Frox Froxsystem User manual

Frox,

Inc.,

323

Sinclair

Frontage

Road,

Milpitas,

CA

95035

408.957.7420

FAX

408

.946

.3657

Frox

Technical

Support

may

be

contacted

at

800

.525

.5257

during

the

hours

of

8:30AM

to

5:00PM

PST,

Monday·

Friday

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Saftey

Precautions

--~«««««««««««««««««<

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

The

lightning

flash

with

arrowhead

symbol,

within

an

equilateral

triangle,

is

intended

to

alert

the

user

to

the

presence

of

uninsulated

'dangerous

voltage'

within

the

product's

enclosure

that

may

be

of

sufficient

magnitude

to

constitute a

risk

of

electric

shock.

The

exclamation

point

within

an

equilateral

triangle

is

in-

tended

to

alert

the

user

to

the

presence

of

important

op-

eration

and

maintenance

(servicing)

instructions

in

the

literature

accompanying

the

appliance

..

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Saftey

Precautions

IMPORTANT

SAFEGUARDS

Thank

you

for

selecting

the

FroxSystem

horne

entertainment theater

ensemble!

We

hope

your

entertainment

experience

is

enriched

by

our

state-of-the-art

digital

audio/video

imaging

and

information

management

systems.

Please

READ

TIIESE

INSTRUCTIONS

CAREFULLY

concerning safe operation ofyour system, and retain this

manual for future reference.

Use

this

space

to

record

your

component(s)

serial

numbers

for

future

reference:

Model

Numbers

Serial

Numbers

Model

Numbers

Serial

Numbers

WARNING:

TO

PREVENT

FIRE

OR

SHOCK

HAZARD,

DO

NOT

EXPOSE

THIS

APPUANCE

TO

RAIN

OR

MOISTIJRE.

CAUl10N:

TO

PREVENT

ELECfRIC

SHOCK,

DO

NOT

USE

TIllS

POLARIZED

OR

THREE-WIRE

GROUNDING

PLUG

wrrn

AN

EXfENSION

CORD,

RECEPTACLE

OR

OTHER

OUTIET

UNLESS

THE

BLADES

CAN

BE

FUllY

INSERTED

TO

PREVENT

BLADE

EXPOSURE.

NOTE

TO

CAlV

SYSTEM

INSTALLER:

THIS

REMINDER

IS

PROVIDED

TO

CALL

THE

CATV

SYSTEM

INSTALLER'S

ATfENTION

TO

ARTICLE

820-33

OF

THE

NEC

THAT

PROVIDES

GUIDELINES

FOR

PROPER

GROUNDING.

IN

PARTICULAR,

THIS

SPECIFIES

THAT

THE

CABLE

GROUND

SHAll

BE

CONNECTED

TO

THE

GROUNDING

SYSTEM

OF

THE

BunnING

AS

CLOSE

TO

THE

POINT

OF

CABLE

ENTRY

AS

PRACTICAL.

3

4

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Saftey

Precautions

IMPORTANT

SAFEGUARDS

o (1) Read, Follow

and

Retain all Instructions and

Warnings.

Read

and

follow

all

the

safety

and

operational

instructions

before

using

your

FroxSystem,

and

retain

these

instructions

for

future

reference.

All

warnings

on

the

components

and

within

the

Owner's

Manual

should

be

carefully

adhered

to.

Please

review

and

follow

all

specific

operation

and

usage

instructions

as

outlined

within

this

Owner's

Manual.

o(2) Water and Moisture.

To

prevent

fire

or

electrical

shock,

do

not

expose

the

Frox

components

to

water

or

moisture.

Do

not

set

or

use

these

components

near

water

(for

example,

near

a

sink

or

wash

tub,

in

a

wet

basement,

etc.).

Use

extreme

care

with

any

liquids

near

any

electronic

components.

o (3) Cabinet Care and Cleaning.

Always

unplug

your

FroxSystem

from

the

wall

outlet

before

cleaning.

Use

only

a

damp

cloth

for

cabinet

cleaning;

wipe

dry.

A

mild

detergent

can

be

applied

to

a

moistened

cloth

for

heaver

cleaning

needs.

Never

use

any

petroleum-based

liquid

or

aerosol

cleaners.

o (4) Placement

and

Mounting.

Never

place

the

Frox

components

on

an

unstable

stand,

table,

cart,

bracket

or

the

like.

A

cart

or

stand

may

fall,

resulting

in

serious

injury

to

an

adult

or

child

and

damage

to

the

components.

Use

care

when

moving

any

component

and

cart

combination,

as

uneven

surfaces,

quick

starts

and

stops,

even

excessive

force

may

cause

the

cart

to

overturn.

Use

only

on

a

stand,

table,

or

cart

recommended

by

the

cart

manufacturer

or

Frox.

Do

not

place

heavy

objects

on

top

of

the

Frox

components

as

damage

may

result.

Finally,

use

care

in

mounting

any

of

the

system

components;

follow

all

specific

installation

instructions,

heed

all

mounting

safety

warnings

and

only

use

recommended

mounting

accessories

(where

applicable).

0(5)

Attachments.

Attachments

other

than

those

recommended

by

Frox

may

cause

hazards.

