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Mac MacBook M series and USB workaround
For those of you using an M series Mac and Window ARM. If you need to connect to a Crestron processor over USB. Here is something I tried for 5 seconds.
Warning: You should backup your system before attempting any of this. I would suggest using a new VM instead of one that has anything on it. The one I tested with only had toolbox and the two databases on it. During testing I did have a VM stop being able to boot¡ This is a three-step process. In step one, you will modify the inf file that Crestron uses for its processor driver. You will add the ARM header and then tell it what files to load for the driver. Step two you will bypass the windows driver signing to allow the driver to load since you broke the singed driver by editing it. Step three is loading the driver. I used the UTM VM software for testing since it was free, and I didn¡¯t want to purchase Parallels. It was a bit interesting at first but worked really well. I found it had all the necessary features I needed like network bridging and USB passthrough. If you try it or have tried it let me know what you think. If you set up a system from scratch. Shut off secure boot in the bios before you load windows. ##### Modify the driver inf file ##### You can grab the following file for reference. It will give you a good idea of what your file should look like. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Crestron\Toolbox\USB Driver\ Make a backup of CtmWinUsb.inf. Now edit the CtmWinUsb.inf file in an editor like Notepad++. You will want to run the editor as administrator since you are working in a protected folder. At line 15 add ¡°,NTarm64¡± to the end of the line so it looks like: %ProviderName% = CrestronUSBDevices,NTx86,NTamd64,NTx86.5,NTamd64.5,NTarm64 Copy line 36-50, paste it just below line 50 Change line 52 from: [CrestronUSBDevices.NTamd64.5] To: [CrestronUSBDevices.NTarm64] Copy the following two lines and paste them just below line 169, making sure you have a blank line after them. [SourceDisksNames.arm64] 3 = %DISK_NAME%,,,\amd64 Copy the following five lines and paste them just below line 184, making sure you have a blank line after them. [SourceDisksFiles.arm64] WinUSBCoInstaller2.dll=3 WdfCoInstaller01009.dll=3 CtrnWinUsbLowerFilter.sys=3 CtrnDCls2.dll=3 Save the file. ##### Bypass Windows driver signing ##### I found lots of different methods to do this. Here are two of the ways I tested and worked. The first is temporary and reverts after a reboot. Second will last through a reboot but show a water mark in the lower right corner. Option 1: Temporary Hold the ¡°shift¡± key while you click restart. When it restarts it should be in recovery. Select Troubleshoot, Advanced options, Startup Settings, Restart, 7) Disable driver signature enforcement. When it reboots move to next step. Option 2: Permanent Open a command prompt in administrator mode. Run the following command bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON reboot the system. You should see a watermark in the lower right saying, ¡°Test Mode¡± and the windows version. If you are like me you will get an error. My VM had secure boot enabled. Secure boot prevents this command from running. My first try at disabling secure boot was to shut off UEFI in the VM setup. Don¡¯t do that, it will stop the VM from booting. Just after powering on the VM I started to hit F2, F12 & DEL a bunch of times. One of them got me in the bios where I could disable secure boot. The only problem I could see by doing this is, now windows has an exclamation point on the drive in explorer letting you know it is not secure? Anyways, after you disable secure boot. Boot up and try running the command again. ###### Loading the driver ###### Make sure the USB for the processor is passed to the VM. It should just load the driver and work. If it doesn¡¯t, right click on the start button. Select ¡°Device Manager¡±. I had a Crestron device under ¡°Other devices¡±. Right click on it and selected ¡°Update driver¡±. Select ¡°Browse for drivers on my computer¡± Browse to ¡°C:\Program Files (x86)\Crestron\Toolbox\USB Driver¡± folder and hit ok. It should load the driver and move the device out of the Other devices folder and into a Crestron folder. |
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Re: Sony STR-AZ7000ES: Back To IR?!?!
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýOf note, the driver for the AZ series that is used in Crestron Home seems to work well. ?Sure would be nice if Sony would put the "Turn On" button back on the webUI.
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Re: File /SSH Interface v1.8.1.zip uploaded
#file-notice
Thanks Josh!
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--- On Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 9:37 AM, Josh Winn wrote: |
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Re: File /SSH Interface v1.8.1.zip uploaded
#file-notice
Sorry about that @mrgolden - it's fixed now and I pushed a new file. It now includes the S+. There is a S# dependency, but it calls v1.8 which is already in the SIMPL database.
