Option Technologies OptionFinder G4 Installation instructions

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
OptionFinder®G4
Keypads and Base Station
Hardware Guide
3301 Bartlett Blvd, Orlando, FL 32811
1.800.776.9974
www.optiontechnologies.com

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
About this Guide
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with instructions for setting up and configuring your keypad
system. Please refer to the on-line help for additional troubleshooting tips and information about the
software.
How the G4 Keypads Work
•The keypads work with both OptionFinder G4 and OptionFinder Micro 4 base stations/receivers
•We use the terms base station and receiver interchangeably. Both refer to the piece of equipment that
connects to your computer and receives input from the keypads
•The G4 Keypads must be turned on before polling. Press the power key in the lower right corner of the
keypad.
•Each base station supports up to 500 keypads.
•To enter a response on single-digit slides press the number that corresponds with the response choice. To
enter responses on multi-digit slides the participants press all of the numbers that apply and press Send
•On single-digit slides press 0 key to enter a zero and the SYM key to enter a response of 10. On multi-digit
slides the SYM key is used to enter a decimal point.
•If polling is open, participants may change their response to a question. To change a response to a single-
digit question, press a new number. The last number pressed is the number that is saved. To change the
response to a multi-digit question, enter the series of numbers and press Send.
•The range for the base station is 650 feet.
•The OptionFinder G4 system is a wireless radio system that works in the 2.4GHz range. The base stations
may be set to 31 different ID's within this range.
•The base station will work with either a USB or Ethernet connection.
•The three arrow keys and the LINK keys are used for programming the keypads or linking to a base
station. They are not used on polling slides.
•During polling, the SEND key is used to send a multi-digit response, i.e. enter all of the numbers in your
sequence and press Send. The Send key is also used to save changes you make when programming
keypads.
•The DEL key is used to delete one digit in a multi-digit response, i.e. you enter 451 and meant to enter
452, press DEL to remove the 1 and enter the correct number. DEL is also used when programming the
keypads.

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
•The system has two modes: Dynamic and Static. In static mode, a specific address (ID) is programmed into
the keypads and the keypads are programmed to work with a specific base station ID. The software tracks
responses from the keypad by the address. In Dynamic mode the keypad is not programmed to work with
a specific base station. The keypad searches for all available base stations and a list of the base station ID's
appears in the keypad display. The user selects the base station they want to use. The keypads do not use
their programmed addresses; the responses are tracked by the keypad’s serial number.
•If the base station is disconnected or turned off, the keypads will turn off automatically after ten minutes
•The keypads will not turn off automatically as long as the base station is on and a slide show with
OptionPower slides is open.
•Each keypad has 2 AA alkaline batteries. The batteries should be good for 150 hours of use.
•OptionPower automatically generates a log file with a list of keypads that have low batteries each time
you test the keypads or use them during polling. To view the log file click System on the OptionPower tab,
click Preferences, click Battery Report, click Load Log File.
Setting Up the Keypad System
Connecting the Base Station
If your computer is in a docking station, remove the computer from the docking station and reboot before
attempting to setup the base station.
OptionFinder G4 Base Station
USB Connection
Connect one end of the USB cable to the base station and other end to a USB port on your computer. DO NOT
use the power cord when using a USB connection.
Ethernet Connection
1. Connect one end of the RJ-45 cable to your computer and the other end to the base station. If the
network card in your computer does not auto-negotiate, you must use a cross-over cable or a cross-over
adaptor.
2. Connect the power cord to the base station. Plug the cord into a power outlet.
OptionFinder Micro 4 Recievers
•Connect the receiver to a USB port on your computer
Note The first time you connect the receiver to your computer you will receive a “New Hardware Found”
message. You must install drivers for the receiver. See the instructions below.

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
Drivers for the Base Station
Hardware drivers must be installed for the base station before use. The drivers should install automatically
when you connect the base station to your computer. If you receive a message that the hardware failed to
install, follow the instructions below to install the drivers manually
Installing Drivers Manually
1. Make sure you have permission to install hardware drivers on your computer
2. Go to Start, type Device Manager in the Search field
3. Click Device Manager
4. The base station may appear as “USB Serial Converter” under Universal Serial Bus Controllers or be listed
under Other Devices by the model number. If it appears under Other Devices or if appears under
Universal Serial Bus Controllers but has a yellow question mark or exclamation point next to the name
(USB Serial Converter) then you need to install the drivers. If no symbol appears next to the name and the
USB Serial Converter is listed under Universal Serial Bus Controllers then the drivers are already installed
and you may move to the “Define and Test Keypads” section of this document.
5. Right-click USB Serial Converter and click Update Driver Software.
6. Click Browse my computer for driver software
7. Click Browse and go to c:\Users\Public\Public Documents\OptionPower\Drivers\FTDI G3-G2 Universal
Driver – ftdibus (or ftdibus_64)
8. Click OK
9. Click Next to install the drivers
Placing the OptionFinder G4 Base Station
•Place the base station in a central location within 650 feet of the keypads.
•Position the base station 5 to 6 feet off the ground.
•Position the base station away from other electronic devices, i.e. projectors, speakers, computers, etc.
•If you are using multiple base stations, place the base stations at least 3 feet apart.

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
Define and Test the Keypads
OptionFinder Micro 4 Receivers and OptionFinder G4 Base Stations with a USB
Connection
OptionPower Office 2016, 2013 and 2010
Automatically Define the Hardware Setup
1. Connect the base station or stations to the computer
2. On the OptionPower tab, click Hardware
3. Click Detect/Verify Hardware. When you click this button OptionPower searches your computer for the
base station or stations listed, i.e. OptionFinder G4 base with serial number 1111AB. When you click
Detect/Verify for the first time after installing OptionPower it will Fail because it is searching for the
default base station and not your specific hardware. Click Yes on the message to remove the default base
definition and search again.