Do

not

use

any

other

attachments

or

devices

to

these

components

without

the

manufacturer's

approval.

o (6) Ventilation.

Your

components

are

designed

with

optimum

ventilation

for

reliable

operation

and

protection

from

overheating.

Maximum

ventilation

occurs

when

placed

on

hard,

flat

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Acknowledgments

surfaces.

Special

cabinet

slots

assisting

in

ventilation

must

never

be

blocked

by

placing

the

components

on

a

bed,

sofa,

rug

(and

any

other

like

materials)

or

other

components.

Never

allow

drapes,

rugs

or

other

coverings

to

block

any

of

the

component

vents.

Always

establish

proper

component

spacing

when

installing

the

Frox

components

into

a

bookshelf

or

component

rack

Also,

insure

that

the

electronics

are

kept

away

from

heat

sources

(radiators,

heating

ducts)

that

may

cause

damage

to

the

system

components.

o (7) Power Sources.

The

Frox

components

are

intended

to

operate

only

from

power

sources

listed

on

the

marked

label

on

the

compo-

nents.

Consult

your

Frox

dealer

or

your

local

power

company

if

you

are

unsure

of

the

specific

type

of

power

supplied

to

your

home.

For

video

products

intended

to

operate

from

battery

power,

or

from

other

sources,

refer

to

the

operating

instructions.

o (8) Power Cords, Plugs and Grounding.

Your

components

are

equipped

with

a

three-wire

Ground-

ing-type

plug

for

your

safety:

Three-wire Grounding-type Plugs - a

plug

with

a

third

(grounding)

pin.

This

plug

will

only

fit

into

a

grounding-

type

power

outlet.

This

is

a

safety

feature.

If

you

are

unable

to

insert

the

plug

into

the

outlet,

contact

your

electrician

to

replace

your

obsolete

outlet.

Do

not

defeat

the

safety

purpose

of

the

grounding-type

plug.

To

prevent

the

risk

of

fire

or

electric

shock,

never

overload

wall

outlets

and/or

extension

cords.

Frox recommends

the use of a safety-fused, properly-grounded regu-

lated power strip

or

recepticle for optimum compo-

nent protection.

Finally,

protect

your

power

supply

cords.

Always

route

power

cords

with

care

to

minimize

fire

or

shock

hazards.

Insure

that

power

cords

are

never

walked

upon,

crimped

or

pinched

by

any

furniture

placed

upon

or

near

them,

component

positioning

against

the

wall,

etc.

Pay

particular

attention

to

cords

at

plugs,

convenience

recepticles

and

the

point

where

they

exit

from

the

component(s).

o(9) Outside Antenna Systems -Safety and

Grounding.

Use

extreme

care

when

installing

an

outside

antenna

system.

Never

locate

an

outside

antenna

system

near

overhead

power

lines,

overhead

lights

or

any

other

powered

circuits,

particularly

if

the

antenna

could

fall

and

come

into

contact

with

the

power

lines

or

circuits.

When

installing

an

outside

antenna

system,

extreme

care

should

be

taken

to

keep

from

touching

any

power

lines

or

circuits

-

contact

with

them

might

be

fatal.

If

you

use

an

outside

antenna

or

cable

system,

insure

that

the

antenna

or

cable

system

is

properly

grounded

to

protect

from

unwanted

voltage

surges

or

built-up

static

charges.

Section

810

of

the

National

Electric

Code,

ANSIjNFPA

No.

70

-

1984,

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

5

6

EQUIPMENT

grounding

conductors,

location

of

antenna-discharge

unit,

connection

to

grounding

electrodes,

and

requirements

for

the

grounding

electrode.

EXAMPLE

OF

ANTENNA

GROUNDING

ACCORDING

TO

NATIONAL

ELECTRICAL

CODE

INSTRUCTIONS

CONTAINED

IN

ARTICLE

810

-

"RADIO

AND

TELEVISION

EQUIPMENT"

STANDOFF

INSULATORSb

LEAO-IN

WIRE

ANTENNA

DISCHARGE

UNI'T"

TO

EXTERNAL ANTENNA

Te:RMINA~S

OF

PROOUCT

(e.g.

imtriOt

mata

waf.,.

pipe)

SONCING

JUMPEAd

S289B

\QI'TIONAL AIITENNA

GROUNOIP-IG

ELECTRODE

DRIVEN

e FEET

(Z.44m)

INTO

THE

EARTH

IF

REQUIRED

B'r

!.DCAI.

COOES.

SEE

NEC

SECTION

810 -ZI (f).

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Acknowledgments

o(10)

Lightning.

For

added

protection

for

your

video

components

during

a

lightning

storm,

or

when

it

is

left

unattended

and

unused

for

long

periods

of

time,

unplug

the

Frox

processors

from

the

wall

outlet

(after

powering

down

the

system using

the

FroxWand's

power

off

button)

and

disconnect

the

antenna

or

cable

system

connected

to

it.

This

will

prevent

damage

to

the

video

product

due

to

lightning

and

power-

line

surges.

o(11)

Object

and

Liquid

Entry.

Never

push

objects

of

any

kind

into

any

openings

of

the

Frox

component,

as

they

may

touch

dangerous

voltage

points

or

short-out

parts

that

could

result

in

a

fire

or

electric

shock.

