PCI-based MCA's

A client of mine is looking to replace an old ISA based Multi-Channel
Analyzer. We are looking for an MCA to use with optical particle
counting. LabVIEW drivers would be a plus. I am leaning towards a PCI
interface, but would consider others. So far we have looked at Oxford
(now Canberra), Canberra, Amptek, and Ortec (Perkin Elmer). Does anyone
know of other vendors I am missing?
Thanks,
Dave Thomson
David Thomson 303-499-1973 (voice and fax)
Original Code Consulting [email protected]
www.originalcode.com
National Instruments Alliance Program Member
Research Scientist 303-497-3470 (voice)
NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory 303-497-5373 (fax)
Boulder, Colorado [email protected]

Since the 6503 has static DIO you'll have to control the transition in software. Typically, the determinism of software is limited to around 1kHz, but this is a function of your actual system. I'd recommend you investigate our M-series line of Multifunction DAQ cards which all have at least one port of hardware timed DIO.
Low cost solutions that you might consider include the PCI-6221 or perhaps the USB-6251.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Message Edited by Elijah K on 04-02-2007 12:24 AM
Elijah Kerry
Senior Product Manager, LabVIEW
Follow my Software Engineering for LabVIEW Blog

Similar Messages

Is the "512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage" on the new mac worth the extra cost? I am comparing with a refurb with better specs (faster CPU, larger hard drive) and from what I undersand the PCIe flash storage is the big differentiator in cost.

hello - i am considering two macbook pros
NEW - http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=ME294LL/A&step=config#
REFURB - http://store.apple.com/us/product/G0ML1LL/A/refurbished-macbook-pro-27ghz-quad-c ore-intel-i7-with-retina-display
The refurb actually has a faster processor and a larger hard drive. From what I understand, the big difference in cost is the new macbook pro contains "512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage" versus the refurb "768GB Flash Storage".
Is the PCIe flash storage really worth the extra cost (and smaller size)?
PS - Also I believe the brand new one has 2 GB graphics memory as opposed to 1 GB graphics memory. I don't really care about that as much as I won't be doing a lot of video editing or gaming.

RestonManJavaLuver wrote:
Is she wrong - are these actually going to people's homes, being used, then returned and resold?
Some are some are not. Otherwise Apple has a ton of Mac's sitting around that have been returned by customers under their 14 day No Questions Asked return policy.
But they not just Returned and Resold. They go back to Apple, checked out (Tested) any parts that are not up to spec replaced and then repackaged in a plain white box to be sold as refurbs.

How to buy the 1TB PCIe-based Flash Storage ?

Hi,
I own a MacBook Pro retina 2012/2013 with 256GB ssd,
I want to upgrade to the new 1TB PCIe-based Flash Storage.
I tried talking to apple support and was told they wont upgrade my macbook.
And that i should buy the SSD as a stand alone part and install it myself.
I have no problem installing it myself but I cant find it as a stand alone product.
The guy in support told me I can get it in the apple store. I went there and they dont sell it.
Anyone have the same problem?
Thanks

