Using the RB-x20 Response Pads with
Presentation
Last
Revision: November 7, 2002
The information in this
document applies to:
Summary
You can use Presentation's
"serial input device" feature to receive input from an RB
Series response pad. Setting up Presentation for use with
an RB Series response pad consists of two steps:
-
Setting up the serial port's parameters such
as baud rate, and,
-
Interpreting the information sent by the
response pad.
The version of Presentation
described in this document is 0.50, build 06.27.02.
If You Have an Earlier Model...
The RB Series response pads are
into their third generation. The current
models are the RB-420,
RB-520, RB-620, and
RB-820. For simplicity's sake, the rest
of this document refers to these models as RB-x20 and also assumes that this
is what you are using. If you are using an earlier model, everything in this
document applies except for the following:
Setting Up the Serial Port
In Presentation's main window, click on the
Input Devices tab and then on the
Serial Input Device push button. The
following dialog (screen) appears.
The parity, data bits, and stop bits should
always be as shown: none, 8, and 1. The COM port depends entirely on which
serial port the response pad is physically connected to; see the
Troubleshooting section below if you run into
problems.
The Rate setting must match the response
pad's baud rate. Take a look at the back
of your response pad, illustrated below. You will find three things (from
left to right): the Accessory Connector for plugging external peripherals; a
set of four switches; and the serial port for connecting your response pad
to the computer.
When shipped, all four switches
are in the down position. This is the "RB Series" mode running at 19200
baud. If you leave the two rightmost switches in the down position, then the
Rate setting in Presentation must be 19200.
Next, click on the
More Settings push button. The following
dialog appears:
The bottom five settings (CTS control, DSR
out control, DSR in control, DTR control, and RTS control) should match the
ones shown above. Click on OK to close
the Serial Parameters dialog. From the
Serial Input Device Settings dialog,
click on the Test button. The following
dialog appears:
For smoother operation, you may want to turn
on the "Disable display delay" checkbox as shown in the picture above. When
you press a key on the response pad, Presentation will display the ASCII
value of the byte sent by the response pad in red. This confirms that
Presentation "sees" the response pad. The next step is to interpret the
information sent by the response pad.
Interpreting the Response Pad's
Information
The RB-x20 response pad models support
three different serial port "protocols", only two of which are appropriate
for use with Presentation. These are the RB Series
protocol and the ASCII protocol. See the
document The Various Protocols Supported by the RB Series Response Pads
for all the details.
The protocol used by an RB-x20
response pad is determined by the switch settings:
-
To use the RB Series protocol,
switches 1 and 2 must be down.
-
To use the ASCII protocol,
switch 1 must be down and switch 2 must be up.
With Presentation, we
recommend the use of the ASCII protocol.
Troubleshooting
If Presentation cannot detect a response from
your response pad, here is a checklist of things to look for:
-
The most common reason is usually an
incorrect COM port setting. Double-check which COM port your response pad is
connected to. If you are not sure, try different COM port settings in
Presentation.
-
If you are sure that the port settings are
correct, the second most common problem is when an internal modem is
installed. Although it is internal, it might occupy the same port (e.g.
COM2) that the response pad is connected to. In this case, try a different
COM port or, if no other one is available, please contact the manufacturer
of your computer for assistance in re-assigning the modem to another COM
port.
-
If Presentation is receiving data from the
response pad but not what you expect, then the connection is established but
either the baud rate or the protocol is set incorrectly. Verify the switch
settings on the response pad and make sure that the baud rate selected
matches your setting in Presentation.
-
Another possible source of trouble is the
cable. Make sure to use the cable that was shipped with the response pad. If
it has been misplaced and you need another cable, you need a
modem cable (as opposed to a printer
cable). The difference between the two is that a modem cable has all the
wires running straight through, whereas a printer cable does not.
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