minilab 1008 USB Device for Analog and Digital I/O User's Guide

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3 Your new Measurement Computing product comes with a fantastic extra: Management committed to your satisfaction. Our commitment to you. The Measurement Computing Executive Team Refer to for the names, titles, and contact information of each key executive at Measurement Computing. Thank you for choosing a Measurement Computing product and congratulations! You own the finest, and you can now enjoy the protection of the most comprehensive warranties and unmatched phone tech support. It s the embodiment of our two missions: To offer the highest-quality, computer-based data acquisition, control, and GPIB hardware and software available at the best possible price. To offer our customers superior post-sale support FREE. Whether providing unrivaled telephone technical and sales support on our latest product offerings, or continuing that same first-rate support on older products and operating systems, we re committed to you! Lifetime warranty: Every hardware product manufactured by Measurement Computing Corporation is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for the life of the product. Products found defective are repaired or replaced promptly. Lifetime Harsh Environment Warranty : We will replace any product manufactured by Measurement Computing Corporation that is damaged (even due to misuse) for only 50% of the current list price. I/O boards face some tough operating conditions some more severe than the boards are designed to withstand. When a board becomes damaged, just return the unit with an order for its replacement at only 50% of the current list price. We don t need to profit from your misfortune. By the way, we honor this warranty for any manufacturer s board that we have a replacement for. 30 Day Money Back Guarantee: You may return any Measurement Computing Corporation product within 30 days of purchase for a full refund of the price paid for the product being returned. If you are not satisfied, or chose the wrong product by mistake, you do not have to keep it. Please call for an RMA number first. No credits or returns accepted without a copy of the original invoice. Some software products are subject to a repackaging fee.

4 minilab 1008 User's Guide These warranties are in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, including any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular application. The remedies provided herein are the buyer s sole and exclusive remedies. Neither Measurement Computing Corp., nor its employees shall be liable for any direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential damage arising from the use of its products, even if Measurement Computing Corp. has been notified in advance of the possibility of such damages. Trademark and Copyright Information Personal Measurement Device brand, TracerDAQ, Univers al Library, InstaCal, Harsh Environment Warranty, Measurement Computing Corporation, and the Measurement Computing logo, are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Measurement Computing Corporation. SoftWIRE and the SoftWIRE logo are registered trademarks of SoftWIRE Technology, Inc. PC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp. Windows, Visual Studio, and Visual Studio are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. LabVIEW is a trademark of National Instruments. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information furnished by Measurement Computing Corporation is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed by Measurement Computing Corporation neither for its use; nor for any infringements of patents or other rights of third parties, which may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any patent or copyrights of Measurement Computing Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Measurement Computing Corporation. Notice Measurement Computing Corporation does not authorize any Measurement Computing Corporation product for use in life support systems and/or devices without the written approval of the CEO of Measurement Computing Corporation. Life support devices/systems are devices or systems which, a) are intended for surgical implantation into the body, or b) support or sustain life and whose failure to perform can be reasonably expected to result in injury. Measurement Computing Corporation products are not designed with the components required, and are not subject to the testing required to ensure a level of reliability suitable for the treatment and diagnosis of people. HM MiniLAB-1008.doc ii

5 Table of Contents Preface About this User's Guide...vii What you will learn from this user's guide... vii Conventions in this user's guide... vii Where to find more information... viii Documents on your local drive... viii Documents on MCC s web site... viii Chapter 1 Introducing the minilab minilab 1008 block diagram Software features InstaCal TracerDAQ Universal Library SoftWIRE Graphical Programming limited time license SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB Universal Library for LabVIEW Connecting a minilab 1008 to your computer is easy Chapter 2 Installing the minilab What comes with your minilab 1008 shipment? Hardware Software Documentation (PDF format) Unpacking the minilab Be sure you are using the latest system software USB driver Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) NET Framework Installing the minilab Installing the software Installing InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and the Universal Library Installing Universal Library for LabVIEW Installing SoftWIRE Graphical Programming Installing SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components or Controls Setting up the minilab 1008 with InstaCal iii

6 Adding the minilab 1008 to the InstaCal configuration file Configuring the minilab 1008 with InstaCal Chapter 3 Getting Started with TracerDAQ Launching TracerDAQ from InstaCal Selecting the channels to use for data Configuring channel Configuring channel Setting up a data log file Plotting and logging data on the TracerDAQ strip chart Chapter 4 Functional Details Theory of operation - analog input acquisition modes Software paced mode Continuous scan mode Burst scan mode External components USB connector Status LED Digital I/O connector and pin out Screw terminal wiring Main connector and pin out Analog input terminals (CH0 In - CH7 In) Digital I/O terminals (DIO0 - DIO3) Power terminals Ground terminals Calibration terminal Testing terminal Counter terminal Accuracy Channel gain queue Digital connector cabling Chapter 5 Calibrating and Testing the Device Calibrating with InstaCal Testing with InstaCal Testing the digital functions Testing the analog functions Chapter 6 Specifications Analog Input Section Analog Output Section iv

