Tektronix DAS-1800ST,DAS-1800HR Series Users Guide

DAS-1800ST/HR Series

User’s Guide

A GREATER MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE

WARRANTY

Hardware

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment (3 years for Models 2000,
2001, 2002, 2010 and 2700), the Keithley Hardware product will be free from defects in materials or workmanship. This
warranty will be honored provided the defect has not been caused by use of the Keithley Hardware not in accordance with
the instructions for the product. This warranty shall be null and void upon: (1) any modification of Keithley Hardware that
is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley or (2) operation of the Keithley Hardware outside
of the environmental specifications therefore.

Upon receiving notification of a defect in the Keithley Hardware during the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option,
either repair or replace such Keithley Hardware. During the first ninety days of the warranty period, Keithley will, at its
option, supply the necessary on site labor to return the product to the condition prior to the notification of a defect. Failure
to notify Keithley of a defect during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this
warranty.

Other Hardware

The portion of the product that is not manufactured by Keithley (Other Hardware) shall not be covered by this warranty,
and Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers' warranties on behalf of the customer. On those
other manufacturers’ products that Keithley purchases for resale, Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any
manufacturers’ warranties on behalf of the customer.

Software

Keithley warrants that for a period of one (1) year from date of shipment, the Keithley produced portion of the software or
firmware (Keithley Software) will conform in all material respects with the published specifications provided such Keithley
Software is used on the product for which it is intended and otherwise in accordance with the instructions therefore.
Keithley does not warrant that operation of the Keithley Software will be uninterrupted or error-free and/or that the Keithley
Software will be adequate for the customer's intended application and/or use. This warranty shall be null and void upon any
modification of the Keithley Software that is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley.

If Keithley receives notification of a Keithley Software nonconformity that is covered by this warranty during the warranty
period, Keithley will review the conditions described in such notice. Such notice must state the published specification(s)
to which the Keithley Software fails to conform and the manner in which the Keithley Software fails to conform to such
published specification(s) with sufficient specificity to permit Keithley to correct such nonconformity. If Keithley deter­mines that the Keithley Software does not conform with the published specifications, Keithley will, at its option, provide
either the programming services necessary to correct such nonconformity or develop a program change to bypass such
nonconformity in the Keithley Software. Failure to notify Keithley of a nonconformity during the warranty shall relieve
Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.

Other Software

OEM software that is not produced by Keithley (Other Software) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall
have no duty or obligation to enforce any OEM's warranties on behalf of the customer.

Other Items

Keithley warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables, rechargeable batteries, diskettes,
and documentation.

Items not Covered under Warranty

This warranty does not apply to fuses, non-rechargeable batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from
normal wear or failure to follow instructions.

Limitation of Warranty

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modification made by Purchaser without Keithley's express
written consent, or by misuse of any product or part.

Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES ABOVE KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT­ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH
RESPECT TO THE OTHER HARDWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE.

Limitation of Liability

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS SHALL IN NO EVENT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR
OR BE LIABLE FOR: (1) ECONOMICAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR
EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, WHETHER CLAIMED UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY,
(2) LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DATA OR PROGRAMMING, OR (3) PENALTIES OR PENALTY
CLAUSES OF ANY DESCRIPTION OR INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMER OR OTHERS FOR COSTS, DAM­AGES, OR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

Sales Offices: BELGIUM: Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

CHINA: Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-6202-2886 • Fax: [phone]
FINLAND: Tietäjäntie 2 • 02130 Espoo • Phone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
FRANCE: 3, allée des Garays • 91127 Palaiseau Cédex • 01-64 53 20 20 • Fax: [phone]
GERMANY: Landsberger Strasse 65 • 82110 Germering • 089/84 93 07-40 • Fax: [phone]
GREAT BRITAIN: Unit 2 Commerce Park, Brunel Road • Theale • Berkshire RG7 4AB • 0118 929 7500 • Fax: [phone]
INDIA: Flat 2B, Willocrissa • 14, Rest House Crescent • Bangalore 560 001 • 91-80-509-1320/21 • Fax: [phone]
ITALY: Viale San Gimignano, 38 • 20146 Milano • 02-48 39 16 01 • Fax: [phone]
JAPAN: New Pier Takeshiba North Tower 13F • 11-1, Kaigan 1-chome • Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0022 • 81-3-5733-7555 • Fax: [phone]
KOREA: 2FL., URI Building • 2-14 Yangjae-Dong • Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-888 • 82-2-574-7778 • Fax: [phone]
NETHERLANDS: Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: [phone]
SWEDEN: c/o Regus Business Centre • Frosundaviks Allé 15, 4tr • 169 70 Solna • 08-509 04 679 • Fax: [phone]
SWITZERLAND: Kriesbachstrasse 4 • 8600 Dübendorf • 01-821 94 44 • Fax: [phone]
TAIWAN: 1FL., 85 Po Ai Street • Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. • 886-3-572-9077• Fax: [phone]

28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

4/02

DAS-1800ST/HR Series

User’s Guide

Revision H - June 2002

Part Number: 90090

The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, the
manufacturer assumes no responsibility for its use; nor for any infringements of patents or other rights
of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any
patent rights of the manufacturer.

THE MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RELATED TO THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS PRODUCT IS
NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS OF A LEVEL OF RELIABILITY THAT IS SUITED FOR
USE IN LIFE SUPPORT OR CRITICAL APPLICATIONS.

DriverLINX, SSTNET, and LabOBJX are registered trademarks and DriverLINX/VB is a trademark of
Scientific Software Tools, Inc.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Visual C++ and Visual Basic are trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.

Borland is a registered trademark and Borland C++, Delphi, and Turbo Pascal are trademarks of
Borland International, Inc.

IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

Acrobat is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies.

Copyright © Keithley Instruments, Inc., 1999, 1996, 1995, 1994.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this documentation beyond that permitted
by Section 117 of the 1979 United States Copyright Act without permission of the Copyright owner is
unlawful.

S

The following safety precautions should be observed before using this product and any associated instrumentation.
Although some instruments and accessories would normally be used with non-hazardous voltages, there are situations
where hazardous conditions may be present.

This product is intended for use by qualified personnel who recognize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety
precautions required to avoid possible injury. Read and follow all installation, operation, and maintenance information
carefully before using the product. Refer to the manual for complete product specifications.

If the product is used in a manner not specified, the protection provided by the product may be impaired.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body

the equipment is operated within its specifications and operating limits, and for ensuring that operators are adequately
trained.

Operators

of the instrument. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with hazardous live circuits.

Maintenance personnel

the line voltage or replacing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in the manual. The proce­dures explicitly state if the operator may perform them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service personnel.

Service personnel

properly trained service personnel may perform installation and service procedures.

Keithley products are designed for use with electrical signals that are rated Installation Category I and Installation
Category II, as described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 60664. Most mea­surement, control, and data I/O signals are Installation Category I and must not be directly connected to mains voltage
or to voltage sources with high transient over-voltages. Installation Category II connections require protection for high
transient over-voltages often associated with local AC mains connections. Assume all measurement, control, and data
I/O connections are for connection to Category I sources unless otherwise marked or described in the Manual.

Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or
test fixtures. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock hazard exists when voltage levels
greater than 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC are present.

age is present in any unknown circuit before measuring.

Operators of this product must be protected from electric shock at all times. The responsible body must ensure that
operators are prevented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases, connections must be ex­posed to potential human contact. Product operators in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves from
the risk of electric shock. If the circuit is capable of operating at or above 1000 volts,

may be exposed.

Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits. They are intended to be used with impedance
limited sources. NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When connecting sources to switching cards,
install protective devices to limit fault current and voltage to the card.

Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connected to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect
the connecting cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks before each use.

is the individual or group responsible for the use and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that

use the product for its intended function. They must be trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use

perform routine procedures on the product to keep it operating properly, for example, setting

are trained to work on live circuits, and perform safe installations and repairs of products. Only

afety Precautions

A good safety practice is to expect that hazardous volt-

no conductive part of the circuit

5/02

When installing equipment where access to the main power cord is restricted, such as rack mounting, a separate main
input power disconnect device must be provided, in close proximity to the equipment and within easy reach of the
operator.

For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any other instruments while power is applied to the cir­cuit under test. ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge any capacitors before: connecting
or disconnecting cables or jumpers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal changes, such as in­stalling or removing jumpers.

Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth)
ground. Always make measurements with dry hands while standing on a dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the
voltage being measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its specifications and operating instructions or the
safety of the equipment may be impaired.

Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and accessories, as defined in the specifications and op­erating information, and as shown on the instrument or test fixture panels, or switching card.

When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating for continued protection against fire hazard.

Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground con­nections.

If you are using a test fixture, keep the lid closed while power is applied to the device under test. Safe operation re­quires the use of a lid interlock.

If or is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the wire recommended in the user documentation.

!

The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating instructions located in the manual.

The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or measure 1000 volts or more, including the combined
effect of normal and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to avoid personal contact with these
voltages.

The

WARNING

associated information very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

the warranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.

Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and all test cables.

To maintain protection from electric shock and fire, replacement components in mains circuits, including the power
transformer, test leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instruments. Standard fuses, with applicable
national safety approvals, may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components that are not safety related
may be purchased from other suppliers as long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that selected parts
should be purchased only through Keithley Instruments to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you
are unsure about the applicability of a replacement component, call a Keithley Instruments office for information.

To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do
not apply cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill on the instrument. Products that consist
of a circuit board with no case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a computer) should never
require cleaning if handled according to instructions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is affected,
the board should be returned to the factory for proper cleaning/servicing.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might result in personal injury or death. Always read the

heading in a manual explains hazards that could damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate

Table of Contents

Preface

1

Overview

Supporting Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

2

Functional Description

Analog Input Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5

Differential/Single-Ended Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5

Low-Side Reference Selection for Single-Ended Inputs . . . .2-6

Unipolar/Bipolar Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6

Channel-Gain Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-7

Channel Expansion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Multiplexer Control Lines MUX 4 to MUX 7 . . . . . . . 2-8

External Gain Control Line GEXT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8

Gains and Ranges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8

Maximum Achievable Throughput Rates. . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-9

Data Conversion Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-15

Clock Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-16

Pacer Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-16

Burst Mode Conversion Clock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-17

Triggers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18

Pre-Trigger Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-20

About-Trigger Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Post-Trigger Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Data Transfer Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22

Analog Output Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23

DAS-1800ST-DA Series Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23

DAS-1802HR-DA Boards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23

Digital I/O Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23

Using Digital Control Signal DOSTB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-24

Using Digital Control Signal TGOUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24

Using Digital Control Signal SSHO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-26

Assigning an Interrupt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27

Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-28

iii

3

Setup and Installation

Unwrapping and Inspecting Your Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Installing the Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Installing the DAS-1800ST/HR Series Standard Software

Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

Before Installing DriverLINX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

Selecting the DriverLINX components to Install. . . . . . . . 3-3

Installing DriverLINX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Setting the Base Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Installing the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6

Configuring the DAS-1800ST/HR Board with DriverLINX . . . . 3-6

4

Cabling and Wiring

Attaching an STA-1800U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Attaching an STP-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

Attaching SSH-8 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Attaching an MB01 Backplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Attaching MB02 Backplanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Attaching EXP-1800 Expansion Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

Connecting Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-11

Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11

Precautions for Using a DAS-1801ST Board

at High Gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12

Additional Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12

Connecting a Signal to a Single-Ended Analog Input. . . . . .4-13

Connecting a Signal to a Differential Analog Input . . . . . . .4-14

Avoiding a Ground Loop Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15

Connecting Analog Output Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16

Connecting Digital I/O Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17

Connecting Digital Control Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17

Connecting and Synchronizing Multiple Boards . . . . . . . . . 4-18

5

Testing the Board

DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Test Panel Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-2

6

Calibration

Equipment Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-1

Potentiometers and Test Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-2

DriverLINX Calibration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

iv

7

Troubleshooting

Problem Isolation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-1

Device Initialization Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Identifying Symptoms and Possible Causes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2

Testing the Board and Host Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5

Testing the Accessory Slot and I/O Connections . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6

A

Specifications

B

Connector Pin Assignments

Main I/O Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

I/O Connectors J1 and J2 of the STA-1800U Accessory. . . . . . B-2

Connector J3 of the STA-1800U Accessory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

Connectors J4 to J7 and Jumper Pads J8 to J11 of the STA-1800U

Accessory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3

C

DriverLINX Configuration Notes

Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

Calibrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

A/D Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

A/D Volts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

D/A Volts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

AI IRQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

AI DMA 1, AO DMA 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Special Device Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Common-mode reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4

Number of EXP-1800s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Simultaneous sample and hold configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Disable AO recycle mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5

Implementation Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6

v

Analog Input Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8

Analog Input Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8

Internal Clocking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9

Burst Mode Sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9

Repeat Mode Sampling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9

External Clocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-9

External Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

External Gating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

Simultaneous Sampling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

Analog Input Multiplexer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-11

Data Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-13

A/D Conversion Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-15

A/D Data Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-15

Analog Output Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-16

Analog Output Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-17

Internal Clocking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-17

Synchronous Analog Input/Output Clocking . . . . . . . . . . . C-17

External Clocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-18

External Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-18

Data Coding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-19

D/A Conversion Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-20

D/A Data Lost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-21

Digital Input and Output Subsystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-21

Logical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-21

Digital Input Initialization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-22

Digital Output Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-22

Digital I/O Conversion Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-22

Digital I/O Data Lost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-22

Counter/Timer Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-23

Counter/Timer Initialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-23

Counter/Timer Interrupt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-23

vi

List of Figures

Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of Basic DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Figure 2-2. Block Diagram of DAS-1800ST-DA

Series Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Figure 2-3. Block Diagram of DAS-1802HR-DA Boards . . . . 2-4

Figure 2-4. Timing of Data Conversion Modes

for Channels 4 to 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Figure 2-5. Enabling Conversions with a Software Trigger. . 2-19
Figure 2-6. Enabling Conversions with a Hardware Trigger . 2-19

Figure 2-7. Hardware Gate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Figure 2-8. Timing Relationship between Data

from DO0 to DO3 and Latch Strobe DOSTB . . .2-24

Figure 2-9. Timing for the TGOUT Signal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25

Figure 2-10. Timing for SSHO Signal When Not Used

for SSH Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27

Figure 3-1. Location of Base Address Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-5

Figure 4-1. Connector Layout of an STA-1800U Accessory. .4-2
Figure 4-2. Attaching an STA-1800U Accessory

to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Figure 4-3. Pin Assignments for the Main I/O Connector

of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Figure 4-4. Pin Assignments for Connectors J1 and J2

of the STA-1800U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4

Figure 4-5. Attaching an STP-50 to a DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

Figure 4-6. Pin Assignments for Screw Terminals

of the STP-50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

Figure 4-7. Attaching an SSH-8 to a DAS-1800ST

Series Board through an STA-1800U . . . . . . . . . .4-6

Figure 4-8. Attaching an MB01 Backplane to a

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

through an STA-1800U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-7

Figure 4-9. Attaching MB02 Backplanes to an

STA-1800U Accessory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-8

Figure 4-10. Daisy-Chaining STA-1800U Accessories

with Attached MB02 Backplanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9

Figure 4-11. Daisy-Chaining EXP-1800 Expansion

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

Figure 4-12. Wiring a Signal Source to a

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

Configured for Single-Ended Inputs . . . . . . . . . . 4-13

vii

Figure 4-13. Wiring a Signal Source to

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

Configured for Differential Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . .4-14

Figure 4-14. Differential Input Configuration that

Avoids a Ground Loop Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-16

Figure 4-15. Two Connection Schemes for

Synchronizing Multiple Boards. . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-18

Figure 6-1. Potentiometers and Test Points on Basic

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Figure 6-2. Potentiometers and Test Points on

