Vantage Controls Axium 450 Series User manual

2
Important Safety Instructions
1
Read these instructions.
2
Keep these instructions
3
Heed all warnings
4
Follow all instructions
5
Do not use this apparatus near water
6
Clean only with dry cloth
7
Do not block any ventilation openings, Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
8
Do not install near any heat source such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampli ers)
that produce heat.
9
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with
one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two
blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or
third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided
plug does not  t into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the
point where they exit from the apparatus.
11
Only use the attachments/accessories speci ed by the
manufacturer.
12
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
13
If you install the apparatus in a built-in installation, such
as a bookcase or rack, ensure that there is adequate
ventilation. Leave 1U rack space or 44mm (1.75”) of free
space at the top, 75mm (3”) at the sides and 100mm
(4”) of free space at the rear. The rear edge of the shelf
or board above the apparatus shall be set 10cm (4”) away
from the rear panel or wall, creating a  ue-like gap for
warm air to escape. Good air ow is necessary to help
ensure proper operation. Not only should you provide
enough free space around the unit, but also ensure
that air can  ow freely and escape from the ampli er
surroundings. Failure to do so may cause thermal
shutdown of the unit, or intermittent channel cutout and
reduced life expectancy. A thermal temperature log is
kept.
14
Never expose the unit to moisture
15
Refer all servicing to quali ed service personnel. Servicing
is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any
way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid
has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus.
The apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does
not operate normally, or has been dropped.
16
Damage requiring service
Unplug the apparatus from the wall outlet and refer
servicing to quali ed service personnel under the
following conditions:
A)
When the power supply cord or plug is damaged
B)
If liquid has been spiled, or objects have fallen into
the apparatus.
C)
If the apparatus has been exposed to rain or water,
D)
If the apparatus does not operate normally by
following the operating instructions. Adjust only
those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions as an improper adjustment of other
controls may result in damage and will often require
extensive work by a quali ed technician to restore
the apparatus to its normal operation.
E)
If the apparatus has been dropped or damaged in
any way, and
F)
When the apparatus exhibits a distinct change in
performance this indicates a need for a service.
17
Object and Liquid Entry
Never push objects of any kind into the apparatus through
openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or
short-out parts that could result in a  re or electric shock.
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or
splashing and no objects  lled with liquids, such as vases,
shall be placed on the apparatus.
Don’t put candles or other burning objects on top of this
apparatus.

3
Precautions
1.
Recording Copyright
Unless it’s for personal use only, recording copyrighted
material is illegal without the permission of the copyright
holder.
2.
Care
Occasionally you should dust the unit all over with a soft
cloth. For stubborn stains, use a soft cloth dampened
with a weak solution of mild detergent and water. Dry
the unit immediately afterwards with a clean cloth. Don’t
use abrasive cloths, thinners, alcohol, or other chemical
solvents, because they may damage the  nish or remove
the panel lettering.
3.
Power
WARNING
BEFORE PLUGGING IN THE UNIT FOR THE
FIRST TIME – READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION
CAREFULLY.
AC outlet voltages vary from country to
country. Make sure that the voltage in your area meets
the voltage requirements printed on the unit’s rear panel
(e.g., AC 230V, 50HZ or AC 120V, 60Hz)
4.
Power Cord
The power cord plug is used to disconnect this unit from
the AC power source. Make sure that the plug is readily
operable (easily accessible) at all times:
Never Touch This Unit With Wet Hands
– Never
handle this unit or its power cord while your hands are
wet or damp. If water or any other liquid gets inside this
unit, have it checked by your Vantage / Axium dealer.
5.
Handling Notes
•
If you need to transport this unit, use the original
packaging to pack it how it was when you brought it.
•
DO not leave rubber or plastic items on this unit for
a long time, because they may leave marks on the
case.
•
This unit’s top and rear panels may get warm after
prolonged use. This is normal.
•
If you do not use this unit for a long time, it may not
work properly the next time you turn it on, so be sure
to use it occasionally.
6.
Speaker Shorts
Under no circumstances should the speaker output
terminals of the unit be short circuited, or
connected to another output.
7.
RS232 Connection
Avoid plugging the RS232 cable into the unit while
power is connected.
8.
Direct Sun light
Avoid installing the ampli er in positions
where the front panel is exposed to direct sunlight - may
cause control to become sluggish.
9.
Controller Connection
Never connect more than four controllers to the
12VDC power supply terminals. The supply is internally
fused and will open circuit (self-resetting)
Never connect the ampli er’s 12VDC terminals to
an external power supply.
For U.S. models
FCC information for User
CAUTION:
The user changes or modi cations not expressly approved
by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s
authority to operate the equipment.
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 accordance
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 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 the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician
for help.
For Canadian Models
NOTE:
THIS CLASS B DIGITAL APPARATUS COMPLIES WITH
CANADIAN ICES-003
For models having a power cord with a polarized plug:
CAUTION:
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE
BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT FULLY INSERT.
Modèle pour les Candadien
REMARGUE:
CET APPAPEIL NUMRIQUE DE LA CLASSE B
EST CONFORME À LA NORME NMB-003 DU CANADA.
Sur les modèles don’t la  che est polarisée:
ATTENTION:
POUR VITTER LES CHOCS LECTRIQUES,
INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA
BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQ
AU FOND.

