Measurement Computing Corporation has introduced eight new multi-function data acquisition boards that are available in the UK from Adept Scientific. Both the PCI-2500 series and the USB-2500 series boards provide true multifunction high-speed performance with analogue inputs, waveform capable analogue outputs, 24 high-speed digital I/O, four counter/quadrature inputs and two timer outputs.
A 16-bit/1-MHz A/D converter on each of the products can scan any sequence of channels at 1 µs per channel. Except for the PCI-2511, which has a fixed analogue input range of ±10 volts, the whole product line provides seven programmable input ranges from ±100 millivolts to ±10 volts, full scale. Four of the analogue inputs on the USB products can be configured as differential thermocouple inputs.
All eight of the boards in the PCI- and USB-2500 series feature a unique, low-latency control output mode, whereby any input-analogue, digital or counter, can control an output-digital, analogue or timer, based on
predefined limits. The outputs are controlled directly from the board and do not require PC intervention. This results in response times that are deterministic and measured in microseconds, unlike non-deterministic
response times measured in milliseconds for PC-based control outputs. For example, a digital output can be programmed to be a logic 1 when an analogue input channel is above 5 volts, and a logic zero when below 5 volts. Unlike other products, which require PC software to make decisions, with typical, non-deterministic output rates of 1 to 10 milliseconds the PCI- and USB-2500 series boards can respond to inputs in as fast as 2 µs - nearly 1,000 times faster.