DAS-1800ST-DA/HR-DA Series Boards . . . . . . .6-3

Figure B-1. Pin Assignments for the Main I/O Connector . . . B-1
Figure B-2. Pin Assignments for Main I/O Connectors

J1 and J2 of the STA-1800U Accessory . . . . . . . B-2

Figure B-3. Pin Assignments for STA-1800U Connector J3 . B-3
Figure B-4. Pin Layouts and Assignments for STA-1800U

Connectors J4 to J7 and Jumper Pads J8 to J11. . B-4

List of Tables

Table 2-1. DAS-1801ST Input Gains and Ranges

for Unipolar and Bipolar Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8

Table 2-2. DAS-1802ST/HR Input Gains and Ranges

for Unipolar and Bipolar Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-9

Table 2-3. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1800ST Series

Boards (Bipolar Mode - Fixed Gain). . . . . . . . . .2-11

Table 2-4. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1800ST Series

Boards (Unipolar Mode - Fixed Gain). . . . . . . . . 2-11

Table 2-5. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1801ST Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Table 2-6. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1801ST Boards

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . .2-12

Table 2-7. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802ST Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Table 2-8. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802ST Boards

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . .2-13

Table 2-9. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802HR Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Table 2-10. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802HR Boards

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain) . . . . . . . . . . .2-14

Table 3-1. I/O Address Map (000H to 3FFH). . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Table 4-1. STA-1800U Labels for DAC Outputs . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Table 4-2. STA-1800U Labels for DAC Outputs . . . . . . . . . 4-16

viii

Table 7-1. Troubleshooting Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-3

Table A-1. Analog Input Specifications for

DAS-1800ST Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Table A-2. Analog Input Specifications for

DAS-1800HR Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

Table A-3. Analog Output Specifications for

DAS-1800ST-DA Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7

Table A-4. Analog Output Specifications for

DAS-1802HR-DA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7

Table A-5. Digital I/O Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8

Table A-6. Power Supply Requirements for the DAS-1801ST,

DAS-1802ST, and DAS-1802HR . . . . . . . . . . . . A-9

Table A-7. Power Supply Requirements for the

DAS-1801ST-DA, DAS-1802ST-DA, and

DAS-1802HR-DA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-9

Table C-1. Modes Supported by DAS-1800 Models. . . . . . . C-6

Table C-2. Allowed Operations and Events for

Supported Subsystem Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-7

Table C-3. Table of Logical Channel Numbers for

Eight External EXP-1800 Multiplexers. . . . . . . C-12

Table C-4. Input Voltage and A/D Binary Value . . . . . . . . C-14

Table C-5. Input Voltage and A/D Binary Value . . . . . . . . C-14

Table C-6. Input Voltage and A/D Binary Value . . . . . . . . C-15

Table C-7. Binary Values and D/A Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . C-20

Table C-8. Logical Channels and Physical Digital I/O . . . . C-21

ix

Preface

This guide is intended to help you understand the installation, interface
requirements, functions, and operation of the DAS-1801ST,
DAS-1802ST, DAS-1802HR boards and their D/A (digital-to-analog)
versions, the DAS-1801ST-DA, DAS-1802ST-DA, and
DAS-1802HR-DA. Unless this guide refers specifically to one of these
boards, the guide refers to all boards collectively as the DAS-1800ST/HR
Series boards. At the same time, the term
members of the DAS-1800 family of data acquisition boards.

This guide focuses primarily on describing the DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards and their capabilities, setting up the boards and their associated
software, making typical hookups, and operating the DriverLINX
software. There are also chapters on calibration and troubleshooting. To
follow the information and instructions contained in this manual, you
must be familiar with the operation of an IBM PC or compatible in the
Windows 95/98 or Windows NT environment. You must also be familiar
with data acquisition principles and their applications.

The

DAS-1800ST/HR Series User’s Guide

DAS-1800 Series

refers to all

is organized as follows:

●

Section 1 describes features, accessories, and software options of the
boards.

●

Section 2 describes operating features of the boards in more detail.
This section contains a block diagram and brief descriptions of the
features as they relate to your options for setting up and using the
boards.

●

Section 3 contains instructions for inspection, software installation,
configuration, and board installation.

●

Section 4 shows the preferred methods for making I/O (Input/Output)
connections, using the available accessories and cables.

xi

Section 5 briefly describes the DriverLINX Analog I/O program and

●

Test program.

●

Section 6 describes calibration requirements and gives instructions
for starting the DriverLINX calibration program.

●

Section 7 contains information on isolating and determining the
source of operating problems. This section also contains instructions
for obtaining technical support.

●

Appendix A lists the specifications for DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards.

Appendix B lists the pin assignments for the main I/O connectors of

●

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards and for the I/O and accessory
connectors of STA-1800U screw terminal accessories.

Appendix C contains DriverLINX configuration information for the

●

DAS-1800 Series boards.

●

An index completes this manual.

xii

1

Overview

The DAS-1800ST/HR Series of data acquisition boards consists of the
following basic models: DAS-1801ST, DAS-1802ST, and DAS-1802HR.
The basic models all accept analog input signals and perform A/D
(analog-to-digital) conversions. If analog output is also required, these
models are available with a D/A (digital-to-analog) conversion option
under the following designations: DAS-1801ST-DA, DAS-1802ST-DA,
and DAS-1802HR-DA.

The DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards are high-performance data
acquisition boards that operate with DriverLINX software that requires:

●

an IBM PC or compatible AT (386 or Pentium CPU) with minimum
of 2 MB of memory

●

at least one CD ROM drive, one fixed disk drive, and one floppy disk
drive

●

Microsoft Windows 95/98, or Windows NT 4.0 or higher

●

a compiler supporting Microsoft Windows development
a mouse is highly recommended.

●

The DAS-1801ST is a 12-bit, high-gain board, while the DAS-1802ST is
a 12-bit, low-gain board. The DAS-1802HR is a 16-bit, low-gain board.

Major features of these boards are as follows:

●

The boards make 16-bit data transfers on the AT bus.

●

The boards are software-configurable for 16 single-ended or eight
differential onboard analog input channels or up to 256 analog input
channels using expansion accessories.

●

Channels are individually software-configurable for gain.

●

DAS-1800ST Series boards acquire data at up to 333 ksamples/s and
12-bit resolution.

1-1

DAS-1802HR boards acquire data at up to 100 ksamples/s and 16-bit

●

resolution.
DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards contain four 12-bit DACs

●

(digital-to-analog converters) whose channels are updated
simultaneously.

●

DAS-1802HR-DA boards contain two 16-bit DACs that are updated
simultaneously.

●

A 1024-location FIFO (first-in, first-out data buffer) ensures data
integrity at all sampling rates.

●

A 256-location channel-gain queue supports high-speed sampling at
the same or different gains, in sequential or non-sequential channel
order, and at the board’s maximum acquisition rate.

●

Burst-mode data acquisition emulates simultaneous-sample-and-hold
(SSH) capability.

●

The DAS-1800ST Series boards support external SSH hardware;
DAS-1800ST Series boards support EXP-1800 expansion accessories
operated at gains of 1 and 50, while DAS-1802HR boards support
EXP-1800 accessories at a gain of one only.

●

External expansion accessories allow a board to acquire data from up
to 256 channels at the board’s maximum acquisition rate.

●

Dual-channel DMA (Direct Memory Access) operation allows the
acquisition of more than 64 ksamples.

●

Pulsed interrupts allow multiple boards to share interrupt levels.
Hardware trigger and gate for A/D conversions have

●

software-selectable polarity.
Triggering capabilities support pre-, post-, and about-trigger

●

acquisitions.

●

The boards have four digital inputs.

●

The boards have four digital outputs with a latch strobe.
All user connections are made through the 50-pin main I/O connector

●

at the rear panel of the computer.
All features are software-programmable except for a board’s base

●

address switch.
The boards provide ±15V and +5V power for external circuitry.

●

For more information on these features, refer to the Functional
Description in Section 2.

1-2 Overview

Supporting Software

The following software for DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards supports all
currently available DAS-1800 Series boards:

●

DAS-1800ST/HR Series standard software package

with DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards. Includes DriverLINX for
Microsoft Windows 95/98 or Windows NT and function libraries for
writing application programs under Windows in a high-level language
such as Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Visual Basic, Borland
Delphi support files, LabVIEW, utility programs, and
language-specific example programs.

— Shipped

DriverLINX —

●

the high-performance real-time data-acquisition

device drivers for Windows application development includes:

DriverLINX API DLLs

–

and drivers supporting the

DAS-1800ST/HR Series hardware.

Analog I/O Panel —

–

A DriverLINX program that verifies the
installation and configuration of DriverLINX to your
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board and demonstrates several virtual
bench-top instruments.

–

Learn DriverLINX —

an interactive learning and demonstration
program for DriverLINX that includes a Digital Storage
Oscilloscope.

–

Source Code —
DriverLINX Application Programming Interface files —

–

for the sample programs.

application programming interface files for the DAS-1800ST/HR
Series.

LabVIEW support for DriverLINX —

–

application programming

interface files for the DAS-1800ST/HR Series.

DriverLINX On-line Help System —

–

provides immediate help as

you operate DriverLINX.

Supplemental Documentation —

–

on DriverLINX installation and
configuration, analog and digital I/O programming, counter/timer
programming; technical reference, and information specific to the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series hardware.

Supporting Software 1-3

DAS-1800ST/HR Series utilities —

●

The following utilities are
provided as part of the DAS-1800ST/HR Series standard software
package:

–

Analog I/O Utility —

DriverLINX utility used for data acquisition

and testing board operation.

Accessories

Test Utility —

–

DriverLINX utility used for testing board

operation.

Calibration Utility —

–

DriverLINX utility used for calibration.

The following accessories are available for DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards.

●

STA-1800U — Screw terminal accessory. This accessory connects to

the main I/O connector of DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards through a
CDAS-2000 cable to make all I/O signals accessible through labeled
screw terminals.

●

STP-50 —

Screw terminal panel. This accessory provides
general-purpose screw-terminal connections in a compact form
factor.

●

RMT-02 — Rack mount enclosure for the STA-1800U accessory.
SSH-8 — An 8-channel, 12-bit, simultaneous sample-and-hold

●

accessory for DAS-1800ST Series boards. Refer to the

Guide

for more information.

SSH-8 User’s

MB Series modules and MB01/02 backplanes —

●

signal-conditioning modules and backplanes. Refer to the

User’s Guide

EXP-1800 —

●

for more information.

A 16-channel expansion accessory that connects

directly to DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards. Refer to the

User’s Guide

PG-408A —

●

for more information.

DC/DC converter. This accessory must be installed on

Plug-in, isolated,

MB Series

EXP-1800

EXP-1800 accessories that use external power.

●

C16-MB1 — A cable with a 37-pin, female, D-type connector and a

26-pin, female header connector for connecting an STA-1800U to an
MB01 backplane.

1-4 Overview

C-2600 — A 24-inch cable for connecting an STA-1800U to an

●

MB02 signal-conditioning backplane.

●

CDAS-2000 Series — The CDAS-2000 is a 24-inch ribbon cable for

connecting a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board to an STA-1800U, an
STP-50, or an EXP-1800. The CDAS-2000/S is a 24-inch shielded
version of the CDAS-2000; this cable is recommended for use with a
DAS-1800HR Series board.

●

CAB-50 Series —

The cable you use to form a daisy chain of
EXP-1800s; this cable is available in two lengths, as follows: the
CAB-50 is 4 inches long, and the CAB-50/1 is 18 inches long.

●

CACC-2000 —

A 24-inch ribbon cable for daisy chaining additional
STA-1800U accessories to the first STA-1800U or additional
EXP-1800 accessories to the first EXP-1800.

●

C-1800 —

An 18-inch ribbon cable with two 37-pin, female, D-type

connectors for connecting an STA-1800U to an SSH-8.

Accessories 1-5

2

Functional Description

This section describes the features of the analog input, analog output
(when applicable) and digital I/O sections of the DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards. The intent of these descriptions is to familiarize you with the
operating options and to enable you to make the best use of your board.
The block diagram in Figure 2-1 represents the basic DAS-1800ST/HR
Series boards. Figure 2-2 is a block diagram of the DAS-1800ST-DA
Series boards, and Figure 2-3 is a block diagram of the DAS-1802HR-DA
board.

2-1

Chan. 0/0

Inputs

Analog

or

8 Diff.

16 S.E.

Chan. 7/15

GEXT

MUX [7:4]

Inst.

Amp.

Select

Unipolar/Bipolar

ADC

Sampling

8 or 16

Channel

Input MUX

Gain

Select

Trigger/Gate and

Burst Mode Control

QRAM

FIFO

1K x 16

Select

Diff./S.E.

256 x 11

Control

Address

Local Control Bus

Control and

QRAM

Chan.-Gain

Status

Registers

+15V

DC/DC

-15V

Interrupt and

DMA Control

+5V

Converter

ISA AT Bus (16-bit)

Address

Decode &

Prescaler

boards and 16-bit for DAS-1802HR boards.

Note: The sampling ADC is 12-bit for DAS-1800ST Series

TGOUT

SSHO

XPCLK

TGIN

16-Bit

Counter 0

16-Bit

Counter 1

16-Bit

Counter 2

82C54

Timer/Counter

Buffer

Xtal Osc.

DI [3:0]

Latch

DOSTB

DO [3:0]

Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of Basic DAS-1800ST/HR Series Boards

2-2 Functional Description

-15V

TGOUT

SSHO

XPCLK

TGIN

16-Bit

Counter 0

16-Bit

Counter 1

16-Bit

Counter 2

82C54

Timer/Counter

DI [3:0]

Buffer

Xtal Osc.

DO [3:0]

DOSTB

Latch

DC/DC

Converter

+15V

12-Bit

Sampling ADC

Select

Inst.

Unipolar/Bipolar

Amp.

+5V

Trigger/Gate and

Burst Mode Control

Gain

Select

FIFO

1K x 16

QRAM

256 x 11

Control

Address

QRAM

Chan.-Gain

Status

Registers

Control and

Prescaler

Local Control Bus

Interrupt and

Address

Decode &

DMA Control

Select

ISA AT Bus (16-bit)

Figure 2-2. Block Diagram of DAS-1800ST-DA Series Boards

Chan. 0/0

8 or 16

Channel

Inputs

Analog

Input MUX

or

8 Diff.

16 S.E.

Chan. 7/15

Diff./S.E.

Select

GEXT

MUX [7:4]

DAC 0 - 12 Bits

DAC 1 - 12 Bits

ODAC 0

ODAC 1

DAC 2 - 12 Bits

DAC 3 - 12 Bits

ODAC 2

ODAC 3

2-3

Chan. 0/0

Inputs

Analog

or

8 Diff.

16 S.E.

Chan. 7/15

GEXT

MUX [7:4]

ODAC 0

ODAC 1

8 or 16

Channel

Inst.

Amp.

Select

Unipolar/Bipolar

16-Bit

Sampling ADC

+15V

DC/DC

Converter

-15V

Input MUX

+5V

Select

Diff./S.E.

Gain

Select

Trigger/Gate and

Burst Mode Control

256 x 11

QRAM

FIFO

1K x 16

QRAM

Chan.-Gain

Control

Address

Local Control Bus

Status

Control and

DAC 0 - 16 Bits

Registers

DAC 1 - 16 Bits

Interrupt and

DMA Control

Prescaler

Select

Address

Decode &

ISA AT Bus (16-bit)

Figure 2-3. Block Diagram of DAS-1802HR-DA Boards

16-Bit

Counter 2

82C54

Timer/Counter

Buffer

Xtal Osc.

