Alcorn Mcbride V4X User manual

V4X User’s Guide
January 25th, 2019
SHOW CONTROLLER

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January 25, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................2
WELCOME! ....................................................................................................................................3
PRODUCT FEATURES .................................................................................................................4
SHOW CONTROL FEATURES ........................................................................................................................................ 4
PHYSICAL FEATURES....................................................................................................................................................... 4
TECHNICAL SUPPORT ...............................................................................................................5
GETTING STARTED.....................................................................................................................6
WIRING AND CONNECTIVITY...................................................................................................................................... 6
NETWORK CONFIGURATION ...................................................................................................................................... 7
CONTROLLING WITH WINSCRIPT LIVE .................................................................................................................... 10
HARDWARE INFORMATION...................................................................................................11
OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11
DISPLAY AND NAVIGATION WHEEL.......................................................................................................................... 11
INDICATOR LEDS......................................................................................................................................................... 14
CONNECTORS .............................................................................................................................................................. 16
WIRING GUIDE ...........................................................................................................................19
DIGITAL INPUT WIRING.............................................................................................................................................. 19
SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................20
CONTROL ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20
PHYSICAL ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20
BLOCK DIAGRAM.......................................................................................................................21
PRODUCT PHOTOS...................................................................................................................22

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January 25, 2019
WELCOME!
Congratulations on your shiny new Alcorn McBride V4X Show Controller!
The V4X is designed to incorporate the same powerful show control core as the top-of-the-line V16X for smaller
scale applications that don’t require advanced synchronization capabilities.
Many attractions require advanced control and monitoring over many different types of third-party equipment.
This includes devices like the PLC systems commonly used for ride control, projectors, video players, audio
players, audio DSPs, matrix switchers, motion controllers (animatronics), and much more. The V4X harnesses the
power of the Alcorn McBride show control engine to easily integrate with many industry-standard devices and
serve as a sub-system show controller control for theme park attractions or a master show control system for
museum applications. This includes features like timelines to precisely manage A/V playback or triggering complex
show control sequences via GPIO, Serial, or Ethernet commands.
The V4X also works in tandem with our ShowTouch apps and devices to provide intuitive touch panel controls
(HMI) that can be tailored to the needs of the attraction’s operations and maintenance staff.
This product leverages 32 years of experience designing products specifically for themed entertainment
applications. In true Alcorn McBride fashion, the solid-state and rugged design will ensure years of 24/7
maintenance free operation which is essential to zero downtime for attractions. At Alcorn McBride, it is our
passion to engineer solutions that are uniquely suited for themed entertainment. We hope that you love using this
product as much as we enjoyed designing it!

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January 25, 2019
PRODUCT FEATURES
SHOW CONTROL FEATURES
This product features the powerful and flexible Alcorn McBride ControlCore. This technology provides the ability
to control and monitor components deployed in themed attractions like PLCs, animation controllers, video
playback, projection, DSP systems, matrix switchers, and much more.
The control feature set is as follows:
• Alcorn McBride Show Control Core
o Control of 3rd Party Devices (PLC, DSP, Animation, AV, etc.)
o Timeline Programming
o ShowTouch Integration
o PLC Integration – ride control
monitoring/triggering
o Advanced Scripting Control
• 2 x Network Control Ports (Isolated)
• 4 x Serial Control Ports (RS422 or RS232)
• 8 x CC/Voltage Inputs
• 8 x CC Outputs /w Self-Healing Polymer Fuse
• 8 x User-Programmable Front-Panel Buttons
• 4.3” Touch-Enabled TFT Display
PHYSICAL FEATURES
This product’s solid-state design enables it to integrate well into any commercial A/V installation. It’s designed to
be mounted into a standard 19” equipment rack and requires only 2RU of space. The rear-panel of the unit offers
professional-grade phoenix terminals for easy wire termination in the field, and industry standard connectors for
network, and power.
• Phoenix connectors for solder-free installation
• Flexible Power Supply Options
o V4X - Built-in 110-240VAC Auto-sensing power supply
o V4X-DC – Built-in 24VDC power supply
• 4.3” TFT Display
• Control status LEDs
• IO status LEDs
• Front-panel buttons
• Removable SD Card for storage of scripts, panels, and/or log data
• Dimensions – 19” W x 14” D x 3.5” H - 2U Rack Mount
• Weight – 10 Lbs.

