Extron electronic Home Theater Server MLC 52 User Manual

MLC 52 Series  
MediaLinkControllers  
68-1079-01 Rev. D  
04 07  
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Table of Contents  
Chapter 1 • Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1-1  
About the MLC 52 Series................................................................................................. 1-2  
Features and Options........................................................................................................ 1-2  
Standard features .............................................................................................................. 1-2  
Options and accessories..................................................................................................... 1-3  
MLC 52 Application Examples ...................................................................................... 1-4  
Chapter 2 • Installation.......................................................................................................... 2-1  
Installation Overview ....................................................................................................... 2-2  
UL Requirements ................................................................................................................. 2-3  
Installation Procedures .................................................................................................... 2-3  
Preparing the site and installing the wall box ................................................................. 2-3  
Replacing the faceplate..................................................................................................... 2-4  
Replacing button labels..................................................................................................... 2-5  
Mounting an electrical box ............................................................................................... 2-6  
Rear panel and cable connections .................................................................................... 2-8  
Wiring the control connector................................................................................... 2-10  
Wiring for IR control ........................................................................................... 2-11  
Wiring for RS-232 control (RS models only) ....................................................... 2-12  
Wiring an IR Link ................................................................................................. 2-12  
Wiring an IRL 20 .................................................................................................. 2-14  
Wiring the power connector .............................................................................. 2-15  
Wiring the VC port.................................................................................................... 2-15  
Mounting the MLC 52 ..................................................................................................... 2-16  
Mounting the MLC to an electrical box or mounting bracket ............................... 2-16  
Mounting the MLC to a wall or furniture ............................................................... 2-17  
Chapter 3 • Operation ............................................................................................................. 3-1  
Display Device Control..................................................................................................... 3-2  
Front Panel Features and Operation ......................................................................... 3-2  
Buttons on the front panel ............................................................................................... 3-2  
Switch modes ..................................................................................................................... 3-2  
Front panel components ................................................................................................... 3-3  
Configuring the MLC 52 Using IR................................................................................ 3-5  
Configuring using IR data transfer ................................................................................... 3-5  
Configuring using IR Learning .......................................................................................... 3-7  
Removing commands from a button ................................................................................ 3-9  
Setting up button macros ................................................................................................. 3-9  
Configuring a single button for input source selection ................................................ 3-10  
Using the MLC 52 VC Models with the MPA Series Power Amplifiers... 3-11  
Requirements for the MLC 52 with volume control knob ............................................. 3-11  
Wiring and connections for the MLC 52 VC models ...................................................... 3-12  
Configuring the MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS Vol buttons ................................................ 3-12  
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Table of Contents, cont’d  
Powering the Display Device On and Off ............................................................. 3-12  
Powering on ..................................................................................................................... 3-12  
Powering off .................................................................................................................... 3-13  
Selecting Inputs................................................................................................................. 3-13  
Operating the MLC 52 Using IR Remote Control............................................... 3-14  
Buttons on the IR 452 remote control ............................................................................ 3-15  
Resetting ............................................................................................................................... 3-16  
Locking the Front Panel (Executive Mode) .......................................................... 3-16  
Chapter 4 • Special Applications ..................................................................................... 4-1  
Application 1: Using Multiple Sources with an MLC 52 ................................. 4-2  
Programming buttons for an IR controlled system.......................................................... 4-3  
Projector remote control type A (application 1) ....................................................... 4-3  
Projector remote control type B (application 1) ....................................................... 4-6  
Programming buttons for multiple inputs on an RS-232 controlled system .................. 4-7  
Application 2: Projector Requiring a Power Off Confirmation .................. 4-7  
Configuring the MLC 52 for a power-off confirmation................................................... 4-8  
Application 3: Controlling Projectors That Have Multi-coded  
IR Functionality.................................................................................................................... 4-9  
Configuring the MLC 52 for multi-coded IR functionality .............................................. 4-9  
Projector remote control type A (application 3) ....................................................... 4-9  
Programming RGB inputs — projector remote control type A ........................... 4-9  
Programming video inputs — projector remote control type A....................... 4-10  
Issuing input selection commands learned from a type A remote control ...... 4-12  
Programming VC models — projector remote control type A......................... 4-12  
Projector remote control type B (application 3) ..................................................... 4-13  
Programming RGB inputs — projector remote control type B ......................... 4-13  
Programming video inputs — projector remote control type B ....................... 4-14  
Issuing input selection commands learned from remote control type B ......... 4-15  
Programming VC models — Projector remote control type B ......................... 4-15  
Chapter 5 • Serial Communication................................................................................. 5-1  
Using the MLC 52 Configuration Program ............................................................. 5-2  
Installing the software ...................................................................................................... 5-3  
Starting the configuration program................................................................................. 5-4  
Loading Extron drivers ...................................................................................................... 5-5  
Loading the serial (RS-232) drivers ............................................................................. 5-5  
Loading the IR drivers ................................................................................................. 5-5  
Viewing the IR driver package version ...................................................................... 5-7  
Changing the location of the IR drivers..................................................................... 5-8  
Key to file names ............................................................................................................... 5-9  
Configuring using the MLC 52 Configuration Wizard..................................................... 5-9  
Creating a new configuration using the wizard ..................................................... 5-11  
Opening an existing configuration using the wizard ............................................. 5-17  
Configuring using the Windows-based configuration program................................... 5-19  
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Overview of the configuration procedure .............................................................. 5-20  
Opening the MLC 52 Configuration Program screen.............................................. 5-20  
Displaying the Help program ................................................................................... 5-23  
Saving and restoring a configuration ...................................................................... 5-23  
Saving a configuration ........................................................................................ 5-23  
Restoring a configuration ................................................................................... 5-24  
Overview of the MLC 52 configuration program main screen ............................... 5-25  
Menu bar ............................................................................................................. 5-26  
Front panel representations ............................................................................... 5-28  
Button Settings area............................................................................................ 5-29  
Display settings tabs ............................................................................................ 5-29  
Button Operations area ...................................................................................... 5-29  
Adding a driver ......................................................................................................... 5-30  
Removing a driver ..................................................................................................... 5-32  
Removing an IR driver ......................................................................................... 5-32  
Removing a serial driver...................................................................................... 5-32  
Assigning functions to buttons ................................................................................ 5-32  
Assigning user-defined functions to buttons .......................................................... 5-34  
Removing a function from a button ........................................................................ 5-35  
Setting up button modes and labels........................................................................ 5-35  
Factory defaults ................................................................................................... 5-37  
Setting the button modes ................................................................................... 5-38  
Entering display device power settings ................................................................... 5-38  
Entering display device communications port settings .......................................... 5-39  
Programming the MLC 52 for control by the IR 452 Remote ........................................ 5-40  
Performing IR Learning via software.............................................................................. 5-40  
Playing an IR command ................................................................................................... 5-42  
Using emulation mode .................................................................................................... 5-43  
Selecting the starting screen ........................................................................................... 5-46  
Resetting .......................................................................................................................... 5-47  
Uploading firmware ........................................................................................................ 5-48  
Downloading the firmware from the Web ............................................................. 5-48  
Installing the Firmware Loader ................................................................................ 5-49  
Updating the firmware............................................................................................. 5-49  
Using Simple Instruction Set (SIS) commands................................................. 5-51  
Host-to-MLC communications ......................................................................................... 5-51  
MLC-initiated messages ............................................................................................ 5-51  
Error responses .......................................................................................................... 5-51  
Using the command/response tables ....................................................................... 5-51  
Symbol definitions .................................................................................................... 5-52  
Command/response table for SIS commands ................................................................. 5-53  
Command/response table for advanced instructions  
(for the MLC 52 configuration program) ....................................................................... 5-54  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Table of Contents  
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Table of Contents, cont’d  
Appendix A • Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories.................... A-1  
Specifications....................................................................................................................... A-2  
Part Numbers and Accessories ......................................................................................... A-3  
Included parts ................................................................................................................... A-3  
Optional accessories ......................................................................................................... A-4  
Cables ................................................................................................................................ A-4  
Appendix B • Templates.........................................................................................................B-1  
MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS Template ................................................................ B-2  
MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC Template.............................................................B-3  
All trademarks mentioned in this manual are the properties of their respective owners.  
68-1079-01 Rev. D  
04 07  
iv  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Table of Contents  
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MLC 52 Series  
Chapter One  
1
Introduction  
About the MLC 52 Series  
Features and Options  
MLC 52 Application Examples  
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Introduction  
About the MLC 52 Series  
The Extron MediaLinkController 52 (MLC 52) Series provide RS-232 and/or  
infrared (IR) remote control of a projector or other display device. They are  
economical, compact (one-gang or two-gang size), easy-to-use controllers for use  
with audiovisual equipment in sites such as elementary or high school classrooms,  
or small conference rooms. The MLC 52 acts as a universal remote control panel,  
providing control for a display device’s power, input selection, volume, and more.  
The MLC 52 can be configured using three different methods:  
Infrared (IR) learning  
IR data transfer (“beaming”) from another MLC 52  
Using Extron device control drivers with the Windows®-based configuration  
software program  
Features and Options  
The MLC 52 is available in the following models:  
MLC 52 IR — 1-gang size; controls the display device by IR.  
MLC 52 RS — 1-gang size; controls the display device by either IR or RS-232.  
MLC 52 IR VC — 2-gang size; controls the display device via IR. This model has a  
volume control knob to control an amplifier such as the Extron MPA Mini  
Power Amplifier (purchased separately).  
MLC 52 RS VC — 2-gang size; controls the display device by either IR or RS-232.  
This model has a volume control knob to control an amplifier such as the  
Extron MPA Mini Power Amplifier (purchased separately).  
The terms “MLC,” “MLC 52,” and “controller” are used interchangeably in  
this manual to refer to all four models of the MediaLink controller unit,  
regardless of which faceplate is attached to it. The cabling, operation, and  
setup are identical for all models; the models differ only in how they are  
controlled.  
Standard features  
IR and RS-232 ports for universal display device control — The MLC 52 has a  
dedicated port for communicating with virtually any projector or display via  
infrared (IR) signal. The MLC 52 RS models also have ports for  
unidirectional RS-232 wired serial control. Projector control drivers can be  
downloaded from the Extron Web site or created using the Windows-based  
configuration program.  
Discrete On and Off display device power controls — These controls simplify  
system operations and eliminate the need for a device’s handheld remote  
control.  
Configurable, backlit buttons — The configurable buttons can be set up to control  
display device power, volume, input selection, or any other IR or RS-232  
command function supported by the device. The buttons are backlit and can  
be custom labeled, offering easy operation for presenters in low-light  
environments.  
Macro and toggle button modes — Each button on the MLC can be programmed  
to send out up to four IR or serial commands. You can set each button either  
to issue all its commands with one press (macro mode) or to issue one of its  
commands at a time, in sequence, with each button press (toggle mode).  
1-2  
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Front panel configuration port — This RS-232 serial port enables advanced  
configuration, driver downloads, and firmware updates to be performed  
from the front panel without the need to remove the controller from its  
mounting. The optional Extron configuration cable (part #70-335-01) can be  
used to connect the MLC 52 to the PC’s RS-232 port.  
Three configuration methods — The MLC 52 can be configured easily using the  
following methods:  
IR learning — Allows the MLC 52 to be set up directly from the display  
device’s remote control without the need for software.  
IR data transfer — Duplicates complete configuration information from  
one MLC 52 model to another without cables or software.  
Windows-based configuration software — Combined with one of the  
many IR or RS-232 drivers that are provided with the controller on CD or  
available on the Extron Web site, Extron’s MLC 52 Configuration  
Program software provides fast and simple setup.  
Inactivity timer for display shutoff — Adjustable timer control provides automatic  
shutdown of the display device to conserve energy, prevent plasma burn-in,  
and extend projector lamp life.  
Front panel security lockout — Front panel lockout (executive mode) can be  
implemented if the MLC 52 is installed in an unsecured environment where  
universal access is not desirable.  
High-impact mounting faceplates — The standard MLC 52 models are provided  
with two one-gang sized high-impact plastic faceplates (one black and one  
white), that are durable enough for demanding environments.  
The MLC 52 VC models include two two-gang sized high impact plastic  
faceplates (one black and one white).  
Flexible mounting options — With a standard electrical box or one of the included  
mounting brackets (“mud rings”), the MLC 52 can be mounted in a wide  
variety of locations, including walls, lecterns, and tables.  
Volume control (VC) faceplate — The two-gang sized MLC 52 IR VC and the  
MLC 52 RS VC each have a volume control knob in addition to the six control  
buttons. To use this knob, you must connect the MLC 52 to a power amplifier  
(purchased separately), such as the Extron MPA Series Mini Power Amplifier,  
to which you also connect the projector or display (see the application  
diagram on page 1-4). The volume control knob adjusts the volume on the  
amplifier. This option frees up the two volume control buttons on the MLC to  
be used or reconfigured for other display device functions.  
Options and accessories  
MPA Series Mini Power Amplifier — Connect an MPA 122 (part #60-668-01) or an  
MPA 181T (part #60-747-01) to the volume control port of the MLC 52 VC  
models, and to your projector or display and speakers. This enables you to  
use the MLC’s volume knob to control the volume of the speakers via the  
MPA.  
Remote control — The optional IR 452 Remote Control and optional IR signal  
repeater provide infrared remote control of the MLC unit from up to 30 feet  
away.  
The Extron P/S 100 and other Extron power supplies may be used with the  
MLC 52.  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Introduction  
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Introduction, cont’d  
MLC 52 Application Examples  
IR or RS-232  
Control  
Y
LA  
P
IS  
D
OFF  
ON  
Projector w/  
Internal Speakers  
PC  
L
VO  
VIDEO  
L
VO  
MLC 52  
Extron  
MLC 52  
Basic MediaLink  
Controller  
PC  
VGA w/  
Audio Cable  
DVD  
Composite  
Audio RCA  
Application diagram for a standard MLC 52 (1-gang size)  
PC  
VGA w/  
Audio Cable  
Extron  
SPC 62  
Ceiling Speakers  
(in parallel)  
DVD  
S-video  
Audio RCA  
Extron  
MPA 122  
Mini Power  
Amplifier  
122  
A
S
T
MP  
U
P
OUT  
Ohms  
/8  
4
US  
C
E
T
R
MO  
TS  
RE  
PU  
IN  
L
V
UTE  
10  
V
/M  
OL  
R
L
L
ER  
W
VCR  
PO  
R
Composite  
Audio RCA  
Volume  
Control  
Y
A
L
P
IS  
D
OFF  
Switched Audio  
Output  
ON  
PC  
UME  
VD  
D
OL  
IR or RS-232  
Control  
V
VCR  
2
5
C
L
M
Extron  
MLC 52 RS VC  
Basic MediaLink Controller  
with Volume Control  
Projector  
1-4  
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MLC 52 Series  
Chapter Two  
2
Installation  
Installation Overview  
UL Requirements  
Installation Procedures  
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Installation  
Installation Overview  
Installation and service must be performed by authorized personnel only. UL  
listed electrical boxes are recommended. See “UL Requirements,” on the  
CAUTION  
next page.  
To install and set up the MLC, follow these steps:  
If applicable, prepare the installation site: cut a hole in the wall, install the  
electrical box or mounting bracket (“mud ring”), and prepare the cables.  
Instructions are included in this manual and/or with the optional faceplate,  
mounting device, or wall box.  
1
Metal versions of the one-gang and VC faceplates are available as options.  
See “Preparing the site and installing the wall box,” later in this chapter.  
Make and/or install button labels as desired. See “Replacing button labels,”  
later in this chapter.  
2
3
If you want to use a different faceplate from the one that is attached, remove  
the installed faceplate from the MLC, and replace it with the new one. See  
“Replacing the faceplate,” later in this chapter.  
Attach cables to the rear of the MLC and to the display device; MPA Mini  
Power Amplifier (if applicable); and optional IR Link, IR Emitters, and/or  
IRL 20.  
4
Connect power cords and turn on all the devices, including the MLC.  
Configure the controller by using one of the following methods:  
5
6
IR learning (See “Configuring using IR learning,” in chapter 3,  
“Operations.”)  
IR data transfer (cloning) (See “Configuring using data transfer,” in  
chapter 3, “Operations.”)  
Windows®-based configuration software program (See “Using the  
MLC 52Configuration Program” in chapter 5, “Serial Communication,”  
for detailed information on the configuration software.)  
Test the system: press the MLC’s buttons, watch the display, and listen to the  
audio output to determine whether the output devices are responding  
correctly (powering on/off, switching inputs, etc.). If not, ensure that all  
devices are plugged in and receiving power. Check the cabling, and make  
adjustments as needed.  
7
8
Mount the MLC to the wall or furniture.  
a.  
Disconnect the MLC’s power supply at the power source end (not at the  
MLC end).  
b. Disconnect the other devices’ power.  
c.  
Secure the faceplate onto a UL-approved electrical wall box, a mounting  
bracket, a wall, or furniture. See “Mounting the MLC 52,” later in this  
chapter.  
d. Restore power to the MLC and to the connected devices.  
2-2  
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UL Requirements  
The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) requirements listed below pertain to the  
installation of the MLC into a wall or furniture.  
1.  
Elevated operating ambient temperature — If the equipment is installed in a  
closed or multiunit rack assembly, the operating ambient temperature of the  
rack environment may be greater than room ambient. Therefore, consider  
installing the equipment in an environment compatible with the maximum  
ambient temperature (Tma) specified by the manufacturer. For the MLC 52,  
the Tma is 122 °F (50 °C).  
2.  
Reduced air flow — Installation of the equipment in a rack should be such  
that the amount of air flow required for safe operation of the equipment is not  
compromised.  
3.  
4.  
Mechanical loading — Mounting of the equipment in the rack should be such  
that a hazardous condition is not achieved due to uneven mechanical loading.  
Circuit overloading — Consideration should be given to the connection of the  
equipment to the supply circuit and the effect that overloading of the circuits  
might have on overcurrent protection and supply wiring. Appropriate  
consideration of equipment nameplate ratings should be used when  
addressing this concern.  
5.  
Reliable earthing (grounding) — Reliable earthing of rack-mounted  
equipment should be maintained. Particular attention should be given to  
supply connections other than direct connections to the branch circuit (e. g.,  
use of power strips).  
Installation Procedures  
The MLC 52 can be installed into a wall or furniture. Follow the instructions  
appropriate to the mounting option you have selected.  
Preparing the site and installing the wall box  
The installation of the MLC 52 must conform to national and local electrical codes  
and to the equipment’s size requirements.  
Installation using a UL listed wall box is recommended for most mounting options,  
but mounting brackets can be used instead. To mount the controller using an  
electrical box and/or a mounting bracket, use one of the rough-in templates  
provided in appendix B, “Dimensions and Templates,” as a guide to measure and  
mark the hole in the wall or furniture through which the MLC will be mounted.  
The templates provide measurements for installing the control panel with either an  
electrical box or a mounting bracket.  
The templates are not to scale and are provided for reference only.  
The MLC 52 models include a one-gang plastic faceplate, which can be  
installed on a standard one-gang electrical wall box that is at least 1.75" deep.  
Mud rings are also included.  
The MLC 52 VC models have two-gang plastic faceplates, which can be  
installed in a standard two-gang wall box. Mud rings are also included.  
Also available are optional faceplates that accept the MLC 52 and can be  
installed into one-gang or two-gang electrical wall boxes or directly mounted  
into furniture. Templates for these optional faceplates are included with each  
faceplate.  
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Installation, cont’d  
To prepare the site,  
1.  
Choose a location that will allow cable runs without interference. Allow  
enough depth for both the wall box and the cables. You may need to install  
