Altinex MT108-103 User Manual

MULTITASKER

003

USER’S GUIDE

®

MANUAL PART NUMBER: 400-0162-

MT108-103

1-IN, 4-OUT BALANCED STEREO AUDIO

DISTRIBUTION AMPLIFIER

WITH OUTPUT CONTROL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

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

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

HANDLING ........................................................2

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

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

ABOUT YOUR MT108-103....................................... 3

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

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

APPLICATION DIAGRAMS ...................................... 5

DIAGRAM1: TYPICAL SETUP ..........................5

DIAGRAM2: INTERNAL VIEW ..........................6

INSTALLING YOUR MT108-103............................ 7

OPERATION............................................................... 7

RS-232 CONTROL.............................................7

DESCRIPTION OF COMMANDS.......................8

COMMAND ORGANIZATION........................8

BASIC COMMANDS......................................8

FEEDBACK CONTROL .................................9

CARD CONTROL ........................................11

ID COMMANDS........................................... 12

GROUP COMMANDS..................................14

SUMMARY OF COMMANDS ...........................15

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE...............................15

SOUND DISTORTION .....................................16

SOUND LEVEL IS LOW...................................16

ALTINEX POLICIES................................................ 16

LIMITEDWARRANTY/RETURNPOLICIES.....16

CONTACT INFORMATION ..............................16

MULTITASKER

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1

MULTITASKER

PRECAUTIONS / SAFETY WARNINGS 1

Please read this manual carefully before using your
MT108-103 and keep it handy for future reference.
These safety instructions are to ensure the long life
of your MT108-103 and to prevent fire and shock
hazards. Please read them carefully and heed all
warnings.

1.1 GENERAL

• Qualified ALTINEX service personnel or its

authorized representatives must perform all
service.

1.2 HANDLING

• Handle the MT108-103 carefully. Dropping or

jarring can damage the card.

• The MT108-103 contains components that are

sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD).
Always use ESD safety precautions when
touching the card.

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

to water or moisture. Do not place the
MT108-103 in direct sunlight, near heaters, or
heat-radiating appliances, or near any liquid.
Exposure to direct sunlight, smoke, or steam can
harm internal components.

• Do not pull any cables that are attached to the

MT108-103.

1.4 CLEANING

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 received, including
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
instructions found herein, 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.

• Clean only the connector area 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 card. Do not clean or touch
any component or PCB.

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2

MULTITASKER

ABOUT YOUR MT108-103 2

MT108-103

1-In, 4-Out Balanced Stereo Audio DA

The MT108-103 is a Stereo, Audio Distribution
Amplifier Card that allows the connection of a
single stereo, audio source to four receiving
devices. All inputs and outputs are balanced,
allowing longer cable runs and superior noise
reduction.

As a “transparent” distribution amplifier, this card
utilizes AC coupling on its input for ideal signal
transfer characteristics. The power indicator on the
card doubles as a signal detection indicator,
allowing easy troubleshooting in complex
configurations. Each card requires only a single slot
in the MultiTasker enclosure.

The MT108-103 also has the ability to turn its
outputs on or off independently using RS-232
commands sent to the MultiTasker from a control
system or from the enclosure’s front panel keys.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 3

Specifications are subject to change.
See www.altinex.com for up-to-date information.

FEATURES/
DESCRIPTION

GENERAL
Inputs 1

Input Connectors 5-pin terminal block (1)
Outputs 4
Output Connectors 5-pin terminal block (4)
Compatibility Balanced Stereo Audio

Table 1. MT108-103 General

MECHANICAL MT108-103

Enclosure Slots Required 1
T° Operating 10°C-40°C
T° Storage 0 to 50°C
Humidity 90% non-condensing
MTBF (calc.) 40,000 hrs

MT108-103

Table 2. MT108-103 Mechanical

ELECTRICAL MT108-103
Audio Input

Impedance
Coupling AC

Audio Throughput

Gain 0 dB ± 0.5 dB
Frequency Response 20Hz to 20kHz ± 0.5 dB

Audio Output

Level, Each Channel 1 Vp-p
Impedance

Power (from enclosure)