7 Digital Input / Output (Screw Terminal DIO3:0) Digital Input / Output (DB37) External Trigger Counter Section Non-volatile Memory Power General Environmental Mechanical Main connector and pin out channel differential mode channel single-ended mode DB37 connector and pin out v

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9 About this User's Guide Preface What you will learn from this user's guide This user's guide explains how to install, configure, and use the minilab This user's guide also refers you to related documents available on our web site, and to technical support resources that can also help you get the most out of this device. Conventions in this user's guide For more information on Text presented in a box signifies additional information and helpful hints related to the subject matter you are reading. Caution! Shaded caution statements present information to help you avoid injuring yourself and others, damaging your hardware, or losing your data. <#:#> Angle brackets that enclose numbers separated by a colon signify a range of numbers, such as those assigned to registers, bit settings, etc. bold text italic text Bold text is used for the names of objects on the screen, such as buttons, text boxes, and check boxes. For example: 1. Insert the disk or CD and click the OK button. Italic text is used for the names of manuals and help topic titles, and to emphasize a word or phrase. For example: The InstaCal installation procedure is explained in the Software Installation Manual. Never touch the exposed pins or circuit connections on the board vii

10 About this User's Guide Where to find more information The following electronic documents provide information that can help you get the most out of your minilab Documents on your local drive When you install the software, the following electronic documents are copied to the default installation directory "C:\MCC\Documents" on your local drive: MCC's Universal Library User's Guide (SM UL USER'S GUIDE.pdf) MCC's Universal Library Function Reference (SM UL FUNCTION REF.pdf). MCC's Universal Library for LabVIEW User s Guide (SM-UL-LabVIEW.pdf) minilab 1008 User s Guide (minilab-1008.pdf this document) Documents on MCC s web site The documents below are available on our web site at the address specified. MCC's Specifications: minilab 1008 (the PDF version of Chapter 6 in this guide) is available on our web site at MCC's PMD-LS Series OEM Software Library User's Guide is available on our web site at MCC's Guide to Signal Connections is available on our web site at viii

11 Introducing the minilab 1008 Chapter 1 This user's guide contains all of the information you need to connect the minilab 1008 to your computer and to the signals you want to measure. The minilab 1008 is a USB 1.1 low-speed analog and digital I/O device that is supported under Microsoft Windows 98 (2 nd edition), Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Window XP. minilab 1008 is compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports. The minilab 1008 features eight 12-bit analog input signal connections and up to 28 digital I/O connections. It is powered by the +5 volt USB supply. No external power is required. Two screw terminals rows provide connections for eight analog inputs, two 10-bit analog outputs, four digital I/O lines, and one 32-bit external event counter. You can configure the analog connections with software as either four single-ended or eight differential channels. All analog connections terminate at the screw terminals. An on-board industry standard 82C55 programmable peripheral interface chip provides 24 digital I/O lines that terminate at a 37-pin connector. The minilab 1008 USB device is shown in Figure 1-1. Figure 1-1. minilab

12 Introducing the minilab 1008 minilab 1008 block diagram minilab 1008 functions are illustrated in the block diagram shown here. 4 Auxillary DIO Bits Screw Terminal I/O Connector USB1.1 Compliant Interface 12-Bit Analog Input 8 SE / 4 Diff. USB Microcontroller 10-Bit Analog Output 2 channel 82C55 DIO 32-Bit Event Counter DB37 I/O Connector Figure 1-2. minilab 1008 Functional Block Diagram Software features The minilab 1008 ships with the following software: InstaCal installation, calibration, and test utility TracerDAQ strip chart/data logging and scope virtual instruments Universal Library data acquisition and control programming library SoftWIRE for VS.NET (fully-functional, limited time license) SoftWIRE for VB6 (fully-functional, limited time license) SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6 Universal Library for LabVIEW In addition, an OEM software library is available to download from our web site. 1-2

13 Introducing the minilab 1008 InstaCal InstaCal is a complete installation, calibration, and test program for MCC data acquisition and control hardware. Complete with extensive error checking, InstaCal guides you through the installation and setup of your minilab 1008, and creates the hardware configuration file for use by your programming or application software. InstaCal provides the easiest way to calibrate and configure the minilab TracerDAQ TracerDAQ is installed with InstaCal. TracerDAQ includes fullyconfigured and ready-to-run virtual instruments, such as a strip chart and oscilloscope. You can use these instruments to plot data from the minilab 1008 directly to your computer. Your measurements are plotted as they are acquired. Once acquired, you can save the measurement data to a text or Excel file, and capture the graphical display as a bitmap. TracerDAQ online help includes a quick start exercise that explains how to acquire and display data. You can launch TracerDAQ from InstaCal s Applications menu. In the example below, the TracerDAQ virtual strip chart displays data acquired from two channels on the minilab

