Measurement Computing USB 1024ls Instruction Manual
Installing the USB 1024ls Trigger & Closure Kit (discontinued product)
Frequently Asked Questions
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Overview
The USB-1024LS is low-cost, self-contained, USB-powered and very compact. When used as a trigger kit, it
offers up to 24 trigger inputs for your Simian automation system. When used as a closure* kit, it offers up to 24
TTL outputs for your Simian automation system to control outboard devices (there is no physical difference
between the Trigger Kit and the Closure Kit, it is just a matter of how it is configured and used).
As the USB-1024LS is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device it is powered directly by your computer and is very
easy to install and configure (there is no need to open up your PC). All connections are via convenient screw
terminals at each side of the device.
Typically, triggers are controlled by closing contacts on your satellite receiver but can also be used to interface
your mixing console or start buttons with Simian and thus facilitate “remote control” of your Simian automation
software. Check the Components Unpack the USB1024-LS taking care to observe static precautions.
Closures* are signals used to control other devices (think of closures as an outgoing signal and a trigger as an
incoming signal). Outboard devices such as cart decks, cd players, transmitters, consoles, and more, use closures
to allow automation control. Some devices interface with 'dry closures' (IE: a physical relay with open and
closed states), an 'open collector' (IE: a solid state transistor with open and closed states), or a TTL signal (IE: a
voltage from ~0v off on to ~3-5v when on). When the USB-1024ls is set up as a closure kit, it generates TTL
signals. Ensure that you have the following:
USB1014-LS USB Trigger/Closure Kit & User Manual
BSI Software Installation CD
USB (“A”to “B”) Cable
Figure 1: The USB 1024ls and supplied USB cable are shown.
Connecting to your Computer
Take the USB cable and plug one end into the USB-1024LS and the other end into a spare USB port on your
computer (i.e. next to your Simian dongle).
The cable will only plug in one way as the two ends are different as shown here. If you need a longer cable you
can order a replacement from your local computer store – the cable is known as an “A to B USB cable”.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is not normally possible to use USB cables over distances greater than 5 metres.
Figure 2: "Found New Hardware" message indicates the USB 1024ls has been detected.
The first time the USB 1024ls is plugged into a USB port Windows will automatically identify and install the
USB-1024LS as a “USB Human Interface Device” and display the notice shown in Figure 2.
Installing the Instacal Software
The Instacal Software facilitates the communication between applications and the USB 1024ls. The installation
process only takes a couple of minutes. Insert the BSI Software Installation CD into your computer’s CD-ROM
drive and the installation application should start automatically. If you do not see a window appear that is similar
to the one in Figure 3, you may have disabled the “autorun” feature of your CD-ROM. In this case, you can use
Windows Explorer to run the Install.exe program contained on the BSI Software & Driver installation CD-
ROM. Alternately, if you do not have the BSI Software Installation CD you can download the Instacal software
from the BSI support website.
Figure 3: After inserting the BSI Software Installation CD,
the application installer should automatically start
Figure 4: Click 'install' to start installation of the Instacal driver
Choose 'Measurement Computing - Instacal Drivers' from the Application dropdown. Click on the Install
button as shown in Figure 4 to start the Instacal installer.
Figure 5: The 'Open File - Security Warning' dialog
On Windows versions XP and newer, you will be prompted with an "Open File - Security Warning" dialog as
shown in Figure 5. Click the Run button to continue.
Figure 6: Click 'OK' to run the built-in WinZip Self-Extractor
Since the Instacal driver installer is a compressed file, you will be prompted to run the built-in WinZip Self-
Extractor. As Figure 6 shows, click OK to continue
Figure 7: Click Setup on the 'Winzip Self-Extractor - icalsetup.exe' window
The 'Winzip Self-Extractor - icalsetup.exe' window will now appear. Click on the Setup button to start the
installer.
Figure 8:
The Instacal installer will now start. Click on the Next button to configure the installation.
