Contemporary Research 232-STSI User manual

17630 Davenport Road, Suite 113 • Dallas, TX 75252
Phone: [phone] • Toll-Free: 888-972-2728 • Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: [e-mail] • Website: www.crwww.com
Product Manual
232-STSi
Stereo PAL TV Tuner, S-Video
Version 6.3 Feb 9, 2009

Contemporary Research 2 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Table of Contents
Overview.............................................................................................................................................3
Specifications......................................................................................................................................4
Physical.................................................................................................................................................4
RF Tuner...............................................................................................................................................4
IC-RC Remote Control (Optional).............................................................................................................4
Front Panel............................................................................................................................................4
Rear Panel.............................................................................................................................................5
Internal Character Generator/Captioning..................................................................................................5
Includes ................................................................................................................................................5
Options .................................................................................................................................................5
Front Panel Programming...................................................................................................................6
Modes 10 and above ..............................................................................................................................6
Front Panel Programming Commands................................................................................................7
Channel Tuning and Presets...............................................................................................................8
RS-232 Control Protocol.....................................................................................................................9
Overview...............................................................................................................................................9
General protocol specifications ................................................................................................................9
Command String Structure......................................................................................................................9
General RS-232 Commands...................................................................................................................10
Character Generator Commands............................................................................................................13
Keypad Channel Command....................................................................................................................14
IC-RC Remote Emulation.......................................................................................................................14
Preset Commands and Replies...............................................................................................................15
Terminal Communication Commands .....................................................................................................15
RS-232 Command Hints and Tips...........................................................................................................15
Response Strings ..............................................................................................................................16
Channel/Source Status Response String (T):...........................................................................................16
Audio Status Response String (V): .........................................................................................................16
Front Panel Mode Status Response String (S):........................................................................................16
Q Mode Response String (Q):................................................................................................................16
RS-232 Cable Connections................................................................................................................17
Single Tuner ........................................................................................................................................17
Multiple Tuners ....................................................................................................................................17
Rack Mounting..................................................................................................................................18
RK1 Single Unit Rack Mount..................................................................................................................18
RK2 Side-by-Side Rack Kit.....................................................................................................................18
Safety Instructions...........................................................................................................................19
Limited Warranty and Disclaimer.....................................................................................................20