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
4. If the connections are found, the model name will appear and the status will change to green and Found.
5. Enter the low and high keypad numbers. The low and high number fields define the range of accepted
keypad numbers not just the quantity of keypads you intend to use. For example, if you enter 1 as the
lowest number and 10 as the highest number you may only use the keypads numbered 1 through 10.
6. Click Test Keypads
7. Press a number on each keypad, if the keypad is working properly the number you press will appear next
to the keypad's address
8. Click Close
9. Click OK
Manually Define the Hardware Setup
1. Look on the bottom of the base station and write down the six character serial number
2. Connect the base station to the computer
3. On the OptionPower tab, click Hardware
4. Click Advanced Hardware Configuration
5. You may either modify the settings for an existing base station or add a new one
6. To modify the settings for an existing base station, click the Model drop down menu and select your
hardware platform
7. To add an new base station, remove all existing base stations and click Add New Base Station, click the
Model drop down menu and select your hardware platform
8. Click Base station settings and enter the serial number for the base station
9. Click Verify. If a connection is found, the status will change to green and Found. If it changes to red and
Not Found check the cables and double-check the serial number that was entered. Click OK to return to
the Base Station Setup page.

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
10. Enter a number for the base station. Unless you are using multiple base stations you should use the
number 1 for the base station. This base station number does not need to correspond with the base ID
(channel).
11. Enter the low and high keypad numbers
12. Click Test Keypads
13. Press a number on each keypad, if the keypad is working properly the number you press will appear next
to the keypad's address
14. Click Close
15. Click OK to save changes and close the Base Station Setup dialog
Ethernet Connection
There are two things that must occur before using the OptionFinder G4 base station in Ethernet mode: your
computer must have a static IP address and you must assign a compatible IP address to the base station. You
may permanently assign the IP address for the base station or may assign it a temporary address. If you use a
temporary address you will have to re-enter the IP address every time you turn the base station off and on.
Obtain an IP address for your computer
Your computer must have a static IP address if you wish to use the G4 base station in Ethernet mode. You
must obtain the IP address, subnet mask and default gateway (if any) before assigning an IP address to the
base station.
If you are connected to a Network
If your base station is connected to a network you should contact your IT department for a static IP address,
the subnet mask, and the default gateway.
If you are not connected to a Network
If the base station is connected directly to your computer then you must define an alternate IP address or, if
that isn't available, set your computer to a specific IP address.
Windows 10
1. Right-click Start and click Network Connections
2. Click Ethernet
3. Click Change Adaptor Options
4. Right-click Ethernet and click Properties
5. Click Internet Protocol Version 4
6. Click Properties

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Option Technologies International, LLC, © 2019, All Rights Reserved, G4 Hardware Guide 8036
7. Click the Alternate Configuration tab and then click User Configured\
8. Enter an IP address, i.e. 10.1.1.1
9. Enter 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask
10. Click OK
11. Click Close
Windows 7
1. Open the Control Panel
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center
3. Click Change Adaptor Settings
4. Right-click Local Area Connection and then click Properties.
5. Internet Protocol Version 4
6. Click Properties.
7. Click the Alternate Configuration tab and then click User Configured
8. Enter an IP address, i.e. 10.1.1.1
9. Enter 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask.
10. Click OK
11. Click OK again
Set the IP Address for the Base station and Define the Hardware
Settings
1. On the Start menu, click All Programs, point to OptionPower and then click G3 Ethernet Utility
2. The Digi Device Discovery dialog appears
3. When it finds the base station it will list its IP Address, MAC address, Name and Device number. If you
wish to change the base station IP Address, Click Configure network settings, enter the new IP Address
and subnet mask. Do NOT enter a default gateway unless you are connecting to a corporate network. If
you change the address for the base station you must change the IP address for the computer as well. For
example, if you assign the base an IP address of 10.1.1.1 then you must change the IP address for the
computer to 10.1.1.x where x is any number other than 1.

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4. Click Save
5. Click OK to reset the base station (this will take 30 to 45 seconds)
6. Close the Digi Device Discovery dialog
.
Define the Base Station and keypads in OptionPower for Office 2016, 2013 and
2010
1. On the OptionPower tab, click Hardware
2. You may either modify the settings for an existing base station or add a new one
3. To modify the settings for an existing base station, click the Model drop down menu and select your
hardware platform
4. To add an new base station, remove all existing base stations and click Add New Base Station, click the
Model drop down menu and select your hardware platform
5. Click Base station settings, click Ethernet and enter the IP Address for the base station
6. Click Verify. If a connection is found, the status will change to green and Found. If it changes to red and
Not Found check the cables and double-check the IP Address that was entered.
7. Click OK to return to the Base Station Setup page.
8. Enter a number for the base station. Unless you are using multiple base stations you should use the
number 1 for the base station. This base station number does not need to correspond with the base ID
(channel).
9. Enter the low and high keypad numbers
10. Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog
Programming Keypads
All programming changes to the keypad are done through the keypad menu. Some of the menu options for
keypads set to static mode are different from those for keypads set to dynamic mode.
You must enable the menu through the hardware settings in the keypad setup wizard.
Enable the Keypad Menu for OptionPower for Office 2016, 2013 and 2010
1. The base station must be connected to your computer, have power, and be recognized by the software
(see Defining your Hardware Settings)
2. On OptionPower tab, click Hardware