This tech tip will outline the ARC “e” series and list similarities and differences from the previous generation of remote controls. The “e” series controllers include the ARC-2e, ARC-K1e, ARC-SW4e, and ARC-EX4e. The ARC remotes use RS-485 to transmit/receive data and can be connected in a daisy chain, or star type cabling configuration. The ARC-SWK, ARC-XLR, and ARC-EXK are discontinued.
Changes with the “e” series of ARC
- Simplification of industrial design and significant price reduction.
- Total possible RS-485 network addresses increased from 32 to 100.
- ARC binary DIP switches and jumpers have been replaced with dials.
- “ARC Audio” input, RS-485 and the DC voltage barrier strip have been removed.
- GPIO ports have been removed.
- There can be 16 buttons, and 1 rotary encoder per modular ARC RS-485 address.
Similarities between the “e” remotes and their legacy counterparts
- Identical RJ45 pinout is used on the ARC and Symetrix DSP ARC port.
- CAT5, CAT5e, and CAT6 cable will provide power and RS-485 data to the ARC when using the Symetrix DSP ARC port.
- ARC can be wired in a “daisy-chain” or “star” configuration.
- Hardware lockout is still possible on the Modular ARC ”e”.
- The expansion panels are interconnected through the use of 4 conductor jumpers.
- The ARC-K1e and ARC-SW4e can be expanded with the ARC-EX4e.
Table 1. Expansion Options
| Brain Board Encoder | RS-485 Address | + EX4e Address | + EX4e Address | + EX4e Address | + EX4e Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARC-SW4e | (0 thru 99) | 1 | 2 | 3 | N/A |
| ARC-K1e | (0 thru 99) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
- Software programming for the original modular ARC can be downloaded into modular ARC “e” devices and they will function.
- ARC-EX4e can be added to legacy ARC-SW4 and ARC-K1 units in order to expand an existing system.
- A mix of legacy ARC-EX4 and the ARC-EX4e can be used on a single RS-485 address and be programmed as a custom ARC.
- ARC-2e programming can be downloaded into legacy ARC-2 and ARC-2i remotes and they will function.
Table 2. ARC differences and similarities.
| ARC-2 | ARC-2e | Modular ARC | Modular ARCe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lockout Security | N/A | N/A | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max RS485 Addresses | 32 | 100 | 32 | 100 |
| Rotary Address Select | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DIP Address Select | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Legacy Software Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Legacy Hardware Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ARC Audio Input | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | N/A |
| Dual RJ45 Jacks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Baud Rate Select | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| GPIO | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | N/A |
| DC Power Barrier Strip | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RS-485 Barrier Strip | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Latest Firmware Version | 3.09 | 3.09 | 1.29 | 1.29 |
| LCD Display | 8 Character | 8 Character | N/A | N/A |
| Modular Expansion | N/A | N/A | ✓ | ✓ |
Table 3. Cable length limitations for ARC-2e DC power over CAT5 cable.
| Total Cable Length (to end of chain) | Number of ARC in 1 Daisy Chain |
|---|---|
| 110 – 500 feet | 4 |
| 220 – 500 feet | 3 |
| 280 – 800 feet | 2 |
| 350 – 1000 feet | 1 |
Table 4. Cable length limitations for modular ARC DC power over CAT5 cable [(1)K1e+(1)EX4e].
| Total Cable Length (to end of chain) | Number of ARC in 1 Daisy Chain |
|---|---|
| 640 feet | 4 |
| 792 feet | 3 |
| 1028 feet | 2 |
| 1396 feet | 1 |
For additional ARC programming tips, contact Symetrix technical support at support@symetrix.co.
Josh Carter
Symetrix Technical Support Engineer
Document: xxx
First published: xxxx
Last Updated: November 2022
