Whether servicing a new or old system, not all Just Add Power installations have system details readily available. Sometimes you'll arrive at an installation with the intention to perform a short task, but either due to a lack of available information or inexperience with a Just Add Power system, the task ends up taking much longer than originally planned.
The purpose of this article is to assist with:
Download the form below, fill it out, and send it to us if you would like assistance with taking inventory of the jobsite.
There are 5 Types of systems that Just Add Power has supported over the years:
| System Type | Configuration Software | Control Type | Just Add Power Series | Installation Year | Support Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMP VLAN | AMP VLAN | IP | 2G Omega 3G Ultra MaxColor |
2022 and on | Ongoing |
| AMP Multicast | AMP Multicast | IP | 2G Omega 3G Ultra MaxColor |
2021 and on | Ongoing |
| JADConfig VLAN | JADConfig | IP | 2G 2G Omega 3G Ultra |
2013 to 2022 | Ongoing |
| Custom Multicast | None Custom |
IP | 2G 2G Omega 3G Ultra MaxColor |
2016 to 2021 | Limited Prefer to convert to AMP Multicast (2G is not compatible with AMP) |
| Custom Serial Control | None Custom |
Serial connected directly to switch |
1G 2G |
2009 to 2013 | Limited Prefer to convert to JADConfig (1G & 2G are not compatible with AMP) |
Systems setup with JADConfig or with AMP generate a Report File that provides:
With the information in the Report File, an Installer can take inventory of every device in the system and whether it is properly connected.
Just Add Power provides many software tools to troubleshoot a system, but some tools are hardware that should be brought to every jobsite, just in case!
If the Report File is not available, use this section to find and document the system details.
The details listed will help determine which type of system is being worked on:
Identify the series of Just Add Power hardware in the system. All devices in the system will most likely be of the same series. There are some mixed-series systems, but they have special rules outside the scope of this article.
MAXCOLOR™ Series - Released in 2022 and supports 4K60, 36-bit color, 4:4:4
3G Ultra Series - Released in 2015 and supports 4K30, 30-bit color, 4:4:4
2GΩ Omega Series - Released in 2016 as an upgrade to the 2G series, compatible with both 2G and 3G Ultra
2G Series - Released in 2011 and supports 1080p. Compatible with 2GΩ Omega.
1G Series - Released in 2009 and supports 1080p on a 100Mb network
The switch at the center of the Just Add Power system won't tell us the System Type by itself, but can rule out some options.
List of switches supported by JADConfig. If the switch is NOT on this list, then it is NOT a JADConfig system.
List of switches supported by AMP VLAN. If the switch is NOT on this list, then it is NOT an AMP VLAN system.
If the switch is not on either of these lists, the system is AMP Multicast or one of the custom types
To find the switch model:
Logging into the Switch IP Address with a valid username/password is our first barrier to entry on a Just Add Power system. If we don't have the switch IP, hope is not lost, we can find the switch IP Address in a couple different ways.
The first way to identify the switch IP Address is to use Discovery software tools such as Advanced IP Scanner or Angry IP Scanner provide you the ability to scan any IPv4 Subnet for devices within your local area network. When the tool scans for the IP addresses on the LAN, if a device is found on the LAN, the tool will provide you with three essential pieces of information needed to determine the IP of your Switch:
Instructions:
The second way to identify the Switch IP Address is to use the router on the jobsite to find known connected clients on the network. Not every router is created equal. If your router does not have this option and the IPv4 Discovery Software did not work, please call support for assistance.
Transmitter connections to the switch typically follow a pattern. Blank ports could be configured for either Transmitters or Receivers and should be ignored for now.
| TX Ports | System Type |
|---|---|
| Start on port 2 Sequential until the last TX |
JADConfig |
| Start after last RX port Sequential until the last TX |
AMP VLAN |
| Any other layout No pattern |
Custom or AMP Multicast |
Receiver connections to the switch typically follow a pattern. Blank ports could be configured for either Transmitters or Receivers and should be ignored for now.
| RX Ports | System Type |
|---|---|
| Start after last TX port Sequential until the last RX |
JADConfig |
| Start on port 1 Sequential until the last RX |
AMP VLAN |
| Any other layout No pattern |
Custom or AMP Multicast |
Get a count of the number of active Transmitters connected to the switch. This does not determine system type, but is needed for inventory.
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Get a count of the number of active Receivers connected to the switch. This does not determine system type, but is needed for inventory.
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The IP addresses of all Just Add Power devices will be in the same subnet. If we're lucky, that subnet can also tell us the system type.
Find the IP address of a single Just Add Power device by looking at a display showing the debug screen. Get to the debug screen by disconnecting video from a Transmitter so that a Receiver has no video to show.
| IP Address | System Type |
|---|---|
| 10.x.x.x 172.16.x.x 192.168.100.x 192.168.200.x |
JADConfig |
| 172.27.x.x | AMP VLAN |
| 172.17.x.x | AMP Multicast |
| Any other IP | No definite System Type |
All Just Add Power devices must be on the same version of firmware. Find the firmware by looking at a display showing the debug screen. Get to the debug screen by disconnecting video from a Transmitter so that a Receiver has no video to show.
Just Add Power writes drivers for many control systems. If the system is using a driver built by Just Add Power, you can find system compatibility on the Control page on the main website.