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January 25, 2019
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Now that we’ve tantalized you with all of the wonderful things this product can do, I’ll bet you’re chomping at the
bit to flip all the switches and push all the buttons. Not so fast! Before we get to the fun stuff, we just want to
take a moment to remind you that we are here to help. Chances are that you’re building something really cool
and we want you to have access to the resources and support you need to be successful.
To start, you’ll find a wealth of information on our website. This includes Application Notes that give you detailed
documentation and examples for how this product is used in common types of themed entertainment projects.
You’ll also find the latest downloads for software, firmware, drawings, 3D models, cutsheets, and other helpful
resources on our Support page. The Knowledge Base is especially handy for common questions and helpful
troubleshooting tips. And last, but certainly not least, you always have our friendly and mildly entertaining staff
available by email or telephone.
Application Notes
http://www.alcorn.com/applications
Support Resources
http://www.alcorn.com/support
Knowledge Base (FAQ)
https://alcornmcbride.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
Email Support
[email protected]
Telephone Support
[phone] (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm EST)

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January 25, 2019
GETTING STARTED
Alright, time to roll up your sleeves and get to work! This section will guide you through basic concepts that will
help you get on your way with an V4X.
WIRING AND CONNECTIVITY
A few connections are required to experience the core functionality of an V4X. If you’re the DIY-type that’s
comfortable with purchasing and terminating your own connectors, you’ll be happy to know that this product uses
industry-standard connectors which are documented in detail in the Hardware Information section of this
User’s Guide.
POWER
The V4X can be ordered with one of two power supply options:
• V4X - Built-in 110-240VAC Auto-sensing power supply
• V4X-DC – Built-in 24VDC power supply
The AC option is the standard and preferred by many customers;
however, there are many applications that benefit from having a DC
power input. Whichever your preference, be sure to order the
appropriate version of the V4X for your power needs.
For the standard V4X, you simply need to connect AC power using the included IEC power cable.
For the V4X-DC, you need to apply a 24VDC power source to the power input terminals. Be sure to observe the
correct polarity for the Positive (+24VDC) and Negative (-) terminals.
Once you have connected the power source, the V4X can be powered up by simply flipping the power switch to
the ON position. HEY!!! What are you doing?!? We didn’t actually say to power up yet, but you went ahead and
did it anyway didn’t you?!?! <Head Slap> Alright… clearly you’re excited so I guess we’ll cut you some slack, but
could you at least try to follow instructions next time?

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January 25, 2019
NETWORK CONTROL
While the V4X sure looks pretty when you power it up, network
connectivity is required to actually make it do magical things. The
goal here is to interface a V4X to your Windows or macOS
computer running our WinScript Live software. This application
empowers you to configure, program and monitor the unit.
The V4X has 2 standard RJ45 Ethernet connectors that support
10/100/1000BT networks. They provide access to 2 isolated
networks labeled Network A and B that can be used by the V4X to
control and monitor devices that are connected to the networks.
Let’s go ahead and plug in one end of your Ethernet cable to Port A
and the other end to your computer.
NETWORK CONFIGURATION
Now that we’re good to go with connections, we just need to do a little bit of configuration before we can
connect your computer to an V4X. Before we get started, it’s helpful to know that a V4X ships with the following
default IP address configurations:
If you’re at ease in the world of networking, you can easily adjust these settings for your V4X to operate on an
existing network. For more information on how to access the network configuration menu, see the Display and
Navigation Buttons section of this User’s Guide.
For those that just wish to connect a computer directly to Network A of the V4X, the easiest way is to set your
computer to a static IP address that is compatible with V4X default network settings. For example, this
configuration would work nicely for your computer:
Port A
Control IP
192.168.0.254
Subnet Mask
255.255.255.0
Port B
Control IP
192.168.1.254
Subnet Mask
255.255.255.0
Computer Ethernet Port
IP
192.168.0.100
Subnet Mask
255.255.255.0

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January 25, 2019
CONFIGURING STATIC IP - WINDOWS 10
1. Right-click on the Windows icon in the bottom-left and select Network Connections
2. Select Change adapter options
3. Right-click on the network interface that is connected to the V4X and select Properties
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) from the list of items and click the Properties
button below.
5. Select Use the following IP address, enter the IP address as 192.168.0.100, and enter the Subnet
Mask as 255.255.255.0 as indicated in the screenshot below:
6. Click the Ok button to apply the static IP address.

