DTP41: Unsupported USB to RS232 Adapter

USB2.0 to RS232 converter P/N: ZX-U03-2A
This made in China adapter uses Prolific driver.
Unfortunately it cannot be connected to DTP41 with either ColorPort or ToolCrib.

U209-000-R

This is another portable USB to Serial Adapter that does not required external power.

For Windows users there is no functional difference between U209-000-R and USA-19HS. This converter, however, is not for Mac users as it does not come with the driver to support Mac OS.

I tested this adapter on Asus EeePC 1215B that is running Windows 7 Home premium and does not equip with a serial port . Windows 7 has the built-in supporting driver and it is thus truly plug and play when connecting to this device. Be aware that ColorPort only supports DTP41 with serial option connecting to either com1 or com2. As for ToolCrib5.14, DTP41 works flawlessly for serial port assignment from com1 thr' com9. For reliable connectivity, only install the adapter to one of the USB port, assign it as com1, and always use the same port for connecting to DTP41.

This is my preferred adapter due to its compactness and its direct cable connection to USB port.

U209-000-R Driver [ download ], not required for PC running Windows 7.
for Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista 32-Bit & 64-bit

USA-19HS

USA-19HS Keyspan High-Speed USB to Serial Adapter

.  Works with Windows and Mac OS
.  Connects RS-232/DB9 (male) to USB Type A (male)
.  No external power source required
.  Compatible with Windows 98, 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP 32- and 64-bit,
    2003 Server 32- and 64-bit, Vista 32- and 64-bit, and 7 32- and 64-bit
.  Plug and play for Windows 7

Drivers download
xp and vista driver

112 Test Chart for Canon SELPHY CP800 4R

The actual  4R print size for CP800 dyesub printer is 3.90"x5.45". The optimal number of patches that  can be accommodated is 112, arranging in 14x8 matrix.

Optimal Layout for CP800 4R print size
112 patches could be placed with the following configuration, unit used is mm.

DefaultPatchWidth="10"
DefaultPatchHeight="7"
DefaultGapWidth=".1"
DefaultGapHeight="2"
DefaultHeaderLength="5"
DefaultTrailerLength="0"

Retrieving a Monaco Session with CP2

Restoring a Monaco session into CGATS format for PM5

Monaco session saves the colorimetric data in Lab values only, no spectral data was saved. Following procedure helps to recover the previously measured Lab values to CGATS file.

1. Open ColorPort2, go to Measure Target menu and select the appropriate target to be restored. Drag&drop the saved Monaco session data into CP2.

2. Save data in CGATS.
Do not save with PM5 option. The reason being that PM5 option saves both rgb and spectral data. The RGB data cannot be used for printer profiling.
CGATS option in CP2 saves data in RGB, Lab as well as spectral reflectance. Remember to select spectral value scale 0-100 as that is the default for PM5.
The spectral fields for both output options are null.

3. Open the saved file with a notepad editor. Delete the spectral field header, row count is optional, others untouched. Refer to the illustration for clarity.






4. Open PM5 ProfileMaker, assign the corresponding reference data and drag&drop the edited file. You are now ready to proceed to generate the icc profile.

WHITE Reference comparison

                 Lab                CIEDE2000
Reference data   93.99/-0.50/-1.43  0.00 (as reference)

Dtp41a-xrite     94.03/-0.47/-1.44  0.04
Dtp41b-xrite     93.95/-0.51/-1.40  0.04
Dtp41c-xrite     94.04/-0.49/-1.42  0.04
Dtp41d-xrite     94.03/-0.48/-1.42  0.04

Dtp41a-xrga      94.02/-0.58/-1.56  0.17
Dtp41b-xrga      93.94/-0.62/-1.52  0.19
Dtp41c-xrga      94.04/-0.60/-1.54  0.18
Dtp41d-xrga      94.03/-0.59/-1.54  0.17

938-xrga         93.58/-0.62/-1.18  0.39
938-xrite        93.58/-0.52/-1.06  0.43
938-cp154        93.65/-0.53/-1.07  0.40 

I1pro-xrga       93.87/-0.72/-1.35  0.33
I1pro-xrite      93.88/-0.61/-1.24  0.25
I1pro-cp154      93.99/-0.75/-1.37  0.36 == -GretagMacbeth

Notes:
1) Reference data: calibration strip white reference from x-rite.
2) -cp154: data measured with Colorport 1.5.4
3) -cp20:  unspecified data were measured with ColorPort 2.0
   -xrga:  output with option xrga
   -xrite: output with option x-rite
4) All 4 dtp41s were married with the same reference data
5) Reference strip was certified on 05-Jun-2010.

