1. Timecode Systems
  2. :pulse
  3. Remote Control and Monitoring - :pulse

  • BLINK Hub and :pulse

    Remote Control and Monitoring

    With :pulse, you can monitor and control your recording equipment remotely, via:

    • Apple® Macintosh® computer
    • iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.

    This gives you far more options when making recordings, especially in dangerous environments - you can leave your camera/sound mixer in place and control your recording some distance away, in a safe location.

    To make use of your :pulse's remote control and monitoring features, you need to connect it to an external app. For most types of device, we recommend that you use our free BLINK Hub app, which is available on the ITunes app store (iOS) and Google Play store (Android). You can download BLINK Hub for Mac OSX on our website:

    http://www.timecodesystems.com/products-home/blink-hub/

     

    To learn more about what you can do with BLINK Hub and third-party apps, see:

     

    If you are familiar with the concept of using apps to monitor and control your Timecode Systems devices, you can set up your :pulse for data streaming. You can choose to use an Ethernet connection or the :pulse's built-in Wi-Fi for data streaming:

    BLINK Hub

    BLINK Hub on Tablet

    BLINK Hub is a user-friendly app that displays a separate box for each device that it detects, including:

    • Your :pulse
    • Any supported devices that are physically connected to your :pulse
    • Every Timecode Systems device in the BLINK network (if your :pulse is the master)
    • Any supported devices that are connected to the slave devices in a BLINK network (if your :pulse is the master).

    Each box contains status information for that device.

    :pulse status in BLINKHub

     

    BLINK Hub Settings

    Another great feature of BLINK Hub is that you can use it to change the settings of Timecode Systems devices remotely. Select the box for a device and BLINK Hub displays the device's settings in the Settings sidebar.

    You can use the settings to monitor status, such as the battery level, and also to make changes to the configuration of a Timecode Systems device.

    The settings work in a similar way to the menu settings on the device. When you make changes to settings in BLINK Hub, they are applied to the matching device automatically, just as if you had made the changes on the device.

    Remote control is also very easy in BLINK Hub. Simply select the box for a device that can be controlled, and BLINK Hub presents you with a simple control panel. For example, if you selected the box for a SyncBac PRO connected to a GoPro HERO4™ camera, you would be presented with controls like these:

    BLINK Hub Controls for GoPro HERO4

     

    The control panel provides simple buttons for controlling your device via BLINK Hub, such as power on/off, start, stop, record, and pause. Below the controls, status information about the device is also shown, such as remaining battery power, SD card memory, etc.

    The control panel always presents you with controls and status information that are relevant to the selected device.

    For more information on the BLINK Hub interface, please refer to the BLINK Hub user guide.

    Third-Party Apps

    BLINK Hub isn't the only app that :pulse can connect to. It can also connect to other popular apps, including:

    • Adobe® Prelude LiveLogger®
    • PureBlend Software MovieSlate 8®.

    For certain features, you may need to use one of these external apps. For example, to use a :pulse for remote control of an an ARRI® Alexa® camera, you will need to use the MovieSlate app.

     

    Which Apps Do You Need?

    The following table shows which apps you need to monitor and control your Timecode Systems and third-party equipment. As you can see, BLINK Hub meets most requirements.

    Device BLINK HubRemote Monitor BLINK HubRemote Control MovieSlateRemote Control
    :pulse, :wave, :minitrx+, Denecke TS-TCB Slate Supported Supported Not Supported
    GoProHERO4™ Black/Silver (connected to SyncBac PRO) Supported Supported Not Supported
    Sound Devices 6-series sound mixers/recorders Supported Supported Supported
    ARRI® Alexa® video cameras Supported Not Supported Supported
    Other video cameras connected to Timecode Systems devices Supported Not Supported Not Supported

    Set up :pulse to Connect to External Apps

    Your :pulse can connect to external apps by using its built-in Wi-Fi or via an Ethernet connection. Ethernet connections are more stable, but require the :pulse to be physically connected to a computer or Local Area Network, which can be impractical in some situations.

    :pulse has ethernet support

    Wi-fi does not require any physical connections, and so can be a more versatile solution. However, Wi-Fi connections are less stable than a wired Ethernet connection, and can be prone to intermittent loss of connection.