DI [3:0]

Latch

DOSTB

DO [3:0]

SSHO

TGOUT

TGIN

XPCLK

16-Bit

Counter 0

16-Bit

Counter 1

2-4 Functional Description

Analog Input Features

The analog input section of DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards multiplexes
all the active input channels (up to 16 single-ended or eight differential)
down to a single, sampling ADC (analog-to-digital converter). Sampling
resolution of the ADC is 12 bits (one part in 4096) for DAS-1800ST
Series boards and 16 bits (one part in 65,536) for DAS-1802HR boards.
Other features of the analog input section include software-configurable
inputs, a channel-gain queue, data conversion modes, data transfer modes,
trigger and gate control, and clock sources. These features are described
in the following sections.

Differential/Single-Ended Selection

Using DriverLINX software, you can set DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards
to operate at either differential or single-ended inputs (see “DriverLINX
Configuration Notes” on page C-1). Differential inputs measure the
difference between two signals. Single-ended inputs are referred to a
common ground, also called

When you connect single-ended inputs to an STA-1800U accessory, you
can use the accessory’s LL GND or U_CM MD screw terminals for your
common-mode ground reference. You specify your choice using
DriverLINX software (see “DriverLINX Configuration Notes” on page
C-1).

common-mode ground reference.

Generally, you want to use differential inputs for low-level signals whose
noise component is a significant part of the signal or if the signal has a
non-ground common mode. You want to use single-ended inputs for
high-level signals whose noise component is not significant.

The specific level at which one of these input configurations becomes
more effective than the other depends on the application. However, you
should use differential inputs for voltage ranges of 100mV and below.

Analog Input Features 2-5

Low-Side Reference Selection for Single-Ended Inputs

When you use single-ended inputs, you have two ways of connecting the
low side of the amplifier: the analog ground (default) and a user-defined
common mode. The two schemes differ in how the low side of the
instrumentation amplifier is connected. In the default mode, the low side
of the amplifier is connected to analog ground (LL GND). In the
user-defined common mode, the low side of the amplifier is connected to
a pin on the connector for user-defined common mode (U_CM MD).

The user-defined common mode provides a means for eliminating ground
loops in the system by connecting the reference ground for inputs to the
U_CM MD input pin. Since the U_CM MD connection connects to the
high input impedance of the instrumentation amplifier, the signal contains
no power-supply return current.

The user-defined common mode also provides a means for making
single-ended measurements of signals referred to a voltage that is not
ground or whose output range does not include ground. For example, a
common way to perform 4 to 20mA current monitoring is to connect a
loop with a 250
this current range. This method works but uses only 80% of the input
range when connected to a 0 to 5V range. A better way is to use a 312.5Ω
resistor and refer all measurements to 1.25V. The actual output voltage
then ranges from 1.25V to 6.25V; however, since the amplifier low side is
connected to 1.25V, the measurement range is now a span of 5V, making
the entire input range available and increasing resolution of the
measurements by 20%.

Ω

resistor to ground; the resistor yields a 1 to 5V output in

If you use single-ended input configurations, the user-defined common
mode is the recommended alternative. Use the default mode only if you
want the convenience of not having to connect a separate wire for low
input.

Unipolar/Bipolar Selection

Using DriverLINX, you can set the DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards to
operate in either unipolar or bipolar input mode (see “DriverLINX
Configuration Notes” on page C-1). A unipolar signal is always positive
(0 to 5V, for example), while a bipolar signal can swing up and down
between positive and negative peak values (±5V, for example).

2-6 Functional Description

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards use positive magnitude to represent
unipolar input signals and 2’s complement for bipolar input signals. In a
given input range with the same peak voltage capacity for both modes, the
unipolar mode doubles the converter’s resolution.

Channel-Gain Selection

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards offer up to 16 single-ended or eight
differential onboard analog input channels. Using expansion accessories,
you can increase the number of available channels to 256. To
accommodate channel and gain settings for up to 256 channels,
DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards contain a RAM storage circuit (QRAM)
for a 256-position channel-gain queue. Each of the 256 queue positions
holds your choice of a channel number and a corresponding gain. You can
enter multiple channels sequentially or non-sequentially and with the
same or different gain codes. Channel expansion, channel sequencing
control, and available gains and input ranges for DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards are discussed in the following sections.

Channel Expansion

If you require additional analog input channels, you can configure your
DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards for single-ended inputs and attach up to
16 EXP-1800 expansion accessories or up to 16 MB02 backplanes. Either
option can increase your input capacity to 256 channels.

You can daisy-chain EXP-1800 expansion accessories to a
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board using CDAS-2000 or CDAS-2000/S
cables (see Section 4). Since a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board cannot
power a full complement of EXP-1800 expansion accessories, each
EXP-1800 contains screw terminals for attaching external power, a
receptacle for a DC/DC converter, and a switch for changing between
internal and external power.

If you use MB02 backplanes, use one STA-1800U for every four
backplanes. Connect each group of four backplanes to an STA-1800U as
shown in Section 4, and daisy chain any additional STA-1800U
accessories to the first STA-1800U.

Analog Input Features 2-7

Sampling sequences and gain settings for all expansion channels are
communicated through the control lines described in the following two
sections.

Multiplexer Control Lines MUX 4 to MUX 7

Multiplexer lines MUX 4 to MUX 7 control the channel sequencing of
EXP-1800 expansion accessories and MB02 backplanes. These lines
carry the channel-sequencing information from the channel-gain QRAM
through the main I/O connector of DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

External Gain Control Line GEXT

External gain line GEXT sets channel gains on EXP-1800 accessories to
1 or 50 (you should not use a gain of 50 with a DAS-1802HR board, as
you may get less than satisfactory resolution). This line carries the
channel gain settings from the channel-gain QRAM through the main I/O
connector of DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

Gains and Ranges

The available input gains and their corresponding ranges are listed in
Table 2-1 for the DAS-1801ST boards and in Table 2-2 for the
DAS-1802ST/HR boards.

Table 2-1. DAS-1801ST Input Gains and Ranges

for Unipolar and Bipolar Modes

Gain Unipolar Range Bipolar Range

1 0 to 5V

5 0 to 1V

50 0 to 100mV

250 0 to 20mV

2-8 Functional Description

−

5.0 to +5.0V

−

1.0 to +1.0V

−

100 to +100mV

−

20 to +20mV

Table 2-2. DAS-1802ST/HR Input Gains and Ranges

for Unipolar and Bipolar Modes

Gain Unipolar Range Bipolar Range

1 0.0 to +10.0V

2 0.0 to +5.0V

4 0 to 2.5V

8 0 to 1.25V

Maximum Achievable Throughput Rates

Because you can change input ranges on a per-channel basis, throughput
is likely to drop if you group channels with varying gains in sequence.
The drop occurs because the channels with low-level inputs (magnitude
of 100mV or less) are slower than those with high-level inputs and
because the channels with low-level inputs must drive out the residual
signals left by the high-level inputs. The best way to maximize
throughput is to use a combination of sensible channel grouping and
external signal conditioning. When using the channel-gain queue,
consider the following suggestions.

●

Keep all channels configured for a particular range together, even if
you have to arrange the channels out of sequence.

●

If your application requires high-speed scanning of low-level signals,
use external signal conditioning to amplify the signal to ±5V or 0 to
5V. This method offers the advantages of increasing total system
throughput and reducing noise.

−

10 to +10V

−

5.0 to +5.0V

−

2.5 to + 2.5V

−

1.25 to +1.25V

●

If you are not using all the channels, you can make a particular
channel-gain entry twice to allow for settling time. Consequently, you
will ignore the results of the first entry.

●

If you are measuring steady-state signals, do not use the channel-gain
queue. Instead, use software to step through the channels and perform
single-channel acquisitions. For example, using software-controlled
single-channel acquisitions to acquire 1000 samples on channel 0 at a
gain of 1 and then 2000 samples on channel 1 at a gain of 250
virtually eliminates interference. This method is best for measuring
steady-state signals even if all the channels are at the same gain.

Analog Input Features 2-9

You must give special consideration to the direct measurement of
low-level signals with the DAS-1801ST board. When using the ±20mV, 0
to 20mV, ±100mV, or 0 to 100mV ranges, measurement throughput drops
for two reasons:

●

The amplifier cannot settle quickly enough (particularly the ±20mV
and 0 to 20mV ranges).

Noise in the measurements is higher and thus can require

●

post-acquisition filtering (averaging) to achieve accurate results.

The DAS-1801ST has best noise performance if presented with a perfect
signal in these ranges, but perfect signals are virtually non-existent in the
real world. Since the DAS-1801ST has a very high bandwidth (bandwidth
for low-level signals is about 8 to 10MHz), any noise is amplified and
digitized. As a result, you must carry out the measurement of low-level
signals carefully to minimize noise effects.

Low-level transducers are best used with signal conditioning. Use the
±20mV, 0 to 20mV, ±100mV, and 0 to 100mV ranges with the differential
input mode.

The following tables show throughput for various configurations. Note
that these throughputs are based on driving the input with an ideal voltage
source. The output impedance and drive of the source are far more critical
when making large gain changes between two channels whose inputs are
at opposite extremes of their input ranges, as when a signal near

20mV

−

is measured after a signal at near +5V. You will get better performance
driving adjacent channels at the same gain. The source needs to be able to
drive both the capacitance of the cable and the RC (resistor-capacitor)
product of the multiplexer resistance and the output capacitance of the
multiplexer and board. The multiplexer is typically about 360Ω (1kΩ
maximum) in series with 90pF output capacitance.

2-10 Functional Description

On DAS-1800ST Series boards, the maximum throughput for sampling
one channel at any gain is 333 ksamples/s. The throughput for
channel-to-channel sampling with fixed gain in bipolar mode (0.024%
maximum error) is shown in Table 2-3.

Table 2-3. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1800ST Series

Boards (Bipolar Mode - Fixed Gain)

DAS-1801ST
Input Range

— ±10.0V 312.5 ksamples/s

±5.00V ±5.00V 312.5 ksamples/s

— ±2.50V 312.5 ksamples/s

— ±1.25V 312.5 ksamples/s

±1.00V — 312.5 ksamples/s

±100mV — 312.5 ksamples/s

±20mV — 75 ksamples/s

DAS-1802ST
Input Range

Maximum
Throughput

The throughput for channel-to-channel sampling with fixed gain in
unipolar mode (0.024% maximum error) is shown in Table 2-4.

Table 2-4. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1800ST Series

Boards (Unipolar Mode - Fixed Gain)

DAS-1801ST
Input Range

DAS-1802ST
Input Range

Maximum
Throughput

— 0 to 10.0V 312.5 ksamples/s

0 to 5.00V 0 to 5.00V 312.5 ksamples/s

— 0 to 2.50V 312.5 ksamples/s

— 0 to 1.25V 312.5 ksamples/s

0 to 1.00V — 312.5 ksamples/s

0 to 100mV — 250 ksamples/s

0 to 20mV — 60 ksamples/s

Analog Input Features 2-11

The maximum throughput for a DAS-1801ST board, operating in bipolar
mode and having less than 1 LSB of error when driven from an ideal
voltage source, is shown in Table 2-5.

Table 2-5. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1801ST Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To ±5.0V To ±1.0V To ±100mV To ±20mV

From ±5.0V

From ±1.0V

From ±100mV

From ±20mV

Table 2-6. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1801ST Boards

From 0 to 5.0V

From 0 to 1.0V

312.5 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s 70 ksamples/s

250 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 70 ksamples/s

200 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 70 ksamples/s

70 ksamples/s 70 ksamples/s 70 ksamples/s 75 ksamples/s

The maximum throughput for a DAS-1801ST board, operating in
unipolar mode and having less than 1 LSB of error when driven from an
ideal voltage source, is shown in Table 2-6.

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To 0 to 5.0V To 0 to 1.0V To 0 to 100mV To 0 to 20mV

312.5 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s 50 ksamples/s

200 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

From 0 to 100mV

From 0 to 20mV

2-12 Functional Description

200 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

50 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

The maximum throughput for a DAS-1802ST board, operating in bipolar
mode and having less than 1 LSB of error when driven from an ideal
voltage source, is shown in Table 2-7.

Table 2-7. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802ST Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To ±10.0V To ±5.0V To ±2.50V To ±1.25V

From ±10.0V

From ±5.0V

From ±2.50V

From ±1.25V

Table 2-8. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802ST Boards

From 0 to 10.0V

From 0 to 5.0V

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s

The maximum throughput for a DAS-1802ST board, operating in
unipolar mode and having less than 1 LSB of error when driven from an
ideal voltage source, is shown in Table 2-8.

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To 0 to 10.0V To 0 to 5.0V To 0 to 2.5V To 0 to 1.25V

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s

312.5 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s

From 0 to 2.5V

From 0 to 1.25V

Analog Input Features 2-13

250 ksamples/s 250 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s

200 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s 200 ksamples/s 312.5 ksamples/s

On DAS-1802HR boards, the maximum throughput for single-channel
operation is 100 ksamples/s. The maximum throughput for a
DAS-1802HR board, operating in bipolar mode and having less than 2
LSBs of error when driven from an ideal voltage source, is shown in Table
2-9.

Table 2-9. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802HR Boards

(Bipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To ±10.0V To ±5.0V To ±2.50V To ±1.25V

From ±10.0V

From ±5.0V

From ±2.50V

From ±1.25V

Table 2-10. Maximum Throughput for DAS-1802HR Boards

From 0 to 10.0V

From 0 to 5.0V

From 0 to 2.5V

From 0 to 1.25V

98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s

The maximum throughput for a DAS-1802HR board, operating in
unipolar mode and having less than 2 LSBs of error when driven from an
ideal voltage source, is shown in Table 2-10.

(Unipolar Mode - Change of Gain)

Maximum Throughput

To 0 to 10.0V To 0 to 5.0V To 0 to 2.5V To 0 to 1.25V

98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s

60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 60 ksamples/s 98 ksamples/s

The worst-case error limit is the sum of the front-end settling time and the
effect of converter non-linearity. In many measurement situations, this
error is tolerable. Note, however, that driving the inputs of channels to a
reasonable level of accuracy is often impractical because of the effects of
transducer output impedance and cable and interconnect impedance. For
best results, particularly with 16-bit systems, you should acquire all data
without changing the channel.

2-14 Functional Description

Data Conversion Modes

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards support three modes of data conversion:
paced, burst, and burst with SSH. The data conversion modes are
described as follows:

●

Paced mode

channels at a constant rate. In the paced mode, the conversion rate
equals the pacer clock rate. The sample rate, which is the rate at
which a single channel is sampled, is the pacer clock rate divided by
the number of channels you are sampling.

— Paced mode is best-suited for continuous scanning of

Burst mode

●

— In burst mode, each pulse from the pacer clock starts
a scan of channels. The conversion rate equals the rate of the burst
mode conversion clock. The sample rate, which is the rate at which a
single channel is sampled, equals the pacer clock rate.

The sample rate (pacer clock rate) should be no more than the burst
mode conversion clock rate divided by the number of channels in the
burst. The maximum burst mode conversion clock rate is
gain-sensitive, as explained in “Maximum Achievable Throughput
Rates” on page 2-9.

●

Burst mode with SSH

— In burst mode with SSH, each pulse from
the pacer clock starts a simultaneous scan of all channels. The
conversion rate equals the rate of the burst mode conversion clock.
The sample rate, which is the rate at which a single channel is
sampled, equals the pacer clock rate.

One extra tick of the burst mode conversion clock is required to
sample and hold the values. Therefore, the sample rate (pacer clock
rate) can be no more than the burst mode conversion rate divided by
the sum of one plus the number of channels in the burst.

