MTX Universal Driver Getting Started Guide

MTX Universal Driver Getting Started Guide

This guide will walk you though the basic steps of installing the MTX Universal driver from Blackwire.

Adding the MTX Core Driver to the Control4 System

Note: Make sure you download and install the latest version of the MTX Universal Driver on your system before attempting to complete this guide. Drivers are constantly updated to introduce new features and fix issues that have been reported. Tech support will only support the latest version of the driver.

Add the MTX Core driver to the Control4 project 

This is an audio matrix style driver and it does not need to be placed in any particular room. Often dealers will use an equipment room for these types of devices where they can be easily grouped and managed. 

Add or Update Licensing

The MTX Universal Driver, like all Blackwire Drivers, is licensed for the use in one project. Multiple instances of the Core driver can be used within the same project without needing additional licenses. The driver contains support for an Automatic 72-hour trial period and Showroom Demo license. Please see the product page on the Blackwire website for more information about these licensing options. Licenses can be purchased through the Blackwire Driver Marketplace on Blackwire's website by only authorized dealers. 
Licenses must authorize with an active internet connection. The MTX will store the license authorization locally on the controller to prevent downtime during network outages.

Configure the Control Connection

The MTX can be controlled either by RS232 or IP control. RS232 may be desirable in projects that have no network or where network audio must be separated from the primary network. 

Once the IP or RS232 binding is made, the driver will determine the type of MTX processor is being controlled, and adjust bindings and properties that are correct for the model.

Check the Properties to verify connectivity

The driver properties panel will display important information related to the Core driver.
  1. The license should be in a verified state. If no status is show or an error is displayed the driver will not communicate with the MTX system.
  2. The Connection Status should have a check mark (✓) between the MTX and C4. Other symbols may indicate lost connectivity or error status on the device. Review the in-driver documentation tab for more information. 
  3. The Connection Type will show if the system is connected via Network or RS232
  4. The correct model of device will be shown in the System Type field
  5. Firmware information is shown in the System Version field
  6. The Channels to Ignore per Zone section used for configuring microphones and other advanced configurations (see below)
The Core driver properties panel.

Channels to Ignore per Zone

This setting allows the installer to force Control4 to ignore any command received from a certain channel. This setting is extremely useful when using microphones or stereo inputs with stereo zones. See the [MTX Universal Stereo Input and Output Programming Guide] for more information on how and when to configure this option.
Mixing sources is not possible without configuring this option correctly. Otherwise Control4 will only allow a single source to play in one zone.

Configuring the Matrix for First Use

Under the Actions tab in the Core driver there is a button that will be used to configure the MTX Matrix for the first time and normalize all settings for Control4. Keep in mind that the driver will do the following as part of this sequence of commands: 
  1. Disable all Matrix Sends to Zones
  2. Set all Zone Outputs to 75% (0 dB on the MTX Fader)
The MTX Editor Matrix screen will show all inputs disabled and should look similar to the screen below. Notice how none of the matrix is showing green (enabled). 



Adding Stereo Source Drivers


There are three ways to add stereo source devices to the MTX:
  1. The first way uses the standard RCA Stereo inputs on the back of the MTX3/5.
  2. The second is to configure the MTX to use two channels (for example 7 & 8) as one stereo pair.
  3. The third way is to use a summed audio cable to convert the audio from stereo to mono and use a single channel for the source

Use Case 1: Using the RCA Stereo Inputs

Blackwire provides the MTX Stereo Input driver (bwd_yamaha_mtx_input_stereo.c4z) with the MTX Core driver. This driver is a very simple driver that only works with the RCA stereo inputs on the MTX3 and MTX5-D. After installing this driver, name it after the input, and bind it to the correct Stereo Input using the RF_MTXNET_STEREO binding connection [1]. Then bind your Source Device to the input of the driver [2]. Various input types are made available to limit the need for additional shim/conversion drivers.
 


Use Case 2: Using Two MTX Channels in Stereo Configuration

This method is the most common method we see dealers using once the two stereo inputs are used. After setting up the MTX for this configuration, install a single MTX Channel Input  driver (bwd_yamaha_mtx_input_ch.c4z) into the project and name it after the odd channel you will be using for the binding. For example, if your stereo pair is on channels 7 & 8, name the connection driver Channel 7. Then, bind the driver to the MTX Core driver using the RF_MXNET_CHANNEL binding [1], and finally, bind your source to the input. 



The MTX's API does not report the configuration of the inputs or outputs configured in stereo. Internally, the MTX will mirror the settings of both channels and report the status of both channels back through the API at the same time – even if only one of them is needed. This extra information may confuse Director and it is best if it is ignored.

Therefore we recommend adding the even channel of the stereo pair to the appropriate zone's ignore list on the MTX Core driver's property page. See the [MTX Universal Stereo Input and Output Programming Guide] for more information. 

Use Case 3: Summed Audio

Using a summed stereo connection is the best way to use the MTX if you have many source devices. The installation of these drivers is the same as the stereo driver above but uses the MTX Channel Input Driver (bwd_yamaha_mtx_input_ch.c4z). Bind the Channel Input driver to the correct RF_MTXNET_CHANNEL binding on the MTX Core driver [1] and bind the source device to the audio input [2]. 


Binding Zone Outputs

The MTX Core driver provides zone Audio Output bindings and Room Control bindings for all potential Zone output configurations or requirements. If the MTX is controlling the volume of the zone, use the Room Control bindings. If there is another controlled amplifier down stream of the MTX, use the Audio Output bindings. 

When using a stereo zone output, bind to the odd zone output binding. 

Since the driver is Universal in nature, more zone bindings may be present than are available on the hardware. 

The MTX3 has a fixed limit of 8 zone outputs (mono) and the MTX5-D has a fixed limit of 16 zone outputs (mono). Adding additional I/O expansion units will not add more zone outputs above the fixed limit on each of these devices. 

Conclusion

Now the MTX Universal Driver's setup is complete and ready to be controlled using the Control4 system as a native audio matrix. To continue learning about the advanced features like, mixing microphones, group controls, UI Buttons, and the Mixer UI see the links to the articles below. 
  1. Mixer UI for MTX Programming Guide
  2. MTX Universal Stereo Input and Output Programming Guide
  3. MTX UI Button Use and Programming Guide

These articles will be linked as they are published.