[REQUEST]: TAC MEnta Software

[mech962784]

Dear Friends

can you please share the TAC software used for configuring the TAC XENTA Controllers?

i have a site that i need to reconfigure these controllers but i don't have any software from TAC.

[eumel_30]

Hy,

i have progged that stupid TAC Controllers for years ago.

The "Menta" Version i have used at that time required a dongle for
the LPT-Port. Therefore the software alone will not work.

That old software is also out of my hands now.

Let me give you a word of advice:

I think it´s better to choose another controller than that cruddy TAC one.

I gathered harrowing experience with that TAC rubbish.

[mech962784]

Dear Sir

thank you very much for your suggestions.

actually the situation is there is one project where the installer has installed TAC Xenta 301 controllers for hvac and ran away without providing a BMS software for monitoring the system.

now my client is asking me for solving this problem he wants me to connect these controllers to a BMS software and design an operator work station for him.

because it is my first time dealing with TAC products, i have no idea how to start, what software i need to use or how to communicate these controllers to my own scada software.

Any idea or help will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[eumel_30]

Hello again,

i think you should contact TAC for more information

http://www.tac.com/Navigate?node=9477

In my opinion there is no possibility to switch the xenta controllers direct to
your BMS-System as they use a non standard LON-Communication Protocol for communication between the "Menta-Variables" and the TAC-Vista Software.

TAC-Vista is already a BMS-Software.

You have to install the TAC-Vista Software on any Windows-PC and switch the Xenta-Controllers through a LON-Network (FTT10) onto the PC.

I think the TAC-Vista Software is able to communicate via standard interfaces (OPC, eg.) with any other BMS-Systems.

Another possibility is to define SNVT-Variables (Standard-Lon Types) on the TAC-Xenta Controllers. Then you can use standard LON communication. But you have to prove the SNVT variable limits on the Xenta-Controllers.

I hope i can help you with these informations.

[mech962784]

Thank you very much for the provided info

according to your post i can use the software named tac vista as a bms software , correct ?

so what hardware i need to use to connect the pc to the network?

and any idea about the price of the TAC Vista software, and the hardware needed to connect the PC with TAC vista to the controllers?

is it must to have the TAC Menta software beside the TAC Vista, to be able to communicate the controllers to the TAC Vista, or the TAC Vista alone is enough?

from where beside TAC people, i can order these softwares, because for specific reasons i don't want to deal with the TAC people directly ?

[eumel_30]

Hello,

as it is 10 years ago, i have worked with TAC Controllers, i do not know what developments TAC has made in that period. Therefore my information could be not correct.

We used an "Echelon PCI Card" to connect TAC-Vista onto the LON-Network.

http://www.echelon.com/Products/interfaces/default.htm

Possibly youc can by now also use a Xenta 911 for connecting TAC-Vista throug TCP/IP to the LON-Network - i do not know it excactly.

Yes, TAC-Vista is a BMS-Software - please look at the system-overview in the link.

http://www.tac.com/data/internal/data/0 ... iew_A4.pdf

If i remeber rightly you have to import the TAC-Menta files into the TAC-Vista Software to get the communication work.

I think there is no other distributor for the TAC-Software than TAC itself.

The price for the Echelon LON-Interface will be about 400 €.

The price for TAC-Vista depends on the list of modules and the count of variables you need - here i have no more information.

But as I already mentioned in my 1st post --> pull out that awful TAC rubbish --> and you will have fewer problems in the future.

[lex_lex]

Up !
Can anybody share the medicine for TAC Menta ?