Overview
The Contemporary Research 232-STSi Stereo S-Video PAL Tuner is a versatile RS-232 controlled PAL TV tuner featuring
high-quality S-Video video and balanced A2/NICAM stereo audio output, switchable composite AV input, closed-
captioning and on-screen text, 125 Channel Preset memory, front-panel operation and feedback, and intelligent RS-
232 control. Designed for global applications, the 232-STSi is CE listed and receives PAL B/G/ H, D/K, and I standards,
as well as SECAM B/G, D/K, and L.
The 232-STSi features a new, versatile solution for auto-tuning broadcasts that allows the user to mix and match
different TV standards. For example, a viewer in Germany (PAL B/G, A2 audio) can also save presets for Belgian
broadcasts (PAL B/G, NICAM audio). Channel preset search, TV standard, add, and delete can be controlled from
optional iC-RC remote or control system programming.
An onboard character generator displays on-screen text for closed captioning, channel names, interactive menus, and
system feedback. Switchable inputs for composite video and stereo audio are included for display of PC graphics, VCR,
camera or other A/V sources. AV from inputs and off-air broadcast are output as composite video, S-Video and Stereo,
Mono, or Dual audio.
•Tunes PAL CATV and off-air frequencies, storing up to 125 Channel Presets in memory, firmware version 6.2
adds SECAM L tuning.
•Operates with free Tuner Helper software, available from www.crwww.com
•Features intelligent auto-tuning of TV frequencies, with the ability to save channel presets that include the
frequency and TV Standard
•Outputs S-Video signal for improved image quality for monitors, large-screen displays and video projectors,
employing adaptive comb and anti-aliasing filtering, as well as cross-color and cross-luminance reduction
•Delivers balanced A2/NICAM Stereo audio with programmable volume, as well as Mono and Dual A/B audio
•Switches between tuner and composite stereo AV inputs, output as composite and S-Video NTSC video
•Operates using one of several control pathways:
oFull bi-directional RS-232 control and status feedback, AMX and Crestron modules available
Control up to 9 232-Series tuners from a single RS-232 control port
oPC control using free .NET Tuner Helper software (great for saving tuner channels and setup
information)
oFront-panel programming options for tuning, RS-232 and operation setup
oOptional IC-RC IR wireless remote, discrete IR and wired IR codes
oContact closure channel up/down
•Displays Line 22 closed-captioning and on-screen text channel names, interactive menus, and system
feedback
•Restores all operation status after loss of power from data stored in non-volatile memory
•Inserts blue screen video image when unit senses loss of video level
•Mounts in 19" rack with optional RK1 or RK2 kit for dual side-by-side installation
•Upgradeable firmware via S12 Flash program, downloadable from www.crwww.com
•Includes IR In jack for external sensor or wired IR
Contemporary Research 3 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Specifications
Physical
Size: 8.5" [216mm] wide x 1.75" [38mm] height (1RU) x 6.0" [153mm] deep
Weight: 1.5 lbs [0.68kg]
Enclosure: All aluminum with durable black powder coat paint
Mounting: Rack mounting for one or two units side-by-side optional (RK1, RK2)
RF Tuner
Channels: Up to 125 Channel Presets in non-volatile memory
Frequency: 48 to 863 MHz, 50 KHz fine tune resolution
PAL: PAL B/G/H A2 and NICAM, D/K A2 and NICAM, I NICAM
SECAM: SECAM B/G A2, D/K, A2 and NICAM audio
SECAM L: No closed captioning, on-screen text or blue screen, or S-Video
Maximum Input: +20dBmV max, +10dBmV nominal
Video Gain: ±5% maximum, 2% typical
Video Phase: ±3 degrees maximum, 2 degrees typical
IC-RC Remote Control (Optional)
Keypad: Channel selection, press Enter to select channel
Volume: Up, Down and Mute
Channel: Channel Up, Down
Presets: Up, Down, Left, Right, and Top keys search, add, and delete channel presets
CC: Selects Closed Captioning
Input: Toggles between External AV input and tuner channel
Front Panel
RS-232 LEDs: Yellow LEDs light when RS-232 data is transmitted (TX) or received (RX)
Mute A/V: Mutes audio and video (blanks video)
Mute LED: Red LED lights when A/V is muted
Volume: Up and down buttons raises and lowers volume or selects programming mode
Channel: Up and down buttons select channel presets 1-125, 126 selects external AV inputs
IR LED: Red LED lights when receiving IR data, internal IR sensor below or from external
receiver (optional)
Display: Red LED 3 digit, 7 segment LED display for channels and modes
Stereo LED indicates Stereo and Dual modes
Contemporary Research 4 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Specifications
Rear Panel
Power In: 2.1mm coaxial jack (inside center conductor positive), 475 mA maximum
10.5 to 14.5 VDC, 12 VDC typical (may be unregulated)
RS-232 Control: DB-9 male connector
User selectable 300 to 19,200 (9600 default) baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit
Employs standard ASCII strings from any terminal program, PC, or control system
Can accept non-standard RS-232, including 0 to +5 VDC operation
Closures: 2 momentary closure inputs - Channel Up (Pin 4), Down (Pin 9), GND (Pin 5)
IR In: 3.5mm stereo jack for optional IR-RXC IR Receiver
Sleeve= DC power+ from power jack input, limited to less than 100mA
Ring=DC power– (GND)
Tip= IR data signal
GND: Grounding lug
Antenna/Cable: IEC, female, 75 ohm impedance
Video Input: RCA female, NTSC composite
Audio Inputs: 2 RCA female stereo unbalanced, 20K ohms impedance
Maximum level +8dBu, (2V RMS), Reference: 0 dBu = .775 V RMS
Video Output: RCA composite output, 1V p-p at 75 ohm impedance,
S-Video Output: Mini DIN 4-pin, Y - 1V p-p at 75 ohms, C - 0.286 V p-p at 75 ohms (PAL only)
Audio Outputs: 5-Pin captive screw terminal, stereo, 200 ohm balanced/100 ohm unbalanced
Selectable for stereo, mono and dual modes
Stereo/Dual: Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.6% maximum, 0.3% typical
Response: 30Hz to 14KHz, Channel Separation: 40dB minimum, 45dB typical
Mono: Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) 0.6%, 0.2% typical
Response: 20Hz to 20KHz
Level: +4 dBu (1.2V RMS) balanced, 0 dBu (.8V RMS) unbalanced, typical at max volume
+11.5 dBu (2.9V RMS) balanced, +8 dBu (2V RMS) unbalanced peak max output
Volume: 0 to -62 dB and mute in 64 steps
Internal Character Generator/Captioning
Characters: ASCII with international symbols
Format: White text over video or white text with black background over video,
Up to 32 characters, 13 lines
Function: Closed captioning, channel labels, interactive menus, messages, and system feedback
Captioning: Line 22 modes CC1-CC4, TT1-TT4, On/On with Mute/Off modes, CG text times out to
show captioning
Muting: Displays blue video image when loss of video is sensed
Includes
12 VDC power supply, 850 mA, 110/220 VAC, includes adapters for Euro, UK, Australian and US-style plugs
Plug-in adapter for unbalanced stereo RCA wiring
Options
CC-232 RS-232 Cable
IC-RC Wireless IR Remote, IR-RXC External IR Receiver also available, accepts Xantech®and other IR sensors
RK1 Kit for mounting single unit in 19" rack, RK2 Kit for mounting two units side-by-side in 19" rack
Contemporary Research 5 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Contemporary Research 6 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Front Panel Programming
To Enter a Front Panel Programming Mode:
1. Press and hold the Mute A/V button such that the red LED light above is lit (indicating Mute On).
2. Press Volume Up.
3. Release all buttons, the 232-STSi will now be in the front panel programming mode.
4. The front panel display is dedicated to programming information display while in this mode.
5. Changes are saved in non-volatile memory as they are entered.
6. The Volume up/down buttons scroll through programming modes 0 through 9 and 10+.
7. The Channel up/down buttons scroll through possible parameters for each mode.
To Exit the Front Panel Mode
Push and release the Mute All A/V button.
Modes 10 and above
When you select programming mode 10 and above, the Mode digit and decimal point will flash. For example, if
Mode 14 is selected, the display will show a flashing 4. - followed by the current parameter setting.
The Modes 10 – 14 are identical to RS-232 Commands Q0 – Q4.

