"- Bobb -" writes:
Do you know ...
If I hook each up to my PC, then program it , will those settings work
WITHOUT a PC ? Or is it their software that controls it ( with a PC) via
the external cable ? Would you know: if I program it - after the batteries
discharge will it 'remember' or need to reprogram it each time ?

You might have to try it. APC's manuals aren't very detailed.

I have a Back-UPS LS 500 on this machine, and one of the configurable
options is "Disable battery backup alarms when the PC is off or
hibernated or between the hours of two boxes to set the start and end
of quiet time". Since the UPS doesn't seem to have its own clock, the
time-sensitive stuff would have to be done with the help of the host
PC. But it *could* be done by a single command to enable or disable
beeps each time the system wakes up or hibernates, or one of the time
boundaries are passed.

I note that the time-based restrictions can be turned on only along
with the off/hibernate option, meaning there's no way for the
time-based restriction to change while the PC is asleep. This suggests
that the smarts are in the monitor application, and the UPS is just told
to shut up indefinitely when the PC goes off.

Dave