Author Topic: Running 2 consoles  (Read 5188 times)

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Offline capeweather

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Running 2 consoles
« on: August 06, 2006, 12:36:17 PM »
I have a VP2 and was wondering if anybody has ever had 2 consoles running at the same time. The reason I am asking is because my neighbor is willing to buy a console and read the data directly from me instead of buying a station. Is this possible? I would think it would be because I run an Envoy and that acts like a console but does not have a display. Are there any disadvantages for doing this even if it does work. Thanks.  :D

Chris
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Offline talbert1952

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Running 2 consoles
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2006, 04:49:39 PM »
I run two consoles on my VP2. I bought the second one before Virtual VP came along. Since communication is one way between the ISS and console it doesn't matter how may consoles you use. Last time I checked Provantage had the best price on additional consoles.
Tom
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Offline SLOweather

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Running 2 consoles
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2006, 11:21:58 PM »
2 things...

If you are running wireless it shoudn't matter at all.

If you are running wired, then the 2 inner wires of the cable carry the data, the 2 outer wires ISS  power. The second station should only connect to the 2 inner wires, color for color (forgive me. The jarheads at Davis Tech support apparently only know colors, they don't know RS-485). Don't try to power the ISS off both consoles.

And a fine point about the wired option...

You should "daisy-chain" the middle console connection as much as possible, not "star" it . That means running the cable from the ISS to the middle console and the cable from the middle console to the second console, with as little distance between the splice from (ISS to console 2) to console 1, as possible.

This is hard to describe in text. Lemme try it this way. If the ISS cable comes into your garage, and the cable to your neighbor comes into the garage, don't splice in another cable there to go to your console. Run both the ISS and second console cables to your console, and make the stub from the junction to your console as short as possible.  A few inches, not much more than a foot or 2, especially if you are running at 19,200 baud.

In any case, per the spec, the distance from the ISS to the far console should not exceed 4000 feet.

 

anything