Contemporary Research 7 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Front Panel Programming Commands
Mode 0-9 Parameters Mode 10+ Parameters
Channel Plans 0.0 Not applicable Caption Type 10.0
10.1
10.2
Captioning off (default)
Captioning on
Captioning on with mute
Baud Rate 1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
300
600
1200
2400
4800
9600
19200
Caption Mode 11.1
11.2
11.3
11.4
11.X
1=Caption 1 (default)
2=Caption 2
3=Caption 3
4=Caption 4
5 - 8= Text 1-4 (rarely used)
Unit Number 2.1
2.2
2.3
2.x
One
Two
Three
Four – Nine
Video Detect 12.0
12.2 AV mutes when video lost* Only video mutes*
TV Standards 3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
PAL/SECAM B/G/H A2 (Rev 6.1)
PAL/SECAM D/K A2 (Rev 6.3)
PALSECAM B/G/H NICAM (Rev
6.1)
PAL/SECAM D/K NICAM (Rev 6.1)
PAL I NICAM (3.9)
SECAM L (Rev 6.2)
Future
Future
AV Status 13.0
13.1
13.2
13.3
No AV status (default)
Stereo/Mono status only
Video Loss status only
Both status sent
Panel Lockout 4.0
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
None
Channel up/dwn
Volume up/dwn
Channel & Volume up/dwn
Mute A/V
Channel up/dwn & Mute A/V
Volume up/dwn & Mute A/V
All
Label Mode 14.0
14.1
14.2
14.3
None
Alpha only
Numeric only
Both
Power-up Volume 5.0
5.X restore previous level 1 – 63 sets volume level
Firmware Version 6.38 Ex: Version 3.8 - Press and hold
Channel Up, then Mute AV to
restore tuner to default settings
Audio Decode 7.0
7.1
7.2
7.3
Mono - both A channels
Stereo/Dual/Mono A auto-sense*
Dual A and B/Mono A auto-sense
Mono - both B channels
*Auto-senses – if no stereo,
switches to Dual, if no Dual,
switches to Mono A
Bass Gain 8.8 Fixed 0 dB bass level
Treble Gain 9.4
Fixed 0 dB treble level
*Audio is always unmuted when external AV inputs are selected