Never

spill

liquid

of

any

kind

on

the

components.

o(12)

Servicing.

Please

refer

all

servicing

to

qualified

personnel;

contact

your

system

installer

or

Frox

at

800-525-5257

for

specific

service

details

should

your

system

require

attention.

Do

not

remove

the

component

covers

or

attempt

to

service

the

units

yourself -

there

are

no

user-serviceable

parts

inside.

Opening

or

removing

the

cabinet

covers

can

expose

you

to

dangerous

voltage

and

electrical

hazards.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Saftey

Precautions

o (13) Damage Requiring Service.

Inunediate1y

disconnect

the

components

from

the

power

source

and

contact

your

qualified

service

personnel

should

one

of

the

following

conditions

occur:

(a)

Any

liquid

has

spilled

in/on

the

components

(b)

Any

object

has

fallen

into

the

components.

(c)

A

heavy

object

has

fallen

onto

the

components

(d)

Any

Frox

component

has

been

dropped

and/or

exhibits

cabinet

damage

(e)

Whenever

the

power

cord

and/or

plug

has

been

damaged

(t)

The

products

have

been

exposed

to

rain

or

other

elements

(g)

If

the

product

exhibits

a

distinct

change

in

performance;

this

indicates

a

need

for

service

(h)

Your

product

does

not

appear

to

operate

normally

by

following

these

operation

instructions

within

the

Owner's

Manual.

Adjust

only

those

controls

covered

by

the

operating

instructions,

as

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.

o (14) Replacement Parts.

When

replacement

parts

are

required,

be

sure

the

service

technician

has

used

replacement

parts

specified

by

the

manufacturer

or

have

the

same

characteristics

as

the

original

part.

Unauthorized

substitutions

may

result

in

fire,

electric

shock

or

other

hazards.

o (15) Safety Check.

Upon

completion

of

any

service

or

repairs

to

this

product,

ask

the

service

technician

to

perform

safety

checks

to

determine

that

the

product

is

in

proper

operating

condition.

7

8

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Saftey

Precautions

o(16)

Software

Authorizations.

CAlITION:

Any

changes

or

modifications

to

the

operating

software,

design,

recommendations

and

electronic

component(s)

not

expressly

authorized

and

approved

by

Frox,

Inc.

in

writing

will

void

the

specific

user's

authority

to

operate

the

equipment.

See

your

component

warranty

for

further

details.

o(17)

FCC

Class

8

Digital

Device

Compliance.

NOTE:

This

equipment

has

been

tested

and

found

to

comply

with

the

limits

for

a

Class

B

digital

device,

pursuant

to

Part

15

of

the

FCC

Rules.

These

limits

are

designed

to

provide

reasonable

protection

against

harmful

interference

in

a

residential

installation.

This

equipment

generates,

uses

and

can

radiate

radio

frequency

energy

and,

if

not

installed

and

used

in

accor-

dance

with

the

instructions,

may

cause

harmful

interference

to

radio

communications.

However,

there

is

no

guarantee

that

interference

will

not

occur

in

a

particular

installation.

If

this

equipment

does

cause

harmful

interference

to

radio

or

television

reception,

which

can

be

determined

by

turning

the

equipment

off

and

on,

the

user

is

encouraged

to

try

to

correct

the

interference

by

one

or

more

of

the

following

measures:

~

Reorient

or

relocate

the

receiving

antenna.

~

Increase

the

separation

between

the

equipment

and

receiver.

~

Connect

the

equipment

into

an

outlet

on

a

circuit

different

from

that

to

which

the

receiver

is

connected.

~

Consult

an

experienced

radio/fV

technician

for

help.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE·

Table

of

Contents

Important Safeguards...2

Introduction

Purpose

of

the Manual...ll

Using

the

Manual...12

Planning a Successful Installation

...

15

Environmental

and

Electrical

Considerations

...

16

Upgrading to V3.0 and Beyond

Frox

CD

Booting

Utility

...

19

Hardware Installation

Getting

Started

...

25

Connecting

the

Media

Processor

and

the

Video

Preprocessor

...

29

Monitor

Connection

...

31

TV

Signals

..

.3

7

CD

Players

...

41

Time

Base

Correctors

...

43

VCRs

...

45

Laserdisc

Players

...

49

Speakers

...

51

Miscellaneous

Analog

Audio

Devices

...

55

IR

Emitters

..

.5

7

IR

Repeaters

...

59

Using

X·IO

Modules

...

61

Multiroom

Audio

...

62

Software Installation

Getting

Started

...

63

Preferences

...

64

Authorizations

...

67

Locale,

Date

and

Time

...

69

TV

Channels

...

71

TV

Signals

...

75

VCRs

...

79

Laserdisc

Players

...

83

CD

Players

...

85

Miscellaneous

Analog

Audio

Devices

...

89

Speakers

...

91

Alternate

Monitor

...

97

Maintenance

Save

Setup

...

l0l

Restore

Setup

...

l02

System

Update

...

l02

CD

Covers

...

l02

Convergence

...

104

UI

Shifting

...

l05

Statistics

...

106

Troubleshooting

...

l09

Appendices

...

