Bridgemate server
Our server is about 12 years old. Recently it has started to "act up". By this I mean that it would not connect with the laptop, Bridgemate Control Software [BCS] and EBUScore (we used the old paper system).
Tried various things (short of slamming it against a brick wall) and eventually found that the batteries were flat()I checked the server batteries in the bridgemates and the battery indicator was flashing and the screen was flashing as well) .
The Bridgemate Manual only "suggests" that batteries are installed just in case the USB power source closes down and then data will not be lost. However, looking at some of the help files on the Bridgemates site it suggests that batteries must be inserted.
When I tried the batteries in the server again ( to see what happens) the server connected to the BCS and the battery status (top left box in the BCS) indicated 85%. The new batteries show 100%.
I have run the sytem since during a session and I had no problems with the server.
Anyone else had these "mishaps"? and did you have to replace your server?
Comments
Oddly our server started to play up yesterday. It kept losing contact with the individual bridgemate units then reestablishing contact after a while. This made it very difficult to enter the scores as error messages kept appearing. Repeated pressing the OK button on the unit eventually resulted in the score input screen reappearing.
My initial though was some sort of interference in the building and that maybe we should try switching channels. We currently use the default channel 0.
The battery status in the BCS is showing as 100%, even though the batteries have been in the server for a long time.
Replaced batteries (in the Bridgemate units and had a trouble-free session today.
Bear in mind that the Bridgemate (V2) server doesn't need to have batteries inside it - it gets power through the USB lead. We do keep batteries in ours - just in cast the laptop accidentally powers down or crashes during a session, to prevent any data loss.