I just successfully integrated a Blackbox ServSwitch DP USB KVM Switch with Simple Control via a custom device driver… thought I’d share how I did it.
Here’s the link to the product on Blackbox’s website: https://www.blackbox.com/en-us/store/Detail.aspx/ServSwitch-Wizard-DP-USB-DisplayPort-4-Port/KV9804A
I connected to this device via RS232 via an Ethernet Blaster with the Serial adapter. To do this I first had to build an RJ45–>DB9 (female) cable per Blackbox’s instructions in the product’s user’s manual.
By default this device can be controlled via serial using 1200 baud 8-N-1. (8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit).
Before I tried interfacing with Simple Control I first verified the cabling was correct using my old desktop computer (it still has a serial DB9 connector, I could have done this with my laptop with a USB-to-serial adaptor).
After connecting to the serial port using hyperterm I was able to select the desired KVM source by press the corresponding number on the keyboard. (‘1’ for computer source 1, ‘2’ for computer source 2, etc.)
With this working I connected the serial cable from the KVM switch to the Ethernet Blaster serial cable.
Next I needed to build a custom device file:
[code]<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
codes SELECT USER 1 1 SELECT USER 2 2 SELECT USER 3 3 SELECT USER 4 4 method lineio brand Blackbox cat ServSwitch Wizard DP USB DisplayPort, 4-Port type 21 [/code] I saved this as RoomieCodes.plist.Next I needed to pair my Simple Control app with my Dropbox account.
Next I performed a backup to Dropbox from the Simple Control app. This created the ./Apps/SimpleControl folder within my Dropbox folder.
Next I then copied RoomieCodes.plist to the the ./Apps/SimpleControl folder.
I did a Dropbox restore from the Simple Control app. This added the KVM switch as an addable serial device within Simple Control along with the 4 SELECT USER commands I created.
The last step was to configure the Ethernet Blaster. First added a device via an Ethernet Blaster. I selected the serial interface. From the list of available serial devices I selected Switcher–>Blackbox–>ServSwitch Wizard DP USB DisplayPort, 4-Port.
Then I went into the Ethernet Blaster settings and set the connection type to serial and the serial settings to 1200 baud 8-N-1.
Clicked save, added some activities using the SELECT USER commands and everything just worked!
I hope this helps someone down the road.
-W