the cables into the wall or furniture before installing the controller. If using an  
electrical box to wall mount the controller, locate a stud to which the box will  
be attached.  
2.  
3.  
Use the appropriate template and faceplate dimensions in appendix B,  
“Dimensions and Templates,” as a guide to measure and mark the area to cut  
out. If you are using a mounting bracket, refer to the template that came with  
the bracket.  
Cut out the opening in the wall or furniture.  
Replacing the faceplate  
You can replace the provided plastic faceplate with an optional metal one — the  
MLM 52 1GWP one-gang metal faceplate (part #70-528-02 or -03) or the MLM 52 VC  
two-gang metal faceplate (part # 70-538-02 or -03), both of which are available in  
black or white. You may also wish to replace your plastic faceplate with one of a  
different color (two plastic faceplates are provided, one black and one white).  
To replace the faceplate,  
1.  
Hold the MLC face down. Use an Extron Tweeker or a small Philips  
screwdriver to remove the three attachment screws (marked a in the  
diagram at right) from the back of the MLC, and keep them to replace later.  
If installing a metal faceplate, do not remove the screws from the front of  
the faceplate.  
CAUTION  
2.  
3.  
Lift the MLC off the faceplate.  
Place the MLC onto the new faceplate, aligning the MLC’s buttons with the  
openings in the new faceplate and the three screw holes in the MLC with the  
faceplate standoffs.  
4.  
Replace the three screws removed in step 1, and manually tighten them.  
Refer to the MLM 52 1GWP and/or the MLM 52 VC user’s guides for further  
information on faceplates for the MLC 52.  
1
E
4
3
ON  
2
1
1
2
3
4
1
1
Screws to remove from the MLC faceplate  
2-4  
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MLC 52  
Standoff  
Faceplate  
Installing the MLC onto a new faceplate (bottom view)  
Replacing button labels  
The button caps are prelabeled for your convenience by default. However, you can  
change them with the included button labels.  
The button assembly consists of a clear lens cap, the  
button label, and a white diffuser. (See the diagram  
below.) Remove the button assembly from the MLC 52  
as follows:  
1.  
Remove the button assembly by inserting a small,  
flat-bladed screwdriver, such as an Extron  
Tweeker, between the button’s base and the  
diffuser to gently pry the button assembly off the  
button plunger, as shown in the drawing at right.  
Pry the button  
from the base.  
2.  
Locate the small corner notch on the lens cap, and  
slide the screwdriver between the lens cap and the  
diffuser. (See  
in the illustration below.)  
b
3.  
Using a rotating motion of the screwdriver,  
carefully pry the two pieces apart. (See  
in the  
c
illustration below.)  
Plunger  
Base  
TEXT  
Diffuser  
Button Label  
Clear Lens  
3
Pry the two  
pieces apart.  
2
Notch  
Separate the two-  
piece button here at  
the corner.  
Replacing a button label  
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Installation, cont’d  
4.  
5.  
Lift out the transparent square label that you want to replace, being careful  
not to damage the circuits beneath it. You may need to use the small  
screwdriver to gently pry the label out.  
Detach one of the preprinted labels or one of the blank labels from the label  
sheets included with the MLC 52. Remove the label from the backing and, if  
applicable, peel the protective film from the front of the label.  
If you want to create customized labels, you can use a label maker, such as the  
Brother® P-touch®, and clear label material to print text to place on the blank  
labels. Cut the labels so that they are square and measure ½ inch on each edge.  
6.  
7.  
8.  
Insert the new label into the clear button cap, align the white backing plate  
with the cap, and firmly snap it into place.  
Gently, but firmly, press the reassembled button into place on the MLC 52  
front panel.  
Repeat steps 1 through 7 as needed to relabel other buttons.  
Mounting an electrical box  
If you want to install the MLC 52 in an electrical box (in a wall or in furniture),  
1.  
Refer to the appropriate template diagram in appendix B, “Dimensions and  
Templates,” to find out the dimensions of the opening required for the size of  
the wall box that you are using. If you are using a mud ring with the wall  
box, refer to the templates provided with the bracket.  
2.  
Using a ruler or tape measure and a soft pencil, draw guidelines on the  
installation surface (wall or furniture) in the desired orientation and location  
where the opening for the bracket or wall box will be cut.  
The template diagrams in this guide are not to scale. Do not trace  
them or use them as patterns on the installation surface. Use these  
diagrams only for reference to obtain the dimensions of the hole that needs  
to be cut. Use a ruler to measure and draw the cutting guidelines.  
CAUTION  
3.  
4.  
Cut out the wall or furniture material inside the marked area.  
Check the opening size by inserting the wall box or mounting bracket into the  
opening. The equipment should fit easily into the opening. Enlarge or  
smooth the edges of the opening if needed.  
5.  
6.  
Feed cables through the wall box punch-out holes, and secure them with cable  
clamps to provide strain relief.  
Exposed cable shields (braids or foil) are potential sources of short circuits.  
Trim back and/or insulate shields with heat shrink.  
To prevent short circuits, you can cut back the outer foil shield to the point  
where the cable exits the cable clamp. Both braided and foil shields should  
be connected to an equipment ground at the other end of the cable.  
7.  
Insert the wall box into the opening, and attach it to the wall stud or furniture  
with nails or screws, leaving the front edge flush with the outer wall or  
furniture surface. The following illustration applies to all sizes of wall boxes.  
2-6  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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Wall Stud  
Installation  
Cable  
Cable Clamp  
Screws or Nails  
Wall opening  
flush with  
edge of box  
Attaching a wall box to a wall stud  
If you are attaching the wall box to wood, use four #8 or #10 screws or  
10-penny nails. A minimum of ½ inch (1.3 cm) of screw threads must  
penetrate the wood.  
If you are attaching the wall box to metal studs or furniture, use four #8 or  
#10 self-tapping sheet metal screws or machine bolts with matching nuts.  
If you are using a mounting bracket (mud ring) with the wall box, follow  
the directions included with the bracket to attach the clips that fasten the  
bracket to the wall or furniture.  
8.  
9.  
If desired, replace the faceplate and/or button labels on the MLC. (See  
“Replacing the Faceplate and Button Labels,” earlier in this chapter.)  
Cable and test the MLC before fastening it into the wall box, mounting  
bracket, or furniture.  
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Installation, cont’d  
Rear panel and cable connections  
The following diagrams show the locations of the connector, switches, LEDs, and  
IR sensors on the back of the MLC 52 with standard and VC faceplates.  
1
E
2
4
3
ON  
6
2
3
1
1
2
3
4
5
MLC 52 rear view  
2
3
1
6
VOL/  
MUTE  
+
10V  
E
4
3
2
1
4
ON  
1
2
3
4
5
MLC 52 VC rear view  
2-8  
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IR learner/transmitter — These sensors allow for IR control of the MLC and  
for IR learning. The two LEDs (one for transmitting, one for receiving) send  
and receive IR signals, enabling the MLC to learn commands and clone  
configurations from another MLC. The IR remote control must be pointed  
directly at these LEDs for best results.  
1
The MLC can “learn” IR commands in order to control the display device. IR  
learning of device control codes is necessary only if there are no RS-232 codes  
available for that device or if you need to customize the driver. The IR  
learning procedure is discussed in the “Configuring using IR learning”  
section of chapter 3, “Operations.”  
You can also perform IR learning via the Windows-based configuration  
software. See “Performing IR learning via software,” in chapter 5, “Serial  
Communication.”  
Enable Macro LED — The LED located immediately above the four green IR  
LEDs is labeled E, for Enable Macro. This LED lights amber when you place a  
button in macro mode. (See “Setting up macros,” in chapter 3, “Operations.”)  
2
3
Configuration switches — When set to “on,” these DIP switches place the  
MLC in IR learning mode or data transfer mode, or disable IR repeats.  
Switch 1: Enables IR learning.  
Switch 2: Enables data transfer, such as cloning the MLC’s configuration  
onto another MLC 52 (see “Configuring using IR data transfer,” in  
chapter 3, “Operations”).  
Switch 3: Disables IR repeats during playback. For most applications,  
this switch is placed in the off position.  
Switch 4 is not used.  
Volume control (VC faceplate only) connector — Connect this volume  
control connector to an amplifier such as the Extron MPA 122 or MPA 181T to  
enable the volume control knob on the MLC 52 to raise and lower the volume  
on the display device via the amplifier.  
4
5
Display control and power connector — This six-pole, 3.5 mm captive screw  
connector is used for IR and RS-232 control of the display device and for DC  
power. (See “Wiring the control connector,” in the next section, for  
information on how to connect supported devices to the MLC.)  
The RS-232 projector control port is present on this connector but not  
functional on the IR models. This port is functional only on the RS models.  
IR learning indicators — Each button on the MLC front panel has four  
memory blocks, which can be programmed with up to four IR (or RS-232)  
commands. The IR learning indicator LEDs provide visual feedback  
indicating the following:  
6
Which of the four memory blocks contains a command  
Which of the four memory blocks is ready to be programmed or  
configured  
The IR learning status of the controller  
See “Configuring for IR learning,” in chapter 3, “Operation,” for details.  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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Installation, cont’d  
Wiring the control connector  
The display and source control connector allows you to connect cables for IR  
devices, RS-232 devices (RS models only), and AC power to the MLC. The  
illustration below shows the pin assignments of the MLC’s control connector that  
are covered in detail on the following pages.  
RS-232 Tx (RS models only)  
IR out  
IR in  
12 V DC in  
F E D C B A  
Pinout guide for the MLC 52 display/source control connector  
The ports in this connector, from left to right, perform the following functions:  
F (Tx) Transmits the RS-232 signal for projector control.  
Although this port is present on both the IR and the RS models, it is functional  
only on the RS models.  
E (IR out) — Used for connecting an IR emitter to issue IR commands. Up to two  
emitters can be wired to this port.  
D (GND) — Ground for IR and/or RS-232 projector control  
C (IR in) — Used for connecting an optional IR Link or IRL 20, so that an IR remote  
can control the MLC.  
B (GND) — Ground for the +12 VDC power  
A (+12 V) — Power input for the product (12 VDC)  
The two-gang MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC have the same control  
ports as the one-gang models.  
2-10 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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Wiring for IR control  
If you intend to control display and/or input devices via infrared (IR) commands  
from the MLC, you can connect Extron IR emitters or an IR Broadcaster to the  
IR Out pin of the control connector. Up to two IR emitters can be connected via this  
connector at one time. Wire the connector as shown in the following illustrations.  
IR  
Emitter  
White striped wire only  
Connect up  
E
D
Modulated IR  
Ground  
to 2 IR  
Emitters  
(max.)  
(#70-283-01).  
100 feet (30.5 m) maximum  
MLC 52  
control  
connector  
Place the head of each IR Emitter  
over or directly adjacent to the  
controlled device’s IR receiver.  
F E D C B A  
IR  
For the IR Emitter only  
Demodulated IR  
Ground  
+12VDC output  
E
D
A
To IR Broadcaster  
with Emitter port  
(#60-272-02)  
MLC 52  
control  
connector  
F E D C B A  
IR  
For the IR Broadcaster with emitter port  
E
D
Demodulated IR  
Ground  
To the projector's  
wired remote port  
(Connector type and  
pin configurations may  
vary depending on the  
projector model.)  
MLC 52  
control  
connector  
F E D C B A  
IR  
For a wired projector remote port  
Wiring the control connector for IR  
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Installation, cont’d  
Wiring for RS-232 control (RS models only)  
The MLC 52 RS and the MLC 52 RS VC send out RS-232 commands via the Tx port  
for controlling a display device.  
If you have an RS model and want to control the device via RS-232, connect a cable  
between the device and this 3.5 mm, 6-pole direct insertion captive screw  
connector. Use the illustration below as a guide to wiring the connector. Wiring  
varies depending on the device model. In most cases, only the transmit (Tx) and  
ground connections are needed.  
Guides for connecting and controlling specific models of devices are available on  
the Extron Web site.  
RS-232 Tx (RS models only)  
IR out  
IR in  
12 V DC in  
F E D C B A  
Wiring for RS-232 control (RS models only)  
Extron recommends using the UC 50' universal projector control cable for this  
connection. One end of the cable is terminated with a female 9-pin D connector,  
and the other end is unterminated. The UC 50' cable pin assignments are as shown  
in the following illustration.  
Refer to the display device user’s manual for the device’s pin assignments in order  
to determine which of the cable’s wires to connect to the MLC’s RS-232 pins.  
Black  
Grey  
Purple  
Blue  
Green  
Yellow  
Orange  
Red  
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1
5
To the  
display  
device  
6
9
To the  
MLC 52  
UC Cable  
Brown  
Connector Shell  
Shield  
Color Pin #  
UC 50', 100', and 200' cable color codes  
Wiring an IR Link  
An optional IR Link or IRL 20 can be connected to the IR In pole of the control  
connector to enable the MLC to receive IR signals from the IR 452.  
Only one IR Link or one IRL 20 can be attached to the MLC 52 at one time.  
To wire the IR Link for use with your MLC,  
1.  
Prepare the site where the IR Link will be installed and install a wall box,  
following the directions in the IR Link User’s Manual, provided with your  
IR Link equipment.  
2.  
Cut the required length of Extron CTL (Comm-Link) cable to go between the  
MLC 52 and the IR Link. The power cable length should not exceed 150'  
(45.7 m).  
2-12 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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3.  
Attach a 3.5 mm, 5-pole captive screw connector to one end of the cable and a  
6-pole captive screw connector to the other end. Only three wires are  
required:  
A (MLC) to A (IR Link)  
B (MLC) to B (IR Link)  
C (MLC) to D (IR Link)  
Connect the wires as shown in the illustration below. Connectors are  
included with the IR Link, but the cable must be purchased separately.  
4.  
5.  
Plug the 5-pole connector into one of the IR Link’s communications  
connectors.  
Plug the 6-pole connector into the rear panel control port of the MLC 52.  
IR Link  
IR Signal  
Repeater  
C
B
A
D
B
A
Modulated IR  
Ground (  
)
40  
+12VDC  
30’ (12 m)  
max.  
SIGNAL  
40  
A B C D E  
IR 452 Remote  
IR LINK  
Control  
Total distance  
from MLC is  
F E D C B A  
150' (45.7 m) max.  
MLC 52  
Control  
Port  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
IR Link  
MLC 52  
MLC 52 or MLC 52 VC  
Wiring and using the IR Link for IR remote control  
Do not connect more than one IR Link, either in parallel or in series.  
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Installation, cont’d  
Wiring an IRL 20  
The Extron IRL 20 is a hardwired IR signal receiver that can be used with the  
MLC 52 and the IR 452 remote control. The IRL 20 receives a signal via its front  
panel (or an IR sensor) from the IR 452 remote control, and outputs a modulated IR  
signal via an IR emitter or an IR Broadcaster.  
Modulated IR  
GND  
C
B
A
D
B
A
+12 V  
IR SNSR  
IRL 20  
S C P  
S C P  
Control Connector  
for MLC 52 Series  
(Rear Panel)  
A
B
+12 VDC  
Ground (  
)
External Power Supply  
(12 VDC, 1A max.)  
Wiring an IRL 20  
Wire and connect the IRL 20 to the MLC 52 as follows:  
1.  
If it has not been done, cut the required length of Extron CTL (Comm-Link)  
cable to go between the MLC 52 and the IRL 20. See appendix A,  
“Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories,” for cable part numbers.  
The maximum total distance between an Extron controller and the IRL 20 is  
150' (45.7 m).  
2.  
3.  
Attach a 3.5 mm, 5-pole captive screw connector to the end of the cable that  
will be plugged into the IRL 20.  
Connect the wires on the other end of the cable to the provided 3.5 mm 6-pole  
captive screw connector.  
A (MLC) to A (IR Link)  
B (MLC) to B (IR Link)  
C (MLC) to D (IR Link)  
Do not connect more than one IRL 20 or IR Link (either in parallel or in series)  
to an Extron device.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Plug the 5-pole connector end of the cable into one of the IRL 20’s  
communications connectors.  
Plug the 6-pole connector end of the cable into the control port on the MLC 52  
back panel.  
Connect power to the MLC or the IRL 20.  
+12 VDC power is shared between the MLC 52 and the IRL 20 when they are  
connected. You can wire the power supply to either the MLC or the IRL 20.  
2-14 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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Wiring the power connector  
The control connector also contains a power connector for the MLC 52. Connect  
the supplied external 12 VDC power supply to this port to power the MLC as  
shown in the following diagram.  
The Extron P/S 100 and other Extron power supplies can be used with the  
MLC 52.  
Ground (  
+12 VDC input  
)
B
A
External  
Power Supply  
(12 VDC, 1A max.)  
MLC 52  
Control  
Connector  
F E D C B A  
Ground all devices.  
Connecting the MLC 52 to the external power supply  
Check the power supply’s polarity before connecting it to the MLC.  
Wiring the VC port  
If you have an MLC 52 IR VC or an MLC 52 RS VC controller, it can be connected to  
an optional amplifier, such as the Extron MPA Mini Power Amplifier. To set up this  
configuration, wire the volume control potentiometer to the amplifier as shown in  
the following diagram.  
VOL/  
MUTE  
10V  
VOL  
10V  
MPA 122  
or MPA 181T  
Remote Port  
MLC 52 VC Potentiometer  
Rear Panel  
1
2
3
10V VOL  
Wiring the VC potentiometer to the MPA remote volume control port  
Set up the volume control, following the instructions in the amplifier’s user  
manual.  
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Installation, cont’d  
Mounting the MLC 52  
Once the system has been cabled, configured, and tested, the MLC can be installed  
in the wall or furniture.  
Mounting the MLC to an electrical box or mounting bracket  
You can mount the MLC 52 in an electrical box or a mounting bracket, as follows:  
1.  
If you want to install a different faceplate, attach the MLC to the desired  
faceplate using the provided screws. (See “Replacing the faceplate,” earlier in  
this chapter.)  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Connect all cables to the MLC, and disconnect power at the source.  
Insert the MLC into the wall or furniture.  
Secure the MLC to the wall box or mounting bracket with the provided  
machine screws (as shown in the following illustrations), or attach it directly  
to the furniture with wood or metal screws.  
If the MLC (and the IR Link, if applicable) is not mounted to a grounded metal  
wall box,  
Ground each faceplate directly to an earth ground, or  
Tie each faceplate to its circuit board and power supply via a ground pin on  
one of the connectors.  
Do not tie a product’s faceplate to both a separate earth ground and the circuit  
ground (via a connector pin). If you tie a product to two different ground  
sources, you may introduce ground loops or other grounding-related problems  
into the system.  
Y
DISPLA  
FF  
O
ON  
C
P
Wall opening  
is flush with  
edge of box.  
L
L
O
E
VO  
ID  
V
VO  
MLC 52  
MLC 52  
Mounting the MLC 52 in a wall box  
2-16 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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Wall  
Extron  
Wall Mounting Bracket  
Y
PLA  
S
DI  
FF  
O
ON  
PC  
L
O
V
VIDEO  
L
VO  
MLC 52  
MLC 52  
Mounting the MLC 52 to a mounting bracket (mud ring)  
Mounting the MLC to a wall or furniture  
1.  
With all cables attached to the MLC and power disconnected at the source,  
insert the MLC into the wall or furniture.  
2.  
Fasten the MLC and faceplate directly to the furniture or wall using wood  
screws.  
If the MLC (and the IR Link, if applicable) is not mounted to a grounded metal  
wall box,  
• Ground each faceplate directly to an earth ground, or  
Tie each faceplate to its circuit board and power supply via a ground pin on  
one of the connectors.  
Do not tie a product’s faceplate to both a separate earth ground and the circuit  
ground (via a connector pin). If you tie a product to two different ground  
sources, you may introduce ground loops or other grounding-related problems  
into the system.  
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Installation, cont’d  
2-18 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Installation  
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MLC 52 Series  
Chapter Three  
3
Operation  
Display Device Control  
Front Panel Features and Operation  
Configuring the MLC 52 Using IR  
Using the MLC 52 VC Models with the MPA Series Power Amplifiers  
Powering the Display Device On and Off  
Selecting Inputs  
Operating the MLC 52 Using IR Remote Control  
Resetting  
Locking the Front Panel (Executive Mode)  
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Operation  
Display Device Control  
The MLC 52 IR models can control a projector or other display device by using  
infrared (IR) signals. The RS models can control a display device using IR or  
RS-232. The MLC must be configured for device control by one of the following  
methods before it will send commands to the display device:  
An IR or an RS-232 driver file can be loaded from a disk or the Extron Web  
site and used to configure the MLC.  
RS-232 and IR commands can be added to the MLC buttons from a host  
computer using the supplied Windows-based configuration software. See  
chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” and the Windows-based configuration  
software help file for details on setting up the MLC and for downloading,  
programming, or learning device control commands using the software.  
IR commands can be entered directly from an IR remote control into the MLC  
through IR learning. IR learning is convenient for installing new or updated  
commands into the MLC in the field. It can be performed with or without the  
use of software.  
An MLC 52 can transfer/configure (duplicate or clone its configuration) to  
another MLC 52 via IR data transfer without the use of cables or software.  
Each time a new device driver is used to configure the MLC, previous  
configurations are replaced (overwritten) by the new driver. Configurations are  
stored in nonvolatile memory. Therefore, if the power to the unit is interrupted, the  
MLC retains its settings and configuration.  
Front Panel Features and Operation  
The MLC 52 front panel contains six buttons, each of which can be programmed  
with up to four IR or RS-232 commands/functions. It also contains a configuration  
port, through which the MLC 52 can be connected to a PC’s RS-232 port to program  
the MLC’s buttons, update firmware, and save the MLC’s current configuration to  
the PC’s hard drive.  
The two-gang sized MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC each have an integrated  
volume control knob. On these models, the two buttons normally used for volume  
control on the standard, one-gang MLC can be used to control additional outputs  
or other projector or display functions.  
Buttons on the front panel  
The front panel backlit buttons light amber when the MLC 52 is powered on.  
Buttons that are not currently selected and active are lit more dimly (25%  
brightness) than the selected ones (100% brightness).  
When the MLC is delivered, the buttons are labeled. (You can relabel them by  
replacing the labels with others provided with the MLC. See “Replacing button  
labels” in chapter 2, “Installation.”) You can program commands onto these  
buttons (up to four commands per button) using IR learning, the Windows-based  
configuration software via the configuration port, or IR data transfer from a  
configured MLC 52.  
Switch modes  
Depending on the driver that you load to your MLC, each of the controller’s  
buttons is preconfigured in one of the following switch modes:  
Single switch mode: In this mode, the button operates independently of the  
other buttons. Pressing a button in this mode does not affect any other  
button.  
3-2  
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Input mode: Buttons in this mode are grouped together so that only one of  
them can be active at a time. When one button is pressed and activated, it  
becomes fully lit, while the other (inactive) button(s) are dimmed to 25%  
brightness. When you press one of the buttons on the front panel that are in  
input mode, all other buttons in input mode become inactive.  
Volume mode: This mode is available only on the standard (not VC) MLC  
model, and only for the two buttons that are labeled Vol and Vol . When  
>
<
an RS-232 driver that contains a volume table is part of the configuration,  
pressing a button in volume mode accesses the driver’s volume table. Each  
press of the button raises or lowers the volume of the display device by the  
amount specified in the volume table. When in volume mode, the button  
labeled Vol always increases the volume; Vol lowers it.  
>
<
Power mode: The two Display buttons at the top of the front panel, labeled  
On and Off, are permanently fixed in power mode. This mode is similar to  
input mode. The two Display buttons are mutually exclusive; if you press  
one, the other one becomes unlit.  
If you want to change the switch mode of any button, you must use the Windows-  
based configuration software. (See “Setting up button modes and labels” in  
chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” for the procedure.)  
Front panel components  
The diagrams below show the front panel features of the standard one-gang  
MLC 52 and of the two-gang MLC 52 VC.  
5
DISPLAY  
DISPLAY  
1
2
ON  
OFF  
1
2
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOLUME  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VCR  
DVD  
4
VIDEO  
MLC 52  
MLC 52  
3
3
MLC 52 IR and RS  
MLC 52 IR VC and RS VC  
MLC 52 front panel  
Display power buttons The display power buttons turn power to the  
projector or plasma display on and off. Because the display device can be  
1
only on or off at a given time, these buttons are programmed in an exclusive  
switch group. (A 2-second hold requirement can be enabled or disabled via  
the configuration software; see “Entering display device power settings” in  
chapter 5, “Serial Communication.”)  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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Operation, cont’d  
Input selection buttons — These buttons are preprogrammed to select input  
2
sources. By default, they are in input mode; that is, only one of them may be  
selected at a time. If you want these buttons to operate independently of  
each other, use the Windows-based control software to remove the group  
configuration from them.  
The input buttons are prelabeled for convenience. You can relabel them using  
the other labels that are provided. See “Replacing button labels” in chapter 2,  
“Installation,” for the relabeling procedure.  
Configuration port — This port is used for configuring and communicating  
with the MLC. Through this port, the MLC receives commands issued via  
the Windows-based configuration software on your computer.  
3
Use a 2.5 mm TRS to 9-pin D-sub connector cable to connect the MLC to your  
PC via this 2.5 mm female TRS connector.  
This cable is an optional accessory that can be ordered from Extron (part  
#70-335-01)  
The protocol for this configuration port is as follows:  
9600 bits/second  
8 data bits  
1 stop bit  
No parity  
1
6
9
5
Tip  
Ring  
Sleeve (Gnd)  
9-pin D  
Connection  
TRS Plug  
Pin 2  
Pin 3  
Pin 5  
Computer's RX line  
Computer's TX line  
Computer's signal ground  
Tip  
Ring  
Sleeve  
2.5 mm connector cable for the configuration port  
See chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” for details about using the  
configuration software to set up the system, and about downloading drivers.  
Volume adjustment buttons — (Standard MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS only)  
These two buttons are used to adjust the volume of the projector or display up  
and down.  
4
If your A/V system does not require the volume up and down function (for  