4
Supplied Accessories
Make sure you have the following accessories:
Table of Contents
Important Safety Instructions
2
Precautions
3
Supplied Accessories
4
Installation Guide
5
Features
6
Front Panel Guide
8
Rear Panel Guide
9
Typical System Con guration
10
Controller Termination
12
Advanced IR Control
13
Multiple Ampli er Stacks
14
Zone Linking
15
Automation
16
RS232 Protocol
17
Menu Navigation
21
Programming using Music Center software
25
Speci cations
32

5
Quick
Install Guide
Unpacking
Immediately upon receiving your 450 series ampli er inspect the carton for evidence of mishandling during shipment.
Then carefully unpack the unit and inspect for damage.
Please save the shipping carton and all inner packing materials in the event that the 450 series ampli er needs to be
shipped for service or moved to a new location.
Should you discover that the 450 series ampli er has been damaged during shipping please contact your dealer
immediately.
1.
Check website for latest  rmware, and upload if not current.
2.
If adding an ampli er to an exiting stack or combining ampli ers all  rmware must be the same on all ampli ers
3.
Zone setting. The units all ship with zones 1,2,3,4 already setup.
To add additional ampli ers to a stack the zones must be changed on the additional ampli ers. If there are zone
duplications in a stack of ampli ers the zones with the same number will exactly mirror each other’s operation.
To change an ampli er zone follow the following steps.
•
Do not connect the expansion bus cable.
•
From the front facia rotate the Knob to select the appropriate ampli er – turn it on, and then select the ‘More’
menu (right arrow). Scroll through the menu and select ‘Set Zone’ and change to the required assignment
pushing the Knob to set.
4.
Wire the keypads to the rear of the ampli er.
5.
To setup the keypad follow the Controllers instruction manual, Brie y:
•
with a zone, press the SET key (behind the cover plate) followed by the S2 key
•
Turn the required ampli er zone ON and OFF twice. The Keypad beeps signalling it has been successfully
zoned. The Keypad now controls that zone.
•
Learn codes into the Keypad by  rst selecting the source button ie S3. Press the SET key followed by the S1
key to enter keypad IR learning mode.
•
Press the button you want to learn an IR code into.
•
Align the remote with the front lower window and press the button on the remote to donate the IR code to
that button. Continue learning codes for that source.
•
Press the SET key to exit learn mode.
•
Select the next source, ie S2. Then press SET followed by S1 and repeat the learning process.
6.
To prevent a user from changing the 450 series ampli er’s critical installation settings, ‘Setup Lockout’ can be
selected in the Setup Menu. To enter the setup menu press and hold the Encoder knob for > 10second, scroll
through to ‘Setup Lockout’ enter and select ‘Yes’. The ‘More’ menus on the ampli er are no longer accessible to
the user.
7.
To unlock the 450 series ampli er, return to the setup menu as above. And enter the password: 1396