I13

Appendix

A.

General

Electrostatic

Procedures

Appendix

B.

Sync

Jumper

Appendix

C.

DSP

Audio

Cards

Appendix

D.

Learn

Mode

Scripts

9

10

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Frox,

FroxSystem,

FroxVision,

FroxSound,

FroxControl,

FroxWand,

FroxRoute,

FroxZone,

Active

Pixel

Control,

Sonic

Playground

and

Digital

Straight

Line

are

all

trademarks

of

Frox,

Inc.

FroxCast

is

a

servicemark

of

Frox,

Inc.

All

rights

reserved.

Portions

of

the

FroxSystem

products

have

been

licensed

from

Adobe

Systems

Incorporated,

Bradley

Forthware

and

Rairna

Corporation.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE·

Acknowledgments

The

Frox

DolbyTM

Pro·

Logic

processing

is

manufactured

under

license

from

Dolby

Laboratories

LicenSing

Corpora·

tion.

Additionally

licensed

under

one

or

more

of

the

following

patents:

U.S.

numbers

3,632,886,

3,746,792

and

3,959.590;

Canadian

numbers

1,004,603, 1,037,877.

"Dolby"

and

the

double·D

symbol

are

trademarks

of

Dolby

Laboratories

Licensing

Corporation.

All

rights

reserved.

The

Frox

Horne

THX®

Audio

System

is

manufactured

under

license

from

LucasArts

Entertairnnent

Company.

THX

is

a

registered

trademark

of

LucasArts

Entertainment

Company.

All

rights

reserved.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE·

Introduction

The

FroxSystem

Installation

Manual

is

intended

to

be

a

simple

navigation

guide

through a

FroxSystem

installa·

tion.

Along

the

way,

many

useful

facts

and

hints

are

provided that

should

reduce

the

chance

of

error.

It

is

a

good

idea

to

read the entire installation

manual

as

if

is

was

a

novel.

As

the

FroxSystem

is

an

integrated

platform

combining

audio,

videoand sophisticated

computer

technologies,

all

installation

topics

are

very

much

should

be

understood prior

to

attempting

any

installation.

o A

numeric

"checkbox"

format

has

been

used

that

allows

the installer

to

mark

off

completed

steps.

Installation notes

may

be

written

directly

on

each

page

in

the

margins

prOvided.

11

12

USING

TIllS

MANUAL

The

FroxSystem

Installation

Manual

is

designed

to

walk

an

installer

through

the

planning

stages

of

an

installation

to

the

moment

the

system

is

ready

for

operation.

The

manual

should

be

closely

observed

from

beginning

to

the

end.

The

"Hardware"

chapter

should

always

be

completed

before

the

"Software"

chapter

is

initiated

to

avoid

potential

hazards.

A

"Troubleshooting"

section

provides

a

quick

reference

for

common

installation

problems;

several

appendices

are

included

for

miscellaneous

hardware

and

software

issues

requiring

more

detailed

explanations.

In

the

information

packet

shipped

with

each

Media

Processor

and

Video

Preprocessor

there

are

rear

panel

diagrams

of

each

component.

These

are

to

be

used

during

the

"Hard-

ware"

installation

chapters

to

notate

what

is

connected

to

each

port.

This

will

be

helpful

later

when

going

through

the

"Software"

installation

procedure.

It

is

strongly

recom-

mended

that

these

charts

be

completed

and

used

when

attempting

a

FroxSystem

installation.

Since

the

system

integrates

a

multitude

of

products

it

is

important

to

keep

track

of

hardware

connections.

(The

rear

panel

diagrams

for

both

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

Preprocessor

are

also

located

in

the

Preparation

section

of

the

"Hardware"

installation

chapter).

In

this

manual,

several

graphic

and

textual

conventions

are

used

to

simplify

the

understanding

of

procedures

and

words.

For

example,

button

names

are

in

all-caps

as

illustrated

in

the

sentence

-

To

change

the

FroxWand

speed,

click

on

the

FROX

button

to

access

the

Frox

"Go-To"

menu

and

then

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Introdnction

click

on

the

PREFERENCES

button

...

In

this

sentence

both

"FROX"

and

"PREFERENCES"

are

button

names.

Note

that

the

words

"click

on"

refer

to

squeezing

and

releasing

the

activation

triggers

on

the

FroxWand.

Other

important

topics

are

indicated

by

the

capitalization

of

the

first

letter

in

each

word

describing

each

respective

screen,

area

or

control

panel.

For

example

in

the

sentence

-

If

the

VCR

button

does

not

appear

on

the

Video

Control

Stripe

then

re-enter

Installation

and

re-install

the

VCR.

In

this

sentence

both

''Video

Control

Stripe"

and

"Installation"

conform

to

the

defined

rules.

In

the

"Software"

Installation

procedure

various

buttons

provide

functions

that

help

an

installer

move

through

screens

(or

scroll

through

lists).

Here

are

some

button

deSCriptions

that

are

useful

to

know:

is

found

on

the

Installa-

tion

Control

Stripe.

It

is

used

to

move

forward

in

a

particular

area

of

Installation.

For

example,

when

installing

Analog

Audio/Video

components,

the

will

scroll

for-

ward

to

relevant

installation

screens.

