Biamp RT User Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Connections

RS-232

Remote Controls

Application

Warranty

CE Documents

Safety Information

TM

RT

Remote Translator

–––– and ––––

WMC, IR-T, & RIK

Controls

Operation Manual

pg. 2

pg. 3

pg. 5

pg. 8

pg. 9

INTRODUCTION

The RT Remote Translator allows remote control of BIAMP programmable
products, such as VRAM, MSP22e, & SPM723, via standard wall-mount &
infrared controls, including WMC, IR-T, & RIK. The RT converts control button
data into RS-232 characters, which can be programmed on a per product
basis. Therefore, controls can be customized to control a variety of level,
muting, source selection, & recall preset functions within a system having
multiple BIAMP products. The RT carries a five-year warranty.

RT features include:

♦ RS-232 serial & link ports for communication with products

♦ 2 remote ports accept any combination of standard controls

♦ supports Biamp standard controls (WMC, IR-T, & RIK)

♦ WMC - 2-gang wall-mount control panel (28 buttons)

♦ RIK - circuit board for custom-built panels (up to 40 buttons)

♦ IR-T - hand-held infrared transmitter control (28 buttons)

♦ individual product software assigns functions to push-buttons

♦ power & data LED indicators for easy trouble-shooting

♦ back panel key-holes provided for convenient mounting

♦ covered by Biamp Systems’ five-year warranty

♦ incorporates AES recommended grounding practices

♦

marked and UL / C-UL listed power source

1

CONNECTIONS

27V

~

50/60 Hz

15 watts

class 2 wiring

serial port

RCU

power

data

gnd

IR2

IR3

gnd

IR2

IR3

link port

AC Power Cord: The power transformer provides 27 Volts AC to
the RT, and is detachable via a 5-pin DIN connector. The RT has
two internal ‘self-resetting’ fuses (there are no user serviceable
parts inside the unit). If the internal fuses blow, they will attempt to
re-set after a short period. However, this may be an indication that
the RT requires service.

Serial Port: This 9-pin Sub-D (male) connector provides an RS­232 Serial Port for added control of the associated system
products via software or third-party controllers (see RS-232 on pg.

3). The Serial Port has the following pin assignments

(left-to-right
& top-to-bottom): Pin 1) not used; Pin 2) Receive Data (RxD)
input; Pin 3) Transmit Data (TxD) output; Pin 4) Data Terminal
Ready (DTR) output; Pin 5) Ground; Pin 6) not used; Pin 7)
Request To Send (RTS) output; Pin 8) not used; Pin 9) not
used. NOTE: Typically, nothing is connected at the RT Serial

Port, unless software or a third-party controller is also being used
for system control (in addition to the infrared & wall-mount push­button remote controls).

Link Port: This 9-pin Sub-D (female) connector provides a Link
Port for RS-232 control from the RT to other BIAMP programmable
products (see RS-232 on pg. 3). The Link Port of one device
simply connects to the Serial Port of the next device (and so forth).
A Serial Link Cable is included with the RT for this purpose. The
Link Port has the following pin assignments (right-to-left & top-to­bottom): Pin 1) not used; Pin 2) Transmit Data (TxD) output;
Pin 3) Receive Data (RxD) input; Pin 4) not used; Pin 5)
Ground; Pin 6) not used; Pin 7) not used; Pin 8) not used;

Pin 9) not used. NOTE: The Link Port transmits 'equivalent
ASCII characters' which correspond to the 'button' commands
received via Remote 1 & 2, and will also ‘echo’ RS-232 commands
received at the Serial Port (from computers or third-party
controllers.

remote 1 remote 2

Power Indicator: When the power transformer is plugged in, and
AC power is applied to the RCU, the Power indicator remains lit.

Data Indicator: Whenever the RT receives remote control button
commands at Remote 1 or Remote 2, the Data Indicator will flash.

Remote 1 & 2: These two plug-in barrier strips accept 'button'
commands from optional remote controls (see Remote Controls on
pg. 5). Remote Controls may be infrared, wall-mount, or custom
panels, and may be wired up to 2000 feet away from the RT. The
RT converts the remote control 'button' commands into
corresponding RS-232 'equivalent ASCII characters'. The function
of these 'equivalent ASCII characters' is then programmed on a
per product basis, by means of the Button Definition screen found
in the software program for each product to be controlled.

Key-Holes: Two key-holes are provided on the rear panel of the
RT, for convenient mounting (see diagram below).

