# Local serial port access camera control

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Created:** [December 11, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730 "2011-12-11T18:21:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![shawn\_75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@shawn\_75](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/shawn_75)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730/1 "2011-12-11T18:21:36Z")

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I’d like to be able to control a Pelco pan/tilt base while using the IP camera viewer. The Pelco D protocol is very straightforward and openly available. I simply need to send hex messages out the serial port. The D protocol manual can be viewed here [cvs.ru/files/pelco-d.pdf](http://cvs.ru/files/pelco-d.pdf) I’ll have maybe 20 or so total messages to provide all the control of the camera that I need. Is it possible in Ignition to do this? I am not opposed to using a serial server device like a Lantronix Xpress DR (I have a few of these).

Thanks  
Shawn

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**Author:** ![Colby.Clegg](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/colby.clegg/32/3282_2.png) [@Colby.Clegg](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Colby.Clegg)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730/2 "2011-12-13T16:57:36Z")

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I think you probably could accomplish this, using the serial server, either through scripting (on the gateway, using python to send udp packets) or with the TCP/UDP driver. The UDP portion of that driver doesn’t currently support writing, so that option would only really make sense if you were using TCP with the Lantronix device.

Do you have an idea which transport protocol you would be using? Also, a third option would be the throw in something like Kepware’s UCon server which would let you implement the protocol more fully (and use serial directly). Ignition does not currently have direct serial support, though we will be adding it to the SDK some time soon.

Regards,

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**Author:** ![shawn\_75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@shawn\_75](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/shawn_75)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730/3 "2011-12-13T23:23:17Z")

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Would PySerial be an option?

I need to dig into the Lantronix a little deeper to see what is required. I have only ever used them with com port redirector software.

Shawn

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**Author:** ![shawn\_75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@shawn\_75](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/shawn_75)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/local-serial-port-access-camera-control/3730/4 "2012-01-11T01:52:34Z")

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Somehow I missed this post [viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7142](http://www.inductiveautomation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7142)

I am going to try this and report back. This should work well for a Pelco PTZ as there is little to no useful information that is returned back from the camera. This is because javacomm is for serial output only.

Shawn