6
Features
Thank you for purchasing an Axium 450 series Multi-Zone Ampli er.
Please read this manual thoroughly before making connections and plugging in the unit.
Following the instructions in this manual will enable you to obtain optimum performance and listening
enjoyment from your new Multi-Zone Ampli er.
Please retain this manual for future reference.
Multi-Zone, Multi-Source, Video Switching
The 450 series ampli er has four separate preampli ers
and ampli ers, providing 4 zones of independent yet
integrated control.
There are seven stereo sources (S1 – S7) and an eighth
mono source (S8) typically used for paging applications.
Each zone has an eight-source composite video switcher,
so monitor screen’s in four different rooms may display
any of the eight sources
(S1 – S8).
Preampli ers and Outputs
Each zone has bass, treble, balance and loudness
control. These are accessed either from the front panel
or MC
(Music Center) program.
The preampli er output volume may be independent
of the ampli er volume, or made to track the ampli er
with an adjustable offset (± 20dB). The tracking
feature is ideal for passive subwoofer control, while the
independent volume feature is useful for limited control
in close-coupled rooms.
A useful protection feature is ‘Maximum Volume limiting’.
This limits the maximum volume of either the ampli er
or preampli er.
Ampli er Power, Protection, and Clipping
Indicators
50 Watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms, 65Watts RMS
per channel into 6 ohms.
The ampli ers are protected against short-term output
shorts.
The front panel zone indicators will  ash red when the
zone ampli ers are overdriven into clipping.
Thermal Control
There are three progressive levels of thermal control:
•
Internal fans are turned on to aid cooling at 50
o
C.
•
The ampli er volume is reduced 20dB at 100
o
C.
•
At 105
o
C the ampli ers are shutdown until the
temperature reduces below 50
o
C.
Care should be taken to ensure adequate ventilation
– see “Important safety instructions” on page 1
USB, RS232 and IR control
The 450 series ampli er may be controlled and
monitored via either the front Panel USB or rear panel
RS232 serial interface.
In multi ampli er installations where the ampli ers are
interconnected using an expansion bus cable, only one
USB or RS232 connection is required to control the stack
of ampli ers.
A 450 series ampli er may receive IR directly from the
front panel receiver or via the two ‘Controller interface’
connections.
There are zone speci c IR commands and also a set of
global IR commands.
The commands are: ON, OFF, Standby (toggling),
Mute, Amp Volume Up, Amp Volume Down, Pre Volume
Up, Pre Volume Down, Source Selects, Discrete Audio
Source Selects, Discrete Video Source Selects, On with
Source Speci c commands.
The Global commands also include PRESET1 – PRESET
6, Alarm Enable, Alarm OFF, & 5 minute Sleep.
Real Time Clock
The 450 series ampli er is equipped with a real time
clock.
The ampli er may be set up to function as an alarm
clock, so that at 6.30am in the morning 5 days a week,
the master bedroom zone could be made to turn on,
select tuner, and go to a speci c volume. Multiple
Alarms are feasible ( max of 6) However the Alarm
Enable & OFF commands act upon all programmed
Alarms.
The Clock automatically compensates for daylight
saving.
The clock continues to operate typically > 48 hours
without power – more than enough to keep the time
current during lengthy power outages
.
IR Emitter Ports
There are 4 Buffered IR emitter Ports.
Two IR ports have routing, and are linked to their
respective ‘Controller Interface’ ports. These ports
control zone speci c source components. Two IR ports
are the sum of both IR sources; these control the All
zone source components.