Channel Tuning and Presets
The new auto-scan capability of the 232-STSi allows the user to search for channel frequencies, select a TV
standard, and save as a numbered channel Preset that includes the frequency and TV standard. Using this
feature, channel Presets can include broadcasts from neighboring countries with different audio standards.
Scanning and adding channel presets can be performed via RS-232
commands, Tuner Helper software, and the optional IC-RC IR wireless
remote. For simplicity, the following instructions are based on the IC-RC
remote pictured on the left.
Zeroing Out Presets
Press the “0” key, then the Arrow Left key (Delete Preset) to clear all
Presets in memory.
Set Starting Frequency
The 232-STSi will scan up or down starting from the current frequency in
memory, and will stop when it finds a station with a valid video signal.
Scanning stops when it hits the lowest or highest frequency, it does not
cycle back to the beginning or end.
To start at the lowest frequency, unplug the RF feed then press the Down
Arrow to Scan Down.
Select TV Standard
Press the Top key to step through TV standards – the tuner will display
on-screen text to confirm which standard is active. The first standard to
appear is the current setting.
•PAL B/G/H A2
•PAL B/G/H NICAM •PAL D/K NICAM •PAL I NICAM
Search for Broadcasts
Press the Arrow Up to search for the first broadcast frequency.
Save Channel Preset
To save the current channel and TV Standard, enter a Preset number
between 1 and 125, and then press the Right Arrow key to save.
To do a quick save, press Right Arrow without a number. The tuner will
save as the last channel deleted or the next highest available channel.
Press Arrow Up or Arrow Down to search for the next frequency.
Changing TV Standard
If the found channel has good video, but no or poor audio, it may be using
a different TV Standard than your current setting. Press the Top button
until the audio quality improves.
If you are changing the standard of an existing preset, it will display as “0”
until you return to the current setting or save the preset.
Delete Preset
Enter a channel preset number, and then press the Left Arrow key. If you
delete a preset by mistake, press the Right Arrow key immediately to
restore the preset. Enter a “0” and Left Arrow to clear all Channel
presets.
View Channel Presets
Press the Channel+ and Channel- keys to view currently saved Channel
Presets.
Contemporary Research 8 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Contemporary Research 9 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control Protocol
Overview
The 232-STSi full duplex RS-232 scheme enables a system programmer to control all TV Tuner functions as well
as monitor 3 groups of TV Tuner status. All commands are sent as ASCII strings. No delays between characters
or commands are required, as data is interrupt driven and buffered.
The 3 status groups are: Channel/Source Select, Audio Levels/Mode and Front Panel. The Mute A/V button-
function status from the 232-STSi front panel has been grouped with the Channel/Source for simplicity in the
most common modes of operation. Each of the groups has one ASCII status response string containing all of
the status data for that group. The current status string of a group is sent from the 232-STSi whenever a valid
command for that group is received by the 232-STSi RS-232 port or front panel. A group's status may be
requested at any time via the RS-232 port. Status of all 3 groups is sent at power up. The format of each
group's status response string remains the same always.
Up to 9 232-STSi units may be cabled together and addressed for individual control from a single RS-232 port.
Each 232-STSi is assigned a unique unit code (Front Panel Mode 2).
Communications parameters (Front Panel Mode 1) are 300 to 19.2K baud, 8 data bits, No parity, and 1 stop bit.
Factory default is 9600 baud, Unit#1.
All settings are saved to NVRAM in the 232-STSi.
The tuner will accept non-standard RS-232 control such as voltage that swings from 0 to +5 VDC, commonly
found when IR ports are used to send RS-232 commands.
General protocol specifications
Characters in command strings to the 232-STSi are common ASCII keyboard characters.
Command strings sent to the 232-STSi begin with the ASCII > (greater than symbol) as an 'Attention' character
and end with carriage return - ASCII CR, Hex $0D, or keyboard Enter - as an 'End-of-command' character.
Responses from the 232-STSi begin with the ASCII < (less than symbol) as an 'Attention' character and end
with a carriage return followed by line feed an ASCII LF or Hex $0A as 'End-of-command' characters.
A carriage return is required at the end of each command and is assumed in all examples.
Command String Structure
[Attention] (Unit#) [Command] (Parameters) [Return]
Attention Single character (>) starts the string
Unit# The Unit# is expressed as an ASCII 1 2 or 3 when used in multi 232-STSi applications.
It may be omitted for a default of Unit#1 for a single 232-STSi set as Unit#1.
Command A two-character command
Parameters Added attributes to some commands
Return A carriage return ends the command string, you may use ASCII CR, Hex $0D, or keyboard
‘Enter’ in programming. For simplicity, the programming examples in the manual will not show
the ‘CR’ – so remember, you’ll need to add it in your control code.

Contemporary Research 10 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
General Commands
Q0= Caption Mode Off (0-2)
Example: ‘>Q0=0’ or ‘>Q00’
Sets captioning mode
0=Captioning off (default)
1=Captioning on
2=Captioning active when volume is muted
Captioning off
Q1= Captioning Type (1-8) Turns on captioning type
1=Caption 1 (normal setting for most captioning)
2=Caption 2
3=Caption 3
4=Caption 4
5-8= Text 1-4 (rarely used)
Q2= Video Loss Detection (0-3) Selects response when a loss of video signal is detected
0=Both audio and video muted (default-blue screen for video)
2=Video muted, audio active
Audio is always unmated when external AV inputs are selected
Q3= AV Detect Status (0-3) Enables/disables sending status response when Stereo/Mono or Video
Loss Detect changes. Only status operation is affected, the functions
continue to operate.
0=Disable Stereo/Mono and Video Loss Detect status (default)
1=Enable Stereo/Mono, disable Video Loss Detect
2=Enable Video Loss Detect, Disable Stereo/Mono
3=Enable Stereo/Mono and Video Loss Detect status
Q4= Label Mode with Status (0-3)
Example: ’>Q4=2'
Sets on-screen channel label mode. Same as TM, current mode
reflected in status, setting TM will also change Q4. (Ver 3.1)
0=None
1=Alpha only
2=Numeric only (default)
3=Both alpha and numeric labels
Channel labels are displayed overlaying the video in the top-left corner
of the screen for about 10 seconds after each channel change.
Tuner displays the channel number only.