example, if the MLC is configured with the VC faceplate containing the  
volume control knob), you can reprogram these buttons for input selection or  
additional display device functions.  
The volume buttons are prelabeled for convenience. They can be changed to  
other labels that are provided. See “Replacing button labels” in chapter 2,  
“Installation,” for the procedure.  
Volume control knob — (MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC only) The  
volume control knob on the VC models enables you to adjust the volume of  
the display device via the MPA or other power amplifier.  
5
3-4  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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Configuring the MLC 52 Using IR  
The MLC 52 can be programmed/configured via IR by the following methods:  
IR data transfer from an MLC 52 that has been configured  
IR learning from your projector’s remote control  
Configuring using IR data transfer  
You can configure your MLC 52 by transferring button configuration data to it from  
another configured MLC 52 via the two IR LEDs on the back panels of the MLCs.  
With this method, you replicate (clone) the other MLC’s configuration on your own  
unit without the use of software or cables.  
The following transfers are allowed:  
From an RS model to another RS model  
From an IR model to another IR model  
From an IR model to an RS model  
To transmit configuration data via IR, both the transferring and the receiving MLCs  
must be free of the wall, electrical box, or furniture, and both must be powered on.  
The MLC that is already configured can be powered by an external power supply,  
or it can share a power supply with the unit that will be configured.  
All four MLC 52 models use the same IR data transfer  
procedure.  
ON  
1
2
3
4
1.  
2.  
3.  
On the MLC from which the configuration will be transferred  
(the donor unit), set all configuration switches to Off (down).  
Transmitting MLC  
ON  
On the MLC that will receive the data, set switch #2 to On (up)  
and all the other switches to Off (down).  
1
2
3
4
Receiving MLC  
Position the two units so that the IR Transmit and Receive LEDs of both MLCs  
are facing each other, and no more than 6 inches apart. (See the illustration on  
the next page.)  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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Operation, cont’d  
Less Than 6”  
2
1 3  
4
1
2
3
4
E
O N  
E
4
3
2
1
ON  
1
IR Beaming  
2
3
4
ON  
2
1
3
4
Transmitting MLC  
ON  
2
1
3
4
Receiving MLC  
Setting up transmitting and receiving units for wireless data transfer  
The data transfer begins when the receiving unit detects the transmitting unit,  
and the process takes 15 to 20 seconds to complete. (It may take longer if the  
transmitting unit has multiple commands programmed on each button.)  
The front panel buttons act as data transfer progress indicators. While data is  
being transferred, the buttons on both the transmitting and the receiving  
MLCs blink sequentially in clockwise order, starting with the On button in the  
upper-left corner (see the diagram below). This cycle repeats until transfer is  
complete.  
DISPLAY  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
VOLUME  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VCR  
DVD  
VIDEO  
MLC 52  
MLC 52  
Order in which the buttons blink during data transfer  
3-6  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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After approximately 17% of the data has been transferred, the On button  
lights and remains lit to maximum brightness. After another 17% has been  
transferred, the Off button lights to maximum brightness. The buttons  
continue to light brightly in clockwise order after each increment of 17% of  
the data has been transferred. When a button becomes permanently lit, the  
remaining buttons continue to blink in clockwise rotation, until the transfer  
process is complete and all buttons are remain steadily lit.  
The following table shows how each percentage of transferred data is  
indicated by button lighting:  
Percent Complete  
MLC 52  
Buttons Lit  
MLC 52 VC Models  
Buttons Lit  
Less than 17%  
18% to 36%  
37% to 54%  
55% to 72  
On  
On  
Off  
Off  
PC  
PC  
Video  
(blank)  
DVD  
73% to 90%  
90% to 100%  
Vol  
<
>
Vol  
VCR  
When the transfer is complete, all buttons on each unit remain brightly lit  
until a button is pressed on the unit.  
If the transmission is interrupted (for example, the two units  
become separated so that the IR LEDs are no longer in direct line  
of sight of each other), and the conditions necessary for transfer are  
then restored, the two units restart the transfer process.  
4.  
When the data transfer is complete, do either of the following:  
If you are finished performing data transfers, return configuration  
switch #2 on the receiving MLC to the off (down) position. Press any  
button on both units to return them to the state they were in before the  
transfer. All buttons dim except for those that were bright previously.  
Reinitialize the receiving unit by pressing any of its front panel buttons.  
If you want to repeat the transfer process to configure another MLC 52,  
repeat steps 2 and 3 for the unit that is to be configured. Press any button  
on the donor unit. The transfer process restarts.  
Configuring using IR learning  
You can also configure the MLC 52 by using IR learning, which does not require  
configuration software. By this method, you can program the functions on your  
display device’s remote control onto the buttons on the MLC front panel. This  
procedure must be performed before the MLC is mounted on a wall or furniture, so  
that the IR Transmit/Receive LEDs are accessible.  
To program the MLC via IR learning,  
1.  
2.  
Apply power to the MLC 52.  
ON  
1
On the rear panel, set configuration switch #1 to On (up). All  
front panel buttons should be dimly lit.  
2
3
4
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Operation, cont’d  
3.  
Press the button on the MLC that will store the IR code that you want the  
MLC to learn. The following takes place on the MLC:  
The front panel button that you pressed begins to blink, indicating that it  
is ready to be programmed. While the button is blinking (5 seconds), you  
can program it with the desired command. If no IR command is entered  
within 5 seconds, the button stops blinking.  
On the rear panel, the IR learning LED for the next button memory block  
available for programming begins to blink. (See “IR learning indicators,”  
in the “Rear panel/cable connections” section of chapter 2,  
“Installation,” for more information on the IR learning LEDs.)  
f
The LED that indicates how many commands have been programmed  
onto the button illuminates and remains lit.  
E
4
3
2
1
E
4
3
2
1
E
4
3
2
1
E
4
3
2
1
LED Off  
LED Blinking  
LED On  
Command 2 is ready  
to be learned.  
Command 1 was learned.  
Command 1 is ready  
to be learned.  
Command 3 is ready  
to be learned.  
Command 2 was learned.  
Command 1 was learned.  
Command 4 is ready  
to be learned.  
Command 3 was learned.  
Command 2 was learned.  
Command 1 was learned.  
Activation of LEDs during button configuring  
4.  
Hold the display device’s remote control 4 to 14 inches (10 to 36 cm) away  
from the MLC and point it at the MLC’s IR Transmit/Receive LEDs. Within  
5 seconds of pressing the MLC button (step 3), press the button on the  
remote whose function you want the selected MLC button to learn. When the  
IR command has been learned successfully, the IR learning LEDs blink in  
rapid progression from the top to the bottom, then back to the top.  
For repeating command codes, such as those that increment/decrement a  
function (for example, turning the volume up and down), hold the button on  
the projector remote control for at least 3 seconds.  
If no IR command is detected within 5 seconds, the LEDs and the front panel  
button time out and stop blinking.  
If the IR code was learned, the rear panel LEDs blink rapidly in  
succession from the top down, then back up to the top.  
If the IR code was not learned, the rear panel LEDs blink in random  
order.  
5.  
6.  
If you want to program another command to the same button (you can  
program up to four commands on one button), press the button again. The  
next IR learning LED on the rear panel begins flashing (for example, if you  
have already programmed two commands on this button, the third LED from  
the bottom flashes).  
If you do not want to program additional commands on the button, repeat  
steps 3 and 4 for the next button that you want to program.  
When you are finished programming buttons on the MLC, set configuration  
switch #1 on the rear panel to Off (down).  
3-8  
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7.  
Press the buttons that you configured to verify that the commands you  
entered have been learned. If you have an IR Emitter connected on the IR  
output, it should blink. (See “Wiring for IR control” in chapter 2,  
“Installation.”)  
Removing commands from a button  
If you want to delete a command that has been programmed onto a button, you  
must remove all the commands programmed to that button, as follows:  
1.  
2.  
While the MLC 52 is powered on, set configuration switch #1 to On (up).  
Press the button for which you want to delete commands, then within  
2 seconds press the same button again. The IR learning LEDs turn off.  
3.  
4.  
Verify that the button’s commands were erased by pressing the same button  
again. If the commands have been erased, only LED #1 (the bottom LED)  
blinks; the other LEDs remain off.  
When finished removing commands, set switch #1 to Off (down).  
Setting up button macros  
Buttons function in either toggle mode or macro mode. By default, all the buttons  
(except the On and Off Display buttons) are in toggle mode. This means that each  
press of the button issues one command — the next in sequence of the four  
commands programmed to the button (each button can store up to four  
commands).  
In macro mode, a single press of a button issues all the commands (up to four) that  
have been programmed on that button, in the order they were programmed, at  
1.5-second intervals. An example of a button macro application would be turning  
on multiple projectors/displays by pressing one button, one time.  
To program a macro for a button,  
1.  
2.  
Ensure that power is applied to the MLC 52.  
Set configuration switch #1 on the rear panel to On (up). All front panel  
buttons light dimly.  
3.  
Program the buttons with the desired commands. See “Configuring using IR  
data transfer” or “Configuring using IR learning,” earlier in this chapter, for  
programming procedures.  
You must program the commands onto the button prior to setting it for macro.  
4.  
To put the button in macro mode, press and hold it for 3 seconds. The orange  
LED on the back panel, labeled “E,” flashes rapidly five times, then turns off,  
indicating that the button is now configured for macro mode. Release the  
button. The next time that the button is pressed while configuration switch #1  
is in on position, the orange “E” LED lights, indicating that the button is in  
macro mode.  
To take a button out of macro mode, press and hold the button for 3 seconds.  
The orange “E” LED turns off.  
5.  
Set configuration switch #1 to Off. Verify that the commands have been  
properly learned by pressing the button you programmed. The commands  
should be issued in succession at 1.5-second intervals.  
A button is able to learn commands while in macro mode if any of its four  
command memory blocks are open (not yet programmed with a command).  
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Operation, cont’d  
Configuring a single button for input source selection  
If you want to use only one button to select your input sources, you must program  
the button with one command for each source (up to four). Only one button has to  
learn IR commands; and it has enough memory blocks to learn four input selection  
commands. To use this programmed button to select an input, you must press it  
repeatedly to cycle through all the inputs until you reach the desired one.  
To program a single button to select multiple inputs,  
1.  
2.  
Disconnect power from the MLC 52.  
To make the one programmed button easily recognizeable, r eplace all but one  
of the input (Video, PC, DVD, and/or VCR) button labels with the provided  
Not Used label, or remove the input label(s) and leave the button(s) blank.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
Apply power to the MLC.  
Set configuration switch #1 to On (up). The front panel buttons light dimly.  
Press the MLC button that will store the input selection IR codes. The button  
blinks for 5 seconds, during which time it is able to learn codes. On the rear  
panel, the first (bottom) IR learning LED starts flashing.) (If a command is not  
entered within 5 seconds, the button and LED stop blinking, and you must  
press the button again to put it in back in learn mode.)  
6.  
7.  
Within 5 seconds, press the display device remote control button from which  
the MLC button will learn the first input selection command. If the command  
has been learned successfully, the Learning LEDs on the rear panel blink in  
rapid progression from the top LED to the bottom, then back to the top.  
To program a second input selection command on the same button, press the  
button again. The button and the second rear panel IR learning LED begin to  
blink. On your display device’s remote control, press the next button whose  
function you want the MLC button to learn.  
8.  
9.  
Repeat the procedure described in steps 5 and 6 for additional commands you  
want to add to the button you are programming. Each MLC button can be  
programmed with up to four commands.  
When finished programming the input selection button, set rear panel DIP  
switch #1 to Off (down). Verify that the button has been programmed  
correctly by pressing it repeatedly to cycle through the inputs.  
3-10 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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Using the MLC 52 VC Models with the MPA Series Power  
Amplifiers  
The dedicated volume control knob on the MLC 52 IR VC or the MLC 52 RS VC  
controls the audio output of an Extron MPA 122 or MPA 181T power amplifier, to  
which speakers for the system are connected.  
The following diagram shows an example of a system that uses an MLC 52 VC  
model with an MPA amplifier.  
PC  
VGA with  
Audio  
DVD  
S-video with  
Extron  
MPA 122  
Mini Power  
Amplifier  
Audio  
Extron  
SI 26X  
Ceiling Speakers  
(in parallel)  
2
2
T
1
A
P
S
M
U
P
T
U
s
m
O
h
O
/8  
4
S
U
C
E
T
R
O
M
S
T
E
U
R
P
L
N
I
TE  
V
U
10  
V
L/M  
O
R
L
L
VCR  
R
E
W
O
P
Composite Video  
with Audio  
R
MPA  
Volume  
Control  
Y
A
L
P
IS  
D
F
F
O
Switched  
Audio  
Output  
N
O
C
P
Extron  
E
LUM  
MLC 52 RS VC  
RS-232  
Projector Control  
R
TO  
C
U
A
A
V
E
G
VO  
IM  
Basic MediaLink Controller  
with IR or RS-232 Hardwired  
Projector Control  
D
V
D
2
5
C
L
M
Projector  
Application diagram using an MLC 52 VC with an MPA series power  
amplifier  
Requirements for the MLC 52 VC with volume control knob  
To set up and operate a system that contains an MLC 52 VC model, which has a  
volume control knob on the faceplate, and an Extron power amplifier, you must  
ensure that the following conditions are met:  
The projector must have dedicated video and audio inputs for each source  
used in the system.  
The projector must have a switched audio output. On most projectors, this  
connector is labeled as “Monitor Output” or “Audio Output,” as shown in the  
following illustration. With a switched audio output, the projector outputs  
the audio from the selected video source.  
The system must incorporate an Extron MPA series power amplifier.  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation 3-11  
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Operation, cont’d  
Wiring and connections for the MLC 52 VC models  
Connect the cables to the MLC 52 IR VC or MLC 52 RS VC controller with the MPA  
Series amplifier as shown in the diagram below and on page 2-15.  
VOL/  
MUTE  
+
10V  
E
4
3
2
1
ON  
1
2
3
4
RS-232 or IR  
Projector Control  
MLC 52 VC Series  
COMPUTER IN-1  
AUDIO  
AV IN  
Y/C  
VIDEO  
PC  
COMPUTER IN-2  
AUDIO  
AUDIO  
R
L
Y
MPA 122  
OUTPUTS  
4/8 Ohms  
G
B
H/Cs  
V
R
P
B/B-Y  
INPUTS  
C
US  
L
POWER  
PR/R-Y  
REMOTE  
COMPUTER  
OUT  
CONTROL  
REMOTE  
R
10V  
VOL/MUTE  
L
R
12V  
3A MAX  
L
R
AUDIO OUT  
MPA 122  
RS-232  
To Loudspeakers  
Projector  
Any input on the MPA  
can be used.  
Wiring an MLC 52 VC controller and an MPA series power amplifier to a  
typical projector  
Audio is now controlled from the MPA instead of from the projector. For best  
results, ensure that the audio volume of the projector is set to maximum  
(assuming that the monitor output for audio is variable).  
Configuring the MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS Vol buttons  
By default, the MLC 52 has two buttons on the front panel programmed for volume  
control (Vol and Vol ). However, on the MLC 52 IR and RS VC models, these  
>
<
buttons are not needed for volume control and can be programmed for other uses.  
To reprogram the Vol buttons, you can use IR learning (see “Configuring using IR  
learning,” earlier in this chapter,) or the Windows-based configuration software  
(see chapter 5, “Serial Communication”).  
Powering the Display Device On and Off  
The Display On and Off buttons on the MLC 52 front panel are used to turn the  
projector or other display on and off.  
Powering on  
Press and release the MLC 52’s On button to turn the display device’s power on.  
The MLC sends an RS-232 or IR power-on command to the projector, and the On  
button blinks for 4 seconds, then remains steadily lit.  
3-12 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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Powering off  
To turn the projector/display off, press the Off button. The button blinks for  
4 seconds, then remains steadily lit.  
(A 2-second hold feature, requiring you to press and hold the Off button for  
2 seconds in order to turn off the display device, helps prevent accidental  
powering off of the projector or display. This feature can be disabled and enabled  
through the configuration software. See “Entering display device power settings,”  
in chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” for further information.)  
Selecting Inputs  
The four buttons below the Display On and Off buttons on the MLC 52 front panel  
can configured to select inputs on the display device. The PC and Video buttons  
have been preconfigured to select inputs — the desktop or laptop computer (PC);  
the VCR or DVD (Video).  
Using IR learning, IR data transfer, or the Windows-based configuration software,  
you can reconfigure these buttons and/or add commands to them to select other  
inputs if desired. The two volume (Vol) buttons on the standard MLC can be  
configured to select inputs as well, if you do not need them to control projector or  
display volume. Up to four commands can be programmed on any button. See  
“Using the MLC 52 Configuration Program,” in chapter 5, “Serial Communication,”  
for information on configuring MLC buttons.  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
Input Selection  
Buttons  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
MLC 52  
Input selection buttons on the MLC 52 front panel  
To select an input, press and release the appropriate input selection button. The  
command that was programmed in the button’s first memory block is executed.  
All buttons are lit at 25% intensity while the MLC receives power. A selected  
(active) input button lights more brightly than the other buttons.  
If there is more than one input selection command programmed in the  
button’s memory blocks, you can execute the commands in memory blocks 2,  
3, and 4 by pressing the button a second, third, and fourth time.  
For example, if you have programmed memory block 1 on the Video button  
for a VCR, and memory block 2 for a DVD player, you would press and  
release the Video button once to select the input to which the VCR is  
connected on the display, then a second time to select the input to which the  
DVD player is connected on the display. (Pressing it a third time reselects the  
VCR, etc.)  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation 3-13  
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Operation, cont’d  
If an input selection button is in macro mode, pressing the button once  
executes all the commands stored on that button, in memory block order (i.e.,  
the command in memory block 1 is performed first, then block 2, etc.). See  
“Setting up button macros,” earlier in this chapter, for more information.  
Operating the MLC 52 Using IR Remote Control  
The MLC 52’s optional hand-held IR 452 remote control can be used in conjunction  
with the MLC 52 to operate your projector, plasma display, and input devices. The  
IR 452 remote control is delivered with commands for a variety of device functions  
(for example, VCR On, VCR Off, Stop, Pause). These commands can be  
programmed onto the MLC’s buttons only via the Windows-based configuration  
software. (See “Assigning functions to buttons” in chapter 5, “Serial  
Communication.”  
The IR 452 cannot perform the volume knob’s function on the MLC 52 IR VC  
or the MLC 52 RS VC. All other functions on the IR 452 are available on the  
MLC 52 VC models.  
The IR 452 remote control also requires the optional IR Link or IRL 20 in order to  
send commands to the MLC, which in turn issues the commands to the input or  
output devices.  
1.  
Wire the IR Link or IRL 20 to the MLC 52 and mount it. (See “Wiring for IR  
remote control” or “Wiring the IRL 20,” in chapter 2, for IR Link or IRL 20  
wiring instructions. See the IR Link or the IRL 20 user’s guide for mounting  
instructions.)  
2.  
Using the MLC 52 Windows-based configuration software, program the  
desired buttons on the IR 452 with the commands available with the currently  
loaded driver.  
(See “Assigning functions to buttons” in chapter 5, “Serial Communication,”  
for button programming instructions.)  
3.  
To operate a device using the  
IR 452, point the remote  
IR Link  
IR Signal  
Repeater  
control directly at the IR Link  
or IRL 20 signal pickup  
window. The IR 452 has a  
40  
range of approximately 30'  
30’ (12 m)  
SIGNAL  
(12 m) within 40 degrees on  
either side of the axis (see the  
illustration at right).  
max.  
40  
IR 452 Remote  
Control  
IR LINK  
Total distance  
from MLC is  
150' (45.7 m) max.  
4.  
Press the button for the  
function you want to perform.  
The following takes place:  
DISPLAY  
The remote control sends  
the pressed button’s  
programmed command  
via infrared (IR) signal to  
the IR Link or IRL 20.  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
The IR Link or IRL 20  
MLC 52  
sends the command to the  
MLC through the MLC’s  
IR IN pole on the control  
connector, to which the  
MLC 52 or MLC 52 VC  
Using the IR Link with the  
MLC 52 and the IR 452  
IR Link or IRL 20 is connected.  
3-14 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation  
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The MLC recognizes the command it receives via the IR IN pole, and  
responds as if its own equivalent button were pressed, issuing the  
command to the appropriate device.  
See “Wiring an IR Link” in chapter 2, “Installation,” for information on wiring the  
IR Link. See “Wiring the IRL 20,” also in chapter 2, for information on connecting  
the IRL 20 signal receiver.  
Setup operations cannot be performed from the IR 452 remote control.  
Buttons on the IR 452 remote control  
The buttons on the optional IR 452 Remote  
TV/VCR  
Control duplicate the MLC 52’s front panel  
controls for normal operation. The MLC  
responds to commands from the IR 452 as if  
CHANNEL  
the corresponding button were pressed on the  
controller.  
From a distance of no more than 30 feet and  
within 40 degrees of the axis, the IR 452 sends  
FRONT PANEL  
infrared (IR) signals to an MLC 52 via the  
optional IR Link or IRL 20.  
VOL  
VOL  
PC  
MLC 52 configuration cannot be  
performed from the IR 452.  
VIDEO  
The IR 452’s Display Power On and Power Off  
buttons and the VCR and DVD control  
buttons cannot control a device through the  
MLC until commands have been stored in the  
MLC’s memory. The IR 452’s VCR buttons  
control the first (lowest address numbered)  
VCR connected to the MLC, while the DVD  
buttons control the first (lowest address  
numbered) DVD connected to the MLC.  
DVD  
DVD  
VCR  
The IR 452 cannot control the volume  
knob function on the MLC 52 IR VC  
or the MLC 52 RS VC. All other  
functions on the IR 452 are available  
on the MLC 52 VC models.  
VCR  
Commands are transmitted from the MLC’s  
control connector (via hard wiring) and IR  
ports (via IR Emitters or the optional  
IR Broadcaster) when the corresponding  
button is pressed on the IR 452 or on the  
controller’s front panel.  
IR 452  
SYSTEM REMOTE  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Operation 3-15  
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Operation, cont’d  
Resetting  
In the event that the MLC 52 needs to be reset, you can do so by one of the  
following methods:  
Factory firmware reset — Press and hold the bottom right button (the Video button  
on standard models or the blank button on VC models) while applying power  
to the MLC. This method resets the MLC firmware to the version with which  
the unit was delivered from the factory. Any codes that you previously  
programmed for the buttons remain in effect.  
Factory configuration reset — Press and hold the On and Off (Display) buttons  
simultaneously while applying power to the MLC. This method removes all  
codes from the buttons.  
You can also reset the MLC to its factory defaults via the Windows-based  
configuration software. See “Resetting” in chapter 5, “Serial Communication.”  
Locking the Front Panel (Executive Mode)  
To prevent access by unauthorized users, or accidental presses of the button  
issuing unwanted commands to devices, the front panel controls can be locked  
using executive mode. When the MLC 52 is in executive mode, all front panel  
functions are locked, so that pressing the buttons has no effect.  
If a button is pressed while the MLC 52 is in executive mode, all the front panel  
buttons blink, indicating that the front panel is locked.  
To place the MLC in executive mode,  
1.  
Power off the display device. Executive mode cannot be enabled if the device  
is on.  
2.  
On the standard MLC 52 models, press and hold the Vol and Video buttons  
simultaneously for 5 seconds.  
>
On the VC models, press and hold the unlabeled button (bottom right) and  
the VCR button simultaneously for 5 seconds.  
DISPLAY  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOLUME  
VCR  
DVD  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
MLC 52  
MLC 52  
Buttons to press and hold for executive mode  
When the MLC enters executive mode, all front panel buttons flash three times,  
then return to their original state.  
To exit executive mode, press the same two buttons again, holding them for  
5 seconds.  
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MLC 52 Series  
Chapter Four  
4
Special Applications  
Application 1: Using Multiple Sources with an MLC 52  
Application 2: Controlling Projectors that Require Power Off Confirmation  
Application 3: Controlling Projectors That Have Multi-coded IR Functionality  
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Special Applications  
This chapter describes some special types of applications that represent unique  
conditions. For the MLC 52 to operate properly in these situations, it is important  
that the controller be configured correctly. On the following pages, three  
application examples are described, along with their requirements for the MLC 52.  
Application 1: Using Multiple Sources with an MLC 52  
Following is an example of an application in which the system contains more than  
two inputs. This system has two PC inputs (a laptop and a desktop) and two video  
inputs (a VCR and a DVD).  
PC  
Projector  
(on RGB 2 input)  
Laptop  
(on RGB 1 input)  
R/Cr  
G/Y  
B/Cb  
H
V
AUDIO  
RGB 2 IN  
AUDIO  
AUDIO  
RGB 1 IN  
RGB OUT  
L
R
VIDEO IN  
L
R
S-VIDEO IN  
DVD  
(on S-Video input)  
VCR  
(on Video input)  
Projector Inputs  
Application 1: Projector with more than two inputs  
For best results, choose a projector that has dedicated audio and video input  
connectors for each PC and each video source. Do not use a projector on which  
multiple video inputs share one audio input.  
The MLC 52 must be configured differently, depending on the type of projector  
remote control that will be used, and on whether the MLC will use IR or RS-232  
projector control. Because each button on the MLC 52 can store up to four  
commands per button, the PC and Video buttons on the MLC should be  
programmed as shown in the illustrations on pages 4-4 through 4-6.  
IR control: If the projector is to be controlled by the MLC 52 using IR, its IR  
remote control will have one of the following types of button configurations  
for video selection:  

