frncsc,
The Dude Abides.
Well, it would be really a 'dream come true' if the products listed on the ARS Tech website work... HOWEVER:
Do some checking... I am not saying that the company is shady, but there is no listing of a physical mailing address, listing of location, no phone number for tech support (only a fax number) and there is not really a clear method of payment options listed. Honestly, I think the website and products are made by just one guy (like in his garage or basement), and it isn't really a small or medium size company.
I dont even think I could get my company to pay for one, since our purchasing folks would immediatley red flag ARS for not having a physical mailing address listed. They would have no idea where to send a purchase order.
(Would be great if I could convince my company would buy one to try it out!)
For the prices listed, I would love to try out that PCI to USB adapter personally,
but I don't want to be the first sucker that gets taken.
Secondly, I am not quite sure how NI-DAQmx / MAX would react to sticking an NI I/O board in it.
Example: Say you have an old legacy PCI-6026E board (per Braincramp's original question), and you install it in the ARS PCI-USB bridge board, then try to interface it using USB... I'm not sure it would be recognized. This is something that the Engineers at NI would have to validate. I don't want to be the one that finds out it doesn't work, and is out money for a failed attempt.
If the guy(s) at ARS were smart, they would send one to NI for evaluation, and become some kind of partner.
NI Engineering could then tweak a driver to make them work.
EDIT:
I did some more checking on the ARS website, and he/they do claim to specifically support NI devices.
http://arstech.com/install/cms-display/ste_nisupport.html
Therefore, your questions, along with the original questions of Braincramp are still valid, but may be addressed on the ARS website from the above link:
My next questions would be (without spending the money):
Might it work with a PCI 6025E?
How would react in this adapter with NI-DAQmx?
Would it be recognized at all?
As a legacy card?
As a USB device?
Again, im not saying that ARS Tech is a fly by night company, but....
Sometimes, when something is too good to be true... it usually is.
I did some looking and I cannot find ANYTHING like the hardware that ARS claims to have. Nothing.
The closest is the PCI to PCIe bridge from Startech.
I know alot of companies (mine, included) have legacy NI boards laying around getting dusty. Would be nice to put them back to work.
(Then again, there is no money in it for NI to help us resurect legacy boards... they want to sell new ones!)
Cheers & Beware of the Nihilists!
The Dude.
