Bewator Visilynx 3 User Manual

Visilynx 3 Series Matrix Switcher

VisiPC Software Version 2.01

Part 1 – Visilynx 3 Configurator

USER MANUAL

Manual : INS00231 Issue 4

VisiPC Software Manual Part 1 – Visilynx 3 Configurator

INS00231 Issue 4 Page 2 of 88

Table Of Contents

1 INTRODUCTION

................................

.............................

3

1.1 P

RINCIPLES OF OPERATION

................................

...........

4

2 GETTING STARTED

................................

......................

5

2.1 H

ARDWARE INTERCONNECTION

– RS232 I

NTERFACE

................................

.....

5

2.2 M

INIMUM

PC R

EQUIREMENTS

................................

........

6

2.3 S

OFTWARE INSTALLATION

................................

..............

6

2.4 S

OFTWARE START-UP

................................

...................

6

3 MENU BAR

................................

.....

9

3.1 F

ILE MENU COMMANDS

................................

.................

9

3.2 N

ODE MENU COMMANDS

................................

.............

13

3.3 T

RANSFER MENU COMMANDS

................................

......

13

3.4 S

WITCH MENU COMMANDS

................................

..........

17

3.5 O

PTIONS MENU COMMANDS

................................

........

18

3.6 H

ELP MENU COMMANDS

................................

..............

20

4 SYSTEM SETTINGS

................................

....................

21

4.1 I

NTRODUCTION

................................

............................

21

4.2 S

HORTCUT KEYS

................................

........................

21

4.3 G

LOBAL SYSTEM SETTINGS

................................

.........

22

4.4 A

LARM SETTINGS

................................

........................

24

4.5 C

AMERA SETTINGS

................................

.....................

27

4.6 C

OMMUNICATION CHANNEL SETTINGS

................................

.........................

31

4.7 K

EYBOARD SETTINGS

................................

..................

33

4.8 M

ONITOR SETTINGS

................................

....................

39

4.9 M

ULTIPLEXER SETTINGS

................................

..............

48

4.10 N

ODE SETTINGS

................................

.....................

50

4.11 N

ODE TRUNK SETTINGS

................................

..........

53

4.12 Q

UAD CARD SETTINGS

................................

...........

54

4.13 R

ELAY SETTINGS

................................

....................

58

4.14 S

EQUENCE SETTINGS

................................

.............

60

4.15 S

YSTEM SETTINGS

................................

..................

62

4.16 T

ELEMETRY CARD SETTINGS

................................

...

65

4.17 T

IMED EVENT SETTINGS

................................

..........

69

4.18 U

SER SETTINGS

................................

.....................

71

4.19 VCR/DVR S

ETTINGS

................................

.............

79

4.20 V

IEW SETTINGS

................................

......................

82

4.21 Z

ONE SETTINGS

................................

.....................

83

5 VISILYNX 3 TESTER & SIMULATOR

................................

..........................

85

6 RECEIVER TESTER & SIMULATOR

................................

...........................

86

7 RECEIVER CONFIGURATOR

................................

.....

87

8 NOTES

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..........

88

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1 INTRODUCTION

Visilynx 3 Integrated (V3i) is a 32 loop-through input by 8 output full cross-point video matrix node contained in a 19” wide by 3U high unit. A pair of V3i units can be linked via an expansion cable, in a master/slave configuration, to provide a system with 64 camera inputs, 16 monitor outputs and 256 alarm inputs.

Visilynx 3 Modular (V3M) is a modular CCTV system designed to provide up to 32 users with control of up to 511 fully functional cameras. A smaller special-purpose rack system is used for trainborne applications.

All Visilynx 3 series matrix switcher systems are supplied with a CD-ROM package of configuration and test software called VisiPC, which should be installed onto a suitable PC.

VisiPC runs under the industry standard Microsoft Windows 95, 98, 2000 and NT operating systems. It is both user friendly, and comprehensive, and forms the heart of the systems configuration and test capability.

The User Manual for VisiPC software is provided in two parts:

a) Part 1 (this document) is for the ‘Visilynx 3 Configurator’ sub-program.

b) Part 2 (Bewator Limited document INS00237) describes the ‘Visilynx 3 Tester &

Simulator’ sub-program.

