Data Translation DT9836 Instruction Manual
UM-21551-B
DT9836 Series
User’s Manual
Second Edition
March, 2006
Data Translation, Inc.
100 Locke Drive
Marlboro, MA 01752-1192
(508) 481-3700
www.datatranslation.com
Fax: (508) 481-8620
E-mail: info@datx.com
Copyright © 2006 by Data Translation, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Information furnished by Data Translation, Inc.
is believed to be accurate and reliable; however,
no responsibility is assumed by Data Translation,
Inc. 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 rights
of Data Translation, Inc.
Use, duplication, or disclosure by the United
States Government is subject to restrictions as set
forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in
Technical Data and Computer software clause at
48 C.F.R, 252.227-7013, or in subparagraph (c)(2)
of the Commercial computer Software Registered Rights clause at 48 C.F.R., 52-227-19 as
applicable. Data Translation, Inc., 100 Locke
Drive, Marlboro, MA 01752
Data Translation® is a registered trademark of
Data Translation, Inc. DT-Open Layers
DataAcq SDK
TM
Link
, DTx-EZTM, and DT VPITM are trademarks
TM
, DataAcq OMNI CDTM, DT-LV
TM
,
of Data Translation, Inc.
All other brand and product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective companies.
Radio and Television Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with CISPR
EN55022 Class A, and EN50082-1 (CE) requirements and also with
the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a
commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in
a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case
the user will be required to correct the interference at his own
expense.
Changes or modifications to this equipment not expressly approved
by Data Translation could void your authority to operate the
equipment under Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Note: This product was verified to meet FCC requirements under
test conditions that included use of shielded cables and connectors
between system components. It is important that you use shielded
cables and connectors to reduce the possibility of causing
interference to radio, television, and other electronic devices.
Canadian Department of Communications Statement
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio
noise emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio
Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of
Communications.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques
dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de la class
A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique
édicté par le Ministère des Communications du Canada.
Table of Contents
About this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Intended Audience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
How this Manual is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Conventions Used in this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Where To Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chapter 1: Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
DT9836 Hardware Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Supported Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Getting Started Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Part 1: Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapter 2: Preparing to Use a Module. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Checking the System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Installing the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Viewing the Documentation Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Chapter 3: Setting Up and Installing the Module . . . . . . . . 31
Applying Power to the Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Attaching Modules to the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Connecting Directly to the USB Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Connecting to an Expansion Hub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Configuring the DT9836 Series Device Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chapter 4: Wiring Signals to the BNC Connection Box. . . 39
5
Contents
Preparing to Wire Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Wiring Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Wiring to the BNC Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Wiring Signals to the BNC Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Wiring Signals to the D-Sub Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Digital In/Out Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
CT/Enc In, Analog Out, Clk/Trig Connector . . . . 46
Connecting Analog Input Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Connecting Single-Ended Voltage Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Connecting Analog Output Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Connecting Digital I/O Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Connecting Counter/Timer Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Event Counting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Up/Down Counting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Frequency Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Period/Pulse Width Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Edge-to-Edge Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Pulse Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Chapter 5: Verifying the Operation of a Module . . . . . . . . . 59
Installing the Quick Data Acq Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Running the Quick Data Acq Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Testing Single-Value Analog Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Testing Single-Value Analog Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Testing Continuous Analog Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Testing Single-Value Digital Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Testing Single-Value Digital Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Testing Frequency Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Testing Pulse Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
6
Part 2: Using Your Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter 6: Principles of Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Analog Input Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Input Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Analog Input Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Specifying a Single Analog Input Channel . . . . . . . . . 74
Specifying One or More Analog Input Channels . . . . 74
Specifying the Digital Input Port in the Analog Input
Channel-Gain List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Specifying Counter/Timers in the Analog Input
Channel-Gain List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Input Ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Input Sample Clock Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Analog Input Conversion Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Continuous Scan Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Input Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Data Format and Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Error Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Analog Output Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Output Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Analog Output Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Specifying a Single Analog Output Channel . . . . . . . . 84
Specifying Multiple Analog Output Channels
and/or the Digital Output Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Output Ranges and Gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Output Triggers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Output Clocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Output Conversion Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Streaming Analog Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Waveform Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Contents
7
Contents
Data Format and Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Error Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Digital I/O Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Digital I/O Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Operation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Counter/Timer Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