Contemporary Research 11 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control - General Commands
S0= Set Channel Plan Not Applicable
S3= TV Standard
Example: ‘>S3’
1=PAL B/G/H A2 (Rev 6.1)
2=Future
3=PAL B/G/H NICAM (Rev 6.1)
4=PAL D/K NICAM (Rev 6.1)
5=PAL I NICAM (Rev 6.1)
6=SECAM L (Rev 6.2)
7=SECAM B/G/H (Future)
8=SECAM D/K (Future)
Null=Toggling, as with Top IR or KK 104
Steps through TV Standards
S4= Set front panel lockout mode 0=None
1=Channel
2=Volume
3=Channel & Volume
4=Mute A/V
5=Channel & Mute A/V
6=Volume & Mute A/V
7=All
S5= Power-up volume 0=restore to previous level
1-63= Restore to preset volume level (1 min, 63 max)
S7= Set audio mode 0=Mono - both A channels
1=Stereo/Dual/Mono A auto-sense (default)
2=Dual A and B/Mono A auto-sense
3=Mono - both B channels
S8= Set bass gain level Fixed at 0 dB
S9= Set treble gain level Fixed at 0 dB
SQ Request Q Mode status Unit sends “Q” Mode status string
SS Request Front Panel status Unit sends “S” Front Panel status string
ST Request Channel status
Example: ‘>ST’ Unit sends “T” Channel/Source status string Returns Channel/Source status response string
SV Request A/V status Unit sends “V” Audio status string
TR= Set Tune Ring (TR) Not applicable
TT= Select channel preset
Example: ‘ >TT=28’
0=video mute
255=mute off
126=External AV Input
Selects channel preset 28
TC= Select channel preset
Example: ‘ >TC=39’
0=video mute, 255=mute off, does not change audio level
126=External AV Input
Selects channel preset 39
TP Previous channel Selects previous channel
T] Search up Searches for next higher frequency
T[ Search down Searches for next lower frequency
TS= Add Preset
Example: ‘ >TS=22’
Example: ‘ >TS’
Saves preset to memory, includes preset #, frequency, TV Standard
Saves data to Preset 22, replaces previous data at that address
Acts like Right Arrow Key – adds preset
TE= Delete Preset
Example: ‘ >TE=24’
Example: ‘ >TE=24-99’
Example: ‘ >TE’
Deletes one or more channel presets
Deletes Preset 24
Deletes all channels between 24 and 99
Acts like Left Arrow Key – deletes current preset
TU Tune preset up
Example: ‘ >3TU’ Selects next higher channel preset Bumps Unit#3 tuned channel up
TD Tune preset down Selects next lower channel preset

Contemporary Research 12 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control – General Commands
XX Mute A/V off Turn A/V outputs on at previous level
XM Mute A/V on
Example: ‘>XM’ Mutes A/V outputs Mutes audio and video outputs
P0 Power Off Same as XM
P1 Power On Same as XX
PT Power Toggle Same as XT
VU Ramp volume up Starts volume ramping up
VD Ramp volume down Starts volume ramping down
VL Ramps volume to level (0 – 63) Sets volume to specific level
VX Volume Mute off Restores audio volume to previous level
VV Stop volume ramp Stops volume ramping
VT Toggle Volume Mute Alternates audio mute on and off
VM Volume Mute on
Example: ‘ >VM’ Turns off audio outputs Mutes audio outputs
A carriage return is required at the end of each command and is assumed in all examples. The ‘=’
sign for parameters may be omitted if desired, though it is helpful for clarity in checking
programming.
Working with A/V Detectors and Status
The 232-STSi has two active A/V sensors, the audio sensor detects if the station in broadcasting in stereo or mono,
and the video sensor looks for presence of video. If you desire, your control system can respond whenever the status
of the audio or video detectors change. For example, you can change the text of a button to MONO or STEREO by
tracking the Audio Status Response (V), shown on page 13. In the same way, you can light up a NO VIDEO button,
when the Channel/Source Response (T) indicates a video loss.
If you use AV detector status, it’s important to understand how the functions will operate in the real world. When you
change from a stereo channel to a mono broadcast, the V string will first show the audio status as stereo. When the
audio detector locks in, the status will be sent again, indicating mono audio. This is similar to the stereo/mono
indicator and “blue screen” functions on your TV, there may be a little delay, and the function may switch back and
forth a couple times for marginal stations. So expect that the detectors may send the string a few times as well.
As most applications aren’t tracking the A/V sensors, the tuner is normally set not to send a response string whenever
the detectors sense a change. You can turn on one or both functions using the Q3 command on page 9.