14 Introducing the minilab 1008 With TracerDAQ, you can perform the following tasks: specify sources of data from available hardware (eight data sources for the strip chart, and four data sources for the scope) save configurations for future use use markers to analyze data points individually or comparatively zoom in on specific data points on the graphical display customize the colors, text, and data that you want to display save data to a text file or Microsoft Excel file capture and save the strip chart or scope display as a bitmap file TracerDAQ technical support is FREE, and is available only via at freesupport@mccdaq.com. Universal Library The Universal Library is a programmer s library that you can use to write programs from the full range of 32-bit Windows programming languages. The Universal Library is a complete set of I/O libraries and drivers for all Measurement Computing boards and for all Windows-based languages. When using the Universal Library, you can switch boards or even programming languages, and the syntax remains constant. The Universal Library provides the easiest way to program the minilab If you are planning to write programs, or would like to run the example programs for Visual Basic or any other language, refer to the Universal Library User s Guide and the Universal Library Function Reference. These documents are copied to C:\MCC\Documents\ SM UL USER'S GUIDE.pdf and C:\MCC\Documents\ SM UL FUNCTION REF.pdf by default during installation. The Universal Library functions that are supported by the minilab 1008 are listed in the "minilab 1008" section of the "Analog Input Boards" chapter in the Universal Library User s Guide. Example programs that demonstrate how to use the Universal Library functions are included with the Universal Library software package. SoftWIRE Graphical Programming limited time license A fully-functional, limited-time license version of SoftWIRE is included with your purchase of the minilab SoftWIRE is a graphical programming extension for Microsoft Visual Studio. Like LabVIEW, SoftWIRE gives you the power to create programs graphically without having to write in BASIC or C. 1-4

15 Introducing the minilab 1008 Unlike LabVIEW, which is proprietary, SoftWIRE is based upon Visual Studio. You can easily create new icon function blocks, write a few lines of code, or add any library, driver, or component written for Visual Studio. And unlike LabVIEW, there are no runtime license fees. You can freely distribute the programs you create. SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net is a collection of data acquisition components that you can use to develop custom applications with SoftWIRE for Visual Studio.NET. With these components, you can develop programs that read from and write to your minilab 1008 analog and digital channels. Example programs that demonstrate how to use the data acquisition components are included with the SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net software package. In the following program, the SoftWIRE AI Scan component is configured to scan a range of channels on the minilab 1008 and display the measurements on a strip chart. The form on the left (Form1) is where you arrange the graphical components for display when you run the program. The Diagrammer pane on the right (Diag.dgm) is where you build the program by adding components and wiring their I/O pins together The following image shows Form1 after you enter the range of channels to scan and run the program. 1-5

16 Introducing the minilab 1008 SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6 SoftWIRE Graphical Programming MCC DAQ Controls for VB6 is a collection of SoftWIRE data acquisition controls that you can use to develop custom applications with SoftWIRE 3.1 and Visual Basic 6.0. With these controls, you can develop programs that read from and write to your minilab 1008 analog and digital channels. Example programs that demonstrate how to use the data acquisition controls are included with the SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6 software package. Universal Library for LabVIEW The Universal Library for LabVIEW software is a collection of Universal Library VIs that you can use to create LabVIEW programs. With MCC s Universal Library for LabVIEW, you can construct your own LabVIEW programs using Universal Library VIs to control your minilab The Universal Library for LabVIEW User s Guide is copied to C:\MCC\Documents\ SM-UL-LabVIEW.pdf by default during installation. Example programs that demonstrate how to use UL for LabVIEW VIs are included with the Universal Library for LabVIEW software package. 1-6

17 Introducing the minilab 1008 PMD-LS Series OEM Software Library and documentation are available The OEM software provides source code that you can use to develop your own custom applications that are independent of InstaCal or the Universal Library. You can develop programs in any environment that supports 32-bit DLL s, such as Microsoft's Visual C/C++ and Visual Basic. You can download the PMD-LS Series OEM Software Library from our web site at Installation instructions and function explanations for the OEM Software Library are included in the PMD-LS Series OEM Software Library User's Guide (available on our web site at Connecting a minilab 1008 to your computer is easy Installing a data acquisition device has never been easier. The minilab 1008 relies upon the Microsoft Human Interface Driver (HID) class. The HID class ships with every copy of Windows that is designed to work with USB ports. We use the Microsoft HID because it is a standard, and its performance delivers full control and maximizes data transfer rates for your minilab No third-party device driver is required. The minilab 1008 is plug-and-play. There are no jumpers to position, DIP switches to set, or interrupts to configure. You can connect the minilab 1008 before or after you install the software, and without powering down your computer first. When you connect an HID to your system, your computer automatically detects it and configures the necessary software. You can connect and power multiple HID peripherals to your system using a USB hub. You can connect your system to various devices using a standard four-wire cable. The USB connector replaces the serial and parallel port connectors with one standardized plug and port combination. You do not need a separate power supply module. The USB automatically delivers the electrical power required by each peripheral connected to your system. Data can flow two ways between a computer and peripheral over USB connections. Make sure that you have the latest Windows Updates installed for your USB driver, particularly "XP Hotfix KB822603". Refer to the section "Be sure you are using the latest system software" on page 2-3 for more information. 1-7

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19 Installing the minilab 1008 Chapter 2 What comes with your minilab 1008 shipment? As you unpack your minilab 1008 device, verify that the following components are included: Hardware minilab 1008 device USB cable 2-1