7
Presets and Paging
There are six ampli er presets and a page preset.
Presets 1 - 6 cause the ampli er to go to a
predetermined setup, i.e. standby, volume & source
selection.
The presets may also be programmed with event
scheduling, and are used by the alarm clock.
The ‘Page Preset’ mode is for paging applications and is
invoked by a contact closure between the ‘0V’ and the
‘PG’ terminals. When the contact closure is released the
ampli er zones return to their previous states.
Zone Linking
A zone may be programmed to link one other zone.
Zone linking ties the source selection together. It may
also tie the volume, and standby. This is useful for
closely coupled audio areas where it is advantageous to
have different volume control but the same source, or
the same volume with separate standby control. Zone
linking is setup either via the front panel user interface
or by the MC program.
32 Zones
There are 32 zones of possible control.
On a 450 series ampli er each zone must be different,
however in a multiple ampli er stack same zone
ampli ers are possible – they simply mimic every
parameter.
Expansion Bus
Data, IR, Amp-On & Audio sources are interconnected
via the expansion bus.
The expansion bus feature vastly simpli es the
installation cabling of an ampli er stack.
One ampli er is connected to another using a 34-way
ribbon cable. Connections are made from the output of
the  rst ampli er to the input of the second etc.
All audio sources must be connected to the  rst
ampli er.
Note: Video signals are not passed through the
expansion bus.
Door Bell
Looped 1.5 second mono sounds can be generated as
part of a page preset.
Suitable ‘wav’  les are uploaded to the unit using the
MC program. MC truncates the ‘wav’  les to a suitable
size.
Buffered Video Outputs
The composite video inputs are buffered for the purpose
of expanding to other ampli ers in the installation.
12VDC 1A Power
Two 12VDC jacks are available for powering external
accessories.
Discrete Video and Audio Selection
The Video and Audio selection may be independent.
There are RS232 and IR Discrete control commands
available.
Ampli er ON Status – “Amp-On”
Each zone has front panel ON status indication, and
12VDC OUT on the rear panel connector:
(1, 2, 3, 4 & #). The # ‘AMP ON’ output is a logic ‘Or’
output, i.e. if any zone is ON then the output will be 12V.
This is useful for driving a relay that connects AC power
to source equipment. The ‘AMP ON’ output’s are protected
against shorts. The ‘AMP ON’ outputs default to tracking
the preampli er ON status, but may optionally be set to
track the ampli er ON status using the MC program.
Power Failure Restoration
After an AC power outage the 450 series ampli er
restores its settings to the pre-interrupted state.
All internal settings are stored in non-volatile memory,
except the clock that runs for at least 48 hours on stored
power.
Restore Defaults
The 450 series ampli er may be readily set to the default
settings.
Restoring Defaults clears all memory and resets the zone
allocations to zones 1 – 4.
Setup Lockout
Locks access to the System Setup and More menus where
installation critical adjustments can be made.
Password = 1396
Firmware Upgradable
The 450 series ampli ers may be updated with the latest
operational  rmware, using the
USB Uploader program. Provides a degree of future
proo ng, and  exibility.

8
Front Panel Guide
1
Front Panel
Solid Aluminium front Panel
2
Infra-Red Receiver
Receiver for front panel IR control – Not IR pass
through!
3
LCD display
Back lit LCD display for menu guided control
and programming. The display is dimmed when
all zones are Off.
4
Multi Jog
The display menus are navigated and selections
made using left and right rotation and pushes
on the knob.
5
USB Mini B port
The port is used to setup, control or monitor the
ampli er.
A USB mini B cable must be used when
connecting to a PC
6
Zone Indicators
From Left to right; zones 1 – 4. The indicators
are blue when ON, and  ash red when the
ampli ers are overdriven into clipping
7
Chassis Feet
Set high enough to provide unrestricted air ow
through the chassis for convection cooling.
1
2
3
4
5
7
6
7

