OPERATION SECTION

Operation Section || Maintenance Section || Serial Protocols

INTRODUCTION

This section explains in detail the operation of the Chameleon using either the RS232 port or the optional front panel or remote controller.

CONNECTIONS

When installing balanced audio connections, use the center pin for the common or ground wire. The top or bottom pin may be used for either + or - , however the connections must be consistent throughout.

Connect audio and video sources as described in sections 2. 4 and 2.5. There is no requirement that all inputs be used or terminated.

If outputs are left over they may be used like a distribution amplifier to buffer and distribute an input signal. To use extra outputs in this way simply route the input you wish to distribute to as many available outputs as desired.

Outputs should not be looped back to the inputs driving them. If an output is then routed to its input an illegal condition will exist and the output will oscillate at frequencies which could spill over onto other crosspoints.

ROUTING VIA THE FRONT PANEL CONTROLLER

NOTE: The front panel controller has been factory set to control the Chameleon routing switcher, but in the event of memory loss due to a run-down battery or other cause, you may have to go through the setup procedure.

SETUP PROCEDURE

To select the Chameleon as the routing switcher to control, push the S key, then 93, then ENter. The display will prompt you for the type of routing switcher you are controlling. Enter 02 for the Chameleon, then push ENter.

If complete memory has been lost there will be nonsense characters in the current crosspoint pattern map, the twenty stored patterns, and the lockout table. To reinitialize these, push the S key, then 94, then ENter. Enter 01, then push the ENter key to reinitialize, or push 02, ENter, to quit. CAUTION—reinitializing erases all your stored patterns!

HOW TO ROUTE AUDIO AND VIDEO IN ONE COMMAND

To route audio and video from the same input, push the B (BOTH) key on the front panel controller, then a two-digit number for the output you wish to route to, then a two-digit number for the input you wish to route both audio and video from, then push the ENter key.

To route audio and video from different inputs, push the B key, then a two-digit output number, then a two-digit video input, then a two-digit audio input, then push the ENter key.

To route nothing to an output, just enter a 00 for the input number.

HOW TO ROUTE VIDEO ALONE

On the front panel controller, push the V (VIDEO) key, then a two-digit number for the output you wish to route to, then a two-digit number for the input you wish to route to, then push ENter.

HOW TO ROUTE AUDIO ALONE

On the front panel controller, push the A (AUDIO) key, then a two-digit number for the output you wish to route to, then a two-digit number for the input you wish to route from, then push ENter.

HOW TO STORE A CROSSPOINT PATTERN

The front panel controller has the ability to store up to twenty complete crosspoint patterns. As crosspoints are being made on the front panel controller, or from an external RS232 device, they are stored in the Current Crosspoint Map. That map can be stored at any time in one of the twenty available locations.

Push the S (STORE) key, then a two-digit number from 01 to 20, then the ENter key. Note: the pattern previously stored at that location will be over-written.

NOTE: The current crosspoint map in the front panel controller will not match the crosspoint pattern in the Chameleon unless all the crosspoints have been set using the front panel controller.

HOW TO RECALL A STORED PATTERN

The front panel controller has the ability to store up to twenty complete crosspoint patterns. To recall and send a stored pattern to the Chameleon push the R (RECALL) key, then a two-digit number from 01 to 20 for the pattern to be recalled , then the ENter key. Updating the entire pattern can take up to 30 seconds.

HOW TO TURN A CROSSPOINT OFF

Sometimes it is helpful to be able to disconnect a crosspoint altogether; that is, have nothing connected to an output. To turn an output off, push a letter key (B for both, A for audio, or V for video), then the output number, then 00, then ENter. To turn the output back on, route any input to it.

HOW TO SEND A SALVO COMMAND

Sometimes you want to send the same video and audio input to a range of consecutive outputs; this is called a salvo. To send a salvo command, push the S key, then 95, then ENter. The LCD display will prompt you: enter the first number in the range, then the last number in the range, then enter the input number to route from and push ENter. All the outputs in the range will then be connected to the input named.

HOW TO LOCK OUT AN OUTPUT

Sometimes it is important to guard a particular output against an accidental crosspoint change. To lock out a specific output number push the S key, then 98, then ENter. Follow the prompt and enter the output number to be protected, then ENter. To reverse the lockout, just repeat the process.

HOW TO INTERROGATE A CROSSPOINT CONDITION

To determine the condition of a particular crosspoint, push the S key, then 96, then ENter. Then enter a two-digit output number, and push ENter. The LCD display will show all the crosspoints two at a time, beginning at that output number. Push the ENter key to see more outputs; the display will return to READY after a few seconds if no more ENter’s are pushed.

To display the entire map just push the S key, enter 96, and push ENter. Push the ENter key to advance through the crosspoints.

HOW TO USE THE TIMED PATTERN RECALL MODE

The controller can be programmed to send its twenty stored crosspoint patterns to the hardware at timed intervals. To turn the timed mode on, push the S key, then enter 90, then push ENter. The display will read TIMED MODE ON. To turn timed mode off, push S, then 91, then ENter. The display will read TIMED MODE OFF, then return to the READY prompt after a few seconds.

To set the time between patterns, push the S key, then enter 92, then ENter. The display will prompt you for a time interval from 01 to 99. Each increment of time intervals is about 15 seconds, so entering 01 will leave 15 seconds between changes, and 99 will amount to about 25 minutes between changes. Of course, sending each new pattern takes time (up to 30 seconds for a full matrix), which adds between ten and twenty seconds to the actual interval between changes.

HOW TO INTERROGATE FOR ACTIVE CARDS

To interrogate the Chameleon as to the active cards push the S key, then 97, then ENter. Each card will respond on the LCD screen in turn:

BD: _ 01, 02, 03, etc.