20 Installing the minilab 1008 Software The Personal Measurement Device installation CD contains the following software: InstaCal installation, calibration, and test utility TracerDAQ virtual instruments Universal Library data acquisition and control programming library SoftWIRE for VS.NET (fully-functional, limited time license) SoftWIRE for VB6 (fully-functional, limited time license) SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6 Universal Library for LabVIEW Documentation (PDF format) Universal Library User's Guide, and Universal Library Function Reference (installed with the Universal Library software) 2-2

21 Installing the minilab 1008 Universal Library for LabVIEW User's Guide (installed with the Universal Library for LabVIEW software) Unpacking the minilab 1008 The minilab 1008 is shipped in an antistatic container to prevent damage by an electrostatic discharge. To avoid such damage, perform the following procedure when unpacking and handling your board: Before opening the antistatic container, ground yourself with a wrist-grounding strap or by holding onto a grounded object (such as the computer chassis). Touch the antistatic container to the computer chassis before removing the minilab 1008 from the container. Remove the minilab 1008 from the container. If any components are missing or damaged, notify Measurement Computing Corporation immediately by phone, fax, or Phone: and follow the instructions for reaching Tech Support. Fax: to the attention of Tech Support techsupport@measurementcomputing.com Be sure you are using the latest system software Before you connect the minilab 1008 and install the software, make sure that you are using the latest versions of the following software: USB driver Microsoft Data Access Components.NET Framework 2-3

22 Installing the minilab 1008 USB driver Before installing the minilab 1008, download and install the latest Microsoft Windows updates. In particular, when using Windows XP, make sure you have XP Hotfix KB installed. This update is intended to address a serious error in Usbport.sys when you operate a USB device. You can run Windows Update or download the update from For more information, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article "Availability of the Windows XP SP1 USB 1.1 and 2.0 update". This article is available at support.microsoft.com/?kbid= Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) TracerDAQ requires Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC), version 2.6 or later. MDAC contains the Microsoft SQL Server OLE DB provider, and the ODBC driver. To determine what version of MDAC is installed on your computer, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article "How To: Check for MDAC Version". This article is available at You can download the latest version of the Microsoft Data Access components at Framework TracerDAQ requires the Microsoft.NET Framework to be installed. The Microsoft.NET Framework is a component of the Microsoft Windows operating system that is used to build and run web-based applications, smart client applications, and web services. To learn more about the.net Framework, go to Microsoft s.net Framework s home page at msdn.microsoft.com/netframework. When you install TracerDAQ, the installation program searches your computer for the.net Framework software. If the.net Framework is not detected, the dialog shown below opens with the location to download the.net Framework from. You must install the.net Framework in order to run TracerDAQ. 2-4

23 Installing the minilab 1008 Installing the minilab 1008 To connect the minilab 1008 to your system, turn your computer on, and connect the USB cable to a USB port on your computer or to an external USB hub that is connected to your computer. The USB cable provides power and communication to the minilab When you connect the minilab 1008 for the first time, a Found New Hardware popup balloon (Windows XP) or dialog (other Windows version) displays as the minilab 1008 is detected by your computer. A number of Found New Hardware balloons or dialogs appear after the first closes that identify the minilab 1008 as a USB Human Interface Device. The last balloon or dialog to appear indicates that the minilab 1008 is installed and ready to use. After the last balloon or dialog closes, the LED on minilab 1008 should flash and then remain lit. This indicates that communication is established between the minilab 1008 and your computer. Caution! Do not disconnect any device from the USB bus while the computer is communicating with the minilab 1008, or you may lose data and/or your ability to communicate with the minilab If the LED turns off If the LED is illuminated but then turns off, the computer has lost communication with the minilab To restore communication, disconnect the USB cable from the computer, and then reconnect it. This should restore communication, and the LED should turn back on. Installing the software To install any of the software packages on the Personal Measurement Device CD, perform these initial steps: Close all applications you have running. Insert the Personal Measurement Device CD into your CD drive. If you have the auto-run feature enabled on your computer, the Measurement Computing CD installation dialog opens. 2-5

24 Installing the minilab 1008 If the auto-run feature is not enabled on your computer, use Explorer to navigate to the root of the CD drive, and double-click on the program. The Measurement Computing CD dialog opens. Follow the procedures below to install one or more of the software packages available from this dialog. Installing InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and the Universal Library InstaCal and the Universal Library are required to run the Universal Library for LabVIEW, MCC DAQ Components for.net and MCC DAQ Controls for VB6. To install InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and the Universal Library, follow the procedure below Click on the InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and Universal Library button. A Welcome dialog opens. Click on the Next button. An Installation Options dialog opens. Make sure the Windows Universal Library and InstaCal and TracerDAQ check boxes are selected, and click on the Next button. 2-6

