Hardware Support > ICC Family, general

Hardware Support: ICC Family General Issues

The support information on this page applies to all Industrial Control Computer™ (ICC) hardware products. To find a specific product, please return to Hardware Support.

Documentation
User Manual: Program Key Guide (DOC-IWS-510C)	0.3 MB
User Manual: SkreenKleen Guide (DOC-IWS-570)	0.3 MB
Illustration: ICC-5000, 5100, 5200, 5300, 5400, 5500, 5600	0.5 MB
Illustration: ICC-6000, 6100, 6200, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6600	0.4 MB
Illustration: ICC-8500, 8600	0.5 MB

Frequently Asked Questions

Video

1. Why can’t I get the full range of colors or resolution in Display Properties?
2. What is Video Stretch Mode?
3. I notice when I change screens I get a lingering shadow of the previous screen. I thought LCD displays are not supposed to exhibit “image burn-in.”
4. Why has my display gone white?
5. Why has my display gone black?
6. How can I get rid of the colored lines across my display?

   Touchscreen

7. Can a touchscreen be added to my unit?
8. Why isn’t my touchscreen working properly?

   Peripherals

9. My mouse is not working. Or my mouse quit working. Why?
10. Why does my mouse operate intermittently?
11. The ICC keypad is working but my external keyboard doesn’t work. Why?
12. The external keyboard is working but my ICC keypad does not. What is wrong?
13. I ordered my ICC without a CD-ROM. Can I add one to it?

    Other

14. I just upgraded my RAM. How do I get rid of this "BIOS Error" or "Memory Size Wrong" message?
15. Upon startup, my system displays "Insert bootable media." What does this mean?
16. I have software that came on a CD but my unit doesn't have a CD drive, how do I load the software?
17. How much power does it draw, and how much heat is generated?
18. What unit can I upgrade to if I am looking for a drop in replacement?

Why can’t I get the full range of colors or resolution in Display Properties?

This is symptomatic of the correct display driver missing or corrupted. The correct display drivers were shipped with your unit. If you cannot locate these disks, they may be obtained from our web site in the driver section. See zzzzzzzz for instructions on how to load the driver.

What is Video Stretch Mode?

Unlike CRT controllers, most video adaptor cards with outputs for flat-screen LCD monitors do not automatically adjust the size of the display to fit the screen. If you display a VGA signal on an SVGA or XGA LCD screen, or an SVGA signal on an XGA LCD screen, the video card will place all of the information in the center of the screen. The result is that the remaining pixels around the central image receive no data, and show up as a black band. Nematron's modern video adapters incorporate "stretch mode", which expands the image to fill the screen, by using all of the pixels. There are a couple of disadvantages to this. One is that the sharpness is not what it is with the smaller image. Another is that DOS-based text characters generated in VGA sometimes look odd when stretched (graphics are largely unaffected). Most of our customers accept these drawbacks to gain the larger viewing area.

Conversely, if you try to show a higher-resolution image on a lower-resolution display, the entire image will not be shown. A smaller section will fill the screen, and you will have to "pan" around to view it all. This is a function of LCD design, and can not be compensated for.

"Stretch Mode" can be defeated if you have the Nematron video adaptor #110A0430, by replacing the video BIOS chip with EEPROM #331A0626B, available from Nematron. With the 69030 display drivers for '95 and NT you may turn the stretch Off or On, DOS will always stretch. Using NT to try the stretch turned Off: go into display properties, Chips tab, Check box for stretch turned on or off.

The IC5000 series was sometimes supplied with an SVGA display, denoted by a "5" or an "A" in the 5th position in the part number, i.e. IC50A1-xx... or IC 5056-xx.... Customers who wish to replace these aging units would do well to consider an IC6000 series computer, as the IC5000 is no longer available with SVGA, and the screens developed with the older units may not be viewable in their entirety with the newer, lower-resolution displays. If you just want the VGA resolution ICC-5000 and you have an application that uses EGA display resolution and are running under DOS, we do have the EGA to VGA stretch fix for DOS only. This "fix" has been used successfully for two customers so far (5/3/00). Please contact hardware technical support for the correct DOS file and instructions.

