Communications Specialties Application Note

USING QUADSWITCH

FOR VGA

IN AN ACCESS CONTROL

APPLICATION

MARKET: Access Control,

Security

DOC. NUMBER: T-18

A distribution amplifier from Communications

Specialties, such as the TwinSplit

for VGA, may

Access control technology is one of the key

be connected to the output of the QuadSwitch ei-

segments withing the security market. Typically,

ther to extend the distance that a monitor or dis-

a standard PC serves as the engine for these

play is placed from the unit or to allow more than

types of systems. In many cases, a single prop-

one monitoring station to receive the output.

erty will have more than one access control sys-

tem installed, with separate PCs driving each

system. In situations such as these, QuadSwitch

for VGA may be used to facilitate monitoring of

multiple access control PCs using a single data

•

QuadSwitch for VGA ........................... 1340

display. This TECHnique describes how this can

•

TwinSplit for VGA................................ 1302

be done.

Many facilities use multiple access control sys-

•

T-19 Using QuadSwitch

for VGA in a Scientific

tems to allow or deny employee access to differ-

or Inspection Control Application

ent areas within a property. As most access con-

trol systems are driven by a computer engine, the

display outputs are usually provided in VGA for-

mat. Rather than assigning separate VGA moni-

Four Access Control PCs Connected

tors or data displays to each system, QuadSwitch

to a QuadSwitch for VGA

for VGA enables a single monitor to display the

output from up to four systems. This solution

greatly decreases equipment expenses, saves

space at the monitoring station, and often makes

monitoring easier for the individuals assigned to

this task. The individual sources can be manu-

ally switched for viewing purposes, or displayed

automatically at various intervals using the RS-

232/GPI port on QuadSwitch.

In addition to the easy-to-use front panel but-

tons which allow for switching between the four

inputs, QuadSwitch for VGA can be controlled

by two different remote control options – through

an RS-232/422 serial port and/or through a one-

to-one contact closure to ground.

TwinSplit is a registered trademark and QuadSwitch and TECHniques are

trademarks of Communications Specialties, Inc.