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ACP offers by far the largest selection of interchangeable Thin Client hardware for your Thin Client system, all working under one management software, ThinManager. Because of the fact that ACP Enabled Thin Clients keep their configuration on the server (rather than in each client) all of these clients from a variety of manufacturers are interchangeable. If a system is running on Thin Clients supplied by Advantech for instance, any of the Advantech clients can be replaced with an ACP Enabled client from any other manufacturer. The only consideration is the possible limitation of the hardware - an Advantech client with I/O on 6 local serial ports cannot be replaced with another unit that only supports 4 unless there is some other way to reach the two extra devices.
There are three basic types of ACP Enabled Thin Client hardware available - full industrial Thin Clients with integrated displays, industrial Thin Clients with no display and office grade Thin Clients.
The most common display found on these combined units is a flat panel LCD, usually with a touch screen. Display sizes run from 6.4" up to 15", with 18" units available soon. These units are usually mounted in a panel or other enclosure, and most of them have a metal bezel and can be gasket sealed.
Integrated display Thin Clients are made by Advantech, Ann Arbor, Contec, HMW, Rockwell and Xycom and range in price from $2,100 (for a 12.1" unit) up to over $3,000 for Thin Clients with very specific features or for demanding environments. While the manufacturers use different touch screens, ACP's ThinManager talks with all of them. The touch screen frequently ties up a serial port, but that leaves all of these units with at least one port available - some of them have three or more. Most units have printer ports, and some units can accept a second Ethernet card for two independent network connections back to the server(s).
While most of these clients have at least NEMA 4 ratings (some are true Class I Div 2), Advantech also has a unit (the PPC-150-ACP) that has a 15" display but is not designed for industrial environments. This means that while it can't be installed in most manufacturing areas, it is fantastic for office friendly equipment areas and will cost less then the industrial versions.
A thing to note about LCD displays is that they usually look best at their native mode resolution, which is a physical property of the display. For instance, the TPC-650-ACP from Advantech has a 6.4" touch screen and looks best when run at a 640x480 resolution. The larger screens favor 1024x768 or even 1280x1024.
Some of the most popular units in the integrated display category:
Some companies either want to purchase the displays separately or already have industrial displays that they want to reuse as the display for the Thin Client. Many may want a display size not supported in an integrated model. In those cases, it makes much more sense to purchase an ACP Enabled Thin Client that comes with a VGA output rather than combined with a display. These units are also selected in cases where there may be special space or mounting requirements.
The smallest of these devices is the brand new DIN rail-mountable Thin Client from Contec that they showed at the ISA Show in Houston a few weeks ago. Only 2" x 2.4" and less than 4" tall, the plastic case keeps the weight under 6.5 ounces but doesn't keep it from operating at temperatures of up to 50 degrees C (120 Fahrenheit). It works on 5V DC, so it can be run from the power that you have sitting around inside the cabinet.
Still the best seller in the standalone industrial Thin Client category is the 5820-ACP from Advantech. This unit is smaller than an office telephone, has a metal enclosure and can be equipped with metal feet allowing it to be mounted almost anywhere. Industrial environmental ratings and 5V DC operation make this a perfect choice for many Thin Client applications. Combined with a display from companies like Christensen the user has now created a very versatile Thin Client hardware platform.
By far the most popular units in the industrial non-integrated display category:
For applications not requiring the ruggedness of an industrial Thin Client, ACP also has two different models of office grade equipment. These units are not intended to be placed on the factory floor, but are identical to any ACP Enabled industrial Thin Client in all of their respects. They are most often used to extend a Thin Client system from the plant floor into the business offices. If the environmental conditions allow it, ACP's high-performance office Thin Clients will let you to deploy ACP Enabled Thin Clients to offices at a price that is lower than most competing office products.
The ability to mix any of these clients (along with any of the 35 or so other models) is extremely important to customers who want to make sure that they have multiple sources for the hardware. It also makes it easier for some companies to find approved vendors to supply Thin Clients.
For more information on ACP Industrial Thin Client computers, please visit our web site at http://www.thinmanager.com
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