Are MCDI SP receivers RoHS compliant?
Exprecium 3, Decrypta 3, D4, D6 and Extrium family are all RoHS compliant ( for units manufactured after September 1st 2006). To insure you get a RoHS build, please specify when ordering.

All those units have been redesigned to comply to RoHS directive. WEEE compliance is insure by MCDI who will offer disposal for recycling of any RoHS unit.

What is different for RoHS units
Most units were partially or completely redesign with new RoHS parts. Those parts are free of LEAD and several other substances. All soldering of component is made using lead-free solder. Paint and plastics parts are selected to be exempt of lead. When used, batteries are lithium ion to respect RoHS directive.

Can I start with one receiver and add boards as my alarm traffic grows? Yes, Exprecium PCI boards can be added as long as you have PCI slot availables in your PC. If your PCI slot are all used, you can add external receiver of you can spread exprecium in PCS used in your WinSAMM network. Industrial PCs with large backplanes (up to 21 slots) are also available on the market). They can take a large number of exprecium receiver boards and most can also run MCDI’s Cognitum program.

Is there a way to use many exprecium boards in one PC and dedicate this PC to receivers? A dedicated PC can be used to host exprecium boards. This can be a regular PC or an industrial PC with a large PCI backplane. With the help of software such as MCDI’s Cognitum, the whole PC can be transformed into a big alarm receiver. Cognitum can also handle external alarm receivers hooked to the PC. Cognitum is available in 2 configurations, shareware for serial connection or under license with support and ethernet and internet features.

Does my receiver come with a monitoring software? Unless you specifically purchased SAMM or WinSAMM, No. MCDI SP receivers and Monitoring software are sold separately. You may have a demonstration version of SAMM or WinSAMM. Those versions are not part of your receiver and are not supported if you did not purchase a software license.

I want to change PC. Can I convert my older TLR+? Some TLR+ (rev, 4-5-6 and 7) can be converted to work as an external receiver using TLR+ conversion kit sold by MCDI. Rev. 7 can be converted by end users and MCDI SP dealers. Rev. 4-5 and 6 must be converted by MCDI SP or by a specialized MCDI SP support center. Very often local dealers can workout arrangements to loan replacement equipment while conversion is under way. Other option is to use your new PC for your automation software and to keep old PC with TLR+ and install RACK24 program from MCDI. RACK24 is a DOS 6.22 program that enables a PC to work as a stand alone receiver. RACK24 is free but not supported out of a support contract.

Do you still sell RACK16? Due to the increasing difficulty of sourcing parts for RACK16, we stopped manufacturing RACK16 but are stocking ample parts for maintenance and repairs of existing units. The RACK24 program that was the brain of RACK16 is available as shareware. With RACK24 you can convert a PC into a RACK receiver equiped with a maximum of 12 TLR+ boards/24 lines.

If RACK24 is shareware do you provide support? Yes, under a support contract or by the hour.

Can I use RACK24 to use my old TLR+? If you have a compatible PC, you can as long as your TLR+ are rev. 4,5, 6 or 7.

Can I plug many Decrypta 2 in a USB port? Yes, with a USB hub, you can easily plug many Decrypta 2 although we recommand using the serial connection as a main. The hub is then connected to a USB port of a PC. Each D2 should have enough power supplied by USB hub if you want to use power over USB. If not, external power by transformer supplied with D2 must be used.

How do I change the time in my alarm receiver board? Time from the PC is sent to the PC board or SA-TLR+ each time you save configuration in MCDI SP configuration application on your PC.

How do I change the time in my D1 and D2 receivers? Press the carriage return and escape button simultaneously to enter the configuration menu. With up and down arrows, browse configuration menus to reach date and time options. Alternatively, date and time can be changed from corresponding set-up application in PC where Decrypta units are connected.

How do I change the language of my Decrypta1 and Decrypta2 receivers? Press the carriage return and escape button simultaneously to enter the configuration menu. With up and down arrows, browse configuration menus to reach language options. Select and exit configuration. In D2, language can be changed in the Axe configurator application in a where Decrypta 2 units are connected.

How do I unlock my Decrypta 2 screen? Press all four buttons on front panel simultaneously to enter set up menus.

How do I lock my Decrypta 2 screen? Press all four buttons on front panel simultaneously to enter set up menus.

How is time synchronized in my MCDI SP receivers? All MCDI SP receivers have their own internal clock. Decrypta 1 and 2 can be configured directly by front controls. All MCDI SP receivers are synchronized with connected PC time when configuration program of the receiver is entered then saved. Internal clock of receiver can drift over time. It is good practice to verify time adjustements regularly and at least at the beginning of each shift.

