ADDERLink INFINITY Manual V33

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TX USB link
ALIF units act as USB 2.0 hubs and so can 
provide four sockets at the RX unit with 
only a single connection at the TX unit.
OPTIO NS
1 2
1 2
2 
Connect the type A connector of the cable to a vacant USB socket on the 
host computer. 
TX AUX port
The AUX port is an RS232 serial port 
that allows extension of RS232 signals up 
to a baud rate of 115200. The port has 
software flow control, but no hardware 
flow control. 
AU X
USB link from  host computer
Serial (null-modem) link from your computer
To connect the AUX port
1  Ensure that power is removed from the ALIF unit.
2 Connect a suitable serial ‘null-modem’ cable (see Appendix F for pin-out) between a 
vacant serial port on your computer and the AUX port on the right hand side of the 
ALIF rear panel.
To make a USB link
1 Connect the type B connector of the supplied USB cable to the USB port on the TX 
unit rear panel.   
						

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TX power in
Each ALIF unit is supplied with an 
appropriate power adapter. When all other 
connections have been made, connect and 
switch on the power adapter unit.
INDOOR
USE ONL Y
OPT
1
5V2.5A
1
2  Connect the IEC connector of the supplied country-specific power cord to the socket 
of the power adapter.
3 Connect the power cord to a nearby main supply socket.
Note: Both the unit and its power supply generate heat when in operation and will become 
warm to the touch. Do not enclose them or place them in locations where air cannot circulate 
to cool the equipment. Do not operate the equipment in ambient temperatures exceeding 40oC . 
Do not place the products in contact with equipment whose surface temperature exceeds 40oC.
Power cord from power adapter
Note: Ensure that Option switches 1 and 2 are both in the ‘off ’ (up) position to enable normal operation of the unit.
To apply power in
1 Attach the output lead from the power adapter to the 5V socket on the rear panel of 
the unit.   
						

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TX/RX network link
ALIF units can be either connected directly to each other or via a Gigabit Ethernet network.
For direct links via Ethernet cable, the length of cable should not exceed 100 metres (328 
feet). Network cables used for connections may be category 5, 5e, 6 or 7 twisted-pair cable. 
ALIF TX units have an autosensing capability on their network interfaces, so for direct point-
to-point connections, no ‘crossover’ Ethernet cable is required.
To link ALIF units using the System port
1 Connect a CAT 5, 5e, 6, or 7 cable to the System port socket on the front panel of the 
ALIF unit. 
www .adde r.com
CAT 5, 5e, 6, or 7 link either directly from the other ALIF unit or from a Gigabit Ethernet switch 
2  Connect the other end of the cable either to the other ALIF unit or to a Gigabit 
Ethernet switch, as appropriate.
3 [For connections via a network] repeat steps 1 and 2 for the other ALIF unit.  
Please see Appendix C for important tips about networking ALIF units.   
						

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RX video display
ALIF units support a single high 
resolution DVI-D digital video display at 
pixel clocks up to 165MHz (equating to 
an example display mode of 1920 x 1200 
at 60Hz refresh). 
DVI-D
To video display
RX microphone & speakers
The ALIF unit can support a microphone 
as well as speakers providing the 
necessary connections have been made 
between the ALIF TX unit and the host 
computer.
LINE IN /
LINE  OUT
CONSOLE
M IC IN
Connection from microphone or line in from audio device 
Link out to speakers
3  Once the unit has been fully connected and powered on, access the RX System 
Configuration page to check that the Audio  Input Type setting matches the connection 
that you have made to the port: line, mic or mic boost (the latter provides +20dB gain). 
To connect a digital DVI video display 
1 Connect the lead from the video display to the DVI-D socket on the rear panel of the 
ALIF unit.
To connect a microphone (or line in) and/or speakers
1 Connect the lead from a mono microphone or, alternatively, a line in connection from 
an audio device to the 3.5mm socket labeled LINE IN/MIC IN on the rear panel.
2 Connect the lead from stereo speakers to the 3.5mm socket labeled LINE OUT on the 
rear panel.   
						