Depending

upon

what

the

system

already

knows

it

mayor

may

not

access

every

installation

screen

in

a

particular

area.

For

example,

if

no

device

is

installed

in

Video

In

2,

a

will

scroll

directly

to

Aux

In

1

instead

of

landing

on

each

of

the

instal-

lation

screens

associated

with

Video

In

2.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Introduction

The

will

not

scroll

from

section

to

section.

At

the

end

of

a

particular

installation

section,

a

will

not

introduce

any

new

screen.

To

get

to

a

different

installation

section,

select

the

appropriate

new

topic

button

from

the

Installation

Control

Stripe.

PREY

The

PREY

button

is

found

on

the

Installa-

tion

Control

Stripe.

It

is

used

to

scroll

backward

in

a

particular

area

of

Installa-

tion.

For

example,

when

installing

Analog

Audio/Video

components,

the

will

move

backward

to

relevant

installation

screens.

Depending

on

what

the

system

already

knows

it

mayor

may

not

access

every

installation

screen

in

a

particular

area.

For

example,

if

no

device

is

installed

in

Video

In

2,

a

PREY

selection

from

the

Aux

In

1

installation

screen

will

scroll

directly

to

Video

In

2

instead

of

landing

on

each

of

the

installation

screens

associated

with

Video

In

2.

The

PREY

button

will

not

scroll

from

section

to

section.

At

the

beginning

of

a

particular

installation

section,

a

PREY

selection

will

not

introduce

any

new

screen.

To

get

to

a

different

installation

section,

select

the

appropriate

button

from

the

Installation

Control

Stripe_

SCROLL

BARS

Scroll

Bars

can

be

found

adjacent

to

lists

that

extend

to

another

page

of

information.

They

are

commonly

found

at

the

bottom

of

device

lists

and

television

channels

lists.

The

Frox

"Go-To"

menu

offers

another

example

of

Scroll

Bars

in

the

FroxSystem.

DONE

§

The

DONE

button

is

found

on

the

Installa-

I Done I

tion

Control

Stripe.

It

is

used

to

exit

the

Installation

procedure

and

save

all

changes

to

the

installa-

tion

configuration

that

were

made.

This

procedure

can

take

up

to

30

seconds.

While

this

is

occuring

the

message

"Com-

pleting

Installation

....

One

moment

please"

will

notify

you

of

the

system's

status.

When

the

data

is

saved,

the

message

"Installation

completed

successfully"

will

briefly

be

written

to

the

screen,

followed

by

the

drawing

of

the

Video

Control

Stripe

with

TV

selected

as

the

default

To

save

the

installation

configuration

while

working

in

Installation,

select

the

SAVE

SETUP

option

from

the

Maintenance

area

of

Installation.

CRITICAL

INSTALLATION

POINTS

The

hand

icon

is

used

throughout

this

installation

manual

to

identify

critical

installation

points

in

many

chapters

and

sections_

Make

certain

that

these

topiCS

are

read

and

understood

before

proceeding

with

the

installation.

An

understanding

of

these

warnings

can

make

the

difference

between

a

successful

installation

and

a

problematic

one.

13

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Introduction

INSTALLER'S

NOTES

14

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Planning

PLANNING

A

SUCCESSFUL

INSTALLATION

A

successful

FroxSystem

installation

involves

adhering

to

standard

industry

practices

for

high

quality

electronic

systems

integration.

Common

sense

and

thoughtful

planning

will

result

in

happy

customers.

Before

beginning

a

FroxSystem

installation,

keep

in

mind

the

considerations

in

this

chapter.

~

Probably

the

most

important

fact

to

remember

when

installing

a

FroxSystem

is

that

it

is

a

computer.

While

it

is

cleverly

packaged

as

an

attractive

audio/video

processor,

the

core

of

the

product

is

a

very

sophisticated

computing

system.

The

FroxSystem

is

a

computer

designed

to

run

24

hours

a

day.

Traditional

personal

computers

are

not,

and

generally

they

will

not

work

reliably

without

special

electrical

accessories

like

uninterruptible

power

supplies

(UPS)

and

surge

protectors.

Therefore,

special

attention

must

be

made

to

the

electrical

conditions

and

physical

environment

of

the

home

or

office

in

which

the

FroxSystem

will

be

installed.

Another

thing

about

computers

is

that

they

are

hopelessly

logical.

If

you

don't

"tell

them

the

truth"

they

have

a

funny

way

of

letting

you

know

about

it

(usually

at

a

later

date).

Do

not

try

to

"fool"

the

FroxSystem

into

doing

something

it

isn't

intended

to

do.

This

important

rule

will

save

an

installer

from

inevitable

future

headaches.

Preparation

with

a

good

knowledge

base

is

an

excellent

starting

place

to

enter a

FroxSystem

installation.

Read

the

following

items

carefully.

ENVIRONMENTAL

AND

ELECTRICAL

CONSIDERATIONS

Safety

First

For

your

protection,

observe

the

following

safety

precau-

tions

when

setting

up

your

equipment:

~

Follow

all

warnings

and

instructions

marked

on

the

equipment.

