Sigma MRX Series User manual

SIGMA
MRX SERIES
ANALOG AND DIGITAL
MID-SIZE MATRIX ROUTING SYSTEM
OPERATORS MANUAL
SIGMA ELECTRONICS, INC.
P.O. BOX 448
1027 COMMERCIAL AVENUE
EAST PETERSBURG, PA 17520-0448
[phone]
(MAR’ 03)

i
UNPACKING
PHYSICAL INSPECTION
Inspect your packages and equipment for any damage that might have occurred during shipping. If damage
has occurred, save the shipping cartons. Report the damage to the shipping company and notify Sigma
Electronics, Inc.
STANDARD SHIPPING CONFIGURATION
Each MRX system will be shipped in multiple cartons. Video and Audio frames are shipped, each in their
own carton, with all modules installed. Power supply frames and the required power supplies are shipped in
the same carton. The accessory box (where this manual was located) containing all power interface cables,
accessories, connectors and documentation is shipped inside the power frame shipping carton.
Control panels ordered with a system are shipped in separate cartons. The external power supply for the
control panel is in the same carton as the control panel.

ii
SIGMA MRX SERIES
ANALOG AND DIGITAL MID-SIZE MATRIX ROUTING SYSTEM
OPERATOR’S MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNPACKING.......................................................................................................................................................................................i
PHYSICAL INSPECTION...............................................................................................................................................................i
STANDARD SHIPPING CONFIGURATION.................................................................................................................................i
TABLE OF CONTENTS.....................................................................................................................................................................ii
INSTALLATION AND OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................................1
GENERAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS................................................................................................................................1
ENVIRONMENTAL...................................................................................................................................................................1
Ambient temperature/Ventilation.............................................................................................................................................1
Humidity ..................................................................................................................................................................................1
Rack-mounting.........................................................................................................................................................................1
Audio Frame placement ...........................................................................................................................................................1
POWER........................................................................................................................................................................................1
INTERCONNECT WIRING ...........................................................................................................................................................2
AUDIO FRAME - ANALOG.....................................................................................................................................................2
AUDIO FRAME - DIGITAL......................................................................................................................................................2
VIDEO FRAME - ANALOG.......................................................................................................................................................3
VIDEO FRAME - DIGITAL.......................................................................................................................................................3
POWER FRAME.........................................................................................................................................................................3
SYSTEM CONTROL INTERFACE .......................................................................................................................................3
POWER MODULE..................................................................................................................................................................4
REAR SUPPORTS ..........................................................................................................................................................................5
Rear Support Installation Instructions..........................................................................................................................................5
CONTROL PANEL.........................................................................................................................................................................6
APPENDIX A – SCI PROTOCOL AND INTERFACE...................................................................................................................A1
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................................................A1
Control Panel Interface..........................................................................................................................................................A1
Serial Control Interface.........................................................................................................................................................A1
Vertical Interval Switching ...................................................................................................................................................A1
SCI Configuration Switches..................................................................................................................................................A1
Control Levels.......................................................................................................................................................................A1
RS232 PROTOCOL COMMANDS ........................................................................................................................................A2
SPECIAL COMMANDS..........................................................................................................................................................A4
RS422/485 PROTOCOL COMMANDS .................................................................................................................................A6
SERIAL CONTROL AND MODE SWITCHES......................................................................................................................A7
JUMPER SELECTION.............................................................................................................................................................A8
9 PIN 'D' RS-422/485 WIRING................................................................................................................................................A8
9 PIN 'D' RS-232 PIN ASSIGNMENT.....................................................................................................................................A9
RS-232C WIRING..................................................................................................................................................................A10
APPENDIX B - SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................ B1
SYSTEM CONTROL INTERFACE MODULE (MRX-SCI).................................................................................................. B1
ANALOG VIDEO FRAME (MRX-24V, MRX-32V).............................................................................................................. B1
ANALOG AUDIO FRAME (MRX-24A, MRX-32A) ............................................................................................................. B1
DIGITAL VIDEO FRAME (MRX-DVF).................................................................................................................................B2
DIGITAL AUDIO FRAME – Balanced (MRX-TDAF)........................................................................................................... B2
DIGITAL AUDIO FRAME – Unbalanced (MRX-CDAF)....................................................................................................... B3
POWER SUPPLY FRAME (MRX-PSF).................................................................................................................................. B3
MECHANICAL........................................................................................................................................................................ B3

1
INSTALLATION AND OVERVIEW
GENERAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL
Ambient temperature/Ventilation
The MRX Switching System is designed to operate as specified when the ambient temperature is kept
within the range of 0°C to 50°C. Ventilation slots are provided on the front and sides of the frames to assist
in the removal of the excess heat generated in the normal operation of the units. These ventilation slots
must not be blocked. Sigma Electronics will consider blocking of these slots, to be a custom, design
modification by the user. Custom design modifications void the Sigma Electronics warranty.
Humidity
Excessive humidity is harmful to electronic equipment. It is expected that the user will monitor and control
the relative humidity of the operating environment to maintain levels acceptable for the operation of this
equipment.
Rack-mounting
All frames and control panels are intended to be mounted in standard 19” EIA equipment racks. Prior to
installing an MRX Series frame into a rack, the front panel must be removed. To remove the front panel,
grasp the handles and pull firmly away from the frame. The front panel should completely detach from the
ballstuds.
Audio Frame placement
Due to the susceptibility of all audio circuitry to interference from power sources, the audio frame should be
located as far away from power sources as possible.
POWER
The MRX Switching System is designed to operate in all standard commercial power environments
providing input voltage between 100VAC and 240VAC ±10%. Voltages outside of this range may or may
not be tolerated by the equipment for a period of time but will, in any case, be considered a violation of the
warranty.

