P-addressable Ethernet port?

Can someone explain this port? I see the Sunfire TGP-5 offers this. This makes me wonder, ummm. I have access to Serious Sat Radio on my computer and listen to it often while surfing the web. Is this a port I can connect directly from my pc and run this music through my stereo system. I have been considering hooking up my computer to my system just for this reason, but not sure how to go about it. Thanks guys!

What does the manual say about it? I've been curious as to what it would be good for. I have a firewire port on my TGP-III with no obvious use.

I don't know, I don't have the manual. I was just looking at spec's on units for sale, and it list this?

You mean "IP Addressable". It means that you can communicate with the TGP-5 via an ethernet connection. This is from the TGP-5 user's manual (page 13):
"Ethernet port
This Ethernet port is a Lantronix Xport 10/100T TCP/IP with configurable
IP address, and security. It uses a simple ascii command set to control the TGP-5.
An embedded webpage is included for PC control, and monitoring via TCP/IP Link."

It means that you should be able to connect the TGP-5 to your home network and control it from any PC in the house, or integrate it into something like a whole house system, etc.

[begin geek talk]
This ethernet port essentially behaves the same as the RS-232 port in the TGP-5 (hence the Lantronix Xport caveat). The Lantronix Xport protocol just allows the TGP-5 to do serial communications (what you do with RS-232) over an ethernet connection. It sounds like, other than the embedded web server, all this port does is pass the ascii commands to the TGP-5 as if they were received serially via the RS-232 port. It also seems to pass back status information - meaning that you could easily write scripts to do all kinds of neat things. All this is very cool and exciting for geeks like me, but not too sexy for the ipod/youtube crowd.
[end of geek talk]

The ethernet port is not there for sound.

Well, the TGP-III I have also has a serial port, which I've used to update the firmware, but for nothing else. I do have a computer connected to it however, and had thought about writing some scripts to control the processor. But, the remote works just as well for me, and I can put in macros if I want to do some fancy stuff.

This may sound corny...But I use one of these right off my sound card on my computer to my STG II...I listen XM..I also use it wireless...I can down load music , or what ever , play it right on the stereo... in line I use a 10 band EQ ( helps)...

splitter....jpg (10.24 KiB) Viewed 790 times

..On my STG II I have a serial port also, says its just for servicing...

Well, I go USB out of my computer to a USB DAC then into my TGP. I go S/PDIF into the DAC from the TGP which converts it to USB and passes it through into the computer.

My sound was on the motherboard (Abit), and it was CRAPPY!!! The other way I get digital out of my computer is WiFi (wireless ethernet).

Well, I go USB out of my computer to a USB DAC then into my TGP. I go S/PDIF into the DAC from the TGP which converts it to USB and passes it through into the computer.

My sound was on the motherboard (Abit), and it was CRAPPY!!! The other way I get digital out of my computer is WiFi (wireless ethernet).

Yup..WIFI....I was suprised when I hooked it all up....doesnt sound all that bad....Just kept it simple...

Thanks guys, it sounds like accessing a copiers functions through the web browser on the pc side (internet explorer). It would seem if upgrades were available to download, I wonder if the company has an upload function using the browser. Sounds pretty cool, but don't know if I would ever use that. But then again, never know.

Thanks guys, it sounds like accessing a copiers functions through the web browser on the pc side (internet explorer). It would seem if upgrades were available to download, I wonder if the company has an upload function using the browser. Sounds pretty cool, but don't know if I would ever use that. But then again, never know.

I have the TG-IV and the only way I know of to upgrade the software is download from the Sunfire website & upload thru the serial port, or you can get them to send you a CD.

Just my two cents... The reason I bought an Outlaw 990 instead of a TGP was the inability of the (current at the time) TGPs of processing audio via HDMI. The Outlaw 990 uses DVI for video and optical for audio. In addition, some of the earlier TGP models suffered from some of the same software problems (i.e. audio drop-out) as other processors (i.e. Outlaw 970, Emotiva, etc.). Sunfire eventually ended up doing a quiet recall of some of their earlier processors for a factory hardware upgrade (chip replacement). Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a TGP. I didn't gain anything by buying the Outlaw, then again I spent about $1K less.

My suggestion is to not make a buying decision based on the "upgradeability" of a processor. I refer to those RS-232/Ethernet ports as the "empty promises port". It is as much a marketing tool as a convenience. Just check the "Support" page at Sunfire and see how many firmware upgrades have been issued. There are a surprisingly limited number of things that can be changed via a firmware upgrade. For instance, you cannot add a new decoding format to a processor (i.e. DTS-HD). The "upgrades" are usually tweaks on the factory settings for the processor. A close analogy is when you mess with your computers BIOS settings.

Oh yes, the Outlaw 990 does have a USB port that allows the processor to act as an external audio card when connected to a PC. It uses the same 192kHz/24-bit DACs as the other inputs.

Well, the TGP-III I have also has a serial port, which I've used to update the firmware, but for nothing else. I do have a computer connected to it however, and had thought about writing some scripts to control the processor. But, the remote works just as well for me, and I can put in macros if I want to do some fancy stuff.

I wrote a VB app that allowed me to control the preamp via serial communication with my HT computer. Made the control buttons big enough to use with a touchscreen. Need to add a few more features, and maybe a second window for setup functions. Still trying to parse the return message from the preamp to update volume levels, radio station frequencies, dsp modes,etc. Also can control it from another computer via WinVNC.

fstik

This is what is says for my Integra 9.8

RS232
This port is for connecting the AV controller to
home automation equipment and external controllers.

ETHERNET
This port is for connecting the AV controller to
home automation equipment and external controllers.
Use only shielded Ethernet cables.

RS-232 (serial) has long been used as a cheap means to control instrumentation because of its broad availability (remember when all computers had a serial port?) as well as being cheap to implement into the hardware on both ends. It was/is not a very robust means of remote communication and the protocol ("RS" standards for recommended standard) was never formally nailed down, so various manufacturers implementations can be incompatible. In recent times, however, LAN and WLAN (ethernet) control has supplanted RS-232, due to its cheap and common availability virtually everywhere and on every computer.

While ethernet can be more robust than RS-232, it too may have bugaboos when used on large networks with various security and virus protection mechanisms. Several mainstream manufacturers of test equipment use versions of Windows® as embedded operating systems, and when they are plugged into some large networks, the system actually 'attacks' the device as an intruder and can render it inoperable.

What does the manual say about it? I've been curious as to what it would be good for. I have a firewire port on my TGP-III with no obvious use.

for a while (sometimes in the late 90s i believe) firewire was going to be the new revolution in home audio/video components. with a single wire to connect between each component you would save clutter, money, and have amazing quality digital audio and video transfered between your components. unfortunately this never really caught on as only some manufactures were implementing it, and the general public just didn't really get what firewire was for. also apple computers ownership of the firewire protocol probably had something to do with it

luckily they tried again with hdmi with greater success.