Comparing an aged cal_strip with a new cal_strip

--- Aged cal_strip       --- New cal_strip
It is not surprising to observe that ΔE2000 difference for the White Reference between the aged and new calibration strips is higher than 2.

How to examine a dtp41's Calibration Strip?

Required software and accessories:
a)  Install ColorPort. The latest version is 2.0.5 , can be downloaded [ here ].
b) You need a software tool that can compare spectrum data, e.g. PatchTool from babelColor
c) Though not essential, preferably to have a alternative spectrometer such as i1pro.

Step 1: Install ColorPort

Step 2: Create a strip definition template for reading the calibration strip.
[ download  ]  025.DTP41_cal-for_calibration_strip.xml
                     DTP41_calibration-strip.tab
For windows xp3, the file 025.DTP41_cal-for_calibration_strip.xml is to be copied to the installed directory C:\Program Files\X-rite\ColorPort 2.0\Resources\configurations\PatchTemplate.

Whereas DTP41_calibration-strip.tab is to be copied to the following  folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\login_user_name\My Documents\ColorPort_Resources\custom\rgb
where ColorPort_Resources\custom\rgb is in My documents folder.

Step3: Start up ColorPort and create the custom calibration target

Now select the Measurement device and Patch Set as shown. If they are unavailable for selection, check that the 2 downloaded files are setup correctly. Next, select A4 size and proceed to create a template for reading in the strip. Save the target with the default name and by default it will be saved in tiff format.

Step 4: Reading the Calibration Strip
Click on the measurement tab, select the saved target and connect to dtp41.
Calibrate the instrument as per usual.
After calibration, feed the calibration strip again and press the button on the dtp41 to read the strip data.
Saved  the data in either in cgats or pm5, both formats can be read by PatchTool.

Repeat  the above if you want to read the strip data with i1pro. Select Patch mode ....

Step 5: Proceed to compare the collected strip data with PatchTool.
            Comparing an aged cal_strip with a new cal_strip

Fine tune ColorPort 2.0 installation in Windows XP3

1) Windows crashes when it is trying to run xritelegacyd.exe during booting up
     This file could be safely opted out with any registry editor that can modify the start-up menu.

2) To disable detection of  i1isi deive that is unavailable in your system   
    Go to C:\Program Files\X-rite\Devices\Services and rename the folder i1ISIS to i1ISISxxx.

3) To release i1 device for other applications
    Go to X-Rite Device Services in control panel, disconnect the required i1 device.

120-patch Layout -- 6"x4" (4R size)

Optimal Layout for 6"x4" size
120 patches could be placed in a single 4R photo paper with the following configuration, unit used is mm.
DefaultPatchWidth="11"
DefaultPatchHeight="7"

DefaultGapWidth=".1"

DefaultGapHeight="2"

DefaultHeaderLength="5" 
DefaultTrailerLength="3"

 

Monaco Profiler 1728-Patch Layout - A4 size

Monaco 1728 targets in 4x A4

DefaultPatchWidth="10"
DefaultPatchHeight="7.5"
DefaultGapWidth=".25"
DefaultGapHeight="1.25"
DefaultHeaderLength="32.4" 

DefaultTrailerLength="32.4"

Practical Patch Layout Example - 468-patch

Optimal Layout for A4 size
468 patches could be placed in a single A4 paper with the following configuration, unit used is mm.
DefaultPatchWidth="10"
DefaultPatchHeight="7.25"
DefaultGapWidth="0.1"
DefaultGapHeight="1"
DefaultHeaderLength="32.5"  (Black starter patch to edge-of-paper = 38mm)
DefaultTrailerLength="20.0"

Firmware Updates

Firmware updates are shipped as ".s19" data files. Remember that you should not load your instrument with a firmware version that is older than the instrument’s current version. Date coding of firmware 8212 refers to 8 being 1998, the next 2 is February, and the next 12 is the day of the month. To check your instrument’s firmware version, launch the X-Rite® ToolCrib application (located in the Misc Tools folder) and select Setup from the Tools menu. The Setup Tool window displays your instrument’s firmware version along with other instrument related information.

