27-09-19 Release 1.5G1125
Firmware Status | Suitable for TX Mod State: | |
|---|---|---|
| MS1 + MS2 | MS3+ | |
LEGACY | ||
Programmable SA380TX
This is the first recommended release of the project known as "Generic Logger". This firmware release offers a host of powerful new features, whilst retaining all the functionality users have come to depend upon from the SA380TX.
More detailed information will be published in due-course on the operation of these new features
Please note the following key changes
- Connection Profile
- Triggered Captures
- EbiTrack
- Slave Units
..are configured on the "General" tab
- "Real Channels" Refer to channels present on either the master or slave loggers.
- This includes analogue and digital physical channels, plugged into the units
- It also includes any data sourced over the RS485 link from real assets or sensors
...all channel configuration is performed in the "Real Channels" tab. Note that configuration of analogue channels is now commensurate with SA380TX-L
see SA380TX-L Unit Configuration for an overview.
The real power of Generic Logger is leveraged through the "virtual channels" tab.
- Perform discrete logic and arithmetic operations on analogue and digital data.
- Perform data aggregation using timers, counters and filters
- Prove sequence of events with latches.
Finally, the "Rail Events" tab gives users the power to:
- Group common events to guarantee their simultaneous acquisition and transmission (Eases alarm processing in Centrix)
- Perform simple timing analysis, or perform further data aggregation (such as min, max, average)
- Perform sequence checks
Firmware Upgrade & Configuration now available from Centrix for all Slave Devices!
- Users can now enable/disable and direct the logger to a RailDAQ protocol server, which is normally Centrix.
- The SA380TX is able to detect when it is connected to a Centrix host.
- The SA380TX appears a MIMOSA logger and a RailDAQ logger in Centrix.
- Logged data is still transmitted over the MIMOSA interface same as always.
- Firmware Upgrade and Device Configuration are performed through the RailDAQ interface
If the RailDAQ protocol is adopted, the SA380TX now supports remote firmware upgrade and configuration via the Centrix platform.
- This exciting new feature allows the user to deploy upgrades / hot-fixes to all or a selection of deployed SA380TX automatically.
- Reading and writing of config via Centrix will allow users to configure and troubleshoot loggers in the field, without a fixed IP address connection.
- It will enable sophisticated configuration management and provide an auditable trial of config changes.
- It allows mpec to provide top quality product support.
For these reasons, Users are strongly advised to upgrade
The advanced Centrix features are still under development, but will be rolled out gradually over the coming months.
Bundled Firmware
The SA380TX firmware now contains the following components:
- SA380TX master firmware package
- SA380TX enhanced device drivers
- SA380TX Web-based configuration tool
- SA380 firmware
- SA380TX-L firmware
- VTi21 firmware - all variants
Where master slave arrangements are deployed, upgrading the master SA380TX device will now upgrade all connected devices!
New Slave Types Added
Due to the increasing number of RailDAQ slaves that can now be connected to an SA380TX master, the touch-screen interface that permits slave network configuration has been improved.
The following Slave types are now supported
| Slave Type | Bearer | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SA380 | Ethernet | Connect up to 7 x SA380 digital event recorders as Ethernet slaves. |
| Bender | RS485 | Connect 1 x Bender Isometer device |
| Modbus | RS485 | Connect up to 7 x Generic Modbus slave devices. Only supports digital Modbus registers |
| FI Temp Sensor | RS485 | Connect radio-based wireless temperature sensors from Findlay Irvine |
| TX-L | RS485 | Connect up to 7 x SA380TX-L slave data-loggers |
| VTi21 | RS485 | Connect up to 7 x VTi21 Smart Sensors |
| C-BAS | RS485 | Connect up to 7 x C-Bas barrier angle receivers |
| SA380-IT | RS485 | Connect up to 7 x SA380-IT Insulation Monitors |
| PBSLAVE | RS485 | Connect generic mpec RailDAQ slaves not yet invented! |
Master - Slave Performance Enhancements
It is acknowledged that master-slave performance on SA380TX Mod State 3+ devices falls short of customer expectation, and mpecs own standards. The firmware release has made the following changes to address this:
- New low-level RS485 driver forms part of the package. This enhances low-level performance of the RS485 bus
- Internal software changes to improve performance and robustness of the master-slave connection.
Sadly, no concrete measure of performance is yet available. This data will be published when this package as soon is it becomes available.
Minor Enhancements
- RS485 time-out increased for "Bender" branded isometer communications
- SA380TX has a more generous time-out when waiting for capture events from slave devices. This allows VTi21 to capture and report high definition, complex data such as frequency plots or high-resolution time domain plots.
Bug-Fixes
- No config migration now necessary between 1.5Txxxx and 1.5Gxxxx
- Fixed config migration errors due to the addition of new slave device types
- Fixed issue of failure to install web-based config tool is erased prior.
- Fixed issue of spurious noise on triggered captures in rare scenarios