Combining Keypads + Base Sets | Keypad and Base Configuration - Free Mode (Dynamic) vs Match Mode (Fixed)

Modified on Mon, Nov 4 at 11:41 AM

This solution ONLY works with EZ-VOTE 5/5S and EZ-VOTE 10 hardware.

PROBLEM

Multiple voting systems need to work together in the same room, or in close proximity of each other.

If your keypad set is too small and you need to borrow keypads from a colleague, another town, or business entity, you can connect both their and your receivers to the computer at the same time, and borrow their keypads to supplement yours.

However, to prevent interference and delayed voting, BOTH the keypads AND receiver must be configured in either Free Mode (Dynamic) or Match Mode (Fixed).

SOLUTION

OVERALL REQUIREMENTS

First, your keypads MUST NOT be the same numbers as the other set. They have to complement each other - or be in sequential order. Otherwise, two keypads numbered "1" will overwrite each other's votes and only the last vote will be counted.

Second, your base receiver and their base receiver need to be configured to have a different Base ID. If the Base IDs are the same and plugged into the computer at the same time, ONLY ONE of them will be detected.

Change the Base ID in the Toolkit application provided by the Meridia Support team. We do this on a case-by-case basis to prevent misconfiguration and creating unintentional problems.

BASE/KEYPAD CONFIG - OPTION 1 - MATCH MODE (FIXED)

Third, change the Working Mode of the base to Match Mode, so that you can proceed to the next step - physically matching keypads to the receiver.

Match Mode is a software-based configuration of the keypads where using the Toolkit app, a "matching" process is initiated and the user performs a physical button press operation on EACH keypad to 'match' it to a specific base receiver. This prevents these specific keypads from working with any other base, and this specific base will only work with these specific keypads.

See below, the difference between Match Mode (Fixed) and Free Mode (Dynamic).

Next, click on the Keypad Match tab and check the “Quick Match” checkbox, then click Start.

Only check the "Write Keypad Start ID" if you're trying to perform TWO operations at the same time: match the keypads to the receiver AND number them. You would not normally need to do this, because your keypads came from Meridia already programmed and numbered/labeled.

Read ALL the following bullets first, then perform the steps in a sequence. Pick up the first keypad from your group and start the physical matching process:

EZ-VOTE 5

At the same time, press and hold the very top and very bottom buttons on the keypad until you see a ‘scrolling sequence’ on the keypad’s display.
- The scrolling sequence could be a split second long, or just 1-2 seconds long.
  - If it takes any longer than that, you didn’t click the “Start” button (to start the matching process in the Toolkit app)
  - Alternatively, you forgot to click "Quick Match" and it will just take longer to initiate the 'scrolling sequence'
- Normally the top and bottom buttons are labeled with an 'icon of a paper plane' (for “Send”) and “5E”, but they could also be covered by the custom membrane, so just feel them out and push them anyway.
- You should see “01” and “E” on the display while you’re holding down both buttons (for a very short time)
Release the button press ONLY when you see “L” and “OK” on the display.
- Repeat the first step if you didn’t see the “OK” confirmation message.
That’s it. Continue to ‘match’ the remaining keypads to YOUR receiver, so that they don’t work with any other receiver.

EZ-VOTE 10

At the same time, press and hold the bottom left and bottom right buttons (they're blank - don't have labels, but they're there!) on the keypad until you see a ‘scrolling sequence’ on the keypad’s display.
- Then follow the same steps as above.

At the end of the matching process, you should test your keypads on the “Keypad Test” tab.

Set up the grid size and ID Scope (1 – X) and click Start.
If the keypads are matched correctly to your receiver, they should all light up green.
If you connect another receiver, YOUR keypads should NOT work and vice versa.

PLEASE NOTE

Keypads that have been previously 'fixed' to a particular base receiver in Match Mode, CAN and WILL connect and work with another Open Mode base (also referred to as Auto in the Toolkit app).

A "Fixed Match" base and its keypads will always try to connect to each other first, UNLESS an Open (Auto Mode) base is in the vicinity and connected to the computer first.

