There are two dangers, one of which the MSC-400 eliminates perfectly:
1. In a typical macro generated by a remote control tracking power status via variables, any IR
command can be easily corrupted or missed so that it doesn’t work. Thus, the remote control
“thinks” the component is on, but in reality it is off- “out of sync”.
The MSC-400 eliminates this problem, since IR commands are perfectly generated and
never miss.
2. If the client walks up to the device and powers it on manually or with the device’s original remote
control, there is no way for the MSC-400 to track the change. Thus, it will be “out of sync”.
Only you, the installer can eliminate this problem, by training the client to never use the
front panel or original remote control to power on or off a variable tracked device.
An Example of Action Variables at Work
In the example system, the Audio receiver has discrete on and off commands, but requires a 5 second
turn on delay before you can change the Inputs. The client switches from watching cable to watching
satellite quite frequently every night, so making
the input change quickly is important.
1. Select the Smart Macro to reveal it’s
existing programming.
Here you can see that a conventional
macro will power on the TV, the Cable
box, the Audio receiver, then delay 5
seconds before setting the TV and
Audio inputs.
This macro is fine when the Audio
receiver was off, but it is unnecessarily
slow when the Audio receiver is already