I/O pins on Impera Control Systems
If you examine Biamp Impera control systems, some of the ports are labeled” I/O”. This is an abbreviation for input/output, which means that you can define if the I/O port must act as input or output in the software. You can customize I/O ports according to your needs in different situations.
Using I/O
Input
Selecting the I/O pin as an input enables different types of external interaction with the panel. An I/O in input mode is high by default, and it allows you to connect up to 24 volts. You can connect the following type of external equipment in an input pin:
- Movement sensors (PIR)
- Keyboard lock
- Timer to turn the system on and off
Output
When you have selected the port to be an output, the pin will act as an open drain (also called open collector).
The outputs on the Impera Control system allow connection of any voltage ranging from 0 – 24 volts with the maximum current handling of 0.5 A.
This allows you to control different types of equipment, such as:
- Different kinds of relays
- VGA switchers
- USB switchers
- Alarm buzzers
The possibilities are endless as long as you remember that an open drain is not the same as a
“dry contact” or “potential free contact”. If you need a “dry contact”, you must connect a relay to
achieve this. Output pins can be either released (high) or activated (low). Activated means that the output pins are “connected” to ground, and released means that the pin is “floating”. If you measure the voltage when the outputs are released, you may read between 3 – 5 volts; however, this does not
mean that you can use the output to control a relay directly.