MEK4
Features
- 'MEK' = Module Evaluation Kit
- Board is powered by 5 volts. Power may be supplied by the following:
- J1 Connector (AC/DC power brick into Barrel Connector - SW2 must be in the UP position)
- J4 RS232 Sub-D 9-pin connector (Power connected to pin-9 will supply power to the MEK board. SW2 must be in UP position) [Caution: J1 power should not be connected if using J4,pin-9 power]
- J2 or J3 USB Connector (Uses the Host USB +5V power - Max current is dependent on the Host - SW2 must be in DOWN position)
- The MEK board allows power to the Scan Engine under test to be powered by the 3.3V regulator or be powered by the incoming 5V power, which can optionally be adjustable for testing purposes.
- Communication via RS232 or USB selectable interface (For MDI-xxxx family of scan engines)
- N-2xx type scan engines support dual USB AND RS232 communications simultaneously.
- 24 Test Points provided for trouble shooting and monitoring of signals
- JP1 allows the engineer to test the current consumption to the scan engine only (must remove R3 first & then connect amp meter accross JP1 contacts)
- Terminal Block X3 allows for an external trigger input (+5 to INPUT will trigger the scan engine).
- Terminal Block X2 allows for an external illumination (external illumination command must be sent to configure for this feature)
Configuring
USB Mode
In this interface selection, the MEK4 Board will communicate through the USB-C connection port (J3). For all modules that are configured for USB mode communication, then the selection DIP Switch (SW3), switch #2 must be set to OFF (DOWN).
+5V power will be supplied by the host computer to power both the MEK4 board and the attached scan engine. The POWER INPUT SWITCH (SW2) must be in the DOWN position to direct this USB power to the MEK4 board.
RS232 Mode
In this mode, the MEK4 Board ....
- Text
Software Installation
In this section, we step through installing Opticon's USB drivers
Installing USB Drivers
To install USB Drivers follow the steps below:
- Download the USB drivers from the Driver Downloads section.
- Open the zip file by double-clicking on it.
- Launch the installer by double-clicking on it.
- Follow the prompts to finish the installation.
Setting Up the Host
From the main screen, click 'Options' and then 'Communication Settings'.
You can find the data file in the folder you chose above.
Serial Monitoring
Use the UniversalConfig utility below to use as a simple serial terminal to send and receive data. If you require the ability to monitor and analyze the Serial COM port in the background to see behind the scenes COM port communications with your PC applications and the MEK4, we recommend downloading and using this Serial Monitoring tool for your Windows PC by HHD: https://freeserialanalyzer.com/
Firmware loading
UniversalConfig
Use the following software for configuring, testing and downloading firmware: Universal Config Tool
Updating the Scan Engine Firmware
You may need a few files to use or update your Scan Engine of choice. Typically the scan engine will be shipped to you with the newest available Software. All of these files can be found in the Downloads table below.
- USB Drivers
- The desired firmware file for the scan engine in use.
- Appload (Only for laser type scan engines)
- UnversalConfig (For MDC-xxx & MDI-xxxx family of scan engines)
- Universal Tunning Tool (For MDI-4xxx & MDI-5xxx family of scan engines - This software is used to tune the scan engine to its peak performance for a specific application).
Installing Appload & Downloading Firmware into the Scan Engine (Laser Family ONLY)
- Appload is a PC application that is used to load firmware on most of Opticon's devices. Once it is installed (by running the installer found in the Downloads table at the bottom of the page) it will launch automatically. Change the options 'Settings' > 'Port' to match the COM port of either the USB or RS232 interface (whichever was used, do not connect both).
- Select 'File' > 'Download' from the Appload menu and browse to the firmware file you wish to load. Note that if you must upgrade the OS as well as an Application you will need to set up the OPH3001 a second time as well.
Downloads
Notice: The downloading and use of any Opticon software implies consent with Opticon's End User License Agreement.
Documents
| Document | Description | Version | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEK4 User Guide | Basic details for the use and configuration of the MEK4 Module Evaluation Board. | Download | |
| MEK4 Engineering Guide | Advanced Technical details for use and configuration of the MEK4 Test Board. | [{INSERT_LINK_HERE} Download] | |
| Universal Menu Book | The Universal Menu Book is a document containing instructions and configuration options for the majority of Opticon's products. Support of the commands in this manual is product specific. A must read for System Integrators. In effect this is the User Manual for all of Opticon's products that do not have a User Manual of their own and a supplement to all others. | December 2009 | Download |
Drivers
| Driver | Description | Version | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-In-One PC Drivers | USB-to-serial drivers installer package for 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows XP (32-bit only), Vista 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11. This package contains four drivers. The first and fourth drivers are for the Opticon cradles. The second driver is for the OPN200x scanners along with many other Opticon products. The third driver is an ATEN driver for a popular RS232 <-> USB-VCP adapter. You can choose any of the drivers to install on the first screen of the installer program. *Note: Opticon USB Drivers may not install or operate correctly if FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) is enabled on your host computer* | 1.615 | Download |
