The NetBox is an ideal solution for unattended noise monitoring, transferring the measurement data to the fully-managed NoiseScout Web Portal (Managed Mode) in real time or provides a secure internet FTP access to the XL2 (Gateway Mode). Since the latest NetBox firmware update, an external storage medium (SSD, HDD, stick) can be connected to the NetBox via USB. This extends the storage capacity of the XL2 to up to 2 terabytes.
By connecting a USB mass storage device to the NetBox, the expanded data storage capacity massively simplifies the operation of an autonomous measuring station. The USB device can be accessed faster than the XL2's internal memory card. In addition, to save storage space as well as power, a measurement schedule timetable including a sleep mode has been added to NoiseScout.
Measurement periods of four months (with storage of uncompressed wav files) or over three years (with compressed wav files) are no problem. For a high quality sound level measurement at 100 ms log intervals, with continuous recording of uncompressed wav files at a sampling rate of 48 kHz and a resolution of 24 bits, the solution allows up to four months. In addition, a new timetable schedule ensures that measurement projects are completed and saved at the pre-set time.
As soon as a suitably-formatted storage medium is connected to the NetBox, the storage space is made available to the measurement system. The NetBox continuously searches for completed projects and moves them from the XL2's SD-card to this external storage. This means that the XL2 will always have enough free space and the device connected via USB works as an extension of the XL2 storage.
The external storage can, as with the XL2, be accessed via a secure FTP connection. The data is downloaded from the external storage up to four times faster than with direct access to the SD-card of the XL2.
Scheduled Projects
A newly-implemented schedule timetable in NoiseScout takes care of the completion and regular archiving of measurement projects. In addition to this daily procedure, the timetable also defines the daily period for active measurement. This simplifies the operation of the unattended measurement station.
To preserve energy, a “sleep when idle” function allows the system to be put to sleep until the next measurement interval; the power consumption drops to practically zero. Only the "alarm clock" in the XL2 remains active. All other components, including the NetBox, are switched off through the "Digital I/O Adapter". After "waking up", the XL2 switches all devices back to the power supply, the system starts up, and can then be reached again via FTP or http. This significantly extends the lifetime of a single battery charge.
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