eCarillon runs on Windows and requires the machine to be running and fully logged in to function. Therefore, power outages and unplanned reboots can really put a damper on your bell system. Luckily there are some things you can do to limit your exposure to these situations and hopefully avoid any hiccups at all.
Power Outages
In terms of handling power outages there are a few options and it really depends on your equipment and needs. I will start with the easiest/basic and go from there.
Option 1
The first option would be to use a laptop. Obviously laptops have batteries and for most temporary outages, this would allow the computer to keep running until power was restored. The risk is that the outage lasts longer than the battery (usually at least several hours) or the amp powers back up in the middle of an event so the sound comes back in abruptly. The latter is possible but unlikely and depending on your viewpoint, probably not a deal breaker.
Option 2
The second option would be to use a desktop that has the BIOS option to restart on power. This setting available in most modern desktops and allows the computer to automatically start back up when power comes back. So in the event of an outage, the PC would go off and when power is restored, the PC would automatically come back on. This would not have the same risk of music coming back on mid-event but the machine will definitely go off even for brief outages. See more on this setting here
Option 3
The last option would be to combine the settings in option 2 with the use a UPS device for your computer. The UPS is basically a battery that powers your computer even when the power is off. You can buy various sizes depending on how much power and/or uptime is required. In some ways it makes your desktop function like a laptop during a power outage. Keep in mind that a UPS could also be used in option 1 to make it even more long lasting.
Other Considerations
Keep in mind, for all of the above options, just because the computer is on doesn't mean the speaker amplifier is. Unless you have backup power to the amplifier, the music will not actually play even though the PC remains on. However, these steps will more likely ensure that your eCarillon PC will return to normal operation unattended without the need for someone to visit the machine and get it going again.
Rebooting
Finally, if your computer restarts either because of a power outage or just because, you will have to ensure 2 things to guarantee that eCarillon gets back up and running without a hitch (assuming you aren't there to help).
- eCarillon must be part of your startup (as is the default setting when installing eCarillon)
- Your computer will have to be able to start and automatically login to Windows. See this article for instructions on how to set this up in Windows. Auto login to Windows