To update your instrument’s firmware, follow these steps:
1. Connect your DTP41 to a serial port on your Macintosh or Windows machine.
2. Run the X-Rite® ToolCrib application located in the Misc Tools folder and select the appropriate serial port.
3. Select Firmware Loader from the Tools menu.

4. Click Select File. From the Open File dialog, choose the “.s19” file contained in this directory.
5. Click Load to begin the update. DO NOT attempt to do anything else with your PC while the firmware is loading. Some applications can interrupt the load process causing the update to fail.
6. Calibrate your instrument.

Update is unsuccessful...
If the firmware download failed and your instrument’s LED is green, your instrument is OK.
This means that the failure occurred before the update started or after it was finished. If your instrument’s LED is red, you must attempt the update again, without unplugging the instrument, just restart the application.
DO NOT unplug the instrument when the red LED is on . The LED will turn green when complete.

Latest firmware versions
1) DTP41 series I: dtp41vD421.s19 (firmware dated 2004-04-21)
2) DTP41 series II: dtp41vD422.s19 (firmware dated 2004-04-22)
[ download ] This Link was renewed on 2015-05-22

Left: DTP41 series II                                       Right: DTP41

ToolCrib for Windows & Mac OSX, version: 5.0.14, released date: 2007-02-07
 PC version
 Mac version

Last Partial Column Won't Measure

Last Partial Column Won't Measure in Profiler or ColorPort

It happens when the last column is incompletely filled.
Problem was encountered when reading the last column of patches with ColorPort and a DTP41. The symptom is that the DTP41 will stop pulling the strip through a couple inches past the last patch in the column. The instrument LED will flash green rapidly to signal an error and no data will be transferred to ColorPort software.

The error occurs because the instrument did not receive the updated strip definition for the last column. This can happen if the user starts to measure the last column before ColorPort has received all the data from the previous strip. Since the software is still receiving measurement data, it cannot tell the instrument that the next column is shorter than the previous ones.

The fix for this problem is to select one of the full length columns in the left pane of the ColorPort data capture window and then select the last column. This will prompt the software to transmit the updated strip definition to the DTP41 and the user will then be able to measure the last column. You may have to try a few times in order to read the partial column successfully. The same issue would occur with a DTP45.

Resetting an X-rite DTP41

1) Method I : without software
There are two ways to do the resetting with this method.

POWER UP RESET
This procedure resets the instrument to it's power-up defaults as last set by either the factory, or a third party package of software.

Plug in the instrument.
Press and hold the black measure button until the LED glows RED.

Release the button.

Press the button again (This must be done within ten seconds of step 3, or the instrument will return to the ready to measure mode, without resetting).

FULL FACTORY RESET

This will reset the instrument to the default settings for both measurement modes and communications.

Unplug the instrument from power.
Press and hold the black measure button.
While holding the button, plug the instrument back in. The light will turn RED.
Release the button. The light will turn green. The instrument is now returned to factory default settings.

2) Method II: with ToolCrib

Alternatively, the ToolCrib software allows the flexibility to perform a reset to its power up default state or return the device to its Factory Default status. Once the instrument is connected to the software simply click the desired reset options.

Instrument LED Indicator

The LED indicates a variety of instrument operation conditions, such as calibration mode, and operation. Below is a complete list of all conditions reported by the LED.

Operation Mode (Green Light)

• Solid Green Light—self test passed and instrument is ready for use with defined strip.

• Slow Flashing Green Light—strip reading in progress (strip being read).

• Fast Flashing Green Light—strip reading attempted but the wrong strip was inserted, or strip skewed during reading.

Calibration Mode (Yellow Light)

• Solid Yellow Light—instrument calibration was entered, ready to start calibration with next button press.

• Slow Flashing Yellow Light—instrument calibration in progress (strip being read).

• Solid Green Light after Yellow Light—instrument calibration was successful and instrument is ready for use.

• Fast Flashing Yellow Light—instrument calibration failed, re-read calibration strip. If error persists, clean instrument and calibration strip (see Section Three). If error still persists, contact your Service epresentative.

