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Effective 06 June 2001
Thank you for choosing this EPC 1086 product for
your recording needs. These release notes detail known conditions
and limitations that effect the MP1086 and the 1086NT. This information
is supplemental to the Operator's Manual and should be read completely
before operating the equipment.
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The latest installment of the 1086 product has
two different configurations: The MP1086, for Multi Purpose, and
the 1086NT for Network Interface. Both systems differ from their
predecessors in that there is a new, common architecture. The older
ISA based 486 processor has been replaced with a 32 bit Pentium
class board which runs Windows NT Embedded on a PCISA type bus.
The robust nature of the operating system requires a larger non-volatile
memory to store the system code and takes considerably longer to
boot up. After initial power-on, the 1086 will appear to be unresponsive
for a period of 50-60 seconds. This is normal. As with older 1086s,
system readiness will be evident when the LCD displays show the
system menus and the Take-up spool stops spinning.
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As stated in the previous paragraph, the MP/1086NT
uses a sophisticated operating system. Prior to turning the machine
off, the operator should allow a minute for any disk activity to
conclude. The system settings or data sets may not be properly saved
if power is removed immediately after saving the configuration or
disabling data acquisition. EPC recommends waiting 30-60 seconds
with the machine in idle mode prior to removing power.
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The Embedded NT operating system loads several
device drivers on startup. The device configuration has been set
at the factory to provide services for only those peripherals that
are critical to the operation of the unit. When the system
loads, com ports, keyboard, and other basic services start. At the
end of this process, the 1086 program executes and begins an endless
loop. If there is a keyboard and monitor connected to the system,
the operator can exit the 1086 program by typing EXIT<ENTER>
at the console. The keyboard can then be used to navigate the OS
in traditional fashion. The OS is a paired down version of Windows
NT and may look slightly different from the full OS. Many fonts,
services, and application are not installed. One such service is
the Mouse Class. To enable mouse support, the operator must use
the keyboard to browse to the Control Panel and then the Device
folder (Device Manager). From this dialog, the Mouse Class
can be changed from 'Disabled' to 'System'. When the system boots
the next time, any attached mouse should be supported. If no mouse
is attached, a non-critical error message will be displayed and
the system should still function normally. System administrators
may want to connect a mouse to make configuring the Network settings
easier (TCP/IP addresses, etc.). Only those individuals who are
very comfortable with the NT operating system should be attempting
this type of procedure.
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EPC does not recommend installing third party
software onto the flash file system. Space on the solid-state disk
is very limited, and using all available space may cause system
problems. Still, if the need arises to load third party software,
like Laplink or other utilities, use caution. It is a good idea
to contact EPC Labs first.
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The MP1086 differs from the 1086NT only in the
Towfish interface and the removable mass storage. Otherwise, the
units are identical and both offer significant enhancements over
previous products. Some of these enhancements are as follows:
- Ethernet Interface for logging data to XTF
files on a network drive
- Improved GSP interface for annotating formatted
nav strings
- Speed correction feature based on GPS speed
info
- Auto-annotation for recording settings changes
(scale, time-base etc.)
- On-line help facility for printing keyboard
map
- Improved control panel performance
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At the time of release, EPC is aware
of some minor operational conditions that adversely affect the use
of the equipment:
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a. |
Analog printing
may be disabled if a PC is connected to the Parallel input.
The work-around is to simply disconnect the parallel cable during
analog data collection. |
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b. |
When printing only
two shades of gray (black and white), some hesitation may be
seen at fast print speeds. Synchronization may also be lost
when printing two shades with fast chart speeds (80-120 LPI).
There is no work-around but EPC is looking into the condition. |
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c. |
If a keyboard is
connected to the system, it may occasionally appear to be unresponsive
immediately following power-up. This condition is generally
cleared by pressing the <enter> key a couple of times.
EPC is not sure yet why this happens, but is looking into the
issue. |
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d. |
When logging data
across a network (LAN) to a disk file on a remote PC, analog
print may hesitate (one or two line loss of data) when processor
intensive actions are taken on the remote machine. This
is especially true when the directory and/or the file that the
1086 is writing is simultaneously accessed. EPC views this as
an expected side effect in an asynchronous multi-tasking system.
More customer feedback is required before EPC can adequately
assess this issue as an operational defect. |
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e. |
When viewing XTF
data on some popular processing systems, data may appear in
reverse orientation or level-shifted. These types of issues
are easily resolved with software utilities that will be provided
on an as-need basis. |
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f. |
The Image Width
command is not currently implemented. |
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Please e-mail sales@epclabs.com
or call 1-978-777-1996 to report defects or request product enhancements.
Beyond all else, EPC Labs values customer satisfaction. Timely
feedback will allow EPC to not only meet, but exceed the goals of
the customer's programs.
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