RE: Re: Standalone CCTV DVRs

[Paul Gordon <paul_gordon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I've looked at the USB-Serial options available, but with those, there is
s=
till always going to be a requirement for the device driver software to be
=
instlled on the phyical machine the USB box is connected to. This would be
=
OK for windows servers, but almost certainly is not going to work for
ESXi.=
Assuming the host can support the ports, you've then got to make sure that=
you can assign COM ports through to the VM's without any problems, and in =
this respect my latest research has revelaed a disturbing revelation -
spec=
ifically ESXi *does not support* mapping serial or parallel ports from the
=
host through to the guest VMs. Apparently this is because the dependency
on=
a physical resource of the host machine is viewed as a problem for the res=
illience of the VM's (you can see their point), so no solution which
presen=
ts the COM ports to the host is ever going to work for ESXi.

=20

The Avocent (Equinox) ESP-8MI device however, presents the COM ports via
IP=
directly into the guests, and has no dependence on, or effect on, the host=
machine. I'm liking the look of this little device... and handily enough, =
there's one on eBay just now for =A397, and I just happen to have =A399
slo=
shing around in my PayPal account that I'd actually forgotten about!! :-)

=20

Paul G.


=20
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> From: groups@xxxxxxx
> Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 09:07:01 +0000
> Subject: [ukha_d] Re: Standalone CCTV DVRs
>=20
> I have the Belkin USB network hub and it has worked reliably for me
from =
January. It's got=20
>=20
> USB-UIRT
> RFX-Com 310MHz/434 MHz receiver
> No name usb sound card (for Homeseer announcements)
> Horrible Z-wave interface
>=20
> connected.
>=20
> I also use a Keyspan network-USB hub which only lets you connect a
small =
subset of USB devices (seems to be printers and keyboards) and it falls
ove=
r tediously frequently. By comparison the Belkin is great.
>=20
> The Homeseer netbook (12w power consumption) has an Easysync 8 port
USB-s=
erial converter connected directly, but I would expect it to work over the
=
Belkin as well. It does retain its settings over a reboot.
>=20
> Bill
>=20
> --- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Martyn Wendon"
<martynwendon@...> wrote:
> >
> > I've had similar requirements with RS232 ports that you do and
have gon=
e for=20
> > a Belkin 5-port USB Network hub (55 notes from Amazon) coupled
with a=20
> > Quatech 8-port USB->Serial port adapter (15 notes off eBay,
they come u=
p=20
> > from time to time).
> >=20
> > The Belkin presents USB connected equipment over ethernet to
their driv=
er=20
> > software on the PC (or in my case the VM) and then you can use
the hard=
ware=20
> > as if it were locally attached.
> >=20
> > I've only had this setup for a week or so and initial impressions
are g=
ood -=20
> > hooked up to the 8-port serial port adapter (via 1 port on the
Belkin) =
are:
> >=20
> > 3 * Quasar temp sensor boards
> > 2 * serial controlled kit (cctv switcher and video switcher)
> > 1 * Nokia 6210 (sms use)
> >=20
> > On the other Belkin USB ports I'll shortly be migrating:
> >=20
> > USB weather station
> > USB RFXCOM 434 RX
> > USB RFXCOM 434 TX
> > USB RFXCOM 868 RX
> >=20
> > All will be accessed under different VMs in theory.
> >=20
> > The RS232 stuff all seems to work ok, I can't see why the other
USB stu=
ff=20
> > won't as although they're all USB they all install as virtual
comm port=
s....
> >=20
> > Might be something to consider?
> >=20
> >=20
> > Martyn
> >=20
> >=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ------------------------------------
>=20
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>=20
>=20
>=20


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