The VisiPC Visilynx 3 Configurator sub-program includes features to aid the creation and adjustment of ‘Configuration Files’ (.V3) for an installed Visilynx 3 system.

The VisiPC Visilynx 3 Tester & Simulator sub-program includes features for the functional testing of Visilynx 3 systems.

The VisiPC software also includes additional features for use with the RX3 receiver to aid:

a) Upgrading the software.

b) Functional testing.

These operations are detailed in the RX3 Receiver Installation and Maintenance Manual (Bewator Ltd. Document INS00271) and are therefore not included in this document.

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1.1 Principles Of Operation

VisiPC's main principles of operation are:

•

A PC COM port is chosen at the ‘Options/Comm. Port’ menu.

•

The PC port is connected to the Visilynx 3 system ‘test and config’ port using an RS-232

cable.

•

Existing configuration is fetched from the system using the ‘Comms’ menu or a toolbar

button, or loaded from a disk file using the ‘File’ menu (configuration file extension is .V3).

•

Configuration is edited using the ‘Communications Settings’ and ‘Global System Settings’

displays.

•

The configuration is saved to a disk file at the ‘File’ menu or a toolbar button.

•

The configuration is sent to the system using the ‘Comms’ menu or a toolbar button.

•

The diagrams below show the installation requirements for the Visilynx 3 system

configuration set-up.

Figure 1 V3M Installation Requirements

COM 1 or

COM2 Port

9Way

Male Socket

1569125COM 1 or

COM2 Port

25Way

Male Socket

Personal

Computer

(PC)

9 Way

Female Socket

Test & Config.

Port

9Way to 9Way

RS232 Interface

Cable

9Way to 25Way

RS232 Interface

Cable

CPU

Card

Figure 2 V3i Installation Requirements

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2 GETTING STARTED

2.1 Hardware Interconnection – RS232 Interface

2.1.1 Visilynx 3 Modular (V3M)

The V3M ‘T226-E’ CPU card incorporates an RS232 ‘test and config’ port which allows Visilynx 3 Modular to be connected, via a 9-way to 9-way interface lead, to an external PC for system set-up and testing. Please refer to Figure 1.

2.1.2 Visilynx 3 Integrated (V3i)

The V3i System Unit incorporates an RS232 Test/Config connector port on the rear panel which allows connection, via a supplied 9-way to 9-way interface lead (Bewator Ltd. Part Number VC-3CONFIG), to an external PC for system set-up and testing. Please refer to Figure 2.

2.1.3 Interface Lead

If the serial port on your PC is a 25-way connection, you will need to purchase a suitable 9way to 25-way ‘D’ type pre-wired interface lead to connect to V3 system. (V3 trainborne

racks use a special cable to connect the PC to the rack PTE port.)

Tables 1 and 2, shown below, are for reference and give details of the pin-outs used for RS232 transmission.

Note that the 25 to 9-way option is wired differently to the 9-way to 9-way cable. If attempting to manufacture this lead, these pin-outs must be observed.

Table 1 Cable Wiring for 9-Way PC COM Port

PC V3 Test/Config Port

9-Way ‘D’ Female 9-Way ‘D’ Male

2 2 3 3 5 5

Table 2 Cable Wiring for 25-Way PC COM Port

PC V3 Test/Config Port

25-Way ‘D’ Female 9-Way ‘D’ Male

2 3 3 2 7 5

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2.2 Minimum PC Requirements

•

Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP

•

64Mb RAM

•

Pentium 233MHz

•

One serial port

•

10Mb of hard disk space

•

CD-ROM drive

Warning:

If the PC is slower than listed above, or if it is fitted with a network card that is not connected to a live network, then communications errors may occur when transferring new software to a Visilynx 3 system.

2.3 Software Installation

1. Insert the CD-ROM containing VisiPC into your CD drive.

2. Windows 95, 98, 2000 or NT should all automatically run the installation set-up

procedure.

3. If your CD drive is not set to auto-run’ you will need to run the software installation from

within ‘

My Computer

’. Simply right-click on the CD drive and select

Auto Play

.

4. If that option is not available, run the

Setup.exe

program on the CD.

