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Comparison of Inductive Modem Module (IMM), Surface Inductive Modem (SIM), and OEM Underwater Inductive Modem

The table below compares features:

	IMM (Inductive Modem Module)	SIM (Surface Inductive Modem)	OEM UIM (Underwater Inductive Modem) ⁽¹⁾
Deployment History (as of 2010)	4 year	12+ years	10+ years
Maximum Data Transmission Rate	1200 baud, 120 bytes/sec	1200 baud, 100 bytes/sec ⁽²⁾	1200 baud, 100 bytes/sec ⁽²⁾
Typical Power Consumption	1 mA at 12V	30 mA at 12V	15 mA at 12V
Physical Size	32 mm x 70 mm	100 mm x 150 mm	Varies
Additional Features	Includes wake-up tone detect capability Binary data support is standard feature Nonvolatile memory for configuration / data storage Detailed device specification	Allows additional wake-up tone detection board Available in direct cable connection (SIM-Direct) and coupled (SIM-Coupled) versions Limited future applications, will slow phase out of production	Limited future support New applications not supported
Typical Applications	New buoy controller designs OEM underwater instrumentation New moored profiler designs Miniature and low power applications Distributed acoustic arrays	Legacy support for existing buoy controller designs	Legacy support for existing moored profilers
*Notes:* ⁽¹⁾ The Underwater Inductive Modem is a component used by OEMs to integrate Sea-Bird's inductive modem technology with a third-party sensor. ⁽²⁾ The SIM and UIM have a delay between adjacent bytes, resulting in only 100 bytes/second transmission instead of 120 bytes/second.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / LINKS:

Documentation -- manual, photos, technical papers, application notes, etc.

IM system specification sheets:
- Inductive Cable Coupler (ICC)
- Surface Inductive Modem (SIM)
- Inductive Modem Module (IMM)
Real-Time Oceanography with Inductive Moorings --
Technical paper provides background information inductive modems, principles of inductive coupling, mooring configurations, use in fresh water, system components, mooring cable and cable fitting resources, and OEM components available from Sea-Bird.
Typical IM Mooring Components

Links to Other Instruments of Interest

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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