Panelview memory card backups

Is is necessary to use the Allen-Bradley 2711-NM12 style cards

for backing up a penelview, or can you source cheaper memory

cards from third party suppliers ?



Do Bradley have a specific format or file system which restricts

you using another suppliers card ??



thanks

Wee kev

I use the most inexpensive cards I can get and I leave them in all the panelviews on the floor. I also have a master backup. That way, if a panelview somehow implodes or the hulk pushes a block and cracks the glass ("I swear I didn't push it hard or hit it"), then the maintenance guys pops out the existing card, loads it into the new panelview and away they go. This has cut down on our downtime waiting for the maintenance tech to go get the computer, hook up cables, find the latest program and load it. I pick up 32 Meg compact flash cards for about $10 each and I got a nifty new USB CF reader (its similar to the link below but I got it from compusa).


http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=379277

I have found quite a few cards will not work for backup of PVs. Have had no problems with SanDisk, but it is getting hard to find small capacity cards. (I also give them away as the backup copies)
Regards Alan Case

Thanks for the swift response lads.
On the point of differing memory formats etc , i nore neither of you
mentioned anyhting , so I'll assume you simply plug & play ??
Wee kev

As Alan said some brands don't seam to work.
I had no problem using SunDisk 256MB CF card.

all you do is plug it in and use on screen function to read from or write to card. if you pull the card before telling PV to 'remove it' you will get warning message but so far no problem.

If this is an old panelview , I think you have to use the old linear flash cards that were provided by Intel to AB , maybe something else will work , but don't count on reading it in a pc card slot . Someone here had some success with XP drivers supporting the old ata linear flash cards. I have a rake of the old cards if you want to buy 'em going cheap cheap

The old cards are not CF cards , or CF cards mounted in an adapter , these will probably work for later panels but not the flintstone ones . If you gently peel off the AB metalic sticker , you will see where they came from.

Older PanelView family terminals supported only the Linear Flash cards, so you're going to need the 2711-NM1x cards to back them up.

This includes PanelView 1200 Classic, PanelView 1000e and 1400e, and PanelView Standard (550, 900, etc) prior to Version 3.x firmware.

PanelView Standard terminals with version 3.x firmware or later (it's been about 5 years since that was introduced) support "ATA Flash" cards. They use the FAT16 file format. Again, your mileage may vary with 3rd party cards, but I've always had good luck with SanDisk.