5. The installation program will install VisiPC into the default folder

C:\Program

Files\VisiPC

, but you may choose a different folder if you prefer.

6. Once the installation procedure is finished, Windows may prompt you to restart your PC

to complete the installation.

7. If you want to create a desktop shortcut, right-click on the

Start

button and choose

‘Explore’. Navigate down to

Programs/VisiPC

. Right-click and select ‘Copy’. Go the

desktop and right-click. Select 'Paste' to create the shortcut.

8. Following installation, this CD must be stored in a safe place as a backup in the unlikely

event that the software becomes corrupted.

2.4 Software Start-Up

Three methods can be used to run the software. Either:

•

Double click on your newly created shortcut (by far the quickest method).

•

Use the

Start

menu to view the

Programs

menu, where

VisiPC

can be found.

•

Use the

Run…

command in the

Start

menu and

Browse…

through the program files on

your C: drive. When you find

VisiPC.exe

click on

Open

and then click on OK in the Run

window, as shown below.

The first screen visible when running the software for the first time is the VisiPC (Visilynx 3 Configurator) ‘Global System Settings’ screen, shown in Figure 3.

On all subsequent uses, the VisiPC program starts up in the sub-program in which it was shut down.

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Figure 3 Visilynx 3 Configurator Global System Settings

2.4.1 Status Bar

A status bar along the bottom of the screen displays various information on the configuration or communication status in five panes.

The leftmost pane indicates the selected product, either ‘Modular’ or ‘Integrated’.

The second pane indicates either:

a) ‘Changed’ i.e. configuration has been changed by pressing the

Accept

button and has

not yet been saved, or

b) ‘Defaults’ i.e. File/New has been selected and no changes have been made on any

screen.

The third pane indicates whether the configuration data is ‘Invalid’ i.e. contains errors. If this is indicated, the configuration cannot be sent to the Visilynx 3 system.

The fourth pane indicates the date and time when the file was last saved to disk by VisiPC.

The fifth pane indicates the date and time when either:

a) the file was modified by the V3 system e.g. keyboard. This is shown for a file received

from a Visilynx 3 system and not modified since by VisiPC, or

b) the most recent time that the

Accept

button was pressed to accept changes on a screen.

The sign between the fourth and fifth panes highlights that the ‘Saved’ and ‘Modified’ dates are the same (‘=’) or are different (‘<>’) and acts as a reminder that the configuration received from the Visilynx 3 system should be saved (see page 13).

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Whenever VisiPC is communicating with a V3 system, (e.g. during configuration transfer) the first three panes of the status bar change to one pane. This leftmost pane then indicates the status of the communications:

Colour Description Indication

Green Comms: OK Indicates that the last message has received a

valid response.

Yellow Comms: Waiting for reply Indicates that a request has been sent, but the

response has not yet arrived.

Red Comms: Dead Indicates that the response never arrived

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3 MENU BAR

The menu bar provides access to the menu commands in the normal Microsoft Windows fashion.

3.1 File Menu Commands

Figure 4 File Menu

Click

To

New

Create a new ‘default’ configuration

set-up.

Open

Open an existing configuration set-up

Save

Save an open configuration set-up

using the same file name

Save As

Save an open configuration set-up to

a specified filename

Import

Allows you to import an existing

configuration file and merge it with

the open configuration

View Log

Select ‘View Log’ to see the error log

for the selected configuration.

Note: if no errors exist, the log will

not be available.

File

History

This is the recent files list. The four

most recently accessed files are

shown here, for selection.

Exit

Allows you to exit the entire VisiPC

program.

3.1.1 New Command

Shortcut keys:

Ctrl-N, Alt-FN

Toolbar:

Use this command to create a new default Visilynx 3 configuration set-up. Prior to sending the command, a warning is given to remind the user that the Visilynx 3 factory default configuration will be restored.

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Figure 5 Visilynx Defaults Warning

3.1.2 Open… Command

Shortcut keys:

Ctrl-O, Alt-FO

Toolbar:

Use this command to open an existing configuration set-up. This will overwrite your currently open configuration set-up.

