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SCENARIO 3: PCI MAX ULTRA and RDS MAX v1.0
For all those who have been wondering; yes, it can be done! There are two things we need to do here.
First, get the stereo pilot to the RDS MAX board so it can phase lock its RDS data pilot and
second, get the RDS data signal back to the PCI MAX board. The picture on the left
illustrates this really well. This is how we pick up pilot from PCI MAX and send it over to
the RDS encoder. Remember, this must be done with a shielded coaxial audio cable
(microphone cable) and this cable should be kept short. The other end goes to jumper J4 on
the RDS MAX board. Install a jumper on J5, place it to the left towards the edge of the PCB.
Next, we must inject RDS data into the PCI MAX card. We will need another shielded
coaxial cable to do that. This cable will go from MPX out RCA jack on the RDS MAX board
to the point on the PCI MAX ULTRA board. Also replace the 75 ohms resistor close to the
MPX OUT connector with a 10K resistor. You can also place this resistor between the output
(MPX OUT) and the coaxial cable (inline). The next picture below shows where the RDS
signal from the RDS MAX 1.0 goes on the PCI MAX ULTRA board.
Step 3: Software
Install the RDS MAX program from the provided CD or download the latest version from our website. Set the used COM port in the Setup
dialog. Please send us any bug reports or suggestions for improvement. We will take your comments into consideration.
Step 4: Power up and use
If you’re running stereo signal and D2 isn’t lit, adjust P1 until it is. That’s pretty much all there is to it. If you’re using another FM
transmitter and stereo encoder, you may need to increase/decrease the level of RDS data signal. This can be done with changing the 15K
resistor (R7) on the RDS MAX board.
Troubleshooting
We hope you’ll never get to this step. We all know bad things happen. But do not despair! If you have problems that you cannot solve
yourself, please contact us directly
support@www.pcs-electronics.com.
Feel free to post questions to our forum and discuss matters with
other users.