You cannot use burst mode with SSH for a DAS-1800HR Series
board.

For information on the signal interface between a DAS-1800ST
Series board and SSH hardware, refer to “Using Digital Control
Signal SSHO” on page 2-26.

Figure 2-4 shows the timing relationships of the data conversion modes
for a scan of channel 4 to channel 7.

Analog Input Features 2-15

Pacer Clock

Paced Mode Conversions

Burst Mode Conversions

Burst Mode Conversions
(with SSH)

Burst Mode Conversion Clock

Figure 2-4. Timing of Data Conversion Modes for Channels 4 to 7

Clock Sources

CH4

CH4

CH5

CH4Hold

CH6

CH5

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4 CH5

CH4

HoldCH7

CH6

CH5

CH7

CH6

CH7

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards provide two clocks: a pacer clock and a
burst mode conversion clock. In paced mode, the pacer clock works alone
to time interrupt-mode and DMA-mode operations, as shown in Figure
2-4. In burst mode and burst mode with SSH, the pacer clock and the
burst mode conversion clock work together to time interrupt-mode and
DMA-mode operations, also shown in Figure 2-4. These clock sources
are described in the following sections.

Pacer Clock

In paced mode, the pacer clock determines the conversion rate. In burst
mode and burst mode with SSH, the pacer clock determines the sample
rate (the rate at which a single channel is sampled). The following pacer
clock sources are available for DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards:

●

Software

single sample under program control.

●

Hardware (internal clock source)

source uses the onboard 82C54 counter/timer and a crystal-controlled
5MHz time base. The onboard pacer clock uses two cascaded
counters of the 82C54. The maximum allowable rate is 333kHz for
DAS-1800ST Series boards and 100kHz for the DAS-1802HR; the
minimum available rate is 0.0012Hz. When not used to pace the

2-16 Functional Description

— DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards allow you to acquire a

— The internal pacer clock

analog input, the internal clock source can serve to pace other events
such as the digital I/O through the use of interrupts.

●

Hardware (external clock source)

— The external pacer clock
source must be an externally applied TTL-compatible signal attached
to XPCLK (pin 44 of the main I/O connector or pin 38 of STA-1800U
connectors J1 and J2). The active edge for this clock is
software-selectable.

An external clock source is useful if you want to pace at rates not
available with the 82C54 counter/timer, if you want to pace at uneven
intervals, or if you want to pace on the basis of an external event. An
external clock also allows you to synchronize multiple boards with a
common timing source.

Note:

The ADC acquires samples at a maximum of 333 ksamples/s (one
sample every 3.0µs) for DAS-1800ST Series boards and 100 ksamples/s
(one sample every 10µs) for the DAS-1800HR Series. If you are using an
external clock, make sure that it does not initiate conversions at a faster
rate than the ADC can handle.

If you are acquiring samples from multiple channels, the maximum
sampling rate for each channel is equal to the maximum allowable
conversion rate divided by the number of channels (see “Maximum
Achievable Throughput Rates” on page 2-9).

Burst Mode Conversion Clock

In burst mode and burst mode with SSH, the burst mode conversion clock
determines the conversion rate. (The burst mode conversion clock is not
used for paced mode.)

The burst mode conversion clock frequency is programmable for a range
of 15.625kHz to 333kHz (64µs to 3µs in 1µs increments) for the
DAS-1800ST Series boards and 15.625kHz to 100kHz (64µs to 10µs in
1µs increments) for the DAS-1800HR Series boards.

Analog Input Features 2-17

Triggers

A trigger starts or stops an interrupt-mode or DMA-mode analog input
operation. An operation can use either one or two triggers. Every
operation must have a
operation. You can use an optional second trigger, the

start trigger

that marks the beginning of an

about trigger

, to
define when an operation stops. Use one of the following trigger sources
to start an analog input operation:

●

Internal

— When you enable the analog input operation, conversions

begin immediately.

External Analog

●

— While an analog trigger is not a hardware
function of the DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards, you can program an
analog trigger using one of the analog input channels as the trigger
channel. The DAS-1800ST/HR Series DriverLINX software provides
functions for an analog trigger; refer to “DriverLINX Configuration
Notes” on page C-1 and the DriverLINX on-line documentation
provided with your DAS-1800ST/HR Series board.

●

External Digital

— Connect the digital trigger to TGIN (pin 46 of
the main I/O connector or pin 42 of STA-1800U connectors J1 and
J2). Trigger types are as follows:

–

Positive-edge trigger

- Triggering occurs on the rising edge of the

trigger signal.

–

Negative-edge trigger - Triggering occurs on the falling edge of
the trigger signal.

The actual points at which conversions begin depend on whether the
clock source is internal or external, as follows:

● Internal clock source — The 82C54 counter/timer is idle until the

trigger occurs. Within 400ns, the first conversion begins. Subsequent
conversions are synchronized to the internal clock.

● External clock source — Conversions are armed when the trigger

occurs; they begin with the next active edge of the external clock
source and continue with subsequent active edges.

The polarity of external triggers in DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards is
software-selectable. Figure 2-5 illustrates the enabling of conversions
with a software trigger and with internal and external clock sources. In the
diagram, the software enabling of the conversion process represents the
point at which the computer issues a write to allow conversions. The

2-18 Functional Description

delay shown between that point and startup of the onboard clock is less
than 1µs. Figure 2-6 illustrates the enabling of conversions with a
hardware trigger.

Software enables
conversion process

External clock source

Internal clock source

Conversions begin with
internal clock source

Figure 2-5. Enabling Conversions with a Software Trigger

TGIN input

idle state

Conversions begin with
external source (programmed
for negative edge)

count

count

Trigger occurs (on positive edge)

count

Conversions begin with
external source (programmed
for negative edge)

count

External clock
source

Internal clock
source

Conversions begin with
internal clock source

idle state

count

count

count

count

Figure 2-6. Enabling Conversions with a Hardware Trigger

Analog Input Features 2-19

The about trigger is always an external digital trigger. If you specify an
about trigger, the operation stops when a specified number of samples has
been acquired after the occurrence of the about-trigger event. As
described in the following sections, the availability of the about trigger
provides the capability to define operations that acquire data before a
trigger event (pre-trigger acquisition), operations that acquire data about
(before and after) a trigger event, and operations that acquire data after a
trigger event (post-trigger acquisition).

Pre-Trigger Acquisition

In pre-trigger acquisition, the data of interest appears before a specific
digital trigger event. Acquisition starts on an internal, external analog, or
external digital trigger event and continues until the digital trigger event.
Pre-trigger acquisition is available with DMA-mode operations only.

About-Trigger Acquisition

In about-trigger acquisition, the data of interest appears both before and
after a specific digital trigger event. Acquisition starts on an internal,
external analog, or external digital trigger event and continues until a
specified number of samples has been acquired after the digital trigger
event. About-trigger acquisition is available with DMA-mode operations
only.

Post-Trigger Acquisition

In post-trigger acquisition, the data of interest appears after a specific
event. Acquisition starts on an internal, external analog, or external digital
trigger event and continues until a specified number of samples has been
acquired or until the operation is stopped by software.

Gates

A gate allows conversions to proceed while in the active state. (The active
state is software-selectable.) Connect the external gate to TGIN (pin 46 of
the main I/O connector or pin 42 of STA-1800U connectors J1 and J2).

2-20 Functional Description

The way conversions are synchronized depends on whether you are using
an internal or an external clock, as follows:

● With internal clocking — The 82C54 stops counting when the gate

signal goes inactive. When the gate signal goes active, the 82C54 is
reloaded with its initial count value and starts counting again;
therefore, with internal clocking, conversions are synchronized to the
gate signal.

● With external clocking — The signal from the external clock

continues uninterrupted while the gate signal is inactive; therefore,
with external clocking, conversions are synchronized to the external
clock.

Figure 2-7 illustrates the use of a positive-polarity hardware gate with
both a negative-edge external clock and an internal clock.

Digital gate
source (positive
polarity)

External clock
source
(negative edge)

Internal clock
source

1st conversion

gate active;
conversions on

1st conversion

3rd conversion

2nd conversion

2nd conversion

Figure 2-7. Hardware Gate

gate inactive;
conversions off

no conversion

4th conversion

gate active

3rd conversion

Analog Input Features 2-21

Data Transfer Modes

Using the provided software, you can transfer data from
DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards to the computer using the following data
transfer modes:

● Interrupt — You can program the board to generate an interrupt for

events such as FIFO Half Full or FIFO Not Empty. FIFO Half Full
occurs after the FIFO accumulates 512 A/D samples for transfer to
computer memory. FIFO Not Empty occurs anytime the FIFO buffer
contains data.

An interrupt occurs in the background, allowing the CPU to execute
other instructions. The interrupt level is software-selectable.

Unpredictable interrupt latencies in the Windows environment tend to
make maximum board speeds unachievable in interrupt mode. When
in the Windows environment, you are advised to use single- or
dual-channel DMA instead of the interrupt transfer mode.

● DMA — DMA is a method of bypassing the CPU to transfer data

directly between an I/O device and computer memory. In the IBM PC
AT family, DMA is directed by the DMA controllers and can run in
the background while the CPU is executing other instructions. The
ability to run independent of the CPU and at high-transfer rates
makes DMA an attractive method for transferring data in data
acquisition systems.

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards use DMA channels 5, 6, and 7 to
perform single- or dual-channel DMA transfers of A/D data from the
board to memory. When you set up your configuration file, you can
specify these channels individually for single-channel DMA or in
pairs for dual-channel DMA.

Each DMA channel can transfer up to 65,536 A/D samples before it
has to be reprogrammed with a new memory address. When more
than 65,536 samples are required by an application, the FIFO
automatically buffers the samples while the DMA channel is being
reprogrammed for another address. In most situations, this FIFO
buffering capability allows you to acquire large amounts of gap-free
data into multiple buffers at up to maximum board speed using a
single DMA channel.

Generally, if you are programming operations in Windows, you
should use dual-channel DMA to acquire data reliably at maximum
board speeds.

2-22 Functional Description

Analog Output Features

DAS-1800ST-DA Series and DAS-1802HR-DA boards contain an analog
output section. The following sections discuss the features of the analog
output sections for each of these board types.

DAS-1800ST-DA Series Boards

The analog output section of a DAS-1800ST-DA Series board contains
four 12-bit DACs. Each DAC has a fixed voltage range of ±10V and
powers up to 0V at reset. Data coding is 2’s complement. The four DACs
have a capacitive load drive up to 100µF and an output current drive of up
to ±5mA. You can use interrupts generated by the onboard pacer clock to
pace the analog output when the analog inputs are either disabled or timed
by an external pacer clock. You can also write single values to the DACs.
The analog output section of DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards does not
support DMA operations.

DAS-1802HR-DA Boards

The analog output section of a DAS-1802HR-DA board contains two
16-bit DACs. Each DAC has a fixed voltage range of ±10V and powers up
to 0V at reset. Data coding is 2’s complement. The two DACs have a
capacitive load drive up to 100µF and an output current drive of up to
±5mA (short-circuit current is about 25mA). You can use interrupts
generated by the onboard pacer clock to pace the analog output when the
analog inputs are either disabled or timed by an external pacer clock. You
can also write single values to the DACs. The analog output section of
DAS-1802HR-DA boards does not support DMA operations.

Digital I/O Features

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards contain four digital inputs (DI 0 to DI 3)
and four digital outputs (DO 0 to DO 3). Logic 1 on an I/O line indicates
that the input/output is high (greater than 2.0V); logic 0 on an I/O line
indicates that the input/output is low (less than 0.8V). The digital inputs
are compatible with TTL-level signals. These inputs are provided with

Analog Output Features 2-23

10kΩ pull-up resistors to +5V; therefore, the inputs appear high (logic 1)
with no signal connected.

Using Digital Control Signal DOSTB

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards provide a strobe signal DOSTB (pin 19
of the main I/O connector or pin 37 of STA-1800U connectors J1 and J2)
for the purpose of strobing data through the digital outputs and latching
the data into a register in external equipment. Where DAS-1800ST/HR
Series boards use the positive edge of the strobe to strobe data out, you
must use the negative edge to strobe data into other equipment because
the negative edge gives you a 300ns lag to allow for delays. Data is valid
until the next strobe, as shown in Figure 2-8.

300ns Strobe

DOSTB

DO[3:0] Data

Strobe

Figure 2-8. Timing Relationship between Data from DO0 to DO3 and

Latch Strobe DOSTB

Using Digital Control Signal TGOUT

When using the onboard internal pacer clock, you can use the trigger/gate
output signal TGOUT (pin 20 of the main I/O connector or pin 39 of
STA-1800U connectors J1 and J2) to synchronize other DAS-1800 Series
boards or to trigger or gate user-specific events as follows:

● When using digital control signal TGIN as a trigger, TGOUT behaves

as shown in Figure 2-9a. Note that when you use this option, TGOUT
does not retrigger and thus cannot be used with about-trigger
acquisitions. Note also that there is a delay of about 200ns between
the active edge of TGIN and the starting edge of TGOUT.

2-24 Functional Description

● When using digital control signal TGIN as a gate, TGOUT behaves as

shown in Figure 2-9b. Note that there is a delay of about 200ns
between the active edge of TGIN and the starting edge of TGOUT.

● When using an internal trigger/gate, TGOUT behaves as shown in

Figure 2-9c. Note that the delay between the active edge of the
internal trigger/gate and the starting edge of TGOUT is less than 1µs.

Note: You can use TGOUT only when the onboard internal pacer clock is

timing conversions.

TGIN

TGOUT

TGIN

TGOUT

Internal
Trigger/Gate

TGOUT

200ns typical

a. TGIN as a Trigger

200ns typical

b. TGIN as a Gate

Software enables
conversions

< 1µs

c. Internal Trigger/Gate

Software disables
conversions

Figure 2-9. Timing for the TGOUT Signal

Remains active until
conversions are
disabled by software

Digital I/O Features 2-25

Using Digital Control Signal SSHO

The SSHO digital control signal is normally generated by DAS-1800ST
Series boards to accommodate external SSH hardware. The SSHO signal
is initiated by either the onboard internal pacer clock or an external pacer
clock. Characteristics of the SSHO signal when used for SSH hardware
control are as follows:

● SSHO is normally low, signifying that the SSH hardware is in sample

mode.

● SSHO goes high (into the hold mode) about 50ns after a pacer clock

pulse.

● A/D conversion begins one burst period after the pacer clock pulse.

● SSHO remains high until 200ns after the ADC starts conversion of

the last channel in the burst.

● SSHO goes low and remains low until another pacer clock pulse.

To ensure adequate sample time for the SSH hardware, the pacer clock
period should be set as follows:

Pacer Clock Period ≥ (Number of Channels + 1) × (Burst Period)

When you are not using the SSHO signal for SSH hardware control, you
can use it as a converter clock output signal. SSHO is active only during
A/D conversions. The timing for SSHO generation when the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards are not used for control of SSH hardware
is shown in Figure 2-10.

2-26 Functional Description

External Clock

SSHO

Internal Clock

SSHO

Figure 2-10. Timing for SSHO Signal When Not Used for SSH

Assigning an Interrupt

active edge

300ns typical

a. SSHO with External Pacer Clock

300ns typical

b. SSHO with Internal Pacer Clock

Hardware

Assign an interrupt level to a DAS-1800 Series board through the
DriverLINX software configuration (see “DriverLINX Configuration
Notes” on page C-1). When you install more than one board in a
computer, assign interrupt levels to the boards in one of the following
ways:

● Assign a different interrupt level to each board (if enough levels are

available).