Figure 6 'File Open' Dialog Box

The dialog box allows you to select a previously saved configuration file for use (in this case from a choice of just three). Selection is made by either double-clicking the chosen file, or by highlighting the chosen file and clicking

Open,

or by typing the name, e.g. Control Centre.V3,

into the file name box and then clicking

Open

.

3.1.3 Save Command

Shortcut keys:

Ctrl-S, Alt-FS

Toolbar:

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Use this command to save the current configuration to its current name and directory. When you save a document for the first time, Visilynx 3 configuration displays the ‘Save As…’ Dialog Box so you can name your document. If you want to change the name and directory of an existing document before you save it, choose the ‘Save As…’ command.1

3.1.4 Save As… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-FA

This command allows you to specify the name and location of the file you are about to save.

Figure 7 'Save As' Dialog Box

Type in the desired new file name in place of the highlighted file name, and then click on

Save

. This will save the file to the selected folder.

3.1.5 Import… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-FI

This command allows the user to import configuration files into the configuration being edited. This is useful for merging part of another configuration file (extracted into a new file using a text editor) into one or more other configuration files. Note that only files saved in the VisiPC format may be imported.

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Figure 8 Import Dialog Box

3.1.6 View Log Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-FV

Toolbar:

The log records all of the errors found during loading or validating a particular configuration and lists them for reference, as shown above. The system will log all errors made as they happen. The log shows errors detected by VisiPC’s extensive crosschecks, and indicates whether they have been corrected (by assigning a default value) or need to be manually corrected. Even those that have been defaulted may not be appropriate and should therefore be checked for suitability.

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Figure 9 VisiPC Log Window

3.1.7 Exit Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-F4

Use this command to close VisiPC.

3.2 Node Menu Commands

Figure 10 Node Menu

Note: Node menu commands are not currently implemented by Visilynx 3 software. A warning is provided.

3.3 Transfer Menu Commands

These commands are used to transfer data to and from the Visilynx 3 system.

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Figure 11 Transfer Menu

Use the ‘Configuration’ ‘Send’ and ‘Receive’ commands to send or receive a file to or from the system.

3.3.1 Transfer Configuration Send Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-TCS

Toolbar:

‘Send’ is used to transfer the content of a configuration file to the Visilynx 3 system. Prior to sending, a warning is given to remind the user that the existing configuration in the Visilynx 3 system will be overwritten.

Figure 12 Configuration Warning Message

If File New has been done and no changes have been made to the configuration, the status bar will show ‘Defaults’. Sending this configuration will replace the factory default data in the Visilynx 3 system. An additional warning message is given before this process starts.

Figure 13 Visilynx Defaults Warning Message

After the above warning(s) the communication process is performed.

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3.3.2 Transfer Configuration Receive Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-TCR

Toolbar:

‘Receive’ is used to collect a configuration from the Visilynx 3 system, for backup purposes. It is highly recommended that the received configuration should be saved to disk before making any changes.

3.3.3 Transfer Software… Command

A warning is given to remind you that any configuration in the system will be erased during software transfer.

Figure 14 Software Warning Message

Note: If you do not have a copy of the last configuration transferred to the Visilynx 3 system, or if it has been changed by keyboard users since being transferred (sequences, views or zones may have been changed), then you should first transfer the configuration from Visilynx

3. You can then transfer it back again after the new software is loaded.

Figure 15 Open Software File Dialog Box

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The ‘Open Software File’ option is used to select the software to be transferred to the FLASH memory in the Visilynx 3 CPU. Once the file has been selected, click the

Open

button and

the transfer process will begin

V3i software is distributed in these files; where V.vv is the software version:

SW220-V.vv.hex Main Controller software. SW221-V.vv.hex Flash Boot Loader software. SW249-V.vv.hex V3i FPGA firmware. SW250-V.vv.hex V3i European display font data. SW251-V.vv.hex V3i European and Asian display font data

V3M software is distributed in these files; where V.vv is the software version:

SW220–V.vv.hex Main Controller Software. SW221–V.vv.hex FLASH Boot Loader software. SW222–V.vv.hex CPU FPGA firmware.

