Introduction

This chapter includes the following portions:

• The Introduction portion introduces you to the components of a Hirsch physical access control system.

• The Safety Information and UL Requirements portion provides information about designing a security system using Velocity software and Mx Series controllers that meets certain UL standards.

• The Design Considerations portion provides information about certain components within a Hirsch physical access control system, plus information about common building features for which the components are used (such as doors, HVAC, turnstiles, gates, and elevators).

• The Setup and Installation portion provides instructions on how to set up, wire, and install a Hirsch security system. It includes specific information about cabling distances, power requirements, component dimensions, and connections.

System Overview

A Hirsch physical access control system consists of three types of devices:

1. Controllers (including optional expansion boards)

2. Remote Components

3. Communications Devices

Controllers are the security control/monitoring equipment in the middle which take signals from input devices—such as keypads and readers—then decide how these devices should respond.

Remote Components are all the components found outside the controller’s enclosure. They are usually located at the doors or accessways requiring access control, and include:

• Keypads and Readers which allow access to a secure area.

• Input devices are those remote devices—such as door contacts, request-to-exit devices, and motion detectors—which send alarms or other security information to a controller for interpretation and response.

• Output devices are those remote devices—such as magnetic locks, electric strikes, and audible signals—which are operated by relays in the controller.

• Power Supplies which provide power to output devices such as electric lock.

Communications Devices—such as network boards—link a controller to a local or remote PC. You can use controllers either as standalone systems, or as part of a network of controllers with the addition of these devices. Figure 1-1 illustrates some of the components used with a Hirsch controller:

Open

The following topics provide some insight into how all these devices are used together.

Typical Door

A typical door diagram will help explain the major elements of a traditional Hirsch physical access control system:

Open

In this example, both a card reader and a ScramblePad keypad are used to secure entry.
Here is the sequence this array will follow:

1. A card is passed through the card reader and the attached MATCH board sends the card code to the controller. If the card is enrolled in the system, the ScramblePad’s first yellow LED flashes.

2. A code is entered at the ScramblePad and this is sent to the attached MATCH which then sends the code to the controller. If a reader and a ScramblePad are installed on the same side of the same door (as shown in Figure 1-2), the ScramblePad must be wired through the MATCH so that the reader and ScramblePad signals are combined and sent to the controller through common wiring. If you use a DS47 ScramblePad, a MATCH is already built into the ScramblePad keypad; this means you can attach any standard 26-bit card reader to the DS47.

3. The Controller determines whether the code and card are authorized for that door at that time. If they are, the controller triggers the door relay to unlock the door. Depending on the application, the door relay will allow electrical current from the power supply to energize or de-energize the locking device.

4. After a designated number of seconds, the door is relocked.

5. A Door Contact continuously monitors the door for open or closed status. The Door Contact is wired to a Line Module which provides supervision and information so the controller can produce an alarm if unauthorized door opening or tampering occurs.

6. An authorized code and card will temporarily ‘mask’ the alarm for a predetermined interval while the individual passes through the door.

7. From the other side, the employee can request exit from the room by pushing the Request-to-Exit (RQE) button. This sends a signal to a Line Module which sends the message to the Controller.

8. The RQE also masks the alarm from the Door Contact and can unlock the door (if required) for a specified amount of time. After that interval, the Door Contact is unmasked (normal alarm monitoring).

9. If the Door Contact detects that the door is opened beyond a prescribed number of seconds, the controller records a Door-Open-Too-Long (DOTL) alarm condition and responds to the condition as dictated by its program. This response can take the form of an audible alarm, a printed alarm, the activation of a videocamera to record the intruder, or any number of other responses.

10. When the Door closes, the Door Contact sends a signal through the Line Module to the Controller. If this signal arrives before the specified time duration is up, then no DOTL alarm condition is recorded.

11. All conditions and events may be sent to a PC.
For additional information about the wiring for a door supervised by an Mx controller, see “Wiring for a Door”.
For additional information about the wiring for a door supervised by an Mx-1 or Mx-1-ME controller, see “Wiring for the Door”. (There is also an Mx-1-W license for an Mx-1 or Mx-1-ME controller that is specifically configured to manage up to eight wireless locks.)

Typical Controller Components

At the center of a Hirsch physical access control system is the Controller, as shown in the following example:

The enclosure for an Mx or Mx-1-ME controller contains the following components:

• Controller main board

• Power supply

• Standby battery

• Tamper switch

• Optional expansion boards

Each of these components is explained briefly in the following subtopics.

Controller Main Board

A controller’s Main Board contains the main connectors to the surrounding system components. Through it, you can connect to various reader interfaces, input devices, output devices, and power sources.

For information about the main board of the Mx controller, see “Mx Controller Main Board”.

For information about the main board of the Mx-1 and Mx-1-ME controllers, see “Mx-1 Controller Main Board”.

Internal Power Supply

The enclosure for an Mx or Mx-1-ME controller includes an internal power supply which converts AC input power to DC power.

For information about the internal power supply of the Mx controller, see “Internal Power Supply”.

For information about the internal power supply of the Mx-1-ME controller, see “Internal Power Supply”.

Standby Battery

The standby battery pack supplies 24 VDC of backup power to the controller’s main board even if primary AC power fails. This enables the controller to continue functioning during a power outage.

For information about the standby battery of the Mx controller, see “Standby Battery” and “Mx Controller Standby Battery Capacity”.

For information about the standby battery of the Mx-1-ME controller, see “Standby Battery” and “Mx-1-ME Controller Standby Battery Capacity” .

Expansion Boards

Optional expansion boards can increase the capabilities of the Mx and Mx-1-ME controllers.
For example:

• A memory expansion board increases a controller’s available memory, expanding the
  number of alarm and event buffers or codes the controller can hold. Note that your system’s actual data capacity could be less, as explained in “Velocity Features that Reduce Available Memory”.

• A communications board provides a controller with the ability to communicate with a host PC.

• A relay expansion board extends the number of control outputs that a controller can accommodate.

• An alarm expansion board increases the number of line module inputs that a controller can accept.

For information about the expansion boards available for an Mx controller, see “Expansion Boards for the Mx Controller”.

For information about the expansion boards available for an Mx-1-ME controller, see “Expansion Boards for an Mx-1-ME Controller”.

Mx Series Controller Models

There are several Mx series controller models. Some of the more important similarities and differences between these controllers are highlighted here:

• The Mx controller can be configured to control either 2, 4, or 8 doors, depending on which model of the Command and Control Module (CCMx) is installed. It can be ordered with either SNIB2 or SNIB3 functionality, and provides an RJ-45 Ethernet connector and an RS-485 terminal. In addition to the 5-wire terminal block used for connecting the wiring from card readers or ScramblePad keypads through a MATCH2 Reader Interface Board, each door provides an alternative 6-pin Wiegand terminal which enables you to directly connect a Wiegand card reader (without a separate MATCH2 board). For more information, see, “Mx Controller”.

• The Mx-1 is a single-door controller in a compact plastic case, which does not have room for any expansion boards. It can be powered by POE+, and the functionality of the CCMx and the SNIB3 are built onto its main board. For more information, see, “Mx-1 Controller”.

• The Mx-1-ME controller is packaged in a traditional metal enclosure (with a locking door, a tamper switch, a power supply, a standby battery, and room for up to five optional expansion boards). For more information, see, “Mx-1 Controller”.

• The Mx-S3OB controller is fitted to the Daughter board of the SNIB3 and is powered by the RREB that is fixed to the side-bay of the Control Panel.

• There is an Mx-1-W license for an Mx-1 or Mx-1-ME controller that is specifically configured to manage up to eight wireless locks. (These can be either ASSAABLOY’s Aperio brand of wireless locks, or Allegion’s Schlage brand of wireless locks.) For more information, see the DIGI*TRAC Hardware Configuration > Wireless Locks > Wireless Locks – Overview topic in the Velocity online help.

The Mx-1 models do not support the traditional Hirsch MATCH interface, but they do support both an entry reader and an exit reader which can be wired using either the 8-pin Wiegand terminals or the 5-pin RS-485/OSDP terminal (where the optional exit reader is wired “through” the entry reader).

The following table shows the features of various Hirsch controllers.

Table 1-1: Feature Comparison of Various Hirsch Controllers

Explanatory Notes for this table:
¹ Unused ‘Door’ relays may be reconfigured to serve as ‘Control’ relays.
² The term ‘base’ refers to how many of an item are included within a type of controller.
³ The term ‘max.’ refers to the sum of what is included within the base model plus what is available in the relevant expansion boards. (The Mx-1 does not support any expansion boards; the Mx-1-ME supports up to 5 expansion boards.)
⁴ An Mx-2, Mx-4, or Mx-8 controller provides both a 5-pin MATCH terminal and a 6-pin Wiegand terminal for each door, but only one of them can be used for a particular door.(The Mx-1 and Mx-1-ME controllers do not provide a MATCH terminal.)
⁵ For the Open Secure Data Protocol (OSDP), an optional exit reader is wired “through” the entry reader. OSDP readers are required for FICAM, and they can be used with an older controller by adding a SNIB3 and an RREB, as part of Identiv’s FICAM /scrollSolution.
(For more information, see “RS-485 Readers Expansion Board (RREB)”).

Remote Components

As a general rule, all those components in a system which do not physically reside in the controller’s enclosure are considered remote components. Some remote components (such as ScramblePads and readers) initiate entry/exit access, while others (such as audible annunciators and magnetic locks) respond to access requests and logic sequences.

Remote components fall into five categories:

• ScramblePads and MATCH Readers

• Input Devices

• Output Devices

• Printers

• Power Supplies

Each category is briefly discussed in the following subtopics.

ScramblePads and Readers

This category includes:

• Keypads/ScramblePads

• MATCH Reader Interface

• Readers

These devices are discussed briefly in this section.

ScramblePads

ScramblePads are Hirsch’s answer to prying eyes. A unique, patented feature – scrambling digits – eliminates pattern recognition. ScramblePad numbers are randomly redisplayed each time the START button is pressed so a nearby observer cannot learn the code by memorizing which buttons are pressed. The numbers are illuminated displays located behind transparent pushbuttons. Slats, or viewing restrictors, are located between the lights and the pushbuttons. Vertical viewing restriction (up and down) is ±26° and the horizontal viewing restriction (side to side) is ±4°. On the high intensity display versions of the keypads (such as the DS47L-HI), horizontal viewing restriction is increased to ±20°.

MATCH Reader Interface

The MATCH Reader Interface is the necessary option for older DIGI*TRAC systems when you plan to use a reader or keypad other than the ScramblePad. (For basic access control applications that only need an entry reader on a door, the Mx controller provides a 6-pin Wiegand terminal for each door that enables you to directly connect an industry standard Wiegand card reader.) The MATCH (Multiple Access Technology Control by Hirsch) enables a large range of magnetic stripe, proximity, and other reader technologies to communicate with DIGI*TRAC or Mx controllers.

MATCH can also be used for dual technology combining ScramblePads and readers at a door, then passing the combined signals along to a controller. The MATCH should be located at the door. Each MATCH can accommodate up to 2 readers and 2 ScramblePads for dual technology entry and dual technology exit door applications.

The Hirsch DS47L ScramblePad includes both a keypad and MATCH board, thereby eliminating the need for installing a separate MATCH at the location. The DS47L’s built-in MATCH only supports standard 26-bit readers; no custom settings are supported.
The Hirsch ScrambleProx (DS47L-SPX) includes a keypad, MATCH, and reader in one package. This eliminates the need for installing both a separate MATCH and reader at the required location.

Readers

Many readers and non-ScramblePad keypads can connect to a DIGI*TRAC or Mx controller through the MATCH Reader Interface. For more information about those readers, see Chapter 7 of the DIGI*TRAC Systems Design & Installation Guide. The Mx-1 and Mx-1-ME controllers do not support the traditional Hirsch MATCH interface, but they do support both an entry reader and an exit reader which can be wired using either the 8-pin Wiegand terminals or the 5-pin RS-485/OSDP terminal (where the optional exit reader is wired “through” the entry reader). For more information, see “Wiring for the Door”.

Input Devices

Aside from keypads and readers, all other input devices must be connected to the controller through Line Modules.

Line Modules

Line Modules are the devices which collect signals from Request-to-Exit (RQE) devices and alarm sensors (such as door contacts) and send them to the Controller using supervised circuits. Alarm Sensors are used for a variety of security monitoring functions. In access control systems, they typically monitor doors for open or closed status, enabling the controller to generate ‘forced open’ or ‘door open too long’ alarm conditions. In intrusion detection applications, they normally monitor sensors which can have either normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC) contacts.

Line Module inputs include:

• RQE Devices

• Door Contacts

• Device Tamper Switches

• Interior Motion Sensors

• Perimeter and Fence Alarms

• Break Glass Window Sensors

• Capacitance Duct Sensors

• Above-Ceiling Motion Sensors

While sensors can help the controller identify intruders, there must also be a mechanism which enables the controller to detect when the sensor itself is being tampered with or has been compromised. This can be done by monitoring the circuits which connect the alarm sensors, indicating when an alarm circuit is shorted, opened, noisy, and/or out of spec. These conditions are considered attempts to breach the system and are monitored and reported on an input-by-input basis.

Through line modules, the controller digitally processes the analog measurement of an alarm circuit’s resistance at 100 times per second. With the appropriate line module, the system measures any 2% variation in the alarm circuit’s condition and reports the appropriate alarm condition upon detection.

Line modules come in two types: DTLM and MELM. The DIGI*TRAC Line Module (DTLM) is a device with a screw terminal designed for easy inclusion in a junction box. The Miniature Embedded Line Module (MELM) is a device with flying leads which is much smaller than the DTLM and can fit in tighter, more confined spaces. The MELM may be installed within the sensor’s housing or its mounting box.

Output Devices

Output devices include:

• Magnetic Locks/Electric Strikes

• Turnstiles

• Parking Gates

• Elevators

• Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC)

• Lighting Control

• Audible Signals

Although these devices are not manufactured by Hirsch, they can all connect to Hirsch controllers through either Door/Control Relays or Alarm Relays.

Wires from relay terminals to output devices must comply with Form C standards and are labeled as NO (Normally Open), NC (Normally Closed), and C (Common).

Door/Control Relay Connections

There are three types of relays used by a DIGI*TRAC or Mx series controller:

• Door Relays

• Control Relays

• Alarm Relays

Door Relays are normally used to switch power to output devices requiring a lot of electricity such as electric locks, electric strikes, and electric turnstiles.
Control Relays are normally used for auxiliary control applications or operation of remote heavy-duty relays. These are used to switch equipment on or off – either directly, or indirectly using intermediate relays – such as power or lighting circuits. In some cases, such as elevator control, control relays enable/disable floor buttons by providing discrete signals to the elevator control panel.
Alarm Relays are dedicated response relays which indicate:

• System alarm conditions

• Duress alarms present

• Tamper conditions present

• Trouble conditions present

Locks

Electric strikes normally operate on the principle that they are locked without power, unlocked with power. Conversely, magnetic locks are locked with power on and unlocked when power is momentarily turned off.

Consider what this means when using a magnetic lock as the only lock on an exterior entrance. If power fails and the standby battery wears down, a magnetic lock will unlock the door, leaving the building unsecured. Local building codes dictate requirements for using locking devices on fire exit doors, such as the main entrance. Refer to your local building codes.

There are two primary strategies for locking devices:

• Fail Safe Lock – If power fails, it fails open, or unlocked. These locks provide the safety feature of granting entry or exit in case of emergency conditions. However, they do not maintain security during power outages.

• Fail Secure Lock – If power fails, it fails locked. Fail Secure locks are a better choice for most high-security access control applications because doors remain locked during times of power outages. Doors equipped with fail secure locks may include a mechanical key override with limited distribution of the key. This enables entrance to and exit from a door even under conditions of no lock power or overall access control system failure. Most electric strikes are Fail Secure.

Alarm Relay Connections

Alarm Relays are dedicated relays that interface with local alarm annunciators or remote monitoring stations. A DIGI*TRAC alarm output relay can report a variety of alarm conditions as shown in Table 1-2:

The Mx controller has four dedicated alarm relays – one for each alarm type, and each alarm relay is fully programmable.

Printers

Before the existence of security management software such as Velocity, a DIGI*TRAC controller had to be programmed by entering numeric DIGI*TRAC Control Language commands using a keypad. A record of the programming and all system activity was generated as a printout by a line-at-a-time dot matrix printer which was attached to the controller’s parallel printer port.

The Mx series of controllers do not include a printer port, because all programming and system activity is managed and recorded using security management software such as Velocity. You can view the relevant information at a remote computer, instead of having to review printouts located near specific controllers.

Although Velocity still supports line-at-a-time printers, most customers now use page-at-a-time laser or inkjet printers to print reports. Some customers also use special badge printers to create their own security badges.

For more information, see the Velocity Basics > Velocity Preferences > Preferences dialog - Printers page topic in the Velocity online help.

Power Supplies

Controllers can power a number of ScramblePads, MATCH interfaces, and other readers. Auxiliary power may be required to support the maximum number addressable.

Within a DIGI*TRAC Controller, no lock power or auxiliary power is available. Power for locks and all outputs must be supplied through additional power sources. In addition, each controller possesses a standby battery pack which can support all controller functions (memory and relay operation) for some period of time during a power outage.

For more information about the power supplied by an Mx controller, see “Mx Controller Standby Battery Capacity” and “Power Provided at the Mx Controller’s Terminal Blocks”.

For more information about the power supplied by an Mx-1 controller, see “Power Provided at the Mx-1 Controller’s Reader Terminals” and “Mx-1 Controller Power Draw Capacity”.

For more information about the power supplied by an Mx-1-ME controller, see “Mx-1-ME Controller Standby Battery Capacity” and “Power Provided at the Mx-1 Controller’s Reader Terminals”.

Communication Devices

Before the existence of the Internet and standardized networking gear, the network for a large physical access control system often had to be custom built. Now it is typical for the security system to be integrated with an organization’s existing network infrastructure (which is controlled by the IT department).

• An Mx series controller is designed to operate in a networked environment, so the communication devices have been reduced to a SNIB2 or SNIB3 expansion board (or the equivalent functionality built onto the controller’s main board).

  • The Mx controller can be ordered with either SNIB2 or SNIB3 capability.

  • SNIB2 functionality is provided by a daughterboard on the main board, as shown in Figure 2-2. This frees up a slot for another optional expansion board, and saves you the time it would have taken to install a SNIB2 expansion board.

  • SNIB3 functionality is provided by the SNIB3 expansion board. (SNIB3 functionality is a required component of Identiv’s FICAM solution. For more information, see the FICAM Solution section of the Velocity help system.)

You can upgrade an Mx controller which has the SNIB2 daughterboard to use a SNIB3 expansion board; for details, see “Preparing an Mx Controller with a SNIB2 to Use a SNIB3”.

The Mx-1 controller’s main board includes SNIB3 capability. Its Ethernet / POE+connector (and associated DIP switches) provides up to Gigabit data connectivity for secure communication with the Velocity server, and can be used to power the controller (and some attached devices) through Power Over Ethernet Plus with a nominal 25.5 Watts of input power.

The Mx-1-ME controller’s main board includes SNIB3 capability. Its Ethernet connector (and associated DIP switches) provides up to Gigabit data connectivity for secure communication with the Velocity server.

For information about older network devices such as a modem, transceiver, NET*MUX4, or X-Box, see the DIGI*TRAC Systems Design & Installation Guide.

For more information about using the devices described in this overview, refer to “Design Considerations”.

For detailed instructions on setting up and installing each component, refer to “Setup and Installation”.