Contemporary Research 13 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control
Character Generator Commands
The optional character generator supports an on-screen display that is 32 columns (characters) across by 13
rows (lines) down. An imaginary cursor represents the current screen write position. Writing text automatically
increments the cursor to the next character space. The character text is always white.
TM=<label mode>
Example: '>TM=2'
Sets on-screen channel label mode.
0=None
1=Alpha only
2=Numeric only
3=Both alpha and numeric labels
Channel labels are displayed overlaying the video in the top-left corner of the
screen for about 10 seconds after each channel change.
Sets channel mode to display channel number only .
TN=<channel>,<alpha label>
Example: '>TN=8,ABC'
Sets the alpha label for the specified channel. Alpha labels may be up to 8
characters and are displayed on screen when a channel changes, if alpha labels
are enabled by the 'TM' command.
Sets the alpha label for channel 8 to be 'ABC'.
TN=0,0 Clears (blanks) all stored alpha labels
TC Displays the current channel label on screen for about 10 seconds
DG=<row>,<column> Moves the cursor to the specified row and column position. If row is 0, then
row will not be changed, and if column is 0, then column will not be changed.
E7=<column> Moves cursor to specified column.
E8=<row> Moves cursor to specified row.
EA Clear on screen display. Also, moves cursor to column 1 and row 1.
EB Moves cursor down to the first column of the next row (like a carriage return
plus line feed).
DC Clear on screen display from the cursor to the end of the screen.
Cursor position does not change.
DB Clear on screen display from the cursor to the end of the current line. Cursor
position does not change.
E9=<num spaces> Clears the specified number of spaces. Cursor position does not change
DM Clears on-screen display. Also, moves cursor to column 1 and row 1, unblanks
screen if it was blanked, and cancels an active ‘KC’ or ‘KT’ keypad command
DN<text> Clears on screen display, then writes the specified text to the display starting at
column 1 and row 1.
DW<text> Writes the specified text to the display starting at current cursor position.
DQ=<time> Sets screen timeout to specified time in seconds. If time is 0 or 255, any text on
the screen will persist indefinitely, or until cleared.

Contemporary Research 14 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control
Keypad Channel Command
If you’re using an external control system, this command will emulate the pressing of numeric keypad buttons
for channel selection, which means you won’t need to use extra elements for capturing channel commands in
your programming. The KC command will access any channel, KT will only access a channel stored in the
Tune Ring.
KC=0 Emulates ‘0’ key, accesses any channel.
KC=1 Emulates ‘1’ key, accesses any channel.
KC=9 Emulates ‘9’ key, accesses any channel.
KC Emulate ‘Enter’ key, accesses any channel.
KT=9 Emulates ‘9’ key, accesses channel if it exists in current Tune Ring.
KT Emulate ‘Enter’ key, accesses channel if it exists in current Tune Ring.
KD Clears or cancels any KC or KT channel entry
After 3 seconds, with no other key, the selected channel will be tuned to. Optionally, you can
have an Enter key send the command KC or KT to select the channel immediately. Using the KD
command can cancel a channel entry before the time delay or Enter executes the channel
change.
IC-RC Remote Emulation
You can also emulate IR commands sent from the CR IC-RC Wireless Remote. If you are using the numeric
keys to select a channel, the user or program will need to follow the numeric command with an Enter.
. KK=<key> Emulates IC-RC remote key codes
0=Release Key
9=Power (toggling)
10=0 (numeric keypad)
11=1
12=2
13=3
14=4
15=5
16=6
17=7
18=8
19=9
21=Enter
22=Channel up or +
23=Channel down or –
24=Volume up or + (use Release Key (0) to stop volume ramp)
25=Volume down or – (use Release Key (0) to stop volume ramp)
26=Volume mute
31= Input (toggling)
104=Top Menu (TV Standard)
106=Cursor right (Add Channel)
107=Cursor left (Delete Channel)
108=Cursor up (Search Forward)
109=Cursor down (Search Down)
115=CC