Projector remote control type A: A different remote control button is  
used for each video input source. Each button selects the input source  
with the signal type that matches the button’s label (for example, the  
RGB1 button might select the laptop computer; RGB2, the desktop PC.)  

Projector remote control type B: One remote control button is used for  
all video formats (RGB, S-video, and/or composite video). This type of  
button must be pressed repeatedly to toggle through all the inputs with  
the same format.  
RS-232 control: If the projector is to be controlled by the MLC 52 RS via  
RS-232 commands, the projector typically has a discrete (specific) command  
for selecting a particular video input. That is, the projector does not have an  
RS-232 command to toggle through its video inputs. See chapter 5, “Serial  
Communication,” for procedures for RS-232 programming.  
4-2  
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Programming buttons for an IR controlled system  
INPUTS  
RGB1  
S-Video  
RGB2  
VIDEO  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
INPUTS  
RGB1  
S-Video  
VIDEO  
RGB2  
SET  
UP  
POWER  
PRG+  
PLAY  
UP  
TIME/  
TIME/  
DLY/CNT/REAR  
PAUSE  
LEVEL–  
LEVEL+  
REW  
LEFT  
FF  
RIGHT  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
STOP  
PRG–  
DOWN  
+
SKIP/CHAPTER  
VIDEO  
AUDIO  
MUTE  
A/V  
TV  
INPUT  
DIR  
A
MUTE  
MUTE  
+100  
REC/  
PAUSE  
EFFECT  
ON/OFF  
MENU  
ENTER  
INPUT SELECT  
CD  
TAPE  
TUNER  
1
2
3
PHONO  
DVD/LD  
VCR  
4
5
6
TV/DBS  
7
CONT/  
BRT  
COL/  
TINT  
SIZE  
CENTER  
PHASE  
8
9
ASPECT  
RATIO  
SHARP  
ENT  
DISP  
0
TEST  
Projector Remote Type A  
Projector Remote Type B  
Examples of projector remote control types A and B  
The illustrations on the following pages show the commands to program to the  
memory slots on the MLC’s input selection buttons from the two types of projector  
remote controls, when the projector is controlled via IR. Determine which of these  
two types most resembles your projector’s hand-held remote control, then select  
the appropriate instruction set from the following sections to program IR  
commands to your MLC 52.  
Projector remote control type A (application 1)  
This remote control has a discrete button for each input. Two buttons are  
designated for RGB inputs, one for S-video, and one for video (composite).  
Use IR learning to program the command from each of the projector remote’s  
RGB input selection buttons onto the MLC’s PC button.  
Use IR learning to program the commands from the projector remote’s Video  
button and S-video button onto the MLC’s Video or blank (VC models)  
button.  
(See “Configuring using IR learning” in chapter 3, “Operation,” for the IR learning  
procedure.)  
The MLC now has two commands each on the PC and Video or blank (VC models)  
buttons. This enables you to switch between the two PC inputs by repeatedly  
pressing the PC button, and between the two composite/S-video inputs by  
repeatedly pressing the Video or blank button.  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
If you are using an MLC 52 IR or an MLC 52 RS (one-gang models) with a type A  
remote control, program the buttons using the following scheme:  
INPUTS  
RGB2  
RGB1  
S-Video  
VIDEO  
SET  
UP  
POWER  
PRG+  
PLAY  
UP  
TIME/  
TIME/  
LEVEL–  
DLY/CNT/REAR  
PAUSE  
LEVEL+  
REW  
LEFT  
FF  
RIGHT  
DISPLAY  
STOP  
PRG–  
DOWN  
+
ON  
OFF  
PC  
SKIP/CHAPTER  
TV  
DIR A  
INPUT  
+100  
Command #1: RGB 1  
Command #2: RGB 2  
REC/  
PAUSE  
EFFECT  
ON/OFF  
VOL  
VOL  
INPUT SELECT  
CD  
Command #1: Video  
VIDEO  
TAPE  
TUNER  
Command #2: S-Video  
1
2
3
PHONO  
DVD/LD  
VCR  
4
5
6
TV/DBS  
7
MLC 52  
8
9
ENT  
DISP  
0
TEST  
Projector Remote Type A  
Programming MLC 52 input selection buttons from a projector remote  
control type A  
4-4  
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If you are using an MLC 52 IR VC or an MLC 52 RS VC (two-gang models) with a  
type A remote control, program the buttons using the following scheme:  
INPUTS  
RGB1  
S-Video  
RGB2  
VIDEO  
SET  
UP  
POWER  
PRG+  
PLAY  
UP  
TIME/  
TIME/  
LEVEL–  
DLY/CNT/REAR  
PAUSE  
LEVEL+  
REW  
LEFT  
FF  
RIGHT  
DISPLAY  
STOP  
PRG–  
DOWN  
+
SKIP/CHAPTER  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOLUME  
TV  
DIR A  
INPUT  
+100  
REC/  
PAUSE  
EFFECT  
ON/OFF  
Command #1: RGB 1 IR  
command  
Command #1: Video IR  
command  
VCR  
DVD  
INPUT SELECT  
CD  
TAPE  
TUNER  
(If applicable)  
Command #1: S-video  
IR command  
1
2
3
Command #1: RGB 2 IR  
command. The button also must  
be placed in the input switch  
mode and labeled appropriately.  
PHONO  
DVD/LD  
VCR  
4
5
6
TV/DBS  
7
8
9
MLC 52  
ENT  
DISP  
0
TEST  
Projector Remote Type A  
Programming the MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC with a projector  
remote control type A  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Special Applications  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
Projector remote control type B (application 1)  
This remote control has only two input buttons — one for the RGB inputs and one  
for the S-video and composite video inputs. Each of these buttons contains one  
command that causes the projector to toggle between inputs.  
Program the command from the projector remote control’s Computer or RGB  
button onto the MLC’s PC button.  
Program the command that is on the projector remote control’s Video button  
onto the MLC’s Video button.  
The MLC now has one command each on its PC and Video buttons. You must still  
repeatedly press an input button to switch between selected sources; however, the  
button actually contains only one command (a projector input toggle command).  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
MUTE  
AUDIO  
MUTE  
A/V  
MUTE  
PROJECTOR  
ON  
OFF  
MENU  
ENTER  
Command #1: Computer  
Command #2: Video  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
CONT/  
BRT  
COL/  
TINT  
SIZE  
CENTER  
PHASE  
ASPECT  
RATIO  
SHARP  
MLC 52  
Projector Remote Control Type B  
Programming MLC 52 input selection buttons from a projector remote  
control type B  
If you are using an MLC 52 IR VC or an MLC 52 RS VC with a type B remote  
control, program the buttons using the following scheme:  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
MUTE  
AUDIO  
MUTE  
A/V  
MUTE  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
MENU  
ENTER  
VOLUME  
Leave blank and do not  
program. The button should  
be in single switch mode.  
Command #1: Computer  
CONT/  
BRT  
COL/  
TINT  
Command #1: Video. The  
button should be placed in input  
switch mode.  
SIZE  
CENTER  
PHASE  
Leave blank and do not  
program. The button should  
be in single switch mode.  
VIDEO  
ASPECT  
RATIO  
SHARP  
MLC 52  
Projector Remote Control Type B  
Programming MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC with a projector remote  
control type B  
4-6  
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Programming buttons for multiple inputs on an RS-232  
controlled system  
If the MLC 52 RS is to control the projector via RS-232, the projectors remote  
control does not need to be involved. Program the MLC buttons directly via the  
front panel configuration port using Windows-based configuration software (see  
chapter 5, “Serial Communication,” for information on using these control  
methods).  
1.  
Program commands 1 and 2 on the PC and Video buttons with the projectors  
RS-232 command for discrete input selection.  
2.  
The MLC now has two commands each on the PC and Video buttons. Press  
these buttons repeatedly to switch between the two input selection commands  
that you entered on each button.  
Application 2: Projector Requiring a Power Off  
Confirmation  
Some projectors controlled via IR require the Power Off button on the hand-held  
remote control to be pressed twice to turn off the projector. These projectors  
usually present a prompt (similar to the one shown below) on the image,  
instructing you to press the Power Off button again to confirm your intent to power  
off the projector. (If the projector is controlled via RS-232, this prompt is usually  
not displayed.)  
Turn Power OFF?  
Yes: Press Again No: Please Wait  
Typical projector power off confirmation prompt  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
Configuring the MLC 52 for a power-off confirmation  
The MLC 52 can be configured so that the projector Power Off button does not need  
to be pressed twice for confirmation. Using the macro mode feature, you can send  
two power off commands sequentially from a single press of the MLC’s Off button.  
To configure the MLC’s Off button to issue both a power off and a power off  
confirmation command,  
ON  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Ensure that power is applied to the MLC 52.  
Set configuration DIP switch #1 on the rear panel to On (up).  
1
2
3
4
Program the MLC’s Off button’s first two command memory  
blocks (commands #1 and #2) with a projector off command. See  
“Configuring using IR learning” in chapter 3, “Operation,” for procedures.  
DISPLAY  
Command #1: Off  
ON  
Command #2: Off  
OFF  
Set button to macro mode.  
PC  
VOL  
VOL  
VIDEO  
MLC 52  
Programming the Off button for a projector that requires a  
confirmation  
4.  
Put the MLC’s Off button that you have just programmed into macro mode  
by pressing and holding the button for 3 seconds. The orange LED on the  
back panel, labeled “E,” flashes rapidly five times, then turns off, indicating  
that the button is now configured for macro mode.  
5.  
Set configuration DIP switch #1 on the MLC rear panel to Off (down).  
Now, with one press of the MLC Off button, you can issue the two projector off  
commands needed to both answer the projectors confirmation prompt and turn  
the projector off. The commands are issued in succession at 1.5-second intervals.  
4-8  
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Application 3: Controlling Projectors That Have  
Multi-coded IR Functionality  
Certain projectors, such as Philips projectors, have multiple IR codes for the same  
function. Projectors with multi-coded IR functionality issue two commands for  
each IR remote control button. Command “A” is initiated by the first press of the  
button; command “B,” by the second press. Because the buttons on the MLC 52 can  
store up to four commands, it is ideal for projectors of this type.  
If controlled via RS-232, projectors that have multi-coded IR functions typically  
have a specific RS-232 command that selects or performs each desired function.  
Therefore, there is no command “A” or “B” for RS-232 control.  
Configuring the MLC 52 for multi-coded IR functionality  
This section provides instructions for using IR learning to program multiple input  
selection commands onto the MLC 52’s buttons from two common types of hand-  
held projector remote controls that have multi-coded IR functionality.  
For best results, select a projector that has a dedicated audio and video input  
for each source used in the system. Video and audio should not share an input.  
Projector remote control type A (application 3)  
This remote control has a discrete button for each input. Two buttons are  
designated for RGB inputs, one for S-video, and one for video (composite). Each of  
these input selection buttons on the type A remote control has a command “A” and  
a command “B” coded on it.  
Following these steps, use IR learning to program the input selection commands  
from the projectors type A hand-held remote control onto the MLC’s PC and Video  
buttons.  
Programming RGB inputs — projector remote control type A  
ON  
1.  
Place the rear panel configuration DIP switch #1 in the On (up)  
position to enable learning mode.  
1
2
3
4
2.  
Using IR learning, program command “A” from the RGB 1 input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #1 of the  
MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the bottom IR learning LED should be flashing.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB 1 button on the projectors remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “A” for RGB 1.  
When a command has been successfully learned, the IR learning LEDs on the  
MLC rear panel flash in rapid progression from the top to the bottom, then  
back to the top.  
3.  
Program the input selection command “A” from the RGB 2 input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #2 of the  
MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the second LED from the bottom flashes.  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB 2 button on the projectors remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “A” for RGB 2.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the RGB 1 input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #3 of the  
MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the third LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB 1 button on the projectors remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “B” for RGB 1.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the RGB 2 input selection  
button on the projector’s hand-held remote control into memory block #4 of  
the MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the fourth LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB 2 button on the projectors remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “B” for RGB 2.  
If finished programming the MLC 52 buttons, return configuration DIP  
switch #1 to its Off (down) position, and test the system.  
If you want to program video input selection at this time, proceed to  
“Programming video inputs — projector remote control type A,” below.  
Programming video inputs — projector remote control type A  
ON  
1.  
Place the rear panel configuration DIP switch #1 in the On (up)  
position to enter learning mode. (If the MLC is already in  
learning mode, proceed to step 2.)  
1
2
3
4
2.  
Using IR learning, program command “A” from the Video input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #1 of the  
MLC 52’s Video button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the bottom IR learning LED flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video button on the MLC 52 is blinking),  
press the Video button on the projector’s remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “A” for video.  
When a command has been successfully learned, the IR learning LEDs on the  
MLC rear panel flash in rapid progression from the top to the bottom, then  
back to the top.  
3.  
Program the input selection command “A” from the S-video input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #2 of the  
MLC 52’s Video button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the second LED from the bottom flashes.  
4-10 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Special Applications  
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b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video or blank button on the MLC 52 is  
blinking), press the S-video button on the projectors remote control. The  
MLC has learned command “A” for S-video.  
4.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the Video input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #3 of the  
MLC 52’s Video button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the third LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video or blank button on the MLC 52 is  
blinking), press the Video button on the projector’s remote control. The  
MLC has learned command “B” for Video.  
5.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the S-video input selection  
button on the projector’s hand-held remote control into memory block #4 of  
the MLC 52’s Video button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the fourth LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video or blank button on the MLC 52 is  
blinking), press the S-video button on the projectors remote control. The  
MLC has learned command “B” for S-video.  
6.  
7.  
When finished programming the MLC 52’s buttons, return configuration  
switch #1 to its Off (down) position.  
Test the system.  
INPUTS  
RGB1  
S-Video  
VIDEO  
RGB2  
SET  
UP  
POWER  
PRG+  
PLAY  
UP  
TIME/  
TIME/  
LEVEL–  
DLY/CNT/REAR  
PAUSE  
LEVEL+  
REW  
LEFT  
FF  
DISPLAY  
RIGHT  
STOP  
PRG–  
DOWN  
ON  
+
OFF  
PC  
SKIP/CHAPTER  
Command #1 : RGB 1 / IR Command “A”  
Command #2 : RGB 2 / IR Command “A”  
Command #3 : RGB 1 / IR Command “B”  
Command #4 : RGB 2 / IR Command “B”  
TV  
DIR  
A
INPUT  
+100  
REC/  
PAUSE  
EFFECT  
ON/OFF  
VOL  
VOL  
INPUT SELECT  
CD  
TAPE  
TUNER  
Command #1 : Video / IR Command “A”  
Command #2 : S-video / IR Command “A”  
Command #3 : Video / IR Command “B”  
Command #4 : S-video / IR Command “B”  
VIDEO  
1
2
3
PHONO  
DVD/LD  
VCR  
4
5
6
TV/DBS  
7
8
9
MLC 52  
ENT  
DISP  
0
TEST  
Projector Remote Type A  
Programming MLC 52 input selection buttons from a projector remote  
control type A  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
Issuing input selection commands learned from a type A remote control  
The MLC now has four commands each on the PC and Video buttons. When you  
press an MLC input button repeatedly, the following occurs:  
Using the PC button (RGB):  
First press (memory block #1): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for RGB 1  
input selection. The projector switches to its RGB 1 input.  
Second press (memory block #2): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for  
RGB 2 input selection. The projector switches to its RGB 2 input.  
Third press (memory block #3): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for RGB 1  
input selection. The projector switches to its RGB 1 input.  
Fourth press (memory block #4): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for RGB  
2 input selection. The projector switches to its RGB 2 input.  
Using the Video button (S-video or composite video):  
First press (memory block #1): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for  
composite video input selection. The projector switches to its video input.  
Second press (memory block #2): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for  
S-video input selection. The projector switches to its S-video input.  
First press (memory block #1): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for  
composite video input selection. The projector switches to its video input.  
Second press (memory block #2): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for  
S-video input selection. The projector switches to its S-video input.  
Programming VC models — projector remote control type A  
If you are using an MLC 52 IR VC or an MLC 52 RS VC with a type A remote  
control, program the buttons as indicated in the illustration below.  
INPUTS  
RGB2  
RGB1  
S-Video  
VIDEO  
SET  
UP  
POWER  
PRG+  
PLAY  
UP  
TIME/  
TIME/  
LEVEL–  
DLY/CNT/REAR  
PAUSE  
LEVEL+  
DISPLAY  
REW  
LEFT  
FF  
RIGHT  
STOP  
PRG–  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
DOWN  
VOLUME  
+
SKIP/CHAPTER  
TV  
DIR  
A
INPUT  
+100  
REC/  
PAUSE  
Command #1: RGB 1 IR CommandA”  
Command #2: RGB 1 IR CommandB”  
Command #1: Video 1 IR CommandA”  
Command #2: Video 1 IR CommandB”  
EFFECT  
ON/OFF  
VCR  
DVD  
INPUT SELECT  
CD  
TAPE  
TUNER  
1
2
3
Optional:  
Command #1: S-video 2 IR CommandA”  
Command #2: S-video 2 IR CommandB”  
Command #1: RGB 2 IR CommandA”  
Command #2: RGB 2 IR CommandB”  
Label the button button accordingly and  
place it in input switch mode.  
PHONO  
DVD/LD  
VCR  
4
5
6
TV/DBS  
7
8
9
ENT  
DISP  
0
TEST  
MLC 52  
Projector Remote Type A  
Programming an MLC 52 VC model with a projector remote control  
type A  
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Projector remote control type B (application 3)  
This remote control has only two input buttons — one for the RGB inputs and one  
for the S-video and composite video inputs. Each of these buttons contains two  
commands (commands “A” and “B”) that cause the button to toggle between  
inputs.  
Following these steps, use IR learning to program the input selection commands  
from the projectors type B hand-held remote control onto the MLC’s PC and Video  
or blank (VC models) buttons.  
Programming RGB inputs — projector remote control type B  
ON  
1.  
Place the rear panel configuration DIP switch #1 in the On (up)  
position to enter learning mode.  
1
2
3
4
2.  
Using IR learning, program command “A” from the RGB input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #1 of the  
MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the bottom IR learning LED flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB button on the projector’s remote control. The MLC has learned  
command “A” for RGB.  
When a command has been successfully learned, the IR learning LEDs on the  
MLC rear panel flash in rapid progression from the top to the bottom, then  
back to the top.  
3.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the RGB input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #2 of the  
MLC 52’s PC button as follows:  
a. Press the PC button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the second LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the PC button on the MLC 52 is blinking), press  
the RGB button on the projector’s remote control. The MLC has learned  
command “B” for RGB.  
4.  
If finished programming the MLC 52 buttons, return configuration DIP  
switch #1 to its Off (down) position, and test the system.  
If you want to program video input selection at this time, proceed to  
“Programming video inputs — type B remote control,” on the next page.  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
Programming video inputs — projector remote control type B  
ON  
1
1.  
2.  
Place the rear panel configuration DIP switch #1 in the On (up)  
position to enable learning mode. (If the MLC is already in  
learning mode, proceed to step 2.)  
2
3
4
Using IR learning, program command “A” from the Video input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #1 of the  
MLC 52’s Video or blank (for VC models) button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the bottom IR learning LED flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video button on the MLC 52 is blinking),  
press the Video button on the projector’s remote control. The MLC has  
learned command “A” for Video.  
When a command has been successfully learned, the IR learning LEDs on the  
MLC rear panel flash in rapid progression from the top to the bottom, then  
back to the top.  
3.  
Program the input selection command “B” from the Video input selection  
button on the projector’s remote control into memory block #2 of the  
MLC 52’s Video button as follows:  
a. Press the Video button on the MLC front panel. The button blinks,  
indicating that the MLC is ready to learn the command. On the rear  
panel, the second LED from the bottom flashes.  
b. Within 5 seconds (while the Video or blank button on the MLC 52 is  
blinking), press the Video button on the projector’s remote control. The  
MLC has learned command “B” for Video.  
4.  
5.  
When finished programming the MLC 52 buttons, return configuration DIP  
switch #1 to its Off (down) position.  
Test the system.  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
AUDIO  
MUTE  
A/V  
MUTE  
MUTE  
DISPLAY  
ON  
MENU  
ENTER  
OFF  
PC  
Command #1: RGB / IR Command “A”  
Command #2: RGB / IR Command “B”  
VOL  
VOL  
Command #1: Video / IR Command “A”  
Command #2: Video / IR Command “B”  
VIDEO  
CONT/  
BRT  
COL/  
TINT  
SIZE  
CENTER  
PHASE  
ASPECT  
RATIO  
SHARP  
MLC 52  
Projector Remote Type B  
Programming MLC 52 input selection buttons from a projector remote  
control type B  
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Issuing input selection commands learned from remote control type B  
The MLC now has two commands each on the PC and Video buttons. When you  
press an MLC input button repeatedly, the following commands are issued:  
Using the PC button (RGB):  
First press (memory block #1): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for RGB  
input selection.  
Second press (memory block #2): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for  
RGB input selection.  
Using the VIDEO button (S-video or composite video):  
First press (memory block #1): The MLC 52 issues command “A” for  
composite video input selection.  
Second press (memory block #2): The MLC 52 issues command “B” for  
S-video input selection.  
Programming VC models — Projector remote control type B  
If you are using a type B remote control with an MLC 52 IR VC or an  
MLC 52 RS VC, configure the buttons according to the diagram below.  