Do I need to change time of my receiver when daylight/standard time changes are in effect? Yes, you have to make sure PC time is correct and entered configuration program on PC where receivers is connected and saved configuration.

Will commmunication in process be stopped when I change time on my receiver? Current communication will be completed. A time out of up to 2.5 seconds may happen upon re-initialization.

How do I upgrade my exprecium to exprecium2? Contact your local dealer and ask for memory upgrade. Local dealers may charge for this service but will direct you on correct procedure or may loan you replacement equipement while upgrade is in progress. You may also contact MCDI SP support to get a new memory. Some charges may apply. New configuration software will be required.

Power from USB. D2 can be electrically fed by a PC who supplys 500mA to D2 from it’s USB output. Generally, one USB port from a PC can sustain one D2 directly connected. If you hare using a USB Hub, this hub must be able to supply 500MA to each port with a D2 USB powered. We recommand you check manufacturer specifications before connecting a D2 to the USB port of a laptop or use the shipped MCDI SP power supply.

Can I connect a USB printer to D2 USB output? No. USB connector on D2 is a USB client plug. It is used only to report to PC or to accept configuration from PC. For best results, you should use a dot matrix printer connected to parallel port of D2. This port can send on alarm signal at the time.

I get F1 and F2 error messages from my receiver. What is this? The F1 and F2 are TLR+ error messages indicating that a call came in on either line 1 (F1) or Line 2 (F2), the receiver answered the call and did a series of handshake and no panels were recognized. It could be a wrong number, a fax machine calling in on a regular basis or a defective alarm panel. Normally an alarm panel would call back a few times (default setting of many type panels is 8 times )  to try to re-transmit.
This message is present in TLR+ rev. 4-5-6-7, SA-TLR+, Decrypta 1, Decrypta 2 and exprecium.

I want to connect MRD1000 to 2 expreciums. Is there a way? Connect the TX pin of the first Exprecium to the RX pin of the second one. Connect the MRD1000 on JP10 of the second Exprecium card (the one with the RX cable connected to.  If you need a printer it should be also connected to that card.

Now your MRD1000 and/or printer should display/print events that are received from both receiver cards. The MRD1000 will only be able to configure the Exprecium card that it is directly connected to.  The other Exprecium will have to be configured with the XPRECIUM.EXE or WINEXPRECIUM utility.

How is the reset made on exprecium? Exprecium boards have a reset button near the phone connectors. This button pressed once will produce a soft reset and will restart Exprecium board. This button pressed once and then a second time during the following beep, will produce a hard reset and return exprecium boards to factory defaults and empty all memory buffers.

How do I reset my Decrypta 1 or my Decrypta 2? All Decrypta receivers have a reset button located at the back. This button press once will produce a soft reset and will restart exprecium board. This button pressed once and then a second time during the following beep, will produce a hard reset and return Decrypta to factory defaults and empty all memory buffers.

How do I reset my SA-TLR+? Older units have to be opened and reset in the same manner as a TLR+ board. Newer units, nearly all manufactured after 2000, have a reset button located at the back. This button pressed once will produce a soft reset and will restart SA-TLR+. This button pressed once and then a second time during the following beep, will produce a hard reset and return SA-TLR+ to factory defaults and empty all memory buffers.

How to I reset my TLR+? If you have communication between the TLR+ and the PC, you can execute a soft reset in initplus.exe by pressing control + R. If not, you can carefully short pins JPXXXX with a metallic object once and then a second time during the following beep. This will product a hard reset and return TLR+ to factory defaults and empty all memory buffers. This procedure may have to be repeated 2 to 3 times to completely reset older TLR+. Factory defaults are com 3 irq 5.

What is the message computer absent on the printer connected to my receiver? Computer absent is a message telling you the MCDI SP receivers does not receive acknowledge from the computer. Reasons range from faulty wires to stalled PC or incorrect settings.

What is the message computer restore on the printed connected to my receiver? Computer restore is a message telling you the MCDI SP receivers has regain communication with the computer.

Legal notice: FAQ information is written broad general terms and may not apply to some specific MCDI Security Products Inc. units, software version or commercial dealings. Information may be changed without prior notice and may be updated or rectified without prior notice. MCDI Security Products Inc. is not responsible for any interpretation of the FAQ information or any use or installation that MCDI Security Products Inc. did not approved specifically. Testing should always be performed prior to using a monitoring system or software. If you need more information, contact MCDI Security Products Inc. sales department at : mcdi@mcdi.com