CafeSuite Knowledge Base

CafeSuite alone provides basic support for game consoles. You can count time for them and use accounts, however blocking screen and displaying messages is not possible. The number of consoles managed in that manner is unlimited.

With a relay board attached to the LPT port, CafeSuite can control up to 8 consoles, they should have numbers 1-8 on the workstation list.

The example relay board can be found under this address:
http://electronickits.com/kit/complete/elec/ck1601.htm

This device controls the power input to the console or TV, so when the time is over it's simply switched off.

Since CafeSuite 3.53.1 Z-wave device control is possible. Z-wave is a wireless protocol designed for home automation that for example makes it possible to turn appliances on and off remotely. You can read more
about Z-wave at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-Wave
http://www.z-wave.com/
http://www.zwaveworld.com/

It is possible to remotely turn off TV connected to Xbox when session is over in CafeStation. The requirement is to have a Z-wave compatible controller connected to main PC through USB or serial port and Z-wave appliance plugs connected to console TVs. It is possible to control up to 232 devices.

Here's how to set it up:
1. There's a new page Advanced/Z-wave in program settings where you can enable Z-wave controller, select COM port and baud-rate (115200 for USB controllers).
2. Make sure that Automatically wake up computers option is enabled on Operation/Automation page in program settings.
3. You now need to add game consoles to workstation list through menu List/Add computer. Enable Game console checkbox in workstation properties.
4. Now you need to assign the plugs to the consoles in CafeStation. Select console on workstation list and start maintenance mode through menu Workstation/Maintain. You should see a tray message asking to press button on Z-wave appropriate plug. Please do so.
5. Once you click button on Z-wave plug, CafeStation should show a message that it assigned plug to selected workstation.
6. You can now end maintenance mode by cancelling tome (menu Customer/Cancel) time or ending session (menu Customer/Free workstation).
7. Please repeat steps 3-6 for the remaining consoles.

From now on you can turn on game console TVs by selecting workstation and using menu Workstation/Wake up and turn off through menu Workstation/Shutdown. When you start session on game console, the TV will get turned on and when you end/cancel session it will get turned off.