25 Installing the minilab 1008 TracerDAQ requires the.net Framework If your PC doesn t have the.net Framework installed, the TracerDAQ checkbox may not be selected. The following dialog opens if the.net Framework is not installed and you click in the checkbox to override the default (unchecked) setting of the TracerDAQ checkbox. Click OK to continue the installation. Before running TracerDAQ, use your browser to download and install the.net Framework from the web address specified on the dialog. 4. If you are not installing any other software on the CD, restart your computer. If you want to install other software, you can wait to reboot the computer until after that software is installed. Installing Universal Library for LabVIEW You must install InstaCal before you install the Universal Library for LabVIEW. Refer to "Installing InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and the Universal Library" on page 2-6. The Universal Library for LabVIEW installation program also checks to see if LabVIEW is installed on your computer. If a licensed copy of LabVIEW is not installed, the Universal Library for LabVIEW installation program exits. To install UL for LabVIEW, follow the procedure below Click on the Universal Library for LabVIEW button. A Welcome dialog opens. Click on the Next button, and follow the installation instructions as prompted. 2-7

26 Installing the minilab 1008 Installing SoftWIRE Graphical Programming SoftWIRE 4.2 for Visual Studio.NET is required to use MCC DAQ Components for.net. You must install Visual Studio.NET before you install SoftWIRE for Visual Studio.NET. If you are interested in exploring graphical programming, but do not own a copy of Visual Studio, you can purchase a copy of Visual Basic.NET for under $99. To learn where, and to learn more about SoftWIRE Graphical Programming, call our Technical Sales Engineers at x2. SoftWIRE 3.1 for Visual Basic 6.0 is required to use MCC DAQ Controls for VB6. You must install Visual Basic 6.0 before you install SoftWIRE 3.1 for Visual Basic 6. To install SoftWIRE 4.2 for VS.NET or SoftWIRE 3.1 for VB6, follow the procedure below. 1. Click on the SoftWIRE button. A SoftWIRE Installation dialog opens Click to select the SoftWIRE version to install, and then click on the Install button. Follow the installation instructions as prompted. Installing SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components or Controls You must install SoftWIRE for Visual Studio.NET before you install SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net. You must install SoftWIRE 3.1 for Visual Basic 6.0 before you install SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB 6. Refer to "Installing SoftWIRE Graphical Programming" on page 2-8 for instructions. You must install the Universal Library before you install either SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for.net or SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6. Refer to "Installing InstaCal, TracerDAQ, and the Universal Library" on page 2-6 for instructions. 2-8

27 Installing the minilab 1008 To install SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components or SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls, follow the procedure below. 1. Click on the SoftWIRE DAQ Components button. A SoftWIRE DAQ Components Installation dialog opens Click to select either SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Components for VS.NET, or SoftWIRE MCC DAQ Controls for VB6, and click on the Install button. Follow the installation instructions as prompted. Setting up the minilab 1008 with InstaCal Use InstaCal to configure the number of analog input channels (eight single-ended or four differential) on the minilab 1008, and also to change the custom serial number. Adding the minilab 1008 to the InstaCal configuration file To run InstaCal and add the minilab 1008 to its configuration file, follow these steps. 1. Click on Start > Measurement Computing > InstaCal to launch InstaCal. A Plug and Play Board Detection dialog opens in front of the InstaCal main form. The Plug and Play Board Detection dialog lists the minilab 1008, and only opens when you first install or if you reinstall the minilab

28 Installing the minilab 1008 The serial number shown in the dialog is a custom number automatically assigned by InstaCal when you install the minilab If InstaCal does not detect the minilab 1008 If the Plug and Play Board Detection dialog does not display, go to "If the minilab 1008 is not detected by InstaCal" on page Leave the check box next to the minilab 1008 item checked, and click OK. The dialog closes, and the minilab 1008 is added to the PC Board List on the InstaCal main form. If the minilab 1008 is not detected by InstaCal If the Plug and Play Board Detection dialog does not appear, exit InstaCal (Exit option on the File menu). Make sure that you connected the USB cable properly, and that you are running a supported operating system (Microsoft Windows 98 (2 nd edition), Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Window XP). Then, run InstaCal again. If your USB connection is good, and you are running a supported operating system, but InstaCal still does not detect the minilab 1008, notify Measurement Computing Corporation by phone, fax, or o o o Phone: and follow the instructions for reaching Technical Support. Fax: to the attention of Technical Support techsupport@measurementcomputing.com 2-10

29 Installing the minilab 1008 Configuring the minilab 1008 with InstaCal To change the configuration of the minilab 1008, follow the steps below. 1. Double-click on the minilab 1008 item listed below Universal Serial Bus. The Board Configuration dialog opens. Pull down the No. of Channels: list box and select either 4 Differential or 8 Single Ended as the analog input configuration. Pull down the Trigger Source: list box and select the digital bit (DIO0 to DIO4) to use as the trigger source. To change the custom serial number assigned by InstaCal to the minilab 1008 as part of a numbering scheme to keep track of multiple units in the field, for example enter a number from 1 to 255 in the Custom Serial No: text box. The minilab 1008 stores its serial number in its memory, and retains the serial number even when it is powered down. If you installed more than one minilab 1008, you can click the Flash LED button to identify the minilab 1008 device that you are configuring. Clicking on this button causes the LED of the selected minilab 1008 to blink. 2. Click on the OK button to close the dialog. 3. When you are done using InstaCal, select Exit from the File menu to close InstaCal. 2-11