9
Rear Panel Guide
1
AC Inlet
IEC socket
2
Speaker Terminals
Plug in terminal clamp connectors accept 1.5mm²
(15 gauge) speaker wires
3
Zone Preampli er Out
Audio and composite video outputs.
4
Buffered Video Out
The composite video inputs are buffered to enable
expansion to further ampli ers.
5
RS232 Communication Port
The port is used for setup, control or monitoring. A
null modem cable must be used when connecting to
a PC or control system.
6
Expansion Bus Output
34 way IDC header. Connects to the expansion bus
input of the next ampli er in a stack.
7
AMP ON Control
A contact closure between the PG and 0V
terminals invokes the Page preset, enabling
paging or doorbell activation.
AMP-ON 1,2,3 and 4 output 12VDC when the
Zone preampli er or ampli er is ON, while AMP-
ON # is 12VDC when any of the zones are ON.
8
Input Terminals
Audio and Composite Video Source inputs.
9
Expansion Bus Input
Connects with another 450 series ampli er’s
expansion bus output – provides connection of
source equipment audio, control and IR.
10
12V Out
The connectors supply 12VDC 1Amp max. Centre
Positive, 2.1mm pin diameter.
11
IR Emitter Ports
3.5mm mono jacks. IR1 and IR2 are used to control
speci c source equipment. The ports only output
IR strings received from their associated controller
interface.
1R1 + 1R2 are for control of source equipment
common to all zones. They output the combined IR1
and IR2 infra-red strings.
12 Controller Interface
For connecting to keypads and IR receivers.
There are two controller interface ports:
BUS RUN 1 and 2, and each are linked with an IR
emitter port providing IR routing.
The +12VDC output is internally fused - self-
resetting – and has a maximum load of four
Keypad or IR receivers. The Data terminal sends
ampli er status to the Keypads.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
11

10
Typical System Con guration
FIG 1

11
Typical System Con guration
–
Continued
Fig 1 depicts a typical con guration where the 450
series ampli er is providing audio into four listening
zones.
Each zone consists of a room with a pair of speakers,
and a suitable controller. Additionally a zone may have
monitors or screens.
In Fig 1 three such screens are shown in the Lounge,
Gym and Bedroom. Each zone may be listening /
watching any of the connected sources: Satellite, DVD,
Video, Digital Music server, CD, or tuner.
Controllers
Each zone has a speci c control requirement.
Choose controllers that best suit the application.
•
Zone 1 – The lounge: IR receiver
•
Zone 2 – The Study : Keypad
•
Zone 3 – The Gym : Keypad with IR receiver
•
Zone 4 – The Bedroom: Keypad with IR receiver
Source control IR emitters are plugged into the
IR OUTPUT ports.
There are two IR ports (IR1 + IR2) that combine control
from the BUS RUN 1 and BUS RUN 2 controller interface
ports. These outputs control source equipment available
to all zones, i.e. DVD, Video, CD and DMS.
Each controller interface has an associated IR out
port that routes IR only to that port. In Fig 1 the SAT
emitter is plugged into IR1 port, which means that SAT
control is only available to zone 1, 3 and 4 controllers.
The Tuner emitter is plugged into the IR2 port, so only
the zone 2 controller may control the Tuner.
Source Equipment
The 450 series ampli er has one mono and seven stereo
RCA audio inputs for connecting to source equipment.
Fig 1 con guration has only six of the possible eight
sources populated.
A zone may select from any of the connected sources.
Someone in the Lounge may be listening and viewing
the DVD, while another in the Study may be listening to
music from the Digital Music server.
All four zones may select the same source, in such
circumstances there is a possibility that all four zones
may be trying to control that source – not always
desirable – so a system should be well planned and
where appropriate additional source equipment
installed.
Speakers
Speakers in each zone are connected to the ampli er by
“Home Run” speaker cables.
Fig 1 depicts a powered subwoofer in the study. The
subwoofer is driven by the zone 2 preampli er, and is
set to track the zone 2 ampli er volume. The subwoofer
volume or offset can be adjusted for correct tonal
balance.
Fig 1 additional depicts a pair of speakers in the
bedroom. These are the associated Bedroom Bathroom
speakers and are driven by a low powered slave
ampli er. The zone 4 preampli er has been set to
“Independent mode” and connects to the slave ampli er.
Independent mode is where the preampli er volume
may be different from the ampli er volume within a
34dB range or 68% of the volume level.
It also has independent standby and muting.
Video Outputs
The composite video outputs are suitable for driving
ONE composite video display device. To avoid signal
degradation, home runs of appropriate video cable
should be less than 100 meters (300ft).

