RS485 Adapters - Light-O-Rama
Contents
1. Accessory Power LOR accessories like the RF V4 Wireless Module DC MP3 Show Director and mDM MP3 miniDirector require power to operate Accessories are usually powered by attached controller s In the case where there are no attached controllers power must come from another source The USB485B and the USB485 ISO have power boosters in them to up the USB 5v to a level that can power accessories Quick Turnaround LOR controllers have the ability to respond to polls from the show director your PC a DC MP3 Show Director or MDM MP3 miniDirector The S2 Interactive Showtime software supports polling the controllers so that the inputs can be sensed and used to control shows The USB485B and the USB485 ISO have additional components in them that allow the communications line to be quickly turned around from pointing at the controllers to pointing at the show director and back again so that inputs can be read without disrupting the show These two adapters are preferred but not required for interactive shows Double RJ45 The USB485B and the USB485 ISO adapters have two RJ45 connectors that are in parallel These allow for more flexible placement of the adapter in a LOR network Page 8 RS485 Adapters Another way of looking at this is that the adapter has two paths from the PC to the LOR network Each path can have one or more LOR devices Remember the connectors are in parallel so if a device on one connector path transm2. RS485 Adapters SC485 e USB485B e USB485 e USB485 ISO User Manual October 26 2008 V1 02 Copyright Light O Rama Inc 2006 2007 2008 This page intentionally blank Table of Contents WAT OG CHOI mene 4 VMAS HIS BOX ics siaucicewcvanciaesinadiebstou E E 5 SC485 Serial to RS485 Adapter pp 5 USB485 USB to RS485 Adapter pp 5 USB485B USB to RS485 Adapter eee 5 USB485 ISO USB to RS485 Adapter 5 Important Considerations pp 6 Troubleshooting USB Adapter Problems 7 Adapter Feature Matrix pp 7 OO 7 Cable 16 controle oreren 7 ACCESSORY EREOWeP a wel arciaadisechaads 8 QUICK marouiigs raza scacacacapacarscastdnattotdeaet 8 DOUDIC RJAD sienio rina 8 ISOlAUl OM onno EEE 9 USB485 ISO LED Indicators pp 9 USB COM Port Behavior pp 10 software Installation USB Only pp 11 USB485 USB485B amp USB485 ISO USB to RS485 AUablerss eE 11 Windows 2000 XP Vista Installation 12 WinXP 2000 USB OLD Installation 14 Win98 ME USB Installation pp 19 SD ECCINCAUONSescxtanGerniae rena testa du ailseads diviatetedeeane 23 RS485 Adapters Introduction The Light O Rama LOR network of controllers uses the RS485 electrical protocol for data communication This is a differential transmission standard which is highly immune to interference and allows for up to 4000 ft of cable PC serial ports and USB ports limit cable length to less than 100 ft In o
3. D Wind8_ME Browse Bock cancel On the following screen click Next gt Add New Hardware Yrizard Windows driver file search for the device USB Serial Converter Windows is now ready to install the best driver for this device Click Back to select a different driver or click Next to continue Location of driver 20 D WIN98_ME FTDIBUS INF Page 21 RS485 Adapters Win98 Step 7 On the following screen click Finish Windows has finished installing the USB device Windows needs to install a virtual serial port driver for the device Some versions of Win98 go ahead and do this without further interaction on others you will see the screen in Win98 Step 3 again If you do repeat Win98 Steps 3 through 7 After the second round a new COM port will appear in your hardware configuration Add New Hardware Wizard USB Serial Converter Windows has finished installing the software that your new hardware device requires Cancel Page 22 RS485 Adapters Specifications a SC485 Yeh x 1 wx 2 d USB485 Yeh x 128 w x 20 Light O Rama Inc Tel 518 539 9000 Fax 518 538 0067 info lightorama com Page 23
4. PC If you do have the LOR USB Drivers CD place it in a drive on your PC Win98 Step 2 Plug the adapter into your PC This will start the Install New Hardware Wizard Win98 Step 3 On the following screen click Next gt Note that the device name may be different from what is shown on the screen below Add New Hardware Wizard This wizard searches for new drivers for FT232R USB UART A device driver is a software program that makes a hardware device work Cancel Page 19 RS485 Adapters Win98 Step 4 On the following screen select Search for the best driver for your device Recommended and then click Next gt Add New Hardware izard What do you want Windows to do Search forthe best driver for your device Recommended C Display a list of all the drivers in a specific location so You can select the driver you want 809 20191 Page 20 Win98 Step 5 RS485 Adapters On the following screen click Specify a Location then Browse to the directory where the driver files are usually D Win98_ ME and then click Next gt Add New Hardware Wizard Win98 Step 6 Windows will search for new drivers in its driver database on your hard drive and in any of the following selected locations Click Next to start the search eeeeseeesossesesssecesesecesseesossesessseeesseseesseg CD ROM drive I Microsoft Windows Update M Specify a location
5. gt Found New Hardware Wizard Please choose your search and installation options ES Use the check boxes below to limit or expand the default search which includes local paths and removable media The best driwer found will be installed C Search removable media floppy CD ROM Include this location in the search ESwirxP_2000 v O Don t search will choose the driver to install Choose this option to select the device driver from a list Windows does not guarantee that the driver you choose will be the best match for your hardware Page 1 RS485 Adapters WinXP Step 6 On the following screen click Finish You will then see the screen from Step 3 above again Windows needs to install the virtual serial port on top of the USB device you just installed Repeat WinXP Steps 3 through 6 After the second round a new COM port will appear in your hardware configuration Found New Hardware Wizard Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard The wizard has finished installing the software for USE Seral Converter Click Finish to close the wizard Cancel Page 18 RS485 Adapters Win98 ME USB Installation Win98 Step 1 Before you plug the adapter in If you do not have the USB Drivers CD from LOR go to www ftdichip com gt Drivers gt VCP gt select the driver version for your Windows operating system Download and extract the appropriate ZIP file on your
