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Communication protocol – Sierra Video Ponderosa 3G Series Routing Switcher User Manual

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SIERRA VIDEO

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Communication
Protocol

Introduction

The protocol uses the 7-bit ASCII character set, usually sent over an RS232-C or RS422
serial link — 115.2K bps is recommended with 8 data bits and no parity. Protocol
commands can also be sent over the Ethernet connection.

The protocol is compact, with few characters required to cause switch changes to occur.
It is also human-readable and thus easy to understand and use. Several different
crosspoint switch request commands are defined, so that the one that is most compact
for any given switcher and application can be chosen.

The protocol is useful with both very small and very large routing switchers. The sizes of
the numbers representing inputs, outputs, and levels are not fixed, but can be as large or
small as necessary. Special provisions allow numbers to be packed one after another
with no intervening delimiter character, in order to make the protocol compact, as long as
each number is the largest size necessary for that particular switcher.

All input, output, and level numbers begin at number 1, not 0.

Levels can be switched together or separately.

Chapter

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