Extron electronic 8 PLUS Model 8/10 Plus RS-232 Control, Software, Host/Switcher Communications

Model 8/10 PLUS RS-232 Control

Model 8/10 PLUS RS-232 Control

The Model 8/10 PLUS switchers can be controlled through the RS-232 port by a Host device/system. The RS-232 connector location and pin assignments are shown in the drawing below.

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Software

Each Model 8/10 PLUS switcher ships with a 3.5" diskette containing Extron's Windows® compatible UNIVSW Control Software which enables the user to select the input and check switcher status in a Windows “point and click” environment. This software will be covered later in this chapter.

Host/Switcher Communications

The Model 8/10 PLUS Switchers treat any character that comes in on the RS-232 port as a possible command but accepts only a limited number as legal commands. There are no codes required to say that a command is coming, or that a command has ended. A simple command may be a single character typed on a keyboard and does not require any special characters before or after. (i.e. It is not necessary to press “enter” from the keyboard.) Simple commands could be from a terminal, or any other controlling device.

When the Model 8/10 PLUS switcher receives a command and determines that it is valid, it will execute the command and send a response back to the controlling (Host) device. If the command is determined by the Model 8/10 PLUS switcher to be invalid, an error response will be returned to the Host. All responses from the switcher to the Host begin and end with a carriage return and a line feed (CR/LF) signaling the end of the Response character string (string = one or more characters).

Using the Command/Response Table

The table on the following page lists those commands which the Model 8/10 PLUS switchers recognize as valid and the responses that will be returned to the Host. The Description column defines the Command, the results of executing the Command, or a definition of the response.

The Command string in the left hand column of the table is defined in the right hand column. The Command string is shown as ASCII characters, an ASCII to HEX conversion table is provided.

Page 3-1 Extron • Model 8 PLUS & Model 10 PLUS Switchers • User’s Manual