+6V 100 mA (0.6 W)

-6V 50 mA (0.3 W)
+13V 210 mA (2.7 W)

-13V 200 mA (2.6 W)

Total Power 6.2 W

10kΩ

600Ω

Table 3. MT108-103 Electrical

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3

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION 4

TOP RETAINER SCREW

MULTITASKER

POWER/SIGNAL
PRESENT LED

AUDIO INPUT

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4 AUDIO OUTPUTS

BOTTOM RETAINER SCREW

4

APPLICATION DIAGRAMS 5

DIAGRAM 1: TYPICAL SETUP

MT108-102

MULTITASKER

MT113-101

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5

DIAGRAM 2: INTERNAL VIEW

SIGNAL
DETECT

POWER

MULTITASKER

OUTPUTS
BALANCED
LEFT & RIGHT
5-pin TERM. BLK.

+

OUT 1

-

+

OUT 2

-

INPUT
BALANCED
LEFT & RIGHT
5-pin TERM. BLK.

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+

-

ON/OFF
CONTROL

+

OUT 3

-

+

OUT 4

-

6

MULTITASKER

INSTALLING YOUR MT108-103 6

Step 1. Turn off power to the MultiTasker system

and disconnect from AC power.

Step 2. Remove a slot cover (MT200-101) from

one of the unused slots. Identify the slot
number and note that it is for RS-232
control.

Step 3. Slide the MT108-103 into an available slot

in the MultiTasker enclosure in order to
connect to the bus. Make sure that the
MT108-103 fits into place. Secure the
card to the MultiTasker by tightening the
retainer screws located on the top and
bottom of the card.

Step 4. Connect an audio cable from the audio

source to the input connector of the
MT108-103. Connect any or all of the four
available outputs of the MT108-103 to
audio equipment.

Step 5. Restore power to the MultiTasker system.
Step 6. The LED on the card panel will turn red

indicating that the card is in full operation.
A green LED indicates that an input signal
is present.

Step 7. The MT108-103 is now operational as a

distribution amplifier. The outputs can be
controlled using a controller sending
RS-232 commands, or using front panel
keys.

OPERATION 7

7.1 RS-232 CONTROL

The MT108-103 has many advanced
remote-control capabilities accessible through
standard RS-232 communication. Control may be
accomplished through a computer, control system,
or any device capable of RS-232 communication.

7.1.1 RS-232 INTERFACE

The control commands for the MT108-103, are
in a simple ASCII character format.

1. Square brackets “[ ]” are part of the
command.

2. Use uppercase letters for all commands.

3. Spaces are not legal characters.

The cards in a MultiTasker are capable of
performing various functions, as well as
providing feedback to the user or control
system. Commands instruct a card to perform
specific actions or request information from the
card. Some commands do both simultaneously.

A command that instructs the card only to
perform an action will generate feedback of “[ ]”.
The open bracket immediately followed by a
closed bracket indicates the card received a
valid command. If the command requested
information from the card, the feedback
generated by the card is the acknowledgement
of having received a valid command. Invalid
commands generate feedback that includes
“ERR” plus an error code.

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Example 1: [ERR001] Error number
Example 2: [ERRC04] Card error C4

After processing a command, an “OK” or error
will be returned as feedback if “F” is included at
the end of a command string.

Commands ending in “S” will be saved into
memory. Commands not ending in “S” will still
be executed, but will not be restored when the
system is reset or powered off, then on.

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MULTITASKER

7.2 DESCRIPTION OF COMMANDS

Each command consists of three parts:
Function, Card ID, and Unit ID.

[ Function , Card ID , Unit ID ]

Example: [VERC3U2]
VER = Function

C3 = Card ID or Group ID
U2 = Unit ID (optional for Unit ID 0)

For Function, see a detailed explanation under
each command description.