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RX USB devices
The ALIF RX unit has four USB ports 
to which peripherals may be connected. 
The ports are interchangeable. To 
connect more than four peripherals, one 
or more USB hubs may be used. The 
total current that may be drawn from 
the USB ports is 1.2A, which should 
be sufficient for a keyboard, mouse (no 
more than 100mA each) and any two 
other devices (500mA maximum each). If 
more power for USB devices is required, use a powered USB hub.
To connect a USB device
1 Connect the lead from the device 
to any of the four USB sockets on 
the rear panel of the ALIF unit.  
RX AUX port
The AUX port is an RS232 serial port 
that allows extension of RS232 signals up 
to a baud rate of 115200. The port has 
software flow control, but no hardware 
flow control.  
AU X
/
LINE  OUT
Serial (null-modem) link from your computer
LIN E I
USER CONSOLE
MIC  I
Connection from USB device
To connect the AUX port
1 Ensure that power is removed from the ALIF unit.  
2 Connect a suitable serial ‘null-modem’ cable (see Appendix F for pin-out) between the 
AUX port on the right hand side of the ALIF rear panel and your remote serial device.
Supported USB Devices
The transmitter unit use True Emulation technology to emulate the signals of certain 
USB peripherals to the computer. This means that those peripherals appear to the 
computer to be permanently connected, even when the receivers are switched 
elsewhere. This enables faster keyboard and mouse switching and allows for more than 
13 identical USB devices. If the keyboards and mice are identical across the connected 
receivers, they are only enumerated once by the host. The following limitations apply:
•  Keyboards, mice and other HID devices are supported.
•  Storage devices (i.e. flash drives, USB hard disks, CD-ROM drives) are supported, but 
they may operate more slowly than with a direct connection.
•   Isochronous devices (including microphones, speakers, webcams and TV receivers) are 
not currently supported.
•  Many other devices (such as printers, scanners, serial adapters and specialist USB 
devices) will work, but due to the huge variety of devices available, successful 
operation cannot be guaranteed.
• If a device cannot be made to work, please contact Adder technical support as a 
special entry within the advanced configuration may solve it.   
						

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RX power in
Each ALIF unit is supplied with an 
appropriate power adapter. When all 
other connections have been made, 
connect and switch on the power 
adapter unit.
INDOOR
USE ONL Y
OPT
1
5V2.5A
1
2  Connect the IEC connector of the supplied country-specific power cord to the socket 
of the power adapter.
3 Connect the power cord to a nearby main supply socket.
Note: Both the unit and its power supply generate heat when in operation and will become 
warm to the touch. Do not enclose them or place them in locations where air cannot circulate 
to cool the equipment. Do not operate the equipment in ambient temperatures exceeding 40oC . 
Do not place the products in contact with equipment whose surface temperature exceeds 40oC.
Power cord from power adapter
Note: Ensure that Option switches 1 and 2 are both in the ‘off ’ (up) position to enable normal operation of the unit.
To apply power in
1 Attach the output lead from the power adapter to the 5V socket on the rear panel of 
the unit.   
						

