Multiple Serial device control

Hi Everyone,
I have a project that requires me to control 4 devices via RS232.

Is PAC the best option for me to talk to these devices?

It seems a little overkill to have to buy 2 PACs (2 serial ports each) for a couple serial commands.

 

If you have a Wiser or a colour touchscreen you could use a 4 port network to serial converter. The wiser can only have a single tcp connection at a time so you would have to connect to the required serial port every time. If you have a colour touch screen you can have up to 4 tcp connections, or just use udp.

Once I got past 4 serial devices I just wrote a server to run on a mini pc (which also runs CGate).

 

I only have a couple B&W touchscreens and normal CBus switches.

The cost difference between 2 PACs and a Wiser 2 (and that module) are more or lets the same. I might go down the path of 2 PACs because I know what I am doing there.

Thanks for the info!

 

If you only want to transmit and not receive any data you can connect a single tx output from the pac to multiple rx inputs on the external devices.

Alternatively there are plenty of second have rs232 kvm switches that you can control via special key codes.

 

Global Cache offer multiple serial port devices that are aimed at home automation etc. If you can open a port to an IP then send a command to the serial port on the GC.

Personally I would use a separate system to C-Bus for more flexibility (such as a headless CQC server).

Mick