If you are doing an install where you will exceed the 8 outputs of the XP-8 what would be the recommended options.

I would imagine just add an RP-6 but the negative is that you cannot update them remotely. i.e. the benefit of using he xp-8.

Well while you wait for the 1st XP-8 you could just wait for a second! :)

Well, when you say "the 8 outputs" are you referring to the IR outputs? If so, and you don't need all outputs to be addressable, then just add an IR connecting block to the XP-8 high powered output.

Dino

If I was using IR then ths wouldn't be an issue.

I am looking at the following:

3ea VPS's = 3 ports
5ea CM-232 = 5 Ports
1ea IR Device = 1 port
..................................................
3 VPS's are for 3 cable boxes.
2 Serial for 2 Denon receivers
2 Serial for 2 TV's.
1 Serial to connect to Netstreams.

Serial connection for netstreams... to do what? I have the IR commands but really haven't dug into it yet.

"Sorry."

Anyway, I only count 8 ports needed plus IR. So, again, just use the high output IR port. Granted, you don't have any special purpose IO spares, but it will work for this case.


***edit***

Actually, just checked the XP-8 specs again, and it has 8 dedicated RS-232 ports "in addition" to the 8 general purpose I/O ports. Hopefully these will work as one-way serial ports at least until the 2-way upgrade comes later.

|Serial connection for netstreams... to do what? I have the IR commands but really |haven't dug into it yet.

In the new dealer setup there is a driver caller serialtocommand.lua. This driver, not yet supported, will alllow you to send out via rs-232 the ascii commands that control the netstream components. You would hookup the CM-232 to a null modem cable to a controllynx. Thus you can send a command via rs-232 to turn an amp on or off, change the source etc. The avail list of commands is on the dealer section of the website (controlling digilynx froma a third party control system). Of course, this was posted last year and there have been new enahancements and products released for which the commands are unknown at this time. Other people have had this working and I want to play around with this as well.




I doubt they would work. They utilize rj45 connections for serial and not the miniplug that you use with the cm-232. I would also imagine that these ports will be deactivated in the new version of Theater touch when they add the xp-8.

I also have 2 TV's on the second floor that I will want to hookup as well. Not sure yet if they have serial connections or would have to use IR.

This brings up another question. Am I correct that you can go up to 1000' from the RP6 to an Ir emmitter? Can you also do the same with the serial conection? If so what type of wire do you run and number of conductors needed? I figure Just cat 5e. In the past if I needed to make the serial adapter longer I just used a mini male to female plug and adapter but now this could be about 150' away.

There are 8 ir outputs
PLUS
There are 8 serial outputs
PLUS
There are 8 sense inputs

So, whats the problem?

You don't need to use the IR ports for RS232 and sensing like on the RP6

There are a total of 8 multiuse Ports for serial/IR/and voltage sensing. So you get 2 more than an RP6.

There are another 8 2-way serial ports for future 2 way. (i.e. not used at this time)

There are 8 sensing INPUTS, not sure exactly what these are for but they seem like Contact closures or trigger inputs. I guess if you had a motion sensor that tripped and you wanted an event to happen based on that trigger.

Then there are 8 Relay/Trigger Outputs.


I also just realized taht I have a total 6 Serial and 3 VPS for a total of 9 ports needed.

On the RTI web page it says:

# Eight multi-purpose I/O ports.
# Eight programmable relay outputs.
# Eight two-way RS-232 ports. **
# Eight sense inputs.

i copied that from there page.

If you look at the photo it has "Infrared Out/Serial Out/Power Sync In" listed above the Multi-purpose I/O ports.

That leads me to assume that the "RS232 Ports" are for the upcoming 2 way communication... but you know what happens when you assume.

It will be nice if the RS232 Ports can be used for both one way and two way.

Yes and no, the 8 serial outputs will work in one way mode until they release the 2 way firmware upgrade, so you should be good to go.

So technically an XP8 could have 16 RS232 devices attached? (assuming you didn't need any IR) Thats awesome.

That's my understanding. I believe the 8 multi purpose ones are just one way though.

Holding it in my hands, I think thats right.