I notice when I change screens I get a lingering shadow of the previous screen. I thought LCD displays are not supposed to exhibit “image burn-in.”

Unlike CRTs, LCDs do not suffer from permanent "burn-in". However, due to the inherent capacitance in the active-matrix circuitry, a long-standing image will result in a dim afterimage, which will fade with time. The longer the image was on, and the greater the contrast in colors, the longer the afterimage persists. Some images have lasted for weeks. Screen Saver programs can help. Also, to combat this effect, it is suggested that "home" screens, or any screens likely to be displayed for long periods, be alternated with equal but opposite-colored screens. The display of one will discharge the afterimage capacitance of the other and leave the LCD in a more neutral state.

Why has my display gone white?

This means that your LCD backlighting is on, but the screen is receiving no signal. Either the cable has come loose, or the video card is loose or malfunctioning. Take care when connecting the ribbon cable to the video card. The older ribbon cables were capable of being inserted incorrectly into the video card. If not centered, damage may result.

The video card can be tested, by connecting an ordinary CRT-style monitor into the external 15-pin connector. The card is capable of driving the internal LCD monitor and an external CRT (at the same resolution) simultaneously. If the external monitor works, the CPU and the CRT section of the video card are OK, and the problem is most likely with your display, or the cable, or the LCD section of the video card. If the external monitor is also inoperative, check that the card is seated properly.

Why has my display gone black?

The CPU must turn on the inverter circuit to power the backlight(s). If the computer beeps correctly upon startup, and you can hear the fan and hard disk rotating, then either the inverter or the backlight is defective, or disconnected. The inverter receives +12VDC from the main power supply, and provides a pulse of approximately 1200VAC to the backlight bulb(s). Once the bulb(s) ionize and conduct, the inverter will drop the voltage back to between 150 and 250 volts to maintain current.

If you hear nothing upon startup, check the power supply voltages. The following voltages are referenced to the black 0V wire(s): Red = +5VDC, plus or minus 0.02V; Blue = +12VDC, plus or minus 2.0V; White = -12VDC, plus or minus 2.0 V. If the reading is low on any of these voltages, try reading them while disconnected from the rest of the unit. You must connect a resistor between the red and black (+5VDC and common) wires to allow the supply to regulate. This resistor must be between 2.5 and 3.2 ohms, and at least a 10 watt power rating. If the voltage stays low, the power supply must be replaced. If the voltage changes significantly, then there is a short circuit elsewhere in the unit.

If the voltages are correct, including 1200VAC (pulse) or 150-250VAC (steady-state) to the backlight(s), look for a sticker on the rear of the display for the display part number and select the replacement backlight kit from the following:

Notes:

1. Backlight required is indicated by sticker on side of display.
2. Not field replaceable — requires bench disassembly.
3. No replaceable backlights — must replace display.
4. The only 12.1" model with a single backlight.

How can I get rid of the colored lines across my display?

Your LCD display could be bad and needs to be replaced. See above for part numbers. Since this symptom can also be caused by a loose connection, verify that the cable that connects to the display is seated properly.

Can a touchscreen be added to my unit?

Yes, Please contact Hardware Technical Support at support@nematron.com or call us at 1-800-636-2876 for details.

Why isn’t my touchscreen working properly?

The problem could be:

1. Calibration: The touchscreen may only need to be calibrated due to age or changes in user viewing angle.
   
   To calibrate in Dos, change to the touch directory and enter Elocalib. Select the appropriate display resolution and follow the instructions on the screen. Answer Yes or OK to all the questions regarding saving the calibration parameters in the Autoexec file. If this is not done, the new calibration points will be lost when the unit is restarted.
   