COMPUTER  
VIDEO  
VIDEO  
AUDIO  
MUTE  
A/V  
MUTE  
MUTE  
DISPLAY  
ON  
OFF  
PC  
VOLUME  
MENU  
ENTER  
Leave blank and do not program. The  
button should be in single switch mode.  
Command #1: Computer IR CommandA”  
Command #2: Computer IR CommandB”  
VCR  
DVD  
Leave blank and do not program. The  
button should be in single switch mode.  
Command #1: Video 1 IR CommandA”  
Command #2: Video 2 IR CommandB”  
Label the button accordingly and place it in  
input switch mode.  
CONT/  
BRT  
COL/  
TINT  
SIZE  
CENTER  
PHASE  
ASPECT  
RATIO  
SHARP  
MLC 52  
Projector Remote Type B  
Programming an MLC 52 VC model with a projector remote control  
type B  
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Special Applications, cont’d  
4-16 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Special Applications  
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MLC 52 Series  
Chapter Five  
5
Serial Communication  
Using the MLC 52 Configuration Program  
Using Simple Instruction Set (SIS) Commands  
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Serial Communication  
The MLC 52 can be remotely configured via a host computer connected to the  
front panel configuration port. Through this port, you can program the MLC’s  
buttons with commands by using the Windows®-based configuration software  
(MLC 52/DVCM 50 Configuration Program). You can also issue certain SIS™  
(Simple Instruction Set) commands through this port. The optional 9-pin D to  
2.5 mm stereo mini TRS RS-232 configuration cable (part #70-335-01) can be used  
for this connection.  
The connector has the following pin assignments:  
1
6
9
5
Tip  
Ring  
Sleeve (Gnd)  
9-pin D  
Connection  
TRS Plug  
Pin 2  
Pin 3  
Pin 5  
Computer's RX line  
Computer's TX line  
Computer's signal ground  
Tip  
Ring  
Sleeve  
RS-232 configuration cable pin assignments  
The MLC 52 uses the following protocol:  
9600 baud  
8 bits  
1 stop bit  
Parity: none  
Flow control: none  
Using the MLC 52 Configuration Program  
To perform advanced configuration tasks (e.g., setting button modes, updating  
firmware, adding display device drivers), you must use the included Extron  
Windows-based configuration software. Many items in the MLC 52  
Configuration program are also accessible via front panel controls described in  
chapter 3, “Operation.” Refer to that chapter for details on features and settings.  
Some features are available only via this configuration program. The MediaLink  
Help Program provides information on settings and on how to use the  
configuration program itself.  
To install and run the MLC 52 configuration software, ensure that your PC meets  
the following system requirements:  
• Microsoft® Windows 2000 or later  
• Pentium III or better processor (or compatible)  
• 32 MB free hard disk space  
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer© 4.0 or above  
• 4x or higher CD-ROM player  
• Minimum 1024 x 768 screen resolution  
Extron’s Windows-based configuration software is provided on a CD, which is  
packaged with the MLC. The program can also be downloaded from the Extron  
Web site (http://www.extron.com). Install this software on your computer.  
5-2  
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Installing the software  
To install the MLC 52 configuration software on your computer,  
1. Insert the CD ROM Disk A into your CD drive and open it.  
If the CD Autorun function is enabled on your PC, the disk starts  
automatically.  
If Autorun is not enabled,  
a. From your Windows desktop, select My Computer.  
b. Open the CD-ROM drive.  
c.  
Double-click on the Launch icon (Launch.exe) to start the CD.  
2.  
On the Extron Software Products Disk A screen, click the Software button  
(surrounded by a box in the illustration below).  
Extron Software Products Disc A screen  
3.  
On the Control Software screen, click the Install link at the right of the  
MLC 52 Series line.  
4.  
Follow the directions on the following windows to complete the software  
installation.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
By default the installation creates a directory called “MediaLink” within the  
Extron folder on the PC hard drive, and places the following icons in it:  
MediaLnk52.exe (MediaLink Configuration program)  
MLC52wizard.exe (a program to help you get started with the MLC 52)  
MediaLnk52.hlp (MLC 52 Help)  
Starting the configuration program  
It is not necessary to have the MLC 52 connected and powered up in order to  
start the configuration program if you start it in emulation mode. See  
“Using emulation mode” on page 5-14, for more information.  
To run the configuration program,  
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
Click Start on your PC screen.  
From the Start menu, select All Programs.  
From the Programs menu, select Extron Electronics.  
From the Extron menu, select MLC 52 + DVCM 50.  
Select MLC 52 + DVCM 50 Control Program. The first time you open the  
program, the MLC 52 and DVCM 50 Configuration Wizard screen opens,  
allowing you to choose either the Configuration Wizard or the Windows-  
based configuration program to configure your MLC.  
(You can select a different opening program and screen later, if desired. See  
“Selecting the starting screen” on page 5-46.)  
Configuration Wizard screen  
5-4  
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Loading Extron drivers  
Extron drivers are control files (libraries) of Extron-created projector or display  
commands that are specific to a particular display device. There are different sets  
of drivers for serial (RS-232) and for IR control.  
Before you can use the configuration software to configure the MLC’s buttons,  
the IR and/or serial driver packages must be loaded onto your computer. You  
must then load the appropriate driver for your display device to the MLC in  
order to configure the MLC to control the device.  
The MLC 52 is compatible with IP Link IR drivers found in the IPL Driver  
Package, version 6 or higher. (See “Viewing the IR driver package version”  
on page 5-7.)  
Pre-configured control files (drivers) should be used whenever possible. If no  
driver is available for the display that you want to control, it is possible to  
create your own driver via IR learning (see “Configuring the MLC 52 Using  
IR,” in chapter 3, “Operation”), or by entering the control command strings  
for your display device on the User Defined tab in the Button Operations  
section of the MLC 52 main screen (see Assigning user-defined functions to  
buttons” on page 5-34). Command strings can be obtained from the  
projector or display manufacturer.  
Loading a new driver causes the MLC’s existing configuration to be  
overwritten. If you know that you will want to use the previous  
configuration again, be sure to save it when the screen prompts you to do  
so.  
CAUTION  
Loading the serial (RS-232) drivers  
When you install your MLC 52 configuration software, the installation program  
loads the Extron serial drivers onto your computer at the following location,  
unless you specify otherwise:  
c:\Program Files\Extron\MediaLink\Drivers  
RS-232 drivers must be loaded/selected before you can choose RS-232 commands  
to program the buttons. (See “Adding a driver,” later in this chapter.)  
Loading the IR drivers  
IR drivers are accessed and loaded separately from the MLC 52 configuration  
program. To load the IR drivers,  
1.  
2.  
Load and open the Extron Software Products Disk A.  
On the Extron Software Products Disk A screen, click  
the Drivers button, shown at right.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
3.  
On the Drivers screen, select MLC 52/DVCM 50 Device Drivers.  
Selecting the MLC 52 / DVCM 50 IR driver package  
4.  
On the MLC 52/DVCM 50 Device Drivers screen,  
a. If desired, select IR from the Select Interface Type drop-down menu to  
view a list of all the IR drivers in the package.  
b. Click Install Driver Package Version 7.  
5-6  
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IR driver package list  
5.  
Click Run on the next two download screens that appear, to start the Driver  
Installer.  
6.  
Follow the instructions on the Install Wizard screens to load the IR drivers  
to your computer. Unless you specify otherwise, the IR drivers are placed at  
the following location:  
c:\Program Files\Extron\Driver2  
For information on loading an RS-232 or IR driver to the MLC 52, see “Adding a  
driver” on page 5-30.  
Viewing the IR driver package version  
To find out the version number of the IP Link IR driver package that you have,  
1.  
2.  
Open the MLC 52 configuration program.  
From the Help menu, select Details... . The Extron Driver Package  
Information section shows the driver package version number and the  
location of the IR drivers on your computer.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
IR driver information in the Help > Details window  
Changing the location of the IR drivers  
When you load the IR driver package from the CD, these drivers are by default  
placed at c:\Program Files\Extron\Driver2. If you store your IR drivers in a  
different folder, you must direct the MLC to this new folder to obtain IR drivers  
when you want to load them.  
1.  
If desired, create a new folder on your computer hard drive for the IR  
drivers.  
2.  
3.  
Move the IR driver files to their new location.  
From the Tools menu, select Change IR Driver Location. The IR Driver  
Directory window opens.  
IR Driver Directory window  
4.  
If you know the path to the new IR driver location, type it in the text box.  
If you do not know the path, click Browse. Use the Browse For Folder  
window to locate the folder where the IR drivers have been stored, then  
click the OK button on the browse window. The path is displayed in the  
text field on the IR Driver Directory window.  
5-8  
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Browse For Folder window  
5. Click OK on the IR Driver Directory.  
Key to file names  
File name  
Description  
________.MLL  
Extron-supplied display device driver library files. These files  
contain commands and settings pertinent to a particular  
projector or display.  
________.MLK  
User-saved MLC/MLC-MLS/MLS configuration files. This  
includes adjustments/settings and whatever driver (if any) was  
installed in the MLC at the time the file was saved.  
________.EIR  
IP Link IR drivers (which can also be used by the MLCs)  
Configuring using the MLC 52 Configuration Wizard  
The MLC 52 Configuration Wizard is a program that helps you perform basic  
configuration of the MLC 52. You can use the wizard to create a new  
configuration or to open and upload an existing one that you can then edit using  
the Windows-based configuration software. You can configure an MLC that is  
connected to your PC, or you can configure an MLC 52 (or a DVCM 50) that is not  
connected (by using emulation mode). For information on performing a complete  
configuration of your MLC, see “Configuring using the Windows-based  
configuration program” on page 5-19.  
If you have an RS model of the MLC 52 or the MLC 52 VC, the wizard  
allows you to configure the MLC with a serial driver only. If you want to  
create a configuration with additional IR drivers, you must access the  
Windows-based configuration software directly.  
If your MLC is an IR model, the wizard lets you load only an IR driver.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
To configure the MLC using the Configuration Wizard,  
1.  
On the first Configuration Wizard screen, select the “Configure the product  
using the Wizard” radio button, and click Next.  
Initial configuration options screen  
2. On the Welcome screen, click Next again. The following screen opens.  
Select Initial Option screen, first radio button selected  
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3.  
On the Select Initial Option screen, select the radio button for the type of  
connection you want to make between the MLC and your computer:  
Select the first radio button if your MLC is connected to your computer  
and you want to create a new configuration.  
Select the second radio button if you want to create a configuration, but  
the MLC is not currently connected to your computer. When you select  
this option, you create the configuration and save it on your computer,  
to be uploaded to an MLC later (emulation mode). For information on  
configuring in emulation mode, see “Using emulation mode,” later in  
this chapter.  
Select the third radio button if the MLC is connected to your computer,  
and you want to use a configuration that you have already created and  
saved.  
4.  
5.  
Continue through the wizard program, following the instructions on the  
screens for either of the processes described in the following sections:  
“Creating a new configuration using the wizard”  
“Uploading an existing configuration using the wizard”  
As you progress through the screens, note that the left side bar lists the  
screens that you have seen, with the name of the current screen in red.  
When you reach the last wizard screen in the process you are following,  
you can select to either edit the configuration you just completed or exit the  
wizard. After selecting the desired radio button, click Finish.  
If you select to edit the new configuration, a message appears,  
reminding you to save the edits you are about to make to the  
configuration file. Click OK. The MLC 52 Configuration Program  
screen opens. See “Saving and restoring a configuration” on page 5-23  
for information on saving the configuration when you are finished  
editing it.  
If you select to exit the wizard, the wizard program closes.  
Creating a new configuration using the wizard  
To create a new configuration for the connected MLC using the Configuration  
Wizard,  
1.  
On the Select Initial Option screen, select the first radio button, then click  
Next.  
2.  
On the Select Com Port screen, select the serial communication port through  
which the MLC is connected to your computer, then click Next. (Your  
system administrator should be able to provide your communications port  
information.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Select COM Port screen  
3.  
The Detect Device Type screen appears, showing the name and a  
representation of the MLC 52 that is connected to your computer’s serial  
port. Click Next to continue.  
4.  
Depending on whether you have an RS or an IR model, one of the following  
driver selection screens appears.  
For MLC 52 RS and MLC 52 RS VC:  
Select MediaLink Serial Driver screen for RS models  
5-12 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Serial Communication  
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For MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 IR VC:  
Select IR Driver screen for IR models  
On the driver selection screen, select a device driver for your MLC as  
follows:  
a. IR models only: Click the Video Projector or Display button to specify  
the type of device you have.  
b. From the list in the Select Device Manufacturer field, select the  
manufacturer name for the projector or display for which you are  
configuring the MLC.  
c. In the Select Device Model field, select the model name of the display  
device.  
If no manufacturer or device names appear in these fields, browse to locate  
the folder on your computer containing the serial or IR drivers, as follows:  
i.  
Click the Browse button at the right of the MediaLink [Serial or IR]  
Driver Location field.  
ii.  
In the Browse For Folder window, locate the folder containing the  
drivers. By default, this folder is placed at:  
c: Program Files\Extron\MediaLink\Drivers for serial drivers  
c: Program Files\Extron\Driver2 for IR drivers  
iii.  
Click on the folder, then click OK. The Browse For Folder window  
closes, and the path to the selected drivers folder is displayed in the  
Driver Location field. The Select Device Manufacturer and the  
Select Device Name fields are populated with the manufacturer and  
device names, respectively.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
d. Click the Add Driver button. The selected manufacturer and model  
names are displayed in the Selected MediaLink [Serial or IR] Driver  
field.  
If you change your mind about the driver you selected, click Remove  
Driver, and repeat steps 4b through 4d to add a different driver.  
e. Click Next. The Assign Commands To Buttons screen opens,  
displaying a diagram of the buttons on your MLC 52 and a list of  
commands that are available with the selected driver.  
5.  
(Optional) On the Assign Commands To Buttons screen, you can assign up  
to four commands to any of the six MLC buttons reproduced in the diagram  
that do not already have commands assigned.  
When the Assign Commands to Buttons screen opens via the wizard, some  
of the buttons may already be programmed with commands; for example,  
most drivers have power on and power off commands programmed on the  
two Display buttons, which are labeled On and Off on the wizard screen.  
On the standard MLC (not the VC model), many of the drivers also have  
commands programmed on the two Vol buttons to increase/decrease the  
display device’s volume. Because commands have been added to these  
buttons, red triangles appear in their upper-left corners. You cannot remove  
these preprogrammed commands from the volume and power buttons or  
add commands to them using the wizard. (You can add commands to them  
using the configuration software directly. See “Configuring using the  
Windows-based configuration program” on page 5-19.)  
Buttons that are labeled PC, Video, DVD, VCR, or blank are left  
unprogrammed. You can add, remove, or change commands on these  
buttons.  
Alternatively, you can click Skip to go to the next screen, and complete the  
wizard without adding any commands at this time. (You can add  
commands later from the Windows-based configuration software.)  
The buttons are prelabeled. You may wish to change these labels if they no  
longer reflect the commands you added to the buttons. To change the  
button labels, you must access the Windows-based configuration software  
directly. (See “Assigning functions to buttons” on page 5-23, for more  
information.)  
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Assign Commands To Buttons window with PC button selected  
To add a command to a button,  
a.  
Click on the screen button that you want to program. A yellow box  
appears around it, and its name is displayed in the Selected Button  
field. In the illustration above, the button labeled “PC” was selected.  
b. In the Select Driver Command field, click on the command function  
you want the selected button to execute. In the illustration, RGB1 was  
selected.  
c.  
Click Add Command. The selected  
command appears in the next available slot  
in the Assigned Driver Commands field,  
replacing <EMPTY>. See the example at  
right.  
d. If you want to add another command to the  
same button, repeat steps 5b and 5c. You  
can assign up to four commands to a  
button.  
e.  
If you want to assign commands to another  
button, repeat steps 5a through 5d for each  
button that you want to program.  
If you do not want to add a command to a button at this time, click Skip to  
go to the next screen.  
To remove a command from a button,  
a. Click on the button from which you want to remove the command.  
b. In the Assigned Driver Commands field, click on the command  
function that you want to remove.  
c. Click Remove Command. The command name is replaced by  
<EMPTY> in the Assigned Driver Commands field.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
6.  
7.  
When finished programming buttons, click Next. The Upload  
Configuration screen is displayed.  
Click the Upload button to begin the process of loading your new  
configuration to the MLC.  
a. A prompt appears, asking if you want to save the configuration to a  
file.  
If you click Yes, a Save Configuration File window opens, on  
which you can enter a file name (it must have a .mlk extension)  
and browse to the folder in which you want to save the  
configuration file. (By default, this window opens to the  
c: \Program Files\Extron\MediaLink folder to save  
configurations.)  
If you click No, the configuration is uploaded to the MLC, but it is  
not saved. If you overwrite it with a new configuration, it is lost.  
b. If your MLC already has a configuration loaded, the following prompt  
opens:  
Overwrite prompt  
Click Yes if you want your new configuration to replace the  
existing one.  
If you click No, the wizard closes without uploading the  
configuration. If you did not save the configuration when first  
prompted, another prompt appears, giving you another  
opportunity to save the new configuration to a file before the  
wizard closes.  
c. If you did not exit the wizard, the configuration you created is  
uploaded to the MLC. When the upload is finished, the screen  
displays the message “Upload Complete.”  
8.  
If you want to upload this configuration to another MLC, click Upload  
again. You are prompted to detach the RS-232 configuration cable from the  
currently connected MLC, and to attach the cable to the next MLC to which  
you want to upload the same configuration. After you have done this, click  
OK on the prompt window. The wizard uploads the configuration to the  
new MLC.  
If you do not want to upload the configuration to another MLC, skip to  
step 9.  
9.  
When finished uploading the configuration, click Next. The Finish screen  
is displayed.  
10. On the Finish screen, select either of the radio buttons, then click Finish.  
The first radio button closes the wizard and opens the Windows-  
based configuration software, enabling you to view and edit the  
configuration you most recently uploaded.  
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When you click Finish with this option selected, a prompt appears,  
reminding you to save the configuration after editing it using the  
Windows-based configuration software. Click OK to close the prompt.  
After a few seconds, the MLC 52 configuration program main screen  
opens, displaying your most recently uploaded configuration. (See  
“Configuring using the Windows-based configuration program” on  
page 5-19, for instructions on editing a configuration.)  
The second radio button closes the wizard without opening the  
configuration software.  
If you have not yet saved your new configuration, both of these options also  
save it.  
Uploading an existing configuration using the wizard  
As an alternative to creating a completely new configuration, you can use the  
wizard to open and upload an existing configuration. You can then use the  
Windows-based configuration software to edit the configuration and, if desired,  
save it under a new name.  
To upload an existing configuration,  
1.  
Open the wizard and click Next on the Introduction screen so that the  
Select Initial Option screen is displayed.  
2.  
On the Initial Option screen, select the third radio button, called “I am  
connected to an MLC 52 Series Controller or DVCM 50 and want to  
upload an existing configuration to it,” then click Next.  
3.  
On the Select COM Port screen, select the serial communication port  
through which the MLC is connected to your computer, then click Next.  
4.  
5.  
Click Next on the Detect Device Type screen.  
In the Select File section of the Save Configuration File screen, click on the  
desired configuration file (with a .mlk extension).  
Select Configuration File screen (RS version)  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
By default, the configuration files are stored at the following location:  
c: Program Files\Extron\MediaLink. This is where the configuration  
program looks for these files when you click Next. If the configuration file  
you want is stored elsewhere, click the Browse button, near the lower-right  
corner of the screen, and use the Browse For Folder screen to locate the file (it  
must have a .mlk extension). When you find the file, click on it, then click  
OK. The path to the selected configuration is displayed in the field at the  
bottom of the screen.  
6.  
7.  
Click Next.  
On the Upload Configuration screen, click the Upload button to begin the  
process of loading your new configuration to the MLC.  
If your MLC already has a configuration loaded, the following prompt  
appears:  
Overwrite prompt  
Click Yes if you want your new configuration to replace the existing  
one.  
If you click No, another prompt is displayed, reminding you that you  
have elected to exit the wizard and start the Windows-based  
configuration software. It asks you if you want to save the  
configuration you just selected.  

