Venus 7000: How to display bitmaps based on data fields?

Configure RTD inputs. (Skip this step if you already have a working RTd input.)

1.  From the Venus7000 shell click Configure > RTD Inputs.
2. Use the RTD Input standards to select the appropriate input. Click Edit Input.
3.  In the Name box, enter the name of the input source, i.e. DakStats.
4.  Select the Source Type or communication device desired from the drop-down menu.
5.  Select the Source, Protocol, and Default Input Template. If necessary, select the Baud Rate.  Select the Parity from its drop-down menu. The parity determines if data is sending properly.  Select Data Bits, or the speed at which information should transfer, from the drop-down menu. Note: Data sources send information at different baud rates, parity and data bits. Consult the manual for the data source (ex: AllSport 5000) to find the appropriate settings.
6. Once all appropriate boxes are filled, click OK to return to the RTD Input menu. Note: You may be prompted with a message "The RTD buffer is less than the ITF size, would you like to adjust the size?" Select Yes. Click OK to return to the System Configuration menu. Click OK to return to the Shell menu. Note: The Sign Service will need restarting in order for the configuration to take effect. A message prompts for service restart; click Yes to restart the sign service. Another message asking whether to stop any running signs appears; click Yes. Finally, a message asking whether to stop the Remote Service appears; click Yes. This process causes the live display to momentarily go blank while the Venus 7000 sign service restarts.

Determine data frame layout.

1.   Determine what displays or windows will show real-time data and the type of information that is needed based upon the sources available. 

2.  Create a layout example to visually aid design of the data frame.  Creating a layout in advance can speed up the process.  Note: Remember a RTD frame can have data from multiple inputs.

Create data frames utilizing Bitmap RTD.

1. Format all bitmap images to the desired size.
2. Save the bitmaps to the C:\ or D:\V7000\Bitmaps folder.
3. Name the bitmap to match the identifying data coming from the data source. Name the bitmap for each player or team name the same as that entered in the stats program.  For example, Sam Logan is a player for the home team; when entering his name/number into the DakStats computer, enter his number (#12), first name (Sam), last name (Logan).  The bitmap for Sam Logan needs to be named 12Logan.bmp.
4. Open the Venus7000 Shell, click Edit. The Sequence Designer opens.
5. Create a new sequence.
6. From the Menu bar, click Frame > Insert > Data Frame. The Frame Properties window opens. Click the Data Field Parameters tab. Click the radio button next to BMP RTD.
7. Click the drop-down arrow next to Input in the RTD Field section and choose the input number.
8. Choose a field such as Home-In Game 1-Number from the Field Name section.  Notice the Item # and Length are automatically assigned.  Adjust the Length to 14 so the bitmap will key off of player number/name. Set sample data to preview file.
9. Check Fixed Size and Stretch options then enter a specific Height and Width for the image.
10. Click the up arrow or type "2" in the Field section. This creates a second RTD Field.
11. In the Field Type section, click the radio button next to RTD.
12. In the RTD Field, choose the correct Input and under Field Name choose Home - In Game - Number. Adjust the Length to 14 so the bitmap will key off of player number/name.  Position the additional RTD Field around the first RTD Field so data does not cover the image. Click OK to close the Frame Properties window.
13. Delete the first blank frame by clicking the First Frame button. Click the Delete Frame button and click Delete Current.
14. Save and Close the sequence.

Configure an image for keying.

1.  Open the image in an image editing program, such as Photoshop.
2.  Size the image to the size you want it to be on the display. The image needs to be sized to the exact size (in pixels) it will appear on the display, otherwise problems with the keying may occur.
3. Set any pixel that you want to be transparent to an RGB value of 0,0,0. Note: these colors must be exact. If a pixel is so much as one value off in either the Red, Green or Blue settings, it will not be transparent.
4.  Save the image as a Bitmap to your Bitmaps folder. If the image is saved as a JPEG, compression will occur, making some of the pixels opaque on the display.

Keying in an image for Bitmap RTD

1.  Format all bitmap images to the desired size.
2. Save the bitmaps to the C:\ or D:\V7000\Bitmaps folder.
3. Name the bitmap to match the identifying data coming from the data source. Name the bitmap for each player or team name the same as that entered in the stats program.  For example, Sam Logan is a player for the home team; when entering his name/number into the DakStats computer, enter his number (#12), first name (Sam), last name (Logan).  The bitmap for Sam Logan needs to be named 12Logan.bmp.
4.  Open the Venus7000 Shell, click Edit. The Sequence Designer opens.
5. Create a new sequence.
6. From the Menu bar, click Frame > Insert > Data Frame. The Frame Properties window opens.
7.  From the Data Field Parameters tab, click the radio button next to BMP RTD.
8. Click the drop-down arrow next to Input in the RTD Field section, choose the input number.
9. Choose a field such as Home-In Game 1-Number from the Field Name section.  Notice the Item # and Length are automatically assigned.  Adjust the Length to 14 so the bitmap will key off of player number/name.
10. Check Fixed Size and Stretch options then enter a specific Height and Width for the image.
11. Change the Overlay Mode to Outline 0.
12.  Click the up arrow or type "2" in the Field section. This creates a second RTD Field.
13. In the Field Type section, click the radio button next to RTD.
14.  In the RTD Field, choose the correct Input and under Field Name choose Home - In Game - Number. Adjust the Length to 14 so the bitmap will key off of player number/name.  Position the additional RTD Field around the first RTD Field so data does not cover the image. 
15. Click OK to close the Frame Properties window.
16.  Delete the first blank frame by clicking the First Frame button. Click the Delete Frame button and click Delete Current.
17. Save and Close the Sequence.

Edit multiple RTD fields.

1. Open the sequence within Sequence Designer.
2.  Select Properties > Data Field Parameters. When you have selected the first field you want to begin to edit you can either use the SHIFT or CTRL key to select the grouping.  SHIFT will allow you to select a continuous group of fields by clicking on the first field in a group and the last field in a group.  CTRL will allow you to randomly select multiple fields.  To select each item the operator will need to click inside of the RTD field.
3. After a group has been selected the following items could be adjusted: input numbers, justification, text color, overlay modes, row and column, and font.
4.   Click OK to save the changes and return to the sequence.

Verify data is received in DMP-7000.

1.  Click Diagnostics > RTD.Click "Yes" to create a schedule.
2.  From the drop-down menu, select the Input number of the RTD.
3. Click Refresh to view any changes in the RTD sample.
4. Click Clear Data to remove the RTD sample from the RTD Data box.

Verify data is received in DSTI.

1. Click View > Monitor Ports.Click "Yes" to create a schedule.
2. From the menu, select the RTD ports that should be monitored.
3. In the open windows data that is being sent continuously from the inputs will appear in the top portion of the window.  The bottom portion of the window will show the requested scripts being sent across the network.

DMP-7000 or Venus 7000 reached end of support July 1, 2023. If you are interested in upgrading to the newest technology, visit Daktronics Professional Services to learn more.  https://www.daktronics.com/en-us/markets/sports/services