X10 VK25A User Manual

The Big Picture™

PC AUDIO/VIDEO EXTENDER SYSTEM

VT24A

VR20A

JR20A VA23A

MODEL VK25A OWNER'S MANUAL

(INCLUDES VA23A VGA-TO-VIDEO CONVERTER,

VT24A TRANSMITTER, VR20A RECEIVER, AND

JR20A MOUSE REMOTE)

INTRODUCTION

Your Big Picture™ kit consists of a VGA to Video Converter, a Video Transmitter, a Video Receiver, and a Wireless Mouse Remote. The VGA to Video Converter converts the VGA signals from your PC to Composite Video (the type of signals most TVs will accept) and also passes the VGA signals to your regular PC monitor.

The Video Transmitter converts the video signals from the VGA to Video Converter into a 2.4 GHz radio signal and transmits it (even through walls) to the Video Sender Receiver. The Video Sender Receiver converts the signals back to A/V signals which are fed through a cable to your TV's A/V input jacks.

The Wireless Mouse Remote lets you control your PC from the room where your TV is.

There are just a few simple steps to follow to hook up your Big Picture kit.

WARNING:

To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this product to rain or moisture.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1.Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is operated.

2.Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.

3.Heed Warnings - All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

4.Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5.Cleaning - Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

6.Attachments - Do not use attachments not recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

7.Water and Moisture - Do not use this product near water - for Example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool; and the like.

8.Accessories - Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer.

9.A product and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.

10.Ventilation - Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect if from overheating, and these openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This product should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer’s instructions have been adhered to.

11.Power Sources - This product should be operated only from the type of power

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source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type or power supply to your home, consult your product dealer or local power company. For products intended to operate from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

12.Grounding or Polarization - This product is equipped with a polarized alternating current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the cutlet, try reversing the plug. If the plug should still fail to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug.

13.Power-Cord Protection - Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the product.

14.Lightning - For added protection for this product during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line surges.

15.Overloading - Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords, or integral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

16.Object and Liquid Entry - Never push objects of any kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.

17.Servicing - Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

18.Damage Requiring Service - Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

a)When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged,

b)If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the product,

c)If the product has been exposed to rain or water,

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d)If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal operation,

e)If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way, and

f)When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance - this indicates a need for service.

19.Heat - The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products including amplifiers) that produce heat.

FCC CAUTION

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 generates and uses radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturers instructions, it may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for remote control devices in accordance with the specifications in Sub-Parts B and C of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by unplugging the equipment, try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.

•Reorient the antenna of the radio/TV experiencing the interference.

•Relocate the equipment with respect to the radio/TV.

•Move the equipment away from the radio/TV.

•Plug the equipment into an outlet on a different electrical circuit from the radio/TV experiencing the interference.

•If necessary, consult your local Dealer for additional suggestions.

NOTE: Modifications to this product will void the user's authority to operate this equipment.

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CONTENTS
BEFORE YOU START ........................................................	8
CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS ......................................	10
VIDEO SENDER TRANSMITTER ...........................................	10
VIDEO SENDER RECEIVER ................................................	11
VGA TO VIDEO CONVERTER ..........................................	12
CABLES ......................................................................	13
CONNECTING UP ...........................................................	14
VGA TO VIDEO CONVERTER WITH SERIAL MOUSE ...............	14
VGA TO VIDEO CONVERTER WITH PS/2 MOUSE ...............	15
HOOKING UP THE VIDEO SENDER TRANSMITTER ...................	16
HOOKING UP THE VIDEO SENDER RECEIVER ........................	17
HOOKING UP WITH A DSS RECEIVER ................................	18
FINE TUNING THE VIDEO SENDER RECEIVER ........................	19
RESOLUTION AND PICTURE ADJUSTMENT ............................	20
MOUSE REMOTE ............................................................	21
INTRODUCTION .............................................................	21
INSTALLING BATTERIES ....................................................	22
BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS ..................................................	23
BUTTON DEFAULTS ........................................................	25
MOUSE OPERATION ......................................................	29
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ................................................	30
SOFTWARE CONFIGURATION ............................................	30

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TYPICAL APPLICATION SCENARIO ......................................	35
SETTING UP FOR TV, VCR, CABLE BOX AND SATELLITE .........	36
CODE LISTINGS ............................................................	37
USING AUX ..............................................................	51
SEARCHING FOR CODES .................................................	52
IDENTIFYING CODES FOUND WITH CODE SEARCH .................	53
SETTING THE SLEEP TIMER ...............................................	55
X-10 HOME AUTOMATION ..........................................	56
CONTROLLERS AND MODULES ..........................................	56
HOUSECODES AND UNIT CODES .......................................	57
INSTALLING X-10 COMPONENTS .....................................	57
TRANSCEIVER MODULE ...................................................	57
LAMP MODULE ............................................................	58
CONTROLLING X-10 MODULES WITH THE MOUSE REMOTE ....	59
SETTING THE X-10 SLEEP TIMER......................................	60
CHANGING THE X-10 HOUSECODE ..................................	61
USING AN IR MINI CONTROLLER (IR543)........................	62
EXPANDING YOUR SYSTEM............................................	63
TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................	65
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS .................................................	69