Figure 9: Choose the path to your desired installation folder, then click Next
You will be prompted to choose the path to your desired installation folder. We recommend that you accept the
default suggestion (C:\Program Files\Measurement Computing\DAQ\) and click the Next button.
Figure 10: You're ready to install!
You are now ready to install, click on the Install button to continue.
Figure 11: Installation progress
You will see a progress bar as the files and folders are copied to your computer.
Figure 12: The installation is complete!
Once the program files and icons have been created, you’ll be offered the opportunity to view the README file.
Since you are already reading this document you can uncheck the Show the readme file option and click
Finish.
Figure 13: ---image caption text---
When installation has completed, it’s very important to restart (reboot) your computer. Just click Yes when you
see the message shown in Figure 13 and your machine will automatically restart.
If you have other applications open with files you need to save, click No. You can then save and exit your other
applications and restart your computer when you are ready.
Once you have your computer rebooted and logged back into Windows, you are ready to move on to the next
section to configure your USB 1024ls for use.
Configuring the USB 1024ls
Figure 14: ---image caption text---
Close any other applications you have running (including Simian, WaveCart, or any other BSI application you
might have running). Start the InstaCal configuration application by clicking on the Windows Start button, then
select Programs, Measurement Computing, then Instacal. When the software is run the first time, you will
receive a Plug and Play Board Detection message as shown in Figure 14. Your USB 1024ls will be listed.
Make sure the selection box is checked, then click OK.
Figure 15:
Your USB 1024ls will be listed in the device 'tree' under the 'Universal Serial Bus' section. You may also see a
listing for a 'Demo-Board'.
Figure 16:
If it exists, remove the 'Demo-Board' device by highlighting its listing and clicking the Remove Board icon (as
shown in Figure 16). You will then be prompted with a confirmation message stating 'Remove Board DEMO-
BOARD'. Click OK to finalize the deletion of the Demo-Board.
Figure 17:
Take a careful note of the 'Board#' (Board Number) given to your USB 1024ls, as this information will be
needed when configuring Simian and/or WaveCart.
Figure 18:
To test that your computer is communicating with your USB 1024ls, or physically identify your device (IE: if
you have 2 USB 1024ls' installed on your computer), highlight the USB 1024ls in the device 'tree', then click the
Configure button (as shown in Figure 18). Click the Flash LED button to flash the led on your device. With
multiple devices, only the device you highlighted will flash its LED.
Now that your USB 1024ls is installed and configured, you can proceed to the next section pertaining to yoru
situation: Configuring Triggers in Simian, or Configuring Closures* in Simian, Configuring Triggers in
WaveCart.
Configuring Simian
Start Simian by double-clicking the Icon on your desktop.
Make sure that all playback is halted and select Tools, Hardware Options from the main menu, then click the
Hardware tab.
Figure 19: The Hardware tab within Simian's Hardware Options window.
Configuring Triggers
NOTE: Each USB-1024ls device can be utilized by Simian as a 24 port trigger device, or a 24 port closure
device (IE: it isn't possible to use 8 ports as triggers and 16 as relays, etc.). You can, however, connect multiple
USB-1024ls devices to a single machine and configure Simian to use one of the USB-1024ls devices as triggers
and a second USB1024ls device for closures*.
Under the Incoming Triggers heading, select "BSI Trigger Kit inc PMD/USB-1024" in the drop down box as
shown on the left side of Figure 19.
You’ll also see a setting for the Instacal Board # - this should correspond to the board number shown in Instacal
(if you only have one USB-1024ls connected to your system, this will usually be set 0).
Click OK when you have finished.
You should shut down and restart Simian to initialize the new trigger settings. When Simian restarts you should
also make sure that Triggers are enabled by checking Async, Triggers, Enabled on the main menu as shown
below.
