Using the RB Series Response Pads with Presentation
Last Revision: May 3, 2004

The information in this document applies to:

• Owners of an RB-530, RB-730, RB-830, or RB-834 response pad who want to use it with Presentation software. If using an earlier model, click here.

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 three steps:

• Installing the USB drivers,

• 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 fourth generation. The current models are the RB-530, RB-730, RB-830, and RB-834. For simplicity's sake, the rest of this document refers to these models as RB-x30 and also assumes that this is what you are using. If you are using an earlier model, click here.

How It Works

A driver is a small program that is needed by most USB devices (other than keyboards, mice, and so forth). When installed, the RB-x30 driver makes Windows think that a serial port has been installed. This way, Presentation does not have to worry about the details of connecting to a USB device -- it simply thinks that it is communicating with a serial port, which it already supports.

Before you proceed, please make sure to install the USB driver if it has not been done already.

Setting Up Presentation

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 four things (from left to right): the Accessory Connector for plugging external peripherals; a set of four switches; an LED (small light); and the USB port for connecting your response pad to the computer.

When shipped, all four switches are in the down position. This is the "XID" mode running at 115,200 baud. The XID mode mode requires the most programming in Presentation. We recommend that you use the ASCII mode at 19200 baud by setting switch 2 UP and keeping the other three switches down.

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-x30 response pad models support four different port "protocols", three of which are appropriate for use with Presentation. These are the XID, RB Series, and the ASCII protocols. See the document The Various Protocols Supported by the RB Series Response Pads for all the details.

The protocol used by an RB-x30 response pad is determined by the switch settings. See the document The Response Pad DIP Switches. 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 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.