CueStation Network Hub Communications
Protocol and Hardware Reference Guide
Introduction
The ST-HUB CueStation Universal Network Hub is
used to both power and control an array of digital
CueStations (both 2-Wire and 4-Wire types) using either
an RS-232 protocol or an optional Ethernet protocol.
This document describes the communications protocol
for the Hub’s functions, which includes receiving button
press, hold and release events from the stations as
well as sending button indicator messages back to the
stations.
Station BusAuxiliary Ports
4-WireRS-232
S
V-V+B ARxBGGTxAXY
2-WireRS-485
You should use this document to understand the
low-level protocol for communicating with the
button stations, which is useful for integrating digital
Ethernet
Bus Com
CueStations with 3rd Party systems or custom
applications.
If you are integrating CueStation button stations with our CueServer DMX processors, there is no need (other than idle curiosity) to read
this document, because CueServer automatically communicates with CueStations without the user needing to know the communications
protocol.
Hardware
In additional to the main power supply input for the CueStation Hub, there are two host interfaces, two button station interfaces and two
auxiliary ports available on the Hub. This section describes the use and conguration of each.
Power Supply
The CueStation Hub requires it’s own local power supply, from 12 to 24 volts, either AC or DC. The amount of current required can be
calculated by using one of the following equations (the current is dependent on the number of CueStations connected to the Hub):
• In Watts: 4 Watts + 0.6 Watts per 2-Wire Station + 1.5 Watts per 4-Wire Station
• In Milliamps (12VDC): 333mA + 50mA per 2-Wire Station + 125mA per 4-Wire Station
• In Milliamps (24VDC): 167mA + 25mA per 2-Wire Station + 63mA per 4-Wire Station
There are two power input jacks on the Hub, a 2.1mm DC Input Jack and a 2-Position Terminal Block. You can use either one, but not
both. If the 2.1mm DC Input Jack is used, it electrically disconnects the circuit from the Terminal Block input.
The standard power supply typically provided with the CueStation Hub outputs 1000mA at 12VDC, which is typically enough current to
handle up to ten 2-Wire stations or ve 4-Wire stations connected to the Hub.
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Cumming, GA 3 0028 USA
678-455-9019 (Phon e)
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www.interactive-online.com
RS-232
The CueStation Hub communicates with Host devices via RS-232 serial data. The Hub has two connections for RS-232 signals, a
standard Female DB-9 serial port and a 3-Position Terminal Block for direct wiring. Either one of these ports may be used, but not
both at the same time (the two ports are internally connected directly together and cannot accept signals from two different devices
simultaneously).
The following diagram shows the pinout of the Female DB-9 as well as the corresponding position of the RS-232 Terminal Block:
SignalDB-9 PinRS-232 Port Pin
Serial Tx (to external device)2Tx
Serial Rx (from external device)3Rx
Ground5G
The serial port uses the following parameters for communication with the Host:
Serial ParameterValue
Baud Rate38,400 bps
Data Bits8
ParityNone
Stop Bits1
When the Hub senses a button event on a station, it will send a string via it’s serial port to the Host. When the Host wants to change
the state of a station’s indicator, the Host should send a string back to the Hub.
The strings sent and received on the serial port contain one or more CueStation messages, each of which look similar to “<BD0104>”.
This is an example of a message that means that Button 4 on Station 1 was pressed down. Complete details about CueStation
messages are given in the “Protocol” section of this document.
Ethernet
If the Hub is outtted with the optional Ethernet option (ST-HUB-EN), you can connect a standard CAT-5 type Ethernet cable to the
Ethernet jack for communications with the Host device.
The Hub uses Multicast UDP packets to communicate to and from the Host. The parameters for Ethernet communications are below:
Ethernet ParameterValue
Multicast Address239.255.204.3
Port52737
ProtocolUDP
When the Hub senses a button event on a station, it will broadcast a packet to the Multicast group (which will be received by the Host).
When the Host wants to change the state of a station’s indicator, the Host should broadcast a packet to the Multicast group (which will
be received by the Hub).
The packets each contain one or more CueStation messages, each of which look similar to “<BD0104>”. This is an example of a
message that means that Button 4 on Station 1 was pressed down. Complete details about CueStation messages are given in the
“Protocol” section of this document.
