Extron electronic 6400s - Manual (Page 22)

Control Software, cont’d
Matrix 3200/6400 Series • Control Software 3-2
Control Software
Tutorial - Using the Matrix 3200/6400 System
Virtualization/Control Software
Extron’s Matrix 3200/6400 System Virtualization/Control
Program
The Matrix 3200/6400 System Virtualization/Control program communicates
with the Extron Matrix 3200/6400 System through the RS-232/422 port on BME #0
(defaults to 9600 baud, 8 bit, 1 stop, no parity). The program is required to initially
set the Virtualization and optional Room configurations for the system. See the
following two sections for details:
• System Virtualization - creating a virtual I/O switching System - (see Page 3-3)
• Rooming - how to create Rooms - (see Page 3-5)
The program also presents all the functions found on the optional Front-Panel
Controller (FPC 1000), but in an interactive graphical interface, so it may be used
for full control or initial programming of the system. Because settings to the
Matrix (Ties, Presets, Audio config) are stored in the unit’s memory, several modes
of ‘programming’ are possible. It provides 4 major methods:
• Remote control and programming of the system in real time through the
RS-232 port.
• Saving system’s settings for later restoration to the same system (backup) or
copying to (programming) another system. Multiple configurations
(programs) can be saved to disk and any one quickly reloaded later,
providing an unlimited number of possible setups.
• Creating Program byte-strings for application to the Matrix system through a
third-party control system.
• Emulation (off-line) programming of the system’s settings for copying to
system at a later time or another place. Emulation mode also allows creation
of programs for any possible Matrix hardware configuration without being
connected to such a system.
To load a demonstration set of Ties, Presets and Rooms to your Matrix (or Emulate
one) Restore from the DEMO6400.MTX file which was installed with the Windows
Software. Use NEW.INI to clear all settings in a unit.
Note that pressing the F1 key within the program will provide context-sensitive
Help.
An Explanation of VIRTUAL I/O SWITCHING in the Matrix 3200/
6400 System
A Matrix 3200/6400 System consists of from 1 to 6 Switcher boxes (BMEs), each of
which may have as many as 64 inputs and 64 outputs. It is usually desirable to
have certain inputs (or outputs) switch together as a set: to Follow each other. For
example, if the system hardware consisted of a 64 x 64 Video BME and a 64 x 64
Audio BME, you’d want your video monitor’s image and its audio speakers to be
coming from the same source (maybe a VCR) and to follow each other when
switched to another source (perhaps a Laser Disc player). This type of switching
requires the two BMEs to communicate with each other so that they both switch to
the correct inputs to create the follow condition. In the traditional and simplest
configurations, hardware is usually designed to cause both BMEs to switch to the
same input (or output) number.
An example where Follow mode is always required is with S-Video where the ‘Y’
signal and the ‘C’ signal must be switched as a pair of input signals and a pair of