The card ID is a unique identifier. It is equal to
the enclosure slot number, or it may be an
assigned value. As the slot number, the value
can range from 1-4 up to 1-20 depending on the
enclosure. If the value is assigned, the ID may
be a maximum of 99. Card ID 0 (C0) is used for
the controller and cannot be reassigned.

The group ID is a number representing a group
of cards defined with the [WR] command. W hen
using the group ID, all cards in the group will
perform the given instruction.

NOTE: In this guide, cards are referenced by
their IDs (C1, C2...C99). Typically, the ID
number will be equivalent to the slot number.
Groups will be referenced by their IDs (G1-G8).

Changing the position of a card will significantly
affect the commands recorded on software
definitions or third-party control systems.

The unit ID has a range from U0 to U20. U0
should be used for single unit operation. If the ID
is set to U0, each command may be used
without Ui. Use the command [SETU0], as
explained in the MT101-101 User’s Guide.

Example:
[VERC3]: For U0

[VERC3Ui]: For ID other than U0
[VERC3]: Equivalent to [VERC3U0]

COMMAND ORGANIZATION
The RS-232 commands in this section are

organized into the following 5 categories:

Basic Commands
Feedback Control
Card Control
Card IDs
Groups

See the SUMMARY OF COMMANDS (Section 7.3)
for one-line descriptions of each command.

BASIC COMMANDS
The basic commands are used to provide general

information about the card. These commands are
most useful during the initial stages of setting up
and operating the card.

1. [VER]
This command displays the software version

and card type for the M108-103 card.
Command Format: [VERCn]
Cn = Card ID (n = slot # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
An MT108-103 card is in slot 4. Send the

command [VERC4], and the system will return
feedback similar to the following:

[MT108-103 690-0127-009 C04]
MT108-103 = the card model
690-0127-009 = the software version

2. [C]
This command displays the status of the card by

listing the outputs that are enabled. If an output
is turned off, it is not displayed.

Command Format: [Cn]
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:

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There is one MT108-103 card in slot 4. Send
the command [C4] to receive feedback similar to
the following:

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MULTITASKER

ON:1,2,3,4C04
ON: 1,2,3,4 = Outputs 1-4 are enabled

C04 = The card is in slot 4
If there is no card in slot 4, sending the [C4]

command will not return any feedback.

3. [CnS]
This command saves the output on/off status.

This configuration will be restored after the
system is reset or powered off then on.

Command Format: [CnS]
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
S = save configuration
Example:
Outputs 1, 2, and 3 of the card in slot 4 are

enabled. Save the settings by sending [C4S].
The feedback will be as follows:

ON:1,2,3C04 [SAVED]

4. [CLR]
This command resets the MT108-103 to a

standard setting. After the [CLR] command, all
outputs are disabled.

Command Format: [CLRCn]
Cn = Card ID (n = slot # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
Clear the MT108-103 in slot 4 by sending

[CLRC4]. Check the status after clearing the
card, [C4], and receive the following:

ON:0C04

5. [TEST]
This command performs a series of tests on the

internal memory and displays a pass message if
successful. Otherwise, failures are indicated.

Command Format: [TESTCn]
Cn = Card ID (n = slot # from 1 to max slots)

Example:
Test C4’s memory by sending [TESTC4]. If all

tests pass, the following message will be
displayed:

MEMORY IS GOOD
Otherwise, failures will be indicated.

6. [HELP]
This command displays information available for

the MultiTasker interface commands.
Command Format: [HELPCn]
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
In order to display the RS-232 commands

available for the MT108-103 card in slot 4, send
the command [HELPC4]. The commands along
with a brief description will be displayed.

FEEDBACK CONTROL
The next commands are a function of both the card

and the front panel and allow flexibility over when
and how card information is displayed.

7. [FBD]
This command turns feedback delay on or off. It

is necessary when installing some newer cards
in older systems. If the system does not receive
all of the feedback from the card, the card may
be communicating too fast. This command will
slow down the card's communication rate.

