Most sources that are RS232 controllable provide a protocol document (usually from their
Tech Support Department) that will have all of the necessary information, including pin-out,
to custom build the RS232 control cable (Figure 16).
7) CONNECT ALL STATUS
There are two types of status (power synchronization) ports on the HT-MSU: the TV/7
and RCV/8 status connections are 3.5mm mono ports; and SRC1 through SRC6 status
connections are RCA jack ports. The TV/7 and RCV/8 status connections are voltage-
sensing ports “looking for” 12V DC Volt input. The most common technique for “synching”
the home theater receiver is to use a Niles 12V (FG01035) power supply plugged into the
receiver’s switched outlet, and plugging the 3.5mm jack into the RCV/8 Status connection
port. The most common way to “synch” the TV (which usually doesn’t have a switched AC
outlet on the back) is to use one of the Niles synching accessories like the CS12V Current
Sensor or LS-1 Light Sensor. Both of these synching accessories have 12V outputs that
can be connected to the HT-MSU using a 3.5mm mono jack plugged into the TV/7 status
port.
The SRC1 through SRC6 RCA connections are RCA jack ports that are “looking” for either
voltage or a video signal from the source. If a DVD is to be hooked up as SRC2 (use the
worksheets to help with source connection layouts), an RCA video cable would be used to
connect the DVD’s composite video output to the SRC2 RCA Status connection port. If the
DVD has only one composite video output, and that is being used to show video on the TV,
an RCA Y-adaptor can be used to split the video output (of the DVD) for both the TV signal
and Status connection to the HT-MSU.
IMPORTANT NOTE: RCA SOURCE STATUS INPUTS ARE DESIGNED WITH HIGH-INPUT
IMPEDANCES IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF THE VIDEO SIGNAL WHEN USING
A RCA Y-ADAPTOR.
If the source to be “synched” doesn’t have a video output, one of the Niles Synching
Accessories can be used instead of video. Most Niles Synching Accessories use a 3.5mm
jack as the output. This 3.5mm jack must be changed to mate with the RCA connector on
the HT-MSU; use a Radio Shack 274-897 OR 274-330 mini-plug to male RCA adapter.
8) CONNECT 12V
The 12V trigger output jacks use 3.5mm mono plug with standard “Tip and Collar”
configuration. The tip is 12V DC 150mA when activated and the collar is ground. Niles has
two accessory cables for use with these 12V output jacks (FG00724 or FG00933). Simply
plug one of these cables with a 3.5mm mono plug into one of the three assignable jacks.
Plug the other end of the cable into the device that will be triggered or activated.
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