Once the remote interface is properly installed in your system, many of the remote functions can be accessed
from a standard remote system. Currently the remote commands used by the matching TL7.5 preamplifier
will access the following command functions:
Power On/Off (rocker Power switch on the back of the amplifier must be up in the On position)
Mute On/Off
Tetrode/Triode mode switching
Further remote commands are available with additonal programming, but since the IR port is only one
direction, status information is not communicated back through the IR port.
Using the amplifier with RS232 control
This amplifier comes with sophisticated bi-directional control and communication capabilities, where all the
control and query functions can be performed remotely, and the amplifier’s internal status information is
communicated by its main microprocessor. The microprocessor also displays the amplifier’s status
information on the display window located at the center of the front panel, with the RS-232 offering further
detail than can be represented on the front panel.
Control functions and information returned are accessed through the rear RS-232 port via a standard DB9
male female connector cable and standard ASCII text strings using pre-defined commands as listed below in
the summary of all the control functions that can be performed on the front panel and the expected results
on the display window and the RS-232 port.
The RS232 communication port is designed to interface with central command systems to enable the
amplifiers to be located and operated remotely, and allows the user to interface with the amplifier using any
PC and the standard HyperTerminal utility provided with the Microsoft Windows Operating system.
Windows is configured using the Properties command under the File menu with the following settings:
9600 Baud, 8 data bits, Parity =None, 1 stop bit, Flow control =None
After the Hyper terminal Program is running and its Window is opened, enter the text string >HELP (or
>?) followed by carriage return to display available commands. The convention used is command
{parameter} or command [parameter], with {} meaning required parameters and [] meaning optional
parameters. For systems without a return button the amplifier’s microprocessor recognizes /C as a carriage
return, and /R as a return. The input and output buffers can hold a maximum of 256 bytes at one time.
The user commands are:
Command
Meaning / Use
Expected response
>HELP or >?
For displaying a list of all available
commands
All commands and their
syntax
>STATUS
For querying the status of the
amplifier
S-400 Amplifier Owner’s Manual
VTL
30
