Overview
The MaxColor Series 2 Encoder and Series 2 Decoder - MC-TX2 and MC-RX2 - add support for Audio Return Channel (ARC) when used in a point-to-point connection between a display and an AVR that both support ARC.
- MaxColor Series 2 devices support ARC.
- MaxColor Series 2 devices do NOT support eARC.
ARC is not enabled by default and requires specific configuration steps, detailed below, to enable and properly use ARC.
ARC Diagram
ARC pass-through involves connecting a MaxColor Series 2 Encoder and Decoder between the HDMI ARC port of a display and the HDMI Output port of an ARC-enabled AVR. While a network switch can be used to connect the devices together, it is not necessary for ARC functionality.
Enabling ARC Pass-through
When ARC Pass-through is enabled, the Encoder and Decoder operate in unicast mode. In this mode:
- The two ARC devices exclusively communicate with each other.
- No other Encoder or Decoder in the system can interact with these devices.
Follow the instructions below to enable ARC Pass-through.
Decoder Settings
- Telnet to the MC-RX2 connected to the ARC display.
- Apply the following command to configure the Decoder for ARC:
astparam s multicast_on n;astparam s no_cec n;astparam s no_arp n;astparam s access_on_c y;astparam s access_on_i y;astparam s a_arp_input hdmiout;astparam s a_arp_publish_on n;astparam s cec_forward_rule 0xff;astparam s btn1_long e_btn_request_arp;astparam save;reboot
The Decoder will reboot into unicast mode with ARC enabled.
Encoder Settings
- Telnet to the MC-TX2 connected to the HDMI Output of the ARC-enabled AVR.
- Apply the following command to configure the Encoder for ARC:
astparam s multicast_on n;astparam s no_cec n;astparam s no_arp n;astparam s cec_forward_rule 0xff;astparam s btn1_long e_btn_request_arp;astparam save;reboot
The Encoder will reboot into unicast mode with ARC enabled.
Resetting Devices to Default Settings
If you need to reset the devices to their default settings, follow these steps:
- Telnet to each device (MC-RX2 and MC-TX2).
- Apply the following reset command:
astparam s multicast_on;astparam s no_cec;astparam s no_arp;astparam s cec_forward_rule;astparam s btn1_long;astparam save;reboot
The device will reboot and return to its default settings, disabling ARC and unicast mode.