Contemporary Research 15 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
RS-232 Control
Preset Commands and Replies
$R Request Presets
Asks for reply with list of presets stored in memory
Example: ‘>$R’ asks for list from Unit 1
Reply: ‘ <1$TR2-31,35,52,126 ‘
$G=xxx Preset Information Returns preset number, freq, standard, label (1-8 characters)
Number of characters follows same structure as T status response
Example: ‘>$G31’ asks for preset 31 information
Reply: ‘ <1$TG031,271.25,02,BBC ‘
$N=xxx Request Label Asks for reply with channel text assigned to specific channel
Example: ‘>$N31’ asks for label assigned to channel 31
Reply: ‘ <1$TN031,BBC ‘
Terminal Communication Commands
EF Echo Off Characters received will not be re-transmitted (power up default).
EN Echo On Characters received will be re-transmitted.
Example: ‘ >EN’ Characters received will be re-transmitted.
ID Product ID Returns the product model number and software version.
Z! Zap Reconfigures unit for all factory default settings.
RS-232 Command Hints and Tips
Leading zeros may be included or omitted from command parameters.
Example: ‘ >TC=009’ Selects channel 9 as A/V output, same as ‘>TC=9’.
Multiple commands may be concatenated as single strings up to 120 ASCII characters long.
Example: ‘ >XXTC=9’ Selects Mute A/V off, channel 9.
Example: ‘ >S0=0S4=0’ Selects CATV mode, no front panel lockout.
Mute A/V Off command is not required in any command; however it may be useful to send Mute A/V Off in case
Mute A/V had been set On from the front panel.
Sending all 3status request commands to the 232-STSi back-to-back for a full status update is allowed.
Example: ‘ >STSVSS’ Returns all 3response strings back-to-back.
The carriage return line feed at the end of each 232-STSi response allows for easy monitoring of responses with
an ASCII terminal program. You may use ASCII CR, Hex $0D, or keyboard ‘Enter’ in programming.
You don’t have to use the ‘=’ character between the command and parameter – the string works either way.

Contemporary Research 16 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Response Strings
Typical: [Attention] [Unit#] [data ...data] [cr] [lf]
232-STSi status response strings contain ASCII characters similar to those used for the same functions in
command strings. An ASCII 'carriage return' and ‘line feed' follow each response string.
Functions shown as N/A are not applicable; characters will appear in status strings as lower-case x.
Channel/Source Status Response String (T):
Start Unit CMD Power Channel 1 Video Mute N/A Video Present Reference
1-9 U=On
M=Off Current Channel 3 digits U=Unmuted M=Mute 2 digits N=No Video Y=Video Frequency TV Standard
xxx.xx,xx
< 1 T U 008 U xx Y 271.25,02
Audio Status Response String (V):
Start Unit CM
D Power Volume Volume Mute Stereo
1-9 U=On
M=Off 0-63 2 digits U=Unmuted M=Mute S=Stereo M=Mono
< 1 V U 63 U S
Front Panel Mode Status Response String (S):
Start Unit CMD Audio Mode Channel Plan Lockout Bass Treble TV Standard
1-9 0-3
Not Applicable 0-9 0-9 2 digits 0-8 1-8 2 digits
< 1 S 1 0 1 08 4 01
Q Mode Response String (Q):
Start Unit CMD Q0 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 N/A
1-9 0-2 1-8 0=AV Muted
2=Video Muted 0-3 0-3 5 digits
< 1 Q 2 1 0 0 x xxxxx

RS-232 Cable Connections
Single Tuner
5 GND
2 RXD
3 TXD RXD 2
GND 5
TXD 3
Control Wiring – Single Unit
9-pin D-sub
female
RS-232
Control Port
Channel Up 4
Channel Down 9
RS-232 wiring for control or programming should only use pins 2, 3, 5. Cables with all pins wired
can lock out front-panel programming and data communication (Pins 4 and 9 are inputs).
Multiple Tuners
Up to nine tuners can be daisy-chained from one RS-232 control port. Remember that you will
need to use the Unit# address in your programming when you control more than one tuner from
the same control port.
Set the first unit in the RS-232 chain to the highest Unit#, then wire in sequence to the last tuner
in the chain. The reason for this is that CR tuners use an intelligent data bus - the highest
number tuner receives all commands, and then passes on commands addressed to tuners with
lower unit numbers. The next tuner in the chain does the same, and so on until the last unit.
5 GND
2 RXD
3 TXD RXD 2
GND 5
RS-232 Wiring – Two Units
Unit 2
9-pin D-sub
female
RS-232
Control Port
Unit 1
9-pin D-sub
female
TXD 3
GND 5
TXD 3
RXD 2
5 GND
2 RXD
3 TXD RXD 2
GND 5
TXD 3
RS-232 Wiring – Three Units
Unit 3
9-pin D-sub
female
RS-232
Control Port
Unit 2
9-pin D-sub
female
Unit 1
9-pin D-sub
female
TXD 3
GND 5
GND 5
TXD 3
RXD 2
RXD 2
Contemporary Research 17 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Rack Mounting
Two options are available for rack-mounting tuners.
RK1 Rack Mount RK2 Rack Mount
RK1 Single Unit Rack Mount
Size Long Bracket: 9.5" [206mm] wide x 1.75" [38mm] height (1RU) x 1.75” [38mm] deep
Size Short Bracket: 1.0" [22mm] wide x 1.75" [38mm] height (1RU) x 1.75” [38mm] deep
Weight: 3.25 oz [0.148kg]
Enclosure: All aluminum with durable black powder coat paint
Hardware: Qty 4 CS, Phillip, Flathead, 82deg, Black, 8-32 x .25”
Attach the long and short rack ears to the side and towards the front of the unit with the four (4) supplied
8-32 by ¼” (black) countersunk screws.
RK2 Side-by-Side Rack Kit
1. Remove top cover of the first unit by removing the ten (10) black screws.
2. Attach cover of first unit to the side of the second with three (3) supplied 4-40 by 1/4" (silver colored)
panhead screws and split lock washers. Note that only one side of the second unit has the (3) built in
nuts to accept the screws above.
3. Reinstall the bottom/chassis of the first unit underneath its cover and attach with just eight (8) of the
screws removed in step 1.
4. Attach short rack ears to the side and towards the front of each unit with the four (4) supplied 8-32 by
1/4" (black) countersunk screws.
Contemporary Research 18 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner

