1. Needle display with a clock and digital baseline display..
2. Control panel for sensitivity, boost and baseline counter.
3. A text box, top left, for entering commands or questions for use in session.
4. A bar with an analog baseline display below the needle and text box.
5. An optional audio display below the baseline bar.
6. History display showing reads for the last 10 seconds or more (the
speed is adjustable in the options panel).
7. The main menu options along the top of the screen as described below.
Installation
The files cmeter4.exe and cmeter.ini should be placed in a new directory,
such as C:\\Cmeter.
The C-meter is connected to a comm port (serial 9 pin) on the computer.
If no comm port is available on the computer then it may be connected to
a USB port via a converter such as provided at
http://www.ftdichip.com/us232.htm
Start the program and select the comm port in the connection menu.
The meter should be calibrated the first time it is used. Click on "calibration"
in the admin menu and follow the on screen instructions.
File menu
Save settings: The C-meter settings are normally saved when you close
the program. However, specific settings files can also be created so that
various preferences can be reloaded easily. For instance one might wish
to set up the meter differently for solo and auditing others or save different
settings for different people using the same meter.
Load settings: reloads a saved settings file.
Exit: Closes the C-meter.
Options menu
Autosave settings: selects whether or not your settings are saved when
the program closes.
Open options panel: This options the main options panel which contains
3 sub-panels:
Colors: Allow you to change the color for the various parts of the screen.
Options: You can change various display settings including
the size of the various windows on the screen.
The sensitivity response can be
selected to behave with four different response curves.
The program receives data at a rate
of 300 times a second. The needle display divisor divides into 300 to give
the actual screen update rate. Thus 3 gives an update rate of 100Hz. On older
computers a setting of 6 may be needed.
The history display divisor further
slows the rate at which the history graph is drawn.
Admin: These are administrative or more technical options
not normally needed by the user.
Show menu
This allows one to display the audio input or not. If the audio option
is selected then the C-meter will display the record input from the computer's
sound card above the neddle history. This could be used with a microphone
input to make instant reads easier to spot.
Cans type menu
The C-meter can be retrimmed for use with 2 cans, solo cans or fingertip
electrodes by selecting the appropriate option.
Connection menu
This controls the connection of the computer to the C-meter hardware.
The connection can be connected, disconnected and reset. It is also used
to select which comm port the C-meter hardware is connected to on the computer.
Internet menu
This allows the user to send their session data in real time to another
computer over the internet. A description of the internet facility is given
separately.
Admin menu
Calibrate: This allows the calibration of the C-meter by following the
on-screen instuctions.
Test form: Shows a panel giving raw data input rate and any timing error.
It would not normally be needed by the user.
Tests menu
F/N test: This displays a simulated F/N. Its main purpose is in using
the software for demonstration without hardware present and checking the
suitability of various monitors.
