Why the TC-SERVER over other handheld devices?
Though there are other handheld Thermochron downloaders available in the market, the TC-SERVER has some distinct advantages:
- Compatible with Windows and Mac devices.
- The TC-SERVER can be configured to behave differently when an iButton is read.
- Reduces the need for additional hardware required to configure the iButtons.
- Provides intuitive graphs for data analysis.
- Can be configured to push collected data to a remote server once it regains connection to the network.
Capabilities
The TC-SERVER – Thermochron Server was designed to perform both as a standalone system and a remote data collection system. As a standalone, the TC-SERVER can be configured to collect Thermochron data, which can then easily be accessed through a user-friendly web interface. As an remote client, the TC-SERVER can be configured to not only collect Thermochron data, but also transmit data to a server via a number of different network protocols, allowing for data to be accessed remotely anywhere in the world.
One of the lesser talked about functions of the TC-SERVER is its ability to be converted into a portable Thermochron handheld downloader. The Thermochron Server's compact size, large storage capacity, and not requiring the web browser interface after the initial configuration makes the TC-SERVER a reliable option for your portable handheld needs. Once the TC- SERVER downloads Thermochron data, the TC-SERVER can be configured to behave in the following ways:
- Do nothing (leave the mission status in current state)
- Stop mission
- Stop mission, retrieve data, restart mission with same parameters (the mission start delay is configurable)
- Stop mission if an alarm has occurred
Handheld Setup
In order to convert the TC-SERVER into a portable handheld downloader, you'll need a USB to micro USB external power bank capable of providing 5V DC at 245 mA. Several affordable options can be found via Amazon.com. We recommend using the DS1402D-DR8+ as the iButton reader of choice, as this iButton reader can be fixed to the TC-SERVER via a sticky pad found on the bottom of the blue-dot reader in order to deliver a more wire free/handheld ready device.
TC-SERVER Configuration
The TC-SERVER is equipped with an internal micro SD card, when configuring the TC-SERVER via the Web Browser interface, the configuration settings can be saved to the TC-SERVER’s internal memory. This allows the TC-SERVER to be woken up at a later time by connecting power to it (using an external power bank) and continue performing under the last saved settings without requiring the web browser interface. Once external power has been supplied to the TC-SERVER, it is ready to collect data on the field.
Applications
There are a number of applications where a handheld iButton downloader is valuable to the data collection process. It can be used in applications where the iButtons are fixed to an environment or object such as Vineyards, Bird Nests, Beehives, and others. If you have any additional questions regarding the TC-SERVER or any of its functions feel free to contact us at [email protected].