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31 Getting Started with TracerDAQ Chapter 3 TracerDAQ is a set of virtual instruments that you can use to acquire and display analog data from the minilab This chapter details how you acquire data from the minilab 1008, and plot the data on the TracerDAQ strip chart. The following exercise helps get you started with the TracerDAQ strip chart by showing you how to: Launch TracerDAQ from InstaCal Select the hardware and channels to use as your data source Log the data to a file Plot the data on TracerDAQ's strip chart Launching TracerDAQ from InstaCal Measurement Computing s InstaCal program shares configuration information with TracerDAQ. To start TracerDAQ from InstaCal, follow these steps. 1. Click on Start >Programs>Measurement Computing>InstaCal to launch the InstaCal application. The InstaCal main form opens. 3-1

32 Getting Started with TracerDAQ From the PC Board List, select the minilab 1008 item. Select TracerDAQ from the Applications menu to launch TracerDAQ. The first time you launch TracerDAQ, the strip chart's Data Source Setup dialog opens by default. Each successive time you launch TracerDAQ, the Data Source Setup dialog for either the strip chart or scope opens, depending on which application you last ran. TracerDAQ's virtual instruments are accessed from the View menu You can launch each virtual instrument from TracerDAQ's pull-down View menu. When TracerDAQ is launched from InstaCal, the Board drop-down list for the first plot shows the name of the minilab 1008 that you selected in InstaCal. 3-2

33 Getting Started with TracerDAQ Use this dialog to set up the minilab 1008 as the data source used by the strip chart. Selecting the channels to use for data For this exercise, you are going select channels 0 and 3 as the data source you want to acquire and plot. For each channel, you can configure the following options: the A/D range of data to acquire the name that appears on the strip chart legend to identify the data the plot line to use for the data To configure these options, do the following Configuring channel 0 To configure the minilab 1008's channel 0 as part of the data source to acquire and plot, follow the steps below. 1. Click to select the first Enabled check box. This enables a plot line to show on the strip chart. 3-3

34 Getting Started with TracerDAQ 2. In the Name text box, enter CH0. The name you enter shows on the strip chart's legend. 3. In the Board Channel number entry box, enter 0, or click the numeric up/down control arrows to select the number. 4. From the Range list box, select BIP10Volts. Configuring channel 3 To configure the minilab 1008's channel 3 as part of the data source to acquire and plot, follow the steps below. 1. Click to select the second Enabled check box. 2. In the Board list box, click the down arrow and select the minilab In the Name text box enter CH3. This name also shows on the strip chart's legend. 3-4

35 Getting Started with TracerDAQ 4. In the Board Channel number entry box, enter 3, or click the numeric up/down control arrows to select the number. 5. From the Range list box, click the down arrow and select BIP10Volts. The Data Source Setup dialog should look like the one below: 6. Click the OK button at the bottom of the dialog. The Data Source Setup dialog closes, and the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form becomes active, as shown below. Use the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form to set up your data log file, and to start acquiring and plotting minilab 1008 data. 3-5

36 Getting Started with TracerDAQ Setting up a data log file You can log all of your data to a text file or to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet using the TracerDAQ strip chart's Data Logging Options dialog. When you log data, all of the data acquired since the scan began is saved to a file that you specify. This exercise shows you how to specify a text file used to log data. To do this, do the following: 1. From the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form, click on the icon. The Data Logging Options dialog opens. Use the options on the Text File tab to specify the name and location of the text file used to log data Click in the Log to text file check box to log data to a text file. Click the Browse button to open a Save As dialog. 3-6

37 Getting Started with TracerDAQ In the Save As dialog, enter a name in the File Name text box, and navigate to the location where you want to save the text file. TracerDAQ creates the file if it does not already exist. Click the Save button to close the Save As dialog. The Data Logging Options dialog returns with the name and location you specified. In this example, the data is saved to minilab 1008 data.txt in the root directory of the C:\ drive. 6. Click the OK button to save your text file settings. The Data Logging Options dialog closes, and you are returned to the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form. Plotting and logging data on the TracerDAQ strip chart To start the scan and plot the acquired data from channels 0 and 3 on the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form, click on the icon. The TracerDAQ strip chart immediately begins to plot and log the data as it is acquired. 3-7

38 Getting Started with TracerDAQ TracerDAQ strip chart continues to acquire, plot, and log data until you click on the icon. An example of a strip chart data log file is shown below. To stop acquiring data, click on the icon. To exit TracerDAQ, select Exit from the TracerDAQ [Strip Chart] form s File menu. 3-8

39 Getting Started with TracerDAQ With TracerDAQ's virtual instruments, you can also perform the following data acquisition functions: save data source information for later use set up a trigger to control when you acquire data customize the color of plot lines, grid lines, background areas, text, and other visual elements use cursors to analyze data points individually or comparatively zoom in on specific data points on the graphical display save currently visible data to text and/or Excel files capture and save the virtual display as a bitmap file data from within the application You can also perform the following tasks with the strip chart: set the acquisition rate to acquire data view data as it is acquired ("live" mode), or view all data acquired during a TracerDAQ session ("history" mode) isolate specific data for analysis You can also perform the following tasks with the scope: acquire single-sweep or continuous-sweep data set vertical scaling options (volts/division and millivolts/division), and horizontal scaling options (seconds/division and milliseconds/division) display minimum and maximum value markers display period and frequency values For detailed information about all of the data acquisition features provided by each virtual instrument, refer to the TracerDAQ - Online Help. To view the online help, select TracerDAQ Help from the Help menu of each TracerDAQ virtual instrument. 3-9

