Lisle Digidown User manual

Digital Tachograph Download Device
Operating Instructions

Introduction
The Digidown device downloads data from digital tachograph
vehicle units (VUs) from all current tachograph manufacturers.
Data downloaded from the Tachograph is stored in a Secure Digital
memory card normally known as an SD card.
Three types of download are available:
ALL VU Downloads all contents from the VU
LATEST VU Programmable1. Options include the last 1 or 3
months of data plus a selection from events &
faults detailed speed and technical information.
CARD Downloads a Driver Card inserted into the VU
If required ‘Latest VU’ can also be programmed to include
download of a Driver card inserted in the VU.
Pressing the relevant button starts the Download. Download
status is indicated by the 3 LEDs positioned by the buttons.
Initial Set Up
In order to operate successfully the Digidown requires an SD card
to be inserted into the slot in the end of the device. A suitable
ready-formatted SD card is supplied with the unit. When a
suitable memory card has been inserted into a Digidown and the
Digidown is connected to a VU it checks the card format and then
indicates that it is ready for use.
Insertion and removal of the SD card
When in use a suitable SD card must be inserted into the slot in
the bottom of the Digidown. To insert the card push it into the
slot in the end of the Digidown until it latches in place. To remove
the SD card from the Digidown (for instance in order to read it
using a different memory card reader) the protruding end of the
memory card should be pushed back into the Digidown. This will
release the SD card and it will spring out for easy removal. DO
NOT try to remove the latched memory card by pulling on the end
of the card.
1 Please contact your dealer to discuss the options available.

Download Process
Please note that for any download from a digital tachograph VU to
work a Company Workshop or Control card must first be inserted
in the VU and the vehicle ignition must be switched on.
Connect the Digidown to the 6-pin Download connector on the
front of the VU. Please note that Digidown should NOT be
connected to an analogue (chart-recording) tachograph.
On connection the Digidown will check the presence and format of
the SD card and then indicate that it is ready for operation by
blinking briefly each of the LEDs in turn. Pressing any of the
buttons will initiate the download indicated by the button’s label.
During download the LED by the button pressed will flash
repeatedly about twice each second. Successful completion will be
indicated by the LED blinking briefly about once every second.
Note that the download of data from a VU can take a considerable
time potentially in excess of 30 minutes. Downloading using
‘Latest VU’ can reduce the download time considerably.
NOTE: DO NOT disconnect the Digidown or remove the SD card
during a download. Doing so may cause file errors on the SD card.
Reading the SD card
The SD card can be read via the USB port on the Digidown. Once
connected to a PC via the USB port the Digidown will appear as a
standard removable disk drive2.
Alternatively data on the SD card can be read and/or copied by
removing the SD card from the Digidown and plugging it into a
separate SD card reader available from Lisle Design or from major
computer or camera shops.
LED status / Error indication
The LEDs are used to show the status of the download and any
error. The patterns used are:
Normal Operation:
Each of the LEDs blinking briefly in turn
Indicates power is on and Digidown is ready
2 The required driver software is included within Windows 2000 XP and Vista. For use with Windows
98 a driver software file is required. Please contact your dealer for more details.

Single LED flashing about twice per second
Indicates Digidown is busy performing download
Single LED blinking briefly about once every second
Indicates successful completion of download
‘All VU’ and ‘Card’ LEDs on
Indicates Digidown is in USB mode.
Error Conditions:
Each of the LEDs stepping smoothly from one to the next
Indicates that there is no SD card present.
With units prior to Serial No. 13000 SD card errors are also reported by
each of the LEDs stepping smoothly from one to the next.
All three LEDs flashing together
Indicates that there is a problem with the SD card
Single LED permanently on
Indicates download failure
Single LED on briefly (approx 3s)
Indicates button press while Digidown is busy
Suggested Actions on Error Condition
SD Card Error: Check card is correctly inserted
Check card Lock Switch is in the unlocked position
Check card is not full
Check card is formatted as FAT16
(Windows refers to this format as FAT)
Download Failure: Ensure that a Company Control or Workshop
card is inserted in the VU and that vehicle
ignition is switched on.
Retry download
Button Press Error: No action required - original download will
continue.
‘Download Fault 12’ When downloading data from some
SiemensVDO digital tachographs the message ‘Download Fault 12’
may occasionally be shown on the tachograph display. This can
safely be ignored. Allow the download to finish and then press
‘OK’ to cancel the error message.

Digidown Operating Instructions - Appendix
Choice of SD Memory Card
The Digidown will work successfully with most types of SD memory
card provided that they are formatted FAT16 (which Windows calls
‘FAT’). A few SD card types are unfortunately not suitable as they
do not conform fully to the SD card specification. Cards supplied
by Lisle Design are to be preferred as they have been selected for
optimum performance in this application.
Although 64Mbyte memory cards are supplied as standard by Lisle
Design (and this memory capacity is entirely adequate for this
application) larger capacity memory cards can also be used
provided that they are formatted FAT16.
SD Card Formatting
For any SD memory card to work with the Digidown it must be
formatted FAT16 (which Windows calls ‘FAT’).
When a newly formatted SD card is inserted into a Digidown or
Digidown Plus and the unit is connected to a VU the format of the
memory card is first checked. The Digidown then creates a
directory structure on the card.
Two top-level directories are created:
‘DIGIDOWN’ and
‘UPDATES’
‘Digidown’ has 2 sub-directories:
‘VU’ where VU downloads are stored and
‘CARD’ where driver card downloads are stored.
This process is automatic and generally takes just a few seconds.

SD Card directory structure
The downloaded data appears on the SD card in the ‘\digidown\vu’
or ‘\digidown\card’ directory depending on download type. Each
download is labelled vuxxxxxx.esm or cdxxxxxx.crd where xxxxxx
is a number starting at 000001 and increasing by 1 for each
download recorded on the SD card.
The Digidown Plus can also be programmed (unit serial numbers
13000 onwards) to name the files vuxxxxxx.ddd and cdxxxxxx.ddd
for use with software which only accepts ddd files. Whatever the
file names the contents of the downloaded files are exactly
according to the digital tachograph regulations.
Upgrade of the Digidown
The software within the Digidown can be upgraded when
appropriate without the need to return it to a dealer.
Similarly the programming of the ‘Latest VU’ button can be
updated without the need to return the Digidown to a dealer.
For more
information
please contact:
Lisle Design Ltd Technology Centre North Haugh St. Andrews KY16 9SR Scotland
Tel [phone] Fax [phone]
E-mail [email protected] Web www.lisledesign.com
Digidown Operating Instructions V1.7 © Lisle Design Ltd 2007 Subject to change without notice
If you need any support in using this device
please call us on 0115 920 6762