12
Controller Termination
The recommended wiring and colour scheme is shown in Fig 2.
Use the Standard 568-B colour code for the CAT5E termination to the Controller – see Table 1
Although it is possible to daisy chain controllers we recommend “home runs” of CAT5E cable with a maximum cable
length of 200m (650ft).
Note:
Some IR receivers have an Ampli er On indicator, their “On” terminal should be connected to the zone’s AMP
ON output not to the controller interface ports “Data” terminal.
Orange & Green
Orange & Green
White/Green
White/Green
White/Orange
White/Orange
RJ45 Pin
Wire Colour
Keypad function
1
White/Orange
+12V DC supply
2
Orange
0V supply
3
White/Green
IR output
4
Blue
nc
5
White/Blue
Data input
6
6
Green
0V supply
7
7
White/Brown
nc
8
Brown
nc
Table 1
White/Blue
White/Blue
CAT5E cable
CAT5E cable
FIG 2

13
Advanced IR Control
FIG 3
IR routing – discussed in Typical System con guration” on page 11 is used to address centrally located source
equipment.
When multiple same brand / model source equipment is used steps must be taken to isolate the radiated IR from
interfering with their discrete operation. This may be achieved by either installing in different cupboards / locations or
by using IR blockers over the IR emitters. The IR blockers are the preferred solution since cupboard doors are often
left open.
Fig 3 shows a typical installation where several SAT receivers and tuners are required. The dashed lines enclosing the
source equipment represent IR isolation.

14
Multiple 450 Series Ampli er Stacks
FIG 4
In large installations where multiple 450 series ampli ers are required, the expansion bus may be used to convey
inter-ampli er control, source equipment audio and IR control.
Fig 4 shows inter-connected ampli ers using an expansion bus lead. The source equipment audio inputs must be
plugged into the  rst ampli er where they are buffered and sent to the next ampli er in the stack. The maximum
recommended expansion is eight units.
If connecting serial RS232 only one connection to any ampli er is necessary.
The composite video inputs are not conveyed through the expansion bus, however the buffered video outputs of the
 rst ampli er can be connected to the video inputs of the next ampli er in the stack.

15
Zone Linking
FIG 5
Zone linking is a useful feature for simplifying control in closely coupled rooms, where the rooms require different
volume levels and ON /Off status, yet the same audio source.
If for instance the Lounge and Study zones in the ‘Typical System Con guration’ were always used together on the
same source, then zone linking could be used to simplify the control of the two otherwise separate zones.
Zone 2 is simply linked to zone 1 either via the front panel user interface or MC program. Once linked both zones will
always select the same source whether controlled by the lounge remote control, or study keypad. A zone can only be
linked to one other, i.e. zone 1 linked to zone 2. On the same 450 series ampli er the other two zones may also be
linked, i.e. zone 3 linked to zone 4.
Options are also provided for Linking volume &/or standby via the MC program.

16
Automation
FIG 6
Any ampli er parameter is controllable using the serial RS232 interface. The RS232 protocol is outlined in the
following section and encompasses both the ampli er and connected keypads.
The interface is bi-directional, allowing the ampli er and network to be monitored.
The RS232 port connection must be made using a ‘Null Modem’ cable, where pin’s 2 & 3 are swapped at one
connector.
Fig 6 shows a typical touch panel controller providing the user interface to a 450 series ampli er.
The controller has it’s own operating system that is programmed to handle the RS232 protocol.
An automation system is not restricted to touch panels, it may be an extension of a home lighting, security, building
management, or other specialised home automation system.
The ‘Page Preset’ is a special preset that is invoked whenever there is a contact closure across the ‘PG’ and 0V
terminals. Each zone on the ampli er may be set to a speci c input and at speci c volumes (depends on room &
application). When the contact closure is opened the ampli er returns to its previous states. The ‘Page Preset’ is
useful for telephone paging, door & gate phone paging, or doorbell applications.
Note
: The S8 input is summed with the internal doorbell generator

