Instruction manual

Overview and General Specifications
16
Epica DGX 16 and Epica DGX 32 Instruction Manual
BCS Serial Control Protocol
The Epica DGX 16 and 32 can be controlled with an external serial controller. AMX AutoPatch has
developed a command language, BCS* (Basic Control Structure) protocol, for programming control
operations and for diagnostic purposes.
 External Serial Controllers – for control using BCS protocol
 Serial control (sends and receives ASCII characters)
 Uses the serial port or the USB port (as a virtual Com port); both are located on the CPU
 Commands can be entered into a terminal emulation program (such as Windows
©
HyperTerminal) on a PC
* For information on BCS commands, see the Instruction Manual – BCS Basic Control Structure
Protocol on the AMX AutoPatch CD or at www.amx.com.
Third-Party Controllers
A third-party controller can also be attached to an Epica DGX 16 or 32 enclosure via the RS-232 serial
port. If using a third-party controller, see the controller documentation for operating instructions.
XNNet Protocol
Advanced programmers who want to design their own control programs can use XNNet protocol.
The AMX AutoPatch CD includes the XNNet Communication Library that supports C, Java, and
Visual Basic with examples of the XNNet protocol in use.
System Diagnostic Options
The two system diagnostic options for the Epica DGX 16 and 32 are APDiagnostics software and a
programmer’s interface, which displays in a splash screen.
APDiagnostics
APDiagnostics is a software application that monitors and displays advanced diagnostic information
about the Epica DGX 16 and 32. This application is available on the AMX AutoPatch CD or at
www.amx.com. APDiagnostics also works with other AMX AutoPatch products that are capable of
reporting such data. For information on APDiagnostics, see Appendix C on page 127.
Programmer’s Interface for System Diagnostics
The Epica DGX 16 and 32 display system information in their splash screens for diagnostic purposes.
The information indicates the current status and well-being of the system components. The splash screen
can be accessed using a terminal emulation program, such as HyperTerminal. For information on the
programmer’s interface, see Appendix D on page 139.