Error/Reset Mode (Red Light)

• Solid Red Light—and error was detected, the self test failed. Verify correct power supply is used. Turn power off, reapply power and see if condition is corrected; if not, contact Service Representative.

• Solid Green or Yellow changing to Red—an instrument reset is in progress. To initiate a reset, press and hold the button, the LED changes from Green or Yellow to Red. While the LED is Red, press button again (within 10 seconds). The LED changes to Green and the reset is performed, reinstating the factory defaults. If the second button press is not performed when the LED is Red, the instrument will time-out, causing the LED to change to Green and the reset to be aborted.

DTP41/T Will Not Calibrate

[link] Many people have been unable to calibrate the DTP41/T because the sliding block on the bottom of the instrument was not in the proper position. To be successfully calibrated the block must be positioned so that the transmission lamp is located below the instrument optics.

When looking at the bottom of the instrument you will see two slots which allow access to this block. The slot on the left is identified with the letters BL and an arrow pointing to the right, the slot on the right is identified with a T/W and an arrow pointing to he left. The block must be positioned so that the slot on the right is open, you should be able to clearly see the block in the left hand slot.

The block should be in this position for calibration no matter whether you are going to use the instrument for reflection readings or for transmission readings.

Above graphic shows the correct block position on the DTP41/T for calibration. Notice that the block can be seen through the left hand slot.

Problems Reading Strips

[link] If you are having problems with every row, it may be a Strip Definition issue. Print drivers can rescale an image, without you even knowing it. To verify this, measure your patches from the top of a single patch to the bottom of a single patch, in the scanning direction, in millimeters. Measure the dividers in millimeters in the scanning direction. Verify the number of patches in a single row. You may want to write these numbers down for reference later. In Toolcrib, try reading in a strip in the Terminal window by simply placing a target into the instrument and pushing the button on the top of the instrument. A successful read will show a [00] in the window after reading. If you are getting any other reading, such as [27], that would be an unsuccessful read. After reading in, if you are getting an unsuccessful read, go into the Setup window in Toolcrib and go to the Strip Definition tab. Look at the numbers listed in there for patch measurements, divider measurements and number of patches in a row. If the numbers don't match the numbers you measured earlier, this means your print driver is rescaling the image (shrinking or stretching it).

If you can read a different row, it may be a dividers issue. If any of the patches might be dark or light compared to the divider (close in density) between the patch above and below the dividers. The instrument's requirements are that there must be at least a 0.5 Density difference between the patch above, the divider and the patch below. If light or dark, you can fill them in with white correction fluid, or a black marker, depending on the issue. This should solve your problem.

If not reading any rows on any sheets, check the measurements of the lead edge of the sheet. It must be 1 ½ inches on the lead edge of the sheet to the top of the first patch.

DTP41-100-KIT

DTP41 - "Lost Color Reflection Reference"

Although the Calibration Strips were matched up with the DTP41 units in production, they can be replaced in the field if lost or damaged. The part number for ordering a replacement kit is listed below.

DTP41-100-KIT inclues:
a) DTP41-100
b) Cal Reference Update & ToolCrib Disc
c) Update Instructions

Re-certification [link]
It has been suggested by x-rite that the device is to be inspected and re-certified after 12 months of actual use.

Do take note that the update calibration reference in ToolCrib does not actually marry the reference to the device. If the measurement difference is abnormally higher than some known reference patches, it may be time to send in the unit  for factory re-certification.

White Reference
Followings were White Reference data collected with 4 certified dtp41s, results were also compared to x-rite 938 and i1pro.

                      Lab            CIEDE2000
Reference data  93.99/-0.50/-1.43    0.00 (as comparison reference)

Dtp41a-xrite    94.03/-0.47/-1.44    0.04
Dtp41b-xrite    93.95/-0.51/-1.40    0.04
Dtp41c-xrite    94.04/-0.49/-1.42    0.04
Dtp41d-xrite    94.03/-0.48/-1.42    0.04

938-xrga        93.58/-0.62/-1.18    0.39
938-xrite       93.58/-0.52/-1.06    0.43

I1pro-xrga      93.87/-0.72/-1.35    0.33
I1pro-xrite     93.88/-0.61/-1.24    0.25
I1pro-cp154     93.99/-0.75/-1.37    0.36 == -GretagMacbeth