Command Format: [FBDm]
m = Delay (0= no delay, 1= delay 100mS)
Example:
The command [HELPC4] is sent to the card in

slot 4. Some of the HELP file is displayed on the
screen, but most is missing. Send the command
[FBD1] to slow down the rate at which the card
sends feedback to the system.

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9

MULTITASKER

8. [?]
This command displays general information

about a MultiTasker and its installed cards.
Command Format: [?Ui]
Ui = Unit ID (i = from 0 to 20)
Example:
A MultiTasker with unit ID 1 has a front panel

with part number MT101-101 and contains an
MT103-122, MT103-123, and MT108-103. Send
the command [?U1] and receive the following
feedback:

[(MT101-101U1)(MT103-122C01)
(MT103-123C02)(MT108-103C04)]

MT101-101U1 = Panel number/unit ID
MT103-122C01 = MT103-122 is in slot 1
MT103-123C02 = MT103-123 is in slot 2
MT108-103C04 = MT108-103 is in slot 4

9. [?C]
This command displays general information

about a card and its status.
Command Format: [?Cn]
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
The MT108-103 in slot 4 has Outputs 1-3 turned

on and the remaining output is disabled. Send
the command [?C4] to receive feedback status
similar to the following.

[(MT108-103C04)(VR690-0127-009C04)
(ON1110C04)]

All status feedback is enclosed in brackets, “[ ]“.
Each data field within the status is enclosed in
parentheses. The first two characters identify
the status type. The last three characters are the
card’s ID.

The ON/OFF status line is read from left to right
as Outputs 1-4. A "1" indicates the output is on
and a "0" indicates the output is off.

10. [STA1]
This command enables automatic feedback

from the front panel. The command affects any
card with auto-feedback capability, not just the
MT108-103. The default at power on or reset is
STA0, off. For more details, see the [?Cn]
command definition.

Command Format: [STA1]
Feedback Prefix Definitions:

MT Card model number
VR Firmware version
ON Output on/off status

Example:
Command = [OFF1C4]

Feedback = (ON0111C04)

ON = Output on/off status
0111 = Out 1 off, 2-4 on
C04 = Card ID/slot number

11. [STA0]
This command disables automatic feedback

from the card and front panel. The command
affects any card with auto-feedback capability,
not just the MT108-103 card. The default at
power on or reset is STA0, OFF.

Command Format: [STA0]

12. […F] – FEEDBACK
After processing a command, an “OK” or

“[ERR001]” will be returned as feedback if ‘F’ is
included at the end of a command string.

MT108-103 = Card model number
VR690-0127-009 = Firmware version
ON1110 = Output ON/OFF status

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10

MULTITASKER

CARD CONTROL
Card control commands allow the main functions of

the card to be executed over the RS-232 bus, or
from the front panel’s programmable keys.

13. […S] – SAVE
This command saves the configuration

command being sent in memory. Send the
command [ON4C4S] to enable Output 4 and
save the setting. After reset or power-up, the
Output 4 of C4 will be enabled.

14. [ON]
This command will enable an output of a single

card, or a group of cards.
SINGLE CARD OPERATION
Command Format: [ONmCn]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1 to 4)
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
There is an MT108-103 card in slot 4. All of the

outputs are off.

1) [ON1C4]: Turns on only Output 1 of C4.

2) [ONC4]: Turns on all outputs of C4.
GROUP OPERATION
This command enables output "m" for each card

in group "k".
Command Format: [ONmGk]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1-4)
Gk = Group no. (k = # from 1-8)
Example:
[ON1G1]: Turns on Output 1 for each card in

G1. See the GROUP commands for a detailed
explanation of groups.

PATH OPERATION
This command will set the path for the output,

but it is not active until the switch command,
[SW], is executed. Commands ending in "P" are
not executed immediately. The path for outputs
on multiple cards or the same card may be
preloaded.