If you click Yes, a Save As... window opens. Save the  
configuration to the desired location.  

If you click No, the wizard closes without uploading the  
configuration.  
If you did not exit the wizard, the configuration you created is  
uploaded to the MLC. When the upload is finished, the screen  
displays the message “Upload Complete.”  
8.  
If you want to upload this configuration to another MLC, click Upload  
again. You are prompted to detach the RS-232 cable from the currently  
connected MLC, and to attach the cable to the next MLC to which you want  
to upload the same configuration. After you have done this, click OK on  
the prompt window. The wizard uploads the configuration to the next  
MLC.  
If you do not want to upload the configuration to another MLC, skip to  
step 9.  
9.  
When finished uploading the configuration, click Next. The Finish screen  
is displayed.  
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Wizard Finish screen  
10. On the Finish screen, select either of the radio buttons, then click Finish.  
The first radio button closes the wizard and opens the Windows-  
based configuration program, enabling you to view and/or edit the  
configuration you most recently uploaded.  
When you click Finish with this option selected, a prompt appears,  
reminding you to save the configuration after editing it using the  
Windows-based configuration software. Click OK to close the prompt.  
After a few seconds, the Windows-based configuration software main  
screen opens, displaying your most recently uploaded configuration.  
(See “Configuring using the Windows-based configuration program,”  
in the next section, for instructions on editing a configuration.)  
The second radio button closes the wizard without opening the  
configuration software.  
Configuring using the Windows-based configuration program  
To configure the MLC 52 more extensively than the Configuration Wizard  
permits (for example, to add IR drivers to an MLC 52 RS, or to change button  
labels), you can work directly from the Windows-based configuration software  
main screen.  
This screen is also your starting point for performing advanced configuration  
procedures that also are not available through the wizard (for example,  
configuring buttons on the optional IR 452 remote control to enable the IR 452 to  
control a VCR, DVD player, or other display device via the MLC and the IR Link  
or IRL 20. See “Programming the MLC 52 for control by the IR 452 Remote,” later  
in this chapter).  
Using the software, you can create a completely new configuration, or modify an  
existing configuration and save it under a new name.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
This section discusses configuring an MLC that is connected to your computer.  
You can also create and save configurations in emulation mode for an MLC 52, an  
MLC 52 VC, or a DVCM 50 that is not connected to your computer. (For more  
information, see “Using emulation mode,” later in this chapter.)  
Overview of the configuration procedure  
These are the main steps to configuring the MLC 52 using the MLC main screen.  
Details on each step are provided in the sections that follow this overview.  
Open the MLC 52 Configuration Program main screen and select a  
communication port. (See “Opening the MLC 52 Configuration Program  
screen,” in the next section.)  
1
2
3
If your MLC already has a configuration loaded, save this configuration if  
desired. (If you do not save the current configuration, it is overwritten  
when you enter and upload the new settings.)  
If you want to base your configuration on an existing one, restore the  
4
10  
desired configuration. Follow steps  
through  
to make any desired  
changes to it. (See “Restoring a configuration” on page 5-24.)  
4
If you want to create a completely new configuration, proceed to step  
.
On the main screen, add one or more IR drivers and/or a serial driver for  
the projector or display that you plan to connect to the MLC 52. (See  
“Adding a driver” on page 5-30.)  
4
5
6
(Optional) Click the Learn IR Command button to enable the MLC to learn  
one or more commands from the display device’s remote control. (See  
“Performing IR learning via software” on page 5-40.)  
For your selected drivers, add or change commands on the MLC and/or  
IR 452 buttons as desired. (See “Assigning functions to buttons” on page  
5-32.)  
As desired, edit the MLC and/or IR 452 button parameters available in the  
Button Settings section. (See “Button Settings section” on page 5-29.)  
7
8
On the Display Power Settings tab, enter the display device’s power on  
and off settings as desired.  
8
9
The settings in steps  
and  
are usually auto-set when an RS-232 driver  
is loaded. If the driver does not contain these settings, you can enter them  
manually.  
On the Display Comm Settings tab, enter the appropriate baud rate, data  
bits, and parity settings for the display device’s communications port.  
9
Save the configuration. (See “Saving and restoring a configuration” on  
page 5-23.)  
10  
Opening the MLC 52 Configuration Program screen  
To access the main screen (from outside the Configuration Wizard program),  
1.  
From the Configuration Wizard screen, select the radio button called  
Configure the product using Extron’s Windows Configuration Software,”  
and click Next. The mode selection window opens in front of the main  
screen.  
2.  
On the mode selection window, select the Select a Comm Port tab (if it is  
not already displayed). Make sure that your MLC is connected to your  
computer and has power.  
5-20  
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If you want to create a configuration for an MLC that is not connected to  
your computer, select the Emulation Mode tab and see “Using emulation  
mode” on page 5-43.  
3.  
From the “Select a COM port” drop box, select the port through which your  
computer will communicate with the MLC (information on the  
communications port to use should be available from your system  
administrator).  
Mode selection window, Select a Comm Port tab  
4. Click OK. The following screen appears:  
Model selection screen  
5.  
Click on the graphic representation of the connected MLC 52 model  
(standard or VC). (When you subsequently open the MLC 52 configuration  
program, the software detects and displays the model that you originally  
specified, and you do not see this screen again.)  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
After a few seconds, the Extron MLC 52 Configuration Program main  
screen appears, displaying a graphic representation of your selected model  
and of the IR 452 remote control.  
The MLC 52 Configuration Program screen (not configured)  
If you have loaded any configurations to your MLC previously, the most  
recently saved configuration is displayed, including button switch mode  
colors and name labels, driver commands, and display device settings.  
The color of each button on the screen reflects the button’s switch mode. If  
you open the configuration software through the wizard, the buttons’ switch  
modes are set according to the configuration you just created via the wizard.  
If you open the software without going through the wizard, and no  
configuration has been loaded to the MLC, the screen buttons are the factory  
defaults colors (See “Factory defaults” on page 5-37).  
6.  
Create a configuration for your MLC as described in the following sections.  
If you want to base the new configuration on an existing one, restore  
the desired configuration. (See “Restoring a configuration,” later in  
this chapter.) You can then modify it as desired and save it under a  
new name, as discussed in the following sections.  
If you want to create a completely new configuration, and a  
configuration has already been loaded to your MLC, reset the  
controller to its factory defaults. (See “Resetting” on page 5-47.)  
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Displaying the Help program  
For information on program features, do one of the  
following to display the MLC 52 Help screens:  
From the Help menu on the MLC 52 Configuration  
program screen, select Contents.  
Press the F1 computer key.  
From your computer desktop Start menu, select:  
All Programs\Extron Electronics\MLC 52 + DVCM 50\  
MLC 52 + DVCM 50 Control Pgm Help  
Saving and restoring a configuration  
An MLC 52 configuration consists of the display device driver(s); MLC button  
functions, names, and modes; IR 452 button functions and modes (if applicable);  
and power and comm port settings for the display device. The configuration  
displayed when you open the MLC 52 configuration software may have been:  
Created with the Configuration Wizard  
Created via the MLC 52 Windows-based configuration software  
An existing configuration file loaded from your computer  
Before adding drivers or programming buttons to create a new configuration, you  
may want to save your MLC 52’s current configuration in case you want to  
restore those settings in the future.  
Saving a configuration  
1.  
From the File menu, select Save Configuration as... .  
File menu, Save Configuration as... selected  
The “Save configuration to...” window opens.  
2.  
If necessary, browse to locate the folder in which you want to save your  
configuration. (It is recommended that you save it in the MediaLink folder  
or in another directory where the file can be found easily.)  
3.  
4.  
Make sure the “Save as type” field is set to MediaLink Configs (*.MLK).  
Type a name for the configuration in the File name field, in the format  
filename.mlk.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Save configuration to... window.  
5.  
Click Save. The current configuration is saved as a file with a .mlk  
extension.  
Restoring a configuration  
Restoring a configuration allows the software to quickly program an MLC 52  
from an existing configuration. To restore a configuration,  
1.  
From the File menu, select Restore Configuration from... . The following  
prompt opens, asking if you want to save the current configuration.  
Save Configuration prompt  
2.  
Click Yes if you want to save the current configuration before restoring  
another one. The “Save configuration to...” window opens. See “Saving a  
configuration,” in the previous section, for the saving procedure.  
Click No if you do not want to save the current configuration, or Cancel to  
stop the restoring process.  
The “Load configuration from...” window opens.  
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Load configuration from... window  
3.  
If necessary, browse to locate the configuration file that you want to restore.  
(Configuration files are by default stored in the folder at c: \Program Files\  
Extron\MediaLink.)  
4.  
5.  
Select the desired configuration file. It must have the extension .mlk.  
Click Open. After a few seconds, the selected configuration is uploaded to  
the MLC 52.  
Overview of the MLC 52 configuration program main screen  
The MLC 52 Configuration Program main screen is the interface from which you  
configure the controller and IR 452 buttons, and initiate IR learning through  
software. It lets you perform functions such as picking and assigning IR or  
RS-232 driver functions to buttons, removing programming from buttons, and  
selecting a switch mode to group buttons to operate in a mutually exclusive  
operation. The screen contains graphical representations of the MLC 52 and the  
IR 452 remote control. Click on a button representation in these diagrams to  
select a button for programming, then make selections for the button in the other  
fields on the screen.  
In the example below, the standard (one-gang sized) MLC is shown.  
However, the buttons on MLC 52 VC model (with the volume control knob)  
are configured by the same methods.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Main screen with a driver added  
The main screen consists of the following sections:  
Menu bar  
The menus on the menu bar at the top of the screen enable you to access certain  
functions and settings for the MLC, as well as the help file.  
File menu  




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Save Configuration as... — Lets you specify a location and name for  
the current configuration and save it. (See “Saving a configuration” on  
page 5-23 for more information.)  
Restore Configuration from... — Lets you locate and load a  
configuration from your computer to the MLC. (See “Restoring a  
configuration” on page 5-24.)  
Total Factory Reset — Resets the MLC to its factory defaults. (See  
“Factory defaults” and “Resetting,” later in this chapter, for more  
information.)  
Update Firmware — Starts the Firmware Loader, which enables you to  
load new versions of firmware to the MLC. (See “Uploading  
firmware,” later in this chapter, for more information.)  
Exit — Closes the MLC 52 configuration program.  
Tools menu  
Wizard Options — Select whether the Configuration Wizard or the  

MLC 52 main screen will be displayed each time the configuration  
program is opened. (See “Selecting options for displaying the wizard,”  
later in this chapter, for more information.)  
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

Change IR Driver Location — Lets you select a folder where the MLC  
will look for the IR drivers that you are loading. (See “Changing the  
location of the IR Drivers” on page 5-8 for more information.)  
Show Trace Window — Opens the Trace Window, in which you can  
view a record of all commands that are submitted via the front panel,  
SIS, or the Windows-based configuration software, as well as the  
MLC’s responses to the commands.  
Trace Window example  
As you select an option or enter a command, the system’s  
acknowledgement of the input is displayed immediately on the Trace  
Window. You can scroll through this screen to locate any command  
that was entered since the last reset or data clearing. You can use this  
information for troubleshooting purposes.  
Help menu  

Contents — Displays the MLC 52 help file, in which you can look up  
all procedures for configuring the MLC. (You can also display the help  
by pressing the F1 key on your computer keyboard.)  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  

Details... — Displays the Details window, which gives detailed  
information on the MLC’s current configuration and status.  
Details window from the Help menu  
When finished viewing the information, click the X (Close) button in  
the upper-right corner to close this window.  

Check for Updates — Checks the Extron Web site to find out if the  
current version of the Windows-based configuration software on your  
MLC 52 is the latest.  
If a newer version than yours is encountered, the Update Available  
window is displayed. Click OK if you want the MLC software to be  
updated immediately. Click Cancel if you do not want the update at  
this time.  
If no new versions are encountered, the Update Not Required window  
opens, informing you that you have the most recent version of the  
MLC 52 software on your system.  