● Assign the same interrupt level to some boards and different interrupt

levels for each of the remaining boards.

Note: Some computers can accept as many as three DAS-1800

Series boards.

● Assign one interrupt level to be shared by all boards.

Assigning an Interrupt 2-27

Power

If a DAS-1800 Series board is sharing an interrupt level with one or more
other DAS-1800 Series boards and requests an interrupt, the DriverLINX
software determines the source of the request by scanning each board
until the interrupt request flag is located. DriverLINX then signals the
computer to respond accordingly.

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards use the +5V and the +12V provided by
your computer. An onboard DC/DC converter develops ±15V at a
maximum current output of 60mA for external use. In addition to the
±15V, the DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards supply +5V from the computer
to a pin on the main I/O connector at up to a maximum of 1.0A.

2-28 Functional Description

Setup and Installation

This section describes inspection, software installation, configuration,
and hardware installation for DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards. Read this
section before you attempt to install and use your board.

Unwrapping and Inspecting Your Board

After you remove the wrapped board from its outer shipping carton,
proceed as follows:

1. The board is packaged at the factory in an anti-static wrapper that
must not be removed until you have discharged any static electricity
by either of the following methods:

3

– If you are equipped with a grounded wrist strap, you discharge

static electricity as soon as you hold the wrapped board.

– If you are not equipped with a grounded wrist strap, discharge

static electricity by holding the wrapped board in one hand while
placing your other hand firmly on a metal portion of the computer
chassis (your computer must be turned off but grounded).

2. Carefully unwrap your board from its anti-static wrapping material.
(You may store the wrapping material for future use.)

3. Inspect the board for signs of damage. If damage is apparent, arrange
to return the board to the factory (see “Technical Support” on page
7-6).

4. Check the remaining contents of your package against the packing
list to be sure your order is complete. Report any missing items
immediately.

Unwrapping and Inspecting Your Board 3-1

5. When you are satisfied with the inspection, proceed with the software
and hardware setup instructions.

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards are factory calibrated; they require

Note:

no further adjustment prior to installation. If at a later time you decide to
recalibrate the board, refer to Section 6 for instructions.

Installing the Software

Caution:

new hardware, exit all other programs. If you are using a disk cache,
disable write caching. If the system does crash and you are using disk
compression software or a disk cache utility, run the utility that checks the
directory structures.

To prevent a system crash the first time you install and test any

Installing the DAS-1800ST/HR Series Standard Software
Package

Important:

DAS-1800ST/HR, read the

Guide
Keithley DAS-1800

software. They are accessed from the DriverLINX CD-ROM after you
have installed Adobe Acrobat.

Before Installing DriverLINX

1. Inventory the DAS-1800ST/HR board’s configuration settings.

Before you begin installing any hardware or software for the

DriverLINX Installation and Configuration

and the

Appendix F: Configuration and Implementation Notes—for

manuals that are packaged with the DriverLINX

2. Determine the resources your DAS-1800ST/HR Series board
requires.

3. Inventory your computer’s resources already allocated to other
installed devices.

3-2 Setup and Installation

4. Determine whether your computer has sufficient resources for the
DAS-1800ST/HR board.

5. Determine whether your DAS-1800ST/HR board can use your
computer’s free resources.

6. Set any jumpers/switches to configure the DAS-1800ST/HR board to
use your computer’s free resources.

7. Set any other jumpers/switches to configure the DAS-1800ST/HR
board the way you want it to operate. Make a note of the switch and
jumper settings in order to configure the board using DriverLINX.

Selecting the DriverLINX Components to Install

For your convenience in installing and uninstalling only the DriverLINX
components you need, the DriverLINX CD Browser will assist you in
selecting the components to install:

Install Drivers —

●

needed for configuring your hardware and running third–party
data–acquisition applications that require DriverLINX.

Install Interfaces —

●

example programs that needed to develop custom applications for
DriverLINX using C/C++, Visual Basic, Delphi, and LabVIEW.

Install LabVIEW —

●

needed to develop applications for DriverLINX using LabVIEW.

Install Documentation

●

electronic documentation for DriverLINX that you can read, search,
and print using the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Install Acrobat

●

Acrobat Reader for the DriverLINX electronic documentation.

Installing DriverLINX

1. Insert the DriverLINX CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM
drive.

2. Start the DriverLINX setup program. On most systems, wait a few
seconds for automatic startup. Otherwise, run the setup.exe program
from the CD-ROM.

This required component installs only the files

This optional component installs the files and

This component installs the files and programs

— This optional component installs

— This optional component installs the Adobe

Installing the Software 3-3

3. The DriverLINX CD-ROM Browser Map window appears on the
screen. Click ‘Install Drivers,’ and follow the series of on-screen
instructions.

To display an explanation of a menu option on the DriverLINX CD

Note:

browser map that appears next and on subsequent setup screens, place the
mouse pointer over the menu item. A star next to a menu item means that
the item was selected previously.

4. Select ‘Read Me First,’ and follow the instructions.

5. Select ‘Install Documentation.’ If you do not have Adobe Acrobat
installed on your computer, install it by selecting ‘Install Adobe
Acrobat.’

6. Open the manuals appropriate to the DAS-1800 installation and read
them before installing your DAS-1800 board or configuring
DriverLINX:

●

Installation and Configuration

Appendix F: Configuration and Implementation Notes—for Keithley

●

DAS-1800.

DriverLINX Technical Reference Manual

●

DriverLINX Analog I/O Programming Guide

●

●

DriverLINX Digital I/O Programming Guide

●

DriverLINX Counter/Timer Programming Guide

Appendix, I/O Port, Interrupt, and DMA Channel Usage

●

●

Other manuals appropriate to your installation.

7. Following the DriverLINX prompts, turn off your computer and
install the DAS-1800ST/HR board into an appropriate free slot in
your computer.

3-4 Setup and Installation

Setting the Base Address

The base address switch on DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards is preset at
the factory for a value of 300h (768 decimal). If this address appears to
conflict with the address of another device in the computer (including
another DAS-1800 Series board), you must reset the base address switch.
The base address switch is a 7-position DIP switch located as shown in
Figure 3-1.

Hex value when switch

is in down position:

200

80 20 8

100

40 10

Value of Hex 300

(768 decimal) shown

Figure 3-1. Location of Base Address Switch

To reset this switch for another address, use DriverLINX software
configuration (see “DriverLINX Configuration Notes” on page C-1) to
determine the new switch settings. The settings for the base address
switch must match the settings in the DriverLINX program.

Installing the Software 3-5

Installing the Board

Caution:

your computer.

Use the following steps to install a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board in an
accessory slot of your computer:

1. Turn power OFF to the computer and all attached equipment.

2. Remove the computer chassis cover.

3. Select an unoccupied accessory slot, and remove the corresponding

4. Make sure the setting of the base address switch matches the setting

5. Insert and secure the board in the selected slot.

6. Replace the computer cover.

7. Turn on power to the computer.

You can use the DAS-1800 Series DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel (see
Section 5) to check board operation.

Installing or removing a board with the power ON can damage

blank plate from the I/O connector panel.

shown in the configuration utility switch diagram.

Configuring the DAS-1800ST/HR Board with
DriverLINX

Note:

installations for Windows NT and Windows 95/98.

Be sure to make note of the configuration of all switches and jumpers on
the board. You will use this information to enter the correct configuration
parameters using DriverLINX. Also locate any information or notes about

3-6 Setup and Installation

Be sure to note and follow all programming differences between

the interrupt and DMA channels used by the other hardware devices in
your computer system.

Table 3-1 lists I/O addresses commonly used by IBM PC/XT, AT, and
compatible computers. Determine an even boundary of eight I/O
addresses within the range of 000H to 3F8H that are not being used by
another resource in your system (including another DAS-1800 Series
board), and set the switches to the appropriate base address.

Table 3-1. I/O Address Map (000H to 3FFH)

Address Range Use

000H to 00FH 8237 DMA #1

020H to 021H 8259 PIC #1

040H to 043H 8253 Timer

060H to 063H 8255 PPI (XT)

060H to 064H 8742 Controller (AT)

060H to 06FH 8042 Keyboard controller

070H to 071H CMOS RAM and NMI mask register (AT)

080H to 08FH DMA page registers

0A0H to 0A1H 8259 PIC #2 (AT)

0A0H to 0AFH NMI mask register (XT)

0C0H to 0DFH 8237 DMA #2 (AT - word-mapped)

0F0H to 0FFH 80287 Numeric processor (AT)

170H to 177H Hard disk controller #1

1F0H to 1F8H Hard disk controller #2

1F0H to 1FFH Hard disk controller (AT)

200H to 2FFH Game/control

210H to 21FH Expansion unit (XT)

238H to 23BH Bus mouse

23CH to 23FH Alternate bus mouse

278H to 27FH Parallel printer

Configuring the DAS-1800ST/HR Board with DriverLINX 3-7

Table 3-1. I/O Address Map (000H to 3FFH) (cont.)

Address Range Use

2B0H to 2DFH EGA

2E0H to 2EFH GPIB (AT)

2E8H to 2EFH Serial port

2F8H to 2FFH Serial port

300H to 31FH Prototype card

320H to 32FH Hard disk (XT)

370H to 377H Floppy disk controller #2

378H to 37FH Parallel printer

380H to 38FH SDLC

3A0H to 3AFH SDLC

3B0H to 3BBH MDA

3BCH to 3BFH Parallel printer

3C0H to 3CFH VGA EGA

3D0H to 3DFH CGA

3E8H to 3EFH Serial port

3F0H to 3F7H Floppy disk controller #1

3F8H to 3FFH Serial port

The Expansion Board Configuration for Keithley DAS-1800 Series dialog
in DriverLINX allows you to record the settings of your analog input
multiplexers and enable the expansion channels. Make sure that the
switch settings match the settings you define in DriverLINX. Refer to the

DriverLINX Appendix F: Configuration and Implementation Notes—
Keithley DAS-1800 Manual.

After you have successfully installed the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board
in your computer, start Windows.

Run “Learn DriverLINX”

(LearnDL.exe)

from the DriverLINX program

group to tell DriverLINX how you configured your DAS-1800ST/HR

3-8 Setup and Installation

Series board and to verify that everything is properly installed and
configured.

1. Start Windows as you normally would and select the Program
Manager window.

2. Either select the “Learn DriverLINX” icon created when you
installed DriverLINX or enter “<drive>:/DRVLNX/LEARNDL” in
the Command Line edit box. The command line edit box is activated
by selecting the Run... option. <drive> is the letter of the hard disk
drive where DriverLINX is installed.

3. Immediately after loading Learn DL, the Open DriverLINX DLL
dialog box appears. Select the name of the hardware–specific DLL
from the list for your DAS-1800 Series board. The name is an
abbreviation of the board’s model number.

4. From the main menu bar of Learn DL, select the
choose

Select....

Device

menu and

5. Select the Logical Device you wish to configure and then click on the

OK

button (return).

6. Again select the

Device

menu and then choose the

Configure...

option

to display the Device Configuration Dialog Box.

7. From the

Model

list, select the model name for your DAS-1800

Series board you are configuring.

8. If the value displayed in the

Address

edit box is not correct, type the
correct value into the box. You may enter the address in decimal or
hexadecimal using the c–notation for hex, (that is, 768 decimal =
0x300 hexadecimal).

9. Choose the correct options for the

Counter/Timer Sections

by first clicking on the appropriate radio

Analog, Digital,

and

button in the middle of the dialog box and then completing the group
of dialog fields in the lower third of the dialog box. Be sure to click
on both the

Input

and

Output

radio buttons for the

Analog

and

Digital

groups to see all the dialog fields.

10. After you have made all your selections, save the configuration
parameters by clicking on the OK button. This will create or update
the configuration file, <device>.INI, in the Windows directory.

11. Repeat the preceding steps starting at step 5 for each Logical Device
you want to configure.

Configuring the DAS-1800ST/HR Board with DriverLINX 3-9

You can use DriverLINX to verify board operation

1. To physically initialize the DAS-1800ST/HR, select

Device/Initialize

from the main menu in Learn DriverLINX.

2. The first time the DAS-1800ST/HR is initialized, or after a
configuration change, DriverLINX runs a diagnostic program to
verify the operation and accuracy of the configuration settings.

You are now ready to make I/O connections. Refer to Section 4 for
descriptions of common I/O accessories and connections for
DAS-1800ST/HR Series Boards.

3-10 Setup and Installation

4

Cabling and Wiring

This section describes the cabling and wiring required for attaching
accessories and I/O lines to your DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

Caution:

any attached accessories before making connections to your boards.

To avoid electrical damage, turn off power to the computer and

Attaching an STA-1800U

The STA-1800U screw terminal accessory is an interface for I/O
connections to DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards. The STA-1800U contains
the following components:

Two 50-pin male connectors (J1 and J2). Use J1 for cabling to the

●

main I/O connector of DAS-1800ST/HR Series board; use J2 for
cabling to a second STA-1800U.

●

53 labeled screw terminals for connections from sensor outputs and
test equipment.

Four 26-pin male connectors for cabling to MB02 backplanes.

●

One 37-pin male connector for cabling to SSH-8 accessories or to an

●

MB01 backplane.

Figure 4-1 shows the connector layout of an STA-1800U screw terminal
accessory.

Attaching an STA-1800U 4-1

J8

J10

J9

J1

J2

J3

J4

J5

J6

J11

J7

Figure 4-1. Connector Layout of an STA-1800U Accessory

To attach an STA-1800U to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board, use a
CDAS-2000 Series cable. Connect the cable from the main I/O connector
of the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board to connector J1 of the STA-1800U,
as shown in Figure 4-2.

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

STA-1800U
Accessory

J1

Figure 4-2. Attaching an STA-1800U Accessory

to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

CDAS-2000

or

CDAS-2000/S

Cable

4-2 Cabling and Wiring

Pin assignments for the main I/O connector of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series
board are shown in Figure 4-3.

(User Common Mode) U_CM MD - 01

CH00 LO or CH08 HI - 02
CH01 LO or CH09 HI - 03
CH02 LO or CH10 HI - 04
CH03 LO or CH11 HI - 05
CH04 LO or CH12 HI - 06
CH05 LO or CH13 HI - 07
CH06 LO or CH14 HI - 08
CH07 LO or CH15 HI - 09

ODAC2 (Note 2) - 10
ODAC3 (Note 2) - 11

+15V - 12

±15V Return - 13

D GND - 14

DI 1 - 15

DI 3 - 16
DO 1 - 17
DO 3 - 18

DOSTB - 19

TGOUT - 20
MUX 03 - 21
MUX 05 - 22
MUX 07 - 23

+5V - 24

D GND - 25

Notes:

1

DAS-1800ST-DA Series and DAS-1802HR-DA boards

2

DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards only

26 - CH00 HI
27 - CH01 HI
28 - CH02 HI
29 - CH03 HI
30 - CH04 HI
31 - CH05 HI
32 - CH06 HI
33 - CH07 HI
34 - LL GND
35 - ODAC0 (Note 1)
36 - ODAC1 (Note 1)
37 - -15V
38 - ±15V Return
39 - GEXT
40 - DI 0
41 - DI 2
42 - DO 0
43 - DO 2
44 - XPCLK
45 - SSHO
46 - TGIN
47 - MUX 04
48 - MUX 06
49 - +5V
50 - D GND

Figure 4-3. Pin Assignments for the Main I/O Connector of a

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

Pin assignments for connectors J1 and J2 of the STA-1800U are shown in
Figure 4-4.