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INITIAL CONFIGURATION
ALIF units are designed to be as flexible as possible and this principle extends also to 
their configuration.
Direct linking
Where an ALIF TX and an ALIF RX are directly linked to each other, no configuration 
action is required, provided that they have their factory default settings in place. If the 
standard settings have been changed in a previous installation, you merely need to 
perform a factory reset on each unit. 
Networked linking
Where ALIF units are connected via networked links, you can either configure them 
individually, or configure them collectively using an A.I.M. server: 
• Configuring networked ALIF units individually - You need to specify the 
network addresses of the ALIF units so that they can locate each other. This is done 
by running the AdderLink Infinity browser-based configuration utility on a computer 
system linked to the same network as the ALIF units.
• Configuring ALIF units collectively - The AdderLink Infinity Management 
(A.I.M.) server allows you to configure, control and coordinate any number of ALIF 
transmitters and receivers from a single application.
 IMPORTANT: When using A.I.M. to configure ALIF units, it is vital that all ALIF units 
that you wish to locate and control are set to their factory default settings. Otherwise 
they will not be located by the A.I.M. server. If necessary, perform a factory reset on 
each ALIF unit.     
Manual factory reset
A factory reset returns an ALIF TX or RX unit to its default configuration. You can 
perform factory resets using the AdderLink Infinity browser-based configuration utility 
or by using this direct manual method. 
To perform a manual factory reset
1 Remove power from the ALIF unit.
2 Use a narrow implement (e.g. a straightened-out paper clip) to press-and-hold the 
recessed reset button on the front panel. With the reset button still pressed, re-
apply power to the unit and then release the reset button. 
 After roughly eight seconds, when the factory reset has completed, five of the front 
panel indicators will flash for a period of three seconds to indicate a successful reset 
operation.
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Use a straightened-out paper clip to press the reset button while powering on the unit
Please also see Appendix C - Tips for success when networking ALIF units
Configuration
HT   
						

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AdderLink Infinity browser-based configuration utility
The browser-based configuration utility within all TX and RX units requires a network 
connection between the ALIF unit and a computer on the same network. The 
configuration utility allows you to perform all of the following functions:
• View/edit the IP network address and netmask,
• Configure separate IP network addresses for video, audio and USB,
• Configure multicast settings (on RX units),
• Configure video bandwidth settings (on TX units),
• View the current video output (on TX units),
• Perform a firmware upgrade,
• Perform a factory reset.
To connect a computer system for browser-based configuration 
1 Connect a suitable network cable to the Ethernet port on the front panel of the ALIF 
unit.
2 Connect the other end of the link cable to your network.
3 Similarly, link your computer to the same network. Note: A Gigabit connection is not 
essential for configuration purposes.
4 If not already switched on, power up your computer and the ALIF unit. You are now 
ready to use the browser-based configuration utility.
To access the browser-based configuration utility
1 Temporarily connect the ALIF unit and a computer via a network, as discussed 
opposite.  
2 Run a web browser on your computer and enter the IP address of the ALIF unit, e.g. 
http://169.254.1.33
 The default settings are as follows: 
• TX units - IP address: 169.254.1.33
• RX units - IP address: 169.254.1.32 
 Where the address of a unit is not known perform a manual factory reset to restore 
the default address.
 The opening page of the ALIF configuration utility should be displayed: 
www .adde r.comLink from Ethernet switch
  You can find further information about the configuration pages for the TX and RX 
units within separate appendices later in this guide:
• Appendix A - Transmitter (TX) unit configuration pages
• Appendix B - Reciever (RX) unit configuration pages 
Use the menu options to choose the required configuration page   
						

