Media control protocol description 120122 Stationary devices of the ew 300 G3, ew 500 G3 and 2000 series This document describes the Media Control Protocol for all aboved listed stationary Sennheiser devices. It allows to access a subset of attributes of the listed devices. By applying this protocol it is possible to set an attribute or to read its current status. Subject to alterations The IP address can be set individually at the device´s display.
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Contents Limitation of liability .........................................................................................2 Change log ...........................................................................................................2 Requirements ......................................................................................................4 Supported devices .......................................................................................................... 4 Network requirements ...
Requirements Supported devices The following stationary devices will be supported the Media Control Protocol via ethernet at port 53212: • • • • • • • EM 300 G3 EM 500 G3 SR 300 IEM G3 EM 2000 EM 2050 SR 2000 IEM SR 2050 IEM Notes • The EM 100 G3 receiver will not be supported. • The stationary devices require at least firmware version 1.7.0 for supporting the media control protocol. Recommendation for your system planning and installation Generally external devices (e.g.
Protocol basics Introduction The media protocol is based on UDP / IP. By applying this protocol, it is possible to set an attribute or read its current status, respectively. A simultaneously operation via the media protocol, WSM and the operating elements at the device's front panel is possible. So it may happen that the same commands are sent to a Sennheiser device with inconsistent values. In such a case the last received command with its values will be adopted.
Response to set requests If a set request is received by a Sennheiser device a response string will be sent back to the media control device. There are two different kinds of response strings. • A positive response string will be sent back if the Sennheiser device can process the instruction. In such a case the complete instruction will be sent back as a positive acknowledgement. See below the examples of each single command.
Response to get requests When receiving a positive response the requested data will be transmitted to the media control. If the command instruction is incorrect, the appropriate error message will be sent to the media control. Relative change Some parameters can be incremented or decremented regarding to their current values. This is indicated by adding a '#' before the parameter's value. For example the instruction Squelch #1 increments Squelch by one stepsize.
The attributes belonging to cyclic attributes and configuration attributes, separated for SR and EM are listed below.
Response of cyclic attributes Due to the fact that cyclic attributes are all sent in one go here is an example how it could look like (only cyclic attributes are listed, but not the previously sent command). For an EM device it could be • RF1 25 65 1 • RF2 28 78 0 • States 3 2 • RF 50 1 1 • AF 40 65 3 • Bat 70 • Msg Low_RF_Signal Low_Battery • Config 234 The order of the cycylic attributes is always the same.
Overview of all commands and cyclic attributes For EM and SR Commands Push [set only] ............................................................................................................................. 11 BankList [get only] ......................................................................................................................14 Frequency [set and get] .............................................................................................................
Commands and cyclic attributes (detail) Commands valid for EM and SR Push [set only] Valid for device EM and SR Description This command has got different meanings. The first parameter realizes the already mentioned timeout mechanism in order to indicate that UDP / IP connection is still up.
The 'Push' command can only be sent with all 3 parameters. By using all three parameters an immediate update can be executed, if required. This could be used during initialisation. In order to execute the immediate update timeout value has to be set to '0'. If cyclic attributes shall be updated the second parameter has to be greater than 0. For the configuration attributes the third parameter has to be set to 1. At least one of the second and third parameter has to be unequal to 0.
Push 250 200 2 Cyclic attributes are updated every 200 ms for a duration of 250 seconds. Beside of this cyclic attributes will be updated every time when any warning changes its state. No configuration attributes will be updated on change. Sennheiser device replies with Push 250 200 2. Push 250 200 3 Cyclic attributes are updated every 200 ms for a duration of 250 seconds. Beside of this cyclic attributes will be updated every time when any warning changes its state.
BankList [get only] Valid for device EM and SR Description By using this command with its parameter a list of frequencies in kHz is sent to media control. The order of the sent frequencies are conform to the channels which means that first frequency f1 correspond to channel 1, second frequency f2 correspond to channel 2 and so on. Bank number 21 until 26 correspond to user bank 1 to user bank 6. It may happen that less channels of a user bank are used as possible.
Frequency [set and get] Valid for device EM and SR Description The frequency can be adjusted by this command. By using the BankList command the user gets the information about which frequency belongs to which combination of bank and channel. In order to use a preset frequency of a dedicated bank and channel parameter frequency has to match to the parameters bank and channel. In case the frequency does not match to bank and channel the frequency is stored in user bank U1.0.
Examples Frequency 822000 2 10 If frequency corresponds to bank and channel bank will be set to 2 and channel to 10. Sennheiser device replies with Frequency 822000 2 10 If frequency does not correspond to bank and channel frequency will be stored in user bank U1.0 Sennheiser device replies with Frequency 822000 0 0 Frequency 822000 150 10 Frequency is stored in user bank U1.0 although parameter bank is out of range.
RfConfig [get only] Valid for device EM and SR Description This command provides the media control with information about frequency range and the step size. The order of the values which are sent back correspond to frequency minimum, frequency maximum and frequency step size. All values are in kHz. It may happen that a device has got some frequency gaps within its range. In such a case the parameters are sent out more than once.
Name [set and get] Valid for device EM and SR Description By using this command the name of Sennheiser's device can be set or be read. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Name ASCII Code (32..126 decimal) – X No Examples Name Vocal 1 Name of Sennheiser's device is set to 'Vocal 1'.
Mute [set and get] Valid for device EM and SR Description On an EM device this command mutes the output. It is called a Rx-Mute. If this command is applied on a SR device it will not send the carrier frequency anymore. This is called Rf-Mute. For both devices, SR and EM, the status of Rf-Mute respectively Rx-Mute can be read. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Mute 0: (Rx–/Rf–) Mute disabled 1: (Rx–/Rf–) Mute enabled – X No Examples Mute 1 Mute is enabled.
