How do you control a video wall using Samsung MDC?

When you purchase a Samsung commercial grade LCD screen you probably received a CD containing the manual and a software tool called the Samsung MDC. MDC stands for multi-display screen and is a free Samsung software package that enables you to control a variety of different sources through the built-in RS-232C or Ethernet interface. So connecting your Samsung screens to devices such as a network of PCs allows for an easy exchange of data and information.

This tool is particularly useful if you needed to control multiple screens from a remote location or configure the settings of each screen from a PC. This post will discuss some of the settings you are able to configure from the software. But firstly, before using the software you need to physically connect the screens to a PC. This can be done either via a network or via a serial RS-232C cable. In this particular post, we will  look at setting up 4 screens together to form a video wall and connect them to one PC.

Page 56 of the manual has all the information you will need to know for the MDC set but the easiest way to do this is to connect the first screen via the Ethernet port to your network and then daisy chain the rest of the screens via serial RS232c. The first screen will need to be configured with an IP address and connected to your network. Once you have it connected to your network, then the next step is to connect the other screens. In order to do this plug the RS232 serial cable to the out port on the first screen and connect the other end to the “in” serial port. Then do the same to the two other screens. As an example you should have it cabled like below:

 

Now for the first screen you need to add an IP address to the first screen. Once this is configured then install the MDC software on the PC and launch the program. You will be asked whether you want to connect  to the screens via Serial or Ethernet. Select Ethernet MDC:

The application will then check the status of the screens and then display the information:

You can then control all the screen settings from this application. To get to the video wall settings you will need to click on Maintenance:

Select all the screens by selecting “Select All” and then Video Wall Control:

You will then be able to select the video wall configuration and change the relevant settings.

[sm_smlts_infobox type=”image: success” boldtext=”Download”]Many of you asked for the MDC Setup file. I managed to get Samsung to share this file and you can download it here. Many thanks to Samsung Enterprise Service.NOTE: the file may be removed by Samsung [/sm_smlts_infobox]

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