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BEFORE YOU START

Before you start installing your Big Picture System it is recommended that you read at least pages 10 through 20 of this manual. This will familiarize you with the basic hardware installation. If you follow the steps on these page you will then be able to see a picture from your PC on our TV screen and have basic cursor control from the Mouse Remote. You can then proceed with the rest of the manual and install the Mouse Remote Software for more functionality.

However, if you are eager to get started you can instead launch the installer that comes on the included disk and follow the instructions on the screen.

For Windows 3.x

Insert the Setup Disk or CD into your Floppy or CD drive. Launch File Manager and click on the drive letter for your Floppy or CD drive and double-click on Setup.exe. Follow the on-screen prompts.

For Windows 95.

Insert Setup Floppy or CD into your Floppy or CD drive. Use Explorer to open your Floppy or CD drive and double-click on Setup.exe. Follow the on-screen prompts.

The installer first shows you the screen on the next page.

If you click on the first button and click Next, you are guided through a series of screens that represent the pages in the manual which cover the hardware installation (pages 10 through 20). You can refer to the manual at the same time if you like.

Then if you click on the second button (Video Driver) and click Next you see a series of screens that explain how to set your desktop resolution to 640 x 480 (which is the required resolution for the Big Picture System, see page 20).

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Then if you click on the third button (Desktop) and then click Next, you are shown how to set up user profiles. This lets you decide when you boot up whether you want your PC to boot to its normal mode or to the mode you use for the Big Picture System. For example, you could set a profile for the Big Picture that uses larger fonts (that are easier to read on your TV). You could also move your desktop icons away from the edge of the monitor screen so they all show up properly on your TV screen. If you don't do this some icons might be partially off the edge of your TV screen.

Finally when you click Mouse and then click Next, you launch the installer for the Mouse Remote software as described on page 30.

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CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS

VIDEO SENDER TRANSMITTER (VT24A)

2.4 GHz

Video

Antenna

	310 MHz
	Antenna for
	Mouse Remote	Channel
	Features
		Switch

Power On-Off

Switch

DC OUT Jack
(to VA23A)	Power Cord
Mouse	A/V Input
Extender Jack	Jacks
(to VA23A)

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VIDEO SENDER RECEIVER (VR20A)

2.4 GHz

Video

Antenna

Channel

Switch

Power On-Off

Switch

TV Channel		Power Cord
Switch		A/V Output
	TV Output
		Jacks
	Connector

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VGA-TO-VIDEO CONVERTER (VA23A)

EXTENDER MOUSE

OUTVIDEO

V PAN

H PAN

IN DC

PS/2	port
To PC's	or serial

To mouse

Use the supplied adapters if you are using a PS/2 mouse and connecting to a PS/2 port. Note: If you connect a PS/2 Mouse to the VA23A (using the supplied PS/2-to-serial adapter) you MUST connect the VA23A to a PS/2 port (using the supplied serial-to-PS/2 adapter). You cannot connect a PS/2 mouse to the VA23A and then connect the VA23A to a serial port, or vice versa.

Attach the VA23A to the side of your PC using the supplied Velcro.™

Use the buttons on the front of the VA23A to adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the picture displayed on your TV.

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CABLES

1 Monitor cable

3 Serial to PS/2 cable (Male)

5 Audio cable

7 Coaxial F connector cable

2 PS/2 to Serial cable

4 Power/Video/Mouse cable

6 A/V cable

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CONNECTING UP

HOOKING UP THE VGA-TO-VIDEO CONVERTER

(WITH A SERIAL MOUSE)

1.Disconnect the computer end of your monitor cable and connect it to the Monitor OUT socket on the VA23A, leaving the other end of the cable connected to your monitor.

2.Connect the VGA output from your computer to the VGA IN socket on the VA23A, using cable 1.

3.Connect your existing serial mouse to the serial input on the VA23A.

4.Connect the serial output on the VA23A to the serial mouse port on your PC.

5.Peel the backing from the attached Velcro™ and attach the VA23A to the side of your computer.

Your existing monitor cable.