2

3
VIDEO FRAME - ANALOG
Video signals are connected to the video frame via BNC jacks on the rear panel. Connect the
source video cables to the corresponding input BNCs on the rear of the frame. The MRX routing switcher
must be the terminating device in the system. All video modules provide the video source with proper 75Ω
termination. All active video outputs must be terminated in 75Ω. (BNC’s for outputs that are beyond the
configured matrix size do not need to be terminated.)
The figure below shows the rear of a system configured as a 32 X 32 switcher. In this configuration,
the bottom two rows of BNC’s are used as the video input connectors. The 32 BNC’s that make up the top
two rows are the video output connectors. All 32 output BNC’s need to be terminated. Use a 75Ωload to
terminate any unused output.

4
To ensure that the SCI has power at all times, the control module is connected to every power
module output. This guarantees that if any functional power supply module is installed, the SCI will have
power supplied to it. In addition, as long as there is more than one operating power supply in the power
frame, the SCI has redundant power capability.
CONTROL BUS WIRING
The data bus connection is provided on the rear of each power frame at the SCI interface panel.
Ribbon cables with 15 Pin D-type connectors are used as Bus connectors. These Bus connectors are used
to transmit the control data from the SCI to all system frames. All systems will be provided with enough bus
cable assemblies to meet the requirements of the system plus an expansion connector. Frame placement
within the racks will determine the required length of the bus cable. If custom length cables are required for
a specific application, Sigma Electronics Inc can accommodate special cable requirements.
POWER MODULE
All power is supplied to the audio and video frames from the power frame through the supplied DC
power cables. Although all power modules are identical, some positions within the frame are dedicated to
supply power to digital audio or video frames and other positions are to supply analog frames. For
applications where redundancy is required, each power frame can hold two digital and two analog assigned
supplies.
After the power supply modules are plugged into the power frame’s slots, install the power cables
into the rear of each supply and then connect to the rear of the appropriate frame, analog or digital. Analog
power cables are terminated with 4-pin connectors and digital power cables are terminated with 6-pin
connectors. Ensure that an analog power supply is used to supply an analog frame and a digital power
supply is used to supply a digital frame.
Additional DC input power connectors are provided on each analog and digital frame. Redundant
analog or digital power supplies may be mounted in the power frame and connected to the audio or video
frames via this connector. The redundant connector on the rear of the analog frame is labeled DC2-I. The
redundant connector on the rear of the digital frame is labeled DC 2.
*NOTE: If one analog video frame and two analog audio frames are used, connect the power supply
cables as follows: Connect one 4-pin power supply cable from the power supply frame to the video frame
connector DC1-I. Connect one 4-pin power supply cable from the power supply frame to the audio frame
connector DC1-I. Connect one 4-pin power supply cable from the video frame connector DC1-O to the 2nd
audio frame connector DC1-I.

5
REAR SUPPORTS
Depending upon the installation, it may be necessary to install the included rear mounting frame supports.
These supports are designed to allow connection to rear rails positioned between 19 and 30 inches from the
front supports. To install, follow the directions below.
Rear Support Installation Instructions
Refer to illustration below for reference letters.
1. Prior to installation of the frame into the rack, attach an extender bar (A); the flat piece with the
countersunk holes at one end; to each side of the frame using the four (4) supplied #8-32 undercut,
flathead screws (B) through the countersunk holes and into the threaded inserts in the side of the
frame. NOTE: Undercut, flathead screws must be used to provide adequate clearance and proper
fit.
2. Install the frame into the equipment rack, securing the front mounting brackets with the supplied
#10-24 plastic-coated, rack-mounting screws. For shorter front to back rack-mounting applications,
be certain both extender bars are positioned between the vertical, rear mounting rack rails.
3. Install both rear mounting brackets (C) over the end of the extender bars with the angled portion
pointing toward the outside.
4. Secure the rear mounting bracket © to the rear of the rack using #10-24 plastic-coated, rack-
mounting screws.
5. Install at least one of the supplied #8-32 panhead screws (D) through the extender bar and into the
threaded inserts in the mounting bracket on each side. For greater security, an additional screw
may be installed where possible.
Rear Support Installation (right side only shown)

6
CONTROL PANEL
To initiate the switching operation, data must be input into the SCI. One way to input this data is
through a control panel. The MRX system is capable of utilizing many different control panels available
from Sigma Electronics, Inc.
The data from the control panels is transferred to the SCI via a communication line. References to
this line are typically abbreviated to COMM line. This coaxial cable is connected between either the COMM
1 or COMM 2 BNC on the SCI interface on the rear of the power frame, and the COMM connection on the
rear of the control panel. Both connectors provide an identical interface to the SCI.
Several control panels may be added to the COMM Line as system requirements dictate. Additional
panels are added by installing BNC “T” connectors in the coax path. Coaxial cable paths for either COMM 1
or COMM2 are recommended to be less than 2000 total feet. This coaxial path should NOT be terminated
in a 75Ωload.
Electronics Inc.

APPENDICES