    Note: :pulseonly uses Wi-Fi and Ethernet for communicating with external apps. It uses Timecode Systems' proprietary RF protocol to communicate with the devices in the BLINK network.

     

    For more details, see:

  • Quick Setup BLINK Hub and :pulse

    Quick Setup: BLINK Hub and :pulse

    To get your :pulse to communicate with BLINK Hub or other apps:

    1. First set up your :pulse to connect to other Timecode Systems devices, a sound mixer/recorder, or a video camera as appropriate. You can find instructions in the following sections:
    2. This step only applies if you are connecting a Sound Devices 6-series sound mixer/recorder to your :pulse.

      Use a a TCB-40 9-pin data to USB B cable to connect your sound mixer/recorder to the :pulse's DATA port.

    3. Download and install the BLINK Hub app on your Apple® Macintosh® computer, or your smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android).

      BLINK Hub is available via our website:

      http://www.timecodesystems.com/products-home/blink-hub/#download

      It is also available in the ITunes app store (iOS) and in the Google Play store (Android).

    4. If you want to use your :pulse to control an ARRI® Alexa® camera, purchase and install Pure Blend Software's MovieSlate® app on your smartphone or tablet. MovieSlate® is required to control ARRI® Alexa® cameras. If you prefer, you can also use MovieSlate to control Sound Devices 6-series sound mixer/recorders instead of BLINK Hub.
    5. Decide how your :pulse is going to connect to your device. For smartphones and tablets, you need to use Wi-Fi, but Apple® Macintosh® computers can connect via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

      For Wi-Fi, ignore step 6 and continue from step 7.

      For Ethernet, continue from step 6.

    6. Use an Ethernet cable to connect your :pulse to a network connection or router.

    7. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    8. Press the control knob.

    9. Use the control knob to put the following settings in place:
      Wi-Fi ConnectionEthernet Connection
      Wi-Fi Settings > Turn On/Off > Turn OnWi-Fi Settings > Turn On/Off > Turn Off
      Ethernet Settings > Turn On/Off > Turn OffEthernet Settings > Turn On/Off > Turn On
      Network Type > SoftAp* 
      Stealth Mode > Disabled* 
      Channel > 01* 

      10. * These are the default settings for Wi-Fi. If you experience problems with Wi-Fi with these settings, you will need to change them, see Set up Wi-Fi for Data Streaming.

      Turning off the type of connection that is not being used is a good power saving measure. The Ethernet and Wi-Fi features consume power, so it makes sense to disable them if they are not being used.

    10. Run your BLINK Hub (or MovieSlate®, where appropriate) app on your smartphone or tablet.
    11. Use the app to connect to your :pulse.

    When BLINK Hub connects to your :pulse, it automatically detects any devices that are connected to the :pulse. If your :pulse is the master device in the BLINK network, BLINK Hub will detect the :pulse and its slaves.

    You can then use BLINK Hub to monitor and control the available devices (Timecode Systems devices, video cameras, Sound Devices 6-series sound mixers/recorders).

     

  • Set up Wi-Fi for :pulse Data Streaming

    Set up Wi-Fi for Data Streaming

    Your :pulse can use its built-in Wi-Fi to communicate with external applications, such as Timecode Systems' BLINK Hub. To set up Wi-Fi, you first need to turn it on (see Turn Wi-Fi On or Off).

    When you have enabled Wi-Fi, your :pulse will use the default Wi-Fi settings, which may be appropriate for your setup.

    Setting Default
    Network Type SoftAp
    Stealth Mode
    		Off
    Channel 01

    Answer the following questions to find out if you need to change the Wi-Fi settings:

    1. Do you want your :pulse to turn Wi-Fi off automatically if there is no external power? Turning Wi-Fi off helps to save battery power. If yes, see Power Saving with Stealth Mode.
    2. Is your :pulse having problems connecting via Wi-Fi? Does it connect but then drops the connection intermittently? If yes, Set the Wi-Fi Channel and Re-Start Wi-Fi.

    If you answered no to the questions above, you can leave the default Wi-Fi settings in place.

    Turn Wi-Fi On or Off

    If you want :pulse to use its built-in Wi-Fi for connecting to external apps, you first need to turn Wi-Fi on.

