MTX RS232 or IP Control: Which to use?
The MTX Universal Driver supports both RS232 and IP control. While network control is convenient and reliable we recommend using RS232 as the default method of communication because of its reliable, proven interface that is not reliant on networking equipment. Using RS232 also avoids normal networking issues such as IP address changes and conflicts. Commercial installs demand reliability and stability and most networks are unable to deliver on this promise. RS232 uses the same commands at the same speeds and is a direct wire connection from the automation controller to the MTX.
tl;dr: Use RS232.
MTX5-D with Dante Audio Sources
In some situations it may be required to run the AV network on a separate VLAN. Please note that the Dante network cannot be separated from the MTX5 control network. In this case RS232 would be required for control.
RS232 Failover Feature
As of v286, both the RS232 and Network connections can be bound to the Core driver at the same time. If both are present and active, the driver will use the network binding by default. If the network becomes disconnected or registers offline, the driver will automatically switch to using RS232. This could take a few minutes. If the driver detects the network is reconnected, it will switch back to using network.
Network Heartbeat Feature
As of v286, the Network binding will use a heartbeat to stay connected to the MTX. If the heartbeat or any command is missed by the MTX for a period longer than 6 seconds, the MTX will disconnect the Control4 system which will fail to RS232 for control. Control4 will try to re-establish the network connection every five minutes or switch to RS232 Failover mode if available.
RS232 Failover and Network Heartbeat features may change in the future to be more customizable by the installer.