PCI card provides speedy sampling and scope

The Gage CompuScope 1610 is a PCIbus card that can simultaneously sample two analogue signals at up to 10Msample/s with 16bit resolution and store the data onboard.

The Gage CompuScope 1610, now available exclusively in England and Wales from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), is a PCIbus card that can simultaneously sample two analogue signals at speeds of up to 10Msample/s with 16bit resolution and store the data in onboard memory.

Each channel has its own analogue/digital convertor chip, eliminating the need for multiplexing the inputs, which would invariably result in increased noise and lower performance.

Differential input circuitry automatically eliminates noise picked up by the signal and its reference.

With over 80dB common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) for low frequency inputs, differential inputs eliminate any ground-loop problems.

The CompuScope 1610 is available with memory depths of 1, 8, 128, 512 and 1024M x 16bit.

This memory may be used as a circular buffer for storage of pre- and post-trigger data.

The data stored in the CompuScope 1610 can be transferred to the PC memory for postprocessing, display or storage to hard disk without any interface bus.

The CompuScope 1610 features flexible, oscilloscope-type analogue triggering.

An analogue comparator provides triggering from any one of the two input channels, from an external signal or from software.

As well as trigger source, trigger level and slope are also selectable by software.

An external clock is a standard feature on the unit.

This function is useful when A/D sampling must be done coherently with the rest of the system.

The external clock must be a TTL signal with a frequency between 2kHz and 20MHz and a duty cycle in the range 50 to 55%.

Multiple recording allows the 1610 to capture data on successive triggers and stack it in the onboard memory.

Up to 65,536 triggers may be captured in this mode.

This is useful in applications in which a series of bursts of data have to be captured in quick succession and there is not enough time to offload the data to the PC memory.

It can also be used when only certain portions of the incoming signal are of interest and data capture during the dead time is not useful.

Examples of these situations include radar pulses, ultrasound data, lightning pulses, imaging signals and explosion testing.

A unique feature is the unit's multicard system capability.

This system, comprising one master and up to 15 slave boards, can be configured if the user wants to capture more than two channels with a common clock and trigger.

A board-to-board interconnect is supplied to carry all the signals needed for proper synchronisation.

Using GageScope software, all the channels from these boards can be displayed on the same screen.

For customers who require more flexibility, software development kits are available for C/C++, Matlab, and LabView under Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT and Windows 2000.

Prices of CompuScope 1610 units start at GBP 4201.00 (plus VAT).

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