~

Insure

that

the

voltage

and

frequency

of

your

power

source

matches

the

voltage

and

frequency

inscribed

on

the

equipment's

electrical

rating

labels.

~

Never

push

objects

of

any

kind

through

openings

in

the

equipment.

Dangerous

voltages

may

be

present.

Conductive

foreign

objects

could

produce

a

short

circuit

that

could

cause

fire,

electric

shock,

damage

to

the

equipment,

or

personal

injury.

Modifications

to

Equipment

Do

not

make

mechauical

or

electrical

modifications

to

the

equipment.

Frox,

Inc.,

is

not

responsible

for

the

regulatory

compliance

of

a

modified

Frox

product.

Placement

of a

FroxSystem

To

insure

reliable

operation

of

your

FroxSystem

and

to

protect

it

from

overheating,

ventilation

points

must

not

be

blocked

or

covered.

Several

inches

should

be

provided

in

front

of

and

behind

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

15

16

Preprocessor,

In

order

to

Insure

proper

air

flow

and

cooling.

A

FroxSystem

should

never

be

placed

near

a

radiator

or

heat

register.

Never

position

the

Media

Processor's

infrared

(IR)

sensor

In

line

with

direct

sunlight,

halogen

lights,

or

fluorescent

lights.

The

FroxWand

Infrared

(IR)

controller

uses

IR

technology

that

makes

the

system

sensitive

to

stray

lighting

at

various

frequencies.

This

can

cause

the

FroxSystem

to

malfunction.

Power

Cord

Connection

Frox

products

are

designed

to

work

with

single-phase

power

systems

having

a

neutral

and

a

ground

conductor.

The

FroxSystem

uses

a

nominal

Input

voltage

of

115

VAC.

To

reduce

the

risk

of

electrical

shock,

do

not

plug

Frox

products

Into

any

other

type

of

power

system.

Contact

a

qualified

electrician

if

you

are

not

sure

what

type

of

power

is

supplied

to

a

building.

Not

all

power

cords

have

the

same

current

ratings.

Common

household

extension

cords

do

not

have

overload

protection

and

are

not

meant

for

use

with

computer

systems.

Do

not

use

household

extension

cords

with

a

Frox

product.

The

FroxSystem

is

shipped

with

grounding

type

(three-wire)

power

cords.

To

reduce

the

risk

of

electric

shock,

always

plug

the

cord

into

a

grounded

power

outlet.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Planning

Stable

Power

Supply

As

listed

on

the

rear

of

the

Media

Processor

and

the

Video

Preprocessor,

the

FroxSystem

will

operate

with

a

continuous

AC

voltage

in

the

range

of

90

to

132

VAC.

The

key

here

is

that

the

voltage

should

be

continuous

and

not

swing

too

far

from

its

continuous

level.

Ideally,

the

FroxSystem

should

receive

a

continuous

nominal

input

voltage

of

115

VAC.

Unfortunately

many

homes

are

not

capable

of

delivering

a

continuous

voltage;

large

spikes

and

dips

In

the

voltage

coming

out

of

the

wall

are

common.

Voltage

activity

of

this

type

can

result

In

a

host

of

problems

with

the

FroxSystem,

as

all

computers

typically

require

a

stable

supply

for

reliable

operation.

In

addition

to

poor

electrical

wiring

systems

In

homes

and

offices,

some

common

occurrences

are

power

outages

or

surges

due

to

inclement

weather

and

other

factors.

This

also

can

cause

problems

for

the

FroxSystem.

Therefore,

it

is

strongly

recommended

that

the

FroxSystem

be

isolated

from

the

voltage

being

supplied

by

the

wall

and

protected

from

power

surges.

The

best

solution-

one

that

is

recommended

for

every

FroxSystem

instailation-

is

an

uninterruptible

power

supply

(UPS).

These

can

be

found

at

a

wide

range

In

price

but

can

be

purchased

for

several

hundred

dollars.

A

UPS

will

pay

for

itself

over

time.

These

devices

will

provide

a

continuous

voltage

to

the

FroxSystem,

while

protecting

against

sudden

surges

or

dips

In

the

wall

voltage.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Planning

Accessories

such

as

surge

protectors

and

powerline

conditioners

(that

protect

the

FroxSystem

from

spikes

and

other

noise

that

can

get

in

the

AC

line)

are

also

excellent

solutions_

Ground

Loops

Often

the

various

electrical

power

outlets

in

a

home

are

not

at

the

same

ground

potential.

A

remote

video

monitor,

if

plugged

into

a

nearby

outlet,

is

likely

to

have

a

slightly

different

voltage

on

its

ground

than

that

of

the

distant

Media

Processor.

This

small

voltage

differential

will

cause

a

noise

current

to

flow

through

the

shields

of

the

video

and

audio

cables

that

can

cause

interference

to

both

picture

and

sound.

Noise

interference

from

powerline

ground

loops

will

typically

come

and

go,

depending

on

operation

of

other

electrical

appliances

in

the

building

or

neighborhood.

Nearby

"SCR"

style

light

dimmers

often

produce

Significant

amounts

of

powerline

noise.

As

an

installer,

it

is

often

difficult

to

properly

test

an

installation

due

to

the

randomness

of

these

occurrences.

