Altinex MT100-108 User Manual

MULTI-TASKER™

MANUAL PART NUMBER: 400-0401-001

MT100-108

12-SLOT MULTI-TASKER™

ENCLOSURE

USER’S GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PRECAUTIONS / SAFETY WARNINGS..............2

GENERAL..........................................................2

INSTALLATION .................................................2

RACK-MOUNT INSTALLATION .........................2

CLEANING.........................................................2

FCC NOTICE.....................................................2

ABOUT YOUR MT100-108...................................3

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS...........................3

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ..................................4

INSTALLING YOUR MT100-108..........................5

OPERATION........................................................5

RS-232 CONNECTION......................................5

RS-232 PROTOCOL..........................................6

MULTI-TASKER

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE.............................6

CARD CAGEIS NOT WORKING.......................6

CARD ISNOT WORKING..................................6

ALTINEX POLICY................................................6

LIMITED WARRANTY/RETURNPOLICY..........6

CONTACT INFORMATION................................6

400-0401-001

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MULTI-TASKER

PRECAUTIONS / SAFETY WARNINGS 1

Please read this manual carefully before using your
MT100-108 12-Slot Multi-Tasker™ Enclosure.
Keep this manual handy for future reference.
These safety instructions are to ensure the long life
of your MT100-108 12-Slot Multi-Tasker™
Enclosure and to prevent fire and shock hazard.
Please read them carefully and heed all warnings.

1.1 GENERAL

• Qualified ALTINEX service personnel or their

authorized representatives must perform all
service.

1.2 INSTALLATION

• To prevent fire or shock, do not expose this unit

to rain or moisture. Do not place the MT100-108
in direct sunlight, near heaters or heat radiating
appliances, or near any liquid. Exposure to
direct sunlight, smoke, or steam can harm
internal components.

• Handle your MT100-108 carefully. Dropping or

jarring can damage the unit. If the MT100-108 is
not used for an extended period, disconnect the
power cord from the power outlet or turn off the
main connection.

1.3 RACK-MOUNT INSTALLATION

1.5 FCC NOTICE

• This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference that may cause
undesired operation.

• This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class A digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the
equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and if
not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to
cause harmful interference in which case the
user will be required to correct the interference
at his own expense.

• Any changes or modifications to the unit not
expressly approved by ALTINEX, Inc. could void
the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

• Use only ALTINEX supplied rack-mount ears for
mounting the MT100-108 into a rack.

• The maximum operating ambient temperature is
35ºC (95ºF).

• When installing the MT100-108 into a rack,
distribute individual units evenly, otherwise
hazardous conditions may be created by an
uneven weight distribution. This will reduce heat
build up and will prolong the life of the
MT100-108. Power should be connected using
provided 3-prong power cord only. Furthermore,
make sure that the rack is properly grounded.

1.4 CLEANING

• Unplug the MT100-108 power cord before
cleaning.

• Clean surfaces with a dry cloth. Never use
strong detergents or solvents such as, alcohol or
thinner. Do not use a wet cloth or water to clean
the unit.

400-0401-001

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MULTI-TASKER

ABOUT YOUR MT100-108 2

MT100-108

Multi-Tasker™ 12-Slot Enclosure

• Empty card-cage with 12 slots available

• Basic foundation of Multi-Tasker™ solutions

• 3U high, full rack wide

• Rack ears included

The Multi-Tasker™ 12-Slot Enclosure, MT100-108,
comes with a front panel installed. However, the
front panel MT101-115 must be ordered
separately.

For applications in which the Multi-Tasker™ needs
to be controlled using front panel buttons, the
MT101-115 with 36 user-programmable buttons,
offers a great deal of flexibility in user control.
These buttons may be programmed to control all
functions of the front panel and individual system
cards.

The buttons offer removable transparent faces,
allowing access to removable labels for easy
identification of programmed functions.
Non-volatile memory protects the programming
during power-down. Programming is accomplished
through one of two 9-pin RS-232 ports. One port is
located on the front of the unit and the other is on
the back panel.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 3

FEATURES/

DESCRIPTION

GENERAL
RS-232

Compatibility

Table 1. MT100-108 Electrical

MECHANICAL MT100-108

Weight (without cards) 6.5lbs. (2.95kg)

Weight (with front
panel)
Width 17.0 in. (432mm)
Depth 12 in. (305mm)
Height 5.2 in. (132mm)

Available Slots 12
Back Panel Black
T° Operating 10°C-35°C
T° Maximum 50°C
Humidity 90% non-condensing
MTBF (calc.) 40,000hrs

Table 2. MT100-108 Mechanical

ELECTRICAL MT100-108

Power Input

Table 3. MT100-108 Electrical

MT100-108

9-Pin D Connector

(GND, RXD & TXD)
Cards designed for the
Multi-Tasker™ System

8.2lbs (3.72kg)

85VAC - 264VAC

@ 50/60Hz

The MT101-115 may be computer controlled
directly from a computer terminal or using the front
panel buttons.

