All KanexPro control processors support RS-232 (serial), IR (infrared), relay, and IP (TCP/IP and UDP) control. The CR-HOST8R also includes digital I/O ports. IP control allows bidirectional communication with any network-connected device.
Basic deployments using pre-built drivers require minimal programming experience. For custom control systems, KanexPro processors use a scripting environment with a documented API. KanexPro provides sample scripts and driver templates. For complex projects, a certified control programmer is recommended.
Yes. KanexPro control processors communicate with Crestron, AMX, and other third-party AV devices via RS-232, IP, or IR — the same protocols those systems expose for control. KanexPro processors do not run Crestron or AMX code, but they can replace or supplement them in a system.
A control processor (CR-HOST6S, CR-HOST8R) is the brain of the system — it runs scripts, manages logic, and sends/receives commands. An expander adds more I/O ports to the processor over the network. A keypad is a wall-mounted user interface that sends button press events to the processor.
All products connect via standard Ethernet. A managed or unmanaged switch is sufficient for basic operation. For large systems with many PoE devices, a PoE+ managed switch with adequate power budget is recommended. No special VLAN or multicast configuration is required for control traffic.
Yes — all keypads, panels, and expanders are PoE-powered (IEEE 802.3af/at). The control processors (CR-HOST6S, CR-HOST8R) include a PoE output port for powering downstream devices directly.
Yes. All keypads support custom button labels via the programming interface. Physical button label inserts are included with CR-KEY10R and CR-KEY8U. The WP-IPKEYPAD8 supports on-screen label programming.
Via IP over the local network. The touch panel sends button press events to the processor's IP address and port. The processor can also push feedback (button state, text, color changes) back to the panel.