User Manual

Section 2 - Overview
I. Page 1 1/06/2012 REV 1.10.2
2.0 OVERVIEW
This manual applies to Firmware version 1.0.025 and above. This section gives a system overview of the recorder
and the basic elements involved.
2.1 General Description
The recorder is an 18 channel unit capable of measuring 6 or 12 Signal inputs which can be a combination of linear
inputs – voltages up to 24 Vdc or current up to 50 mAdc, thermocouples, RTDs, or Frequency. Those channels not
associated with real inputs can be assigned as gated timers, totalizers, calculated or conditional inputs which are
referred to as virtual channels. The recorder is extremely versatile and can be configured in many different ways to
suit the user’s environment. The user can also install an optional digital input/output module providing up to 12
potential free contact closures and up to 6 opto-isolated digital inputs that can be set to silence alarms, reset
contacts and start recordings.
The recorder’s firmware is based on the Windows CE embedded operating system providing advanced
connectivity and features. The system is Ethernet aware and runs as a secure web server providing browser
accessibility via web pages and as an ftp server. It also runs an OPC (Open Connectivity) and Modbus over
Ethernet server allowing connectivity to a large selection of third party Data Access Specification compliant
software and the companion Exhibitor Software, providing real time data update over Ethernet and off line data
analysis. The recorder can be set up to send emails in the event of an alarm. See Section 4.10.3 Email on Alarm
Event for more details.
The recorder can save data, alarms and events to a number of sources. The primary storage medium is to
compact flash card that can be locked in the unit. Alternatively the unit can record to internal memory or to remote
FTP servers. Data is saved in an ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) database and is encrypted for security purposes.
Internal memory can be expanded using a Secure Digital (SD) Card that plugs into the rear of the device.
The recorder is security enabled. If password protection is turned on, the unit requires the user to log in to
operate. There are three classes of operators with different access rights – administrator, manager and user. All
operations are logged to the alarm and event log and user privileges can be set to expire by date. The unit can be
set to automatically log users out after a preset time.
In order to use the recorder the user has to set up various parameters to customize the unit to the environment.
This set up is referred to as the configuration. Once configured, the settings can be saved to a configuration file. A
number of default configurations are provided and any of these can be loaded as a default.