Gilderfluke&Co DMX-512 Output MultiShow Brick - Manual (Page 15)

BR-MultiShow Configuration:
To communicate with the BR-MultiShow through the serial port, you can use just about any computer
or terminal that has a serial port on it. Some newer computer designs, like the Apple Macintosh, come with
serial ports which are directly compatible with the RS-422 / RS-485 signal levels the BR-MultiShow wants to
see. These signal levels are close enough to be used with the RS-232 signal levels found on most older
computers (like most IBMs and compatibles) with only a simple adapter cable, so long as the wire isn't too
long. To gain the full advantage of the RS-422 / RS-485 signal levels you will need to use a signal level
adapter like our 232conv-09.
If you are using a computer as a terminal you will need to run a modem or terminal emulation pro-
gram. These will send everything you type on the keyboard out the serial port on your computer while
printing on the screen anything that comes in from the BR-MultiShow through the serial port. Every copy of
Windows comes with HyperTerm or Terminal.EXE, which are just such programs. Z-Term is available as
shareware (free) from most Bulletin Board Systems and users' groups for Macintosh computers. A modem
program will usually have the advantage over a terminal emulation program. It will allow you to save data
to your computer's disk drives and then send it back to the BR-MultiShow at a later date. The BR-MultiShow
uses no screen control codes or ESCape sequences (unless VT-52 compatible mode has been enabled),
so it should work on any machine with an eighty column by twenty-four line display. Machines with other
display formats will work, but may not look so neat on the screen.
When configuring your modem program, you should set it for 9600 baud, 8 data bits, one stop bit and
no parity. You should set handshaking to ÔXon/XoffÕ. Hardware handshaking must be turned off. If your ter-
minal emulation program supports VT-52 terminal emulation (they all do!), you should enable it. This will
allow faster screen redraws if 'VT-52 compatible' mode is enabled on the BR-MultiShow. You should set
your program NOT to insert an extra LineFeed (LF) character after each Carriage Return (CR) it receives.
You should also tell it NOT to scroll automatically after the eightieth column is filled. If either of these are
on, the screen will be displayed 'double spaced'. This won't cause any problem, but will make it hard to
see the whole screen at one time.
If you have hooked up the BR-MultiShow to your computer and it still doesn't seem to respond to the
keyboard, the first thing to check is that you are attached to the right serial port. The easiest way to do this
is to disconnect the BR-MultiShow and short between the Tx data out and Rx data in pins on the serial port
connector on the back of your computer. On all IBMs and compatibles this means sticking a piece of wire,
paper clip, or similar tool between pins 2 and 3 on the 'Com.' connector. While still running the modem
program, anything you type should be shown on the screen while this paper clip is in place, while nothing
will appear when you remove it. If your computer passes this test, then you are using the right serial port
and the problem is most likely the baud rate setting or in your wiring to the BR-MultiShow. If you get char-
acters on the screen even with the paper clip removed from the serial port, it means you probably need
to set the 'echo' mode to 'none' or 'full duplex' and try this test again.
To enter the configuration mode you need to type the following. The (address) is replaced by the HEX
value set on the ADDRESS switches on the front of the BR-MultiShow:
m5AA5(address)
If any other card is in configuration mode (or even if it just thinks another card is in configuration), the
BR-MultiShow won't be able to enter configuration mode. To exit any other card from configuration type
'XN'. You can then try entering configuration again.
To redraw the screen at any time, just press the <ESC>ape key or <SPACE> bar. The BR-MultiShow will
display the following screen:
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