17
RS232 Protocol
The RS232
serial port provides data acquisition and control of the 450 Series ampli ers and networked keypads by a
home automation system, or PC.
The interconnecting cable must be ‘Null modem’: 9 pin female ‘D’ connectors at both ends (pin connections 2 and 3
swapped at one end) only RX, TX & 0V (pin 5) are used.
Baud Rate = 9600, Characters are all ASCII.
Command Structure: <
command
><
zone
><
data
>
line feed
.
Command
Command
Description
01
Standby
02
Mute
03
Source Selection
04
Volume
05
Bass
06
Treble
07
Balance
09
Send All parameters
0B
Cause key press on Keypad
0C
Ampli er features
0D
Maximum Volume Limit
0F
Link Zone
11
Volume Up
12
Volume Down
14
Request Device information
1C
Zone Name
1D
Preampli er Volume Mode
1E
Preset Selection / status
26
Volume BCD format
28
Video Source selection
Zone
Ampli ers and keypads are encoded with up to 32 zones
The zone byte is used for checking if the command is applicable to the device receiving the command and if so, for
optionally selecting a “sub-device”, e.g. a bank or part of a device. All Zones are addressed using FF.
- The lower 5 bits of the zone byte represent the zone 0 – 31 selection, i.e:
§
00000 bin = 00 (hex) = zone 0
§
00001 bin = 01 (hex) = zone 1
§
01010 bin = 0A (hex) = zone 10
§
11111 bin = 1F (hex) = zone 31
- The upper 3 bits represent the sub-device. The sub-device codes for the 450 series ampli er are:
§
standard ampli er
= 000
§
page preset ampli er
= 001
§
standard preampli er
= 010
§
page preset preampli er
= 011
Examples:
Addressing a zone 10 preampli er: Binary 010-01010 or 4A hex
Send ASCII “4A”
Addressing a zone 10 ampli er: Binary 000-01010 or 0A hex
Send ASCII “0A”
Addressing all Zone amp & preampli er: FF hex
Send ASCII “FF”

18
RS232 Protocol –
Continued
Data
Command
Content
Standby
(01)
00
– Standby OFF
01
– Standby ON
04
– Toggle
Mute
(02)
00
– Mute
01
– Un-mute
02
– Toggle Mute
Source Selection
(03)
00
– S5
01
– S6
02
– S7
03
– S4
04
– S8
05
– S1
06
– S2
07
– S3
40
– S5 Audio only
41
– S6 Audio only
42
– S7 Audio only
43
– S4 Audio only
44
– S8 Audio only
45
– S1 Audio only
46
– S2 Audio only
47
– S3 Audio only
Volume
(04)
00 – A0
range
Bass
(05)
F4 – 0C
(-12db - +12db)
Treble
(06)
F4 – 0C
(-12db - +12db)
Balance
(07)
EC – 14
(Left –20db – Right –20db)
Send all parameters
(09)
XX –
value ignored
Ampli er features
(0C)
00
– Loudness enabled
01
– Loudness disabled
Maximum Volume Limit
(0D)
00 – A0
range
Link Zone
(0F)
00 – 31
zone to be linked
FF
– for no zone linking
Volume Up
(11)
XX
– value ignored
XX – value ignoredXX
Volume Down
(12)
XX
– value ignored
XX – value ignoredXX
Zone Name
(1C)
Data  eld contains the ASCII string
Preampli er Volume Mode
(1D)
00 – A0
range
FF
= Independent mode.

