13
COMPUTER CONTROL
The ADVANTAGE
®
PMX84 has an RS-232 compatible serial interface, which allows it to be controlled by a computer (see Rear Panel
Features on page 3). In addition to the PC Control Software, the PMX84 offers two other methods of computer control.
Control Button Emulation: This method allows the computer to emulate the operation of the infrared transmitter or wall-mount control
panel. Using this method, the computer outputs ASCII characters, which are equivalent to the commands generated by the standard
control buttons. The PMX84 is unable to tell whether these commands come from the computer or from a standard control. However,
Control Button Emulation allows the computer to utilize up to forty button definitions (unlike standard controls, which have only twenty-eight
buttons). When using up to four PMX84s in a system, Control Button Emulation also allows the computer to designate which device or
devices should react to each control button command.
Advanced Computer Control: This method provides advanced commands, which allow the computer to retrieve or edit matrix
assignments, retrieve or edit control button definitions, and a variety of other functions. The computer may also emulate control buttons.
Using this method, the computer may designate up to eight devices, and may create unlimited presets and control button definitions. The
computer may also provide "real-time" display of input/output assignments.
This manual only describes the Control Button Emulation method of computer control. For complete details about using the PMX84 with a
computer, including Advanced Computer Control, contact Biamp Systems for manual "Computer Control of PMX84".
Each control button on the infrared transmitter or the wall-mount control panel corresponds to one character in the standard ASCII
character set. The character equivalents are summarized in the following table. This table includes all forty of the possible buttons, their
button numbers, their ASCII code equivalents, and their factory default button definitions. From the factory, remote control buttons are
non-functional and may be programmed to perform functions only through Configuration (see Configuration on pg. 10).
button 01
B
no definition assigned
button 15
P
no definition assigned
button 29
^
no definition assigned
button 02
C
no definition assigned
button 16
Q
no definition assigned
button 30
_
no definition assigned
button 03
D
no definition assigned
button 17
R
no definition assigned
button 31
'
no definition assigned
button 04
E
no definition assigned
button 18
S
no definition assigned
button 32
b
no definition assigned
button 05
F
no definition assigned
button 19
T
no definition assigned
button 33
c
no definition assigned
button 06
G
no definition assigned
button 20
U
no definition assigned
button 34
d
no definition assigned
button 07
H
no definition assigned
button 21
V
no definition assigned
button 35
e
no definition assigned
button 08
I
no definition assigned
button 22
W
no definition assigned
button 36
f
no definition assigned
button 09
J
no definition assigned
button 23
X
no definition assigned
button 37
g
no definition assigned
button 10
K
no definition assigned
button 24
Y
no definition assigned
button 38
h
no definition assigned
button 11
L
no definition assigned
button 25
Z
no definition assigned
button 39
i
no definition assigned
button 12
M
no definition assigned
button 26
[
no definition assigned
button 40
j
no definition assigned
button 13
N
no definition assigned
button 27
\
no definition assigned
button 14
O
no definition assigned
button 28
]
no definition assigned
The computer can initiate any functions or actions that a standard control can, by simply transmitting the equivalent control button ASCII
character. When interfacing the PMX84 to a computer, the computer must be aware that the PMX84 will "echo" all characters it receives
(both from computer and standard controls) via the Serial Port 'transmit data' (TXD) signal.
Up to four PMX84s may be connected together, and addressed individually, when using Control Button Emulation. When multiple units are
used, each unit should be assigned a unique "Device Number" (see Configuration on pg. 10). Normally, all of the PMX84s would react to
control button commands. However, the computer can send commands to specific units, by preceding each command with a "device
select prefix" character (see following table). Only those PMX84s whose Device Numbers are specified will respond to the command
which follows. If a command is not immediately preceded by a device select prefix character, then all PMX84s in the system will react to
that command.
Select Device 1
l
Select Devices 2 & 3
q
Select Devices 1 & 2 & 4
v
Select Device 2
m
Select Devices 1 & 2 & 3
r
Select Devices 3 & 4
w
Select Devices 1 & 2
n
Select Device 4
s
Select Devices 1 & 3 & 4
x
Select Device 3
o
Select Devices 1 & 4
t
Select Devices 2 & 3 & 4
y
Select Devices 1 & 3
p
Select Devices 2 & 4
u
Select Devices 1 & 2 & 3 & 4
z