Where to order:
1) Colour Confidence DTP41 replacement calibration strip
2) http://www.cancomuk.com/  [link]
3) ISO-Colour

Calibrating DTP41

Calibrating the X-Rite DTP41
All spectrophotometers require periodic calibration to ensure accurate measurements. The DTP41 is designed to ask for calibration every 24hrs of power-up time. In addition, many software applications will require calibration at the start of the program. To manually force an instrument calibration proceed as follows:

Begin by locating the Color Reflection Reference (P/N DTP41-100). It is located in a protective envelope. This is a calibrated and certified media NOTE: Each reference for a DTP41 has a serial number, and is to be used only with the instrument it came with!

Apply power to the Spectrophotometer

Insert the calibration strip, so that the black and colored squares line up with the mark on the face of the instrument. Insert until it touches the back rollers, this is approximately three inches.

Push and hold the black button, until the light turns solid yellow; release the button.

Press the black button again (a second time). The instrument LED will begin to flash yellow. The motor starts, but the strip does not move - THIS IS NORMAL.

The LED will flash green and then begin to flash yellow again. In approximately one second the calibration reference should begin to be pulled through.

If calibration is performed successfully, the light will return to green. If the calibration failed, the light will begin flashing yellow rapidly. If the calibration fails, wait for the error to time out: try to calibrate again.

After a successful calibration - return the Color Reflection Reference strip to its protective envelope

DTP41 Strip Definition

Strip definition & how to read a custom strip  [x-rite link]

The DTP41 is an accurate, powerful, fast strip reading spectrophotometer. The only problem with such a powerful tool, is that users often find that they'd like to do more with it than can be done with the software they use with it every day. A frequent call to the applications desk is "how do I do X with my DTP41?" Below we will outline the basic steps to use to retrieve data from the DTP41 using the supplied ToolCrib software. To illustrate this we will use the calibration strip as the strip to read from. You can design your own strip if you want, following some simple guidelines also outlined below.

Designing the Strip
There are several elements in any successful strip design, all of which can be seen in the calibration reference supplied with the DTP41. The minimum recommended patch size is 7mm in the direction of travel and 13mm wide, this allows for easy positioning of the strip in the reader. Each patch is delineated by a gap, or divider which is .5D in shift from the patches on either side. The most common gap colors are thus white, 50% gray and black. While the minimum gap size is only .5mm it is strongly recommended that you use a larger gap, which allows for more variation in the printed output, here we use the standard recommended size of 2mm. The above elements seem relatively obvious, but their are two other pieces that are also important for a successful strip design: The leader and trailer. The leader is defined as the material before the first patch. The DTP41 requires a minimum of a 1.5 inch leader, with at least .5 inch of clean base before the first patch. The trailer length is defined as at least the width of two patches plus two separators. In the above design, the minimum trailer is then 7mm+2mm+7mm+2mm=18mm. This is very important almost every day we get a call from a distraught user who was a bit to tight with the scissors!
        Minimum requirement
   Patch size: 7mm x 13 mm
   Divider:    0.5mm
   Leader:     1.5 inch
   Trailer:    15 mm
     
Defining the Strip
Just like you need a road map to know where you are, the DTP41 requires a "roadmap" of the strip you want it to read. This roadmap is the strip definition (the DS command) which consists of 5 distinct parts for a reflection strip and 6 parts for a transmission strip.

Looking at the chart above one can then see that the strip definition for the Calibration reference above is 0111000020008DS. If this were a transmission strip we would use the same definition with the addition of the trailer length 01107000200080016DS. But what do you do with this definition? Lets look at ToolCrib:

ToolCrib
ToolCrib is a utility program that ships with every DTP41. There is a version for the Windows platform and the Macintosh platform. This contains a simple setup tool, as well as a dedicated terminal (communications) window. When you first start ToolCrib you will be asked to select the instrument and serial port. After a successful connection you are presented with a blank window. Go to the menu bar and Select Tools>Setup. The Setup window is divided into two sections: The left window is dynamic and allows you to set certain parameters of your instrument. Most likely the only two things you will want to change here will be data type, and whether you are reading in reflective or transmission mode. The Right window reveals certain things about your instrument including the firmware installed and the boot version of firmware. After setting the data type you want, you will once again use the Tools menu to select the Terminal tool.