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41 Functional Details Chapter 4 Theory of operation - analog input acquisition modes The minilab 1008 can acquire analog input data in three different modes software paced, continuous scan, and burst scan. Software paced mode In software paced mode, the minilab 1008 gathers data in a single acquisition or as a group of single acquisitions. An analog-to-digital conversion is initiated with a software command, and the single data point result is returned to the host. This operation may be repeated until the required number of samples is obtained for the channel (or channels) in use. Software pacing is limited by the 20 ms round-trip requirement of a USB interrupt-type endpoint operation. This yields a maximum throughput in software paced mode of 50 S/s. Continuous scan mode In continuous scan mode, the minilab 1008 gathers data in a single-channel or multichannel sequence. This sequence converts, transfers, and stores data to a user buffer until the scan is stopped. In this mode, digitized data is continuously written to an onboard FIFO buffer. This FIFO is serviced in blocks as the data is transferred from the minilab 1008 to the user buffer in the host PC. The maximum continuous scan rate of 1.2 ks/s is an aggregate rate. The total acquisition rate for all channels cannot exceed 1.2 ks/s. You can acquire data from one channel at 1.2 ks/s, two channels at 600 S/s and four channels at 300 S/s. You can start a continuous scan with either a software command or with an external hardware trigger event. Burst scan mode In burst scan mode, the minilab 1008 gathers data using the full capacity of its 4K sample FIFO buffer. You can initiate a single acquisition sequence of one or more channels by either a software command or an external hardware trigger. The captured data is then read from the FIFO and transferred to a user buffer in the host PC. 4-1

42 Functional Details Since the data is acquired at a rate faster than it can be transferred to the host, burst scans are limited to the depth of the on-board memory. As with continuous mode, the maximum sampling rate is an aggregate rate. Consequently, the maximum burst mode rates are 8 ks/s, 4 ks/s and 2 ks/s for one, two and four channels, respectively. External components The minilab 1008 has the following external components, as shown in Figure 4-1. USB connector Status LED Digital I/O connector Screw terminal banks (2) Figure 4-1. minilab

43 Functional Details USB connector The USB connector is located on the bottom edge of the minilab This connector provides +5 V power and communication. The voltage supplied through the USB connector is system-dependent, and may be less than 5 V. No external power supply is required. Caution! The USB +5 V pin on the DB37 connector is an output. Do not connect an external 5 V supply or you may damage the minilab 1008 and possibly the computer. Status LED The STATUS LED on the front of the minilab 1008 indicates the communication status. It uses up to 5 milliamperes (ma) of current and cannot be disabled. Table 4-1 explains the function of the minilab 1008 LED. Table 4-1. LED Illumination LED Illumination Steady Blinks continuously Blinks three times Blinks at a slow rate Indication The minilab 1008 is connected to a computer or external USB hub. Data is being transferred. Initial communication is established between the minilab 1008 and the computer. The analog input is configured for external trigger. The LED stops blinking and illuminates steady green when the trigger is received. Digital I/O connector and pin out Digital I/O connections are made to the DB37 connector on the top edge of the minilab This connector provides connections for 24 digital lines (Port A0 to Port C7), six ground connections, and +5 V USB power out. Refer to Figure 4-2 and Table 4-2 for the DB37 connector pin out. Digital connections (Port A0 through Port C7) The 24 digital I/O pins (Port A0-A7, Port B0-B7 and Port C0-C7) are TTL-level compatible. Each pin has a 47 kilohm (KΩ) pull-up resistor and is configured as an input by default. If needed, the minilab 1008 can be factory configured to provide pull-down resistors. 4-3

44 Functional Details Caution! Port A0 through Port C7 have no overvoltage/short circuit protection. Do not exceed the voltage limits or you may damage the pin or the minilab To protect these pins, you should use a series resistor Figure 4-2. DB37 Digital I/O Connector Table 4-2. DB37 Connector Pin-Out Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name 1 n/c 20 USB +5 V 2 n/c 21 GND 3 Port B7 22 Port C7 4 Port B6 23 Port C6 5 Port B5 24 Port C5 6 Port B4 25 Port C4 7 Port B3 26 Port C3 8 Port B2 27 Port C2 9 Port B1 28 Port C1 10 Port B0 29 Port C0 11 GND 30 Port A7 12 n/c 31 Port A6 13 GND 32 Port A5 14 n/c 33 Port A4 15 GND 34 Port A3 16 n/c 35 Port A2 17 GND 36 Port A1 18 n/c 37 Port A0 19 GND Refer to the "Digital connector cabling" section for descriptions of cables that are compatible with the DB37 digital I/O connector. Screw terminal wiring The minilab 1008 has two rows of screw terminals. Each row has 15 connections. Pin numbers are identified in Figure 4-3. The pins are labeled for eight-channel singleended mode operations. 4-4