CueStation Bus
CueStations of both the 2-Wire and 4-Wire type can be connected to the Hub simultaneously. They are connected to the 2-Position
and 5-Position Terminal Blocks available on the rear of the unit (the center pin of the 5-Position Terminal Block is for a cable shield, if
present, which is not typically used).
Each station has a station address, which is set by a group of dip switches on the back of each station. Each station must have a
unique address. Please see the documentation for each station type to determine the appropriate dip switch settings.
4-Wire Station Bus Wiring
The 4-Wire CueStation Bus uses a 4-conductor 22/18 AWG Multi-Media Cable (Belden 1502 or similar). The network topology may
be run in “daisy-chain” style only and all four conductors must be wired through without reversing polarity of the data lines.
A maximum of fty (50) 4-Wire stations can be connected to a single CueStation Hub. The maximum distance from the Hub to the
farthest 4-Wire Station is 4000 feet (1220m).
4-Wire Station Bus Wiring Example
2-Wire Station Bus Wiring
The 2-Wire CueStation Bus uses a 2-conductor 18 AWG cable (Belden 9740 or similar) to carry both power and data to and from each
station location. The network is both topology free (meaning a random combination of “star” and “daisy-chain” connections may be
used) and polarity free (meaning it does not matter if the conductors are reversed at any station).
A maximum of ten (10) 2-Wire stations can be connected to a single CueStation Hub. The maximum distance from the Hub to the
farthest 2-Wire Station is 500 feet (150m).
2-Wire Station Bus Wiring Example
RS-485 Port
The terminal block port marked “RS-485” is not used at this time. Do not connect anything to this port.
CueStation Messages
The messages passed between the CueStation Hub and the Host(s) are short ASCII-based strings. Each message begins with a lessthan symbol (“<”). The next two characters are a message code. Then each message has several parameters that follows. After the
parameters, the message ends with a greater-than symbol (“>”). The following illustration shows the basic structure of a CueStation
message:
“<” + 2-Character Message Code + Parameters + “>”
The same message strings are used for both RS-232 communication as well as via UDP packets. When more than one message is
needed, several messages can be strung together in a single packet or serial transmission.
The CueStation Hub ignores any characters received that are not enclosed in < angle-brackets >.
The following sections describe each message in detail.
{station-number} = The station number, expressed in hexadecimal digits, from 01 to 32 (corresponding
to stations 1 through 50).
{button-number} = The number of the button on the station, from 01 to 08.
Description: The Button Maintained message is sent by the Hub to any connected Hosts whenever the Hub detects that a
button continues to be held down by the user for an extended period of time. After a button has been pressed
and held down for one full second, a Button Maintained message is sent. The Button Maintained message
continues to be sent once-a-second until the user releases the button. The Button Down and Button Up
messages are always sent before and after a group of Button Maintained messages.
Example: <BM1C03>
The message above would be sent from the Hub whenever Button #3 was held down for more than one
second on Station #28 (1C in hexadecimal).
{indicator-value} = The value to set the indicator to, expressed in hexadecimal digits, from 00 to FF.
See the description below for details.
{station-number} = The station number, expressed in hexadecimal digits, from 01 to 32 (corresponding
to stations 1 through 50).
{indicator-number} = The number of the indicator on the station, from 01 to 08.
Description: The Indicator Set message is from a Host to the Hub to set the value of an LED indicator on a station. The
indicator’s value determines it’s color, intensity and ashing pattern. Depending on model, some stations do
not have the ability to remotely set the color of the LED indicator, in this case the color portion of the value is
ignored. See the section below that describes LED Indicator Values for specics on how to choose an indicator
value.
Example: <ISFF0A02>
The message above would be sent from a Host to a Hub to set the value of LED indicator #2 on station #10 (0A
in hexadecimal) to 255 (FF in hexadecimal).
Indicator Values
Each indicator on a station can be set to one of 8 different colors, with 4 intensity levels and 8 ashing patterns. These parameters are
combined to provide 256 possible combinations, which can be expressed as a single 8-bit number.
The three parameters can be combined in a binary fashion to produce a value from 0 to 255 as expressed by the following chart. Add the
values (in parenthesis) of each parameter together to calculate the desired indicator value. For example, the value 0 is “Off”, the value 255
is “Full White”, the value 139 is Fast Flashing Red at 75% brightness.