When the performance of HDMI-CEC is inconsistent or not fully supported by a display manufacturer, RS-232 serves as a more flexible alternative. RS-232 is commonly included in commercial-grade hardware due to its maturity and high compatibility with legacy devices. Most commercial-grade projectors feature RS-232 ports and control schemes, providing enhanced power and input control for legacy projectors.

RS-232 Integration with Vivi Devices

When a Vivi box is configured to use RS-232, it defaults to sending RS-232 codes instead of HDMI-CEC codes. This allows the Vivi device to:

• Turn power on or off.

• Mute or un-mute a display, or control volume.

• Change the input of a display.

• Read information from the display, such as the model number, manufacturer, etc.

Many hardware vendors include additional custom codes that can be sent via RS232

Setup Instructions

To use RS-232, simply connect the USB end of the RS-232 connector to the Vivi unit and the serial port to the RS-232 port on your display hardware. The Vivi device will automatically detect RS-232 control and prefer it over HDMI-CEC.

Configuration on the Device Web Console

Serial and IP-specific settings can be configured from the Power Management menu on the device’s internal web page (accessible by connecting to the device’s IP address):

Open

The RS232 settings include fields for choosing the Panel Vendor (Promethean / CommBox) and the Input Source: (HDMI 1-4):

Open

Configuration in Vivi Central

In Vivi Central, the Panel App includes new Power Management Settings under App Configuration. These settings mirror those available in the Web Console but only support IP mode, not HDMI-CEC and RS-232.