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GPIO (Core and I/O Frame)

This topic describes how to configure and control the General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) hardware interfaces in Q-SYS Designer. For information about the GPIO interface hardware, see the GPIO Interface topic.

The General Purpose Input Output (GPIO) Controller is used to integrate Q-SYS with custom or third-party controls. Using the GPIO you can control external hardware and certain aspects of Q-SYS using external hardware. You can also have an external clock source connected to GPIO A-1 or GPIO B-1, pin 3, by setting the Core's Clock Source Property to GPIO A-1 or GPIO B-1. Refer to the Core Status topic for details.

The GPIO Interface is physical hardware, and is represented in Q-SYS Designer by the GPIO component. There are two GPIO components available in the Core, and one in each I/O Frame added to the Inventory. There are eight configurable GPIO pins for each GPIO component. You can configure these pins to be Inputs, Outputs, Digital, Analog, Clocks, and so on. Refer to the Properties section in this topic for details.

The GPIO pins display as "control pins" on the GPIO component and are always present except when "Unused" is selected for a pin's Direction. The GPIO pins are not used to change controls in the Control Panel. Some of the Direction/Type combinations provide Control Pins you can use to change the Controls within the Control Panel. The GPIO and Control pins look similar on the Component; be sure you have the correct pin when making connections.

Controls

The Controls are displayed in GPIO Pin number order, 1 through 8, from left to right in the Control Panel with the related DA-15 pin number listed. The DA-15 pin / GPIO pin number relationship can change based on the controls assigned to the GPIO pins.

General

Control	Function	Default / Range
Relay	The function of the Relay button is to open and close the contacts of the relay on the GPIO Interface. RNO 1 (Relay Normally Open on DA-15 Pin 1) RNC 2 (Relay Normally Closed on DA-15 Pin 2) RC 9 (Relay Common on DA-15 Pin 9)	Off / On
Digital In (Indicator)	This LED lights when there is a Digital input of 1 (3.3 V TTL) present.	Off / On
Analog In (VDC)	This is a read-only knob that displays the DC voltage applied to the GPIO pin.	Default = 0 Range = 0 to 12
Digital Out	This toggle button supplies a 0 in the Off position and a 1 in the On position.	Off / On
PWM Duty (Percentage)	Sets the percentage of a period when the pulse is positive.	Default = 0 Range = 0 to 100
PWM Frequency (Hz)	Sets the period time. (1 / frequency) Affects all PWM outputs	Default = 50 Range = 5 to 50,000

Properties

Direction

There are four possible "Directions" you can select for the GPIO pins.

Property	Value
Unused	The default position, and anytime the GPIO Pin is not in use
Input	Devices or signals connected to a configurable pin provide an input to the Q-SYS system.
Output	The Q-SYS hardware will be providing signals to devices connected to configurable pins.
Raw	The Raw mode is for advanced capabilities. If there is something you cannot do in the standard choices, contact QSC Support for detailed information.

Type Settings when the Direction is Input

Property	GPIO Pins	Value
Input used as clock source	3	When the Core Clock Source Property is set to GPIO A-1 or GPIO B-1, this GPIO is used only for the clock source. The GPIO selections require an external TTL level word clock: pin 3 is signal, pin 8 is ground. When you select GPIO A-1 or GPIO B-1 as the clock source, the respective GPIO 1 Property changes to "Input used as clock source". The clock source should be connected to pin 3 of the respective GPIO connector - either GPIO A or GPIO B. Note: Typically, Internal is used as the clock source. Only if there is a need to synchronize the Q-SYS system to an external clock would you use GPIO or AES3. You would use GPIO if the external clock signal is a word clock. You would use AES3 if the external clock signal is an AES3 signal. Often an AES3 signal without audio is used to reduce the clock jitter. This signal is called AES3 black.
Digital (TTL 3.3 VDC @ 2 mA)	1 to 8	Digital zero = 0 Digital one = 3.3
Potentiometer (10 k Ohm, 12 V)	1 to 8	Allows a potentiometer to be connected to the GPIO pin, the position of which is represented by the control in the GPIO Control Panel. The value or range is 0 to 1.
Analog (0-24 V. Low Z)	1 to 8	Input 0 to 24 V, Low Z 12-bit Resolution
Contact Closure	1 to 8	Allows a button, switch, or other binary device to be connected to the GPIO Relay contact.
WCP-1 ¹	1 to 8	Interfaces with QSC's Wall Control Plate, version 1.
WCP-2 (requires 3 pins) ¹	1-3 and/or 5-7	Interfaces with QSC's Wall Control Plate, version 2. Requires four configurable pins, selected on GPIO 1 and/or 5 only.
Optical Rotary Encoder (requires 2 pins)	1-2, 3-4, 5-6, or 7-8	Allows an Optical Rotary Encoder to be connected to two configurable pins.
Mechanical Rotary Encoder (requires 2 pins)	1-2, 3-4, 5-6, or 7-8	Allows a Mechanical Rotary Encoder to be connected to two configurable pins.
1. For more information on WCP-1 or WCP-2: WCP Manual

