Low-cost data acquisition is now available from two new two-channel ATS1250/1220 12-bit PCI digitizer cards at 50/20 Msamples/s. Priced at $1795 and $1295, respectively, the cards include 128 kbytes per channel. Larger versions are available up to 8 Mbytes per channel, with respective prices of $3995 and $2995.
Each card provides independently programmable input ranges from ±20 mV to ±20 V, ac/dc coupling, and 50-Ω and 1-MΩ input impedances on each of the two channels. The sampling rate is also programmable from 50 Msamples/s down to 10 ksamples/s. Signal-to-noise ratio is 60 dB.
Users can capture signals from rapidly occurring triggers by using a Multiple Record mode that allows both pre- and post-triggering. A 40-bit time stamp allows each trigger event to be recorded relative to all other triggers on a given session.
Acquired data can be transferred to the host PC memory using bus-mastering scatter-gather DMA techniques. These provide transfer rates in excess of 40 Mbytes/s. The cards come with ATScope software, which enables users to set up the digitizer, acquire signals, and view and store them without writing any code.
Cards can be integrated using the Windows XP/2000/98SE software development kit, the ATS-SDK. The $250 kit includes sample programs written in C/C++ and VisualBASIC. A high-performance $250 LabView VI kit, the ATS-VI, is also available.
Lower-memory units of the two cards, plus the software-development kits, come from stock. Higher-memory versions are available within 12 weeks.
AlazarTechwww.alazartech.com (877) 725-2927