FirmwareRevision [get only] Valid for device EM and SR Description This command is used to read out the current firmware revision. This command has got no parameter. Parameters Name Value Range Firmware Revision Format #.#.# Number Get Request Set Request Relative change – – No Examples FirmwareRevision Sends back the current revision number e.g. FirmwareRevision 1.20.
Cyclic attributes valid for EM and SR Msg [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM and SR Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The current status of warnings is sent as a string to media control. For the EM following warnings exist: • RX-Mute • Low Battery • AF Peak • Low RF Signal • RF-Mute • TX-Mute For the SR following warnings exist: • AF Peak • RF-Mute In case no warning is active an 'OK' is sent to media control.
Config [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM and SR Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes.The configuration index is sent as a string to media control. It represents a counter that is incremented whenever a change in the configuration is executed, for instance when frequency changes. The configuration index counts to 999 and starts then from 0 again.
Commands valid for EM only Squelch [set and get] Valid for device EM only Description This command sets the squelch of an EM device. It also can be used to read the squelch status. In order to deactivate squelch function the parameter has to be set to 0 (see examples). Switching off squelch function can not be achieved by using relative parameters. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Squelch value (0) 5..
AfOut [set and get] Valid for device EM only Description The output can be controlled by applying this command. It is also possible to get the current status of the output. By using relative parameters it is only possible to reach +18 dB. Values greater than +18 dB can only be reached directly, for instance by using AfOut 24. By decrementing from +24 dB down jumps directly to +21 dB and then directly to +18 dB. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request AfOut value -24..+18(+24): AfOut value in – dB.
Equalizer [set and get] Valid for device EM only Description This command adjusts the equalizer on an EM device. The status of the equalizer can also be read. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Equalizer setting 0: flat 1: low cut 2: low cut and high boost 3: high boost – X No Examples Equalizer 1 Equalizer is set to flat.
Cyclic attributes valid for EM only RF1 [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter contains the minimum RF value of antenna 1 since last cycle. The second parameter contains the maximum RF value of antenna 1since last cycle. 0% is consistent to 0 dBμV. 100% is consistent to 40 dBμV. Values greater than 100 % are possible.
RF2 [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter contains the minimum RF value of antenna 2 since last cycle. The second parameter contains the maximum RF value of antenna 2 since last cycle. 0% is consistent to 0 dBμV. 100% is consistent to 40 dBμV. Values greater than 100 % are possible. The third parameter contains information if antenna 2 was active since last cycle.
States [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter shows Mute flags since last cycle. "Since last cycle" means that this parameter does not represent the current mute status but what happened during last cycle. For instance at the beginning of a cycle there is no RF-Mute. Thus bit 2 is set to '0'. If a RF-Mute occurs this bit is set to '1'.
RF [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter shows the current RF level in % ( 100% => 40 dBμV ). Values greater than 100 % are possible. The second parameter indicates the current antenna state. The third parameter represents the current pilot state. If the pilot tone is deactivated, the pilot flag will be processed.
AF [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter shows current audio level. The second parameter shows the current Peak-Hold-Level. 0% is consistent to -50 dB. 100% is consistent to Peak. Values greater 100% are possible. The third parameter represents the current mute state. Bit 0 is set to '1' if at least one of the other bits is set to '1'.
Bat [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device EM only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The current status of battery is indicated. If the EM device replies with '?' it means that no battery signal could be detected.
Commands valid for SR only Sensitivity [set and get] Valid for device SR only Description On a SR device the sensitvitiy can be adjusted by using this command. It is also possible to read the current sensitivity value. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Sensitivity value –42..0: Sensitivity value in dB with a step size of 3 dB – X Yes Examples Sensitivity –21 Sensitivity is set to –21 dB.
Equalizer [set and get] Valid for device SR only Description This command adjusts the equalizer on a SR device. The status of the equalizer can also be read. This command can be used either with 6 parameters or just with one. If only the Equalizer function is wanted to be changed only one parameter has to be sent. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Equalizer 0: Equalizer off 1: Equalizer on – X No Low –5..+5 in step size 1 – X No Low Mid –5..
Mode [set and get] Valid for device SR only Description This command determines if the SR device is set to mono or stereo mode. The status can be requested by media control. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Mode setting 0: Mono 1: Stereo – X No Examples Mode 1 SR is set to stereo mode.
Cyclic attributes valid for SR only AF [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device SR only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first and second parameter define the current AF level for both RX paths. The third and fourth parameter represent AF peak-hold values. Parameters Name Value Range Get Request Set Request Relative change Af-Peak 1 0..100% at 0 dB – – No Af-Peak 2 -0..100% at 0 dB – – No Af-Peak Hold 1 0..
States [get only by cyclic attributes] Valid for device SR only Description This attribute is sent to media control together with other cyclic attributes. The first parameter shows current RF-Mute state, which means it shows the RF-Mute state at that point of time. The second parameter shows the RF-Mute flag since last cycle. "Since last cycle" means that this parameter does not represent the current RFMute status but what happened during last cycle.
List of error codes Error code Error text Error description 1000 Invalid command The given command is not known by Sennheiser’s device 1010 Invalid parameter At least one parameter is invalid for this command 1020 Value out of range At least one parameter is out of range for this command 1030 Relative parameter not supported At least one parameter tried an unsupported relative change 1040 Invalid numbers of parameter Invalid number of parameters for this command 1050 Incorrect termination