About option — Displays a window giving the current version and  
part number of the Windows-based configuration software, as well as a  
representation of your MLC’s front panel. Click B to close this window.  
About window from Help menu, showing an MLC 52 RS  
Front panel representations  
The upper-left quadrant of the screen contains representations of the front panels  
of the connected MLC 52 and of the IR 452 Remote Control. Click the screen  
buttons in these diagrams to select and program the equivalent buttons on the  
MLC and/or IR 452.  
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Button Settings area  
In this section of the screen, you can enter text to label the MLC screen buttons on  
the front panel display (you cannot label the IR 452 buttons). You can also select  
the switch mode (defining the way the buttons are grouped and function  
together) for a selected button (Input, Volume, Single Switch) and/or whether the  
button will execute one command (toggle mode) or multiple commands (macro  
mode) when pressed. (See “Setting up button modes and labels” on page 5-35.)  
Display settings tabs  
In this section, the Display Power Settings tab lets you enter information  
regarding the display device’s powering on and off process. The Display Comm  
Settings tab lets you enter information about the display device’s communication  
port. See “Entering display device power settings” on page 5-38 and “Entering  
display device communications port settings” on page 5-39.  
Button Operations area  
In this section of the screen, you select or define the command(s) to program to a  
selected button, or remove commands from a button. (See “Assigning functions  
to buttons” on page 5-32.)  
Driver tab — Lists the drivers that have been added to the current MLC  
configuration. Click on the + sign at the left of a driver name to see the  
commands available for it. (See “Assigning functions to buttons” on page  
5-32.)  
Add Driver and Remove Driver buttons — Let you add a driver to the  
current configuration or remove a selected driver from it. These buttons are  
displayed only when the Driver tab is selected.  
User Defined tab — Lets you enter commands for buttons in hexadecimal  
or ASCII characters. (See “Assigning user-defined functions to buttons” on  
page 5-34.)  
Add and Clear buttons — Add a user-defined command to a selected  
button, or clear the command coding from the User Defined field. These  
buttons are displayed only when the User Defined tab is selected.  
Current Button field — Lists the commands that have been programmed  
onto the selected button. In this section, you can add or remove any of the  
listed commands to or from the selected button, using the green right and  
left arrow buttons. The up and down arrow buttons at the right of the  
command list enable you to reorder the commands on the list.  
Play IR Command button — Executes (“plays”) a selected IR driver  
command that has been programmed on the selected MLC or IR 452 button.  
Learn IR Command button — Lets you add a command to a button using  
IR learning. (See “Assigning functions to buttons” on page 5-32 and  
“Performing IR learning via software” on page 5-40.)  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Adding a driver  
To add a serial (RS-232) or IR driver to the MLC,  
1.  
Load the serial and/or IR driver package(s) on your computer hard drive, if  
you have not already done so.  
2.  
3.  
Click Add Driver, in the lower-left corner of the MLC 52 main screen.  
On the Add Driver window, click Serial or IR for the type of driver to be  
added.  
Add Driver window  
A configuration can contain only one serial driver at a time, although  
multiple IR drivers are allowed.  
If you select Serial for a configuration that already has a serial driver, the  
following message appears:  
Serial driver overwrite prompt  
a. Click Yes if you want to continue adding a serial driver, overwriting the  
existing one. If you want to stop the process, click No.  
b. If you click Yes, another prompt appears, asking if you want to save the  
current configuration. Click Yes if you want to save it; No, to continue  
without saving it; or Cancel, to stop loading the driver.  
4.  
Select the desired driver from the window that opens.  
If you select Serial, the following window opens, displaying the  
contents of the “drivers” folder, located at c: \Program Files\Extron\  
MediaLink.  
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Select a serial driver... window  
Double-click on the driver for the desired device. The driver name  
appears on the Driver tab.  
If you select IR, the Select Your IR Driver window opens.  
a. From the drop-down menus, select the device type,  
manufacturer name, and model name.  
Select Your IR Driver window  
b. Click OK. If you selected a driver for a DVD, VCR, or DVD/VCR  
combination, an Auto Fill window opens.  
Auto Fill window  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
c. Click Yes if you want the configuration program to fill the IR 452  
buttons with the commands available with this driver.  
Click No if you want to close the Auto Fill window without auto-  
filling the IR buttons.  
The IR driver name appears on the Driver tab on the MLC 52 main  
window. If Auto Fill was performed, the IR 452 buttons for which the  
driver has commands display red triangles in their upper-left corners,  
indicating that commands have been added to them.  
Removing a driver  
You remove a driver by different methods, depending on whether the driver is  
serial or IR.  
Removing an IR driver  
To remove an IR driver,  
1.  
On the Driver tab, click on the IR driver that you want to remove. The  
Remove Driver button becomes enabled.  
2.  
3.  
Click Remove Driver.  
On the Confirm Delete prompt, click OK. The driver name is removed from  
the Driver tab.  
Removing a serial driver  
To remove a serial driver, you must either replace it with another serial driver (see  
“Adding a driver” on page 5-30) or create a new configuration without adding a  
serial driver to it. You cannot completely remove a serial driver from a  
configuration after one has been added. (The Remove Driver button becomes  
grayed out and unavailable when a serial driver is selected.)  
Assigning functions to buttons  
When you add a driver to the configuration, you must add commands to the  
MLC’s buttons to initiate one or more of the driver’s functions. You can also add  
commands to the IR 452 Remote Control buttons. A button can contain up to four  
commands that are executed when it is pressed.  
To add a command function to a button,  
1.  
On the front panel representation, click on the MLC or IR 452 screen button  
to which you want to add a command.  
When you select the button, the following occurs on the screen:  
A yellow box surrounds the selected button. (In the example below, the  
MLC’s PC button was selected.)  
The fields in the Button Settings section change to reflect the current  
settings for the selected button.  
The button’s name appears in the title of the “Current Button” section.  
(In the example below, the section title reads “Current Button: PC.”  
The Power On and Power Off buttons on the IR 452 are grouped with the  
On and Off Display buttons on the MLC. If you click on one of these  
buttons on the IR 452 diagram, its equivalent button on the MLC is also  
selected, and vice versa.  
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PC button selected on MLC 52 main screen  
2.  
3.  
4.  
On the Driver tab in the Button Operations field, click the + sign in front of  
the driver name to view the commands available with that driver.  
On the command list below the driver name, click on the name of the first  
command that you want to program onto the selected button.  
Click the green left arrow at the right of the Driver tab. The selected  
command is displayed beside the number 1 (or the next available command  
slot) in the Current Button field.  
Command added to the first memory block of the PC button  
The first time a command is added to a button, a red triangle covers the  
upper-left corner of the button’s screen representation, indicating that the  
button has been programmed with at least one command.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
5.  
If you want to assign another command to the same button, select the next  
command you want to add to the button, then repeat step 4. The command  
appears beside the next number in the Current Button field.  
For each MLC and IR 452 button, you can perform this procedure up to four  
times, or until the button’s four memory blocks are all assigned.  
For IR commands, you can mix driver functions from different devices on  
the same button. For example, you can program a Mute On button on the  
remote control with a command to mute a Sanyo projector and another  
command to mute an NEC projector. You can also add IR commands to a  
button on which RS-232 commands have been programmed and vice versa.  
Since a configuration can have only one serial driver at a time, you are not  
able to mix RS-232 commands for different devices on the same button.  
Assigning user-defined functions to buttons  
This tab provides an alternative way to edit or enter RS-232 codes (not IR). If you  
want to enter RS-232 commands that are not included the downloadable driver  
for your display device, or if there is no Extron driver for your device, you can  
enter codes in this section using hexadecimal or ASCII.  
You cannot enter IR commands via the User Defined tab; this tab is available  
for RS-232 only.  
To enter a user-defined command code for an MLC 52 or IR 452 button,  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Click on the button to which you want to add a command.  
In the Button Operations area, click on the User Defined tab.  
In the command entry field (the narrow space at the bottom of the User  
Defined tab), type your command code, using ASCII, hex, or a combination  
of both character types. The hex codes for your command appear in the  
larger space above the command entry field.  
You must enter a % sign before each hex character to notify the MLC that  
the next code will be in hex format.  
Do not enter spaces between characters.  
An ASCII-to-hex conversion table is on page 5-51 for your reference.  
In the following example, the Video button was selected, and the code  
VIDEO1%0D was typed in the command entry field. (The 0D command is a  
hex code for carriage return; it is preceded by %.)  
Button Operations section containing a user-defined code  
4.  
Click Add to add the command to the selected button. The words “User  
Defined” appear in the next available command slot in the Current Button  
field (the actual command and driver names do not appear).  
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User-defined command entered for Video button  
If you do not want to assign the command to the button, click Clear to  
remove your entries from both fields on the User Defined tab.  
5.  
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for any additional commands you want to define for  
the button.  
Removing a function from a button  
To remove a command from a button,  
1.  
Click on the screen button from which you want to remove a command. A  
yellow box appears around the button.  
2.  
3.  
In the Current Button field, click on the command that you want to remove.  
Click the green left arrow button at the left of the Current Button field.  
Alternatively, you can right-click on the command to be  
removed and select Delete from the menu that pops up.  
The command disappears from the Current Button field.  
You can remove only one command at a time from a button. If  
you want to remove more than one command, you must repeat  
this procedure for each command to be removed.  
Setting up button modes and labels  
In the Button Settings field, you can set the following parameters for the MLC  
buttons.  
Button Text — Change the text label that appears on the screen button.  
Switch Mode — Select the way buttons are grouped to function together.  
The button’s color on the screen indicates the button’s current switch mode.  
On the actual front panel, the color in which the buttons light does not  
reflect their switch mode; the buttons light only in amber.  


Single switch mode (gray): In this mode, the button operates  
independently of the other buttons. Pressing a button in this mode  
does not affect any other button.  
Input mode (blue): When you press one of the buttons on the front  
panel that are in input mode, all other buttons in this mode are  
inactive. On the MLC front panel, the active button lights brightly; the  
inactive button(s) are dimmed.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  

Volume mode (green): This mode is available only on the standard  
(not VC) MLC model, and only for the two buttons that are (by default)  
labeled Vol Up and Vol Dn. When an RS-232 driver that contains a  
volume table is part of the configuration, pressing a button in volume  
mode accesses the driver’s volume table. Each press of the button  
raises or lowers the volume of the display device by the amount  
specified in the volume table. When in volume mode, the button  
labeled Vol Up always increases the volume; Vol Dn always lowers it.  
If you select volume mode for one of these two buttons, the other button  
is also placed in volume mode.  
If no RS-232 driver has been added, or if the current RS-232 driver  
contains no volume table, selecting volume mode is the same as  
selecting single switch mode.  

Power mode (yellow): The two Display buttons at the top of the front  
panel, labeled by default “On” and “Off,” are permanently fixed in  
power mode. When you select one of these buttons, the only setting  
you can change in the Button Settings section is the Button Text. Power  
mode is available for only these two Display buttons.  
In power mode, the two buttons are mutually exclusive; if you press  
one on the front panel, the other one becomes unlit. In addition, if you  
have entered a number on the Display Power Settings tab to indicate  
the seconds that the display device delays when powering up and/or  
down, pressing these buttons causes them to blink for the duration of  
the specified delay. (See “Entering display device power settings” in  
the next section.)  
Button Mode — When multiple commands are programmed on a button,  
select the mode in which the commands are performed:  

Toggle mode — When pressed, the button executes only one  
command. The first time it is pressed, it executes the command that  
was programmed to its first memory block (the first command listed for  
that button in the Current Button field). The second time the button is  
pressed, the command in the second memory block is executed, and so  
on.  
In toggle mode, the commands are always executed in the order  
that they are programmed in the memory blocks and listed in the  
Current Button field. For example, if you want to perform the  
command in memory block 3 of the selected button, you must  
press the button three times; and the commands in memory  
blocks 1 and 2 are always performed before command 3.  
However long the delay between button presses, the commands  
are always executed in the programmed order, unless another  
button is pressed in between. If this occurs, the button returns to  
command 1.  

Macro mode — When pressed, the button executes all the commands  
programmed to its memory blocks, in the order they are listed in the  
Current Button field. There is a 2 second delay between command  
executions.  
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Factory defaults  
When your MLC 52 is delivered from the factory, or after a reset, the buttons are  
set up as shown in the following figures:  
Default button configuration — standard MLC 52  
Default button configuration — MLC 52 VC  
The two Display buttons on the MLC are set in the power and macro  
modes, colored yellow, and labeled On and Off. The Power On and Power  
Off buttons on the IR 452 are also in power mode and tied to the MLC  
Display buttons. When you click on an MLC Display button, its equivalent  
Power button on the IR representation is also selected (surrounded by a  
yellow box).  
1
These are the only buttons that can be in power mode. You can add  
commands to them and relabel them, but you cannot change their switch  
mode or their button mode (macro).  
The two buttons in the left column (below the Display On button) are  
configured differently, depending on the MLC model:  
2
MLC 52 standard models: These buttons are designated as volume  
buttons. They are in single switch mode, colored gray, and are labeled  
Vol Up and Vol Dn. These are the only buttons that can be placed in  
volume mode. They can also be in input mode or single switch mode.  
MLC 52 VC models: Because the VC models have volume control  
knobs, volume mode is not available for their buttons. The two buttons  
in the left column are designated as input buttons. By default they are  
in input mode, colored blue, and labeled VCR and DVD. They can be  
placed in single switch mode or input mode only.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
The Volume knob cannot be configured using the configuration  
software.  
The two buttons in the right column, below the Display Off button, are  
configured as follows:  
3
MLC 52 standard models: These buttons are in input mode, colored  
blue, and are labeled “PC” and “Video.”  
MLC 52 VC models: One button is in input mode (blue) and is labeled  
“PC”; the other button is in single-switch mode (gray) and is  
unlabeled.  
These buttons can be in either input or single switch mode on all models.  
IR 452: The Power On and Power Off buttons on the IR 452 remote control are in  
power mode and are tied to the MLC Display On and Off buttons. These are the  
only IR 452 buttons that are programmed with functions and configured in a  
switch mode. Switch modes are not available for the other IR 452 buttons.  
Setting the button modes  
To change the button mode or switch mode of a button,  
1.  
2.  
Click on the MLC or IR 452 button that you want to set up.  
For the IR 452 buttons, only the button mode (toggle or macro) can be set.  
From the Switch Mode or Button Mode drop-down box, select the mode for  
the button you selected in step 1.  
Switch Mode menu for a volume button  
The screen button changes color to reflect its new mode.  
Entering display device power settings  
The Display Power Settings tab lets you make some specifications regarding  
power settings for your projector or display.  
When you make a selection in any of the first three fields, the Apply and Cancel  
buttons on this tab are enabled and the text on them becomes red. Click Apply to  
implement the change(s) you made, or click Cancel if you want to clear settings  
that have not been applied.  
Display Power Settings tab  
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Automatically shut off projector power after being inactive for:  
Click the up and down arrow buttons at the right of this field to adjust the  
amount of time the MLC will remain inactive before shutting down the  
display device. You can select periods in increments of 30 minutes. If this  
field contains a value, the MLC monitors its button presses; when the  
specified amount of time passes without a button being pressed, the MLC  
sends an Off command to the display device. If no amount is entered in  
this field, the MLC does not turn off the display unless its power Off button  
is pressed.  
When powering up, delay for: and When powering down, delay for:  
Click the up and down arrow buttons at the right of these fields to select the  
number of seconds that elapse between a power button press and the  
display device powering up or down. When you make a selection in either  
of these fields, the MLC power button blinks during the period between the  
button press and the actual power-up or power-down.  
These fields do not actually set the delay time on the display device; they  
reflect the device manufacturer’s settings. The blinking power buttons on  
the MLC let you know that the device is in the process of powering up or  
down, and has yet not completed the cycle.  
Often, the two delay fields are filled in by the device driver when you load it  
to the MLC (although you can change them). If the driver does not contain  
this information, you must enter it yourself if you want the buttons to blink  
during the delay period. If you do not select a number of seconds for either  
powering on or off, the button does not blink during the delay.  
No IR/232 while display power is off  
When this check box is selected, none of the MLC’s buttons (except the  
power On button) issue commands if they are pressed when display device  
power is off, or when the device is warming up or cooling down.  
Enable 2 second hold on Power Off button  
If this check box is selected, you must press and hold the MLC’s Off button  
for 2 seconds in order to power off the display device. After the 2 second  
period, the Off button starts to blink and the projector begins to shut down.  
(This helps prevent accidental powering off of the projector.)  
Entering display device communications port settings  
The Display Comm Settings tab shows the parameters for the display device’s  
communications port. These fields are usually filled with information obtained  
from the driver when it is loaded. However, if there is no Extron driver for your  
display device, you must enter this information for your projector or display  
manually (your device user’s manual should provide these settings). If the  
information you enter here is not correct for your device, the MLC cannot  
communicate with it.  
To enter the display device’s communications port settings,  
1.  
2.  
Select the correct device settings from the Baud Rate, Data Bits, and Parity  
drop-down menus. When you make a selection in any of these fields, the  
Apply and Cancel buttons become active (red).  
Click Apply.  
(Click Cancel if you want to clear settings that have not been applied.)  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Programming the MLC 52 for control by the IR 452 Remote  
The optional IR 452 Remote Control can issue commands to a projector, DVD,  
VCR, or other device via the MLC 52, which can be programmed to pass on  
commands received from the IR 452 via the optional IR Link or IRL 20. After  
programming the MLC to recognize commands sent from the IR 452, you can  
control a projector or other display device by pressing the IR 452’s buttons while  
pointing it at the IR Link or IRL 20.  
You can add up to four functions to each IR 452 button, including commands  
from different device drivers. This enables you to program one button to transmit  
a different command signal to up to four different devices, if desired. For  
example, you could program an IR 452 button in macro mode with four  
commands so that one press of the Power On button turns on your projector,  
DVD player, plasma display, and document camera all at once.  
With the MLC 52 and IR Link or IRL 20 set up to receive command signals from  
the IR 452 with its multiple commands per button capability, you can eliminate  
the various remote controls for your DVD, VCR, projector, etc., and control all  
your devices using the IR 452.  
The MLC 52 main screen contains a representation of the IR 452. You can store  
remote control button commands on the MLC by adding IR and/or RS-232 driver  
functions to these virtual buttons. The procedure for programming IR 452 button  
commands is the same as for the MLC 52 buttons. See “Assigning functions to  
buttons” on page 5-32 for this procedure.  
In order to use the IR 452 remote with the MLC 52, you must install the  
IR Link or IRL 20 and connect it to the MLC. (See “Wiring for IR remote  
control,” in chapter 2, “Installation.”)  
You cannot configure the MLC 52 from the IR 452 Remote Control.  
Performing IR learning via software  
The MLC 52 can “learn” commands from your display device’s remote control in  
order to control the projector, display, or devices such as VCRs or DVD players.  
Using IR learning, you can program command codes to a button’s four memory  
blocks. You can also use IR learning to program the IR 452 button functions on  
the MLC. The MLC cannot be mounted in the wall or furniture while you are  
doing this.  
Follow these steps to initiate IR learning via the Windows-based configuration  
program:  
ON  
1.  
Use an Extron Tweeker or other small screwdriver to set  
configuration DIP switch #1 on the MLC rear panel to the On  
(up) position.  
1
2
3
4
2.  
3.  
Open the MLC 52 configuration software.  
Click on the MLC or IR 452 button to which you want to program the  
command.  
4.  
Click Learn IR to Button. The following prompt appears, showing the MLC  
or IR 452 button you selected and telling you to click OK when you are  
ready to start the IR learning process.  
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IR learning readiness prompt  
5.  
When you are ready to start, click OK. The text in the prompt window  
becomes red and changes to the following message:  
Prompt to press IR remote control button  
6.  
Hold the device’s remote control 4" to 14" (10 cm to 36 cm) away from and  
directly facing the MLC’s IR learning LEDs. (You may need to experiment  
to determine the best IR learning distance for each remote control.) Within  
5 seconds, press the button on the remote for the command you want to add  
to the selected MLC button. Hold the remote button for approximately  
1 second (the time may vary, depending on the device remote control).  
4 to 14”  
(10 to 36 cm)  
Projector Remote  
E
4
3
ON  
2
1
1
2
3
4
ON  
1
2
3
4
Aiming a projector remote control at the MLC IR learning LEDs  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
If the command is learned successfully, the Current Button field displays  
“IR Learned” in the selected button’s first available command slot.  
Current Button field showing that an IR command was learned to  
the PC button  
If you do not press the device remote control button within 5 seconds, the  
following dialog box appears, telling you that the IR learning process has  
timed out.  
IR learning timeout prompt  
If you want to try to learn the command again, click OK on the prompt, and  
press the remote control button within 5 seconds. If you want to quit, click  
the X (Close) button in the upper-right corner of the prompt window.  
7.  
Repeat steps 2 through 6 for each button to be set up with IR codes.  
8.  
Place configuration DIP switch #1 back in the Off (down) position  
when you are ready to resume normal MLC operation. (All four  
switches should be down.)  
ON  
2
1
3
4
Playing an IR command  
Playing a command means issuing the command from the MLC using the  
configuration software. The result is the same as if the equivalent button were  
pressed on the display device’s remote control.  
To play an IR command,  
1.  
On the main screen, click the MLC or IR 452 button whose command(s) you  
want to play.  
2.  
3.  
In the Current Button field, click on the desired command to highlight it.  
Click the Play IR Command button below the Current Button field. The  
MLC issues the command, and the device performs the function.  
If the button is in macro mode and has multiple commands programmed to  
it, all of the commands are issued in the order in which they are listed in the  
Current Button field.  
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Playing an IR command  
Using emulation mode  
The MLC 52 configuration program features an emulation mode, which enables  
you to set up an MLC 52 system before the actual equipment is available on site.  
You can save the emulated settings as a configuration file on your computer, then  
load that configuration file to the MLC 52 when the unit is available.  
To configure an MLC in emulation mode,  
1.  
2.  
Start the MLC 52 configuration program.  
On the Connection window, select the Emulation Mode tab.  
Connection window with Emulation Mode tab selected  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
3.  
You can create a new configuration starting from the default settings, or you  
can base the configuration on an existing setup.  
If you are creating a new configuration, select the Start New  
Configuration radio button, then click OK.  
If you want to base your configuration on an existing one,  
a. Select the “Load Existing Configuration from” radio button.  
If you have accessed existing configuration(s) previously, their  
names appear in the dropdown menu.  
Existing configurations dropdown menu on Connection  
Window  
b. Do one of the following:  