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January 25, 2019
CONFIGURING STATIC IP – OS X
1. Click on the network icon in the OS X menu bar and select Open Network Preferences.
2. Select the network interface that is connected to the V4X from the available interfaces on the left.
3. Configure the network interface Manually, specify an IP address of 192.168.0.100, and a Subnet Mask
of 255.255.255.0 as indicated in the screenshot below.
4. Click Apply to enable the new static IP configuration

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January 25, 2019
CONTROLLING WITH WINSCRIPT LIVE
At this point, everything should be wired up, configured, and ready to go. The next step is to connect to the V4X
using our WinScript Live software. Once connected, you will have access to configure, control, and monitor your
V4X unit.
Before we can get started, you’ll want to make sure to install the latest version of WinScript Live on your
Windows or macOS computer. This software can be downloaded for free from our website at www.alcorn.com.
Once the software is installed, follow these instructions to start a test sequence:
1. Launch WinScript Live and click the Connect button on the splash screen
2. Your V4X unit should automatically appear in the connection list. Click it once to select, and then click
the OK button to connect.
3. Select Retrieve and click OK.WinScript Live will then load the project currently stored on the V4X.
4. Congratulations! You are in control of your V4X unit. There are many places you can go from here, but
here are some helpful suggestions:
o The powerful show control engine of the V4X empowers you with advanced scripting capability,
timeline features, and device control. To learn more, the detailed documentation of our show
control platform is built right into the WinScript Live software. If you are new to Alcorn
McBride show control, we also strongly encourage you to access the training content included
with WinScript Live using the Examples screen and/or sign up for our next training class.
o Visit our Applications page at www.alcorn.com to access more detailed examples on application-
specific topics.

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January 25, 2019
HARDWARE INFORMATION
OVERVIEW
The V4X has an assortment of dedicated hardware for the purpose of configuration, status monitoring, and
interfacing to other hardware. This section covers these features in more detail.
DISPLAY AND NAVIGATION WHEEL
The V4X features a 4.3” TFT display. This display is primarily used
to share project-specific information (i.e. “Preshow – Running -
01:02:03.00”) from the show control script. However, this display
also offers a full menu system that can be accessed using the
navigation wheel adjacent to the display.
To access the menu system, simply press in the navigation wheel. The wheel can then be rotated and pressed to
browse the menu system, select items, and change settings.
MAIN MENU
This menu provides access to the following sub-menus:
• Control – Monitor show control performance and script status
• Sync – View sync configuration
• Network –Configure network interfaces
• System – Configure and monitor generic system status

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January 25, 2019
CONTROL MENU
• Script – View currently active show control script
o Select to access a screen to view full script name and load different scripts
• CPU Load – View current load of show control processor
SYNC MENU
• Sync Source – View sync clock reference (‘Internal’ only for V4X).
• Frame Rate – View operating frame rate of show control core.
NETWORK MENU
• Network A – View Status and Configure ‘Network A’.
• Network B – View Status and Configure ‘Network B’.

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January 25, 2019
NETWORK SETUP MENU
• DHCP – Enable/Disable DHCP network configuration
• IP – View/Configure Show Control IP address
• Subnet Mask – View/Configure subnet mask
• Gateway – View/Configure gateway IP address
• DNS – View/Configure DNS address
• MAC – View MAC address for Show Control Ethernet interface
• Link – Current link status of network port
SYSTEM MENU
• Name – Shows the user-assigned device name of the V4X unit.
• Version – Firmware version
• Build – Build revision of firmware
• Status – View status info such as temperature, fan speed, input voltage, etc.
• Format SSD – Erase and Format internal SSD media
• Reset Settings – Reset all configuration data (i.e. network, device name, etc.) to factory defaults
• Reboot – Reboot V4X and re-launch script

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INDICATOR LEDS
The front-panel of a V4X has a full set of indicator LEDs to provide an overall status of different features of the
device.
STATUS
Power – ON whenever power is applied to the unit and the power switch is on
Live – ON whenever WinScript Live is connected to the unit
NETWORK
These indicators display both network link and activity for all of the Control Network ethernet ports.
LED State
Description
OFF
No network link
SOLID ORANGE
Network link active – No network activity detected
BLINKING ORANGE
Network link active – Network activity detected

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January 25, 2019
INPUTS
These are digital inputs that can be used to trigger show control events. These inputs can be configured via
software to accept contact-closure or voltage triggers (5-24VDC).
LED State
Description
OFF
Inactive – No contact closure detected or voltage input is <9VDC
GREEN
Active – Contact closure detected or voltage input is 9-24VDC
OUTPUTS
These are dry-contact relay outputs that are rated to 900mA and protected with inline self-healing polymer fuses.
These relays are normally open (NO) and both relay contacts (COMMON = C, and NORMALLY OPEN = NO)
are accessible for each output.
LED State
Description
OFF
Inactive – Relay contact is OPEN
RED
Active – Relay contact is CLOSED
BUTTONS
The front panel buttons can be configured by WinScript Live software to trigger show control. Panel space is left
above these buttons to allow for labels to be installed.