Command Format: [ONmCnP]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1 to 4)
Cn = Card ID (n = slot # from 1 to max slots)
P = Path
Example:
There are two MT108-103 cards, C6 and C7.

Enable Output 1 of C6 and Output 3 of C7
simultaneously. To do this, send the following
commands:

[ON1C6P]
[ON3C7P]
[SW]

15. [OFF]
This command disables one or all outputs of a

single card or a group of cards.
SINGLE CARD OPERATION
Command Format: [OFFmCn]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1 to 4)
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:
C4 has Outputs 1, 2, and 3 turned on. The

following commands may be used to turn off the
outputs.

1) [OFF1C4]: Turn off Output 1 only.

2) [OFFC4]: Turn off all outputs.

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11

MULTITASKER

GROUP OPERATION
This command disables output "m" for each card

in group "k".
Command Format: [OFFmGk]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1-4)
Gk = Group ID (k = # from 1-8)
Example:

1. [OFF1G1]: Turns off Output 1 for each card
in G1.

2. [OFFG1]: Turns off all outputs for each
card in G1.

PATH OPERATION
This command will set the path for the output,

but it is not active until the switch command,
[SW], is executed. Commands ending in "P" are
not executed immediately. The path for outputs
on multiple cards or the same card may be
preloaded.

Command Format: [OFFmCnP]
m = Output no. (m = # from 1 to 4)
Cn = Card ID (n = # from 1 to max slots)
P = Path
Example:
There are two MT108-103 cards, C6 and C7.

Disable Output 1 of C6 and Output 3 of C7
simultaneously using the following commands:

[OFF1C6P]
[OFF3C7P]
[SW]

17. [SW] – SWITCH
This command immediately connects inputs and

outputs previously set with the PATH command.
The command switches all paths set on this
card and all other cards in the enclosure.

Example:
[ON1C6P]
[OFF3C7P]
[SW]

ID COMMANDS
The default card ID is the same as the card slot

number. The next several commands allow the
user to change the card ID to a value other than the
slot number. Once the ID is changed, moving the
card to another slot will not change the card ID. If a
card in slot 4 is set to ID 1, then moved to slot 10,
its ID will remain 1. The [RSI] command forces
each installed card to take its slot number as its ID
number, regardless of the slot in which it is
installed.

Some cards require more than one slot in the
MultiTasker system. As an example, some matrix
switcher cards require 4 slots. If 5 of these cards
are installed, they would be numbered C4, C8,
C12, C16, and C20. Changing the ID allows the
user to define the cards as C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5.

Another use for changing the card ID is to be able
to use multiple systems without having to set each
unit to a different unit ID. All systems may be left as
unit ID 0 for ease of programming. The cards in the
first unit may be numbered 1-10 and in the second
unit 11-20.

16. […P] – PATH
This command will set the path for the output,

but it is not active until the switch command,
[SW], is executed. Commands ending in "P" are
not executed immediately. The path for outputs
on multiple cards or the same card can be
loaded. See examples in ON and OFF
commands.

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18. [RSI]
This command resets the card IDs in the

system. After sending this command, each card
ID in the system will match the slot number of
the card. If the card is moved to another slot, its
ID number will be the new slot number.

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MULTITASKER

Command Format: [RSI]
Example:
Send the command [RSI] to the system with

Unit ID 0. The card in slot 1 will have ID 1, the
card in slot 2 will have ID 2, and so on. If the
card in slot 1 is then moved to slot 4, the card ID
will then be 4.

19. [SIDn]
This command sets all the cards installed in the

MultiTasker system to the same card ID. After
sending this command, all cards will be
addressed with the same ID. Use caution when
sending this command to a system with multiple
board types.

Command Format: [SIDn]
n = Card ID (n = # from 1 to 99)
Example:
Send the command [SID1] to the system. All the

cards in the system now have ID 1. Any
commands that are sent to card ID 1 will be
received and executed by each card.