I want to upgrade to the new 1TB PCIe-based Flash Storage.
Honestly, do you NEED 1tb SSD?
You need to change the premise of your SSD use.
see here:
Your Solid State Drive and having enough space inside your Macbook Air & Pro
Solid State Drive usage premise, or the “more space / upgrade SSD” question
There have been questions posed and positions taken by many people who are trying to use their Macbook Air or Pro’s solid state drive (SSD) as a mass media storage device, for either pictures, videos, massive music collections or all three combined; but this should not be the working premise of a ‘limited’ SSD and its use.
In which, it’s the case of those users with either 128GB, 256GB, or even 512GB of internal SSD space, that have or are running “out of space”, that questions are raised. The immediate premise of some users can sometimes be “(how to / if) upgrading my SSD” when in fact in nearly all instances another approach is the logical and sensible one that needs to be looked into and exercised.
Any Macbook containing a SSD should be idealized as a ‘working platform’ notebook containing all your applications, documents, and weekly or bi-weekly necessary files. All collections of media files such as pictures, music, and videos, unless directly needed should be kept off the notebook and on an external hard drive or likewise. While the ‘working platform’ premise is also the case with larger internal conventional hard drives of 1TB+, its implementation isn't as critical except in terms of data protection.
Realistically, you should at most coordinate roughly 20 to 25% of your total SSD space to all audio-video personal use media (picture / music / video collections), leaving the remaining amount on an external HD.
Nobody should consider any notebook a data storage device at any time under any circumstance, rather a data creation, sending, and manipulation device; and in the case of a SSD, this is more important for purposes of having sufficient working space on the SSD and reducing SSD ‘bloat’ in which cases someone is wrongly attempting to use the SSD space as a large media storage nexus.
The rare exception to the collective usage and premise of SSD use in which a much larger SSD is truly needed are for those in video and photography professions that require both the extremely fast speeds of the SSD and the onboard storage for large and or many video and photography files. However this also falls under the premise of a ‘working platform’ for such peoples rather than the intent of many who are using the SSD as passive and static data storage for media files very infrequently needed or accessed.
All on-notebook data collections should be logically approached as to necessity, and evaluated as to whether it is active or passive data that likely doesn’t need to be on the notebook, allocations of space-percentages to as-needed work and use, apportioning space for your entertainment media, and questioning whether it should it be on the notebook for more than short-term consumption.
Considerations should be made in the mind of any user in differentiating the necessary system data (System hub) comprising the Mac OSX, applications, necessary documents that both must and should be on your internal SSD, and that of the users personal data (Data hub) comprising created files, pictures, music, videos, PDF files, data created or being created and otherwise, that likely unless being used soon or often should be parked on an external hard drive for consumption, or temporarily loading onto the internal SSD.
You both can and should purchase whichever SSD size you need or see fit, but even in the case of the largest of SSD, unless use-considerations are made, and SSD spaces are allocated as should be the case indicated above, one can easily and immediately run into this quandary of “needing more internal SSD space”, in which instance a different approach in usage must then be implemented.
However it is almost always the case, that such large media files are wanted to be stored internally rather than actually needed, in which case the external HD is both prudent as well as necessary. Additionally costs per MB are infinitely less on an external HD than an internal SSD in any consideration of data expansion needs.
A Professional Example
In the case of a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro Retina with ‘limited’ storage on the SSD, this distinction becomes more important in that in an ever rapidly increasing file-size world, you keep vital large media files, pics, video, PDF collections, music off your SSD and archived on external storage, for sake of the necessary room for your system to have free space to operate, store future applications and general workspace.
You should also never be put in the position of considering “deleting things” on your Macbook SSD in order to ‘make space’. This is especially what your external HD is for.
Professionals who create and import very large amounts of data have almost no change in the available space on their notebooks internal SSD because they are constantly archiving data to arrays of external or networked HD.
Or in the case of the consumer this means you keep folders for large imported or created data and you ritually offload and archive this data for safekeeping, not only to safeguard the data in case your Macbook has a SSD crash, or gets stolen, but importantly in keeping the ‘breathing room’ open for your notebook to operate, expand, create files, add applications, for your APPS to create temp files, and for general operation.
Slim USB3 1TB external hard drive
External Hard Drives
External hard drives are both extremely cheap and regardless of the size of your internal SSD (or even internal hard drive if the case), you need an external hard drive with your SSD equipped Macbook for several reasons:
1. Data backup and protection.
2. Redundancy for important data.
3. Necessitated ideal space for large media files for collections of pictures, videos, and music etc.
While ever changing in price, typical portable 2.5” external hard drives in USB3 run roughly $65 for 1TB or $120 for 2TB small portable USB3 hard drives. Such drives range in thickness between 5mm and 15mm, with recent improvements in storage of 500GB drives in 5mm profiles.
There is almost no premise in which a small 12mm thick 1 Terabyte USB hard drive cannot be taken along with any Macbook as an external large storage extension inside any Macbook carry case or pouch. Typically such external HD profiles are not much bigger than a deck of cards.
External hard drives are a foregone necessity for purchase with any Macbook for at the very least Time Machine backups, data redundancies, and ideally for large media storage.