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January 25, 2019
CONNECTORS
NETWORK PORTS
These are standard RJ45 Ethernet connectors that support 10/100/1000BT networks. They provide access to 2
isolated networks that can be used by the V4X to control and monitor devices that are connected to the
networks. They are also used by a computer running our WinScript Live software to connect to the V4X to
configure, program, and monitor the unit.
SERIAL PORTS
The V4X has a total of 4 serial ports that can be used to control devices. These ports can be configured to
operate in either RS422 or RS232 mode.
Connector Information
Connector Type
Phoenix
Mating Plug
Phoenix Contact 5447890
Recommended Wire
18 AWG Stranded
Pinouts
Serial Ports (1-4)
RS232 TX
RS422 TX (-)
1
RS422 TX (+)
2
RS422 RX(-)
3
RS232 RX
RS422 RX (+)
4
Ground
5

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January 25, 2019
DIGITAL INPUTS
These are digital inputs that can be used to trigger show control events. These inputs can be configured via
software to accept contact-closure or voltage triggers (5-24VDC).
Connector Information
Connector Type
Phoenix
Mating Plug
Phoenix Contact 5447926
Recommended Wire
18 AWG Stranded
Pinout
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
Digital Inputs (1-4)
Digital Inputs (5-8)
IN1(+)
T1
IN5(+)
B1
IN1(-)
T2
IN5(-)
B2
IN2(+)
T3
IN6(+)
B3
IN2(-)
T4
IN6(-)
B4
IN3(+)
T5
IN7(+)
B5
IN3(-)
T6
IN7(-)
B6
IN4(+)
T7
IN8(+)
B7
IN4(-)
T8
IN8(-)
B8

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January 25, 2019
DIGITAL OUTPUTS
These are dry-contact relay outputs that are rated to 900mA and protected with inline self-healing polymer fuses.
These relays are normally open (NO) and both relay contacts (COMMON = C, and NORMALLY OPEN = NO)
are accessible for each output.
Connector Information
Connector Type
Phoenix
Mating Plug
Phoenix Contact 5447926
Recommended Wire
18 AWG Stranded
Pinout
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
Digital Outputs (1-4)
Digital Outputs (5-8)
OUT1(NO)
T1
OUT5(NO)
B1
OUT1(C)
T2
OUT5(C)
B2
OUT2(NO)
T3
OUT6(NO)
B3
OUT2(C)
T4
OUT6(C)
B4
OUT3(NO)
T5
OUT7(NO)
B5
OUT3(C)
T6
OUT7(C)
B6
OUT4(NO)
T7
OUT8(NO)
B7
OUT4(C)
T8
OUT8(C)
B8

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January 25, 2019
WIRING GUIDE
DIGITAL INPUT WIRING
VOLTAGE
Using Voltage Inputs instead of Contact Closures will add complexity to the wiring but will provide greater
reliability over long distance cable runs.
Advantages
• The installer can overcome long distances when connecting contact closures by using higher voltage
sources to compensate for resistance in wiring.
• Inputs can be completely isolated from one another.
Disadvantages
• The installer must provide an external power supply for the contact closure(s).
CONTACT CLOSURE
Using Contact Closures over Voltage Inputs provides a simple installation but limits cabling distance.
Advantages
• Contact closure installations require only wiring and contacts
• No external power supply is required.
Disadvantages
• To be reliable, the contact closure must be located close (10-20 ft) from the unit.
• The wiring will not be isolated. Errors and problems in any circuit could affect other contact closure
inputs.
• A high voltage short to this wiring could damage the V4X.

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SPECIFICATIONS
CONTROL
Show Control
Advanced Scripted Control
Timeline Programming
ShowTouch Touch Panel Integration
Tightly-integrated Device Control (PLC, DSP, Animation, AV, Projection, etc.)
Display
4.3” TFT LCD /w navigation wheel
LED Indicators
Power, LTC, Sync, Live Mode, Ethernet, Inputs, Outputs
Ethernet
2 x 10/100/1000BT (A and B)
Serial
4 x RS232/RS422 (5-pin Phoenix)
Digital Inputs
8 x Contact/Voltage (5-24VDC) Inputs – (2 x 8-pin Phoenix)
Digital Outputs
8 x Dry-contact Relay Output /w 900mA self-healing fuses – (2 x 8-pin Phoenix)
Show Memory
Removable SD Card /w Captive Socket
PHYSICAL
Size
19”W x 14”L x 3.5”H
Weight
10 lbs
Power
V4X – 110-240VAC
V4X-DC – 24VDC
Operating Temperature
0C (32F) to 38C (100F) 0-90% Relative Humidity
Mounting
Standard 19” Rack Mount