    Tip: If you are not going to use external apps with your :pulse, it makes sense to turn Wi-Fi off as a power saving measure. (Your :pulse consumes more power when Wi-Fi is enabled).

    1. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    2. Press the control knob.

    3. Turn the control knob to scroll to the WiFi Settings option.

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Turn On/Off option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to select the appropriate option:
      • Turn On
      • Turn Off
      • Re-Start (Turns Wi-Fi off and then back on again, see Re-Start Wi-Fi).

    8. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

    If you have turned Wi-Fi on or re-started it, you will also need to Set the Wi-Fi Network Type.

     

    Tip: Save battery power by using Stealth mode to turn Wi-Fi off when there is no external power (see Power Saving with Stealth Mode).

     

     

     

    Set the Wi-Fi Network Type

    After turning Wi-Fi on, you should choose the SoftAp f Wi-Fi network mode. This is your :pulse's built-in Wi-Fi network, and is the most commonly used network type. It allows your :pulse to stream data to any Wi-Fi enabled device that is within range of the :pulse.

    1. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    2. Press the control knob.

    3. Turn the control knob to scroll to the WiFi Settings option.

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Network Type option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to select the SoftAp option. Do not use the Infrastructure option unless advised to do so by a Timecode Systems customer support agent.

    8. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

     

    Power Saving with Stealth Mode

    With Stealth Mode, you can set your :pulse to turn Wi-Fi off automatically if there is no external power. This is a power saving feature, designed to keep your :pulse on for as long as possible when it has to use its internal battery (the battery has a limited amount of charge, and this will be used up more quickly if Wi-Fi is enabled).

    1. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    2. Press the control knob.

    3. Turn the control knob to scroll to the WiFi Settings option.

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Stealth Mode option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to select the appropriate option:
      • Enable to turn Stealth Mode on. If your :pulse is disconnected from an external power source, it will turn off Wi-Fi automatically.
      • Disable to turn Stealth Mode off. If your :pulse is disconnected from an external power source, it will not change its Wi-Fi settings. If your :pulse has Wi-Fi on, it will consume battery power more quickly than it would if Stealth Mode was enabled or Wi-Fi was off.

    8. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

    Set the Wi-Fi Channel

    Your :pulse supports eleven Wi-Fi channels, and is set to use Channel 01 by default. If you are using :pulse in close proximity to other Wi-Fi or bluetooth enabled devices, you may need to change the channel to avoid connection conflicts. (The other devices may be using the same channel).

    To change the Wi-Fi channel that your :pulse uses:

    1. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    2. Press the control knob.

    3. Turn the control knob to scroll to the WiFi Settings option.

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Channel option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to select a channel (01 to 11).

    8. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

     

    Re-Start Wi-Fi

    If your :pulse's Wi-Fi connection goes offline or there is a long delay when connecting via Wi-Fi, try re-starting the Wi-Fi connection. A fresh restart often resolves any Wi-Fi connection issues.

    Note: You can see if your :pulse is offline by looking at the Wi-Fi Status screen (see Wi-Fi Status).

    To re-start the Wi-Fi connection:

    1. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    2. Press the control knob.

    3. Turn the control knob to scroll to the WiFi Settings option.

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Turn On/Off option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to select the Re-Start option.

    8. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

     

  • Set up Ethernet for :pulse Data Streaming

    Set Up Ethernet for Data Streaming

    If your setup makes it easy to position a computer close to your :pulse, you may prefer to use an Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi. An Ethernet connection is stable and constant, and is not affected by other devices.

    If you want to use an Ethernet cable for communications between your :pulse and external apps:

    1. Install the external apps on your computer.
    2. Connect an Ethernet cable to one of the Ethernet ports on your :pulse and the Ethernet port on your computer.

    3. Switch on your :pulse unit (see Switch :pulse On and Off).

    4. Press the control knob.

    5. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Ethernet Settings option.

    6. Press the control knob.

    7. Turn the control knob to scroll to the Turn On/Off option.

    8. Press the control knob.

    9. Turn the control knob to select the appropriate option:
      • Turn on to enable Ethernet.
      • Turn off to disable Ethernet.

    10. Press the control knob to confirm your selection.

    Your :pulse can now send and receive data via Ethernet. To connect to the external apps, some additional setup may be required in the applications.