An MR system including a control computer and a digital control device is described. The control computer includes an external digital image data port for transmitting control data, including sequence data and encoded as image data, from the control computer to a digital control device; and the digital control device includes a port, compatible with the external digital image data port of the control computer, for receiving the control data, received from the external digital image data port and designed to extract the sequence data from the received control data, encoded as image data. A method for activating a digital control device via a control computer is also described.