C/T Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
C/T Clock Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Gate Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Pulse Output Types and Duty Cycles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Counter/Timer Operation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Event Counting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Up/Down Counting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Frequency Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Edge-to-Edge Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Rate Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
One-Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Repetitive One-Shot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Quadrature Decoders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Chapter 7: Supported Device Driver Capabilities . . . . . . . 109
Data Flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Buffering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
DMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Triggered Scan Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Synchronous Digital I/O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Ranges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
8
Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Clocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Counter/Timers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Chapter 8: Programming Flowcharts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Single-Value Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Continuous A/D Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Continuous D/A Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Continuous Digital Input Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Digital Input Interrupt-On-Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Continuous Digital Output Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Event Counting Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Up/Down Counting Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Frequency Measurement Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Edge-to-Edge Measurement Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Pulse Output Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Quadrature Decoder Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Simultaneous Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Contents
Chapter 9: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
General Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
If Your Module Needs Factory Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Chapter 10: Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Using the Calibration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Calibrating the Analog Input Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Connecting a Precision Voltage Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Using the Auto-Calibration Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Using the Manual Calibration Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
9
Contents
Calibrating the Analog Output Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Appendix A: Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
OEM Version Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
OEM J2 Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
OEM J3 Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
OEM Wiring Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
OEM TB1 Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
BNC Box Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Digital I/O Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
CT/Enc In, Analog Out, Clk/Trig Connector . . . . . . . . . . 185
EP353 Accessory Panel Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Connector J1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Connector J2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
EP356 Accessory Panel Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Connector J1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Connector J2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
EP355 Screw Terminal Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
10
Appendix B: Ground, Power, and Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Secondary Power Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Ground, Power, and Isolation Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Appendix C: Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
About this Manual
The first part of this manual describes how to install and set up your
DT9836 Series module and device driver, and verify that your
module is working properly. It incorporates the content of the former
Getting Started manual.
The second part of this manual describes the features of the DT9836
Series modules, the capabilities of the DT9836 Series Device Driver,
and how to program the DT9836 Series modules using DT-Open
Layers software. Troubleshooting information is also provided.
Note: The DT9836 Series module is available either installed in a
metal BNC connection box, or as a board-level OEM version that you
can install in your own custom application. If the information in this
manual applies to all versions of the DT9836 Series module, the
manual uses the product name "DT9836 Series module." Otherwise,
the specific product name is mentioned.
Intended Audience
This document is intended for engineers, scientists, technicians, or
others responsible for using and/or programming the DT9836 Series
modules for data acquisition operations in the Microsoft®
Windows® 2000 or Windows XP operating system. It is assumed that
you have some familiarity with data acquisition principles and that
you understand your application.
11
About this Manual
How this Manual is Organized
This manual is organized as follows:
• Chapter 1, “Overview,” describes the major features of the
DT9836 Series module, as well as the supported software and
accessories for the modules.
• Chapter 2, “Preparing to Use a Module,” describes how to
unpack the DT9836 Series package, check the system
requirements, install the DT9836 Series software under Windows
2000 or Windows XP, and view the DT9836 Series documentation
online.
• Chapter 3, “Setting Up and Installing the Module,” describes
how to install a DT9836 Series module, how to apply power to
the module, and how to configure the device driver.
• Chapter 4, “Wiring Signals to the BNC Connection Box,”
describes how to wire signals to a DT9836 Series BNC connection
box.
• Chapter 5, “Verifying the Operation of a Module,” describes
how to verify the operation of the DT9836 Series module with the
Quick Data Acq application.
12
• Chapter 6, “Principles of Operation,” describes all of the features
of the DT9836 Series module and how to use them in your
application.
• Chapter 7, “Supported Device Driver Capabilities,” lists the data
acquisition subsystems and the associated features accessible
using the DT9836 Series Device Driver.
• Chapter 8, “Programming Flowcharts,” describes the processes
you must follow to program the subsystems of the DT9836 Series
module using DT-Open Layers-compliant software.
• Chapter 9, “Troubleshooting,” provides information that you can
use to resolve problems with the DT9836 Series module and
device driver, should they occur.
• Chapter 10, “Calibration,” describes how to calibrate the analog
I/O circuitry of the DT9836 Series modules.
• Appendix A, “Connector Pin Assignments,” shows the pin
assignments for the connectors and the screw terminal
assignments for the screw terminals on the DT9836 Series
modules.
• Appendix B, “Ground, Power, and Isolation,” describes the
electrical characteristics of the DT9836 Series module.
• Appendix C, “Specifications,” lists the specifications of the
DT9836 Series modules.
• An index completes this manual.
Conventions Used in this Manual
The following conventions are used in this manual:
• Notes provide useful information or information that requires
special emphasis, cautions provide information to help you avoid
losing data or damaging your equipment, and warnings provide
information to help you avoid catastrophic damage to yourself or
your equipment.
