Task 1: Install and Connect HAL

You can work on-site or off-site to install the HAL into the audio rack. Following are a few things to consider for each approach;

• If installing on-site, we recommend that you install, connect, power on, and configure the HAL (and EXP devices, if needed) and install and terminate the shielded CAT 5e cable prior to installing the EXPs, RADs and DRs. Done in this order, you can verify that the EXPs, RADs and DRs are working properly as soon as you connect them.
• If installing off-site, you will obviously not be installing the RADs and DRs into walls. We do recommend however, that you load the configuration file and connect the EXPs, RADs and DRs to the HAL during the off-site installation so that you can fully test the configuration.

tip: Now is also a good time to label the RADs to ensure that you install and connect the same RADs in the same HAL (or EXP) ports on which they were tested. See Generating Device Labels for details on generating and attaching labels. Because DRs have LCD display screens, there is no need to generate physical labels for them.

tip: If you want to use RAD functionality in your audio rack near a HAL or EXP, a nice solution is to install RADs in the rack using special expansion devices. We suggest you take a look at the rack device products by Lowell (specifically the LD9-RMP) or by Radio Design Labs (specifically the RM-D9 rack mount product).

Installing HAL in your Audio Rack

Following are the detailed steps for installing the HAL hardware into the audio rack and connecting it to your Ethernet network. You can rely on the LED indicators on the hardware for basic device and connection status information. To see more details about the system status, however, you’ll need to install the Halogen software. But first, let’s start with the hardware. To review the front and rear panel hardware details, see HAL Front and Rear Panels.

To install and connect the HAL:

1. Attach the HAL (and all other audio equipment) to the audio rack.
2. If the system will be using an Ethernet network, connect the HAL to it. Plug one end of a standard Ethernet cable (or an Ethernet crossover cable) into the Ethernet port on the back of the HAL. Plug the other end into the Ethernet network switch. An Ethernet crossover cable is provided with the product.

note: If there is no Ethernet network, you can skip this step for now. You will use this port later to connect a computer directly to the HAL (for configuration and management of the device).

warning! If your network requires that the HAL use one or more static IP addresses, you should configure these addresses prior to connecting the HAL to your network. To do so, install and start the Halogen software, connect your computer directly to the device, and then open the device and configure its IP address(es). For details, see Working with DHCP, DNS, Static IP Addresses, and Gateways.

3. Using the IEC power cord provided with the product, connect the HAL to a power outlet or power strip. The Power LED located on both the front and rear panels of the HAL lights up.
4. Verify that the Ethernet connection is working properly.
• When plugged into any working Ethernet port, the Ethernet Link LED (located on both the front and rear panels) lights up.
• If there is activity on the network (in other words, network packets are being transmitted), the Ethernet LAN LED (on the rear panel) flashes.
• The Ethernet Comm LED (on the front panel) flashes if the HAL hardware is communicating with at least one PC that is running RaneLink II. The LED is solid when Halogen is connected to the HAL.
5. If the shielded CAT 5e cabling for the RADs and DRs has already been installed and terminated, connect the cables to the appropriate RAD and DR ports on the rear panel of the HAL (and EXP devices, if applicable).