1.75 inches

RT

rear panel

key-hole

mounting

2

RS-232

The RT has an RS-232 Serial Port, which allows it to pass RS-232 commands from computers or third-party controllers, and a Link Port,
which allows the RT itself to transmit 'equivalent ASCII characters', to BIAMP programmable products (see Connections on pg. 2).

Control Button Emulation: Control Button Emulation is the process by which the RT converts infrared or wall-mount control 'button'
commands (received at Remote 1 or Remote 2) into RS-232 'equivalent ASCII characters' (transmitted at the RS-232 Link Port). From the
factory, remote control buttons on BIAMP programmable products have equivalent ASCII characters permanently assigned to them (see
table below). Therefore, actions can be assigned to remote control buttons during the programming of these products. Using this method,
the RT can output (to the other products) ASCII characters which are equivalent to the commands generated by remote control buttons.
For more information, see the manual or BiampWin software program (Button Definition screen) for the products to be controlled.

Each control button on an infrared transmitter or 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 possible buttons, their button numbers,
and their 'equivalent ASCII characters'. Their button definitions are then defined during programming of the product to be controlled.

button 01 B programmable by product button 15 P programmable by product button 29 ^ programmable by product
button 02 C programmable by product button 16 Q programmable by product button 30 _ programmable by product
button 03 D programmable by product button 17 R programmable by product button 31 ' programmable by product
button 04 E programmable by product button 18 S programmable by product button 32 b programmable by product
button 05 F programmable by product button 19 T programmable by product button 33 c programmable by product
button 06 G programmable by product button 20 U programmable by product button 34 d programmable by product
button 07 H programmable by product button 21 V programmable by product button 35 e programmable by product
button 08 I programmable by product button 22 W programmable by product button 36 f programmable by product
button 09 J programmable by product button 23 X programmable by product button 37 g programmable by product
button 10 K programmable by product button 24 Y programmable by product button 38 h programmable by product
button 11 L programmable by product button 25 Z programmable by product button 39 i programmable by product
button 12 M programmable by product button 26 [ programmable by product button 40 j programmable by product
button 13 N programmable by product button 27 \ programmable by product
button 14 O programmable by product button 28 ] programmable by product

Baud Rate Jumper: To communicate properly with all products in the system, a common RS-232 baud rate must be used. The RT is
shipped from the factory with a default baud rate of 38,400. This baud rate corresponds with the current default baud rate of the most
commonly associated Biamp programmable products. However, in some cases the RT baud rate may need to be changed to match that
of other devices being used in the system. The RT has an internal jumper strap that allows an optional baud rate of either 9600 or 19,200
to be selected. To select an optional baud rate: 1) Remove power from the RT. 2) Remove the RT cover. 3) Lift the jumper strap from
the currently selected baud rate pins (see diagram below). 4) Replace it on the pins provided for the desired baud rate. 5) Replace the
RT cover. 6) Connect power to the RT. NOTE: Power to the RT must be turned off during this modification, not only as a safety
precaution, but also because Baud Rate changes will not take affect until power has been cycled.

baud rate jumper positions

RT pcb

3

RS-232 CONTROL

Serial Port: The 9-pin Sub-D (male) connector provides the RS-232 compatible serial interface signals used for computer (or third-party)
control of the system. The RT Serial Port transmits serial data on pin 3 (TxD), receives serial data on pin 2 (RxD), and provides a ground
on Pin 5. The Data Terminal Ready (DTR) & Request To Send (RTS) output signals are connected to the +12 Volt power supply (through
a resistor) and are always asserted when the RT power is on. NOTE: Typically, nothing is connected at the RT Serial Port, unless

software or a third-party controller is also being used for system control (in addition to the infrared & wall-mount push-button remote
controls).