About this Manual
• Items that you select or type are shown in bold.
Related Information
Refer to the following documents for more information on using the
DT9836 Series modules:
• Benefits of the Universal Serial Bus for Data Acquisition. This white
paper describes why USB is an attractive alternative for data
acquisition. It is available on the Data Translation web site
(www.datatranslation.com).
13
About this Manual
• DT Measure Foundry Getting Started Manual (UM-19298) and
online help. These documents describe how to use DT Measure
Foundry™ to build drag-and-drop test and measurement
applications for Data Translation® data acquisition devices
without programming.
• DataAcq SDK User’s Manual (UM-18326). For programmers who
are developing their own application programs using the
Microsoft C compiler, this manual describes how to use the
DT-Open Layers DataAcq SDK to access the capabilities of
Data Translation data acquisition devices.
• DTx-EZ Getting Started Manual (UM-15428). This manual
describes how to use the ActiveX controls provided in DTx-EZ
to access the capabilities of Data Translation data acquisition
devices in Microsoft Visual Basic® or Visual C++®.
• DT-LV Link Getting Started Manual (UM-15790). This manual
describes how to use DT-LV Link with the LabVIEW
graphical programming language to access the capabilities of
Data Translation data acquisition devices.
• Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP documentation.
14
• USB web site (http://www.usb.org).
Where To Get Help
Should you run into problems installing or using a DT9836 Series
module, the Data Translation Technical Support Department is
available to provide technical assistance. Refer to Chapter 9 for more
information. If you are outside the United States or Canada, call your
local distributor, whose number is listed on our web site
(www.datatranslation.com).
1
Overview
DT9836 Hardware Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Supported Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Getting Started Procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
15
Chapter 1
DT9836 Hardware Features
The DT9836 Series is a family of high-performance, multifunction
data acquisition modules for the USB (Ver. 2.0 or Ver. 1.1) bus. The
key hardware features of the DT9836 Series modules are as follows:
• Available either installed in a metal BNC connection box, or as a
board-level OEM version that you can install in your own custom
application.
• Simultaneous operation of analog input, analog output, digital
I/O, and counter/timer subsystems.
• Analog input subsystem:
16-bit A/D converters.
Throughput rate up to 225 kSamples/s.
Either 12 or 6 single-ended separate, simultaneous analog
input channels. The number of channels provided depend on
the model you purchase.
Input ranges of ±10 and ±5 V.
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17- or 23-location channel list. You can read digital inputs, the
two 32-bit counters, and the three 32-bit quadrature decoders
using the A/D subsystem and the A/D clock. This
synchronizes digital, counter, and quadrature decoder inputs
with the analog measurements. The maximum sampling rate
when using the channel list is 225 kSamples/s.
• Analog output subsystem:
Two 16-bit D/A converters (if your module includes D/A
converters).
Output rate up to 500 kSamples/s.
Output range of ±10 V.
The DACs are deglitched to prevent noise from interfering
with the output signal.
Output channel list. You can cycle through the output channel
list using continuous output mode or waveform generation
mode.
• Digital I/O subsystem:
Overview
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One digital input port, consisting of 16 digital input lines. You
can program any of the first eight digital input lines to
perform interrupt-on-change operations. You can read the
value of the digital input port using the analog input
channel-gain list.
One digital output port, consisting of 16 digital output lines.
You can output the value of the digital output port using the
output channel list.
• Two 32-bit counter/timer (C/T) channels that perform event
counting, up/down counting, frequency measurement,
edge-to-edge measurement, continuous pulse output, one-shot,
and repetitive one-shot operations. You can read the value of one
or more of the C/T channels using the analog input channel list.
• Three 32-bit quadrature decoders that can provide relative or
absolute position of quadrature encoder input and calculate
rotational speed. You can read the value of one or more of the
quadrature decoder channels using the analog input channel list.
• External or internal clock source.
• Trigger operations using a software command, an analog
threshold value, or an external digital trigger.
• 500 V galvanic isolation barrier that prevents ground loops to
maximize analog signal integrity and protect your computer.
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Chapter 1
The key differences among the DT9836 Series modules are
summarized in Table 1. Note that all modules provide 16 digital
input lines, 16 digital output lines, 16-bit resolution, two
counter/timers, three quadrature decoders, and a throughput rate of
up to 225 kSamples/s.