Select a file name and path from the drop-down menu.  
Type in the path to the desired configuration file.  
Click Browse and locate the desired configuration file on your  
computer. The “Import configuration from” window opens,  
displaying the configuration (.mlk extension) files that are in  
the MediaLink folder on your computer.  
Import Configuration From... window, showing MediaLink folder  
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c. Double-click on the configuration file that you want to use in  
emulation mode. Its name appears on the Emulation Mode tab.  
4.  
Click OK. If you are starting a new configuration, the following screen  
appears:  
Device selection screen for emulation mode  
5.  
In the Please Select a Device area, click on the controller for which you want  
to create the configuration: DVCM 50, MLC 52 VC, or MLC 52. (For DVCM  
50 instructions, see the DVCM 50 User’s Manual.)  
6.  
When you select one of the MLC models, a pair of buttons appears in the  
Please Select a Device section. Depending on the device you selected in  
step 5, the buttons are named MLC 52 RS and MLC 52 IR , or MLC 52 RS VC  
and MLC 52 IR VC.  
MLC driver type selection buttons on the device selection screen  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Click the button for the MLC type that you want to configure in emulation  
mode: MLC 52 RS or MLC 52 RS VC (loads a serial driver) or MLC 52 IR or  
MLC 52 IR VC (loads an IR driver).  
7.  
8.  
Select your desired settings on the main screen to configure the buttons as  
described the following sections: “Assigning functions to buttons,” “Setting  
up buttons,” “Entering display device power settings,” and “Entering  
display device communications port settings,” earlier in this chapter.  
You cannot perform IR learning or play an IR command in emulation mode.  
You must have an MLC connected to your computer for these functions.  
Save the configuration as a .mlk file. (See “Saving and restoring the  
configuration,” earlier in this chapter.)  
Selecting the starting screen  
To select whether the Configuration Wizard or the Windows-based configuration  
program is displayed when you open the MLC 52 configuration software, follow  
these steps:  
1.  
From the Tools menu, select Wizard Options. The Wizard Options  
submenu opens.  
Wizard Options submenu  
2.  
From the submenu, select one of the following options for displaying the  
Configuration Wizard at program startup:  
Always Start with the Wizard — When you select this option, the  
wizard Welcome screen is displayed every time you open the MLC 52  
configuration program.  
Always Start with the Control Program — When you select this option,  
the Connection window is displayed in front of the MLC 52 main  
screen every time you open the configuration program. The wizard is  
not opened.  
Start with Wizard and Show Option Screen — When you select this  
option, an initial configuration options screen is displayed every time  
you start the configuration program. This screen lets you choose the  
wizard or the configuration program to configure the MLC for the  
current session only.  
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Initial configuration options screen  
Resetting  
Using the configuration software, you can reset the MLC 52 to its factory  
defaults — the original values and settings with which the MLC was delivered.  
(See “Factory defaults” on page 5-37.)  
The Total Factory Reset option is not available in emulation mode.  
To reset to factory defaults,  
1.  
From the File menu, select Total Factory Reset.  
File menu, Total Factory Reset selected  
2.  
The following confirmation prompt appears, asking if you want to save  
your current configuration before uploading the firmware.  
Reset to factory defaults confirmation prompt  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Click Yes if you want to save the current configuration. A “Save  
configuration to” window opens, in which you can specify the  
intended location and the name of the configuration you are saving.  
Click No if you do not want to save the current configuration.  
The MLC is reset to its factory default values. After a few seconds, the  
following screen is displayed:  
MLC 52 main screen after reset (standard model)  
Uploading firmware  
If the need arises, you can update the MLC 52’s firmware via the RS-232  
connection. Visit the Extron Web site (www.extron.com), and check for firmware  
updates, which you can download as follows:  
Downloading the firmware from the Web  
To obtain the firmware file to load to your MLC,  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Visit the Extron Web site (www.extron.com).  
Click the Download tab.  
On the Download Center page, click the Firmware link at the top of the left  
sidebar menu.  
4.  
5.  
On the Archives line at the top of the Firmware page, click the letter M.  
On the next page that appears, click the Download link at the right end of  
the MLC 52 line.  
6.  
7.  
Fill in the required information on the next Download Center page, and  
click the Download MLC52 button.  
Click Save on the File Download window.  
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8.  
On the Save As window that opens, browse to the folder on your computer  
where you want to save your firmware file, and click Save. The firmware  
installation file is placed on your computer disk.  
Installing the Firmware Loader  
Before you can update your MLC 52 firmware, you must have the Firmware  
Loader program installed on your computer. To obtain the Firmware Loader,  
1.  
Load the Extron Software Products Disk A (delivered with your MLC) onto  
your computer.  
2.  
3.  
On the opening screen, click the Software button.  
On the Control Software screen, click the Install link located at the right end  
of the Firmware Loader line.  
4.  
5.  
On the File Download window, click Run to begin the installation process.  
(Click Save if you want to download the installer program to your  
computer, to be installed later.)  
Follow the instructions on the subsequent windows to install the Firmware  
Loader.  
You can also obtain the Firmware Loader from the Extron Web site. On the  
www.extron.com opening screen, click Software on the sidebar menu, then  
follow steps 3 through 5, above.  
Updating the firmware  
After you have downloaded the new firmware file to your computer, follow these  
steps to upload it to your MLC.  
1.  
Launch the MLC 52 configuration software and save the current  
configuration. (See “Saving and restoring a configuration” on page 5-23.)  
2.  
From the File menu, select Update Firmware... . The Extron’s Firmware  
Loader window opens.  
The Update Firmware option is grayed out and disabled if the Firmware  
Loader has not been installed on your computer.  
Extrons Firmware Loader window  
3.  
Click Browse. A Choose Firmware File window opens.  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
4.  
Locate and select the new firmware file. Firmware files are extracted to the  
following location: c:\Program Files\Extron\Firmware\MLC 52\  
MLC_52_19_1691_50_vx_xx.s19, where vx_xx is the firmware version  
number.  
Firmware update files have a .s19 extension; make sure that the “Files of  
type“ field is set to *.s19.  
Selecting the firmware on the Choose Firmware File window  
5.  
Click Open. The path to the firmware file is displayed in the Select a  
Firmware File field on the Firmware Loader window.  
6.  
On the Firmware Loader window, click Upload. The firmware update file is  
uploaded to your MLC. During the process, the Firmware Loader window  
indicates the progress of the upload.  
When the upload is complete, the message “Transfer Complete!” appears in  
blue on the Firmware Loader window.  
Firmware Loader window  
7.  
Click Exit to close the window. When you reopen the configuration  
program, the new firmware version is in effect.  
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Using Simple Instruction Set (SIS) Commands  
Simple Instruction set (SIS) commands can be entered on your PC to find out  
more information about the MLC 52.  
Host-to-MLC communications  
SIS commands consist of one or more characters per field. No special characters  
are required to begin or end a command sequence. When the MLC determines  
that a command is valid, it executes the command and sends a response to the  
host device. All responses from the controller to the host end with a carriage  
return and a line feed (CR/LF = ), which signals the end of the response  
character string. A string is one or more characters.  
MLC-initiated messages  
When a local event such as a front panel (or Extron switcher front panel)  
selection or adjustment takes place, the MLC responds by sending a message to  
the host. No response is required from the host. The MLC-initiated messages are  
listed here (underlined).  
(C) Copyright 2005, Extron Electronics MLC 52, Vx.xx  
The MLC sends the copyright message when it first powers on.  
Error responses  
When the MLC receives a valid SIS command, it executes the command and  
sends a response to the host device. If the MLC is unable to execute the  
command because the command is invalid or it contains invalid parameters, it  
returns an error response to the host.  
The error response codes and their descriptions are as follows:  
E10 – Invalid command  
E14 – Invalid for this configuration  
Using the command/response tables  
The command/response tables below and on the following pages list valid  
command ASCII codes, the MLC’s responses to the host, and a description of the  
command’s function or the results of executing the command. Upper and lower  
case characters may be used interchangeably in the command field.  
The ASCII to HEX conversion table below is for use with the  
command/response tables.  
ASCII to HEX Conversion Table  
ASCII to Hex conversion table  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Serial Communication 5-51  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Symbol definitions  
=
=
=
=
=
=
CR/LF (carriage return/line feed) (hex 0D 0A).  
CR (carriage return only) (hex 0D).  
Space.  
Escape key.  
Esc  
X1  
X2  
Firmware version number (X.XX format)  
Display power status (0 through 3).  
0 = display power is off.  
1 = display power is on.  
2 = display is cooling down.  
3 = display is warming up.  
=
=
On/off status.  
X3  
0 = off/disabled.  
1 = on/enabled.  
??  
??  
can be 0 to 7F (hex) (0 to 127 decimal).  
Memory block number in hexadecimal, where  
Commands are not case-sensitive unless otherwise indicated.  
5-52 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Serial Communication  
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MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Serial Communication 5-53  
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Serial Communication, cont’d  
Command/response table for advanced instructions (for the MLC 52  
configuration program)  
Data downloads and uploads are initiated by sending a series of hexadecimal  
commands to the configuration port of the MLC. The Windows-based  
configuration program uses these commands mainly to load and save driver  
data and system configuration settings.  
Command  
Hexadecimal  
(host to MLC)  
Response  
(MLC to host)  
Additional  
description  
Send/receive data to/from page 0 memory  
Send  
1B 2B A0 [16k bytes of data]  
1B A1 0D  
Dnl0  
The host downloads 16k bytes  
of binary data to page 0 of the  
MLC’s memory.  
Receive  
The MLC sends 16k bytes of  
binary data to the host.  
Send/receive data to/from page 1 memory  
Send  
1B 2B A2 [16k bytes of data]  
Dnl1  
The host downloads 16k bytes  
of binary data to page 1 of the  
MLC’s memory.  
Receive  
1B A3 0D  
[16k bytes of data]  
The MLC sends 16k bytes of  
binary data to the host.  
Send/receive a segment (256 bytes) of data (a segment relating to a single button)  
??  
Send  
1B 2B A6  
[256 bytes of data] Seg0  
The host sends 256 bytes of  
binary data to the MLC.  
Receive  
1B A7 ?? 0D  
[256 bytes of data]  
The MLC sends 256 bytes of  
binary data to the host.  
Initiate or abort IR learning  
??  
Start learning  
1B B0  
0D  
LrnRdy  
Initiate IR learning.  
LrnTimOut  
LrnRetry  
Timeout during IR learning.  
Retry IR learning. (Aim remote  
control at MLC, press button again.)  
LrnFail  
LrnOK  
Lrn Abort  
IR learning has failed.  
IR learning has succeeded.  
Abort IR learning.  
Abort learning  
1B B1 0D  
Activate a memory block (segment)/emulate a button press  
??  
??  
Activate a block  
1B D0  
0D  
IRSnd*  
Activate/trigger a memory  
block. (Send the command  
stored at that address).  
??  
??  
indicates the block number in hex notation where  
can be 0 to 7F (hex)  
(0 to 127 decimal).  
The responses shown are ASCII.  
5-54 MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Serial Communication  
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MLC 52 Series  
Appendix A  
A
Specifications, Part Numbers,  
and Accessories  
Specifications  
Part Numbers and Accessories  
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Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories  
Specifications  
Control/remote — MLC controller host ports  
Serial control port ........................ 1 front panel 2.5 mm mini stereo jack (tip-ring-sleeve)  
Baud rate and protocol ............... 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity  
Serial control pin configurations Mini stereo jack: tip = TX, ring = RX, sleeve = GND  
Program control .......................... Extron’s configuration program for Windows®  
Extron’s Simple Instruction Set (SIS)  
Control — projector/plasma (MLC 52 RS, MLC 52 RS VC)  
Projector control port ................. (1) 3.5 mm direct insertion captive screw connector, 6 pole for IR and 1-way  
RS-232 control (connector is shared between power input and IR and 1-way  
RS-232 projector control)  
IR control ...................................... TTL level (0 to 5 V) modulated infrared control from 30 kHz up to 60 kHz  
RS-232 control (1-way) ................ 5 V  
Baud rate and protocol (RS-232) 57600 to 1200 (9600 default) baud (configurable); 8 (default) or 7 data bits; 1  
stop bit ( 5 V); no parity (default), or even or odd parity  
IR learning frequencies ............... 30 kHz to 62 kHz  
IR learning distance ..................... 4" (10 cm) to 14" (36 cm) from the side panel  
Control — projector/plasma (MLC 52 IR, MLC 52 IR VC)  
Projector control port ................. (1) 3.5 mm direct insertion captive screw connector,  
6 pole for IR (connector is shared with power input)  
IR control ...................................... TTL level (0 to 5 V) modulated infrared control from 30 kHz up to 60 kHz  
IR learning frequencies ............... 30 kHz to 62 kHz  
IR learning distance ..................... 4" (10 cm) to 14" (36 cm) from the side panel  
Control — peripheral equipment (MLC 52 RS VC, MLC 52 IR VC)  
Control port (for 10k ohms control)  
(1) 3.5 mm direct insertion captive screw connector, 3 pole  
Pin configuration ......................... 1 = reference voltage input, 2 = variable voltage output, 3 = GND  
General  
External power supply ................ 100 VAC to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, external, autoswitchable; to 12 VDC, 1 A,  
regulated  
Power input requirements ......... 12 VDC, 0.15 A  
Temperature/humidity .............. Storage: -40 to +158 °F (-40 to +70 °C) / 10% to 90%, noncondensing  
Operating: +32 to +122 °F (0 to +50 °C) / 10% to 90%, noncondensing  
Rack mount .................................. Yes, with optional faceplate #70-554-02 or 70-554-03.  
Also wall- and furniture-mountable.  
Enclosure type .............................. High-impactplastic  
Enclosure dimensions  
MLC 52 RS, MLC 52 IR  
Faceplate ................... 4.5" H x 2.78" W x 0.13" D (11.4 cm H x 7.1 cm W x 0.3 cm D) (1 gang)  
Device ........................ 2.5" H x 1.6" W x 1.5" D (6.4 cm H x 4.1 cm W x 3.8 cm D)  
(Depth excludes connectors and buttons.)  
MLC 52 RS VC, MLC 52 IR VC  
Faceplate ................... 4.5" H x 4.6" W x 0.13" D (11.4 cm H x 11.7 cm W x 0.3 cm D) (2 gang)  
Device ........................ 1.4" H x 1.3" W x 0.9" D (3.5 cm H x 3.3 cm W x 2.3 cm D)  
and 2.5" H x 1.6" W x 1.5" D (6.4 cm H x 4.1 cm W x 3.8 cm D)  
(Depth excludes knob, connectors, and buttons. Allow at least 2" (5 cm)  
depth in the wall or furniture for device and cable clearance.)  
A-2  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories  
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Product weight  
MLC 52 RS, MLC 52 IR ... 0.2 lb (0.1 kg)  
MLC 52 RS VC, MLC 52 IR VC  
0.3 lb (0.1 kg)  
Shipping weight ........................... 3 lbs (2 kg)  
Vibration ....................................... ISTA 1A in carton (International Safe Transit Association)  
Listings .......................................... UL, CUL  
Compliances ................................. CE, FCC Class A, VCCI, AS/NZS, ICES  
MTBF ............................................. 30,000 hours  
Warranty ....................................... 3 years parts and labor  
All nominal levels are at 10%  
Specificationsaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice.  
Part Numbers and Accessories  
Included parts  
These items are included in each order for an MLC 52 controller:  
Included parts  
Part number  
MLC 52 IR  
60-744-02  
60-744-12  
60-745-02  
60-745-12  
33-1262-01  
33-1167-02, 03  
70-283-01  
70-055-01  
MLC 52 RS  
MLC 52 IR VC  
MLC 52 RS VC  
Button labels — icon and text  
International label  
IR Emitter and shield kit  
12 VDC, 1 A power supply  
MLC 52 Configuration Program software  
for Windows (on CD ROM)  
ESD grounding card and cable kit  
6-pin, 3.5 mm captive screw connector  
Tweeker (small screwdriver)  
MR100 1-gang plastic mounting brackets  
(mud rings) (1 black, 1 white)  
70-519-12, 13  
70-519-22, 23  
MR200 2-gang plastic mounting brackets  
(mud rings)(1 black, 1 white)  
MLC 52 MediaLink Controller User’s Manual  
(on CD ROM)  
MLC 52 MediaLink Controller Quick Start Guide  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories  
A-3  
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Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories, cont’d  
Optional accessories  
These items can be ordered separately:  
Mounting hardware  
Part number  
One-gang EWB external wall box (black, white)  
One-gang junction box, 2.5” deep  
60-452-02, -03  
980130  
One-gang SMB surface mount box (black only)  
Two-gang EWB external wall box (black, white)  
Two-gang junction box, 2.5” deep  
60-639-02  
60-453-02, -03  
980084  
Two-gang junction box, 3.5” deep  
980057  
Two-gang SMB surface mount box (black only)  
60-640-02  
Faceplates  
Part number  
MLM 1GWP (black, white)  
70-528-02, -03  
70-527-02, -03  
70-538-02, -03  
MLM 52 VC, plastic (black, white)  
MLM 52 VC, metal (black, white)  
Miscellaneous accessories  
Part number  
MPA122 Mini Power Amplifier  
MPA181T Mini PowerAmplifier  
IR Link IR signal repeater (black, white)  
IRL 20  
60-668-01  
60-747-01  
60-404-02, -03  
60-580-01  
70-530-02  
70-543-01  
70-335-01  
VC 50 Volume Control Wall Plate  
IR 452 Remote Control  
Configuration cable  
Cables  
This cable is recommended for connecting an MLC to an IR Link.  
CTL and CTLP (Comm-link) cable  
Part number  
50'/15 m, plenum  
26-461-01  
26-461-02  
26-461-03  
26-461-05  
26-461-04  
22-148-02  
22-148-03  
22-119-02  
22-119-03  
100'/30 m, plenum  
200'/60 m, plenum  
300'/90 m, plenum  
400'/120 m, plenum  
Bulk 500'/150 m, non-plenum  
Bulk 1000'/300 m, non-plenum  
Bulk 500'/150 m, plenum  
Bulk 1000'/300 m, plenum  
A-4  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Specifications, Part Numbers, and Accessories  
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MLC 52 Series  
Appendix B  
B
Templates  
MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS Template  
MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC Template  
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Templates  
Use the rough-in templates in this appendix as guides to measure and mark the  
hole in the wall or furniture through which the MLC 52 will be mounted. The  
templates provide measurements for installing the controller with either an  
electrical box or a mounting bracket. (You do not need the templates if you are  
mounting the panel using an external mounting option.)  
The templates are not to scale and are provided for reference only.  
The MLC controller requires a depth of at least 1.25" (3.2 cm) inside the wall or  
furniture.  
If you use a wall box or mud ring, connect it to an earth ground. If you do  
not use a grounded wall box or mud ring, ground the faceplate to an earth  
ground, or tie it to the circuit ground via a ground pin on the circuit board.  
MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS Template  
Cut-Out Template for Extron's  
MLC 52  
(Front View)  
2.79"  
(7.09 cm)  
Top Panel  
1.9"  
(4.83 cm)  
Location of MLC 52  
4.50"  
(11.43 cm)  
2.91"  
(7.40 cm)  
SURFACE  
CUT-OUT AREA  
FOR  
FURNITURE  
MOUNT  
To install an  
MLC 52 faceplate  
directly into  
furniture or wall,  
cut along this line.  
MLC 52 IR and MLC 52 RS cutout template  
B-2  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Templates  
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MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC Template  
Cut-Out Template for Extron's  
MLC 52 VC  
(Front View)  
4.60" (11.68 cm)  
Top Panel  
3.50"  
(8.90 cm  
)
2.91"  
(7.40 cm)  
4.50"  
(11.43 cm)  
SURFACE CUT-OUT  
AREA FOR  
FURNITURE MOUNT  
Location of MLC 52  
To install an MLC 52 VC  
directly into  
furniture or wall,  
cut along this line.  
MLC 52 IR VC and MLC 52 RS VC cutout template  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Templates  
B-3  
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Templates, cont’d  
B-4  
MLC 52 Series MediaLink Controllers • Templates  
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FCC Class A Notice  
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital  
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable  
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial  
environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not  
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to  
radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful  
interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.  
Note: This unit was tested with shielded cables on the peripheral devices. Shielded cables must be  
used with the unit to ensure compliance.  
Extron’s Warranty  
Extron Electronics warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship for a period  
of three years from the date of purchase. In the event of malfunction during the warranty period  
attributable directly to faulty workmanship and/or materials, Extron Electronics will, at its option,  
repair or replace said products or components, to whatever extent it shall deem necessary to restore  
said product to proper operating condition, provided that it is returned within the warranty period,  
with proof of purchase and description of malfunction to:  
USA, Canada, South America,  
and Central America:  
Europe, Africa, and the Middle East:  
Extron Electronics, Europe  
Beeldschermweg 6C  
3821 AH Amersfoort  
The Netherlands  
Extron Electronics  
1001 East Ball Road  
Anaheim, CA 92805, USA  
Asia:  
Japan:  
Extron Electronics, Asia  
135 Joo Seng Road, #04-01  
PM Industrial Bldg.  
Extron Electronics, Japan  
Kyodo Building,  
16 Ichibancho  
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0082  
Japan  
Singapore 368363  
This Limited Warranty does not apply if the fault has been caused by misuse, improper handling  
care, electrical or mechanical abuse, abnormal operating conditions or non-Extron authorized  
modification to the product.  
If it has been determined that the product is defective, please call Extron and ask for an Applications  
Engineer at (714) 491-1500 (USA), 31.33.453.4040 (Europe), 65.383.4400 (Asia), or 81.3.3511.7655 (Japan)  
to receive an RA# (Return Authorization number). This will begin the repair process as quickly as  
possible.  
Units must be returned insured, with shipping charges prepaid. If not insured, you assume the risk  
of loss or damage during shipment. Returned units must include the serial number and a  
description of the problem, as well as the name of the person to contact in case there are any  
questions.  
Extron Electronics makes no further warranties either expressed or implied with respect to the  
product and its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular use. In no event  
will Extron Electronics be liable for direct, indirect, or consequential damages resulting from any  
defect in this product even if Extron Electronics has been advised of such damage.  
Please note that laws vary from state to state and country to country, and that some provisions of  
this warranty may not apply to you.  
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Extron Electronics, Asia  
135 Joo Seng Rd. #04-01  
PM Industrial Bldg., Singapore 368363  
+800.7339.8766 +65.6383.4400  
FAX +65.6383.4664  
Extron Electronics, USA  
1230 South Lewis Street  
Anaheim, CA 92805  
800.633.9876 714.491.1500  
FAX 714.491.1517  
Extron Electronics, Europe  
Beeldschermweg 6C  
3821 AH Amersfoort, The Netherlands  
+800.3987.6673 +31.33.453.4040  
FAX +31.33.453.4050  
Extron Electronics, Japan  
Kyodo Building, 16 Ichibancho  
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0082  
Japan  
+81.3.3511.7655 FAX +81.3.3511.7656  
www.extron.com  
© 2007 Extron Electronics. All rights reserved.  
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