Instruction manual

3.b. LCD Display

The Phoenix II is equipped with a four line Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). Each line displays up to 20 letters or numbers.

This display is used in conjunction with the keypad to program and operate the Phoenix II. You will see various

questions and information displayed at different times. Please refer to the appropriate section of this manual for more

information on specific questions and displays.

The type of display used in the Phoenix II consumes very little power, thereby minimizing battery drain during setup and

monitoring procedures. To further save battery power, the Phoenix II will turn off power to the display when data

collection is active and the display is not being used.

Road dust will inevitably cover the display from time to time and the display will need to be brushed off. When cleaning

the display, it is best to attempt blowing off as much dust as possible before wiping the surface with a soft damp cloth.

This method limits the chances of scratches being caused by the abrasives found in the dust.

3.c. Serial Port (Communication Port)

The serial port is used for the retrieval of traffic data that has been collected by the Phoenix II. All serial devices are

connected to the Phoenix II through the Serial Port or USB (optional) panel plugs. The serial port plug on the Phoenix II

is a round environmental connector that allows for both modem and direct serial connections via modem and serial

cables respectively. Note that the Phoenix II can be completely programmed and operated from the serial or USB port.

A second optional serial port that operates from the piezo circuit board can be installed and used to provide a separate

vehicle output port, in various formats covered in section 3.c.2.

The serial port supports Baud Rates from 300 Baud to 115,200 Baud. It does “auto baud” detection on all incoming

data, and automatically matches itself to the speed of the incoming data. By default the unit will operate at 19,200 baud

for both the Serial and USB connections. High speed downloading is supported for file downloads to allow for 115,200

baud rates through the serial protocol. This option is available through the Centurion software to speed up data transfer

of larger files.

The retrieval of data must be done through the serial or USB port, and the method of transfer is 1K XMODEM with CRC

error checking. An automatic switch to 128 Byte XMODEM transfer occurs when the system gets 10 or more errors

(indicating a noisy line, which will transfer faster with smaller blocks).

There are two common types of devices which connect to the serial port: computers and modems.

Computers – This is the most common type of serial connection. You will need to connect a computer to the Phoenix

II to retrieve your data. You can also completely program and configure your Phoenix II using a

computer and the Centurion Software (see appropriate manual). Note that any computer with a

standard RS232 serial port plug or USB port may be connected.

Modems – Modems are used to provide a telephone or IP link-up to the Phoenix II. Modems are particularly useful

if the site is a permanent location and there is access to a phone line or cellular service. Modems

provide a means of retrieving data over a telephone, thereby eliminating the need to send an operator to

the site. The Phoenix II is fully operable over a modem, and all functions are available (logon password

required be default, default password is “PASS”). The Phoenix II supports Baud rates from 300 to

19,200 with a modem, See the Section 3.c.1 for more information. The Phoenix does NOT support IP

communication directly, only serial or USB.

3.c.1 USB Communication Port (optional)

The Phoenix II allows for a standard USB 1.1 port to allow communication with a PC or laptop that does not have a

serial port installed. The USB “B” connection is a standard cable that connects from the host port of the computer “A

side” to the peripheral “B side” to the counter. Software drivers are included to allow a connection to be made with the

counter by creating a virtual serial port on the PC. These drivers are copied during the installation of the Centurion

software and users will be prompted to install the USB driver upon first connection to a Phoenix II unit. The USB

connection will mimic a serial port and be assigned a port number by the Windows device manager automatically.