400-0401-001

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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 4

RS-232 CONTROL

POWER INPUT

MT100-108 FRONT PANEL OPTION

MT101-115

MULTI-TASKER

1 2

43

5 6

13 14 1615 20191817

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

36 PROGRAMMABLE

MT100-108 REAR VIEW

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

RS-232

RS-232 CONTROL

7 8

9 10

11 12

400-0401-001

SLOTS 1-12

4

MULTI-TASKER

INSTALLING YOUR MT100-108 5

Step 1. Connect the power entry connector of the

MT100-108 to the power outlet with the

provided power cord. The power supply is
universal and will work throughout the
world with voltages from 110V-240VAC.

Step 2. If a control system is used to control the

cards in the MT100-108, connect the
RS-232 port of the MT100-108 to the
control system's RS-232 port. See
Table 4.

Connector on

Multi-Tasker™

GND (Ground) Ground

RXD (Receive) Transmit

TXD (Transmit) Receive

Table 4. MT100-108 RS-232 Control

NOTE: Make sure the transmit pin of the control

unit is connected to the receive pin of the
MT100-108 and that the receive pin of the
control unit is connected to the transmit
pin of the MT100-108. See Figure 1 and
Figure 2.

Computer or

Control System

In this section, "Basic Enclosure" or "Unit" has the
same meaning. The basic enclosure is a complete
and independent card cage that has a controller
and 12 slots for plug-in cards. Each unit or basic
enclosure has its own Unit ID that is based on a
number from 0 to 9. Each plug-in card also has its
own Card ID that is a number from 1 to 12.

6.1 RS-232 CONNECTION

If a control system is used to control the cards in
the MT100-108 Multi-Tasker™ Basic Enclosure,
connect the RS-232 connector of the
MT100-108 to the control system's RS-232 port.
To connect the Multi-Tasker™ (MT) to a
computer or a terminal, you must have the
proper interface cable.

The RS-232 cable must have the appropriate
connector on each end and the internal wiring
must be correct. Connectors typically have 9
pins (DB-9 connector) or 25 pins (DB-25
connector) with a "male" or "female" pin
configuration. See Figures 1 and 2 for pinout
details.

Step 3. The unit is now operational.

OPERATION 6

The MT100-108, along with the MT101-115 front
panel, has many advanced remote control
capabilities, which are accessible through standard
RS-232 communication. The controlling can be
accomplished through a computer, a control
system, or any device capable of sending RS-232
commands. The factory settings for the RS-232
port are 9600 baud, 8 bits, 1 stop, and No parity.

Commands used for MultiTasker cards such as
[ON], [OFF], and [IO] that end in "S" will be saved
to memory. Commands not ending in "S" will still be
executed but will not be restored when the system
is reset (power off & power on again).

400-0401-001

Figure 1

DB9 Serial Connection

Figure 2

DB25 Connection

5

MULTI-TASKER

6.2 RS-232 PROTOCOL

The RS-232 protocol for the MT100-108 uses a
simple ASCII character format. See the
MT101-115 Front Panel User Guide for
Multi-Tasker™ commands and formats.

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 7

We have carefully tested and have found no
problems in the supplied MT100-108; however, we
would like to offer suggestions for the following:

7.1 CARD CAGE IS NOT WORKING
Cause 1: Card cage is not plugged in.

Solution: Plug the card cage in. If the card

cage works, the problem is solved. If
the card still does not work, see
Cause 2.

Cause 2: The input power voltage is

incorrect.

Solution: Make sure that the input power

range is within 85-264VAC and also
make sure that the power is
connected to the input power
connector. If there is still a problem,
call ALTINEX at [phone].

Cause 2: Card is not plugged in all the way.

Solution 1: Push the card in all the way. If the

card still does not work, see
Solution 2.

Solution 2: See the troubleshooting section of

each the card's user guide or call
ALTINEX at [phone].

ALTINEX POLICY 8

8.1 LIMITED WARRA NTY/RETURN POLICY

Please see the Altinex website at

www.altinex.com for details on warranty and

return policy.

8.2 CONTACT INFORMATION
ALTINEX, INC

592 Apollo Street
Brea, CA 92821 USA

TEL: [phone]
TOLL FREE: 1-800-ALTINEX
WEB: www.altinex.com

E-MAIL: [e-mail]

7.2 CARD IS NOT WORKING
Cause 1: Card cage slot has a problem.

Solution 1: Test a card in other slots of the card

cage. If the slot was damaged, the
card may work in other slots. If other
slots work, the problem is the card
cage slot. The card cage may
require service. Call ALTINEX at
[phone]. If the other slots do
not work, see Solution 2.

Solution 2: Take any other known good card

with an LED and verify that the slot
used is good by seeing if the other
card’s LED lights in that slot. If it
lights, then the original card may be
the source of the problem. Call
ALTINEX at [phone]. If the
original card was not the source of
the problem, see Cause 2.

400-0401-001

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