Post by thread:[EE]: Bench data acquisition

Hi As I feel my economy wouldn't support obtaining an oscilloscope I've had thoughts of designing and building some kind of simple data acquisition gadget. Now I don't mean some super scope with +100MHz sampling more something simple with specs like: - Moderate sampling frequency, 10 - 40MHz - Triggering functionality like if >trig level then trig - Ability to transfer the data to computer for visual output A have a draft idea of the system architecture: It will consist of two parts: 1. The actual acquistition hardware, with two alternatives a. A ADC together with one or more FIFO (which I believe is the commercial solution) b. A ADC together with an SRAM and memory controller with adress count etc (would be sufficient at lower fs) 2. A host controller, an MCU of choice, to take care of the PC interface and overall control. My choice of hardware would be (due to availability): MCU AT90S8515 (if sufficient), random logic Altera EPM7064, ADC TDA8703? So now my questions are: 1. Is there anyone who have done anything like this before? 2. Do you have any suggestions about improvements, additional features etc? /Niklas -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList spam_OUTpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu

Hi Niklas- I thought this is an interesting project and actually looked into obtaining parts, not too bad. I'd even be interested in sharing the cost of getting a board made. http://www.chocbar.demon.co.uk/ DSO Specification The DSO has the following specification, this is likely to change significantly as the project is further developed. Channel Spec 1.6MHz to 50MHz sample rate 8 Bit resolution 3MBit sample depth Analogue and digital capability Operating Modes Dual channel (2 analogue channels) Single channel (double speed and depth, i.e. 100MHz & 6MBit) Logic analyser (16 digital channels) Mixed mode (8 digital & 1 analogue channel) Triggering Variable pre-trigger Variable edge trigging threshold External trigger input Logic analyser triggering Software Fully GUI driven Full control of hardware from software Zoom & Pan functions Trigger level & point indicator CSV export function Misc Flexible design allows for expansion and bug fixes without hardware modification. ISP (In System Programmable) David Niklas Lvvgren wrote: {Quote hidden}> Hi > As I feel my economy wouldn't support obtaining an oscilloscope I've had > thoughts of designing > and building some kind of simple data acquisition gadget. Now I don't mean > some super scope with > +100MHz sampling more something simple with specs like: > - Moderate sampling frequency, 10 - 40MHz > - Triggering functionality like if >trig level then trig > - Ability to transfer the data to computer for visual output > > A have a draft idea of the system architecture: > It will consist of two parts: > 1. The actual acquistition hardware, with two alternatives > a. A ADC together with one or more FIFO (which I believe is the > commercial solution) > b. A ADC together with an SRAM and memory controller with adress > count etc (would be sufficient > at lower fs) > 2. A host controller, an MCU of choice, to take care of the PC interface and > overall control. > > My choice of hardware would be (due to availability): MCU AT90S8515 (if > sufficient), random logic > Altera EPM7064, ADC TDA8703? > > So now my questions are: > 1. Is there anyone who have done anything like this before? > 2. Do you have any suggestions about improvements, additional features etc? > > /Niklas > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList > .....piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspam@spam@mitvma.mit.edu -- David Harris OmniPort Home Page: http://www3.telus.net/OmniPort1/ Discussion egroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OmniPort Swiki: http://omniport.swiki.net/1 -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu

Niklas Lövgren wrote: > As I feel my economy wouldn't support obtaining an oscilloscope I've had > thoughts of designing > and building some kind of simple data acquisition gadget There's http://www.bitscope.com a dual trace 100 MHz (max 25 or 40 MHz sampling) 8 bit ADC scope and 8 channel logic analyser. It's (mostly) open design so you can build it yourself, buy the board only, a parts kit, etc. Lots of open source software to drive it. Everyone always points out that old, good oscilloscopes are cheap on ebay. -Craig -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList .....piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspam.....mitvma.mit.edu

Now I don't mean some > super scope with > +100MHz sampling more something simple with specs like: I have a very simple scope project built around our APP-II (really a PIC16F873) at: http://www.al-williams.com/awce/app2.htm (this was a previous "Stamp Project of the Month"). Not very fast, but workable. Even simpler than what you propose. I've also done a "logic scope" in Altera, but I haven't released it yet -- will probably run somewhere eventually though. Regards, Al Williams AWC * Control 8 servos at once http://www.al-williams.com/awce/pak8.htm -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList EraseMEpiclist-unsubscribe-requestspam_OUTTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu