Polaris Bridge Datasheet

NORTHSTARSHOW SYSTEMS

Polaris Bridge Datasheet

Operator panel specifications

Function

The Polaris Bridge is the physical operator panel mounted next to the operator station at the venue. It exposes mushroom buttons for the most common operator actions and a key switch that gates Maintenance Mode. Five LED indicators provide at-a-glance system status.

Pin Map

Connection to HelmOS

The Bridge is the only Polaris variant that connects to HelmOS via USB serial rather than Wi-Fi. The USB cable provides both power and the data channel. HelmOS's bridge-serial module reads JSON lines emitted by the Bridge firmware and dispatches them as bridge-input events.

JSON Line Format

{"type":"bridge-input","role":"show-start","name":"Show Start","pin":2,"value":1}

Maintenance Key Behaviour

The maintenance key (D5) is the system's primary authority for entering Maintenance Mode. When the key is turned to the ON position, the Bridge sends bridge-input with role:"maint-mode",value:1. HelmOS's dispatcher intercepts this event before the regular cue path and toggles store.maintenance.

Recommended Enclosure

• NEMA 4X polycarbonate, 10×8×4 inches
• Five 22 mm mushroom buttons with screw terminals (cap colors as in the pin map)
• Double-pole single-throw maintenance key switch with removable barrel
• Five panel-mount 5 mm LEDs with current-limit resistors
• USB-C panel pass-through for the Helm cable
• 12 V wall-wart driving the LEDs through a small driver board

Related Documents

• NSSS-DOC-0050Polaris Family Overview
• NSSS-DOC-0062Maintenance Mode Procedures

Revision History