A batch transfer mode is also available, which sends a set of software files in one request. A batch transfer file list is stored in a text file with a “.heb” extension. Filenames may include a full path. Comments are preceeded by #. For example:

# V3i-2.05.heb # VisiPC batch file for loading all software components into V3i

# V3i FPGA firmware SW249-1.0.hex

# V3i European font data SW250-1.0.hex

# V3i/V3m Flash Boot Loader software SW221-2.04.hex

# V3i/V3m main controller software SW220-2.05.hex

3.3.4 Transfer Versions… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-TV

Selecting the Transfer/Versions… menu brings up the ‘Software Version’ dialog.

Figure 16 Software Version Dialog Box

The ‘Software Version’ command is used to query the local Visilynx 3 node software versions. (Note: only the local node (L), can currently be queried). Choose from the ‘Version Type’ selector options available (Visilynx FPGA firmware, Visilynx main software, Visilynx flash boot loader, Visilynx configuration and Visilynx font). Now click the

Send

button. The

software version is then displayed in the ‘Version’ field.

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3.3.5 Transfer Date/Time… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-TD

Selecting the Transfer/Date/Time… menu brings up the ‘Date and Time’ dialog.

Figure 17 Date and Time Dialog Box

The ‘Date and Time’ option allows you to set the date and time for the Visilynx 3 system as a whole. You can either use the computer’s internal clock settings by ticking the ‘Current time’ box or untick the box and specify your own time settings. Click on the

Send

button to transfer these settings to the entire system, including all video displays and keyboard LCD panels.

3.4 Switch Menu Commands

Figure 18 Switch Menu

3.4.1 Visilynx 3 Tester/Simulator Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-SV

Toolbar:

Select this option to switch to the Visilynx 3 Tester & Simulator sub-program. VisiPC will disappear for a few seconds while the Visilynx 3 Tester & Simulator Main tab loads (see page 85).

3.4.2 Receiver Tester/Simulator Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-ST

Select this option to switch to the RX3 Receiver Tester & Simulator sub-program. VisiPC will disappear for a few seconds while the RX3 Receiver Tester & Simulator ‘Status Log’ tab loads.

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3.4.3 Receiver Configurator Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-SC

Select this option to switch to the RX3 Receiver Configurator sub-program. VisiPC will disappear for a few seconds while the RX3 Receiver Configurator screen loads (see page

86). Note: This software currently has restricted functionality.

3.5 Options Menu Commands

Figure 19 Options Menu

3.5.1 Default Product Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-ODM, Alt-ODI

Select either ‘Modular’ or ‘Integrated’ from the ‘Default Product’ submenu. This selects an internal set of default values and range limits for the selected product and selects one of two factory default files that will be loaded by File/New. These two default files have reserved filenames to ensure they cannot be altered by the user.

3.5.2 Comm. Port… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-OP

Selecting ‘Comm. Port...’ brings up the Comms Port Setup dialog box.

Figure 20 Comms Port Setup Dialog Box

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The ‘Mode’ selector selects whether the VisiPC program is acting as a Master, Slave or both. For most purposes, ‘Master’ Mode should be selected. The ‘Port’ and the ‘Baud’ rate are selected independently for both the Master and the Slave ports, as required. The ‘Master Port’ or the ‘Slave Port’ selection box is greyed out if the selected mode does not use it.

There are up to 4 serial communication ports (COM1 to COM4) available on most PCs. All four ports are listed, whether or not they are fitted. Baud is the rate of data transfer between the PC and Visilynx 3, sometimes known as the port speed. Both the Master and Slave Port Baud rates are set to 38400 baud on the first start-up of the program after installation. Other port parameters are fixed (8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity).

Pressing the

Apply

button applies the selected values to the ports.

The Comm Port Setup dialog box won't close when the

Apply

button is pressed if the port configuration is invalid; i.e. one or both ports cannot be initialised. If only one port is available, select a mode that uses only one port and select the unused port. If no ports are available, the dialog box can still be closed by clicking the cross in the top right corner of the dialog box. This will close the dialog box although the settings are invalid. All communication functionality will be disabled.

3.5.3 Slave Responses… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-OR

The ‘Slave Responses’ option is only available if either ‘Slave’ or ‘Master & Slave’ Mode field has been selected in Comms Port Setup (see above).