How to read from 256GB PCIe-based flash storage

The logic board on the new 15 inch macbook pro retina is busted. I need to recover the data from my 256GB PCIe-based flash storage. Since the macbook pro doesnt boot up - there is no way for me to recover this data. It would be great if there is way to recover this data through a reader or using it as an external hard drive ?

OWC has their slimline, external Envoy enclosure for receiving the PCIe storage card from a MacBook Pro (2012 - Jan. 2013) models. In red ink, they emphasize it is not to be used for Fall 2013 or later MBP technology — so that solution is out.
Here is an iFixit guide on how to remove the PCie storage card from a 2014 MacBook Pro, in case you need to go there.
Out of town right now, so don't have access to a traditional SATA machine to test if Target Disk Mode still works with new 2014 PCIe machines.

PCIe-based flash storage

Can the PCIe-based flash storage in the new Macbook pros be changed out?

Apparently it can. However there are no 3rd party options just yet.
OWC are working on one and have this great buying guid for the new MacBook Pro range.
http://blog.macsales.com/20816-owcs-definitive-quick-guide-to-making-the-most-of -2013-macbook-pro-with-retina-display

RD330 - using PCIe-based SSD and on-board RAID controller at the same time?

I've got a RD330 (4304-E1U) with the on-motherboard RAID controller and an OCZ Z-Drive R4 PCIe-based SSD. Basically the SSD looks to the system like a PCIe SATA controller with a single SATA disk attached. If I leave the on-board RAID disabled in the BIOS (Setup -> Advanced -> Sata/SAS Configuration -> Disable SCU Devices=ENABLED), then the system sees the OCZ drive just fine and I can select it as my boot device. Works like a champ, screaming fast.
I *also* need access to the disks attached to the built-in SAS backplane on the server, but if the on-board RAID is turned off, then you can't access those disks. When you go into the BIOS setup and turn on the on-board RAID (Setup -> Advanced -> SATA/SAS Configuration -> Disable SCU Devices=DISABLED), then the LSI RAID array configuration shows up during POST (as expected) but the OCZ messages do NOT appear during POST, and the OCZ no longer shows up in the BIOS as a boot device. It's like the SSD isn't even there when the on-board RAID is turned on.
I don't really need any RAID functionality on those disks, I just need access to them from the OS, but I need to boot from the SSD in the PCIe slot. Is there a way for both the on-board RAID controller *AND* an additional PCIe disk controller to be active at the same time?

I have had a 2.0 USB hub connected to the USP port on my AEBS for almost a year for a printer and a HD. Initially I had intermittent connectivity to the HD but never the printer. As Apple upgraded the software/firmware for the AEBS, the problems have stopped. Reliability has been 100% for several months. Go for it.
Regards,
Brian

HT5446 if i order a new imac with 1tb flash is that pcie based to where i could add a 3.5 ssd and does it still have the bracket and sata cable to add one in it

if i order a new imac with 1tb flash is that pcie based to where i could add a 3.5 ssd and does it still have the bracket and sata cable to add one in it

Be advices that the newest iMac's are basically SEALED Units and taking it apart in any way, other than removing the Memory slot cover to add more RAM (That is on the 27" model. The 21.5" is completely sealed), will void the warranty on it.
Not only that but the screen is Glued to the aluminum casing and if you do pry it off with damaging it you'll need new adhesive strips to remount it.
Not worth the efford or the cost when you can buy mat any other brand computer for less money and do all the upgrading you would ever want without ever voiding the warranty or breaking something in the process.