The

best

policy,

therefore,

is

to

always

install

both

video,

audio

and

power

circuits

according

to

standards

that

insure

good

performance.

This

is

not

always

an

easy

task

and

can

be

the

installer's

biggest

technical

challenge.

The

proper

solution

will

depend

on

the

particular

situation.

A

quick

way

to

help

determine

if

a

ground

loop

is

occurring

is

to

power

the

remote

monitor

or

audio

device

from

an

extension

cord

that

is

plugged

directly

into

the

same

UPS

as

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

Processor.

This

should

eliminate

most

of

the

"loop"

and

the

noise

it

generates.

Cable

television

companies

often

do

not

prOvide

adequate

grounding

on

the

cable-drop

into

a

home.

Twenty

volts

of

60Hz

hum

(and

more)

is

not

unheard

of.

This

pollution,

traveling

down

the

"outside"

of

the

coaxial

cable

does

not

interfere

with

direct

reception

of

the

cable

television

signals.

It

can,

however,

get

back

into

any

audio

or

video

output

cable

via

the

common

shields

and

case

grounds.

Some

installers

may

prefer

to

add

a

DC-block

coupling

between

the

FroxSystem

and

the

properly-grounded

cable

television

drop.

To

be

effective

at

preventing

ground

loops,

such

a

block

must

provide

a

low

frequency

open

circuit

in

both

the

shield

and

the

center

conductor.

Such

DC-blocks

have

been

fashioned

from

back-to-back

750hm

to

3000hm

transformers,

for

example.

Overloading

Circuits

When

installing

any

home

entertainment

system

(including

the

FroxSystem)

make

certain

that

the

AC

current

demands

of

the

electrical

components

can

be

adequately

supplied

by

the

home

or

office

building.

Check

the

maximum

current

drain

of

each

component

and

sum

all

of

the

current

needs

together

to

ascertain

the

maximum

current

drain

of

the

system.

Installations

with

large

power

amplifiers

and

video

monitors

can

require

large

amounts

of

power.

Never

push

an

electrical

circuit

to

its

limit.

Investigate

the

available

current

on

a

particular

circuit

ahead

of

time.

Also

check

if

large

appliances

(refrigerators

or

air

conditioners)

are

sharing

the

circuit

elsewhere

in

the

home

or

office

building.

17

18

If

possible,

give

the

Media

Processor,

Video

Preprocessor

and

primary

monitor

its

own

circuit

This

will

reduce

the

chances

of

overloading

the

circuit

to

the

point

where

it

can

affect

the

performance

of

the

FroxSystem.

Successful

installations

may

even

require

having

an

electrician

adding

new

circuits

as

needed.

The

FroxSystem's

AC

SWitched

Outlets

There

are

two

AC

Switched

Outlets

on

the

rear

of

the

Media

Processor.

These

outlets

switch

ON

and

OFF

whenever

the

FroxSystem

is

soft-powered

ON

and

OFF

from

the

FroxWand.

Though

these

outlets

are

rated

at

500

Watts,

it

is

never

a

good

idea

to

overload

them

with

peripherals.

Low-load

applications,

such

as

ACjDC

current

triggers

for

relays

and

power

strips,

are

good

ones

for

the

AC

Switched

Outlets.

If

devices

are

desired

to

turn

ON

and

OFF

along

with

the

FroxSystem,

it

is

strongly

recommended

that

X-I0

lamp

and

appliance

modules

be

used

for

this

purpose.

Instruc-

tions

on

how

to

install

these

accessories

can

be

found

in

the

Hardware

section

"Using

X-lO

Modules."

Never

plug

the

Video

Preprocessor

into

the

switched

outlets

on

the

back

of

the

Media

Processor.

Both

components

should

be

on

dedicated

AC

lines

to

the

uninterruptible

power

supply

(UPS)

or

AC

power

strip.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Planning

System

Unit

Cover

You

must

remove

the

cover

of

the

Media

Processor

in

order

to

add

DSP

cards,

change

PROMs,

NVRAM

or

internal

storage

devices.

Be

sure

to

replace

the

cover

before

powering

up

your

FroxSystem.

Read

Appendix

A,

"General

Electrostatic

Handling

Rules,"

located

at

the

rear

of

this

manual

before

removing

the

cover

of

either

the

Media

Processor

or

the

Video

Preprocessor.

Environmental Ranges

The

acceptable

environmental

ranges

are:

Temperature:

Between

32

and

104

degrees

Fahrenheit

(0

and

40

degrees

Celsius)

Humidity:

Between

5%

and

80%

(relative

noncondensing)

Altitude:

Between

0

and

10,000

feet

(0

and

3,048

meters)

Ventilation:

Keep

the

installation

area

well

ventilated

or

air-

conditioned

to

avoid

overheating.

Dust:

Keep

the

installation

area

as

dust-free

as

possible.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Upgrading

SYSTEM

SOFfW

ARE

UPGRADES

The

FroxBoot

Compact

Disc

Booting

Utility

allows

installers!

users

to

update

the

FroxSystem

software

by

transferring

data

from

a

compact

disc

(CD)

to

the

FroxSystem

hard

disk

drive.

Additionally,

FroxBoot

provides

quick

recovery

from

most

hard

disk

failures

and

unrecoverable

system

crashes.

