MPC-2121 Series
Quick Installation Guide

Version 1.1, January 2021

Technical Support Contact Informationwww.moxa.com/support

 2021 Moxa Inc. All rights reserved.

P/N: 1802021210011*1802021210011*

Overview
The MPC-2121 12-inch panel computers with E3800 Series processors
deliver a reliable and durable platform of wide versatility for use inindustrial environments. All interfaces come with IP66-rated M12connectors to provide anti-vibration and waterproof connections. With asoftware selectable RS-232/422/485 serial port and two Ethernet ports,
the MPC-2121 panel computers support a wide variety of serial interfaces
as well as high-speed IT communications, all with native network
redundancy.

Package Checklist
Before installing the MPC-2121, verify that the package contains thefollowing items:
••
••
•
••

1 MPC-2121 panel computer
1 2-pin terminal block for DC power input
6 panel mounting screws
1 M12 phone jack power cable1 M12 Type A USB cable
Quick installation guide (printed)
Warranty card

NOTE: Please notify your sales representative if any of the above items
are missing or damaged.

Hardware Installation
Front View

Left Side View-2-Bottom View

Right Side View

Ambient Light Sensor
The MPC-2121 comes with an ambient light sensor located on the upper
part of the front panel.

The ambient light sensor helps automatically adjust the brightness of thepanel with the ambient light condition. This function is disabled by default
and has to be enabled before it can be used. For details, refer to theMPC-2121 Hardware User’s Manual.

-3-Front-panel Mounting
The MPC-2121 can also be mounted using the front panel. Use the fourscrews on the front panel to attach the front panel of the computer to awall. Refer to the following figures for the location of the screws.

Refer to the figure on the right for thespecifications of the mounting screws.

-4-Rear-panel Mounting
A panel-mounting kit consisting of 6 mounting units is provided in theMPC-2121 package. Refer to the following illustrations for the dimensions
and the cabinet space required to panel mount the MPC-2121.

To install the panel-mounting kit on the MPC-2121, follow these steps:
1.

Place the mounting units in the holes provided on the rear panel andpush the units to the left as shown in the illustration below:-5-2.

Use a torque of 4Kgf-cm to fasten the mounting screws and secure
the panel-mounting kit units onto a wall.

Display-control Buttons
The MPC-2121 is provided with two display-control buttons on the rightpanel.

The display-control buttons can be used as described in the following
table:
Symbol and Name

UsagePress
PowerFunction• Power on• Enter Sleep or Hibernation mode
• Wake up
NOTE: You can change the function ofthe Power button in the OS settings
menu.

Press andhold for 4seconds

Power off

Brightness +Press

Manually increase the brightness ofthe panel

Brightness -Press

Manually decrease the brightness ofthe panel

ATTENTION
The MPC-2121 comes with a 1000-nit display, the brightnesslevel of which is adjustable up to level 10. The display is
optimized for use in the -40 to 70°C temperature range.
However, if you are operating the MPC-2121 at an ambient
temperature of 60°C or higher, we recommend setting thebrightness level of the display to 8 or lower in order to extend thelifetime of the display.

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Connector Description
DC Power Input
The MPC-2121 can be supplied power through a DC power input using anM12 connector. The DC pin assignments are as shown in the followingfigure:
PinDefinition
1V+
2–
3V4–
5–Serial Ports
The MPC-2121 offers one software-selectable RS-232/422/485 serial portwith an M12 connector. The pin assignments for the ports are shown inthe table below:
Pin
123
4
5
67
8
9101112RS-232
RI
RXD
DTR
DSR
CTS
DCD
TXD
RTS
GND
GND
GND
–

RS-422–TX+
RX––TXRX+–
GND
GND
GND
–

RS-485
––
D–––
D+–
GND
GND
GND
–Ethernet Ports
The pin assignments for the two Ethernet 10/100 Mbps ports with M12connectors are shown in the following table:
Pin
12
34Definition
TD+RD+TDRD--7-USB Ports
A USB 2.0 port with an M12 connector is available on the rear panel. Use
this port to connect a mass-storage drive or other peripheral.
Pin
1
2345Definition
DVCC–D+GND

Audio Port
The MPC-2121 comes with an audio output port with an M12 connector.
Refer to the following figure for the pin definitions.
Pin123456
7
8Definition
DetectLine out _L
Line out _R
GND
Speaker outSpeaker out+GND
GND

DIO Port
The MPC-2121 is provided with a DIO port, which is an 8-pin M12connector that includes 4 DIs and 2 DOs. For wiring instructions, refer tothe following diagrams and the pin assignment table.
Pin1
2
3
4
5
6
78Definition
COM
DI_0
DI_1
DI_2
DI_3
DO_0
GND
DO_1-8-Installing a CFast Card or an SD Card
MPC-2121 provides two storage options—CFast card and SD card. Thestorage slots are located on the left panel. You can install the OS in theCFast card and save your data in the SD card. For a list of compatible
CFast models, check the MPC-2121 component compatibility reportavailable on Moxa’s website.
To install the storage devices, do the following:
1.

Remove the two screws on the storage-socket cover.

The top slot is for the CFast card while the lower slot is for the SD card,as indicated by the following illustration:2.

Insert a CFast or SD card into the respective slot using the push-pushmechanism.
CFast Card-9-SD Card

3.

Reattach the cover and secure it with screws.

Real-time ClockThe real-time clock (RTC) is powered by a lithium battery. We strongly
recommend that you do not replace the lithium battery without help froma qualified Moxa support engineer. If you need to change the battery,contact the Moxa RMA service team. The contact details are available at:https://www.moxa.com/en/support/repair-and-warranty/product-repair-service.

ATTENTION
There is a risk of explosion if the clock’s lithium battery is
replaced with an incompatible battery.
Grounding the MPC-2121
Proper grounding and wire routing help to limit the effects of noise fromelectromagnetic interference (EMI). Run the ground connection from theground screw to the grounding surface prior to connecting the powersource.

- 10 -Powering On/Off the MPC-2121
Connect an M12 Connector to Power Jack Converter to theMPC-2121’s M12 connector and connect a 40 W power adapter to theconverter. Supply power through the power adapter. After you haveconnected a power source, the system power turns on automatically. It
takes about 10 to 30 seconds for the system to boot up. You can change
the power-on behavior of your computer by changing the BIOS settings.
To power off the MPC-2121, we recommend using the "shut down"function provided by the OS installed on the MPC. If you use the Powerbutton, you may enter one of the following states depending on the power
management settings in the OS: standby, hibernation, or system
shutdown mode. If you encounter problems, you can press and hold thePower button for 4 seconds to force a hard shutdown of the system.

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