MONITOR OUT

VT24A

MOUSE

OUT

	MOUSE
	EXTENDER
		VA23A
MOUSE	VIDEO OUT
EXTENDER		V Pan H Pan

AUDIO IN

DC	LEFT RIGHT	DC IN
	VIDEO IN
		VGA IN

Bulleted numbers	1
refer to the cables
on page 11.	MOUSE

COMPUTER MONITOR

PC

SERIAL

VGA	LINE OUT
	(SPEAKER OUT)

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HOOKING UP THE VGA-TO-VIDEO CONVERTER

(WITH A PS/2 MOUSE)

1.Disconnect the computer end of your monitor cable and connect it to the Monitor OUT socket on the VA23A, leaving the other end of the cable connected to your monitor.

2.Connect the VGA output from your computer to the VGA IN socket on the VA23A, using cable 1.

3.Connect your existing PS/2 mouse to the serial input on the VA23A using the supplied PS/2-to-serial adapter 2.

4.Connect the serial output on the VA23A to the PS/2 mouse port on your PC using the supplied serial-to-PS/2 adapter 3.

5.Peel the backing from the attached Velcro™ and attach the VA23A to the side of your computer.

VT24A

MOUSE

EXTENDER

AUDIO IN

DC	LEFT RIGHT

VIDEO IN

	Your existing
	monitor cable.			COMPUTER
MONITOR OUT				MONITOR
		MOUSE
MOUSE		OUT
EXTENDER	VA23A 2
VIDEO OUT
	V Pan H Pan			PC
DC IN			3
		ADAPTOR
VGA IN
Bulleted numbers	1			PS/2

refer to the cables
on page 11.	PS/2

MOUSE

SERIAL

VGA	LINE OUT
	(SPEAKER OUT)

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HOOKING UP THE VIDEO SENDER TRANSMITTER

1.Using cable 4 follow these three steps:

A:connect DC OUT on the VT24A to the DC IN on the VA23A.

B:connect mouse extender OUT on the VT24A to mouse extender IN on the VA23A.

C:connect Video OUT on the VA23A to Video IN on the VT24A.

2.Using cable 5 connect the AUDIO out jack from your computer's sound card to the Audio IN Jacks on the VT24A Transmitter.

3.Plug the Video Sender Transmitter into a convenient 120V outlet.

4.Set the power switch to ON.

5.Fully extend the telescopic antenna.

6.Position the Video Sender Transmitter in a convenient location and orient the antenna so that the flat side points in the direction of the room where you will be installing the Video Sender Receiver.

Note: do not place it on top of your monitor as the monitor can interfere with its operation.

MONITOR OUT

VT24A

MOUSE

OUT

		MOUSE
		EXTENDER
			VA23A
MOUSE		VIDEO OUT
EXTENDER			V Pan	H Pan
	AUDIO IN	DC IN
DC	LEFT RIGHT
VIDEO IN
4		VGA IN
	5

Bulleted numbers

refer to the cables

MOUSE

on page 11.

COMPUTER MONITOR

	PC
VGA SERIAL	LINE OUT
	(SPEAKER OUT)

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HOOKING UP THE VIDEO SENDER RECEIVER

1.Using cable 6 connect the LINE OUT jacks the Video Sender Receiver to the Video IN jacks on your TV.

Bulleted numbers refer to the cables on page 11.

AUDIO

VIDEO L R

TV

6VIDEO L R

AUDIO

2.Plug the Video Sender Receiver into a 120 volt wall outlet.

3.Set power switch to ON.

4.Position the Video Sender Receiver in a convenient location and orient the antenna so that the flat side points in the direction of the room where you set up the Video Sender Transmitter.

IF YOUR TV DOES NOT HAVE

A/V LINE IN CONNECTORS

You can use the supplied coaxial
F connector cable 7 to connect			7 TO TV
the TV OUT socket on the Video	TO TV ANTENNA
Sender to the Antenna input on						TV
your TV. If you already have an
antenna connected to your TV,
		1	2
you will need to use a standard			TV
TV antenna splitter.
				UHF/VHF
				ANTENNA

Set your TV and the TV Channel switch on the Video Sender to the same channel (3 or 4).

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IF YOUR TV IS ALREADY HOOKED UP TO A DSS RECEIVER OR OTHER A/V DEVICE

If your DSS Receiver or other A/V component is connected to the TV using A/V cables, you can connect the Video Sender Receiver to the free LINE IN jacks on the component. If there are no LINE IN jacks, you will need to use a TV antenna splitter as described earlier.

AUDIO

VIDEO L R

TV

AUDIO

VIDEO L R

DSS

OUT

IN

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FINE TUNING YOUR VIDEO SENDER

The Wireless Video Sender usually works best with the flat faces of the antennas on the Transmitter and Receiver unit facing each other (see diagram below). Sometimes, however, reflections and other effects in the home may affect the signal so that some adjustment of either the Transmitter or Receiver antenna may be necessary to get the best the signal.