PCI 7390 - MCA 7790 - Panasonic Motors

Hello,
We have bought the PCI 7390 and MCA 7790 boards in order to control Panasonic Motors. Specifically, we want to control the MADDT1207 and MADDT1207N servo drives for MINAS A4/A4N motors.
Our firs trouble is with the MADDT1207N servo drive, wich does not have direct conectivity with the MCA 7790 board. We have a 50 pin SCSI cable to connect the MADDT1207 with the MCA 7790, and it works more or less ok, but the MADDT1207N has a 37 pin connector instead of 50 pin. My question is, is there any way to connect them. Does National Instruments sell a special cable for this?
I use Measurment & Automation to test the boards with the MADDT1207 servo drives (the 50 pins one), and after some time to configure both, the MADDT1207 and the Measurment & Automation program, I am able to move the motor. Ten points for NI!! Its quite easy if you take some considerations. But what I am not able to, is to get the encoder data correctly. I know this data is transferred by the OA, OB and OZ differential signals. If I go to Measurment & Automation->NI Motion Devices->PCI 7390->1D interactive->Advanced Tab->Advanced Data group box, there is a field that says Encoder, and it ontly changes between 0 and 1, so I believe the data is being transferred, but the PCI 7390 does not understand MADDT1207. Looking at the panasonics manual, I realized that each differential (OA, OB, and OZ) pair must be terminated with a 330 ohm parallel resistor. This is my second question, does anybody know if I have to put this resistor? I measured with the multimeter and the pair is terminated with high impedance (no resistor). I tried to put a 330 ohm resistor in the MCA 7790 board (just between the connector pins), but nothing changed. I know the resistor must be at the end of the pair, but I would not like to solder the resistors in the PCI board if its not needed.
In the Encoder Settings in Measurment & Automation->Default 7390 Settings->Axis 1, I have disabled the Filter Fequency field, I put 10000 counts per revolution, and I tried with several combinations of Polarities and Index References Criteria.
In the Servo parameters I have:
44 (number of output pulse ratio) = 2500 (counts per revolution)
45 (denominator of output pulse ration) = 0 (wich means x4 (= 10000), is used)
46 Pulse output logic inversion = 0 (no inversion)
47 Z-phase of external scale set up = 0 (Z-phase output of external scale becomes invalid)
Any ideas? Does anybode succeeded with the encoder?
Thanks in advance

Hello everybody,
After a month searching the problem, finally I found it:
My new 50pin SCSI cable is broken: the pins 48 and 49, corresponding to the encoder signals OB+ and OB- were shorted. The cable has a label with the reference:
NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS 194604A-02, 50 POS MDR, 0636 12506
I used a standard 50pin SCSI cable and it worked fine.

Best PCI based 802.11g card

I was planning on buying a PCI 802.11g wireless card for my G4 AGP.
I've looked around and have seen various models and types, but the ones from Macwireless look the best, but before paying money for something, I just wanted some people's personal reviews on the matter.
I'm currently using a 11g ethernet wireless thing from Macsense. (barely works)
Thanks

Try this, I have one and it works great.
Belkin F5d7000 802.11g
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=136479
You can get the drivers from:
http://www.ralinktech.com/supp-1.htm
Good luck.

What speed 1TB PCIe-based Flash Storage? in 13inch retina

I was order (pick-up 6 november) 13" 1tb 16gb and want know what speed have SSD?
or this STORE not SSD?
Thank you!

"...the drive is capable of nearly 2GB/s sustained transfer rates. "
http://9to5mac.com/2012/01/17/owc-gives-mac-pro-users-the-first-pci-express-ssd- option/

Hard disk drive versus PCIe-based flash storage

I am trying to decide whether or not I want to get a regular MacBook Pro or a MacBook Pro with retina. I understand that the SSDs have less of a chance of failure (which is great because I've had a hard drive crash before) and that they run faster, but I don't know if I can deal with less storage space. If it's really worth it, I guess I would be able to fork over more for the higher storage SSDs, but I want to first know more about my options (ie, about how much stuff can I really fit onto each of the storage levels, does the storage amount go further on the SSDs, etc). Personal opinions are welcome! Thank you!