19
RS232 Protocol –
Continued
Command
Content
Preset Selection
(1E)
All Zone function: Zone byte = FF
00
– Default : exit preset mode
01
– Force “Page Preset”
02
– Select Preset 1
03
– Select Preset 2
04
– Select Preset 3
05
– Select Preset 4
06
– Select Preset 5
07
– Select Preset 6
Volume BCD Format
(26)
0 – 99
in BCD format same as Front Panel display
Video Source selection
(28)
00
– S5 Video
01
– S6 Video
02
– S7 Video
03
– S4 Video
04
– S8 Video
05
– S1 Video
06
– S2 Video
07
– S3 Video
Notes:
q
Commands are used as noti cations. If an ampli er is switched ON, it will notify the other devices on the Control
Bus by sending the Standby command (01). Any ampli ers with the same zone will take the noti cation as a
command and also switch ON.
q
When a command is sent to an ampli er it will  rst be transmitted on the control bus and then returned to the PC
(Home automation system). If an error occurs an error will be returned instead of the original command. The PC
(Home automation system) needs to ignore its command when it is returned
q
A Standby ON command implies that the ampli er is not muted, if the ampli er was previously Off, a mute
command must follow the Standby command if it is muted.
q
Not all Command and Data commands are covered in this document.
q
The expected reply for the “Send all Parameters” command (09) is >144 bytes. All command  elds listed in this
document are contained in the reply. The reply also contains advanced commands not listed in this document.
The home automation or PC’s buffer should be large enough to receive and process the 144-byte reply.
q
If two pairs of zones are linked on a 450 series ampli er, i.e. zones 1 & 2 and zones 3 & 4, and a “Link Zone”
command is sent that links zones 2 & 3, then the ampli er has the following implications:
§
Zone 2 links to Zone 3
§
Since zone 2 is no longer linked to zone 1, zone 1 shall no longer be linked to zone 2.
§
Since Zone 3 is no longer linked to zone 4, zone 4 shall no longer be linked to zone 3.
Example strings:
010A01:
Standby ON command for zone 10 ampli er
014A01:
Standby command for zone 10 preampli er
060002:
+2db Treble setting on zone 0
031F02:
S7 source selection on zone 31
0B0311:
Volume down continuous push on zone 3 keypad

20
RS232 Protocol –
Continued
Keypad key codes
A Keypad controller may be directed to emit its learnt IR commands via RS232 control.
This is achieved by sending a ‘Cause key press on Keypad’ command “0B” followed by the zone, and the Keypad key
code (data).
The Keypad key code is encoded with IR string repeats. (See table below)
To terminate a continuously repeating ‘Key press’, command a “FF” keypad key code must be sent.
AX-KPB Keypad
REPEATS
KEY
Continuous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
00
20
40
60
80
A0
C0
E0
Bank 6 (Amp: S6)
01
21
41
61
81
A1
C1
E1
Bank 5 (Amp: S5)
02
22
42
62
82
A2
C2
E2
Bank 4 (Amp: S4)
03
23
43
63
83
A3
C3
E3
Bank 3 (Amp: S3)
04
24
44
64
84
A4
C4
E4
Bank 2 (Amp: S2)
05
25
45
65
85
A5
C5
E5
Bank 1 (Amp: S1)
08
28
48
68
88
A8
C8
E8
Volume Up
09
29
49
69
89
A9
C9
E9
Standby Command
0A
2A
4A
6A
8A
AA
CA
EA
Mute Command
0C
2C
4C
6C
8C
AC
CC
EC
Volume Down
0E
2E
4E
6E
8E
AE
CE
EE
Standby/Mute
10
30
50
70
90
B0
D0
F0
5
11
31
51
71
91
B1
D1
F1
4
12
32
52
72
92
B2
D2
F2
3
13
33
53
73
93
B3
D3
F3
2
14
34
54
74
94
B4
D4
F4
1
15
35
55
75
95
B5
D5
F5
Skip
16
36
56
76
96
B6
D6
F6
Stop
17
37
57
77
97
B7
D7
F7
Play
18
38
58
78
98
B8
D8
F8
0
19
39
59
79
99
B9
D9
F9
9
1A
3A
5A
7A
9A
BA
DA
FA
8
1B
3B
5B
7B
9B
BB
DB
FB
7
1C
3C
5C
7C
9C
BC
DC
FC
6
1D
3D
5D
7D
9D
BD
DD
FD
-Track
1E
3E
5E
7E
9E
BE
DE
FE
Pause
1F
3F
5F
7F
9F
BF
DF
-
+Track
FF
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Stops continuous key press