In other words, if you want your 'matched' keypads to only connect to your Fixed Match base, plug that base in first, then any other base plugged in around it won't matter anymore.

Also, if you do connect the Open base first and realize your mistake, just unplug it, and connect the Fixed Match base in and wait a few seconds - the keypads will automatically shift from the Open base to the Fixed one.

BASE/KEYPAD CONFIG - OPTION 2 - FREE MODE (DYNAMIC)

You can also separate two receivers working in the same room or nearby rooms where interference is possible by setting each to Free Mode (also referred to as Dynamic), which allows each set of keypads + receiver to work on a different channel than the other set of keypads + receiver.

Think of the difference between Free Mode (Dynamic) and Match Mode (Fixed) as a 'soft match' and 'hard match' in that if Free Match (Dynamic Mode) is used, you can change the Channel on the keypad at any time, thus 'soft-match' it to the base without having to go to the software and initiating a match procedure. This is helpful when moving from one room to another and each had a different Channel assigned to it.

On the other hand, the 'hard-match' of Match Mode is more durable and the link between the base and keypads cannot be 'broken' easily - only when connected to the computer and using the Toolkit app in a matching procedure, or by connecting an Open Mode base first, and Match Mode base second.

To configure the base to be 'listening' to the keypads trying to 'soft-match' to their Channel, make sure that two different base receivers have two different channels. Due to the physical button-pressing process described below, your best channels will be 1 and 80. However, keep in mind that channels 11, 12, 24, and 36 to 40 will be least likely to incur interference from a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi in the room.

See more on this in our article: Avoiding Wi-Fi Interference on 2.4GHz Frequency Channels.

First, you'll need to set the base receiver into Free Mode (also referred to as Dynamic) in the Toolkit app. Then change the Base ID and Channel so that each base has a different one (e.g., Base ID 1 and Channel 1 on Base A, and Base ID 2 and Channel 2 (or 80) on Base B).

REMEMBER: when you change the Base ID, wait about 5 seconds for the base to reset and reconnect before continuing with the setup.

That covers the base and Toolkit side. This is why Free Match/Dynamic Mode is easier, but also less rigid of a 'match' between the keypads and the base.

Now, let's program the keypads. Take the first keypad that you want to 'soft-match' to the Base A (e.g., Channel 1). When you're finished with all the keypads from this group, disconnect the base receiver and connect the next one, change the Channel and program the rest of the keypads to it.

NOTE: Channels 1 and 80 are the most convenient, because Channel 1 is always the first one to appear and Channel 80 is just one button push (down) away from clicking the Send button. For all other Channels, you'll have to push the up and down buttons a number of times to get to the desired Channel.

However, Channel 1 and 80 are not the most resistant to interference from other 2.4GHz signal (i.e., common Wi-Fi networks), so choose wisely.

EZ-VOTE 5

Press and hold the "5E" button. Wait until "L" shows up on the display and then press 1 for 'up' or 2 for 'down' to set the Channel to 1 and confirm by pressing the "Send" (paper plane) button. If it's already set to 1, just press "Send".

EZ-VOTE 10

Press and hold the bottom-right button until you see "CH--" on the display, then enter "1" or "01" and press the "Send" (paper plane) button.
- The button is not labeled, but it's there and it works...just push and hold it...

"OK" will confirm that your choice has been accepted.
- Normally the top and bottom buttons are labeled with an 'icon of a paper plane' (for “Send”) and “5E”, but they could also be covered by the custom membrane, so just feel them out and push them anyway.

At this point, the keypad that's programmed ('soft-matched') to Channel 1, will NOT work in another room where the receiver is set to Free Match (Dynamic Mode) and Channel 2.

Continue the process with all keypads intended for the room where Base A is going to be used, and when finished, disconnect it and plug the Base B to the computer, and repeat the process (using a different Channel) so that the second group of keypads is configured correctly for the second room.

Test the keypads in the Keypad Test tab as described above.

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