does pci 6602 support hardware-timed DIO

[annawang]

Hi,

does the PCI 6602 support hardware-timed DIO?

thanks!

[Kevin_Price]

No it does not.  It's replacement, the PCIe-6612, does.

What are your DAQ requirements, what DAQ hardware do you already have, and can you purchase anything new if you need it to meet your requirements?

-Kevin P

[annawang]

Hi Kevin,

thanks for the help, I'd like to synchronise three digital output channels (one to external trigger a camera, two for laser control). Do you know if this is still possible?

thanks,

anna

[Kevin_Price]

It will depend on how regular the timing relationships are among all the signals.  If entirely regular, there's a good chance it's possible.

You'd end up using counter tasks to deliver hardware-timed digital pulses.  They'll still be TTL-logic compatible digital signals, but they'll come from the counter subsystem of the board instead of the "regular" DIO subsystem.

Some keywords that can help you 

- "Arm Start Trigger"

- "initial delay"

- "retriggerable single pulse"

I might be able to help more if you can describe the needed timing relationships in detail, including both any input signals to react to and output signals to generate.

-Kevin P

[annawang]

Thanks! The timing is entirely regular.

I have two lasers and a camera (andor ixon 897) connected to the PCI 6602. I'd like to have it so that the lasers alternate (e.g. every 10ms) and each time they alternate, the camera starts a new frame (so exposure 10ms). i.e. the start of the frame is synchronised with the laser alternation. I originally thought this could be done by using the camera internal triggering to trigger the lasers but since PCI 6602 does not accept hardware time DIO, I guess I have to go the other way round and use the camera on external triggering?

In this case, the lasers would require digital ouputs that are triggered by the rising/falling edge of a counter? and the camera would need some sort of waveform?

[Kevin_Price]

If I understand your system correctly, I see it like this:

You'd have 3 pulse train tasks with their timing sync'ed by a combo of an "Arm Start Trigger" and careful coordination of their timing parameters (high time, low time, initial delay).  Each would drive one of your 3 devices.

If you want to configure them as *finite* pulse trains, be aware that each task will consume 2 of your board's 8 total counters - both the one you configure explicitly and the one it's "paired" with.  Pairs are { (0,1), (2,3), (4,5), (6,7) }.  So this takes 6 counters total.

Or you can configure as continuous and decide in software when to stop them.  This takes 3 counters total.

-Kevin P