DAQ System handles up to 2M samples/sec per channel.
Press Release Summary:
CE-compliant xDAP 7420, also compatible with North American and European power standards without any switching or reconfiguration, provides 8 parallel 16-bit ADC channels that are clocked simultaneously and run at configurable rates. Aggregate sample transfer rate limit is 8M samples/sec, with transfers to host continuously sustainable across USB interface. Embedded 2.0 GHz Celeron processor manages all real-time aspects of acquisition hardware management and data buffering.
Original Press Release:
xDAP 7420 Data Acquisition System, Up to 2M Samples per Second per Channel
Bellevue, WA - Microstar Laboratories, Inc. has announced the release of the xDAP 7420 data acquisition system. xDAP 7420 adds a high-speed sampling mode to the capabilities of the xDAP line, with a sample rate double that of its predecessor, xDAP 7410. This system is CE compliant, making it suitable for applications in the European Union and worldwide. It is also compatible with both North American and European power standards, requiring no switching or reconfiguration. It retains all of the capabilities of xDAP 7410 and, other than the higher rates when you need them, all performance specifications are the same.
High-Performance Simultaneous Sampling
Like xDAP 7410, each xDAP 7420 provides eight parallel 16-bit analog-to-digital converter channels. These are clocked simultaneously and run at configurable rates of up to two million samples per second. The aggregate sample transfer rate limit is eight million samples per second, with transfers to the host continuously sustainable across the USB interface at this rate. For host applications that cannot sustain this pace, there is enough local buffer memory to record a full minute of activity without any concurrent transfers.
xDAP 7420 features an embedded 2.0 GHz Celeron processor that manages all of the real-time aspects of acquisition hardware management and data buffering. All of this, plus higher level data pre-processing and transfer management, is controlled by the embedded DAPL real-time operating system that runs on every Data Acquisition Processor (DAP) system. On the host side, xDAP 7420 application software uses the same "channel architecture" driver and server software, provided at no extra cost - it is the same interface software that all of the other DAP products use as well.
Examining the numbers more closely, the two million samples per second rate and eight million samples per second composite transfer limit mean that a maximum of four channels can be captured at the absolute maximum rate limit. If you do not need all four channels at these rates, the unique "dual mode sampling" capabilities of xDAP 7420 allow you to use the extra capacity for other channels at a reduced rate: for example, two channels can be captured at the maximum two million samples per second each, while at the same time, 12 channels are captured at 250 thousand samples per second each.
Added Features
xDAP 7420 remains compatible with all previous DAPL 3000 configuration scripts - as long as they do not specify hardware channels beyond the range that xDAP 7420 supports. The onboard intelligence that runs within the embedded DAPL 3000 system frees you from the real-time delays and uncertainties present in your host operating systems. A USB interface connects xDAP 7420 to your local workstation or laptop, and that can control the processing directly, or enable remote networked access. The DAPIO programming interface allows you to manage configurations and data transfers from your favorite programming languages and environments, such as DAPstudio, C++, Visual Basic, or LabVIEW. DAPstudio, from Microstar Laboratories, assists you in building downloaded configuration scripts, providing a means for independently validating and testing the embedded side of your applications - in some cases, providing everything you need for a complete measurement application. The DAPIO interface can support Windows 7 64-bit applications either in 32-bit compatibility or 64-bit native modes.
Conclusion and Next Step
While offering a sampling rate that doubles the rate of previous products, with no loss of data quality, the CE-qualified xDAP 7420 extends the xDAP family to new application possibilities. The new product remains compatible with the DAPIO programming API, with support for operating systems from Windows XP through Windows 7, including the 64-bit edition. It also remains compatible with DAPstudio software from Microstar Laboratories, for independently configuring the embedded processing. The DAPtools Basic software package, including a demo version of the DAPstudio software, is provided with every system at no charge. Visit the Microstar Web site at www.mstarlabs.com/software/ to download an evaluation copy.
Full technical specifications for xDAP 7420 are listed on the Web site. xDAP 7420 costs US$6995 and is available now. Call the company toll-free from the US or Canada at 888 MSTARLABS (888 678-2752). Visit us on the Web at www.mstarlabs.com. Or contact your local distributor.
Microstar Laboratories, Inc. claims Microstar Laboratories, Data Acquisition Processor, DAP, xDAP, xDAP 7420, xDAP 7410, xDAP 7400, DAPL, DAPIO, DAPtools, and DAPstudio as trademarks. Microsoft Corporation has registered Microsoft, Windows, Windows XP, Windows 7, and Visual Basic as trademarks. National Instruments Corporation has registered LabVIEW as a trademark. Intel Corporation has registered Intel and Celeron as trademarks. Other organizations may claim - or may have registered - as trademarks other trade names, logos, and service marks that appear in this document but not in the list above.
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