Interphase Proble Operation Manual page 19

Pre-Programmed Screen Displays
Interphase Probe
Rather than ask you to "build" different screen displays while
operating the unit, the Probe has seven of the most valuable
LCD screen displays pre-programmed into its operating system
memory. Thanks to the Multi-Tasking operating system, each
of these pre-programmed displays (known as Views) are
always being updated, regardless of which screen display is Control
presently being used. This means, for example, that the two
Knob
Track Plotter's will continue to plot and update your vessel's
position - even while you're looking at a Zoomed picture of
the bottom! Similarly, even while viewing your vessel's
position on one of the Track Plot displays, the digital and
graphic depth screens are simultaneously being updated in the
background - ready for immediate access. And, thanks to the
lithium battery memory backup, as described in the next
section; ranges, gain, zoom and other settings are remembered
as you go from View to View and are even remembered when
you turn the unit off.
Internal System Memory
There is nothing so frustrating as having your fishfinder re-
start when you start your boat's engine and having to
completely re-set the range, gain, contrast and all your other
settings. Because the Probe contains an internal lithium
memory battery, it remembers all system settings with the
power removed. When you turn your Probe on, it will
immediately start in the last View that you used, complete with
the proper range, zoom, gain and other important settings.
Instead of using a non-volatile RAM, a lithium battery was
used to ensure a long error-free memory life. Most non-
volatile RAM's exhibit increasing errors with time and can
become a serious problem after only 100,000 operations.
Cold Cathode Backlight
The Probe has the best LCD backlight system available. It
uses a Cold Cathode Fluorescent lamp (CFL) with
Pre-Programmed Screen Displays
exceptionally long life characteristics which greatly exceed the
more common electro-luminescent and incandescent bulb
backlights. In addition to its exceptional reliability, the cold
cathode lamp provides a much more visible display than other
backlight systems. Screen clarity and contrast are greatly
enhanced. The typical half-life (when output brightness
diminishes to 1/2 its original value) of the cold cathode
backlight is in excess of 20,000 hours. A typical electro-
luminescent panel, for comparison, has a half life of only 2,000
hours!
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