Microtech X3 Hardware Manual

Disc production system

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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Assembling the X3 ..........................15 Making Connections...........................16 Printer Installation Basics .........................17 Installing a Printer..........................18 Configuring a Printer for the X3 ......................19 Networking the X3 ..........................22 Preparing the X3 for Production Use ..............25 Powering Up the X3 ..........................25 Performing a Calibration Test ......................26 Calibrating the X3 Printer Position ....................27...
Page 3 The content of this manual is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be costrued as a commitment by Microtech Systems, Inc. Microtech Systems, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this book.
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Page 5: Introducing The X3
Introducing the X3 Introducing the X3 Congratulations on your acquisition of the X3 – a fully automated production system from Microtech Systems for advanced disc publishing of CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs. The X3 combines a 300-disc capacity, advanced control features, and a small footprint to form an ideal solution for media production, publishing, duplication, and data storage for a variety of users.
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Page 7: Components Of The X3
For most systems, interacting with the X3 – to set up a job, for example – occurs via a 19-inch external monitor, keyboard and mouse included with the X3 system.
Page 8: Front Panel
Microtech Systems Front Panel The figure below shows the front of the X3 with its main door closed. Let’s take a quick tour. Printer Status Indicator Light Main Door Door Handle External Output Mail Slot Security Lock Figure 1 Lifting...
Page 9 Output discs are collected in the External Output Mail Slot. You can configure the mail slot for completed discs or rejects. A 100-disc output spindle inside the X3 also collects finished discs, but the mail slot allows output from a se- cured system. (An excessive number of rejects typically indicates input media of poor quality or a hardware error that needs correction.)
Page 10: Inside The X3
X3 Front View, Main Door Open Printer The X3 includes a printer mounted on the top of the X3 chassis to print iden- tifying information (such as a label) on a copied disc. Quick-Change Recorders The X3 uses up to three quick-change Optical Disc Recorders for all opera- tions.
Page 11 The green Internal Power Switch on the left side of the X3 interior is accessible when the door is open and allows the system operator to power the X3 on and off. (Power switches are also located on the back of the X3 and the printer.)
Page 12: Behind The X3
Printer Mounting Plate A flat plate called the printer mounting plate attaches to the top of the X3 and adapts it for the printer, which sits on top of the plate and is held precisely in position by two positioning dowels on the top of the printer plate.
Page 13 Components of the X3 Handles and Removable Side Panel Two handles are integrated into the sides of the X3 to aid in lifting the system. Always use the side handles when lifting or moving the X3. One of the side panels (on the left when facing the front of the X3) is removable to allow access to the system’s internal components.
Page 14: Specifications
The printer mounting plate is positioned via two alignment screws on the left side of the X3 – one toward the front and one near the back of the unit (shown in the figure above). The screws allow adjustment of the mounting plate’s position.
Page 15: The X3 Desktop
Components of the X3 The X3 Desktop The X3’s user interface displays a standard Windows 7 desktop. Buttons and icons are activated by pointing and clicking a mouse or other pointing device as with any normal Windows system and software.
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Page 17: Setting Up The X3
Setting Up the X3 Setting Up the X3 This section covers unpacking and assembling the X3, installing a printer, and configuring the system for use on a network. We’ll start with a description of the workspace needed to use your system safely and effectively.
Page 18: Checking Your Shipment
5. Remove the X3 by grasping the handles in the side panels and lifting it Contact the Microtech sales team straight out of the shipping carton. Set it on a work surface.
Page 19: Assembling The X3
Setting Up the X3 Assembling the X3 This section covers how to put the X3 together and get it ready for use. The X3 can be used with a disc label printer, so that topic is described as well. To assemble your X3, do the following: 1.
Page 20: Making Connections
Microtech Systems Making Connections 1. At the rear of the unit, connect the monitor’s video cable (with included adapter) to the black 15-pin jack in the I/O area. Figure 8 Connecting the Video Cable 2. At the rear of the unit, plug a power cord into the AC power cord receptacle.