   To calibrate in any Windows environment, open the Control Panel, click on the Elo Touch Icon, and click on Calibrate. Press the targets as instructed and answer Yes to the question regarding accuracy once you are satisfied with the operation. This will return you to the Elo configuration screen. Click on the Apply or OK box to save the calibration. NOTE: On 640 x 480 resolution screens, the task bar at the bottom of the display may hide the buttons. Hide the task bar or move the Touch window up to access the buttons. Click OK or the close button to return to normal operation.
   
2. A defective touch screen: Common symptoms include the cursor stuck in one position, erratic response to touches, or dead regions. If the glass of the touchscreen is cracked or there is a gouge on the membrane, it will not work properly and will need to be replaced.
3. The cable connections: If the cables have become dislodged, the driver will behave normally, however, you will not have any response to touches. Open the front of the unit and verify that the connector from the 5 conductor "tail" coming from the touchscreen is securely plugged into the connector on the small board on the front chassis. There is also a 5 conductor cable with black connectors that plugs into the board mounted near the display and goes inside the unit to the touch controller board. Verify that these connectors and the touch controller board are properly seated.
4. The driver could be corrupted or setup incorrectly, see yyyyyyyy for details.

My mouse is not working. Or my mouse quit working. Why?

The solution may be dependent on the operating system. General troubleshooting may include the following:

1. If the mouse was NOT plugged in when unit was booted to Windows, plug in mouse and restart Windows.
2. For PS/2, make sure the mouse is plugged in before booting computer (regardless of OS).
3. Mouse may be bad. Install another mouse and restart Windows.
4. If the mouse is a serial mouse, ensure the COM port is properly configured in the BIOS.
   
   Note: A serial mouse on COM1 uses IRQ4, and a serial mouse on COM2 uses IRQ3.
5. Verify there are no hardware or driver conflicts.
   
   Note: A PS/2 mouse uses IRQ12. A serial mouse on COM1 uses IRQ4, and a serial mouse on COM2 uses IRQ3. If new hardware was added, check for IRQ conflict.
6. Check cabling from mouse port to motherboard. (If a new Windows operating system was installed, was mouse driver loaded?)

Why does my mouse operate intermittently?

1. The most common cause is a dirty mouse. Disassemble and clean the mouse or try another mouse.
2. The wrong mouse driver may be loaded. If in doubt, install the correct driver. Windows '95 should auto detect the mouse and install the correct driver, or use Control Panels/Detect New Hardware to allow 95 to find the mouse.
3. Windows mouse settings may be incorrect. Open Control Panels, double click the mouse icon. Under the Motion tab try changing the pointer speed to a slower setting. Under the Buttons tab try changing the double click speed to a slower setting.
4. Erratic behavior can also be caused by hardware conflicts. For example, a modem using the same interrupt would cause erratic operation rather than an outright failure of the mouse. Make sure that there are no resource conflicts. A PS/2 mouse uses IRQ12. A serial mouse on COM1 uses IRQ4 and a serial mouse on COM2 uses IRQ3.

The ICC keypad is working but my external keyboard doesn’t work. Why?

Is keyboard AT compatible? If not, replace it with known good AT compatible keyboard.

Verify the CAPS Lock LED functions properly. If so, the keyboard is working.

There may be a problem with the software not responding.

Is more than one external keyboard connected? Only one external keyboard may be connected at a time.

Does one port work and not the other? Verify cable from port to keyboard mux board or motherboard properly connected. Or it may be a bad cable.

Is the Scroll Lock, Caps Lock or Num Lock LED flashing? If so, then the unit is probably in keypad programming mode. Press Esc on the external keyboard to exit programming mode. The LED(s) should stop blinking and keyboard should function properly.

The external keyboard is working but my ICC keypad does not. What is wrong?