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Josh Winn The LiquidPixel Group |
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File /SSH Interface v1.8.1.zip uploaded
#file-notice
Group Notification
The following items have been added to the Files area of the [email protected] group. By: josh@LiquidPixel <jwinn@...> Description: |
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Re: File /SSH Interface v1.8.1.zip uploaded
#file-notice
Thanks for this update, but the zip seems to be missing the usp and ush files, and the clz (if there is one). |
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Re: Sony STR-AZ7000ES: Back To IR?!?!
The AZ demo is in the files section:
You'll want to play around with it and customize as needed, but you should be able to open it up, change the IP address and start testing.
Before you can even connect to it's web server, you have to use the front panel to set 1-2 things on (maybe external control).
Sony took a great platform and made things semi-trash now like not being able to connect OOTB, and the unit has to be 'ON' for you to be able to set/adjust things in the web gui - I.E. if you're remote and want to adjust something you have to turn it on with Crestron then you can see all the web settings...I call BS...
There's a setting or two that you'll need to set in the AVR:
- System/Network Standby = ON
- Install/External Control = ON
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Though we haven't used any since last year (Sony has lost some of its pedigree in the last year or two), When we dealt with these, we had major issues using static addresses (that all we did with the ZA series). Not a big problem but totally lame and it breaks our IP standard...
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Also DO NOT USE the model 1000. It is not really an AZ series AVR - I was told this by 2-3 Sony representatives.
It would also have been nice to know this before we spec'd /installed (2) of them...:(
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Re: Water Main Valve Control
Most of our jobs get a Flo Logic system. Using relays and I/O tied to it we get all we need for our systems. Although I typically only use a Crestron relay to open/close the valve, and an I/O for open/closed status. There are outputs on the Flo Logic for other things like leak detection from its own water sensor which I sometimes use, although we usually have our own water leak sensor tied in to the processor or to the security system that we grab for our leak status.?
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We used to use Assured Automaton motorized ball valves and control them via relays but the Flo Logic is much simpler to install and also has an app and wall controller if you want a redundant control solution.?? |
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Re: Directv Control mystery + 3Path IR file - takeover job
In shelf protocol v1.2 they added IP control. If they are there little boxes, those are controlled through the Servers IP address using the clients MAC address. If you can find there protocol document it does explain it. If I remember correctly it uses an http get command on port 8080.
Good luck on your take over. I love when they just happen to lose ;) ;) the project files right before someone needs them. I'm guessing they did you a favor |
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Re: Water Main Valve Control
I've been looking into this lately for my own new home build. ?I have a client with the Phyn system that seems to be ok, but can be finicky. ?Much cheaper than the FloLogic, but I'm sure for a reason. ?I've looked at the Moen, but don't like that one as much. ?There was a cool one made by Guardian that clamps to your water pipe over a 1/4 turn valve and just turned the valve, super simple and seemingly effective, but there are rumors they are not really in business anymore.
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As for integration, I'm not a huge fan of connecting something with so much potential to do damage to the house to our systems just for finger pointing safety reasons. ?But, Phyn does work with IFTTT, but not directly with Crestron as far as I've found. ?You could also hack one of their leak sensors and trip it with a relay to turn off the water, but it appears the only way to turn the water back on is through the app.? |
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Directv Control mystery + 3Path IR file - takeover job
It looks like I'm going to reprogram a restaurant/bar system with 20 sources and 57 TVs all because some of the source satellite boxes have been changed and they need updated IR drivers but the original programmer has supposedly lost the code - sigh.?
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The system uses the Just Add Power AV over IP stuff I'm familiar with. But I did notice on my visit this morning that there are 8 of the small Directv boxes which only have satellite, HDMI out and power connected but these are all being controlled...somehow. I didn't find any DTV stuff on a network scan and nothing in the IP table. I should have also done a WHO command but forgot to in case there was any direct socket stuff going on that could explain it. But weirdly when I was connected looking at the files on the Pro3 hoping in vain to find the source code .zip file, I did see a .dll called something like DirectvShef. I know Shef refers to the old serial command set you could send through the USB. So really curious how they are achieving control. I thought it might have been CEC control from the Just Add Power encoders, but it doesn't look like they can do that. Any suggestions gratefully received.
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9 Dish boxes were removed and in their place are now something called Roberts 3Path boxes. These are for sport content only. I am looking for an IR driver in case anyone has one. On site the remotes there are all bluetooth and paired to each individual box, but the boxes do have IR windows and an IR remote exists, but they don't have one on site. Thx in advance
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OP
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Dean Detton
josh@LiquidPixel