If your storage needs will fit on an SSD and you can afford it then it will speedup your Mac considerably.
Consider the size of your storage needs carefully. New rMBPs are not upgradable so you would need to live with the size of the SSD you would choose. How much storage do you use now on your Mac or PC? Are you planning to increase your media use (music, photos, movies)? Media is the biggest disk space usage for many users.
Personally, when I had a 128 GB SSD I was cramped. I upgrade to a Mac with a 256 GB SSD and now my 140 GB of used space fits OK. I have about 60 GB of music and photos and not much used for movies. I have a lot of old files going back a decade and half that I don’t bother to clean out because that would be a pain. My girlfriend uses only 60 GB and I plan to upgrade your machine to a 128 GB SSD. A 512 GB SSD would be wonderful but they are pricey.
On reliability: SSDs will survive shocks better but they have their own failure modes. I have had one fail in my Mac. So whichever way you go, backups are essential. Maintaining two backups is prudent.
13” rMBP prices: Purchasing at least 8 GB of RAM is prudent. If you count that in then a 256 GB SSD costs only $100 more.

Can I use Intel 815EP AGP 4X Pentium and plug in 5 Nos NI 6002 PCI counter Timer cards, instead of going for expensive PXI based solution? Hope there will be no degradation in performance - when used for constructing an Energy Meter test Bench.

I was recommended to buy NI 6002 with PXI series, 5 Nos cards($875x 5 nos), and additionally a PXI rack costing about $ 2195 + some min--- card to interface with the computer costing another $ 875. Compare this with $ 675 x 5 Nos for 5 Nos PCI based NI 6002 + some cablesa nd connectors for synchronisation.
First option is extremely expensive. But NI marketin manager will be glad that he sold more harware. But I want the truth. Why can't Intel 815 Pentium board be used?

I am addressing the question if using PCI-6602s instead of using PXI-6602s will affect the performance, and the answer is NO. 6602 counter/timer devices comes in two different form factors, PXI/Compac PCI and PCI. The accuracy and performance is the same for both the PXI and PCI 6602s. However, using PXI solution will allow users an easier time with synchronization since that is the provided in the backplane of the PXI chassis. Additionally, if you ever need a higher accuracy solution you can add the 6608 device which has 75 parts per billion ppb vs 50 ppm of the 6602 devices. With 6608 plugged in the second slot of the PXI chassis (the one next to the controller), the high accuracy timebase is automatically shared acrossed the backplane of the PXI chassis which mean
s that other 6602 devices in the chassis will share the same accuracy of the 6608. If the difference in the accuracy is not a concern and you are currently not ready to invest in the PXI platform, then you can go with the PCI 6602 devices.
Best Regards,
June Zhu
National Instruments
Digital and Timing Product Support Engineer

MCA control with labview(?)

Hello I am a psysicist trying to build a rotating photon detector (gamma camera) powered by a stepper motor. I am using a PCI-6503 to control the stepper motor and and ORTEC's ASPEC-927 Multichannel Buffer for the signal acquisition and I need some help & guidance.
My problem is the control of my Multichannel Analyser, which is normally done with Maestro 32. I need to perform the following sequence: step (stepper motor) - begin counting - stop counting- export data (results) to Labview- next step etc. I have to find a way to do it through Labview.
I tracked some NI forum posts referring to MCA drivers but they were too old (2000) I hope thing have changed since then. I have also been searching a lot in the internet but all I have come up with is either a publication "LABVIEW-BASED MCA EMULATION SOFTWARE FOR ORTEC MULTICHANNEL BUFFERS" or some reference to ActiveX usage for such a task. If someone has knowledge on the matter, I would like to know what is achievable and what is not. I have no knowledge of ActiveX programming whatsoever by the way.
ps.I haven't found anything relative to the communication of labview with Maestro 32 which is the default software provided with the MCA card nor "reading" the .chn output files from labview so I assume it is out of the question.
thank you in advance