6. 6ft USB cable to connect it to a PC USB port Also included are a manual and a CD with the Windows drivers USB485 ISO USB to RS485 Adapter The USB485 ISO is supplied with a 6ft USB cable to connect it to a PC USB port Also included are a manual and a CD with the Windows drivers Page 5 RS485 Adapters Important Considerations Follow the installation instructions for USB adapters Failure to do this may cause Windows to install a random driver for the device which will not work If you do not have the Driver Installation CD that came with your USB adapter the latest drivers are available directly from the chip manufacturer s web site http www ftdichip com gt Drivers gt VCP gt Select the correct driver for your operating system It is best to use the setup executable on the right hand side of the page to install the drivers if one is available for your Windows version If a USB485B or USB485 ISO is powering LOR accessories like an RF V4 Wireless Module a DC MP3 Show Director or an mDM MP3 miniDirector the USB485B or USB485 ISO should be connected to a USB port on the PC not to a hub Using a USB hub may severely restrict the power available to the adapter which in turn may not be able to power the accessory If your LOR Hardware Utility does not have LOR MP3 and LOR RF tabs it will NOT work with the USB485B or the USB485 ISO The latest version of the Hardware Utility may be obtained by goi
7. 85 Adapters Windows Vista may also pop up a User Account Control window again click Continue to proceed with the installation You will momentarily see the following DOS window when it disappears the drivers are installed c WOCUME 1Wohn LOCALS 1 Temp ckz_PDRK DPInst_Monx86 exe 32 bit 068 detected C2 DOCUME 1 Jo hn LOCALS 1 Temp c kz_PDRK DPInst x86 exe river Installing d You may plug in one or more LOR USB adapters The first time you plug in a USB adapter Windows will go through an install process Subsequent plug ins will just give the two tone install remove sounds See the USB COM Port Behavior section for information on how USB adapters map into COMn ports on your PC The document linked to in the Troubleshooting USB Adapter Problems section contains procedures that you can use to determine the COM port number if you want to know this Page 13 RS485 Adapters WinXP 2000 USB OLD Installation This section should only be used when the previous section on Windows 2000 Windows XP or Windows Vista fails to work for your PC because it is an older system WinXP Step 1 Before you plug the adapter in If you do not have the USB Drivers CD from LOR go to www ftdichip com gt Drivers gt VCP gt select the driver version for your Windows operating system Download and extract the appropriate ZIP file on your PC If you do have the LOR USB Drivers CD place it in a drive o
8. USB adapter will appear in the Device Manager list of devices under Ports COM amp LPT as USB Serial Port COMn Page 11 RS485 Adapters Windows 2000 XP Vista Installation Do NOT plug the USB adapter in before installing the drivers This may install a random driver selected by Windows that will not work If you do not have the USB Drivers CD from Light O Rama go to www ftdichip com gt Drivers gt VCP gt select the driver version for your Windows operating system Download and save the setup executable from the rightmost column If you do have the Light O Rama USB Drivers CD place it in a CD drive on your PC and use Windows Explorer to display the top level folder The driver install executable will have a name like CDM 2 04 06 exe You may not see the exe part of the name depending upon you Windows Explorer settings Double click the executable downloaded from ftdichip com or from the top level directory of the LOR USB Drivers CD You may see a security window like the following Internet Explorer Security Warning Do you want to run this software Name CDM 2 04 06 exe Publisher Future Technology Devices International Ltd More options while Files From the Internet can be useful this File type can potentially harm your computer Only run software From publishers vou krust what s the risk Click the Run button to proceed with the installation Page 12 RS4
9. articular USB adapter will appear when the adapter is plugged in and disappear when it is unplugged from the PC This particular adapter will always have the same COM port number on a particular PC For example if a USB485 is connected and appears in the Ports list as COM6 it will always be COM6 on that PC regardless of which USB port it is plugged in to It is a good idea to write the COMnhn port on the adapter to avoid confusion if you are using multiple adapters If this adapter is plugged into a different PC it will mostly likely get a different COM port number lf you add another USB to RS485 adapter it will automatically install using the software already on the PC It will get its own unique COM port number that will also appear and disappear depending upon whether or not this adapter is plugged into the PC To uninstall the USB COM ports go to Control Panel s Add or Remove Programs and select FTDI USB Serial Converter Drivers Note that the name of the software to remove varies slightly for the different Windows versions Page 10 RS485 Adapters Software Installation USB Only The SC485 serial adapter requires no software installation If you have an SC485 just plug it into a 9 pin serial connector on your PC USB485 USB485B amp USB485 ISO USB to RS485 Adapters The pages that follow are quick instructions to install the USB device and virtual serial port drivers on your PC A properly installed