Attaching an STA-1800U 4-3

(User Common Mode) U_CM MD - 01

CH00 LO or CH08 HI - 03
CH01 LO or CH09 HI - 05
CH02 LO or CH10 HI - 07
CH03 LO or CH11 HI - 09
CH04 LO or CH12 HI - 11
CH05 LO or CH13 HI - 13
CH06 LO or CH14 HI - 15
CH07 LO or CH15 HI - 17

ODAC2 (Note 2) - 19
ODAC3 (Note 2) - 21

+15V - 23

±15V Return - 25

D GND - 27

DI 1 - 29

DI 3 - 31
DO 1 - 33
DO 3 - 35

DOSTB - 37

TGOUT - 39
MUX 03 - 41
MUX 05 - 43
MUX 07 - 45

+5V - 47

D GND - 49

Notes:

1

DAS-1800ST-DA Series and DAS-1802HR-DA boards

2

DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards only

02 - CH00 HI
04 - CH01 HI
06 - CH02 HI
08 - CH03 HI
10 - CH04 HI
12 - CH05 HI
14 - CH06 HI
16 - CH07 HI
18 - LL GND
20 - ODAC0 (Note 1)
22 - ODAC1 (Note 1)
24 - -15V
26 - ±15V Return
28 - GEXT
30 - DI 0
32 - DI 2
34 - DO 0
36 - DO 2
38 - XPCLK
40 - SSHO
42 - TGIN
44 - MUX 04
46 - MUX 06
48 - +5V
50 - D GND

Figure 4-4. Pin Assignments for Connectors J1 and J2

of the STA-1800U

Note that the screw terminals for the DAC outputs are labeled differently
for Revisions 1 and 2 of the STA-1800U. These differences are shown in
Table 4-1.

Table 4-1. STA-1800U Labels for DAC Outputs

DAC Output Number Rev. 1 Label Rev. 2 Label

0 (for DAS-1800ST/HR-DA Series)

1 (for DAS-1800ST/HR-DA Series) DAC1 OUT ODAC1

2 (for DAS-1800ST-DA Series only) DAC0 IN ODAC2

3 (for DAS-1800ST-DA Series only) DAC1 IN ODAC3

4-4 Cabling and Wiring

DAC0 OUT ODAC0

Attaching an STP-50

The STP-50 is a compact screw terminal panel that you cable to the main
I/O connector of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board using a CDAS-2000
Series cable, as shown in Figure 4-5. Pin assignments for the screw
terminals of this panel are shown in Figure 4-6.

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

CDAS-2000

or

CDAS-2000/S

Cable

STP-50

Accessory

Figure 4-5. Attaching an STP-50 to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

(User Common Mode) U_CM MD - 01

CH00 HI - 02

CH00 LO or CH08 HI - 03

CH01 HI - 04

CH01 LO or CH09 HI - 05

CH02 HI - 06

CH02 LO or CH10 HI - 07

CH03 HI - 08

CH03 LO or CH11 HI - 09

CH04 HI - 10

CH04 LO or CH12 HI - 11

CH05 HI - 12

CH05 LO or CH13 HI - 13

CH06 HI - 14

CH06 LO or CH14 HI - 15

CH07 HI - 16

CH07 LO or CH15 HI - 17

LL GND - 18
ODAC2 (Note 2) - 19
ODAC0 (Note 1) - 20
ODAC3 (Note 2) - 21
ODAC1 (Note 1) - 22

+15V - 23

−15V - 24

±15V Return - 25

26 - ±15 V Return
27 - D GND
28 - GEXT
29 - DI 1
30 - DI 0
31 - DI 3
32 - DI 2
33 - DO 1
34 - DO 0
35 - DO 3
36 - DO 2
37 - DOSTB
38 - XPCLK
39 - TGOUT
40 - SSHO
41 - MUX 03
42 - TGIN
43 - MUX 05
44 - MUX 04
45 - MUX 07
46 - MUX 06
47 - +5V
48 - +5V
49 - D GND
50 - D GND

Notes:

1

DAS-1800ST-DA Series and DAS-1802HR-DA boards

2

DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards only

Figure 4-6. Pin Assignments for Screw Terminals of the STP-50

Attaching an STP-50 4-5

Attaching SSH-8 Accessories

DAS-1800ST Series boards can accept one or two SSH-8 accessories.
(The DAS-1802HR does not support SSH-8 accessories). The SSH-8 is a
simultaneous-sample-and-hold accessory whose functions and
capabilities are described in the
serve as a front-end analog interface for DAS-1800ST Series boards when
connected through an STA-1800U. Note that attached SSH-8 accessories
must be set as slaves. Attach an SSH-8 to a STA-1800U using a C-1800
cable, as shown in Figure 4-7. Refer to the
information.

DAS-1800ST Series

Board

SSH-8 User’s Guide

SSH-8 User’s Guide

. This accessory can

for more

CDAS-2000

or

CDAS-2000/S

Cable

SSH-8
Accessory

C-1800 Cable

P1

Figure 4-7. Attaching an SSH-8 to a DAS-1800ST Series Board

through an STA-1800U

J1

J3

STA-1800U Accessory

4-6 Cabling and Wiring

Attaching an MB01 Backplane

A DAS-1800ST/HR Series board configured for single-ended inputs
accepts one MB01 backplane through an STA-1800U accessory. Cabling
for attaching an MB01 backplane to an STA-1800U is shown in Figure
4-8.

STA-1800U

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

MB01

Accessory

Figure 4-8. Attaching an MB01 Backplane to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

MBX
X

through an STA-1800U

MBX
X

CDAS-2000 or

CDAS-2000/S

Cable

#0#1#15

MBX
X

J1

C16-MB1 Cable

For more information on MB01 backplanes and modules, refer to the MB

Series User’s Guide .

Attaching MB02 Backplanes

A DAS-1800ST/HR Series board configured for single-ended inputs and
working through multiple STA-1800U accessories can support up to 16
MB02 backplanes. A single STA-1800U contains receptacles (J4 to J7)
for up to four MB02 backplane cables. Cabling for the four MB02
backplanes attached to an STA-1800U accessory is shown in Figure 4-9.

J3

Attaching an MB01 Backplane 4-7

MB02

MB
XX

MB02

MB
XX

MB02

MB
XX

MB02

MB
XX

You can connect

up to four MB02

backplanes to

the STA-1800U

To J4 of the

STA-1800U

To J5 of the
STA-1800U

To J6 of the
STA-1800U

To J7 of the
STA-1800U

C-2600

Cable

C-2600

Cable

C-2600

Cable

C-2600

Cable

#0 #1 #15

MBXXMB

XX

#0 #1 #15

MBXXMB

XX

#0 #1 #15

MBXXMB

XX

#0 #1 #15

MBXXMB

XX

Figure 4-9. Attaching MB02 Backplanes to an STA-1800U Accessory

Use one STA-1800U for every four MB02 backplanes. Additional
STA-1800U accessories are daisy-chained to the first STA-1800U, using
CACC-2000 cables to connect J2 of one STA-1800U to J1 of the next, as
shown in Figure 4-10.

4-8 Cabling and Wiring

To Next

STA-1800U

Set for CH 7

Set f

Set f

or CH 5

or CH 6

Set for CH 4

CACC-2000

Cables

STA-1800U

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

or CH 2

Set for CH 3

Set f

Set f

or CH 1

Set for CH 0

J2

STA-1800U

Cable

CDAS-2000/S

CDAS-2000 or

J1

C-2600 Cables

To Board 3 of MB02 Group 1

To Board 2 of MB02 Group 1

To Board 3 of MB02 Group 2

To Board 2 of MB02 Group 2

T

To Board 1of MB02 Group 2

o Board 4 of MB02 Group 2

To Board 4 of MB02 Group 1

To Board 1of MB02 Group 1

Figure 4-10. Daisy-Chaining STA-1800U Accessories with Attached MB02 Backplanes

The jumper pad beside each STA-1800U receptacle (J4 to J7) selects the
channel of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board that the attached MB02
backplane is to use. On the first STA-1800U, the jumpers connect
STA-1800U receptacles J4 to J7 to DAS-1800ST/HR Series board
channels 0 to 3, respectively (default settings), as shown in the diagram.
On a second STA-1800U, position the jumpers to connect receptacles J4
to J7 to channels 4 to 7, respectively; and so on. Refer to Figure B-3, in
Appendix B, for a diagram of receptacles J4 to J7 and their associated
jumper pads.

For more information on MB02 backplanes and modules, refer to the

Series User’s Guide

.

MB

Attaching MB02 Backplanes 4-9

Attaching EXP-1800 Expansion Accessories

An EXP-1800 expansion accessory connects to the main I/O connector of
a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board through a CDAS-2000 Series cable, as
shown in Figure 4-11. To connect an additional EXP-1800, use a CAB-50
Series cable as shown in Figure 4-11.

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

Cable

CDAS-2000/S

CDAS-2000 or

EXP-1800

CAB-50 or

CAB-50/1

Cable

EXP-1800

CAB-50 or

CAB-50/1

Cable

J1

Figure 4-11. Daisy-Chaining EXP-1800 Expansion Accessories

You can attach up to 16 EXP-1800 expansion accessories to a
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board; however, some of the added EXP-1800s
require external power. For more information on the EXP-1800, refer to
the

EXP-1800 User’s Guide

.

4-10 Cabling and Wiring

Notes:

an EXP-1800 expansion accessory, it is recommended that you use the
EXP-1800 at a gain of 1 only; using the EXP-1800 at a gain of 50 can
produce less than satisfactory resolution.

If you are using a DAS-1802HR or DAS-1802HR-DA board, it is
recommended that you use only one EXP-1800 expansion accessory;
using more than one EXP-1800 can reduce the performance of the board.

If you are using a DAS-1802HR or DAS-1802HR-DA board with

Connecting Signals

This section contains precautionary advice to consider before making I/O
connections. The section also shows some circuits for wiring signal
sources to input channels of DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

The circuit diagrams represent a single signal source wired to a single
channel (channel n). In reality, you can wire eight separate signal sources
to eight differential inputs or 16 separate signal sources to 16
single-ended inputs.

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards contain separate grounds for low-level
analog, ±15V power return, and digital signals. An analog ground
(LL GND or U_CM MD, depending on the input configuration) is for
analog signals, a ±15V return is for analog power, and a digital ground
(DGND) is for digital signals and the +5V power-supply return. If using a
differential input configuration, use LL GND for your analog ground. If
using a single-ended input configuration, use LL GND or U_CM MD for
your analog ground; refer to “Low-Side Reference Selection for
Single-Ended Inputs” on page 2-6 for information on choosing between
available analog grounds.

Precautions

If you expect to use a DAS-1801ST or DAS-1801ST-DA board at high
input gain, read the precautionary information in the following section.
Other considerations for I/O connections are offered under “Additional
Precautions” on page 4-12.

Connecting Signals 4-11

Precautions for Using a DAS-1801ST Board at High Gains

Operating a DAS-1801ST board at input gains of 50 or 250 can lead to
problems if your application is unable to cope with noise. At a gain of
250, each bit of A/D output corresponds to 10
with the high speed and bandwidth of this board, analog noise and
performance degradation come easily unless you take precautions to
avoid them. The following collection of ideas and suggestions is aimed at
avoiding these problems.

●

Operate a DAS-1801ST board in 8-channel differential mode. Using
the board in 16-channel, single-ended mode at high gains introduces
enough ground-loop noise to produce large fluctuations in readings.

●

Minimize noise from crosstalk and induced voltage pickup in the flat
cables and screw terminal accessories by using shielded cable.
Connect the shield to LL GND and the inner conductors to Channel
LO and HI. Channel LO and LL GND should have a DC return (or
connection) at some point; this return should be as close to the signal
source as possible. Induced noise from RF and magnetic fields can
easily exceed tens of microvolts, even on one- or two-foot cables;
shielded cable eliminates this problem.

V of analog input. Thus,

µ

●

Avoid bi-metallic junctions in the input circuitry. For example, the
kovar leads, used on reed relays, typically have a thermal emf to
copper of 40

V/˚C. Thermals can introduce strange random

µ

variations caused by air currents, and so on.

Consider filtering. This approach can use hardware (resistors,

●

capacitors, and so on) but is often accomplished more easily with
software. Instead of reading the channel once, read it 10 or more
times in quick succession and average the readings. If the noise is
random and gaussian, it will be reduced by the square-root of the
number of readings.

Additional Precautions

Do NOT mix your data acquisition inputs with the AC line, or you risk
damaging the computer. Data acquisition systems give users access to
inputs of the computer. An inadvertent short between data and power lines
can cause extensive and costly damage to your computer. The
manufacturer can accept no liability for this type of accident.

4-12 Cabling and Wiring

To prevent this problem, use the following precautions:

●

Avoid direct connections to the AC line.

●

Make sure all connections are tight and sound so that signal wires
will not come loose and short to high voltages.

●

Use isolation amplifiers where necessary.

Connecting a Signal to a Single-Ended Analog Input

Figure 4-12 shows the connections between a signal source and a channel
of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board configured for single-ended inputs.
For information on single-ended ground connections, refer to “Low-Side
Reference Selection for Single-Ended Inputs” on page 2-6.

Signal

Source

+

-

Channel n High

LL GND or

U_CM MD

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

Figure 4-12. Wiring a Signal Source to a DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

Configured for Single-Ended Inputs

When wiring signals to the analog input channels, you are advised

Note:

to wire all unused channels to LL GND or U_CM MD to prevent the
input amplifiers from saturating and ensure the accuracy of your data.

Connecting Signals 4-13

Connecting a Signal to a Differential Analog Input

Figure 4-13 shows three connection schemes for wiring a signal source to
a channel of a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board configured for differential
inputs.

Floating

Signal

Source

Floating

Source

R

s

Where Rs > 100Ω

= 2000 R

R

b

Signal

R

s

Where Rs < 100Ω
Rb = 1000 R

R

v

R

s

+

+

-

s

+

-

s

Bridge

-

Channel n High

Channel n Low

R

R

b

R

b

LL GND

Channel n High

Channel n Low

b

LL GND

Channel n

High

Channel n Low

LL GND

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

DAS-1800ST/HR

Series Board

DC

Supply

Figure 4-13. Wiring a Signal Source to DAS-1800ST/HR Series Board

Configured for Differential Inputs

4-14 Cabling and Wiring

The upper two circuits of the diagram illustrate floating signal source
connections. (A floating signal source is a voltage source that has no
connection with earth ground; the signal is not referenced to the third wire
on a 3-wire AC line outlet.) Floating signal sources require the addition of
resistors to provide a bias current return. You can determine the value of
the bias return resistors (R

) from the value of the source resistance (R

b

),

s

using the following relationships:

●

When R

is greater than 100 Ω , use the connections in the upper

s

circuit. The resistance of each of the two bias return resistors must
equal 2000 R

When R

●

.

s

is less than 100 Ω , use the connections in the middle circuit.

s

The resistance of the bias return resistor must be greater than 1000
R

.

s

In the lower circuit of Figure 4-13, bias current return is inherently
provided by the source. The circuit requires no bias resistors. Rs is the
signal source resistance while Rv is the resistance required to balance the
bridge.

Avoiding a Ground Loop Problem

If your signal source is grounded, the signal-source ground and the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board ground may not be at the same voltage
level because of the distances between equipment wiring and the building
wiring. In this situation, ground loop problems can occur if you tie the
two grounds together and the two grounds are not at the same potential.
The difference in potential is referred to as a common-mode voltage (V
because it is normally common to both sides of a differential input (it
appears between each side and ground).

cm

)

The most effective way to avoid common-mode voltage errors for
single-ended inputs is to wire the inputs as shown in Figure 4-12 on page
4-13, using the U_CM MD input.