20. [SIDnCi]
This command sets the card ID of a single card

to a number from 1 to 99.
Command Format: [SIDnCi]
n = Card ID (n = # from 1 to 99)

Ci = Slot Number (i = # from 1 to max slots)
Example:

21. [SID+]
This command sets the card ID of all cards in a

system to their slot number plus the offset value.
Command Format: [SID+n]
n = Offset amount (n = # from 0 to 99)

The maximum card ID is 99, so subtract
the highest slot number from 99 to find
the maximum offset. For example, in an
8-slot enclosure, the maximum offset
would be 91. The slot number (8) plus the

offset (91) equals 99.
Example:
There are two 20-slot enclosures to be

connected together during normal operation.
The first unit will use the default IDs where the
card ID is equal to the slot number. The second
unit will have the same unit ID, but each card ID
will be offset by 20.

Connect the computer to the second unit only
and send the command [SID+20] to set the ID of
all the cards in the second enclosure to their slot
number plus 20. Reconnect both units to the
computer.

The cards in the first unit will be referenced as
card IDs 1-20 and the cards in the second unit
will be referenced by card IDs 21-40.

22. [RSN]
This command displays the slot number of a

card with a specified ID number. If more than
one card has the same ID, each will display.

Send the command [SID50C10] to set the ID of
the card in slot 10 to an ID of 50.

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Command Format: [RSNCi]
Ci = Card ID (i = # from 1 to 99)
Example:
The card in slot 4 takes up four slots in the

enclosure. Its ID was set to 1 since it is the first
card installed in the system, reading from left to
right. Send the command [RSNC1] to find the
slot number of this card. The system responds
with the following feedback:

[4]

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MULTITASKER

GROUP COMMANDS
Group commands allow several cards with the

same functions to be controlled simultaneously with
a single command. Up to 8 groups (G1-G8) may be
defined. These commands apply to all cards, not
only the MT108-103.

23. [WR]
This command adds cards to a group. In

MultiTasker systems with audio and video cards,
the groups are typically as follows:

Group 1 = Video Cards
Group 2 = Audio Cards
Group 3 = Video and Audio Cards

Command Format: [WRCn1Cn2…Gk]
Cn = Card ID (n = slot # from 1 to max slots)
Gk = Group ID (k = # from 1-8)
Example:
Add C2, C4, and C6 to G5 by sending the

command [WRC2C4C6G5]. After executing this
command, G5 will consist of C2, C4, and C6.

Now add C8 to G5 by sending [WRC8G5]. C8 is
added to G5, and G5 is not overwritten. View
the contents of G5 by sending [RDG5] and
receiving the following feedback:

[G5=C2C4C6C8]

24. [RMC]
This command removes one or more cards from

a group.

25. [RMG]
This command deletes one or all groups.
Command Format: [RMGk]
Gk = Group ID (k = # from 1-8, * for all)
Example:
Remove all cards from G52 by sending [RMG5].

The system will return the following feedback:
[G5=0]
Example 2:
Remove all cards from all groups, effectively

deleting all groups, by sending [RMG*]. The
system will return the following feedback:

G1-G8: EMPTY

26. [RD]
This command reads and then displays the

members in a group.
Command Format: [RDGk]
Gk = Group ID (k = # from 1-8)
Example:
C2, C4, and C6 make up G5. Read the member

data for G5 by sending the command [RDG5].
The system will return feedback as follows:

[G5=C2C4C6]
The feedback shows G5 and then the cards that

make up G5. In this case, G5 includes C2, C4,
and C6.

