Measurement USB-1616FS User Manual

USB-1608GX-2AO

Document Revision 1
November 2014
© Copyright 2014

User's Guide

Multifunction DAQ Device

HM USB-1608GX-2AO.docx

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Table of Contents

Preface

About this User's Guide ....................................................................................................................... 5

What you will learn from this user's guide ......................................................................................................... 5

Conventions in this user's guide ......................................................................................................................... 5

Where to find more information ......................................................................................................................... 5

Chapter 1

Introducing the USB-1608GX-2AO ...................................................................................................... 6

Functional block diagram ................................................................................................................................... 6

Chapter 2

Installing the USB-1608GX-2AO .......................................................................................................... 7

Unpacking........................................................................................................................................................... 7

Installing the software ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Installing the hardware ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Calibrating .......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Self-calibration ................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Factory calibration ............................................................................................................................................................ 7

Firmware updates ............................................................................................................................................... 7

Chapter 3

Functional Details ................................................................................................................................. 8

Analog input modes ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Software paced .................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Hardware paced ................................................................................................................................................................ 8

Burst mode.......................................................................................................................................................... 8

External components .......................................................................................................................................... 9

USB connector .................................................................................................................................................................. 9

LEDs ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Screw terminals................................................................................................................................................................. 9

Signal connections ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Analog input ....................................................................................................................................................................11

Analog output ..................................................................................................................................................................12

External clock I/O ............................................................................................................................................................12

Digital I/O ........................................................................................................................................................................12

Trigger input ....................................................................................................................................................................13

Counter input ...................................................................................................................................................................14

Timer output ....................................................................................................................................................................14

Power output ....................................................................................................................................................................14

Ground ................................................................................................................................................................ .............14

Mechanical drawings ................................................................................................................................ ........ 15

Chapter 4

Specifications ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Analog input ..................................................................................................................................................... 16

Accuracy ........................................................................................................................................................... 17

Analog input DC voltage measurement accuracy ............................................................................................................17

Noise performance ...........................................................................................................................................................17

Settling time .....................................................................................................................................................................17

Analog output ................................................................................................................................................... 18

Analog input/output calibration ........................................................................................................................ 19

Digital input/output........................................................................................................................................... 19

External trigger ................................................................................................................................ ................. 19

External clock input/output............................................................................................................................... 20

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USB-1608GX-2AO User's Guide

Counter ............................................................................................................................................................. 20

Timer ................................................................................................................................................................ 21

Memory ............................................................................................................................................................ 21

Power ................................................................................................................................................................ 21

USB .................................................................................................................................................................. 21

Environmental .................................................................................................................................................. 22

Mechanical ....................................................................................................................................................... 22

Screw terminal connector ................................................................................................................................. 22

Differential mode pinout ..................................................................................................................................................22

Single-ended mode pinout ...............................................................................................................................................23

Declaration of Conformity .................................................................................................................. 24

4

About this User's Guide

What you will learn from this user's guide

This user's guide describes the Measurement Computing USB-1608GX-2AO data acquisition device and lists
device specifications.

Conventions in this user's guide

For more information

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.

bold text Bold text is used for the names of objects on a screen, such as buttons, text boxes, and check boxes.

italic text Italic text is used for the names of manuals and help topic titles, and to emphasize a word or phrase.

Preface

Where to find more information

Additional information about the USB-1608GX-2AO is available on our website at www.mccdaq.com. You can
also contact Measurement Computing Corporation by phone, fax, or email with specific questions.

 Knowledgebase: kb.mccdaq.com
 Tech support form: www.mccdaq.com/support/support_form.aspx
 Email: [e-mail]
 Phone: [phone] and follow the instructions for reaching Tech Support

For international customers, contact your local distributor. Refer to the International Distributors section on our
website at www.mccdaq.com/International.

5

Chapter 1

Introducing the USB-1608GX-2AO

The USB-1608G is a USB 2.0 high-speed device that provides the following features:

 16 single-ended (SE) or eight differential (DIFF) analog input channels
 Two analog output channels
 Eight individually configurable digital I/O channels
 Two counter channels (32-bit) that count TTL pulses
 One timer output channel (32-bit)
 Screw terminals for field wiring connections

The USB-1608GX-2AO is powered by the +5 volt USB supply from your computer; no external power is
required. A USB cable is shipped with the device.