Table 1: Summary of DT9836 Series Modules
Analog
Module Analog Inputs
DT9836-12-2-OEM 12 single-ended 2 OEM
DT9836-12-2-BNC 12 single-ended 2 BNC
DT9836-12-0-OEM 12 single-ended 0 OEM
DT9836-12-0-BNC 12 single-ended 0 BNC
DT9836-6-2-OEM 6 single-ended 2 OEM
DT9836-6-2-BNC 6 single-ended 2 BNC
DT9836-6-0-OEM 6 single-ended 0 OEM
Outputs
Packaging
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DT9836-6-0-BNC 6 single-ended 0 BNC
Notes:
• OEM packaging refers to the board-level version; the power
supply is not included.
• BNC packaging refers to a connection box with BNCs for the
specified number of analog inputs, 2 BNCs for analog outputs (if
included), 1 BNC for an external A/D clock, 1 BNC for an
external DAC clock, 1 BNC for an external A/D trigger, and 1
BNC for an external DAC trigger.
Supported Software
The following software is available for use with the DT9836 Series
modules and is on the Data Acquisition OMNI CD:
• DT9836 Series Device Driver – The device driver allows you to
use a DT9836 Series module with any of the supported software
packages or utilities. Refer to the DT9836 Series Getting Started
Manual (UM-21553) for more information on loading and
configuring the device driver.
• Quick Data Acq application – The Quick Data Acq application
provides a quick way to get up and running using a DT9836
Series module. Using this application, you can verify key features
of the modules, display data on the screen, and save data to disk.
Refer to the DT9836 Series Getting Started Manual (UM-21553) for
more information on using the Quick Data Acq application.
• DT Measure Foundry – An evaluation version of this software is
included or provided via a link on the Data Acquisition OMNI
CD. DT Measure Foundry is a drag-and-drop test and
measurement application builder designed to give you top
performance with ease-of-use development. Order the full
development version of this software package to develop your
own application using real hardware.
Overview
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• DataAcq SDK – Use the Data Acq SDK if you want to develop
your own application software for the DT9836 Series modules
using the Microsoft C compiler; the DataAcq SDK complies with
the DT-Open Layers standard.
• DTx-EZ – DTx-EZ provides ActiveX controls, which allow you to
access the capabilities of the DT9836 Series modules using
Microsoft Visual Basic or Visual C++; DTx-EZ complies with the
DT-Open Layers
• DAQ Adaptor for MATLAB – Data Translation’s DAQ Adaptor
provides an interface between the MATLAB Data Acquisition
(DAQ) subsystem from The MathWorks and Data Translation’s
DT-Open Layers architecture.
standard.
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Chapter 1
• DT-LV Link – Use DT-LV Link if you want to use the LabVIEW
graphical programming language to access the capabilities of the
DT9836 Series modules.
Refer to the Data Translation web site (www.datatranslation.com) for
information about selecting the right software package for your
needs.
Accessories
You can purchase the following optional items from Data Translation
for use with the OEM version of the DT9836 Series module:
• EP361 – +5V power supply and cable.
• EP353 – Accessory panel that provides one 37-pin, D-sub
connector for attaching analog input signals and one 26-pin
connector for attaching a 5B Series signal conditioning backplane.
• EP355 – Screw terminal panel that provides 14-position screw
terminal blocks for attaching counter/timer, digital I/O, trigger,
and clock signals. (Not for analog input use with this module.)
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• EP356 – Accessory panel that provides two 37-pin, D-sub
connectors for attaching digital I/O, analog output,
counter/timer, trigger, and clock signals.
• EP333 – 2-meter shielded cable with two 37-pin connectors that
connect an EP356 accessory panel to an STP37 screw terminal
panel.
• EP360 – 2-meter shielded cable with two 37-pin connectors that
connect an EP353 accessory panel to an STP37 screw terminal
panel.
Getting Started Procedure
The flow diagram shown in Figure 1 illustrates the steps needed to
get started using the DT9836 Series module. This diagram is repeated
in each Getting Started chapter; the shaded area in the diagram
shows you where you are in the getting started procedure.
