Newsgroups: sci.engr.television.broadcast
Subject: Re: Best way to trigger PC with GPI
References: 
"MK"  writes:

> Hi !
> 
> Which is the best way to trigger PC from switcher ?
> - soldering switchers gpi-out to joysticks fire button ?
> - soldering switchers gpi-out to mouse button ?
> Will they work ?
> 
> Is there gpi interfaces to PC ?
> Mikko

What do you mean by gpi-out signal ? 
Do you have specificatons of it ?


I have used the following methods to get signal to PC 
from exernal signal sources:

- PC parallel port
- PC serial port
- PC joystick port

All those can be used pretty easily to take external control 
signals. Conencting switches to them is easy... 
If you want to feed external voltage or curren type indicator 
signal to them, I recommend siganl isolation with 
a relay or optoisolator. 

Other methods:
- modifying PC mouse (solder in parallel with mouse buttons)
- some industrial/laboratory I/O card that plugs to 
  computer bus, USB or serial port




-- 
Tomi Engdahl (http://www.iki.fi/then/)
Take a look at my electronics web links and documents at 
http://www.epanorama.net/