COM Configuration Tab

The COM Configuration tab is only present when a device port (1) is selected in the IP Link Tree window.

The COM Configuration (2) tab:

  • Displays the communications parameters (3) for each port associated with the selected device.

  • Allows you to change the selected port's communication's parameters (4).  

Note: If a device driver has been associated with a port, only the Baud Rate field is changeable. The other communications parameters are set by the device driver and cannot be changed.

Pass Through Configuration

Note: the Pass Through Configuration option applies to the following products only:

  • IPL T SFI244

  • IPL T SF  24

  • IPL T  S2, S4, & S6

 

The Pass Through Configuration option allows you to install an IP Link device into an existing audio/visual (A/V) network to remotely monitor and control the A/V devices within the network.

For example: we could connect an IPL T S4 between an MLC 206 and a projector, with the MLC 206 connected to serial port 1 and the projector connected to serial port 2. This allows us to remotely control both the MLC 206 and the projector. If we then connect  serial port 1 and serial port 2 using the Pass Through drop-down list,  we have made a connection between the MLC 206 and the projector, so that the existing MLC 206 can continue to send control commands to the projector.

The Pass Through Configuration settings include:

  • Pass Through: This drop-down list allows you to select which pair of serial ports to connect using the pass through option.

  • Timeout: identifies  the length of time the IP Link device will wait for a response from the connected A/V device before it will stop waiting and look to another port for communication signals.  If the Use Delimiters box is unchecked, response wait time will always be dependent on the Timeout value. If the Use Delimiters box is checked, the IP Link device first waits for a delimited response, and if none arrives within the allotted Timeout value the IP Link device stops waiting and looks  to another port for communication signals. The Timeout value is set in units of 10ms. A value of 100 would be 100 x 10ms = 1 second.

  • Use Delimiters: Delimiters are characters that indicate the end of a command to or a response from a device. There are two types of delimiters; Character - where a specific ASCII character string (such as CR) indicates the end of a command or response, and Length - where a specific length character string indicates the end.  In this screen we are only concerned with the response delimiters from the A/V device that is connected to the IP Link device. Here we indicate whether IP Link device should expect a Character-delimited response, or a Length-delimited response.  In the majority of configurations, the device driver sets the delimiter option, and the user does not have to adjust it.

  • Character Delimiter: when the end of a command or response is identified by a specific ASCII character, such as a carriage return (CR)

  • Length Delimiter: when the end of a command or response is identified by a specific character string length, such as 8 bytes.

To configure the Pass Through option:

  1. Select a Serial Port in the IP Link Tree window.

  2. Select the COM Configuration tab (see below).

  3. Select a 2nd Serial Port in the Pass Through drop-down list.

  4. Set the desired Timeout value.

  5. Select Delimiters if desired.