54321

pin #1 = not used
pin #2 = Receive Data (RxD) input
pin #3 = Transmit Data (TxD) output

9876

serial port

pin #4 = Data Terminal Ready (DTR) output
pin #5 = ground

The RT only requires receive data (pin 2), transmit data (pin 3), and signal ground (pin 5) to be connected for successful data
communications (see cable diagram below). However, the PC may require that signals be present on the data set ready, clear to send, or
carrier detect inputs, as well as the receive data, transmit data, and signal ground pins. Success or failure depends entirely on the actual
computer hardware and software being used. When trying to solve an interfacing problem, the most important thing to remember is that an
output of one device should connect to one or more inputs of the other device, and that two outputs should never be connected together.
Also, keep in mind that the RS-232 specification calls for the cable length to be no greater than 50 feet (although it is not unusual to be
able to operate over distances of 150 to 250 feet), and the connectors must be of the appropriate gender (male or female) to mate
properly. For best results, a shielded cable should be used, with the shield connected to chassis ground. Undesirable ground loops may
occur when the RT is connected to a PC (if the system grounding is not carefully designed). For best performance, the PC ground and the
chassis ground of the RT should be at the same potential, and the PC should get AC power from the same source as the RT (and any
other audio equipment which is connected to the RT). Since most lap-top computers are isolated from earth ground, this should rarely
pose a problem.

Serial Port Data Communications Parameters: The RT communicates through the Serial Port at the factory selected rate of 38,400 bits
per second, with 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and no parity. The RT utilizes a subset of the standard 7-bit ASCII character set. The eighth data
bit of each character (the most significant bit) should always be 0. The computer should not echo the characters it receives. The computer
should not be set for either hardware (DTR) or software (XON/XOFF) flow control. The baud rate may be changed to either 9600 or
19,2000 bits per second by means of an internal jumper (see Baud Rate Jumper on previous page).

Link Port Connections: The 9-pin Sub-D (female) connector provides the RS-232 compatible serial interface signals used for RT control
of BIAMP programmable products within a system. The Link Port of one device simply connects to the Serial Port of the next device, and
so forth (see diagram below). NOTE: The Link Port transmits 'equivalent ASCII characters' which correspond to the 'button' commands
received via Remote 1 & 2, and will also ‘echo’ RS-232 commands received at the Serial Port (from software or a third-party controller).

12345

pin #1 = not used
pin #2 = Transmit Data (TxD) output
pin #3 = Receive Data (RxD) input

6789

link port

pin #4 = not used
pin #5 = ground

PC

CD

RxD

TxD

DTR

gnd
DSR
RTS
CTS

RI

serial port

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

7

7

8

8

9

9

male female

Serial Cable

(shield)

serial port

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

7

7

8

8

9

9

female male

RT

n/a
RxD
TxD
DTR
gnd
n/a
RTS
n/a
n/a

RT

n/a

TxD

RxD

n/a

gnd

DSR

n/a

CTS

n/a

female male

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

pin #6 = not used
pin #7 = Request To Send (RTS) output
pin #8 = not used
pin #9 = not used

pin #6 = not used
pin #7 = not used
pin #8 = not used
pin #9 = not used

link port

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Link Cable

(shield)

serial port

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

female male

unit 2

n/a

1

RxD

2

TxD

3

DTR

4

gnd

5

n/a

6

RTS

7

n/a

8

n/a

9

4

CONTROLS

T

C

Wall-Mount Panel (WMC) Biamp #909-0076-00: The WMC is a
"hard-wired" control, which receives power from the RT. There are
no batteries to wear out, and it is not easily lost or stolen. The WMC
may be wired up to 2000 feet from the RT, using 2-conductor
shielded cable (not included). See WMC manual for complete
installation instructions. The three screw terminals on the circuit
board ("GND", "IR2", & "IR3") directly correspond to the Remote 1 &
2 terminals on the front panel of the RT. Connect the cable shield to
the "GND" terminal at each end. Use the two conductors to connect
"IR2" to "IR2" and "IR3" to "IR3". Install the front panel in the
mounting box. The WMC has twenty-eight buttons. For
programming purposes, these buttons are given reference numbers
1~28, starting at the bottom and going left-to-right (see diagram at
right). Refer to the table on pg. 3 for the button 'equivalent ASCII
characters. The WMC includes overlay labelling for certain Biamp
products which have pre-defined functions. NOTE: Because the R

allows programmable control functions, custom labelling for the WM
must be provided by the user. When the RT is powered on, power is

delivered to the WMC and the green LED indicator will light. The red
LED indicator on the WMC (and the Data LED indicator on the RT
front panel) will flash whenever a button is pressed. The WMC
includes an infrared detector (below LED indicators), which allows it
to operate as an Infrared Receiver as well. The infrared detector
may be disabled via a circuit board jumper strap (see installation
instructions on pg. 7).

VOL

VOL

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE

SELECT

34

VOL

VOL

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE

MASTER

12

VOL

VOL

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE

5678

5