SNAP Controller and Brain Comparison

Opto 22 SNAP PAC controllers and SNAP PAC brains serve some of the same functions in your SNAP PAC System, but they also differ.
This chart compares the features of the latest PACs and brains, with minimum firmware version R10.0 and PAC Project R10.0.
Note that due to unavailable essential parts, SNAP PAC brains are obsolete as of 2022. Use R-series PACs instead.
For more details, see the PDF, SNAP PAC Controller & Brain Comparison Chart.

  Software Standalone PACs Rack-mounted PACs Ethernet Brains (Obsolete) Serial Brains
(Obsolete)
Feature SoftPAC SNAP-PAC-S1 SNAP-PAC-S2 SNAP-PAC-R1 SNAP-PAC-R2 SNAP-PAC-EB1 SNAP-PAC-EB2 SNAP-PAC-SB1 SNAP-PAC-SB2
Runs PAC Control strategies x x x x x        
Max PAC Control charts running at once 64 32 32 16 16        
   Communication
Two independent Ethernet network interfaces (two IP addresses) a x x x x        
Two switched Ethernet network interfaces (one IP address) for multi-drop           x x    
Total number of RS-232 serial ports b 2 4c 1 1 0 0 0 0
Total number of RS-485 serial ports b 1 4c 0 0 0 0 1 1
   Protocols
EtherNet/IP (Allen-Bradley RSLogix systems, others)   x x x x x x    
Modbus/TCP (slave)d   x x x x x x    
OPC driver support x x x x x x x xe xe
RESTful API   x x x x        
HTTP/HTTPS   x x x x        
OptoMMP memory-mapped protocol xf x x x x x x x x
SNMP   x x x x x x    
FTP server, file system   x x x x x x    
FTP client x x x x x        
SMTP (email client, authentication, attachments x x x x x        
  General  
SNAP-PAC nodes for Node-RED; RESTful API   x x x x        
Direct access to hard drive, network drives (Dropbox, etc.) x                
Realtime clock a x x x x x x x x
Backup battery (recharges when device has power)   x x x x x x x x
Physical RAM (MB)
RAM available for PAC Control strategy (MB)
Battery-backed RAM (MB)
Flash memory (MB)
-a
64
8
-g
32
16
8
16
32
16
8
16
16
4
2
​8
16
4
2
​8
16
--
--
8
16
--
--
8
16
--
--
8
16
--
--
8
Removable data storage (microSD card slot) a 32 GB max 32 GB max 32 GB max 32 GB max        
32-bit processor a x x x x x x x x
Floating-point unit (FPU) a x x x x        
Power requirements a 8-32 VDC
10W-11.3 W max
5.0 to 5.2 VDC
@ 1.2 to 1.5 A
5.0 to 5.2 VDC
@ 750 mA-1.0 A
5.0 to 5.2 VDC
​@ 750 mA-1.0 A
Operating temperature (degrees C)
Storage temperature (degrees C)
a -20 to 60
-40 to 85
-20 to 60
​-40 to 85
-20 to 60
​-40 to 85
-20 to 60
​-40 to 85
Humidity (non-condensing) a 0-95% 0-95% 0-95% 0-95%
PID logic (maximum 96 PID loops per controller or brain)       x x x x x x
   Digital I/O features
Input latching       x x x x x x
On/off status       x x x x x x
Watchdog timer       x x x x x x
High-speed counting (up to 20 kHz)h       x   x   x  
Quadrature countingi       x   x   x  
On-pulse and off-pulse measurementh       x   x   x  
Frequency and Period measurementh       x   x   x  
TPO (time-proportional output)       x x x x x x
Digital totalizingh       x x x x x x
Pulse generation (continuous square wave, N pulses, on-pulse, off-pulse)       x x x x x x
   Analog I/O features
Thermocouple linearization (32-bit floating point for linearized values)       x x x x x x
Minimum/maximum values       x x x x x x
Offset and gain       x x x x x x
Scaling       x x x x x x
TPO (time-proportional output)k       x x x x x x
Output clamping       x x x x x x
Filter weight       x x x x x x
Watchdog timer       x x x x x x
Analog totalizingl       x x x x x x
Rampingl       x x x x x x
a As provided by the Microsoft Windows computer SoftPAC runs on.
b SoftPAC cannot communicate through serial ports on the PC.
c Serial ports are software configurable for RS-232 or RS-485.
d PAC firmware >=R9.4b, 8 max connections. Lower firmware, 2 max connections.
e Available with OptoOPCServer and PAC Control, through a SNAP PAC controller.
f SoftPAC includes Status Read, Status Write, and Scratch Pad memory map areas.
g Flash memory function implemented via a file; size is limited only by disk space.
h Four-channel modules only; not on high-density digital modules.
i Requires a SNAP-IDC5Q quadrature input module.
k Requires a SNAP analog TPO module (SNAP-AOD-29).
l Requires a SNAP PAC controller and PAC Control commands.