Extron electronic MLC 52 Display Device Control, Front Panel Features and Operation, Switch modes

Operation

Display Device Control

The MLC 52 IR models can control a projector or other display device by using infrared (IR) signals. The RS models can control a display device using IR or RS-232. The MLC must be configured for device control by one of the following methods before it will send commands to the display device:

•An IR or an RS-232 driver file can be loaded from a disk or the Extron Web site and used to configure the MLC.

•RS-232 and IR commands can be added to the MLC buttons from a host computer using the supplied Windows-based configuration software. See chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” and the Windows-based configuration software help file for details on setting up the MLC and for downloading, programming, or learning device control commands using the software.

•IR commands can be entered directly from an IR remote control into the MLC through IR learning. IR learning is convenient for installing new or updated commands into the MLC in the field. It can be performed with or without the use of software.

•An MLC 52 can transfer/configure (duplicate or clone its configuration) to another MLC 52 via IR data transfer without the use of cables or software.

Each time a new device driver is used to configure the MLC, previous configurations are replaced (overwritten) by the new driver. Configurations are stored in nonvolatile memory. Therefore, if the power to the unit is interrupted, the MLC retains its settings and configuration.

Front Panel Features and Operation

The MLC 52 front panel contains six buttons, each of which can be programmed with up to four IR or RS-232 commands/functions. It also contains a configuration port, through which the MLC 52 can be connected to a PC’s RS-232 port to program the MLC’s buttons, update firmware, and save the MLC’s current configuration to the PC’s hard drive.

The two-gang sized MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC each have an integrated volume control knob. On these models, the two buttons normally used for volume control on the standard, one-gang MLC can be used to control additional outputs or other projector or display functions.

Buttons on the front panel

The front panel backlit buttons light amber when the MLC 52 is powered on. Buttons that are not currently selected and active are lit more dimly (25% brightness) than the selected ones (100% brightness).

When the MLC is delivered, the buttons are labeled. (You can relabel them by replacing the labels with others provided with the MLC. See “Replacing button labels” in chapter 2, “Installation.”) You can program commands onto these buttons (up to four commands per button) using IR learning, the Windows-based configuration software via the configuration port, or IR data transfer from a configured MLC 52.

Switch modes

Depending on the driver that you load to your MLC, each of the controller’s buttons is preconfigured in one of the following switch modes:

•Single switch mode: In this mode, the button operates independently of the other buttons. Pressing a button in this mode does not affect any other button.

3-2 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation