AutoView® 416/424 Installer/User Guide
INSTRUCTIONS This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance. DANGEROUS VOLTAGE This symbol is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. POWER ON This symbol indicates the principal on/off switch is in the on position.
® AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Avocent, the Avocent logo and The Power of Being There are trademarks of Avocent Corporation. AutoView and LongView are registered trademarks of Cybex Computer Products Corporation. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. © 2002 Avocent Corporation. All rights reserved.
USA Notification Warning: Changes or modifications to this unit not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class 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.
Table of Contents Chapter 1: Product Overview Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter 2: Installation Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Rack Mounting your AutoView Unit . . . . . . . . . . 9 Installing an AutoView Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 Product Overview Contents Features and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1: Product Overview 3 Chapter 1: Product Overview Features and Benefits The AutoView 424 KVM switch allows you to control up to 256 PC, Sun or USB computers with one keyboard, monitor and mouse. It supports Sun workstations, USB computers, IBM PC/AT and PS/2 systems and 100% compatible machines with support for VGA, SVGA, XGA and XGA-II video. Sun and PS/2 keyboard and mouse peripherals connect through the rear of the unit.
4 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Mouse support The AutoView 424 offers support for numerous PS/2 mice including: IBM ScrollPoint, Logitech MouseMan Wheel, Logitech Trackman Marble Wheel, Logitech Trackman Marble FX, Kensington 4 Button Mouse, Microsoft Explorer Mouse and the Microsoft IntelliMouse family. Plug and Play The AutoView 424 supports Plug and Play video and is compliant with the VESA DDC2B standard.
Chapter 1: Product Overview 5 Built-in scanning capability A built-in scanning feature allows you to automatically monitor, or scan, connected computers without intervention. When keyboard activity is detected, scanning is suspended until all activity stops. Scanning then resumes with the next channel in sequence. Keyboard switching In addition to using the on-screen menus, you can also switch computer channels with a simple keyboard sequence.
6 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Compatibility XGA/XGA-II support If you wish to use XGA or XGA-II video, you will need to purchase an adaptor available through Avocent. Safety Precautions To avoid potential video and/or keyboard problems when using Avocent products: • If the building has 3-phase AC power, ensure that the computer and monitor are on the same phase. For best results, they should be on the same circuit. • Use only Avocent-supplied cable to connect computers and KVM switches.
2 Installation Contents Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Rack Mounting your AutoView Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Installing an AutoView Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Attaching Multiple AutoView 424 Units . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2: Installation 9 Chapter 2: Installation Getting Started Before installing your AutoView 424 system, refer to the lists below to ensure that you have all the items that shipped with the AutoView 424 as well as all other items necessary for proper installation.
10 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To install the rack mounting bracket: 1.Remove the side screws that secure the cover on your AutoView unit. 2. Line up the holes in the side brackets with the screw holes in the sides of the AutoView unit. 3. Using the previously removed screws, thread one through each of the holes in the sides of the rack mount brackets and into the AutoView cover. Tighten them securely. 4. Install a snap on nut (provided) onto one end of the cable support rod.
Chapter 2: Installation 11 Installing an AutoView Switch Installing your AutoView 424 The diagram below illustrates one possible configuration for your AutoView 424 switch. Follow the step-by-step procedure To install an AutoView 424 switch to properly install your new switch. Extended Access User (Via LongView) TM POWER KVM EXTENDER Local User AutoView 424 DB9 Serial Port for Updating Firmware Server 1 Servers 2-18 Figure 2.
12 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To install an AutoView 424 switch: 1. Power down all computers that will be part of your AutoView 424 system. 2. Plug your VGA monitor cable into the port labeled on the back of your AutoView 424. For Sun support, plug your Sun connector into the port labeled SUN and for PS/2 peripherals, plug your PS/2 keyboard cable and your PS/2 mouse cable into the ports labeled and respectively. NOTE: A PS/2 keyboard will not function if a Sun keyboard is attached.
Chapter 2: Installation 13 NOTE: The AutoView 424 and all attached computers should be powered down before servicing the unit. Always disconnect the power cord from the wall outlet. To connect an extended access PS/2 user station: 1. Plug a standard Category 5 Unshielded Twisted Pair cable (up to 500 feet) into the RJ-45 style modular jack on the rear of the AutoView 424. Avocent C5T or Avocent P5T cable is strongly recommended to achieve best performance and maximum distance.
14 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide LongView Receiver RECEIVER VAK-1 Video Adaptor VAK-1 Keyboard/ Mouse Adaptor 13W3 Video Connector Keyboard/Mouse Connector Sun User Station Figure 2.3: Connecting Extended Access Sun Peripherals 4. Plug the ends of the 6-pin miniDIN VAK-1 keyboard/mouse adaptor into the and ports on your LongView receiver and then plug the Sun keyboard/mouse cable into the VAK-1 adaptor. 5. Connect the Category 5 cable to the modular jack on the rear of the receiver. 6.
Chapter 2: Installation d. 15 Highlight and select the Remote User menu selection. Use the Spacebar to cycle through peripheral types and select the ones appropriate to your system. Press Enter to select. Attaching Multiple AutoView 424 Units NOTE: CIFCM cables are required for cascading. To cascade multiple AutoView 424 units: 1. Follow steps 1-5 in the procedure To install an AutoView 424 switch for each cascaded unit. 2.
16 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide 4. Repeat steps 2-3 for every cascaded AutoView 424 unit in your system. 5. Power up your AutoView 424 unit(s) first, then all attached computers.
3 Basic Operations Contents Operating the AutoView 424 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Activating OSD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Setting Up the On-Screen Display (OSD) . . . . . . . . 21 Setting User Station Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Scanning your AutoView System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Resetting your Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Displaying Version Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Keyboard Switching . .
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 19 Chapter 3: Basic Operations Operating the AutoView 424 Your AutoView 424 may be operated in a non-secure (no password required) or secure (password required) mode. All units ship defaulted to the non-secure mode. For information on implementing password security, see Setting User Station Security in this chapter. Computers may be powered up one at a time or all at once. No operator intervention is required during booting.
20 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Figure 3.2: Administrator Channel List NOTE: All AutoView 424 units ship in the default non-secure state. For more information on secure versus non-secure operation, see the Setting User Station Security section. Viewing the status of your switch system The Administrator Channel List displays all named channels in your AutoView 424 system. They are listed alphabetically with their channel addresses and access status beside them.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 21 To select servers without displaying the OSD: 1. Press and hold down the Num Lock key. Press and release the Minus (-) key on the numeric keypad. Now release the Num Lock key. The Command Line screen appears. 2. Type the channel address of the computer you wish to access. 3. Press Enter. For more information, see Keyboard Switching in this chapter.
22 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Administrator Commands Features List Command Description Add Channel Set up the channel name, address, ID and scan dwell times. Edit Channel Edit the channel name, address, ID and scan dwell times. Delete Channel Delete a channel from the Administrator Channel List. Administrator Functions Set up administrator, users, channel switching, port setup and FLASH upgrade. Scanning Initiate the mode where the switch scans from port to port.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 23 Adding and maintaining channels Basic channel maintenance is performed from the Administrator Commands menu and is available if you are operating in non-secure mode or if you are the system administrator. Here you can add, delete or edit individual channels. To add a new channel: 1. Press the keyboard Control key twice within one second. The Administrator Channel List appears. 2. Press the keyboard Control key twice within one second again.
24 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide 9. Highlight Save Changes and press Enter. -orPress Escape to exit this operation without adding the channel. To edit an existing channel: 1. Highlight the channel you wish to change in the Administrator Channel List. 2. Press the Control key twice to access the Command menu. -orPress the F2 key once. (If you press F2, skip to step 4.) 3. Select Edit Channel from the Command menu. 4. Enter the new channel name, address, ID dwell time and Scan dwell time.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 25 To change the size, color and position of the ID window: 1. Highlight the channel you wish to change in the Administrator Channel List. 2. Press the Control key twice. -orPress F3. (If you press F3, skip to step 4.) 3. Highlight Edit Channel and press Enter. 4. Highlight ID Setup and press Enter. The ID window will appear. Follow the procedures outlined in the table below to change the size, color or position of your ID window.
26 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide 4. Highlight ID Dwell Time. Enter a number between Ø-255 seconds. Entering Ø disables the ID window. Entering 255 allows the ID window to stay on screen the entire time the channel is active. 5. Highlight Save Changes and press Enter. Setting User Station Security The Administrator Functions menu allows you to set up the administrator and user accounts, enable and disable the setup port and utilize the AutoView 424 FLASH upgrade feature.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 27 To create the administrator account: 1. Press the Control key twice to access the Administrator Channel List. 2. Press the Control key twice again to access the Command menu. 3. Select Administrator Functions - Setup Administrator. The Administrator Setup screen appears. 4. Type your password and press Enter. (The password is not case sensitive.) 5. Re-enter the password for confirmation. 6.
28 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To assign the extended access user peripheral type: 1. Press the Control key twice to access the Command menu. 2. Highlight Administrator Functions - Remote User. 3. Press the Space key to toggle between either PS/2 or Sun peripherals and press Enter. To assign the power state selection: 1. Press the Control key twice to access the Command menu. 2. Highlight Administrator Functions - Switch To. 3.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 29 Scanning options There are multiple ways to scan through the channels in your AutoView 424 system, either by name, address or list. NOTE: The AutoView 424 only scans the computers that are in your OSD list. • Scanning by address allows you to view each of your active channels in the order that they are attached to the AutoView. • Scanning by name allows you to scan channels in alphanumeric order according to the Administrator Channel List.
30 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To access the Administrator Scan List menu: 1. Press the Control key twice to access the Administrator Channel List. 2. Press the Control key twice again to access the Command menu. 3. Highlight Setup Scan List and press Enter. The Administrator Scan List menu appears. Figure 3.5: Configuring the Scan List To add a channel to the Scan List: 1. Press the F2 key to open a new selection. 2. Type the address of the channel you want to add to the list.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 31 To reset the mouse values: 1. From the Administrator Channel List, press the Control key twice to access the Command menu. 2. Highlight either Reset PS/2 Standard Mse/Kbd or Reset PS/2 Wheel Mse/Kbd, depending on the type of mouse you are using. 3. Press Enter to activate the reset. Displaying Version Information Use the Version screen to display the system firmware. This information facilitates system troubleshooting and support.
32 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To activate the Command Line: 1. Press and hold down the Num Lock key. 2. Press and release the Minus (-) key on the numeric keypad. 3. Release the Num Lock key. The Command Line screen appears. NOTE: In the following tables, the Command Mode procedure is referred to by the symbol. When you see this symbol, perform the above key sequence. To select servers without displaying the OSD: 1. Press the sequence to access the Command Line. 2.
Chapter 3: Basic Operations 33 Keyboard Hotkey Sequences Key Sequence Action Kn Sets the keyboard scan set where n is a scan set number 1-3. MR If you hot-plug your mouse cable, you may experience a loss of mouse signal. Use this command to restore the signal if you are using a PC with a standard PS/2 mouse driver. MW If you hot-plug your mouse cable, you may experience a loss of mouse signal.
34 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide
4 Advanced Operations Contents Multiuser Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Keyboard Translation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 4: Advanced Operations 37 Chapter 4: Advanced Operations Multiuser Operation The AutoView 424 switch provides advanced features that go beyond those available in the standard AutoView Commander. Primarily, it offers the benefit of adding a LongView receiver to provide for an extended access user that may be located up to 500 feet away from the AutoView 424.
38 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Multiuser operation in a multiple switch system In a multiple switch system, users will operate in independent access mode. Both users can simultaneously and independently access any computer attached to the primary AutoView unit. Similarly, independent access is possible across the cascaded units as long as each user is accessing a different secondary unit.
Chapter 4: Advanced Operations 39 The table below shows the translations for a PS/2 keyboard to a Sun computer. All mapped functions will only be valid when the Scroll Lock is on. PS/2 Keyboard to Sun Computer Key Sun F1 STOP F2 AGAIN F3 PROPS F4 UNDO F5 FRONT F6 COPY F7 OPEN F8 PASTE F9 FIND F10 CUT F11 POWER F12 COMMAND keypad * COMPOSE NUMLOCK HELP keypad / MUTE keypad - VOL - keypad + VOL + Sun keyboards have a Power key used to power the workstation on and off.
40 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide To issue the Power/Sleep command: Press Scroll Lock-F11 (or Sleep key) on a PS/2 keyboard. -orFor a Sun computer, press the Power key.
Appendices Contents Appendix A: FLASH Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Appendix B: Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . 44 Appendix C: Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Appendix D: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendices 43 Appendices Appendix A: FLASH Upgrades To ensure optimum operation, always use the latest firmware version available for your AutoView system. To upgrade your AutoView 424 firmware: 1. Download the latest FLASH firmware revision from the Avocent web site. 2. Connect a serial cable from the serial port of your computer to your setup port on the back of your AutoView. 3. You will need some form of terminal software on your attached computer so that it can communicate with the AutoView.
44 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Appendix B: Technical Specifications AutoView Product Specifications Mechanical Height: 1.7" (4.5 cm) Width: 17.2" (43.7 cm) Depth: 6.5" (16.51 cm) Weight: 6.0 lbs (2.
Appendices 45 Appendix C: Technical Support Our Technical Support staff is ready to assist you with any installation or operating issues you encounter with your Avocent product. If an issue should develop, follow the steps below for the fastest possible service: 1. Check the Troubleshooting section of this manual to see if the issue can be resolved by following the procedures outlined. See Appendix D. 2. Check our web site at www.avocent.
46 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide Appendix D: Troubleshooting No status light Verify that the unit is turned on. Check the power cable. If the problem persists, contact Avocent Technical Support. Unable to hotkey switch to a channel Check the power indicator on the OSD screen to ensure that the system in question is powered. Verify that you are not in secure mode (no lock symbol on OSD screen). No video Verify that the video cable between the computer and the AutoView 424 is correctly connected.
Appendices 47 Verify that the computer works properly with a mouse connected directly to it. If the problem persists, contact Avocent Technical Support. Mouse is inoperable on all computer channels Verify that the mouse is plugged into the correct PS/2 port on the back of the AutoView 424. Try the mouse reset command or try the Reset PS/2 Standard Mse/Kbd command from the OSD Command menu for computers using PS/2 mice.
48 AutoView 424 Installer/User Guide General keyboard/video problems If the building has 3-phase AC power, ensure that the computer, the AutoView 424 and the monitor are on the same phase. Best results are obtained when they are on the same circuit. Use only Avocent supplied cable. Avocent warranties do not apply to damage resulting from user supplied cable. Do not use a 2-wire extension cord in any Avocent product configuration.
LIMITED WARRANTY Avocent Corporation warrants to the original retail purchaser that this product is and will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 24 months from the date of purchase. Additionally, all Avocent products carry an unconditional thirty-day satisfaction guarantee. If, for any reason, you are dissatisfied with the performance of this product, you may return it to the point of purchase for a refund of the purchase price (excluding shipping charges).
The Power of Being There ™ For Technical Support: Email: support@avocent.com www.avocent.com Avocent Corporation 4991 Corporate Drive Huntsville, Alabama 35805-6201 USA Tel: +1 256 430 4000 Fax: +1 256 430 4031 Avocent International Ltd.