The Terminal tool is where we send commands to the instrument and it sends back data along with status codes that allow it to speak to you. This is the window where we will enter our strip definition. Before we do this, lets verify that the instrument is talking correctly, and contains no errors. Type: sv [return] This should return the instrument type and the firmware followed by a <00> "I'm okay" status code. Any other code should be cleared with the xe [return] command. This will list all errors and clear them. Now use the the strip definition from above: 0111000020008DS [return]. You might also want to set a configuration switch to auto-transmit the data after you read a strip. This can be done using the 0105cf [return] switch.

Let's Try it!
After selecting the data type you want in the Setup menu and entering your strip definition in the Terminal window you are ready to read the strip! With the terminal window insert the cal reference until it hits the back rollers, centering the patches under the two lines on the front of the DTP41. Push the black pushbutton. After a second or so the strip should be pulled through the instrument. Assuming that the light returned directly to green, you should see data in the terminal window if you used the 0105cf [return] switch. If you didn't turn auto-transmit on, use the ts [return] command to transmit the strip data. Now try it with your own strip, just make sure you follow the rules stated above and you can easily read any DTP41 compatible strip into ToolCrib.

Configuration Commands for DTP41

Configuration settings:
The convention used for configuration settings is: switch setting, switch, CF -return- (with no comma separators). All settings that are denoted with an asterisk* are factory default of the instrument. Commands are case insensitive.
Syntax: **##cf
              where  ** is the switch setting or option selection
                          ## is the switch or index to the item to be configured
Examples
                0105CF <return> would turn autotransmit on
                040ACF <return> would set output precision to 4 decimal places.

Switch Name and Switch Setting
00 Language
  00 - English*
01 Beeper Tone
  00 - off
  01 - soft
  02 - medium
  03 - loud*
04 RS232 Handshaking
  00 - off*
  01 - cts
  02 - busy
  03 - xon
05 Auto transmit
  00 - off*
  01 - on
06 Decimal point
  00 - off
  01 - on*
07 Response data separator modes
  00- space
  01 - comma*
  02 - tab
  03 - carriage return
  04 - carriage return & line feed
  05 - line feed
08 Response delimiter in RCI mode (see 12CF)
  00 - carriage return
  01 - carriage return & line feed*
  02 - line feed
09 Echo settings
  00 - off*
  01 - on
0A Decimal Precision
  00 - .
  01 - .0
  02 - .00*
  03 - .000
  04 - .0000
  05 - .00000
0C Min/Max mode
   00 - off*
   01 - on
0D Persistent error
   00 - off*
   01 - on
0F Show data labels
  00 - off*
  01 - on
10 Emulation mode
   00 - factory default (???)
11 Drive motor calibration at power up
  00 - off*
  01 - on
12 RS-232 Protocol modes
  00 - RCI*
  01 - ICP
13 Measurement modes
  00 - Static measurement mode
  01 - Dynamic measurement mode*
14 Number of samples to average per static reading
  0x01*
  .
  .
  0xff
15 Number of readings taken in static measurement
  0x01*
  .
  .
  0xff
16 Illuminant/Observer types
  00 - A_2
  01 - A_10
  02 - C_2
  03 - C10
  04 - D50_2*
  05 - D50_10
  06 - D65_2
  07 - D65_10
  08 - F2_2
  09 - F2_10
  0A - F7_2
  0B - F7_10
  0C - F11_2
  0D - F11_10
  0E - F12_2
  0F - F12_10
  -------------
  10 - D75_2 (added after firmware v8212)
  11 - D75_10 (added after firmware v8212)
  12 - D55_2 (added after firmware v8212)
  13- D55_10 (added after firmware v8212)
17 Density status types
  00 - Status_A
  01 - Status_E
  02 - Status_I
  03 - Status_T*
  04 - Spectral
  ------------
  05 - Spectral_X (added after firmware v8212)
  06 - Status_HIFI (VCMYRGBO) (added after firmware v8212)
  08 - Status_Tx (added after firmware v8212)
  09 - Status_Ax (reflectance) (added after firmware v8212)
  0A - Status_Ex (added after firmware v8212)
  0B - Status_G (added after firmware v8212)
  0C - Status_M (added after firmware v8212)
  0D - Status_Axt (transmission) (added after firmware v8212)
  0E - Status_Mx (added after firmware v8212)
Note:  Status responses with the sub-x option are responses with correction factors entered to more closely match the existing population of filtered densitometers. Status responses without the sub-x option correspond directly to the ANSI definitions.
18 Data Output types
  00 - Density
  01 - Plus Dot
  02 - Minus Dot
  03 - Reflectance*
  04 - Lab
  05 - XYZ
  06 - Yxy
  07 - xyY
  08 - LCh
  09 - Density (VCMYRGBO)
19 Instrument mode (added after firmware v8212)
  00 - Reflectance*
  01 - Transmission
1E Reflect calibration timeout
   18 - set it to 24 hours
1F Trailer timout
   02 - set it to 2 seconds
20 Transmission calibration timeout
   18 - set it to 24 hours
21 unknown
   00
   01*
22 unknown
   00
   01*
  
