Specifications

B&K Components Device Interface Protocol (BKC-DIP) Specification
Version 2.01.00
Updated 01/24/07
Page 17 of 54
Hardware Zones and Groups
In recent B&K Components’ devices, such as the CT 610, there is the concept of Hardware Zones,
Groups, and Logical Zones. This has implications with regards to BKC-DIP. In order to
understand these parts of BKC-DIP, an understanding of Hardware and Software zones is
required. This section describes the concepts of Hardware Zones, assignment of Groups to link
command and control of Hardware Zones to form Logical Zones, and SubIdentifiers (which is
how BKC-DIP presents Hardware Zone information).
NOTE: References to the B&K Components CT 610 will be used as examples since it is the first
B&K product to contain these features. Again, recall that BKC-DIP V1.0 is a subset of
V2.0x features. Thus this section has no meaning in BKC-DIP V1.0 products.
Hardware Zones
As the name implies, Hardware zones relate to hardware. Thus a Hardware zone can be thought
of as the output jacks of the Device. On the CT 610, for example, there are 6 (stereo) output zones
lettered A – F. In some instances a stereo zone can be “split” into 2 mono zones which are further
subspecified by “.L” or “.R” referring to the left or the right half respectively.
NOTE: Hardware Zones are referred to by uppercase letter. For example, in the CT 610, the
6 stereo zone outputs are referred to as A, B, C, D, E, and F respectively. As another
example, if all 6 zones of a CT 610 were configured to be mono zones, they would be
referred to as A.L, A.R, B.L, B.R, C.L, C.R, D.L, D.R, E.L, E.R, F.L, and F.R
respectively.
Groups
As the name implies, Groups relate to how Hardware Zones are to be linked and controlled. In the
CT 610 and CT 310, we introduce the concept of Groups. Group is simply a method used to link
command and control of one Hardware Zone, or many Hardware Zones, using a single Code
Set/Zone ID. Currently, the CT 610 and CT 310, supports 18 groups. Groups are referred to by
lowercase letters a – r. There also exists a Whole House Group that is always set for use with Code
Set/Zone ID 0. A valid Code Set/Zone ID must be set for each Group that is to be used in the CT
610 and CT 310. Setting any CT 610 or CT 310 Group to use Code Set/Zone ID 0 (Off),
effectively disables the Group for use as a Logical Zone (see Logical Zone below).
NOTE: Groups are referred to by lowercase letter. For example, there are 9 default Groups in
the CT 610:
Group Code Set Title
0 0 Whole House
a 3 Downstairs
b 4 Upstairs
c 11 Living Room
d 12 Dining Room
e 13 Kitchen
f 14 Patio
g 15 Master Bdrm
h 16 Master Bath
i off
j off