[time-nuts] Could someone please recommend GPIB card

Jim Lux jimlux at earthlink.net
Mon Oct 10 19:17:21 UTC 2011


On 10/10/11 8:10 AM, Bob Camp wrote:
> Hi
>
> 64 bit Windows 7 is the most restrictive OS I have seen so far in
> terms of drivers. 32 bit is a bit more forgiving. I would *guess*
> that 32 bit Windows will be a bit of a dinosaur three to five years
> from now. Just as you are still running Win 98, that does not mean
> other versions will be dead and gone. Only that a pretty cheap PC
> down at the big box store of your choice likely will not have a 32
> bit OS on it. I think the restrictions in 64 bit Win 7 are the ones
> you need to worry about for a "compatible with everything" long term
> purchase.
>

As consumer PCs change from a "computer" to a "media and interaction 
device" the lockdown will continue.


> That said, The newer NI PCI cards do have drivers. The same is true
> of the current production NI cards (all flavors). I'd bet it's true
> of the current production Prologix. Strictly speaking, the serial to
> GPIB boxes don't need drivers as much as they need software adapted
> to them. The same is true of the ethernet to GPIB boxes. That
> software may be a bear to write, but it's still easier than writing a
> driver that Windows will accept as valid.


MUCH easier, no bear, no raccoon, not even a dog to write.

And as far as the Prologix Ethernet/GPIB widgets go, the protocol is 
published, simple, etc. There's python examples out there for all manner 
of useful stuff.  For the vast majority of GPIB control/read back stuff, 
I would expect it to work forever.  I wish my 1553 boxes had such a 
simple interface.

You just use BSD sockets and go for it.

cmd = "*RST"
sock.send(cmd + "\n")
time.sleep(1.0)
CheckError()

pretty darn simple, eh?


def CheckError():

   sock.send("SYST:ERR?\n")
   sock.send("++read eoi\n")

   s = None
   try:
     s = sock.recv(100)
   except socket.timeout:
     s = ""

   print s


>




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