Setting up

Connecting Smart Box to your computer

Smart Box is connected to your computer using a serial port on each machine. Smart Box is supplied with a serial cable to suit your computer. One end of the cable is fitted with a 5 pin DIN plug which plugs into the serial socket on the back panel of Smart Box. The other end of the lead plugs into your computer's serial port.

PC compatible computers

Plug the lead into the socket marked ‘Serial port’. The lead is supplied with an adaptor to fit 25 pin serial ports where appropriate.

Apple Macintosh

The Macintosh has two serial ports at the rear known as the modem port and the printer port, which are identified by the two symbols shown here. Smart Box can be connected to either but the modem port is usually used for this type of device. Note, on the Macintosh PowerBook 100 the printer port is the only external serial port.

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  Printer

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  Modem

Acorn Archimedes

The Archimedes has a single 9 pin serial port on its rear panel. If your Archimedes has a label with the wording ‘Serial port not fitted’ it will require the serial upgrade to be installed. Contact your local Acorn dealer.

RM Nimbus PC 186

The RM Nimbus computer has a serial port labeled 'Aux' or 'Piconet' on its rear panel. Use this port for Smart Box. Note, when disconnecting the lead push the latch down before pulling out the plug.

BBC Micro / Master computer

The BBC Micro serial port is on the rear of the case. The lead can be connected in two ways, ensure that the bump is to the left when viewed from the rear as shown in this diagram.

Setting up procedure

1. Make sure that your computer is switched off.
2. Connect the serial cable between your computer and Smart Box.
3. Plug the power cord supplied with Smart Box into the power inlet socket on the rear panel.
   

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   Warning This equipment is intended to be electrically grounded. The power cord supplied is fitted with a three pin plug and should only be used with the correct three pin - grounding type - outlet.

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4. Switch on your computer in the normal way.
5. Switch on Smart box. The switch is on the moulded power inlet socket. You will see the red ‘on’ LED light on the top of the box. All the Green LEDs will also flash. Smart Box is now ready for use.

Note, if Smart Box is powered up first it may receive spurious signals from the serial port as the host micro starts up, in this case press the reset button on the rear of Smart Box to make sure that it is ready to receive commands from your software.