Selecting

Slave Responses…

brings up the ‘Set Slave Responses’ dialog.

Figure 21 Set Slave Responses Dialog Box

The values entered are used in the replies from the Slave mode, when the Master asks for information.

Note: This mode is not normally used, and can be ignored. More details for use can be found in the manual for VisiPC Visilynx 3 Tester & Simulator (INS00237).

3.5.4 Show Activity Log Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-OA

Selecting ‘Show Activity Log’ shows a separate window in which a summary of the Master messages sent and received is recorded.

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Figure 22 Activity Log Window

The window opens immediately below the main VisiPC Window. The size and position of the window can be changed by the user.

The ‘Activity log’ can be copied by clicking on the Activity Log window and then pressing Ctrl-C. This copies the contents to the clipboard from where they can be pasted into any text editor or word processor.

3.6 Help Menu Commands

Figure 23 Help Menu

3.6.1 About… Command

Shortcut keys:

Alt-HA

Selecting ‘About…’ brings up the About VisiPC message box.

Figure 24 About VisiPC Message Box

‘About VisiPC’ offers the following information, for reference:

•

Software name.

•

Software version number.

•

Copyright information.

Selecting OK closes the window.

Example of software version number

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4 SYSTEM SETTINGS

4.1 Introduction

The system settings are the building blocks for each configuration. ‘Global System Settings’ are adjusted to accurately reflect the installed equipment. Once configured and accepted, the individual system parts will appear in the ‘Settings’ tree menu on the left-hand side of the screen, with the total number of each installed component appearing in brackets.

All adjustments are made in the window on the right.

4.2 Shortcut Keys

The numeric fields on this and other screens may be altered in the following ways:

•

Use the mouse to click on the arrows next to each field to increase or decrease the number.

•

Highlight the field by clicking on it and then type the adjusted figure.

•

Highlight the field by clicking on it and then adjust the figure using the keys:

‘Up arrow’ to increase by 1

‘Down arrow’ to decrease by 1

‘Page Up’ to increase by 10

‘Page Down’ to decrease by 10

‘Home’ to select the lowest value

‘End’ to select the highest value.

All screen selection mouse buttons have computer keyboard shortcuts, activated by pressing the

Alt

key at the same time as a letter key denoted by an underlined character. These

shortcuts work on most screens:

Accept Alt-A, Enter

or

Shift-Enter

(see below)

Restore Alt-R

Default Alt-D

Select None Alt-N

Select All Alt-L

Copy Previous Alt-C

The

Accept

button is the default button on each page when any field has been changed.

This means that pressing

Enter

has the same effect as clicking on the button or pressing

Alt-

A

. A further time-saver is to use

Shift-Enter

, which, on screens with multiple pages to

configure, will first accept the changes on the current page and then select the next page.

Note: The example screenshots appearing in this chapter are for a V3i system with as many options shown as possible, i.e. ‘Integrated’ was selected as the ‘Default Product’ at the ‘Options’ Menu (see page 18). Any changes required for operations with a V3M system are identified within the text.

There follows a description of each available page of settings.

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4.3 Global System Settings

When the VisiPC software is first installed, or when a new configuration is created using ‘File/New’, factory default values will appear for all of the ‘Global System Settings’, as shown below.

Figure 25 Global System Settings - V3i Default Screenshot

On first selection the ‘Configurator’ sub-program always starts with the ‘Integrated’ Product selected. On subsequent selections the ‘Configurator’ sub-program starts up by loading the last configuration file used, including the selected product.

If a ‘Modular’ configuration file is loaded and then the Product selector is changed to ‘Integrated’, a warning is given that the screen values will change, if required, to fit the new system limits.

Figure 26 Product Selector – Integrated

You may now adjust the default or loaded ‘Global System Settings’ to reflect the actual system parameters for either the V3i or the V3M system installation. When you are happy with the ‘system’ values, you can save the set-up using the ‘Save configuration file to disk’ icon or the ‘Save’ command in the ‘File’ menu.

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The Product selector is provided to select ‘Modular’ or ‘Integrated’, which affects various maximum values and some defaults throughout the configuration screens (see Table 3).

