Evertz-Quartz protocol for router control is supported in Helm, RouteMaster and RouteMaster VR.
RouteMaster uses the protocol for both outgoing and incoming connections, allowing third-party systems using Quartz to control RouteMaster. Helm uses it for outgoing connections to control routers.
Use over TCP/IP
The standard port number for Quartz protocol is 23 (also used by Telnet). However, Helm and RouteMaster can be configured for any port.
Use over serial ports
Helm and RouteMaster can control routers via quartz protocol over with any available COM port. Standard configuration is 38400 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit.
Levels
Quartz protocol supports 16 levels,
Supported and Required Commands
This table details the commands used for outgoing connections, and the commands supported for incoming connections. If a command is not listed here, it’s not currently used or supported.
| Command | Outgoing | Incoming | Notes |
.S Set Crosspoint |
Yes | Yes | |
.Bl, .BU Lock and unlock Destination |
Yes | Yes | |
.M Set multiple crosspoints |
No | No | |
.F Fire Salvo |
Yes | No | |
.I Interrogate Route |
No | Yes | |
.L List Routes |
Yes | Yes | |
.RD, .RS, .RL Read Names |
Yes | Yes | RouteMaster supports UTF-8 names, lengths may be > 8 characters |
.WD, .WS, .WL Write Names |
No | No | |
.#01 Test connection |
Yes | Yes |
Special Properties
For outgoing TCP/IP connections, the following properties can be set directly in Helm Designer, or in the RouteMaster configuration file.
| BackupFrame | IP Address | For systems with main/backup controllers, control is automatically switched to this address if the primary controller goes offline |