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A rough guide to configuring TX and RX units
TX (transmitter) unit configuration
In the ALIF system, the majority of configuration settings are dictated by the RX units. 
Therefore, the local TX unit setup (using its browser-based configuration utility) is usually 
concerned only with three main factors: Its IP address details, the data streams to enable/
disable and video signal optimization. Other TX unit pages, such as USB Settings, System 
Messages, Firmware Upgrades and Reboot are generally not used or altered during the 
majority of installations and are discussed elsewhere in this guide. See Appendix A for 
explanations of all TX configuration page options. 
Setting the TX address and output signal details
1 Display the TX unit System Configuration page.
2 Ensure that the IP address and netmask for the TX unit are correct. The default settings 
are 169.254.1.33 and 255.255.0.0 respectively. Where changes are necessary, enter the new 
values and click the Update Now button. You will need to declare the System IP Address 
that is set here to the RX unit(s) linked to the TX unit.
3 Check that the data streams (Enable Video, Enable Audio and Enable USB - plus Enable 
Serial, if used) are enabled (ticked) or disabled (unticked) as appropriate. There are 
similar options within the RX unit configuration and it is important that the settings 
in both units are the same. If one of these options is ticked in one unit but unticked in 
the other, then that data stream will remain disabled. If you make a change, remember 
to click the Update Now button.
Optimizing the TX video signal
Note: Where the ALIF system is connected to a Gigabit Ethernet network with sufficient available 
bandwidth, there should be no need to alter the default settings on this page. 
1 Display the TX unit System Configuration page and then change to the Video 
Configuration page.   
2 Make changes to the controls as necessary. There is no single combination of 
adjustments that will suit all installations, but generally:
• If moving video images are being shown frequently, then leave Frame Skipping at a 
low percentage and instead reduce the Peak Bandwidth Limiter and Colour Depth.
• Where screens are quite static, try increasing the Background Refresh interval and/or 
increasing the Frame skipping percentage setting.
 Make changes one at a time, in small steps, and view typical video images so that you 
can attribute positive or negative results to the appropriate control.
 See TX Video Configuration for individual explanations of the controls.
3 Click Update Now to apply each setting change.       
						

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RX (receiver) unit configuration
In the ALIF system, it is the RX unit (receiver) that determines where and how data 
signals are sent (and received) by the TX unit. Although numerous topologies (one-
to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, etc.) are made possible by the ALIF system, they 
are all dependent on two underlying modes of operation: either Unicast or Multicast 
transmission. Where multicast transmission is not invoked for video and/or audio data, 
operation will be automatically served by unicast network transmission technologies. 
The RX unit setup (using the System Configuration page of its browser-based 
configuration utility) is concerned with four main factors: Its own IP address details, the 
data streams to enable/disable, the IP address of the TX unit and multicast transmission 
details. Other pages, such as USB Settings, System Messages, Firmware Upgrades and 
Reboot are generally not used or altered during the majority of installations and are 
discussed elsewhere in this guide.
Configuring the RX unit
1 Display the RX unit System Configuration page.
2 In the System Configuration section, ensure that the System IP address and System 
Netmask for this RX unit are correct. Their default settings are 169.254.1.32 and 
255.255.0.0 respectively. Where changes are necessary, enter the new values and click 
the Update Now button. The System IP Address that is set here will be sent to the 
TX unit as the destination for transmitted data (when operating in unicast mode). The 
Gateway entry is only necessary when the TX unit is located on a separate network to 
the RX unit.
3 Check that the data streams (Enable Video, Enable Audio and Enable USB - plus Enable 
Serial, if used) are enabled (ticked) or disabled (unticked) as appropriate. There are 
similar options within the TX unit configuration; If one of these options is ticked in 
one unit but unticked in the other, then that data stream will remain disabled. If you 
make a change, click the Update Now button.
4 If necessary, alter the Audio Input Type to match your audio input. The line option is for 
a stereo line input, mic and mic boost are for mono microphones, the latter benefiting 
from a +20dB gain boost.
5 In the Target Transmitter Unit Settings section, enter the IP address for the TX unit that 
will be supplying the video, audio, USB and serial data streams. (See also step 7 overleaf). 
6 The Use ETH2 setting controls an optional feature that can be used when the ALIF 1000 
receiver is linked to an ALIF dual (2002 or 2112T) transmitter. This takes advantage 
of the extra Teaming port of those transmitters to provide a secondary (redundant) 
data feed. Once enabled, if the primary link fails for any reason, there will be a short 
delay for a few video frames (and possibly some on-screen corruption) as all the data 
packets are rearranged to be sent down the secondary link. 
  If required, tick the Use ETH2 option to enable the feature and enter the IP address of 
the Teaming port (ETH2) of the transmitter whose primary IP address is declared in the 
field above. It is important that the primary and secondary ports are both derived from 
the same ALIF dual transmitter otherwise both links will fail. (See also step 8 overleaf).  
continuedSee Appendix B for individual explanations of the controls.