If you are not getting any signal at all: Check that the CHANNEL slide switch (labeled 1 to 4) on both Video Sender units is set to the same number. If you are using coaxial TV connections from the Video Sender Receiver, check that the TV is connected to it is tuned to the same channel as the TV Channel switch on the Video Sender (3 or 4).

IF THE SIGNAL IS POOR, OR THERE IS INTERFERENCE

Try changing the channel on both Video Sender units. Do this by adjusting the CHANNEL slide switch on the side of each unit to any position from 1-4. Make sure both units are set to the same channel.

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RESOLUTION, REFRESH RATE, AND PICTURE ADJUSTMENT

Once you have the VA23A connected to your computer and to the VT24A transmitter, and the VA20A connected to your TV you will be able to see the picture from your PC on your TV screen. Note however that the VA23A only works at 640 x 480 resolution, and a refresh rate of 60 Hz. If you normally use your computer at a higher resolution you will need to change this to use the VK25A system.

To do this (for Windows 95) right-click on our desktop and select properties. Then select settings, choose 640 x 480 and click OK. If a refresh rate setting is offered, make sure it is set for 60 Hz. (Note: an updated driver might be available for your video card from the video card manufacturer's WEB site). It might be necessary to reboot your computer after changing this setting.

For Windows 3.x

1.Select the Windows Setup icon in the Program Manager.

2.Choose Change System Settings from the Options menu.

3.Select the 640 x 480 driver for the installed video card from the Display pull-down box. Select 60 Hz if available (see above).

4.Select OK to confirm the setting change. At this point Windows

will locate the driver (either in the system or on a floppy disk provided with the video card) and then re-start.

Note: if you can't find the driver for your video card, or the selected driver doesn't display a picture on your TV, install the standard Windows VGA driver which should be resident in the system. (Or download the latest driver for your video card from its manufacturer's WEB site).

After you see your PC's picture on your TV screen you can adjust its position up and down, and left and right by pressing the arrow buttons on the VA23A VGA-to-Video converter.

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MOUSE REMOTE

INTRODUCTION

PC FUNCTIONS....

The VK25A kit includes a Mouse Remote control (JR20A). The remote control sends wireless RF signals to the VT24A which connects (via the VA23A) to the mouse port on your PC. This lets you use the JR20A remote as a wireless mouse. You use the mouse pad on the front of the remote to move the cursor around the PC screen, and use the buttons on the back of the remote as the left and right mouse buttons. It’s that simple!

This lets you use the Mouse Remote to launch your PC's DVD player from your armchair and play your favorite DVD movie.

However, to take advantage of the advanced features of the Mouse Remote, you can install the software that came with it. This lets you configure the remote’s special function buttons (WEB, DVD, CD, and Phone). You can configure these buttons to perform special functions such as launching your DVD player from a single button, launch your WEB Browser, check your e-mail, etc.

UNIVERSAL REMOTE....

You can use the Mouse Remote as a Universal Remote, to control most audio/video products. Control your TV, VCR, Cable Box, Satellite Receiver, etc. all from the same convenient and easy to use remote.

HOME AUTOMATION....

The X-10 Mouse Remote can also control almost any light or appliance in your home - even in another room! And it’s easy to install. Within minutes, you can be using your X-10 Mouse Remote to dim the lights, start brewing a fresh pot of coffee and play your favorite movie! (Requires X-10 Transceiver and Modules, sold separately).

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Here are just some of the things you can do with your X-10 Mouse

Remote...

•Control all the functions of your PC, including your DVD player, etc.

•Control all your A/V equipment including your TV, VCR, Cable, etc.

•Control your entire audio/video and lighting setup for the ultimate Home Theater experience.

•Turn on lights at night to scare away intruders if you hear a noise.

•Start the coffee from your bedroom when you wake up.

•Turn on your electric blanket before the movie ends, so it’s nice and warm when you go to bed.

Use this section of the manual to become familiar with your Mouse

Remote....

This manual explains how to set up your Mouse Remote to use it with your PC as a wireless mouse.

Then it shows you how to set it up to control your existing Audio/ Video equipment.

Next, it shows you how you can use it with an X-10 Transceiver Module and Lamp Module (sold separately) to control electrical devices in your home.

Finally, the manual shows how you can expand your system with some of the many additional X-10 products you can purchase.

INSTALLING BATTERIES

1.Push the tab and lift off the battery cover.

2.Fit four AAA alkaline batteries, taking care to match the + and - marks in the battery compartment.

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