Measurement Computing TempBook rev.3.0 - Manual (Page 15)

TempBook User’s Manual 11-16-00 Installation, Configuration, and Calibration 2-5
Battery Module Connection
The DBK30A package includes a short connecting cable (CA-115) to connect to the TempBook. This
cable connects the Power Out connector on the DBK30A to the Power In connector on the TempBook (see
figure).
Connecting the TempBook to the Battery Module
The run time available from a DBK30A operating a TempBook will depend on what the TempBook is
doing. This time can be as little as 3 hours or as much as 6 hours.
&$87,21
The DBK30A must periodically be fully discharged or the cells may develop "lazy
chemistry" that may limit storage capacity. (This “memory” is characteristic for
nickel-cadmium batteries.) To manually discharge a battery pack, connect a
TempBook, and leave it turned on until the indicator lights go dark.
Parallel Port Capabilities
The TempBook includes a test program which verifies your computer's parallel port, testing its standard and
enhanced capabilities.
•
Standard LPT ports on an IBM compatible computer have two modes to read data from the printer
port: 4-bit and 8-bit. The 8-bit mode is somewhat faster than the 4-bit, but not all printer ports support
this mode.
•
Enhanced parallel ports (EPP) are parallel ports which include additional hardware that allows the
TempBook to communicate with the PC at 3 to 10 times the speed possible with standard parallel
ports. This greatly improves data acquisition performance.
Enhanced parallel ports require special hardware, and only certain computers are EPP capable. Most laptop
computers that use the Intel 386SL or 486SL chip set (which includes the 82360 I/O Controller) are EPP
capable. For those computers which have plug-in card slots, EPP adapter cards are available. You may
wish to contact your computer's manufacturer for details about your machine and possible adapter cards.
The TempBook test program, TEMPTEST.EXE (described in a later section) should be run to determine
the PC's printer port capabilities.
Note: To take advantage of the improved performance of EPP when using a programming language, you
must add the software command tbkSetProtocol (standard API) to your program. For details, refer to
the command description in the Command Reference section of this manual.