Command Format: [RMCn1Cn2…Gk]
Cn = Card ID (n= # from 1 to max slots)
Gk = Group ID (k = # from 1-8)
Example:
G5 consists of C2, C4, C6, and C8. Remove C6

and C8 by sending [RMC6C8G5]. View the
contents of G5 by sending [RDG5] and receiving
the following feedback:

[G5=C2C4]

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MULTITASKER

7.3. SUMMARY OF COMMANDS Basic Commands

1) [VER] Display firmware version

2) [C] Display card status

3) [CnS] Save card settings

4) [CLR] Reset card to defaults

5) [TEST] Test internal memory ICs

6) [HELP] Display available commands
Feedback Commands

7) [FBD] Feedback delay on/off

8) [?] Display system cards

9) [?C] Display card information

10) [STA1] Auto-feedback on

11) [STA0] Auto-feedback off

12) [...F] Display OK after command
Card Control Commands

13) […S] Save command being sent

14) [ONm] Turn on output

15) [OFFm] Turn off output

16) […P] Sets the path, [SW] preload

17) [SW] Switch preloaded outputs
ID Commands

18) [RSI] Reset Card IDs to defaults

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 8

We have carefully tested and found no problems in
the supplied MT108-103; however, we would like to
offer suggestions for the following:

8.1 LED IS NOT LIT
Cause 1: Card cage is not plugged in.

Solution: Make sure the enclosure is powered

and has AC power turned on. If the
LED is still not on, see Cause 2.

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

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

LED is still not on, see Cause 3.

Cause 3: Card cage slot has a problem.

Solution 1: Test the card in other slots of the

card cage. If the slot is damaged,
the card may work in other slots. If
other slots work, and the LED lights,
the problem is the card cage slot.
The card cage may require service.
Call ALTINEX at [phone]. If
the other slots do not work and the
LED is still not on, 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].

19) [SIDn] Set all Card IDs

20) [SIDnCi] Set one Card ID

21) [SID+] Set all Card IDs to an offset

22) [RSN] Display card slot number
Group Commands

23) [WR] Add card(s) to a group

24) [RMC] Remove card(s) from group

25) [RMG] Delete group

26) [RD] Display group members

400-0162-003

8.2 NO SOUND
Cause 1: The source has a problem.

Solution: Check the source and make sure

that it is working at an appropriate
volume level and all source
connections are correct. If the
source is working and there is still
no sound, see Cause 2.

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MULTITASKER

Cause 2: The card output is turned OFF.

Solution 1: Turn on the card output that is used.

See RS-232 accessible commands
in section 7. If no sound is present,
see Solution 2.

Solution 2: If there is still no sound, see

Cause 3.

Cause 3: Cable connections to the

destination are incorrect.

Solution: Make sure the cables are connected

properly. Also, ensure that the
continuity and wiring are good. If
there is still no sound present, see
Cause 4.

Cause 4: The destination amplifier has a

problem.

Solution 1: Make sure that the destination

amplifier is powered. If there is still
no sound, see Solution 2

Solution 2: Set the volume of the destination

amplifier to a reasonable level. If
there is still no sound, call ALTINEX
at [phone].

8.3 SOUND DISTORTION Cause 1: The source level is above 1V p-p.

Solution: Make sure that the source level is

below 1 Vp-p. If the sound is still
distorted, see Cause 2.

Cause 2: The destination amplifier provides

excessive amplification.

Solution 1: Make sure that the source signal

level is high enough so that the
destination amplifier does not have
to provide excessive amplification
and thereby distort the signal. If
there is still sound distortion, call
ALTINEX at [phone].

8.4 SOUND LEVEL IS LOW Cause 1: The volume levels are

inappropriate.

Solution 1: Turn up the source volume. If sound

level is still low, see Solution 2.

Solution 2: Turn up the destination amplifier

volume. If the sound level is still low,
see Cause 2.

Cause 2 Poor signal transmission.

Solution: Check the cables for continuity and

make sure that connections are
wired properly to verify that there is
good signal transmission.

Note: Test the system by removing the

MT108-103 card from between the

source and the destination amplifier.
If problem persists, call ALTINEX at
(714)-990-2300.

ALTINEX POLICIES 9

9.1 LIMITED WARRANTY/RETURN POLICIES

Please see the ALTINEX website at

www.altinex.com for details on warranty and

return policies.

9.2 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]

400-0162-003

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