~

FroxBoot

requires

that

a

CD

player

with

a

coaxial

or

fiberoptic

digital

output

be

connected

to

any

of

the

eight

digital

inputs

on

the

Media

Processor.

In

the

case

of

a

100-

disc

Frox

(CDC-Ol)

or

NSM

branded

changer,

the

serial

control

cable

must

also

be

connected

to

the

FroxCD

serial

port

on

the

Media

Processor

in

order

for

proper

control

and

data

transfer.

~

CD

album

covers

are

not

backed

up

by

V3.0,

but

must,

in

the

event

of

a

crash

or

system

software

upgrade,

be

re-

read

from

the

CD

Covers

Tape.

~

When

installing

V3.0

for

the

first

time,

it

will

be

necessary

to

reinstall

the

entire

system

including

prefer-

ences,

CDs

in

collection,

and

devices,

since

FroxSystem

software

versions

2.0

and

prior

did

not

back

this

informa-

tion

up

the

way

V3.0

does.

CONVERTING

FROM

V2.0

TO

V3.0

~The

V3,0

upgrade

I=~~~~c-=l

includes

a

set

of

PROMs

and

a

FroxCD.

The

existing

hard

disk

in

the

Media

Processor

need

not

be

replaced

in

order

to

upgrade

to

V3.0.

The

V3_0

software

will,

when

fully

installed,

make

a

backup

copy

of

all

the

preferences,

CDs

in

collection,

TV

schedules,

and

installation

information

on

a

"read-only"

partition

on

the

hard

disk

drive.

In

the

event

that

the

system

experiences

a

fatal

crash

and

must

be

restarted

by

reloading

from

the

FroxCD,

this

saved

information

will

be

recovered,

avoiding

the

inconvenience

of

reinstalling

the

entire

system.

The

same

custom

information

is

saved

upon

upgrading

to

later

releases

of

FroxSystem

software.

If

a

Media

Processor

is

running

any

version

of

software

V3.0

or

later,

you

must

have

a

set

of

PROMs

installed

that

are

labeled

version

2.0

or

later.

The

PROMs

are

located

in

the

Media

Processor

on

the

motherboard

near

the

fan.

There

are

four

PROMs

which

are

socketed

integrated

circuits

(ICs).

Make

sure

that

the

power

is

OFF

on

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

Preprocessor

when

inspecting

or

changing

PROMs

(or

any

other

hardware

inside

either

component).

19

20

W

Keep

the

grounded

AC

power

cord

connected

to

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

Preprocessor

while

disconnect-

ing

the

AC

power

from

the

external

power

strip.

Power

should

not

be

restored

until

the

PROM

installation

is

complete

and

the

cover

has

been

returned

to

the

Media

Processor.

TO

INSTALL

NEW

PROMS

o

1)

Read

Appendix

A,

entitled

"General

Electrostatic

Procedures"

found

at

the

rear

of

this

manual.

Be

sure

to

follow

all

of

the

rules

outlined.

o

2)

Turn

off

power

to

the

Media

Processor

and

Video

Preprocessor.

o

3)

Remove

the

three

screws

located

along

the

top

of

the

rear

panel

of

the

Media

Processor,

and

slide

the

top

cover

out

of

its

mounting,

towards

the

back

of

the

unit.

The

top

cover

has

a

very

snug

fit,

so

some

exertion

is

normal

to

remove

it.

INSTALLATION

GUIDE

-

Upgrading

o

4)

Locate

the

four

PROMS.

If

facing

the

front

of

the

Media

Processor

the

PROMs

are

in

increasing

numeric

order

from

right

to

left.

The

rightmost

PROM

is

the

one

closest

to

the

fan.

Also

note

that

the

dimple

on

the

end

of

the

PROM

must

face

towards

the

front

of

the

Media

Processor.

o

5)

Using

the

PROM

puller,

remove

the

PROMs.

Grasp

each

PROM

with

the

puller,

and

squeeze

the

handle

until

the

PROM

pops

out

of

its

socket.

Then

lift

the

puller

away

from

the

motherboard.

As

an

aid

to

memory,

lay

the

PROMs

down

on

a

flat

surface

in

the

same

orientation

that

they

came

out.

o6)

Inspect

the

new

PROMs

to

verify

that

the

pins

are

not

bent.

o

7)

Install

the

new

PROMs.

W

It

is

critical

that

all

pins

fit

inside

the

socket.

It

may

be

required

to

slightly

align

the

pins

on

a

flat

surface

so

that

they

fit

comfortably

in

their

sockets.

Place

each

PROM

lightly

in

its

socket

at

first;

inspect

it

carefully

so

that

all

pins

are

seated

properly,

then

press

down

on

the

whole

surface

of

the

PROM

to

seat

it

firmly.

o

8)

Inspect

your

work.

Do

the

PROMs

increase

in

numeric

order

from

right

to

left?

Are

the

PROM

dimples

all

facing

the

front

of

the

Media

Processor?

Are

all

the

pins

in

their

sockets,

and

the

chips

seated

firmly?

o

9)

Restore

the

cover

to

the

Media

Processor.

Return

the

three

screws

to

the

unit.

Frox FroxSystem User manual

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