Hi Ycano,
Yes, you can operate your motor in velocity mode by using the Set Operation Mode VI to change it from position mode to velocity.
As for your control feedback loop, are you bringing in the feedback from the load cell via a separate DAQ card? If the load cell outputs a voltage in the +/- 10V range (if it's not a current transducer or doesn't require an excitation voltage), you could connect it straight to the analog input on your motion controller and directly implement it in your control loop for your motion controller. That feedback could then be operated upon at a faster rate than if you brought it in separately from a DAQ card (a closed loop stepper system).
Also keep in mind that load cells generally have a slow update rate, so they may be the limiting factor in how fast your system can respond to changes.
Regards,
Vijay S.
National Instruments

No ISA slot available in PC. How can I use PCI-85 Modbus Plus card with Lookout?

My application is to communicate with two Modicon PLCs using Modicon's ModBus Plus (PCI based PCI-85) network card inside my PC, and using Lookout as an SCADA software. Since there is no ISA slot available in new PCs, I can not use Modicon's ISA-85 Modbus Plus networc card. But Lookout does not support PCI based PCI-85 card, how can I use PCI-85 card then, with Lookout? Why doesn't Lookout support it? I asked the following question from from the Modicon's representative about it:
If I purchase Modbus Plus Driver Suite CD (SWMXDS001, 05, or 10 etc),will I be able to use Lookout SCADA software (by the way, it supports standard MB+ prtocol) for my application? If yes, can I use any version of an
y of the ISA, PCI, or PCMCIA based MB+ card?
His answer was:
The Modbus Plus Driver Suite will talk to any version of card, PCMCIA, ISA, and PCI. The question now is will the SCADA package you are
planning on using be able to talk to the Modbus Plus Driver Suite? You must contact National Instruments and ask them if they support Modbus Plus, and if
they used the MB+ system developement kit to develop their product. Or if they wrote their own MB+ drivers, do they work with Modicon hardware?

Hi,
currently Lookout does not support the PCI-85 card. The only card supported for Modbus Plus is SA-85. Please see for further information:
Where can I Find Drivers for Communicating to PLCs, RTUs, and Other Industrial Hardware?
How to configure the SA-85 card for Modbus Plus
Hope this helps
Roland

Maximum number of PCI-6602 cards in 1 computer?

Is it possible to have 4 PCI-6602 cards in 1 computer?
Are there any DMA channels or IRQ limitations we need
to worry about?
Our computer will have 1 graphics card in the AGP slot,
possibly a PCI NIC ethernet card and possibly a PCI
based sound card. It will also have an IDE controller
with 2 hard drives and 1 CDRW.
The PCI-6602 manual seems to imply that if you are
using more than 3 counter channels that you must
use the slower Interrupt based transfer mode which
has a maximum transfer rate specified as 2000
Reading/second. If there are 4 PCI-6602 boards in
the same computer and all 8 of the channels are
used on each board does that mean the total
transfer rate is still 2000 Readings/sec? Or
wo
uld the total transfer rate be 8000 Readings/Sec
since there are 4 PCI-6602's (2000 Readings/Sec
for each of the 4 PCI-6602's)?

Hello;
The only concern you need to have is the number of IRQs available. As far as DMA channels, as the PCI bus itself has only 3 DMA channels available, all the devices that use DMA will share those 3 channels. But, as IRQs can't be shared, the number of counters you will be able to use will be the exact number of available IRQs you still have on your machine.
As far as transfer rate, the maximum transfer rate will be 2000 Readings/sec, regardless the number of counters you are using.
Hope this helps.
Filipe

PCI-based MCA's

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