SERIAL PROTOCOLS

Operation Section || Maintenance Section || Serial Protocols

ROUTING VIA THE RS232 INPUT

A Simple protocol allows all crosspoints to be set through the RS232 port (one of two DB9 connectors on the rear panel). The RS232 port will accept inputs from a terminal, computer, or other software-driven control device. No handshaking is required. Set the RS232 driver for 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity, and two stop bits. You may use upper or lower case letters in any command.

Pin connections for the DB9 are as follows:
Data is sent from the router on pin 2.
Data is received by the router on pin 3.
Pin 5 is ground.

SETTING THE BAUD RATE

The router is shipped with the baud rate set at 9600.  The baud rate may be reset using positions 1 and 2 of the dip switches located on the rear panel of the router.  Set the switches for the desired baud rate as follows:

*All baud rates are 8 bit, no parity, one stop bit.

Switches are ON when pushed to the right (as viewed from the back of the panel)  The switches are read by the microprocessor only at power up; for switch configurations to take effect, cycle the power input to the router.

ROUTING VIDEO

To route video, send a six-byte command in the form:

Vxxyy(ENTER),

Where xx is an output number (01 to 64) and yy is an input number (01-64).

ROUTING AUDIO

To route audio, send a six-byte command in the form:

Axxyy (ENTER),

Where xx is an output number (01 to 64) and yy is an input number (01-64).

ROUTING VIDEO AND AUDIO TOGETHER

To route both audio and video from the same input, send a six-byte command in the form:

Bxxyy (ENTER),

Where xx is an output number (01 to 64) and yy is an input number (01-64).

To route both audio and video from different inputs, send an eight-byte command in the form:

Bxxyyzz(ENTER),

Where xx is an output number (01 to 64), yy is a video input number, and zz is an audio input number (01-64).

TURNING AN OUTPUT OFF

Sometimes it is helpful to be able to disconnect a crosspoint altogether; that is, have nothing connected to an output. To turn an output off, send a letter (B for both, A for audio, or V for video), then the output number, then 00, then ENter. To turn the output back on, route any input to it.

ANSWERBACK

Each correctly formatted command is answered by the card to which it was directed. The answerback is in the form: XX_OK, where XX is the card number responding. The video cards are in slots 1-8 and the audio cards in slots 9-16. For example, the command B0101 will answerback:

01_OK

09_OK

provided there is a card at both of those locations.

INTERROGATING

To interrogate the Chameleon as to the active cards send the command

1(ENTER)

each card will respond in turn:

01_OK

02_OK, etc.

MAINTENANCE SECTION

Operation Section || Maintenance Section || Serial Protocols

INTRODUCTION

The Chameleon uses passive air flow (convection) to keep its front panel-mounted power supply within a comfortable temperature. It is important to check for and correct against an accumulation of dust at least annually, or more often in a dusty environment.

The optional front panel controller has a battery for its crosspoint pattern storage and other non-volatile functions. It is important to check that battery annually and replace it when necessary. The battery is a DL1220 type (one-half inch diameter, approximately one-tenth inch thick), with a 3.2 volt rating. To avoid memory loss, replace the battery when the measured voltage falls below 2.8 volts. Be sure the replacement battery is installed with the + side visible.

No other routine maintenance is required in the Chameleon.

SWITCH/JUMPER OPTIONS

All Switch and Jumper options have been correctly set at the factory for the crosspoint configuration specified and should not be changed unless the crosspoint configuration is being modified.

A. Backplane switches

The backplane has one 8-position switch, SW-1. Positions 5-8 control RS232 data flow for the two DB9 connectors below (DB1 and DB2). Units are shipped with switches 5-8 in the ON position to allow full control from either DB9 connector. To restrict data in or out open switches according to the following table:

Positions 1-4 are reserved for future options.

B. Crosspoint card jumpers

There are four sets of jumpers on each of the crosspoint switcher cards –

WJ1 and WJ2: For video cards, these jumpers control the time after receipt of a crosspoint instruction that the crosspoint is made (or broken). WJ2 should be set to the 1-2 (left) position unless otherwise noted.

*For non-synchronous switching set WJ1 to the OFF position (no jumper).

*For vertical interval switching set WJ1 to the 1-2 position (left).

*For switching to an external TTL reference (J193 on the backplane, if installed) set WJ1 to position 2-3- (right). If the reference is positive-going move WJ2 to the 2-3 position (right).

*For audio cards these jumpers should both be in position 1-2 (left).

WJ3: these four jumpers work with the switches in positions 1-4 of U32 (if installed) to control the address of the card in the Chameleon frame. Normally all these jumpers are in place and U32 is not installed; this allows the frame to determine the card position. It is sometimes desirable to have a card in a higher slot number in the frame respond to the same command as a card in a lower slot number to make simultaneous two or three channel switching possible. This is necessary, for example, to make a 32x32 stereo balanced audio switcher in a single frame, since the balanced audio cards each carry only one channel. To make adjacent cards switch together, remove the first (leftmost) jumper on WJ3. To make cards two apart switch together remove the second jumper, and to make cards four apart simultaneous, remove the third jumper (see the next section on WJ4). The fourth jumper (rightmost) must be in place.

WJ4: these four jumpers are used in concert to re-assign the 32 higher numbered video or audio input connectors for use as second channel inputs when switching stereo balanced audio or Y/C video. They are to be used only when the third jumper of WJ3 has been removed on the cards in frame positions 5-8 (video) or 13-16 (audio). These jumpers are normally in positions 2-3; that is, the upper positions. Move all four jumpers to the lower position only if reassigning inputs for simultaneous switching, and only on cards in frame positions 5-8 or 13-16.

Operation Section || Maintenance Section || Serial Protocols