Prepare to Use the Module
(see Chapter 2 starting on page 25)
Set Up and Install the Module
(see Chapter 3 starting on page 31)
Overview
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Wire Signals to the BNC Connection Box
(see Chapter 4 starting on page 39)
Verify the Operation of the Module
(see Chapter 5 starting on page 59)
Figure 1: Getting Started Flow Diagram
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Chapter 1
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Part 1: Getting Started
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Preparing to Use a Module
Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Checking the System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Installing the Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Viewing the Documentation Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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Chapter 2
Prepare to Use the Module
(this chapter)
Set Up and Install the Module
(see Chapter 3 starting on page 31)
Wire Signals to the BNC Connection Box
(see Chapter 4 starting on page 39)
Verify the Operation of the Module
(see Chapter 5 starting on page 59)
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Unpacking
Open the shipping box and verify that the following items are
present:
• BNC connection box or OEM version of the DT9836 Series
module
• Data Acquisition OMNI CD
Preparing to Use a Module
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Note that if you purchased a BNC connection box, a USB cable and
an EP361 power supply and power cable should also be included.
Additionally, the BNC box includes a 37-pin mating connector
(AMP #747917-2).
If an item is missing or damaged, contact Data Translation. If you are
in the United States, call the Customer Service Department at (508)
481-3700. An application engineer will guide you through the
appropriate steps for replacing missing or damaged items. If you are
located outside the United States, call your local distributor, listed on
Data Translation’s web site (www.datatranslation.com).
Once you have unpacked your module, check the system
requirements, as described in the next section.
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Chapter 2
Checking the System Requirements
For reliable operation, your DT9836 Series module requires the
following:
• PC with Pentium 233 MHz (or higher) processor.
• Windows 2000 or Windows XP (Professional Edition) operating
system.
For USB Ver. 2.0 support, make sure that you install Service Pack
2 (for Windows XP) or Service Pack 4 (for Windows 2000). In
addition, for some systems, you may have to disable standby
mode. If you are not sure whether you are using USB Ver. 1.1 or
Ver. 2.0, run the Open Layers Control Panel applet, described on
page 38.
• One or more USB ports (Ver. 2.0 or Ver. 1.1). USB Ver. 2.0 is
strongly recommended; USB Ver. 1.1 will severely degrade
performance.
• 64 MB (or more) of RAM; 128 MB (or more) recommended.
• One or more CD-ROM drives.
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• Super VGA (800 x 600 or higher resolution) display monitor.
Once you have verified that your system meets the system
requirements, install the software, as described in the next section.
Installing the Software
To install the software, do the following:
1. Insert the Data Acquisition OMNI CD into your CD-ROM drive.
Typically, the CD runs automatically. If the CD does not run
automatically, select Run from the Windows Start menu. Enter
x:\setup.exe (where x is the letter of your CD-ROM drive) in the Run
dialog box or use the Browse button to locate setup.exe, and then click
OK.
2. From the Data Acquisition Software setup program, click Install
Drivers.
A list of items that you are about to install appears.
3. Click Install now!
The DT-Open Layers Data Acquisition software wizard appears.
4. Click Next.
The installer prompts you for the destination location.
5. Either change the directory path and/or name using Browse or
accept the default directory (C\Program Files\Data Translation),
and then click Next.
The installer prompts you to begin file installation.
Preparing to Use a Module
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6. Click Next.
The installer copies the files to the destination directory.
7. Click Finish.
The DT Data Acquisition Software setup program reappears.
8. Click Quit Installer.
Once you have installed the DT9836 Series software, you can view
the DT9836 Series documentation, as described in the next section.
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Chapter 2
Viewing the Documentation Online
Note: To view the documentation, you must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader 5.0 or greater installed on your system. Acrobat Reader is
provided on the Data Acquisition OMNI CD. If you install Acrobat
Reader from this CD, make sure that you open Acrobat Reader and
accept the license agreement before viewing the documentation.
You can access the DT9836 Series documentation from the Hardware
Documentation program group. From the Windows Start menu, click
Programs|Data Translation, Inc|Hardware Documentation, and
then select the appropriate document.
The following may be helpful when using Adobe Acrobat Reader:
• To navigate to a specific section of the document, click a heading
from the table of contents on the left side of the document.
• Within the document, click the text shown in blue to jump to the
appropriate reference (the pointer changes from a hand to an
index finger).
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• To go back to the page from which the jump was made, click the
right mouse button and Go Back, or from the main menu, click
Document, and then Go Back.
• To print the document, from the main menu, click File, and then
Print.
• To increase or decrease the size of the displayed document, from
the main menu, click View, and then Zoom.
• By default, Acrobat Reader smoothes text and monochrome
images, sometimes resulting in blurry images. If you wish, you
can turn smoothing off by clicking File, and then
Preferences/General, and unchecking Smooth Text and Images.