10. its on the network devices on the other connector path will see the transmission Isolation The USB485 ISO completely isolates the RS485 and power supply for accessories from the PC There are two main reasons for doing this 1 You have multiple networks more than one adapter on the PC directing your show Multiple networks usually mean a larger display where the display is powered by multiple power distribution points or transformers In this situation isolation is often required for proper operation If you find that any one network works properly but when two or more networks are connected controllers do not respond properly then isolation is needed 2 You want additional protection from problem situations For example if a controller were to fall over and then fill with water the AC line voltages in the controller could travel to the low voltage network connection cable through the water An isolated adapter prevents these voltages from entering your PC and harming you or your PC USB485 ISO LED Indicators ISO Power The isolated accessory power supply is functioning Page 9 RS485 Adapters USB Power The USB port on the PC is supplying power to the adapter RX Adapter is receiving data from the PC that is being sent out on the RS485 network TX Adapter is sending data to the PC that was received from the RS485 network USB COM Port Behavior After the software installation is done the COM port assigned to a p
11. n your PC WinXP Step 2 Plug the adapter into your PC This will start the Install New Hardware Wizard Page 14 RS485 Adapters RS485 Adapters WinXP Step 3 WinXP Step 4 On the following screen click No not this time and On the following screen click Install from a list or then click Next gt specific location Advanced and then click Next gt Note that the device name may be different from what is shown on the screen below Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardwarea Wizard Found New Hardware Wizard Windows will search for curent and updated software by looking on your computer on the hardware installation CD or on the Windows Update Web site with your permission Read our privacy policy This wizard helps pou install software for FT 232A USB UART Can Windows connect to Windows Update to search for software O Yes this time only i Yes now and every time connect a device L If your hardware came with an installation CD or floppy disk insert it now What do wou want the wizard to do Install the software automatically Recommended Click Next to continue Click Next to continue Page 15 Page 16 RS485 Adapters WinXP Step 5 On the following screen click Search for the best driver in these locations click Include this location in the search Browse to the location of the WinXP drivers usually D WinXP_2000 and then click Next
12. ng to www lightorama com gt Support gt Hardware Utility You should not unplug a USB adapter from the PC while it is in use This may confuse the USB drivers and hang the application using the adapter Page 6 RS485 Adapters Troubleshooting USB Adapter Problems If you have a problem with the installation or use of your USB adapter please consult this troubleshooting guide for help upper lower case is important www lightorama com Documents RS485_Adapter_ Trou bleshooting pdf Adapter Feature Matrix The table headings are defined below Adapter PC Cableto Accsry Quick Double Model Alisi _ 56485 ee use o E No e USE a a USB485 ISO USB 4000ft_ 150ma Yes Yes 2500v PC Port The type of port that must be available on your PC to support this type of adapter The SC485 requires an old style serial communications port not usually available on modern PCs Please note that the SC485 contains electronics it is not simply a connector changer This means that devices obtained from places like RadioShack that look like an SC485 will not work Cable to controller This is the maximum number of feet of Cat5 cable between the adapter and the first controller The SC485 is powered by the controller s so the voltage drop on the cable sets this limit The USB adapters derive their Page RS485 Adapters power from the USB port so they are limited only by RS485 s capability
13. rder to use a Windows PC to configure and control a LOR network you must use one of the LOR RS485 adapters There are adapters for PC serial ports and USB ports See the Adapter Feature Matrix section to help you choose the best adapter for your situation You can mix and match these adapters on a single PC Each adapter appears as a separate COM port The S2 Showtime software supports up to four adapters at one time Each adapter can be connected to a LOR accessory a network of controllers or both The SC485 serial RS485 Adapter does not require any software installation The SC485 is simply plugged into a serial port on the PC and used All USB adapters require the installation of device drivers Do not plug the adapter in until you have read the instructions in the Software Installation USB Only section Page 4 RS485 Adapters Whats in the Box SC485 Serial to RS485 Adapter The SC485 plugs directly into a PC 9 pin serial port It requires no driver software you just plug it in and use it It does not come with a manual or a serial port extension cable If you need and extension cable you can find one by going to www lightorama com gt Web Store gt Accessories gt DB9 Extension Cable 6ft USB485 USB to RS485 Adapter The USB485 is supplied with a 6ft USB cable to connect it to a PC USB port Also included are a manual and a CD with the Windows drivers USB485B USB to RS485 Adapter The USB485B is supplied with a
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