Contemporary Research 19 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Safety Instructions
Read before operating equipment.
1. Cleaning - Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
2. Power Sources - Use supplied or equivalent UL/CSA approved low voltage DC plug-in
transformer.
3. Outdoor Antenna Grounding - If you connect an outside antenna or cable system to the
product, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection
against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Section 810 of the National Electrical
Code, ANSI/NFPA No. 70, provides information with respect to proper grounding of the mast
and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of
grounding conductors, location of antenna discharge unit, connection to grounding
electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode.
4. Lightning - Avoid installation or reconfiguration of wiring during lightning activity.
5. Power Lines - Do not locate an outside antenna system near overhead power lines or other
electric light or power circuits or where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When
installing an outside antenna system, refrain from touching such power lines or circuits, as
contact with them might be fatal.
6. Overloading - Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a risk
of fire or electric shock.
7. 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, resulting in a fire
or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.
8. 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.
9. Damage Requiring Service - Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing
to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:
•When the power supply cord or plug is damaged.
•If liquid spills or objects fall into the product.
•If the product is exposed to rain or water.
•If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust
only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions. 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.
•If the video product is dropped or the cabinet is damaged.
•When the video product exhibits a distinct change in performance, this indicates a need
for service.
*Note to CATV system installer: This reminder is provided to call CATV system installer's
attention to Article 820-40 of the National Electrical Code (Section 54 of Canadian Electrical
Code, Part I), that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the
cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building as close to the point of
cable entry as possible.

Contemporary Research 20 232-STSi PAL TV Tuner
Limited Warranty and Disclaimer
Contemporary Research Corporation (CR) warrants this product to be free from defects in
material and workmanship under normal use for a period of two years from the date of purchase
from CR. Should such a defect occur CR will repair or replace, at their option, the defective
product at no cost for parts or labor.
This warranty extends to product purchased directly from CR or an Authorized CR Dealer.
Consumers should inquire from selling dealer as to the nature and extent of the dealer's
warranty, if any.
All warranty claims must be shipped pre-paid to the factory. Call or fax to obtain a Return
Material Authorization (RMA) number.
CR is not liable for any damages caused by any of its products or for the failure of any products to
perform, including any lost profits, lost savings, incidental damages, or consequential damages.
CR is not responsible for any claim made by a third party or made for you by a third party. This
limitation of liability applies whether damages are sought, or a claim is made, under this warranty
or as a tort claim (including negligence and strict product liability), a contract claim, or any other
claim. This limitation of liability cannot be waived or amended by any person. This limitation of
liability will be effective even if CR or an authorized representative of CR has been advised of the
possibility of any such damages.
Some states do not allow a limitation of how long an implied warranty lasts. Some states do not
allow the limitation or exclusion of incidental or consequential damages for consumer products. In
such states, the limitation or exclusion of the Limited Warranty may not apply to you. This
Limited Warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights that may vary
from state to state. You are advised to consult applicable state laws for a full determination of
your rights.
Except as expressly set forth in this Limited Warranty, CR makes no other warranties, expressed
or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
CR expressly disclaims all warranties not stated in this Limited Warranty. Any implied warranties
that may be imposed by law are limited to the terms of this Limited Warranty.