Since a differential input responds only to the difference in the signals at
its high and low inputs, its common-mode voltages cancel out and leave
only the signal. However, if your input connections create a ground loop,
you could see incorrect data readings resulting from the difference
between the signal source’s ground potential and the DAS-1800ST/HR
Series board’s ground.

Connecting Signals 4-15

Figure 4-14 shows the proper way to connect a differential input to a
grounded signal source. Make sure that Channel n Low is connected to
ground at the signal source, not at the computer and make sure that you
do not tie the two grounds together.

Grounded

Signal

Source

Signal Source

Ground V

+

E

s

-

g 1

Channel n High

Channel n Low

DAS-1800ST/HR

E

s

Series Board

Do not connect

Channel n Low to

LL GND at the computer

Figure 4-14. Differential Input Configuration that Avoids a Ground Loop Problem

Connecting Analog Output Signals

DAS-1802HR-DA boards have outputs for each of two DACs while
DAS-1800ST-DA Series boards have outputs for each of four DACs.
Refer to Table A-3 in Appendix A for voltages, current, and other loading
specifications. Make your connections to the DAC output terminals
through corresponding screw terminals of an STA-1800U.

Note that the screw terminals for the DAC outputs are labeled differently
for Revisions 1 and 2 of the STA-1800U. These differences are shown in
Table 4-2.

Table 4-2. STA-1800U Labels for DAC Outputs

DAC Output Number Rev. 1 Label Rev. 2 Label

0 (for DAS-1800ST/HR-DA Series) DAC0 OUT ODAC0

1 (for DAS-1800ST/HR-DA Series) DAC1 OUT ODAC1

2 (for DAS-1800ST-DA Series only) DAC0 IN ODAC2

3 (for DAS-1800ST-DA Series only) DAC1 IN ODAC3

4-16 Cabling and Wiring

Connecting Digital I/O Signals

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards have four digital inputs and four digital
outputs, as described in “Digital I/O Features” on page 2-23. Make your
connections to the digital I/O terminals through corresponding terminals
of the STA-1800U. The terminals are labeled as follows:

● Digital input — The digital input terminals are DI 0 to DI 3.

● Digital output — The digital output terminals are DO 0 to DO 3.

Connecting Digital Control Signals

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards use five digital control signals. Make
your connections to the digital control terminals through corresponding
terminals of the STA-1800U. The terminals are labeled as follows:

● SSHO — The simultaneous-sample-and-hold output terminal. The

SSHO signal is described in “Using Digital Control Signal SSHO” on
page 2-26. Use the SSHO terminal for connecting the SSHO signal.

● TGIN — The trigger/gate input, described in the next section and in

“Using Digital Control Signal TGOUT” on page 2-24. Refer also to
“Triggers” on page 2-18 and to “Gates” on page 2-20. Use the TGIN
terminal for connecting an external digital trigger or hardware gate
signal.

● TGOUT — The trigger/gate output, described in the next section and

in “Using Digital Control Signal TGOUT” on page 2-24. Use the
TGOUT terminal for connecting the TGOUT signal.

● XPCLK — The external pacer clock input, described in the next

section and in “Clock Sources” on page 2-16. Use the XPCLK
terminal for connecting the external pacer clock signal.

● DOSTB — The digital output strobe, described in “Using Digital

Control Signal DOSTB” on page 2-24. Use the DOSTB terminal for
connecting the DOSTB signal.

Connecting Signals 4-17

Connecting and Synchronizing Multiple Boards

You can synchronize up to three DAS-1800 Series boards using trigger
and gate signals from the main I/O connector. Each board can run at the
same conversion rate as the other boards in the system or at a different
conversion rate from other boards in the system.

The onboard pacer clock is designed to be tightly coupled with trigger
and gate operations. After each board receives the trigger or gate,
conversions begin within a defined period of time. If each board is
programmed for a different conversion rate, the first conversion on each
board occurs after this time period and subsequent conversions occur at
the programmed rate.

Figure 4-15 shows two connection schemes for synchronizing multiple
boards. Both schemes use the onboard internal pacer clock to time
acquisitions.

Board 0
Rate a

Board 1
Rate b

Board 2
Rate c

a. Scheme 1

TGIN

TGIN

TGIN

Trigger or
Gate

Board 0
Rate a

Board 1
Rate b

Board 2
Rate c

TGIN

TGOUT

TGIN

TGIN

b. Scheme 2

Trigger or
Gate
(optional)

Figure 4-15. Two Connection Schemes for Synchronizing Multiple Boards

In scheme 1, you connect the trigger/gate inputs of the three boards
together and supply the trigger or gate input. A/D conversions on each
board start 400 ±100ns from the active edge of the trigger input. All
conversions start within 100 ±100ns of each other from board to board.
When using scheme 1, you can use the onboard internal pacer clock or an
external pacer clock.

4-18 Cabling and Wiring

In scheme 2, you can start conversions in either of two ways: by a
hardware trigger/gate input or by software. The board connections are in a
master/slave relationship; board 0 is the master, and boards 1 and 2 are
the slaves.

If you use a software enable for board 0 of scheme 2, the board 0 pacer
clock starts and triggers conversions in the slave boards. However, board
0 conversions do not begin until after conversions begin in the slave
boards. The delay of board 0 conversions is caused by a protection feature
built into the register that creates software-triggered conversions; the
function of the protection feature is to prevent false conversions.

If you use a hardware trigger for board 0 of scheme 2, board 0 triggers
conversions in all three boards immediately. Note that TGOUT is an
active, high-going signal. Therefore, you must program the slave-board
TGIN inputs for a positive-edge trigger or gate.

Connecting Signals 4-19

Testing the Board

This section describes how to use DriverLINX to test functions of
DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel

The DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel is an application that demonstrates
analog input/output using DriverLINX. With the Analog I/O Panel you
can:

Analyze analog signals using the two-channel Oscilloscope.

●

●

Measure analog voltages using the Digital Volt Meter.

●

Generate Sine, Square, and Triangle waves using the SST Signal
Generator.

5

●

Output DC Level voltages using the Level Control.

The Analog I/O Panel is useful for:

Testing the DAS-1800ST/HR DriverLINX installation and

●

configuration.

●

Verifying signal inputs to your DAS-1800ST/HR board.
Sending test signals to external devices.

●

To access this DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel:

1. Start the Analog I/O Panel with the “AIO Panel” item on the Windows
start menu.

2. Click the [...] button in the Driver Selection section.

3. Select the driver for your board using the

4. Click

DriverLINX Analog I/O Panel 5-1

OK.

Open DriverLINX

dialog.

5. Select the Logical Device you want to operate by dragging the pointer
in the Device Selection section. The Analog I/O Panel displays the
Scope, Meter, SST, and Level control tabs, depending on the
capabilities of your DAS-1800ST/HR board.

6. The Scope uses two analog input channels, referred to as ChA and
ChB. Drag the channel selectors in the AI Channel Mapping section
to map them to different channel numbers.

7. The SST Signal Generator uses two analog output channels, referred
to as ChA and ChB. Drag the channel selectors in the AO Channel
Mapping section to map them to different channel numbers.

You can now select the Scope, Meter, SST and Level Control tabs to
operate your DAS-1800ST/HR board.

Test Panel Application

Depending upon the DriverLINX drivers you have installed on your
system, you will have one or more of the following example applications:

●

Single–Value AI

for analog input.

Single–Value AO

●

●

PIO Panel

●

CTM Test Bench

for analog output.

for digital input and output.

for counter/timer applications.

To access this DriverLINX Test Panel, select Test Panel with the “Test
Panel” item on the Windows start menu.

5-2 Testing the Board

DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards are initially calibrated at the factory. You
are advised to check the calibration of a board every six months and
calibrate again if necessary. This section provides the information needed
to calibrate a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board.

Equipment Requirements

The equipment requirements for calibrating a DAS-1800ST/HR Series
board are as follows:

●

A digital voltmeter for the DAS-1800ST Series boards accurate to 6½
digits, such as a Keithley Instruments Model 196.

A digital voltmeter for the DAS-1800HR Series boards accurate to

●

7

½

digits, such as a Keithley Instruments Model 2001.

6

Calibration

●

An adjustable ±10 V voltage calibrator, such as a Keithley
Instruments Model 236.

●

An STA-1800U with a CDAS-2000 cable, an STP-50 with a
CDAS-2000 cable, or a user-designed interface.

The appropriate number of CDAS-2000 cables for EXP-1800

●

accessories, if used.

Equipment Requirements 6-1

Potentiometers and Test Points

Figure 6-1 shows the locations of the potentiometers and test points
involved with the calibration of a basic DAS-1800ST/HR Series board.

VOUT

Bipolar Offset

Gain

R12

R13

TP1

TP3

TP5

a. Basic DAS-1800ST Series Board

ADCSTAT

ADCSTB

DGND

TP4

Unipolar

Offset

R16

TP2

AGND

RTI Offset

R20

AGND

Bipolar Offset

R3

Unipolar Offset

R4

RTI Offset

R5

TP5

DGND

TP1

ADBUSY

Unipolar Gain

R10

Bipolar Gain

VOUT

TP3

R11

TP2

TP4

SAMP

b. Basic DAS-1802HR Board

Figure 6-1. P otentiometers and Test P oints on Basic

DAS-1800ST/HR Series Boards

6-2 Calibration

Figure 6-1 shows the locations of the potentiometers and test points
involved with the calibration of a DAS-1800ST-DA Series or
DAS-1802HR-DA board.

Unipolar

VOUT

DAC2 Offset

DAC2 Gain

DAC3 Offset

DAC3 Gain

DAC0 Offset

DAC0 Gain

DAC1 Offset

DAC1 Gain

Bipolar Offset

Gain

R12

R13

TP1

Offset

R16

TP2

AGND

RTI Offset

R20

R31

R1R2R3

R4

R5R6R7

R8

TP5

a. DAS-1800ST-DA Series Board

DAC0 Gain

DAC0 Offset

R35

R32

TP1

ADBUSY

DAC1 Offset

DAC1 Gain

R36

TP4

SAMPLE

Unipolar Gain

R10

TP3

TP4

ADCSTAT

ADCSTB

DGND

Bipolar Gain

TP3

R11

TP2

AGND

VOUT

R3

Bipolar Offset

Unipolar Offset

R4

RTI Offset

R5

b. DAS-1802HR-DA Board

Figure 6-2. Potentiometers and Test Points on

DAS-1800ST-DA/HR-DA Series Boards

Potentiometers and Test Points 6-3

In both diagrams, the term RTI is
utility, described in the next section, directs you to these components and
explains what to do with them during the calibration process.

DriverLINX Calibration Utility

DriverLINX Calibration Utility will guide you through the calibration
procedure. Before calibration, specify the following parameters in the
setup panel to get the correct instructions:

Referred to Input

. The calibration

Logical Device —

●

●

Accessory —

Connection method used to connect the board to the

calibration stimulus.

Shorted Channel —

●

●

Voltage Channel —

calibration voltage levels.

Calibration Range

●

Board’s device number, model, and address.

Input channel to be “shorted” high to low.

Input channel to use to apply the various

— Input range to be calibrated.

6-4 Calibration

7

Troubleshooting

If your DAS-1800ST/HR Series board is not operating properly, use the
information in this chapter to isolate the problem. If the problem appears
serious enough to warrant technical support, refer to “Technical Support”
on page 7-6 for information on how to contact an applications engineer.

Problem Isolation

If you encounter a problem with a DAS-1800ST/HR Series board, use the
instructions in this section to isolate the cause of the problem before
calling for technical support.

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer

The DriverLINX Event Viewer displays the Windows system event log.
Applications and hardware drivers make entries in the system event log to
assist in predicting and troubleshooting hardware and software problems.

DriverLINX uses the event log to report problems during driver loading
or unexpected system errors. The event log can assist in troubleshooting
resource conflicts and DriverLINX configuration errors. If you are having
trouble configuring or initializing a Logical Device, check the event log
for information from the DriverLINX driver.

Using the DriverLINX Event Viewer, you can view and save DriverLINX
event log entries under Windows 95/98 or Windows NT. DriverLINX
event log entries can help you or technical support troubleshoot
data-acquisition hardware and software problems.

Problem Isolation 7-1

Device Initialization Error Messages

During device initialization, DriverLINX performs a thorough test of all
possible subsystems on the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board as well as the
computer interface. If DriverLINX detects any problems or unexpected
responses, it reports an error message to help isolate the problem. The
device initialization error messages fall into three basic categories:

“Device not found” — Board address does not match hardware

●

setting or conflicts with another board. Verify the board’s address
settings. Also, don’t confuse hexadecimal with decimal addresses in
the DriverLINX

●

“Invalid IRQ level” or “Invalid DMA level” — Selected level does

not match hardware setting, conflicts with another board’s IRQ/DMA
levels, or is dedicated to the computer’s internal functions (COM
port, disk drive controller, network adapter, etc.).

●

“Hardware does not match configuration” — Operating

mode/range switch or jumper setting does not match selection(s)
made in the DriverLINX Device Configuration dialog box.

Device Configure

dialog box.

Identifying Symptoms and Possible Causes

Use the troubleshooting information in Table 7-1 to try to isolate the
problem. Table 7-1 lists general symptoms and possible solutions for
problems with DAS-1800ST/HR Series boards.

7-2 Troubleshooting

Table 7-1. Troubleshooting Information

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Board does not
respond

Intermittent
operation

Base address is incorrect or not
consistent with what the program
is addressing.

The interrupt level is incorrect or
not consistent with what the
program is addressing.

The board configuration is
incorrect.

The board is incorrectly aligned
in the accessory slot.

The board is damaged. Contact Keithley for technical support;

The most common cause of this
problem is that the I/O bus speed
is in excess of 8MHz.

Check the base address switch setting on
the board against the setting shown in
the configuration utility. If the base
address is set correctly, make sure no
other computer device is using any 16 of
the I/O locations beginning at the
specified base address. If necessary,
reconfigure the base address. Refer to
page 3-5 for instructions on setting the
base address.

Make sure no other computer device is
using the interrupt level specified in your
program. If necessary, reset the interrupt
level.

Check the remaining settings in the
configuration file.

Check the board for proper seating.

see page 7-6.

Reduce I/O bus speed to a maximum of
8MHz (to change the I/O bus speed, run
BIOS setup). See your computer
documentation for instructions on
running BIOS setup.

Vibrations or loose connections
exist.

The board is overheating. Check environmental and ambient

Electrical noise exists. Provide better shielding or reroute

Problem Isolation 7-3

Cushion source of vibration and tighten
connections.

temperature. See the documentation for
your computer.

unshielded wiring.

Table 7-1. Troubleshooting Information (cont.)

Symptom Possible Cause Possible Solution

Data appears to be
invalid

Computer does not
boot.

The most common cause of this
problem is that the I/O bus speed
is in excess of 8MHz.

An open connection exists. Check wiring to screw terminal.

Another system resource is using
the specified base address.

Transducer is not connected to
channel being read.

Board is set for single-ended
mode while transducer is a
differential type, or vice versa.

Board not seated properly. Check the installation of the board.

The base address setting of the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board
conflicts with that of another
system resource.

Reduce I/O bus speed to a maximum of
8MHz (to change the I/O bus speed, run
BIOS setup). See the documentation for
your computer for instructions on
running BIOS setup.

Reconfigure the base address of the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board; refer to
page 3-5 for more information. Check
the I/O assignments of other system
resources and reconfigure, if necessary.

Check the transducer connections.

Check transducer specifications and
board configuration.

Check the base address settings of your
system resources; each address must be
unique.

The power supply of the host
computer is too small to handle
all the system resources.

System lockup A timing error occurred. Press Ctrl + Break.