Operation Commands
CM Calibrate Drive motor
CR Calibrate Reflectance
  This executes reflection calibration using the supplied calibration reference
CU Calibrate Unit (added after firmware v8212)
  This enters the CR, CM and, if transmission mode is present CT
DM Drive Motor - turns on/off the drive motor
  02 DM returns current motor speed
  1.20DM will set the motor to the default motor speed
RI Reset Instrument to its power - up state
RM Request Measurement Initiates the measurement process
SV or V Send Version returns the model and firmware version
XE Clear and transmit errors

Undocumented Commands
note: use it at own risk as they may affect normal operation of dtp41
CE  Clear errors in the error memory stack
CL  unconfirmed (calibration learn mode: test white reference???)
CT  Transmission calibration for dtp41t only  [ Link ]
        00CT  white calibration
        01CT  black calibration
00SN return the instrument serial number
04SN return calibration strip serial number
05SN return 000000
00CR static calibration Black reference, to be confirmed
01CR static calibration White reference, to be confirmed
00DS or DS return 0300700005008
01DS return 0070700010080023
BR  return present baud rate
MP  ???
00PB  disable keypress switch
01PB  enable keypress switch

Error Codes
All errors are displayed in a <xx> format where the xx is equivalent to two numbers, or a number followed by a letter. If instead the error comes back like <Ax> (capitol letter followed by a number) this indicates a compound error. Use the XE command to list the individual errors and clear the error stack.

00 = NO ERROR
01 = MEASUREMENT STATUS -Measurement complete
02 = CALIBRATION STATUS -Calibration complete
03 = KEYPRESSED STATUS -A Key was pressed
04 = DEFAULTS LOADED STATUS
11 = BAD COMMAND -Command is unrecognized
12 = BAD PARAMETERS -One or more parameters missing or too many parameters given
13 = PRM RANGE ERROR -One or more of the parameters is out of range
14 = BUSY -Instrument is currently busy command ignored
15 = USER ABORT ERROR
20 = MEASUREMENT ERROR -General measurement error
21 = TIMEOUT
22 = BAD STRIP
23 = BAD COLOR
24 = BAD STEP
25 = BAD PASS
26 = BAD PATCHES
27 = BAD READING
28 = NEEDS CAL ERROR -Instrument requires a new calibration error
29 = CAL FAILURE ERROR -Calibration failed
30 = INSTRUMENT ERROR -General internal instrument error
31 = LAMP ERROR
32 = FILTER ERROR
33 = FILTER MOTOR ERROR
34 = DRIVE MOTOR ERROR
35 = KEYPAD ERROR
36 = DISPLAY ERROR
37 = MEMORY ERROR
38 = ADC ERROR
39 = PROCESSOR ERROR
3C = INPUT POWER ERROR
3D = TEMPERATURE ERROR
3F = TRANSMISSION LAMP ERROR

About DTP41T   [  Link  ]

Spot Reading

Step by step proceduce for spot read measurement:-
1) Start the ToolCrib software.
2) Select the DTP41 instrument and the serial port it is connected to.
3) Under the Tools menu select Setup.
4) Select the type of response (ie: Status T, Status E, Lab, etc.) you wish to use.
5) Close the Setup window.
6) Under the Tools menu select Terminal.
In the following series of commands <return> means to tuse your “return” key after each comand.
7) Type 0105cf <return> (This sets the instrument into auto transmit mode)
8) Type 0013cf <return> (this sets the instrument into static read mode.
9) Type 0214cf <return> (this sets the insturment to average two reads of the same spot)
10) Type 0115cf <return> (this will send back reading for the button push)
11) Type 030acf <return> (this will set three decimal place precision)
12) Cut out the template on page two, be careful to follow the instructions precisely.
13) Sandwich the the area to be read between the upper and lower sheets of paper.
14) Insert the template and sample into the instrument. This is most easily accomplished by slightly lifting the top of the instrument and sliding the template and sample in from the side.
15) Press the read button on the instrument, the selected response will appear in the terminal window.