Does a keypress generate an unexpected or wrong event? There may be an improperly programmed key. If the equivalent external key is functional then you may just want to go into the program key mode and reset the keypad to the default.

Note: F11 and F12 on an IBM keyboard are not the same key code as the Nematron F11 and F12 defaults, you will need to program those keys for the IBM codes if desired.

If there is no function at all of the keypad, open the front of the unit and look at the connector on the back of the front panel and verify there are no bent pins on the connector. Check the mating connector on the keyboard mux board lines up properly.

If Ctrl-Alt-Del does not reset the unit but other keys are working check to see if this key combination is disabled in the Programming Key Menu. You may run KeyMan in NT4.0. If you have Windows 95 or 98 enter Programming key mode: press the shift key 4 times within 1 second. From a DOS prompt or Notepad, press F3 to display the Programming Key menu. You will use F7 to enable/disable Ctrl-Alt-Del.

Your application software may be causing problems. Restart the system and test the operation of the keypad after the OS loads but before launching any applications. A utility to test the operation of the keypad and external keyboard is available on the diskette included with your unit.

I ordered my ICC without a CD-ROM. Can I add one to it?

Yes, Nematron offers two choices. Part number COS-CDROM is a kit for internally mounting a front-facing CD-ROM in an IC63xx, IC64xx, IC65xx, IC66xx, IC7xxx, or IC8xxx computer. Any Nematron computer with a parallel port can use the external CD-ROM kit, Nematron part number CD-EXT-32X. The following models have insufficient space for the internal CD-ROM, and must use the external unit: the ICI series, IC-3xx, -4xx, -5xx, IC5xxx, IC60xx, IC61xx, and IC62xx.

I just upgraded my RAM. How do I get rid of this "BIOS Error" or "Memory Size Wrong" message?

Check below for individual series' BIOS requirements. If there are no special requirements for your model number, simply enter BIOS Setup, make no changes, and exit without saving.

Upon startup, my system displays "Insert bootable media." What does this mean?

It means your system does not recognize the hard disk drive. Simply enter BIOS, make no changes, save, and exit. It should then boot normally. If this does not work, try auto-detecting the hard disk drive in BIOS.

I have software that came on a CD but my unit doesn't have a CD drive, how do I load the software?

If you know specific files on the CD that you will need, you may have success in transferring them to a floppy and installing them that way. If this isn't possible, we offer an external CD drive that connects through your parallel port. Our model number for this is CD-EXT32X. It is possible to add a CD drive internally on the 66xx and 86xx units only. It is Nematron part number COS-CDROM. Due to the technology involved, and uncertainties in user expertise, Nematron recommends sending units to the authorized service center, and does not offer the standard 90-day repair warranty to parts sold for installation by others. Also, while it is not easy or supported by Nematron, it is possible to connect a CD drive on a temporary basis to the primary IDE port as a slave, or to the secondary IDE port as a master or slave.

How much power does it draw, and how much heat is generated?

An IC7xxx (one of the larger models) was tested with touch screen, EtherNet, ProfiBus, and CD-ROM all going at once, and it drew 87 watts, which translates to 300 BTU/Hr.

What unit can I upgrade to if I am looking for a drop in replacement?

If you have an IC50xx, IC51xx, or IC52xx, the currently available IC5xxx will fit using the same cutout, however, it will be deeper. These models had a depth of 7.9", the new models have a depth of 9.10". If you have an IC53xx or 54xx, the dimensions on newer models are the same. See below.

If you have an IC60xx, IC61xx, or IC62xx, the currently available IC6xxx units will require enlarging the cutout and they are deeper. The rear dimension is 15.32"W x 12.69"H with a depth of 9.20". If you have an IC63xx or IC64xx, the dimensions on newer models are the same. See table below.

If you have a IC7xxx, this series is discontinued due to the obsolescence of the 13.8" displays. The IC8xxx series has the same cutout and depth dimensions with a 15" display instead of a 13.8".