diff --git a/MewtocolNet/Mewtocol.cs b/MewtocolNet/Mewtocol.cs
index 98cac0d..5ba0302 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/Mewtocol.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/Mewtocol.cs
@@ -444,6 +444,30 @@ namespace MewtocolNet
             /// <returns></returns>
             public EndInitSetup<T> WithHeartbeatTask(Func<Task> heartBeatAsync, bool executeInProg = false) => WithHeartbeatTask(heartBeatAsync, executeInProg);
 
+            /// <summary>
+            /// Disables all heartbeat tasks
+            /// </summary>
+            /// <returns></returns>
+            public EndInitSetup<T> DisableHeartBeat() {
+                
+                try {
+
+                    var plc = (MewtocolInterface)(object)this.intf;
+
+                    plc.disableHeartbeat = true;
+
+                    return new EndInitSetup<T> {
+                        postInit = this,
+                    };
+
+                } catch {
+
+                    throw;
+
+                }
+
+            }
+
             /// <summary>
             /// Builds and returns the final plc interface
             /// </summary>
diff --git a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterface.cs b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterface.cs
index 36e1bae..a9eb18a 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterface.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterface.cs
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
         private protected Task<MewtocolFrameResponse> regularSendTask;
 
         private protected bool wasInitialStatusReceived;
+        private protected bool supportsExtendedMessageHeader;
+        private protected string messageHeader = "%";
         private protected MewtocolVersion mewtocolVersion;
 
         #endregion
diff --git a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRegisterHandling.cs b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRegisterHandling.cs
index 017379c..8b8a5dc 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRegisterHandling.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRegisterHandling.cs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
 
         internal Task heartbeatTask = Task.CompletedTask;
 
+        internal bool disableHeartbeat = false;
         internal Func<IPlc, Task> heartbeatCallbackTask;
         internal bool execHeartBeatCallbackTaskInProg = false;
 
@@ -146,6 +147,13 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
 
         private async Task HeartbeatTickTask () {
 
+            if (disableHeartbeat) {
+
+                await Task.CompletedTask;
+                return;
+
+            }
+
             if (regularSendTask != null && !regularSendTask.IsCompleted) await regularSendTask;
 
             Logger.LogVerbose("Sending heartbeat", this);
diff --git a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRequests.cs b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRequests.cs
index 10c3d7a..a53d4ce 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRequests.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/MewtocolInterfaceRequests.cs
@@ -65,12 +65,21 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
             }
 
             if (isConnectingStage) {
+                
                 //set the intial obj
                 PlcInfo = plcInf;
+
+                //check if the plc supports the extended command header (<)
+                var res = await SendCommandInternalAsync($"<{GetStationNumber()}#RDD0000000001");
+                supportsExtendedMessageHeader = res.Success;
+                messageHeader = res.Success ? "<" : "%";
+
             } else {
+
                 //update the obj with RT dynamic values only
                 PlcInfo.SelfDiagnosticError = plcInf.SelfDiagnosticError;
                 PlcInfo.OperationMode = plcInf.OperationMode;
+
             }
 
             return PlcInfo;
@@ -257,7 +266,7 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
             string startStr = start.ToString().PadLeft(5, '0');
             string endStr = (start + wordLength - 1).ToString().PadLeft(5, '0');
 
-            string requeststring = $"%{GetStationNumber()}#WDD{startStr}{endStr}{byteString}";
+            string requeststring = $"{messageHeader}{GetStationNumber()}#WDD{startStr}{endStr}{byteString}";
             var result = await SendCommandInternalAsync(requeststring);
 
             return result.Success;
@@ -270,6 +279,7 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="start">Start adress</param>
         /// <param name="byteCount">Number of bytes to get</param>
+        /// <param name="areaPrefix">The memory area to read</param>
         /// <param name="onProgress">Gets invoked when the progress changes, contains the progress as a double from 0 - 1.0</param>
         /// <returns>A byte array of the requested DT area</returns>
         public async Task<byte[]> ReadAreaByteRangeAsync(int start, int byteCount, RegisterPrefix areaPrefix = RegisterPrefix.DT, Action<double> onProgress = null) {
@@ -316,7 +326,7 @@ namespace MewtocolNet {
                 int blockSize = wordEnd - wordStart + 1;
                 string startStr = wordStart.ToString().PadLeft(padLeftLen, '0');
                 string endStr = wordEnd.ToString().PadLeft(padLeftLen, '0');
-                string requeststring = $"<{GetStationNumber()}#{areaCodeStr}{startStr}{endStr}";
+                string requeststring = $"{messageHeader}{GetStationNumber()}#{areaCodeStr}{startStr}{endStr}";
 
                 var result = await SendCommandInternalAsync(requeststring, onReceiveProgress: readProg);
 
diff --git a/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/IRegister.cs b/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/IRegister.cs
index 5d106f5..d38f9b3 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/IRegister.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/IRegister.cs
@@ -81,8 +81,6 @@ namespace MewtocolNet.Registers {
         /// </summary>
         uint MemoryAddress { get; }
 
-        string MemoryAreaHash { get; }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the value of the register as the plc representation string
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/Register.cs b/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/Register.cs
index 27de077..8fe87a3 100644
--- a/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/Register.cs
+++ b/MewtocolNet/Registers/Base/Register.cs
@@ -101,8 +101,6 @@ namespace MewtocolNet.Registers {
 
         public string MemoryAreaInfo => underlyingMemory.ToString();
 
-        public string MemoryAreaHash => underlyingMemory.GetHashCode().ToString();
-
         internal Register() { }
 
         internal virtual void OnPlcConnected () {