Thomas Leong

Simple answer: I don't trust motherboard RAID arrays anymore. Have had what you described a few times, luckily not when running Watchout. Have not had a single problem with a cheap Silmage PCIe RAID card. Thomas Leong

Yes, with a cross-over cable - http://wiringwizard.com/primer/cables/cat5/

Hi Jonas, Perhaps it was. But erothchild said, despite a successful ping, he could not get the commands to work. My guess is that a serial-tcp converter is needed 'cos that is what has worked for me. Additionally, I used a software that could output serial, which made it easier. However, if you know otherwise, pray tell.

If I'm not wrong, I think the difficulty in understanding and establishing a link is that WO Production PC will only listen for serial commands via the TCP/IP port 3040. So you really need a serial-to-TCP/IP converter. If memory serves me correctly, you must - 1. Enable WO Production PC to accept external commands (File > Preferences > Control > Enable TCP/IP option) 2. Then you need to establish on your WO Production PC a serial to TCP/IP converter (I use the freeware HW VSP3 from www.hw-group.com - free for one port only). 3. Your OC PC can send the commands via a serial port. Just make sure that the OC's serial port is communicating with the WO PC's serial port. If you want to link the two PCs with CAT-5, then I'm quite sure you need a serial-to-TCP/IP converter on the sending PC (OC), and a TCP/IP-to-serial converter on the WO PC. I have not tried, but you could try installing and using HW VSP3 on both the OC and WO pcs. Maybe HW VSP3 allows communication both ways (i.e. serial-to-TCP and TCP-to-serial). 4. Lastly, ensure you end all serial commands with a Carriage Return code or Line Feed else WO PC does not know it is the end of a command - in hex, it is 0x0D (read: zero x zero D) or 0Dh or $0D or whatever your software uses to signify hex code. I do my tests with the freeware Serial Buttons from audiovisualdevices.com.au and the built into Windows "Microsoft Loopback Adapter" so that I can use 2 software (WO and Serial Buttons) on my one laptop and make them "think" they are communicating with each other via serial and TCP/IP. You do not need the WO dongle to communicate with WO Production PC. Serial Buttons do not understand ASCII, so you have to use hex code, eg. 'run' with the carriage return is 0x72 0x75 0x6E 0x0D where the spaces shown are important for Serial Buttons. Just google for a ASCII to hex converter, or get a table printed and file that. An alternative is to use MIDI instead of serial commands. Thomas Leong Malaysia

I've had it happen to me...but NOT on a Watchout system. Try to play the video with Windows Media Player and vlc outside of Watchout. Does it run,pause, run,pause...still occur? If yes, at a guess: - try re-coding the video(s) with a lower data rate - try a lower resolution video If no, it could be that some other codec has taken over the running of videos in Watchout. This can occur with a recent instalaltion of some other software. Step backwards and un-install any recent installations. At worst, re-install Windows, and thereafter, Watchout. Thomas Leong PS: Gary, I'll be back in KL on Dec 17, and if you want, I can come round to check out your problem then.