BULLETIN BOARD - R3

These release notes contain important information about the new firmware and how it will affect the performance of instruments in which it is installed. Please read the notes before attempting to use the new firmware.

1. The data transmission interval (via Serial Port B) is now entered as a multiple of 50 milliseconds. The values accepted range from 1 x 50 msec, to 255 x 50 msec (= 12.75 sec), corresponding to transmission rates between 20 x/sec and 0.078 x/sec. As before, the value of '0' is used to disable data transmission.

The actual maximum transmission rate achievable depends on the recorder's configuration. For reference, a configuration with 25-Hz sampling rate, approximately 1 mm/sec chart speed, 32 "on" (analog) channels, and no activity in the recorder's control panel (top menu level), will achieve a rate of 4 x/sec (i.e., 5 x 50 msec interval) at 19.2 kbps in ASCII format, or 10 x/sec (i.e., 2 x 50 msec interval) at 9600 bps in Binary format.
 
2. Acceptable baud rates for serial communications (ports A and B) now include 19.2 kbps.

3. The structure of data frames (ASCII and Binary) transmitted via Serial Port B has changed slightly:

i) the time tag now includes hundredths-of-seconds (HH:MM:SS.hh)
ii) event counters (1 and 6) are no longer transmitted
 
4. When selecting baud rates and parities from the recorder's control panel, one must now use the 'Y/0' key instead of the Rotary Control.

5. For full compatibility, PCs using PC33 to communicate with recorders using this firmware revision, must run version 1.31 (or later) of PC33.