If a value is reduced to zero, the feature is assumed not to be installed, and will not be displayed in the settings menu on the left-hand side. A minimum value is applies to the following items:

•

Cameras = 1

•

Comms Channels = 11

•

Monitors = 1

•

Nodes = 1

•

Users = 1

•

Zone size = 1

A minimum value has been assigned to these items to ensure that the system is still functional even in its most basic form. All of the remaining values can be reduced to zero, if required.

In addition to minimum values, maximum values apply to each feature. You will find that you are unable to increase the values of each feature beyond this point. The maximum value assigned to each system feature is different for V3i and V3M systems, as shown below.

Table 3 Maximum Quantities

Maximum Quantities

Feature

V3i V3M

Alarms 1701 1701 Cameras 64 511 Camera Maps 1 2 Comms. Channels 21 43 Internal Quads 4* 32 Keyboards 32 32 Monitors 16 128 Multiplexers 32 32 Nodes 127 127 Node Trunks 64 64 Relays 8 255 Sequences 64 64 Telemetry Cards 4 32 Timed Events 128 128 Users 64 64 VCR/DVRs 32 32 Views 255 255 Zones 255 255 Zone Size 8 8

Key: * Optional expansion cards fitted.

•

Accept

: will save the settings for the current page.

•

Restore

: will return all of the settings for the current page to the point when the

configuration was last saved using

Accept

.

•

Default

: will restore the settings to valid default values for the current page.

When Accept is clicked, the program will perform a validation procedure to detect errors or imbalances with regard to system settings and report these in the system log. The system log is accessible via the ‘view log’ facility within the File menu or from the toolbar. If an error

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is detected, the system will show you an error message saying, for example, ‘Configuration verification found 6 error(s)! See log file’. The error log is updated each time an error occurs.

Now proceed to the individual component parts of the configuration, starting with the Alarm Settings menu detailed below.

4.4 Alarm Settings

‘Alarm Settings’ allows you to set up each alarm on the system. The tree on the left highlights ‘Alarm’ and shows the total number of alarms configured for the system in brackets (in this case 1701).

Notes:

For a V3i single unit (with 32 camera inputs), ‘Alarm’ numbers 1 to 32 are always allocated to video loss alarms. Therefore the 128 possible Alarm Inputs MUST be allocated to ‘Alarm’ number 33 onwards.

For a V3i expanded unit pair (with 64 camera inputs and 256 alarm inputs), the video loss alarms occupy the range 1 to 64. Therefore the 256 alarm inputs MUST be allocated to ‘Alarm’ number 65 onwards.

For V3M, the first ‘n’ alarms are video loss alarms, where ‘n’ is the number of camera inputs on the system (16 per camera input card).

Figure 27 Alarm Settings Screenshot



Use the

Alarm

selector (bottom right) to select the one to configure.

•

Exists

: You must first tell the system whether an alarm is in use or not. This is done by

putting a tick in the ‘Exists’ box.

When the ‘Exists’ box is ticked, further information will be displayed.

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•

Description

: Each alarm can be given a name, up to 16 characters long, e.g. ‘Front Entrance’. It can be labelled as anything you want, but should reflect the alarm position or type in some way. During an alarm scenario, this text will be displayed on the alarm monitor(s).

•

Normally Open

: Tick this if it is known that the alarm input is normally open-circuit, but becomes closed-circuit when it becomes active under alarm conditions. In the case of video loss alarm inputs, this box should be ticked.

•

Physical Alarm Input

: Select the number of the physical input connector on the

hardware that you wish assign to the current ‘logical’ alarm number (bottom right).

•

Netcast

: is short for 'Network Broadcast'. If ticked, triggering the alarm will cause all other nodes on the network to be informed. Then, those keyboards on other nodes that have Node Alarm Access ticked for this node will also be able to handle the alarm.

•

Cascade

: When available and this box is ticked, the Visilynx 3 system will activate both the selected alarm and the alarm after it. For example if alarm 5 is activated and it had the cascade box ticked, both alarm 5 and alarm 6 will be activated. If alarms 5 and 6 have cascade ticked, 5, 6 and 7 will be activated. This means that in the event of an alarm, the system can be configured to respond with a cascade of alarms instead of just one, offering a flexible combination of actions to be triggered. This feature is not present for the last alarm (as shown in the screenshot above).

