Black Box SW056A, Quick Start Manual

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CODE OPERATED SWITCH-16
4
The COS-16 brings the convenience of code-based
RS-232 switching to sites with multiple terminals,
printers, and peripherals. The base unit switches
one control port among up to 16 ports. With each
expansion unit you install, you add 16 additional
ports, up to a total of 64.
Code-based switching lets you control the switch
from your terminal, by sending a two-character
ASCII switching code. You get the reliability of a
mechanical switch, but you never have to leave
your office to set it.
A bank of DIP switches, conveniently located on the
bottom of the unit, governs the selection of one of
the code characters. The DIP bank is quite easy to
locate and may be changed quickly in an
emergency.
You can work with all the files a mechanical
switch will handle—even binary and graphics files.
A special feature, called code repetition, gives the
switch the ability to distinguish between switching
instructions and the “lookalikes” that sometimes
occur in data files. With code repetition enabled,
the switch will only react to instructions that have
been repeated twice, four times, or up to eight
times in succession. Repetition considerably
reduces the chances of false switching.
A broadcast mode makes it easy to mass-address a
group of terminals or an array of laboratory
instruments by directing the information on the
common port to all 16 device ports simultaneously.
You’ll spend a minimum of time and trouble
installing and configuring your COS-16. You can
set and change the critical jumper banks on the
COS-16 much more easily than on other switches—
they’re set in a recess on the bottom of the case,
rather than deep within the body of the switch.
To install the COS-16, the tools you need are a
flathead screwdriver and a tool with a point small
enough to set DIP switches. If you have ordered
expansion units, you’ll find assembly instructions
at the end of this book, in Appendix D.
2. Introduction