DTP41 Static Reading Template [ download ]

Specifications of DTP41

Fast, Affordable, Versatile, Accurate Measurement Solution

DTP41 is a strip reading spectrometer that measures color with spectral technology. Whether your need is for color calibration, color process control or color management, the DTP41 autoscan spectrophotometer gives precise color measurements.

The DTP41 offers a UV model to help deal with fluorescent paper brighteners commonly found in proofing papers. Reducing the fluorescent effect from the brighteners, the UV model will assure accurate color measurement on these media.The transmission model, DTP41T, offers dual reflection and transmission capability which is an extremely versatile tool for a variety of applications including photo transparencies, research and testing.

Specifications

Measuring Geometry
  Reflection 45°/0° per ANSI/ISO 5-4 (IT2.17)
  Transmission 180°/0° (DTP41/T model) per ANSI/ISO 5-2 (IT2.19)
Spot Size At Sample
  1.8mm (.070 in) in scan direction x 2.5mm (.097 in) wide
Light Source
  Gas Pressure @ 2850°K
Spectral Sensor
  DRS Technology, 24 point engine, 31 point reporting
Spectral Range
  400nm to 700nm
Illuminant Types
  A, C, D50, D55, D65, D75, F2, F7, F11 & F12
Standard Observers
  2° & 10°
Density Responses
  Status T, E, I, & A (plus Status M on DTP41/T model)
Measurement Time
  Approx. 0.25 sec/patch (7mm patch)

Reflection Measurement (DTP41 & DTP41/T)
Inter-Instrument Agreement
  0.3 ÆE cmc avg. typical
 (avg. based on 12 BCRA tiles)
Measurement Range
  0.00D to 2.50D; 0 to 160% R (reflection)
Repeatability On White
  0.2 ÆE max.; ±0.01D max
Linearity
  ± .01D or 1%

Transmission Measurement (DTP41/T)
Inter-Instrument Agreement
  0.02D or 2% typical, 0 to 3.0D
Measurement Range
  0.00D to 5.00D; 0 to 110% T (transmission)
Repeatability
  ± 0.01D or 1%, 0 to 3.5D (visual)
Media Thickness
  0.08mm (0.003 in) to 0.6mm (.025 in) for optimum scanning
Maximum Length Of Sheet
  1400mm (55 in) (scanning direction)
Measuring Location (From Edge)
  Columns of patches must fall within 100mm (4 in)
  insert-able area on standard model, and within 225mm (9 in)
  insert-able area on DTP41W9 model. Built-in guide for 35mm film
Minimum Patch Dimensions
  7.0mm (.28 in) high in scan direction
  12mm (.47 in) width recommended
Patch Quantities
  1 minimum, 100 maximum per pass
Recommended Leader Length
  38mm (1.5 in)
Minimum Footer Length
  Greater of 30mm or 2 patch + 2 gap heights
Data Interface
  RS-232 serial interface with baud rates from 1200 to 57.6k
  communication USB

Power Required
  12v DC, Universal 100–240 VAC;
  50–60 Hz adapter; 30W
Calibration
  Calibration strips as needed
Environmental
  +10° (50°F) to +40°C (104°F) operating
  30% to 85% RH non condensing
Warm-up Time
  None
Physical Dimensions
  Height: 88mm (3.45 in)
  Width: 184mm (7.25 in)
  Depth: 114mm (4.5 in)
Weight
  890g (1.96 lb), DTP41/T 1090g (2.40 lb)
Accessories Provided
  Calibration Reference
  Interface Cable: DB9 RS-232 and/or USB
  AC Adapter

Link to x-rite for related information.
dtp41 pdf manual download