The USB-1608GX-2AO device is compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports. The speed of the device
may be limited when using a USB 1.1 port due to the difference in transfer rates on the USB 1.1 versions of the
protocol (low-speed and full-speed).

Functional block diagram

USB-1608GX-2AO functions are illustrated in the block diagram shown here.

Figure 1. Functional block diagram

6

Chapter 2

Installing the USB-1608GX-2AO

Unpacking

As with any electronic device, you should take care while handling to avoid damage from static
electricity. Before removing the device from its packaging, ground yourself using a wrist strap or by simply
touching the computer chassis or other grounded object to eliminate any stored static charge.

Contact us immediately if any components are missing or damaged.

Installing the software

Refer to the MCC DAQ Quick Start for instructions on installing the software on the MCC DAQ CD. Refer to
the device product page on the Measurement Computing website for information about the included and
optional software supported by the USB-1608GX-2AO.

Install the software before you install your device

The driver needed to run the USB-1608GX-2AO is installed with the software. Therefore, you need to install
the software package you plan to use before you install the hardware.

Installing the hardware

To connect a USB-1608GX-2AO to your system, turn on your computer and connect the USB cable to an
available USB port on the computer or to an external USB hub connected to the computer. Connect the other
end of the USB cable to the USB connector on the device. No external power is required.

When you connect the device for the first time, a Found New Hardware dialog opens when the operating
system detects the device. The dialog closes after the device is installed.

A green Status LED indicates the device status. When the LED is on, the device is powered and ready for
operation. When the LED is off, the device is not powered or did not initialize. Figure 3 on page 9 shows the
location of the Status LED. If the Status LED is on but then turns off, the computer has lost communication
with the device. To restore communication, disconnect the USB cable from the computer and then reconnect it.
This should restore communication, and the LED should turn on.

Caution! Do not disconnect any device from the USB bus while the computer is communicating with

the USB-1608GX-2AO, or you may lose data and/or your ability to communicate with the device.

Calibrating

Self-calibration

The USB-1608GX-2AO supports self-calibration with InstaCal. Calibrate the device whenever the ambient
temperature changes by more than ±10 °C from the last self-calibration.

Factory calibration

The Measurement Computing Manufacturing Test department performs the initial factory calibration. Contact
Measurement Computing for details about how to return your device and have it calibrated to the factory
specifications.

Firmware updates

Your DAQ device contains firmware that can be updated in the field if required. Firmware is available for
download at www.mccdaq.com/firmware.aspx.We recommend that you check this page periodically to see if an
update to your device firmware is available.

7

Chapter 3

Functional Details

Analog input modes

The USB-1608GX-2AO device can acquire analog input data in two basic modes – software paced and
hardware paced.

Software paced

You can acquire one analog sample at a time in software paced mode. You initiate the A/D conversion with a
software command. The analog value is converted to digital data and returned to the computer. Repeat this
procedure until you have the total number of samples that you want.

The sample rate in software paced mode is system-dependent and can range from 33 S/s to 4000 S/s.

Hardware paced

You can acquire data from up to 16 channels in hardware paced mode. The analog data is continuously
acquired, converted to digital values, and written into the FIFO buffer on the device until you stop the scan. The
FIFO buffer is serviced in blocks as the data is transferred from the FIFO buffer to the computer memory
buffer. You start a continuous scan with either a software command or with an external hardware trigger event.

The maximum sampling rate in hardware paced mode from one to 16 channels is 500 kS/s aggregate.

Burst mode

When using the onboard pacer, you can enable burst mode for more precise timing between samples. When
burst mode is enabled, each successive channel in a scan is sampled at the maximum A/D rate. This ensures that
samples from each channel are taken as close as possible to the same absolute point in time. When burst mode
is disabled, data is sampled at evenly spaced intervals, allowing maximum settling time and best amplitude
accuracy. Multi-channel scanning with burst mode enabled and disabled is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Multi-channel scan with burst mode enabled and disabled

The burst mode sample period is 2 µs.
You can trigger the acquisition with the external trigger, and control the clock period with the internal or

external A/D pacer clock. Pacing from the external clock always operates with burst mode enabled.

8