It is possible to run 3 Silent Hawk DCUs on the same computer; however, special software is required. This software is available for download from http://www.jadtechcorp.com/sh2_3dcu.zip. This software looks and functions very similarly to the standard windows capture software. This zip file contains three different versions, each of which will only capture from one specific parallel port. When each of these versions are run simultaneously, it is possible to capture from Silent Hawks attached to three different parallel ports on your computer.
The Silent Hawk I and II Windows version of the software runs on Windows 95/98/98SE. It does not run on Windows NT, 2000, XP, or Vista. The software has not been tested on Windows ME.
It is recommended that you install and operate the regular windows capture software, first. This software may also be downloaded from http://www.jadtechcorp.com/sh12win.zip. Once you are familiar with its operation, it will be much easier to move on to the multiple DCU versions.
Unzip the file that you downloaded. If you do not have a program that will unzip pkzip files, you can download a trial version of winzip at http://www.winzip.com. You cannot install the programs from within winzip, they must be extracted first. When you extract the files, a directory (folder) will be created called sh2_3dcu. Three separate sub-directories called sh2lpt1, sh2lpt2, and sh2lpt3, will be created inside the sh2_3dcu directory. In each of these sub-directories there is an installation program called sh2lpt1.exe, sh2lpt2.exe, etc. Run each of the installation programs to install the software. Make sure that each program is installed in a separate directory.
It can often be difficult to configure 3 parallel ports so there are no conflicts. We recommend using ISA plug in cards, such as the DTC Parallel express or the SIIG Fast Parallel Pro in combination with your PC's internal port. These will allow you to manually modify the settings such as IRQ and address to avoid conflicts. Some Plug & Play PCI plug in cards, such as the Dolphin 4006 will not work with the Silent Hawk. Others, such as the SIIG CyberParallel series or the Intek21 (model TK9902) will work most of the time. It may be necessary to manually modify the settings for the PCI cards, especially if multiple PCI cards are used in the same system. For instructions on modifying the settings manually, see the section entitled Configuring PCI Cards in this document.
The easiest way to test that the ports are installed correctly is to use the Silent Hawk capture software that you previously installed. Consult the Silent Hawk I & II User's Guide for detailed instructions on connecting the DCU. Connect each DCU to the capture PC and start all three versions of the software. If each one finds a DCU, then everything is configured properly. You can tell that a DCU is found if an OK appears next to the port number in the upper left hand corner of the screen. If some other message appears, see the mentor "help" that is included with the capture software and also consult the Common Problems and Remedies section of this document.
The multiple DCU software supports the Auto File Segmentation option. Each version of the multiple DCU software requires its own installation of the AFS option. See the documentation that came with the AFS software for instructions on installing and running it.
Do not use the same script file for all three DCUs. This will cause all the files to be put in the same directory and overwrite themselves. It is strongly recommended that your script files specify three separate directories to put the captured files in. If this is not possible, make sure the files have distinct naming conventions so that there is never a possibility that files are overwritten. Because of this, you should not use the Julian naming convention if the files must be placed in the same directory.
If The DCU is not found, check the power and cable connections. If this does not fix the error, then there may be an address conflict with some of the ports. If you are using an internal parallel port, check the settings in the PC's BIOS. If you are using ISA cards, check the jumper settings. If you are using PCI cards, follow the instructions for configuring PCI cards at the end of this document. Two of the ports must be configured at addresses 278 and 378.
If you get a "DCU reset error", make sure that the parallel port on the capture PC is set to bi-directional or EPP. The Silent Hawk DCU should be the only device connected to your parallel port. Using a scanner or parallel port Zip drive on the same port is not supported and will cause problems.
If you get "Capture Data: DCU Fault" or "The captured data is suspect" when you begin data capture, your DCU may not be connected, the DCU may not be powered on, or you may have a faulty cable. Make sure that all cables are plugged into your DCU correctly and that the cables are not damaged.