Type Settings when the Direction is Output

Property	GPIO Pins	Value
Digital Output	1 to 8	Digital zero = 0 Digital one = 1
Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) Output Good for operating a Fan or a DC motor that will likely require 12 V High Drive, High Current.	1 to 8	Pulse Width is set in the Control Panel 0 - 100% Pulse Frequency is set in the Control Panel 50 to 50,000 Hz
Inverted Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) Output If this pin is used in conjunction with the non-inverted PWM, linking the PWM Duty Control Pins together will produce opposite but equal signals since they must use the same frequency.	1 to 8	Pulse Width is set in the Control Panel 0 - 100% Pulse Frequency is set in the Control Panel 50 to 50,000 Hz
No Clock output available on these pins	1 and 5	N / A
Sample Clock	2 and 6	System Frequency 48 kHz
Vector Clock	3 and 7	3 kHz 6 kHz
Frame Clock Mainly intended for software debug.	4 and 8	Programmable - 30 Hz to 120 Hz

Drive Settings when the Direction is Output

Property	Value
GPIO Pins 1 - 4	3.3 V TTL Open Collector High Current
GPIO Pins 5 - 8	3.3 V TTL 12 V Push-Pull High Current 12 V High-Drive High Current Open Collector High Current

Property

Value

GPIO Pins 1 - 4

3.3 V TTL

Open Collector High Current

GPIO Pins 5 - 8

3.3 V TTL

12 V Push-Pull High Current

12 V High-Drive High Current

Open Collector High Current

When the Direction is Raw

The Raw mode is for advanced capabilities. If there is something you cannot do in the standard choices, contact QSC Support for detailed information. Note that when you select Raw as the direction, there are two instances of that pin on the GPIO component; one input, and one output.

Control Pins

The available Control Pins depend on settings in Properties.

General

The Relay Out Control Pin is always available.

Pin Name	Value	String	Position	Pins Available
Relay Out	0 1.00	false (normal) true (activated)	0 1.00	Input / Output

Pin Name

Value

String

Position

Pins Available

Relay Out

1.00

false (normal)

true (activated)

1.00

Input / Output

When the Direction is Input

The Pin Name reflects the Input Type you select for a given GPIO pin. Indented below each GPIO Type are any Control Pins that may be available for that Type.

Pin Name	Value	String	Position	Pins Available
Digital Input	0 1	false true	0 1	Output
Contact Closure	0 1	false true	0 1	Output
Potentiometer (10k Ohm, 12 V) and Potentiometer (2-wire)	0 to 1	N / A	0 to 1.00	Output
Calibrate Maximum
Calibrate Minimum
Maximum Position
Minimum Position
Analog Input	0 to 24.00	0.00 V to 24.0 V	0 to 1.00	Output
WCP-1	0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10	0 .100 .200 .300 .400 .500 .600 .700 .800 .900 1.00	Output
WCP-2	1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00	1 2 3 4 5 6	0 .200 .400 .600 .800 1.00	Output
Rotary Encoder (Mechanical or Optical)	0 to 1.00	N / A	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
Rotary Encoder Resolution	4 to 4096	4 to 4096	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
Rotary Encoder Reverse	0 1.00	normal invert	0 to 1.00	Input / Output

When the Direction is Output

The Pin Name reflects the Output Type that must be selected for a particular Control Pin to be available.

Pin Name	Value	String	Position	Pins Available
Digital Output ¹	0 1	false true	0 1	Input / Output
PWM Output	0 to 100	—	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
PWM Duty	0 to 100	0% to 100%	0 to 1.00	Input/Output
PWM Invert	0 1.00	normal inverted	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
PWM Frequency	5 to 50,000	5.00Hz to 50.0kHz	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
Inverted PWM Output	0 to 100	—	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
PWM Duty	0 to 100	0% to 100%	0 to 1.00	Input/Output
PWM Invert	0 1.00	normal inverted	0 to 1.00	Input / Output
1. When Digital Output is selected, the Control Pin for the "Digital Out" button in the Control Panel displays as an input to the selected GPIO pin. It is not shown in the Control Pins list as other "Control Pins".

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GPIO (Core and I/O Frame)

Controls

General

Properties

Direction

Type Settings when the Direction is Input

1. For more information on WCP-1 or WCP-2: WCP Manual

Type Settings when the Direction is Output

Drive Settings when the Direction is Output

When the Direction is Raw

Control Pins

General

When the Direction is Input

When the Direction is Output

1. When Digital Output is selected, the Control Pin for the "Digital Out" button in the Control Panel displays as an input to the selected GPIO pin. It is not shown in the Control Pins list as other "Control Pins".