•

System Alarm

: Tick this to have the alarm handled as a system alarm. This tick box is the same configuration item as is configured by the ‘System Alarm Access Settings’ screen (see page 64), but acts only on the selected alarm.

If ‘System Alarm’ is unticked, various options are available in the ‘Alarms on Keyboards & PCCON’ frame.

Three selections (Priority, Relay and Relay Node) are available for all ‘Type’ selections. The other options available vary according to the ‘Type’ selection.

•

Type

: First choose one of the following options in the ‘Type’ selector.

•

None

: The alarm does not display text on keyboards or on their alarm monitors.

•

Camera

: (as shown above) First select the camera number, or none. If there is a

camera number, then a preset number may also be selected.

•

View

: Select a view number.

•

Trunk

: No extra options are available.

•

Relay only

: No extra options are available.

Now set up any additional parameters for the selected option:

•

Priority

: All alarms regardless of type have an associated priority, which is used when two or more active alarms are attempting to control the same camera. Priority 1 is the highest priority, 16 the lowest, and 0 disables priority checking.

•

Relay

: All alarms regardless of type can activate a relay, in addition to the type action. If set to ‘---‘, no relay is switched. This is useful if the alarm is not required to take any action, but is just to be displayed on monitors and keyboards. In this case ‘Alarm Type’ should be set to ‘Relay Only’ and ‘Relay’ set to ‘---‘.

•

Relay Node

: Only relays on the local node can be controlled by the current Visilynx

software.

•

Accept

: will save the settings for the current page.

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•

Restore

: will return all of the settings for the current page to the point when the

configuration was last saved using

Accept

.

•

Default

: will restore the settings to valid default values for the current page.

4.4.1 Alarm Keyboard Access Settings

‘Alarm Keyboard Access Settings’ assigns permission to each keyboard that is allowed to manage and view the selected alarm. The alarm images are viewed on the keyboard alarm monitors. If the same alarm is configured as both a Keyboard Alarm and a System Alarm (see page 63), only the System Alarm Setting will be used by the Visilynx 3 system.

This is the same list as is configured by the ‘Keyboard Alarm Access Settings’ screen (see page 35), but arranged by alarm number rather than keyboard number.

Figure 28 Alarm Keyboard Access Settings Screenshot

•

Use the

Alarm

selector (bottom right) to select the one to configure.

•

Tick the box adjacent to each keyboard on the system that will be allowed to handle the

alarm.

•

Select None

: will untick all of the boxes simultaneously.

•

Select All

: will tick all of the boxes simultaneously.

•

Copy Previous

: will duplicate the list from the previous alarm number into this list, if the

list needs to be the same.

•

Accept

: will save the settings for the current page.

•

Restore

: will return all of the settings for the current page to the point when the

configuration was last saved using

Accept

.

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•

Default

: will restore the settings to valid default values for the current page.

4.5 Camera Settings

‘Camera Settings’ allows you to set up each camera on the system. The tree on the left highlights ‘Camera’ and shows the total number of cameras configured for the system in brackets.

Figure 29 Camera Settings Screenshot

•

Use the

Camera

selector (bottom right) to select the one to configure.

•

Description

: Each camera can be given a name, up to 16 characters long. This text will appear on a monitor screen when this camera is selected, and on keyboard camera menus.

•

Physical Camera Input

: This will only appear if you have defined one or more camera maps in the ‘Global System Settings’ screen (see page 21). Each camera will have a physical address defined by its physical connector position at the rear of the matrix, e.g. camera 3 is connected to input 3 at the matrix. When a camera map has been set up, the cameras within the map can be accessed using alternative addresses, e.g. camera 3 can be accessed as camera 21 or some other number.

This is particularly useful when adding cameras to the system at a later date. You can now allocate logical, sequential numbers to a group of cameras in the same location, even if several of these are new additions to the installation. In the past, these cameras would have to be allocated the same number as their ‘physical’ position at the matrix, which would mean that, for example, cameras 6, 7, 8 and 9 would be grouped with

Bewator Visilynx 3 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual