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About the EBS-50 Smart base station
The most important features of the EBS-50 are listed below.
•
Small and compact:
The EBS-50 is not bigger than a regular base station but is
powerful enough to handle all basic tasks of a separate ESL server.
•
Built-in computer:
The built-in computer runs
a Linux operating system plus Opticon’s
ESL server, and both are optimized for each other. A separate computer will always
have a hassle with libraries and other parts of the operating system that may not be fully
compatible or not installed, whereas the EBS-50 comes pre-configured with the correct
software.
•
No separate computer needed:
Shop owners usually do not like a separate computer
that requires maintenance and updates, especially when this is a Windows computer.
The EBS-50 removes the need for this since it has a built-in computer and updates are
much easier to do than with a normal computer. The EBS-50 can update itself
automatically from a remote server, but updates can also be done with a USB-stick. The
frequency of updates is much lower than with a full blown (Linux or Windows) computer
since the EBS-50 only contains the software that is really needed to run the server.
•
Power over Ethernet (PoE):
PoE is supported on one of the Ethernet ports to make
installation even more simple. When a location has PoE switches, the EBS-50 does not
need a separate power supply and so no wall socket is needed.
•
Two Ethernet ports:
The EBS-50 comes with two gigabit Ethernet ports, and a built-in
switch and router. This makes larger setups, where more than one base station is
required, much easier as it is possible to daisy-chain the base stations via the 2
nd
Ethernet port while the first port is used for the connection with the LAN.
•
USB ports:
Two USB ports are available. One is a USB-host port, with a USB-A style
connector and the other is a USB-OTG port, with a micro USB style connector. The main
use of the host port is for a Wi-Fi dongle and Opticon will come with a list of approved
dongles for which the driver is already installed. This port however can also be used for
software updates that come on a USB-stick for those situations where the EBS-50
cannot connect to the Internet.