45 Functional Details Screw terminal pins 1-15 Figure 4-3. minilab 1008 Screw Terminals The screw terminals on the left edge of the minilab 1008 (pins 1 to 15) provide the following connections: Eight analog input connections (CH0 IN to CH7 IN) Four GND connections (GND) One calibration terminal (CAL) Two power connectors (PC +5 V) Screw terminal pins The screw terminals on the right edge of the minilab 1008 (pins 16 to 30) provide the following connections: Four digital I/O connections (DIO0 to DIO3) Two analog output connections (D/A OUT 0 to D/A OUT 1) One external event counter connection (CTR) One testing and calibration terminal (TST) Five ground connections (GND) Two power connectors (PC +5 V) 4-5

46 Functional Details Main connector and pin out Connector type Wire gauge range Screw terminal 16 AWG to 26 AWG 4-channel differential mode pin out Note that the pins are labeled for 8-channel single-ended mode on the minilab CH0 IN HI 1 CH0 IN LO 2 GND 3 CH1 IN HI 4 CH1 IN LO 5 GND 6 CH2 IN HI 7 CH2 IN LO 8 GND 9 CH3 IN HI 10 CH3 IN LO 11 GND 12 PC +5 V 13 PC +5 V 14 CAL DIO0 17 DIO1 18 GND 19 DIO2 20 DIO3 21 GND 22 D/A OUT0 23 D/A OUT1 24 GND 25 CTR 26 GND 27 GND 28 PC +5 V 29 PC +5 V 30 TST 8-channel single-ended mode pin out Note that the pins are labeled for 8-channel single-ended mode on the minilab CH0 IN 1 CH1 IN 2 GND 3 CH2 IN 4 CH3 IN 5 GND 6 CH4 IN 7 CH5 IN 8 GND 9 CH6 IN 10 CH7 IN 11 GND 12 PC +5 V 13 PC +5 V 14 CAL DIO0 17 DIO1 18 GND 19 DIO2 20 DIO3 21 GND 22 D/A OUT0 23 D/A OUT1 24 GND 25 CTR 26 GND 27 GND 28 PC +5 V 29 PC +5 V 30 TST 4-6

47 Functional Details Analog input terminals (CH0 In - CH7 In) Connect up to eight analog input connections to the screw terminal connections labeled CH0 In through CH7 In. Refer to the pinout diagrams on page 4-6 for the location of these pins. You can configure the analog input channels as eight single-ended channels or four differential channels. When configured for differential mode, each analog input has 12-bit resolution. When configured for single-ended mode, each analog input has 11-bit resolution, due to restrictions imposed by the A/D converter. Single-ended configuration When all of the analog input channels are configured for single-ended input mode, eight analog channels are available. In single-ended mode, the input signal is referenced to signal ground (GND). The input signal is delivered through two wires: The wire carrying the signal to be measured connects to CH# IN. The second wire connects to GND. The input range for single-ended mode is ±10 V, max, with a gain of 2. No other gains are supported in single-ended mode. Figure 4-4 illustrates a typical single-ended measurement connection. CH CH1 (differential configuration) GND Figure 4-4. Single-Ended Measurement Connection Single-ended measurements using differential channels To perform a single-ended measurement using differential channels, connect the voltage to an analog input with an even-number, and ground the associated odd-numbered analog input. This configuration is shown in Figure

48 Functional Details Differential configuration When all of the analog input channels are configured for differential input mode, four analog channels are available. In differential mode, the input signal is measured with respect to the low input. The input signal is delivered through three wires: The wire carrying the signal to be measured connects to CH<0, 2, 4, 6> IN. In differential mode, the even numbered channels are considered HI inputs. Hence, CH0 IN, CH2 IN, CH4 IN and CH6 IN are considered HI input channels. The wire carrying the reference signal connects to CH<1, 3, 5, 7> IN. In differential mode the odd numbered channels are considered the LO input. Hence, CH1 IN, CH3 IN, CH5 IN and CH7 IN are considered LO input channels. The third wire connects to GND. When should you use a differential mode configuration? Differential input mode is the preferred configuration for applications in noisy environments, or when the signal source is referenced to a potential other than PC ground. A low-noise precision programmable gain amplifier (PGA) is available on differential channels to provide gains of up to 20 and a dynamic range of up to 16-bits. In differential mode, the following two requirements must be met for linear operation: Any analog input must remain in the 10 V to +20 V range with respect to ground at all times. The maximum differential voltage on any given analog input pair must remain within the selected voltage range. The input [common-mode voltage + signal] of the differential channel must be in the 10 V to +20 V range in order to yield a useful result. For example, you input a 4 volt peak-to-peak (Vpp) sine wave to CHHI, and apply the same sine wave 180 out of phase to CHLO. The common mode voltage is 0 V. The differential input voltage swings from 4 V-(-4 V) = 8 V to -4 V-4 V = -8 V. Both inputs satisfy the -10 V to +20 V input range requirement, and the differential voltage is suited for the ±10 V input range (see Figure 4-5). 4-8