If you have not put the DCU in forced capture mode, but the capture software displays "DCU in FORCED CAPTURE", your DCU may not be connected, the DCU may not be powered on, or you may have a faulty cable. Make sure that all cables are plugged into your DCU correctly and that the cables are not damaged. You will need to restart the software to fix the problem and remove the message.
The readme files that are installed in the program directory have two errors.
The sixth line should say Version 3.00 for Windows instead of 2.00
In the section entitled Auto File Segmentation (AFS) Option, the readme states that the windows version of the software is coming soon. It is now available. See this document for installation instructions.
Some Plug & Play PCI parallel port cards will not configure themselves correctly when used with other PCI parallel port cards. In most cases, using one ISA card or internal parallel port will allow the PCI cards to correctly configure themselves. If it is not possible to use the internal port or an ISA card, then it may be possible to make 3 PCI ports to work, with some settings manipulation. When there are three PCI ports (whether they are on 3 separate cards, or if a dual port card is used), the plug and play settings will usually select incorrect addresses for the ports. In order to correct this, the port's device settings must be modified.
Figure 1 shows the device manager when the PCI parallel ports are misconfigured. You get to the device manager by going to the control panel, selecting system, and then choosing the Device Manager tab. In this case, there is an LPT2 and an LPT3, but LPT1 is not configured. Other times, there might be two LPT1 but not LPT2, etc.
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In this case, there is one CyberParallel Dual and one Single, allowing for 3 ports total. Each of the CyberParallel PCI entries in the Ports subsection is controlled by an entry in the SIIG Cyber PCI subsection. If an Intek21 card is used, there is an Intek21 subsection. To modify the resources select one of the entries in the SIIG Cyber PCI (or Intek21) subsection and select properties. A box similar to figure 2 will appear.
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First, un-check the Use automatic settings. This allows the Input/Output Range to be changed. Figure 2 shows the screen for the Dual Parallel boards. The screen is similar for the single boards, except that there are two entries for Input/Output range instead of four. The first setting in the Input/Output range is commonly called the address. For a dual port board, the third I/O Range is the address of the second port. The address of two of the ports must be 278 and 378. Double click on the address to bring up a screen where it is possible to modify the address.
Use the arrows to modify the value. Set this address so that the first value is 278. As long as no devices are conflicting, click OK. If it is a dual board, modify the third entry as well, setting it to 378. Depending on the exact OS and boards, clicking OK may ask you if you want to reboot or shutdown. If it shuts down, turn the computer back on, otherwise, let it reboot.
Repeat this process with another entry in the Cyber Parallel PCI (Intek21) subsection, this time setting the Input/Output Range to 378. At this point, the ports should work with the capture software, no matter what the setting of the third port is. However, Windows may still not have correctly assigned the LPT numbers until the third port is set. The exact address of the third port does not matter, as long as it is in the 200 or 300 range and there are no devices conflicting. We have successfully used 288 and 3A0. At this point, the Silent Hawk DCUs should work, but windows may still not recognize the ports. If this happens, set the second (and fourth entry) to 400 higher then the address of the port.
Now that the resources of the ports are set, it is time test the setup. Consult the Silent Hawk I & II User's Guide for detailed instructions on connecting the DCU. Connect each DCU to the capture PC and start all three versions of the software. If each one finds a DCU, then everything is configured properly. You can tell that a DCU is found if an OK appears next to the port number in the upper left hand corner of the screen. If some other message appears, see the mentor "help" that is included with the capture software and also consult the Common Problems and Remedies section of this document. If none of this works, and you are using either an Intek21 or SIIG card PCI card or any ISA cards, please contact JADTech for more support.
Help with setting up the Silent Hawk DCU is available in the Silent Hawk I & II User's Guide. Help with the Windows Software is available using the Mentor feature built into the program. Click the Turn Mentor On button to start this comprehensive and easy to use help tool. You may also reach us at (310) 212-0600 or sales@jadtechcorp.com for technical support.
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