Page 21: Printer Installation Basics
Setting Up the X3 Printer Installation Basics Any one of two different printers can be used with the X3 to create custom disc labels that meet a wide variety of requirements. Each printer offers a dif- ferent combination of printing technology, duty cycle, and cost of ownership.
Page 22: Installing A Printer
X3. To install a K-2 or Xpression printer, unpack the printer and its cables and follow these steps: 1. Place the printer on top of the X3, and position it to align the holes in the bottom of the printer with the pins protruding from the mounting plate.
Page 23: Configuring A Printer For The X3
If the printer is not already defined to the operating system or the Microtech software, configure the printer using the procedure in the section Configuring a Printer For the X3. If the printer is already defined to the OS, proceed to the following section covering Networking the X3 or to the next chapter.
Page 24 Microtech Systems Setting Up a Printer in Media Remote After adding a printer to Windows, configure it for use by the X3 via the Me- dia Remote software utility by following these steps: 1. Start the Media Remote configuration utility by navigating to Start Menu >...
Page 25 SUCCESS of all operations. Click OK to close the window. Failure messages indicate a problem on the control circuit between the X3 and printer, and the printer is not usable. Reseat the control cable connections or specify a different Control Port and try again. Contact Microtech Technical Support if the error persists.
Page 26: Networking The X3
Microtech Systems Networking the X3 The X3 can be configured as a shared resource in a TCP/IP network by con- figuring its host PC as an IP client. Standard Microsoft Windows 7 network- ing properties are used to implement this.
Page 27 Be sure to set the access permissions to allow both read and write access to the shared areas. Sharing of the X3 disc resources may not be applicable to all situations. For example, if jobs are submitted to the X3 via an application programming interface (API), security permissions may be implemented via the application.
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Page 29: Preparing The X3 For Production Use
Powering down the X3 The software applications – System Calibration and MyDisc – are described only so far as needed to perform basic system tests of the X3. For more detailed information regarding Microtech software applications, see the Microtech Software Suite User’s Manual.
Page 30: Performing A Calibration Test
Microtech Systems Performing a Calibration Test In this section, the X3 is put through a “dry run”; moving parts are exercised but no actual reading or writing of data is performed. To perform a basic calibration test, do the following: 1.
Page 31: Calibrating The X3 Printer Position
As an overview, the printer sits on a printer mounting plate at the top of the Screw top X3. The plate is attached to the X3 by positioning screws that can be loosened and moved forward and backward together with the plate to perform calibration.
Page 32 (Note: the screws are accessible from the left side removable panel of the X3 when the system is viewed from the front.) 2. Place a few blank discs on the X3 input spindles. 3. Double-click the System Calibration desktop icon to open the application.
Page 33: Performing A Read/Write Test
• The image stored on the hard drive is copied to new disc media Use the software product CD that accompanies the X3 as the original source media for the tests described in this section. - 29 -...
Page 34 Registering Your X3 Before continuing the test, take a moment to register your system. Registering your X3 with Microtech Systems ensures that you receive the latest support information and updates to keep the system operating smoothly. The process is automated and takes only a few minutes.
Page 35 Registration Page The registration page collects contact information for X3 administrators. Ensure that the fields Key Serial # and Key ID match the values on the X3’s Registration window. Type data into each of the other fields. Click Submit after supplying the data.
Page 36 This section describes how to use MyDisc software to test the ability to copy an image from a source disc (in this case, the Microtech software CD) to the local hard drive of the X3 where it can be used for mastering blank discs. To perform the operation, do the following: 1.
Page 37 Figure 27 Copy a Disc Selection 3. Type a name for the image into the Image Name field. (Note: because the source disc is your X3 product software, use the name “X3 software”.) Figure 28 Layout Editor Window 4. Click Save To to save the image name to the default location, or browse for another location (default location recommended).
Page 38 Figure 30 Text Edit Window 7. Select the text box to edit it. Replace the default contents with the text “X3 Software CD”. 8. Click the Accept check mark button to save the text. The text label appears on the disc illustration.
Page 39 Active Jobs list. The Job Status window displays a status pie chart. Figure 33 MyDisc Status Window 13. Open the main door, when prompted, and place the source media (the X3 product CD) into the open recorder drive tray. Do not close the recorder. Figure 34...
Page 40 The recorder drive closes and the job is complete. Reviewing Job Status Records The X3 maintains a running history of jobs. The lower left area of the MyDisc window displays a one-line summary of all jobs, and a status window shows pie charts indicating current job progress.
Page 41 Blank Media This section describes how to use MyDisc to copy an image from the local hard drive of the X3 to a new blank disc. To perform the operation, do the following: 1. Be certain that the input spindles contain blank media.
Page 42 Microtech Systems 5. Select the image to be copied – “X3 Software” and click Next. Figure 40 MyDisc Image Selection The burn image selection display appears. Figure 41 MyDisc Burn Image Window 6. Ensure that the drop-down list Layout Name indicates the layout created in the prior section.
Page 43 9. Save the job file in the default location or browse for a new location. The job starts. Inside the X3, the hoist/picker acquires a blank disc and places it into recorder drive #1. The selected image is written to the disc.
Page 44: Powering Down The X3
Microtech Systems Powering Down the X3 The X3 can be turned off using either of the following methods: • Windows shutdown sequence • Internal power switch found inside the main door to the left of the disc recorders Both methods close all software processes before powering off the PC. The internal power switch is intended for use by system administrators and hardware maintenance engineers.
Page 45: Maintaining The X3
Mechanical Component Maintenance Many of the electromechanical components of the X3 are not suited for cus- tomer maintenance or adjustment. Always contact Microtech before attempt- ing to open, inspect, modify, or repair the internals of your X3.
Page 46: Replacing Recorder Drives
Fully loosen both screws and disconnect the wiring harness from the rear of the recorder. 4. Grasp the drive and carefully slide it forward. Tilt it slightly to pull the assembly out of the drive tray housing and out of the X3. Figure 45 Loosening Quick-Change...
Page 47 3. Finger tighten the two thumbscrews on the front of the recorder assembly. Do not over-tighten the screws. 4. Turn the X3 on and perform the test described above in the section Performing a Calibration Test. - 43 -...
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Page 49: Getting X3 Help
Before contacting Microtech Technical Support, obtain the following: • X3 Serial Number – a four digit number found on the serial number tag affixed to the back of the unit • Problem Description – a detailed statement of the problem(s)
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Page 51 Symbols input 9 power cord 16 Add Printer wizard 19 Administrator 25 API 23 Assembling the X3 15 Calibrate position 28 Calibration and Diagnostic Utility window 26, 28 Connections 16 Copying to blank disc 37 Copying to hard drive 32...
Page 52 Maintainance 41 Mechanical maintenance 41 Mounting plate 27, 28 MyDisc Status window 39 Network cable 22 Network properties 22 Operating the X3 25 Packaging material 14 PC Expansion Slot 9 PC I/O Panel 9 Position calibration 27 Positioning screws 28...
Page 53 Security lock 5 Self Test window 26 Serial number 9 Sharing 23 Single Test 26, 29 Software maintenance 41 Software, Microtech 25, 29, 30, 32, 34 Specifications 10 Spindle Access 7 Status Display 7 Status indicators 5 System calibration 25, 26, 28...
Page 54 Microtech Systems front panel 4 mechanical maintenance 41 networking 10 physical environment 13 power 10 printer maintenance 41 production workspace 13 software maintenance 41 weight 10 work area dimensions 13 Xpress Calibration and Diagnostic Utility window 27 - 50 -...