Configuring Closures*
NOTE: Each USB-1024ls device can be utilized by Simian as a 24 port trigger device, or a 24 port closure
device (IE: it isn't possible to use 8 ports as triggers and 16 as relays, etc.). You can, however, connect multiple
USB-1024ls devices to a single machine and configure Simian to use one of the USB-1024ls devices as triggers
and a second USB1024ls device for closures*.
Under the Outgoing Relay / Switcher heading, select "BSI Relay/Closure Kit inc PMD/USB-1024" in the
drop down box as shown on the right side of Figure 19.
You’ll also see a setting for the Instacal Board # - this should correspond to the board number shown in Instacal
(if you only have one USB-1024ls connected to your system, this will usually be set 0).
Click OK when you have finished.
You should shut down and restart Simian to initialize the new trigger settings. When Simian restarts you should
also make sure that Triggers are enabled by checking Async, Triggers, Enabled on the main menu as shown
below.
Configuring WaveCart
Start WaveCart by double-clicking the Icon on your desktop.
Make sure that all playback is halted and select Tools, Program Options from the main menu, then click the
Hardware tab.
Figure 20: Go to the Hardware tab in WaveCart's Program Options
window to configure your USB-1024ls
Under the Trigger Settings heading, select "BSI Trigger Kit" in the drop down box as shown in Figure 20.
You’ll also see a setting for the Instacal Board # - this should correspond to the board number shown in Instacal
(this will usually be set 0).
Click Done when you have finished.
You should shut down and restart Simian to initialize the new trigger settings. When Simian restarts you should
also make sure that Triggers are enabled by checking Async, Triggers, Enabled on the main menu as shown
below.
Connecting the USB-1024ls to Your Hardware
Now that you've installed and configured your USB-1024ls and configured Simian or WaveCart (or both), it is
time to connect the USB-1024ls to your outboard device(s). The pin-out specification is the same weather using
the USB-1024ls as a trigger kit or a closure* kit. Figure 21 shows a diagram of the pin-out structure. By looking
at the diagram in Figure 21, it becomes aparent that the physical pins on the USB-1024ls do not have a one-to-
one correspondance to what Simian/WaveCart see for each trigger/closure. For instance, the pins that correspond
to what Simian/WaveCart see as trigger 1 are pin 21, and a ground pin (the USB-1024ls has common grounding,
so any trigger can use pin 29, 31, 40, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 19 as a ground). When using your USB-1024ls as a
Trigger Kit, each pin will be wired to a dry relay closure (as on a satelite receiver's GPO/GPIO connector) or a
mechanical switch (as on a GO/START/PLAY/STOP button on a console). When using the USB-1024ls as a
closure device, each corresponding pin will be wired to your outgoing device (as in a TTL GPI/GPIO on a
console, transmitter, or other outboard device).
NOTE: See the * note at the bottom of this document regarding the TTL "closure" functionality of the USB-
1024ls.
Figure 21: The pin-out specification is the same weather using the USB-1024ls as a trigger kit or a closure* kit
Using the USB-1024ls
Your USB-1024ls is now fully configured and ready to use. To set up trigger sets or use the RELAY macro (in
Simian), refer to the sections regarding Trigger Sets (and in Simian, Macros) for instructions on setting up the
desired functionality of each trigger/Closure*.
* Note regarding 'closure' functionality:
When the USB-1024ls is used as a closure kit, it offers up to 24 TTL outputs, each channel providing a 0-.05mv
signal when off, or a 3-5v signal when on) - not a dry relay closure capable of sinking current or an open
collector. To use the USB-1024ls as a relay device, use relays with a primary coil voltage of 3-5v connected to
each output. To use the USB 1024ls as an open collector device, use transistors connected between the USB-
1024ls and the device you want to control (for instance, connect each of the USB-1024ls' output pins to a current
limiting resistor, which is then connected to the base of an NPN transistor).
Help Topics:
Last updated Thu, Jul 10 2014 1:25pm
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