Main Status Screen Contents

The main status screen on the SM5's built-in display shows date and time, battery and SD card status, internal temperature, installed firmware version, and GPS/GLONASS sync status.

Table 1. SM5 Main Status Layout
Time	Date
Recorder name	Firmware version
Battery voltage	Internal temperature
SD Card 1 usage or status
SD Card 2 usage or status
GPS status

Time (hh:mm:ss): Current time according to the SM5's clock and time zone settings.
Date (Mon-DD-YY): Current time according to the SM5's clock and time zone settings.
Recorder Name: The customizable name is used to identify a single SM5. By default, this is set to the recorder's serial number.
Firmware version: The version of the SM5/SM5BAT firmware currently installed.
Battery voltage: The incoming power supply voltage from the internal battery tray or the connected external power source.
Internal temperature: Temperature measured by the SM5's internal temperature sensor. This internal temperature is often several degrees hotter than the outside air.
SD Card 1 and 2 usage and status: When a card is inserted and functioning normally, each card slot displays the card's used space divided by total space, in GB or TB.; If a card slot is empty or malfunctioning, this space displays a status message.
GPS status: Indicates whether the SM5 is receiving time and location information from GPS or GLONASS satellites. See GPS/GLONASS Status Fields for more detail.

SD Card Statuses

WP: The SD card's write protection switch is set to the locked position. This prevents the SM5 or any other device from writing data to the card or erasing data from the card.
Figure 1. Unlocked SD Card

Figure 2. Write-Protected SD Card
Dirty: Typically indicates that the SM5 lost power in the middle of recording, or the card was removed from a computer without being safely ejected. To clear this state, back up any important data from the card, then reformat it.
Error: Catch-all status for several less-common SD card error conditions. This may indicate that the SD card requires reformatting or that the card is faulty.

GPS/GLONASS Status Fields

Note: The interface of the SM5 uses "GPS" as a shorthand term for navigational satellite systems in general. The SM5 can receive signal from the United States' GPS system and Russia's GLONASS system.

Field	Values
Fix status	Off GPS Sync is disabled. NoFix SM5 is attempting to fix with satellites. Satellite counts and SNR are displayed in this state only. Next Fix/Last Fix Shown when GPS sync is Daily. Every 3 seconds, alternates between showing the time since the SM5 last fixed to satellites and the time until it will attempt to fix again. Fixed once Shown when GPS sync is Once. Indicates that the SM5 successfully fixed with satellites once since the recorder was powered on. Last fix never Shown when GPS sync is Once. Indicates that the SM5 unsuccessfully attempted to acquire a satellite fix for up to one hour or the duration of its first recording period, whichever was shorter. The SM5 will not attempt to acquire a fix again unless it is powered off and on again. Active Fix&Sync SM5 is actively matching its location settings and synchronizing its clock to GPS and/or GLONASS satellites.
Satellites tracked/Satellites in view	Only shown when the status is NoFix. Satellites tracked The number of satellites from which the SM5 is attempting to derive its position. At least 4 satellites are required in order to fix the SM5's location and synchronize its clock to within 1 ms. Satellites in view The total number of satellites from which the SM5 has received any signal, including those whose signal strength is too weak to derive location and time information.
Satellite signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)	Only shown when the status is `NoFix`. A measure of the average signal quality for all tracked satellites. SNR tends to be higher in areas with a clear view of the sky, and a higher SNR will allow the SM5 to acquire a fix more quickly.

Field

Values

Fix status

Off: GPS Sync is disabled.
NoFix: SM5 is attempting to fix with satellites. Satellite counts and SNR are displayed in this state only.
Next Fix/Last Fix: Shown when GPS sync is Daily.; Every 3 seconds, alternates between showing the time since the SM5 last fixed to satellites and the time until it will attempt to fix again.
Fixed once: Shown when GPS sync is Once.; Indicates that the SM5 successfully fixed with satellites once since the recorder was powered on.
Last fix never: Shown when GPS sync is Once.; Indicates that the SM5 unsuccessfully attempted to acquire a satellite fix for up to one hour or the duration of its first recording period, whichever was shorter. The SM5 will not attempt to acquire a fix again unless it is powered off and on again.
Active Fix&Sync: SM5 is actively matching its location settings and synchronizing its clock to GPS and/or GLONASS satellites.

Satellites tracked/Satellites in view

Only shown when the status is NoFix.

Satellites tracked: The number of satellites from which the SM5 is attempting to derive its position.; At least 4 satellites are required in order to fix the SM5's location and synchronize its clock to within 1 ms.
Satellites in view: The total number of satellites from which the SM5 has received any signal, including those whose signal strength is too weak to derive location and time information.

Satellite signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

Only shown when the status is NoFix.

A measure of the average signal quality for all tracked satellites. SNR tends to be higher in areas with a clear view of the sky, and a higher SNR will allow the SM5 to acquire a fix more quickly.

Main Status Screen Contents - SM5

Song Meter SM5 User Guide

SD Card Statuses

GPS/GLONASS Status Fields