Check the needs of all system resources
and obtain a larger power supply.

If your board is not operating properly after using the information in
Table 7-1, continue with the next two sections to further isolate the
problem.

7-4 Troubleshooting

Testing the Board and Host Computer

To isolate the problem to the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board or to the host
computer, use the following steps:

Caution:

your board and/or computer.

1. Turn the power to the host computer OFF, and remove power

2. While keeping connections to accessories intact, unplug the cable to

3. Remove the board from the computer and visually check for damage.

4. With the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board out of the computer, check

At this point, if you have another DAS-1800ST/HR Series board that you
know is functional, you can test the slot and I/O connections using the
instructions in the next section. If you do not have another board, refer to
the instructions on page 7-6 before calling Keithley for technical support.

Removing a board with the power ON can cause damage to

connections to the computer.

the main I/O connector of the DAS-1800ST/HR Series board.

If a board is obviously damaged, refer to “Technical Support” on page
7-6 for information on returning the board.

the computer for proper operation. Power up the computer and
perform any necessary diagnostics.

Problem Isolation 7-5

Testing the Accessory Slot and I/O Connections

When you are sure that the computer is operating properly, test the
computer accessory slot and I/O connections using another
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board that you know is functional. To test the
computer accessory slot and the I/O connections, follow these steps:

1. Remove computer power again, and install a DAS-1800ST/HR Series
board that you know is functional. Do not make any I/O connections.

2. Turn computer power ON and check operation with the functional
board in place. This test checks the computer accessory slot. If you
were using more than one board when the problem occurred, use the
functional board to test the other slot, as well.

3. If the accessory slots are functional, use the functional board to check
the I/O connections. Reconnect and check the operation of the I/O
connections, one at a time.

4. If operation fails for an I/O connection, check the individual inputs
one at a time for shorts and opens.

5. If operation remains normal to this point, the problem is in the
DAS-1800ST/HR Series board(s) originally in the computer. If you
were using more than one board, try each board one at a time in the
computer to determine which is faulty.

6. If you cannot isolate the problem, refer to the next section for
instructions on obtaining assistance.

Technical Support

Before returning any equipment for repair, call Keithley for technical
support at:

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

1-888-KEITHLEY

7-6 Troubleshooting

An applications engineer will help you diagnose and resolve your
problem over the telephone. Please make sure that you have the following
information available before you call:

DAS-1800ST/HR
Series Board
Configuration

Computer

Operating System

Software package

Model
Serial #
Revision code
Base address setting
Interrupt level setting
Number of channels
Input (S.E. or Diff.)
Mode (uni. or bip.)
DMA chan(s)
Number of SSH-8s
Number of EXPs.

Manufacturer
CPU type
Clock speed (MHz)
KB of RAM
Video system
BIOS type

DOS version
Windows version

Name
Serial #
Version
Invoice/Order #

___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________

___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________

___________________
___________________

___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________

Compiler
(if applicable)

Accessories

Technical Support 7-7

Language
Manufacturer
Version

Type
Type
Type
Type
Type
Type
Type
Type

___________________
___________________
___________________

___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________

If a telephone resolution is not possible, the applications engineer will
issue you a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number and ask you to
return the equipment. Include the RMA number with any documentation
regarding the equipment.

When returning equipment for repair, include the following information:

●

Your name, address, and telephone number.

●

The invoice or order number and date of equipment purchase.

A description of the problem or its symptoms.

●

The RMA number on the outside of the package.

●

Repackage the equipment, using the original anti-static wrapping, if
possible, and handle it with ground protection. Ship the equipment to:

ATTN.: RMA# _______
Repair Department
Keithley Instruments, Inc.
28775 Aurora Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44139-1891

Telephone 1-888-KEITHLEY
FAX [phone]

Note:

If you are submitting your equipment for repair under warranty,

you must include the invoice number and date of purchase.

To enable Keithley to respond as quickly as possible, you must include
the RMA number on the outside of the package.

7-8 Troubleshooting

A

Specifications

Tables A-1 to A-7 list specifications for the DAS-1800ST/HR Series
boards.

Table A-1. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800ST Series

Feature DAS-1801ST/ST-DA DAS-1802ST/ST-DA

Number of channels Software-selectable as 8 differential or 16 single-ended

Input mode Software-selectable as unipolar or bipolar

Resolution 12-bit (1 part in 4096)

Data format 16-bit 2’s complement

FIFO size 1024 word

Channel-gain QRAM size 256 locations

Gain

Unipolar

Bipolar

Absolute accuracy

Typical:

Maximum error:

• 0.0 to +5.0V for gain = 1

• 0.0 to +1.0V for gain = 5

• 0.0 to 100mV for gain = 50

• 0.0 to +20mV for gain = 250

• ±5.0V for gain = 1

• ±1.0V for gain = 5

• ±100mV for gain = 50

• ±20mV for gain = 250

0.01% of reading ±1 LSB for all ranges

• 0.02% of reading ±1 LSB max @ 25˚C for gain < 250

• 0.03% of reading ±1 LSB max @ 25˚C for gain = 250

• 0.0 to +10V for gain = 1

• 0.0 to +5.0V for gain = 2

• 0.0 to +2.5V for gain = 4

• 0.0 to 1.25V for gain = 8

• ±10V for gain = 1

• ±5.0V for gain = 2

• ±2.5V for gain = 4

• ±1.25V for gain = 8

A-1

Table A-1. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800ST Series (cont.)

Feature DAS-1801ST/ST-DA DAS-1802ST/ST-DA

Temperature coefficient of
accuracy (includes ADC)

Offset

• ±20µV/˚C ±(12µV/˚C ÷ gain) maximum for bipolar

• ±20µV/˚C ±(14µV/˚C ÷ gain) maximum for unipolar

Gain

• ±20ppm/˚C for gain < 50

• ±30ppm/˚C for gain = 50

• ±35ppm/˚C for gain = 250

Linearity

Throughput 333 ksamples/s

Dynamic parameters • Acquisition time: 0.3µs

1

(relative accuracy) • Integral: ± ½ LSB typical, ±1 LSB maximum

• Differential: ±1 LSB

Refer to “Maximum Achievable Throughput Rates” on page 2-9

• Aperture delay: 13.0ns

• Aperture uncertainty: 150ps rms

• Conversion time: 3.0µs max. (includes acquisition time)

Input bias current • ±40nA max. @ 25˚C

• ±60nA max. over operating range

Common-mode rejection ratio • 74 dB for gain = 1

• 80 dB for gain = 5

• 100 dB for gain = 50

• 100 dB for gain = 250

Input overvoltage • ±15V continuous powered

• ±15V continuous unpowered

2

Noise

Bipolar electrical noise

(in counts)

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 1

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 5

• p-p = 4, rms = 0.5 for gain = 50

• p-p = 8, rms = 1.0 for gain = 250

Unipolar electrical noise

(in counts)

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 1

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 5

• p-p = 6, rms = 0.9 for gain = 50

• p-p = 9, rms = 1.4 for gain = 250

DMA levels 5, 6, and 7

• 74 dB for gain = 1

• 80 dB for gain = 2

• 80 dB for gain = 4

• 86 dB for gain = 8

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 1

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 2

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 4

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 8

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 1

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 2

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 4

• p-p = 1, rms = 0.1 for gain = 8

A-2 Specifications

Table A-1. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800ST Series (cont.)

Feature DAS-1801ST/ST-DA DAS-1802ST/ST-DA

Interrupt levels 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, and 15

Minimum external pacer
clock pulse width 10ns

Maximum external pacer
clock rate 333kHz

Minimum hardware trigger
pulse width 10ns

1

Monotonicity is guaranteed over the operating range.

2

The figures in the table show the electrical noise introduced by the analog front end but do not include

the uncertainty inherent in the quantization process . The inherent quantization noise introduced by any

ADC is due to uncertainty at code boundaries and adds a peak-to-peak value of 1 LSB to the electrical
noise; it also makes the rms level 0.5 LSBs.

Table A-2. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800HR Series

Feature DAS-1802HR/HR-DA

Number of channels Software-selectable as 8 differential or 16 single-ended

Input mode Software-selectable as unipolar or bipolar

Resolution 16-bits (1 part in 65,536 or 15 ppm)

Data format 16-bit 2’s complement

FIFO size 1024 word

Channel-Gain Control:

Channel QRAM

Gain QRAM

256 X 8 bits (256 channels maximum)

256 X 2 bits (four gain ranges)

A-3

Table A-2. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800HR Series (cont.)

Feature DAS-1802HR/HR-DA

Range/gain

Unipolar

• 0.0 to +10V for gain = 1

• 0.0 to +5.0V for gain = 2

• 0.0 to +2.5V for gain = 4

• 0.0 to 1.25V for gain = 8

Bipolar

• ±10V for gain = 1

• ±5.0V for gain = 2

• ±2.5V for gain = 4

• ±1.25V for gain = 8

Absolute accuracy

Typical

Maximum

0.005% of reading ±1 LSB for all ranges

• 0.005% of reading ±1.5 LSB for gain = 1

• 0.01% of reading ±1.5 LSB maximum all others

Relative Accuracy

Typical

Maximum

0.001% of reading ±1 LSB

0.001% of reading ±1.5 LSB maximum range of 0 to 70˚C

Temperature coefficient of
accuracy (includes ADC)

Offset

• ±5µV/˚C maximum for bipolar

• ±5µV/˚C maximum for unipolar

Gain

• ±7.5 ppm/˚C

Linearity

1

Integral: ±1.5 LSBs maximum
Differential: ±1 LSB

Throughput • Single channel: 100 ksamples/s

• Multiple channels (no gain change): 98 ksamples/s

• Multiple channels (w/gain change): 60 ksamples/s for gains of 1 to 8

Refer to “Maximum Achievable Throughput Rates” on page 2-9

Input Impedance 100M Ω in parallel with 75pF

Input bias current • ±2nA max. @ 25˚C

• ±100nA max. over operating range

A-4 Specifications

Table A-2. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800HR Series (cont.)

Feature DAS-1802HR/HR-DA

Dynamic parameters • Acquisition time: 2µs

• Aperture delay: 6.0ns

• Aperture uncertainty:

- 100ps rms when used with internal pacer clock

- 200ns maximum with external pacer clock

• Conversion time: 8.0µs maximum

Common-mode rejection ratio • 100 dB for gain = 1

• 100 dB for gain = 2

• 100 dB for gain = 4

• 100 dB for gain = 8

Input overvoltage • ±15.0V continuous powered and unpowered

2

Noise

Bipolar electrical noise

(in counts)

• p-p = ±2.0, rms = 0.5 for gain = 1

• p-p = ±2.0, rms = 0.5 for gain = 2

• p-p = ±2.5, rms = 0.6 for gain = 4

• p-p = ±2.5, rms = 0.7 for gain = 8

Unipolar electrical noise

(in counts)

• p-p = ±2.0, rms = 0.6 for gain = 1

• p-p = ±2.0, rms = 0.6 for gain = 2

• p-p = ±2.5, rms = 0.7 for gain = 4

• p-p = ±3.0, rms = 0.8 for gain = 8

DMA • Burst demand mode DMA on FIFO NOT EMPTY

• Programmable DMA levels 5, 6, and 7

• Single/dual DMA modes

Interrupt levels • On FIFO NOT EMPTY (single/slow transfer)

• On FIFO HALF FULL (REPL MOV)

• On counter 2 terminal count

• On data overflow

• Programmable interrupt levels 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, and 15

• Shareable pulsed interrupts

Burst Mode Acquisition
Control:

Rate

Programmable from 16kHz to 100kHz

Length

Programmable from 1 to 256 conversions per trigger

Other

Direct simultaneous-sample-and-hold support

A-5

Table A-2. Analog Input Specifications for DAS-1800HR Series (cont.)

Feature DAS-1802HR/HR-DA

Minimum external pacer
clock pulse width 10ns

Maximum external pacer
clock rate 98kHz

Minimum hardware trigger
pulse width 10ns

Triggering:

Source

• Internal clock, internal gate

• Internal clock, external trigger (edge)

• Internal clock, external gate (level)

• External clock, internal gate

• External clock, external trigger (edge)

• External clock, external gate (level)

• All the above with programmable edge/level sense

• Post-trigger

Types

• Pre-trigger

• About-trigger (using counter 0)

Pacer Clock:

Internal

External

32-bit counter (82C54)

Programmable edge sense (±)

Support for board-to-board
synchronization (XTRIG
input)

1

Monotonicity is guaranteed to 16 bits.

2

The figures in the table show the electrical noise introduced by the analog front end and include the

• 4-bit digital input port

• 4-b latched digital output port (with latch strobe)

quantization noise.

A-6 Specifications

.

−

−

Table A-3. Analog Output Specifications for DAS-1800ST-DA Series

Attribute Specification

Resolution 12-bit (one part in 4096 or 224 ppm)

Coding 12-bit 2’s complement, right justified

Output range

Integral non-linearity ± ¼ LSB typical, ± ½ LSBs maximum

Differential non-linearity ± ½ LSB typical, ±1 LSB maximum

Monotonicity 12 bits guaranteed

Settling time 6µs typical, 30µs maximum to ½ LSB

Output current drive ±15mA maximum

Gain accuracy Adjustable to 0

Offset accuracy Adjustable to 0

Temperature drift

Offset

Glitch energy 200nV * seconds typical area; 200mV peak

Capacitive load drive 100µF

Power up DACs power up to 0.0V at reset

10.000V, +9.9951V

±15ppm/˚C maximum

Gain

±30ppm/˚C maximum

Table A-4. Analog Output Specifications for DAS-1802HR-DA

Attribute Specification

Type 16-bit, voltage out DAC

Coding 16-bit 2’s complement (signed 16-bit integer)

Output range

Integral non-linearity ±1 LSB typical, ±2 LSBs maximum

Differential non-linearity ±1 LSB typical, ±2 LSBs maximum

Monotonicity 16 bits typical, 15 bits worst-case

10.0000V to +9.999695V

A-7

Table A-4. Analog Output Specifications for DAS-1802HR-DA (cont.)

Attribute Specification

Absolute accuracy ±2 LSB @ 25˚C

Temperature drift Offset: ±5ppm/˚C maximum

Gain: ±5ppm/˚C maximum

Glitch energy Area: 15nV * seconds

Peak: 15mV

Capacitive load drive 100µF

Settling time 100µs to ±1 LSB of final value (less than 100pF load)

Output current drive ±5mA (25mA short-circuit current)

Power up DACs power up to 0.0V at reset

Table A-5. Digital I/O Specifications

Attributes DAS-1800ST/HR Series

Digital output signals

DOSTB, SSHO, and TGOUT:

• V

(min.) = 2.4V @ I

OH

• V

(max.) = 0.5V @ I

OL

= -3mA

OH

= 24mA

OL

Digital output signals DO 0 to DO 3, GEXT, and MUX 3 to MUX 7:

• V

(min.) = 2.7V @ I

OH

• V

(max.) = 0.5V @ I

OL

Digital input signals DI 0 to DI 3

• V

(min.) = 2.0V; I

IH

• V

(max.) = 0.8V; I

IL

1

, XPCLK and TGIN

= − 400µA

OH

= 8mA

OL

2

:

(max.) = 20µA

IH

(max.) = − 0.2mA

IL

Digital output strobe pulse
width 300ns typical; data is latched on the rising edge of DOSTB

1

Digital inputs DI 0 to DI 3 are pulled up with a 10k Ω resistor.

2

On the DAS-1800ST/HR Series basic models, inputs TGIN and XPCLK are not pulled up; on the DA

models, inputs TGIN and XPCLK are pulled up with 10k Ω resistors.

A-8 Specifications