Signal capture cards and portable systems
Often referred to as PC oscilloscope, transient recorder or a digitiser
(digitizer), all of these are used to record analogue signals at high speed
and with a very high level of instrumentation accuracy. The products on this page
provide this functionality and available as portable Ethernet modules or plug-in cards. |
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Spectrum digitizerNETBOX
Available in two enclosure sizes. The DN2 (up to 16 channels) and
the DN6 (up to 48).
The digitizerNETBOX uses the fast M2p and M4i instrumentation card
technology described on this page inside a robust enclosure, with all the power
and cooling considerations taken care of. This system is ready to use. Simply
attach to the Gbit Ethernet port of a computer and use the "discovery" facility
in the supplied software to install the digitizerNETBOX automatically. Combine
with a notebook PC and DC option for portability, or within an extended
Ethernet network which may include more digitizerNETBOX units. Each unit
includes its own Web server which gives the facility to remotely view and
configure the setup. It also has its own IP address so that captured data can
be streamed back over the network to a client PC. The digitizerNETBOX is very portable
and can be taken with the operator, (e.g within a vehicle) using a notebook PC and
DC option. For complete independence from a host computer, an embedded server option,
with installed CPU, RAM and SSD is also available as an option.
The digitizerNETBOX docking station package includes
SBench6 Professional for easy set up, log, view and signal processing of data.
whilst Windows/Linux drivers provide programming in MATLAB™, LabVIEW™, or one of the
popular programming languages such as Visual Basic or C.
For the ultimate in versatility consider the NEW hybridNETBOX, This combines
signal capture and generation in one multi-channel system.
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Spectrum M4i digitiser cards.
Using a high bandwidth multi-lane PCI Express Gen 2.0 interface
(physically PXI Express in the case of M4x series), data streaming to the
host computer is greatly enhanced with giga byte transfer capability. Fitted
with 8 bit, or higher resolution 14 / 16 bit ultra high speed A/D converters,
sampling speeds of up to 5 giga samples per second are possible! This makes
the M4i / M4x card series of particular value to users acquiring ultra fast signals
- if necessary over long periods. Three easily accessible multi-purpose digital I/O
per card are also provided, more can be added as an option. Perfect for control
and synchronisation with external equipment.
Up to eight M4i PCIe cards can
be perfectly synchronised to provide up to 32 A/D channels for signal capture. By
comparison the number of M4x PXI Express cards is only limited by the number of available PXIe
or PXI hybrid slots in the chassis, with all synchronisation performed via the
back-plane.
The M4i / M4x series both share the same comprehensive well proven software
driver set as the M2p cards and the NETBOX units, which includes support for
all common programming languages and packages such as LabVIEW and
MATLAB.
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Spectrum M2p digitiser cards.
The M2p card series has our greatest selection of channel
and resolution combinations to provide exceptional performance for applications
such as radar, telecommunications, ultrasonics and spectroscopy...to name but a
few. In fact just about any application that requires ultra high-speed signal
capture in the MHz range. A/D converter speeds range from 5 to 125 mega samples per second.
Each channels of the M2p signal capture card is equipped with its own A/D
converter, ensuring perfect synchronisation hence zero phase difference between
input channels. High channel count, wide gain ranges and software selectable
single-ended or differential inputs provides exceptional operating versatility.
Three multi-purpose digital I/O are also available. Sixteen more can be added as an option.
These cards are physically compact (half-length) and have a fast x4-lane PCIe interface
making them compatible to a very wide range of computer motherboards and chassis sizes.
M2p cards ship with driver software, which allows the cards to be programmed
in the Windows or Linux environment. This can be performed using one of the
text base languages such a C/C++, Visual Basic, Python, etc. Alternatively LabVIEW
or MATLAB. Or simply use
SBench6 which requires no programming experience to capture, record, display
and process the data. It's all menu driven and wit the Professional version data
can be exported in a number of formats. |
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Spectrum's signal capture hardware feature summary |
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Up to 8 fully synchronous channels on one card. Up to 48 channels on the digitizerNETBOX |
| Synchronisation of multiple cards possible, both for sampling and trigger |
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Versatile trigger features with fast auto re-arm |
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Large standard memory, 4 Gbytes on M4i & M4x, 1 Gbyte on M2p and up to 48 Gbytes on the digitizerNETBOX. |
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Multiple Recording / Gated Sampling † with pre-trigger,
post-trigger, fast rearm & time stamp |
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ABA mode available. Go from slow continuous to rapid
acquisition on trigger events. |
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Optimised clock section, internal or external clock reference |
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M2p, M4i & M4x cards have a multi-lane PCI-Express interface for GByte streaming with the PC* |
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Versatile and wide ranging software support, all cards and NETBOX systems use a universal driver set for Windows® and Linux® |
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Spectrum's hybridNETBOX combines signal
capture and generation in a single robust enclosure. It even provides digital
I/O for control and synchronisation to external equipment.
Perfect for test and measurement systems that need to perform automated
closed-loop or stimulus-response type testing. It is also a cost effective way to
have a universal fast signal generation and logging system, ready to take on many
varied tasks. The Gbit Ethernet port connection allows easy direct connection to a
computer, or anywhere on a network.
In common with all NETBOX systems the hybridNETBOX includes
SBench6 Professional for easy set up of signal logging, replay, viewing of data
and signal processing. Windows/Linux drivers provide also facilitate programming
in MATLAB™, LabVIEW™, or the programming languages such as Visual Basic or C.
Click here
for more details on the hybridNETBOX!
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A/D SIGNAL CAPTURE SELECTION TABLES - Ethernet/LXI enclosure format
The NETBOX is suitable for connection to many types of computers
including notebook PCs. The unit can be placed close to the computer or remotely
on a LAN. Sampling speeds shown below are the maximum, however slower converters
are fitted to certain models to best match the application and help ensure the
most cost effective solution. |
digitizerNETBOX DN2 & DN6 |
MODEL SERIES Please click on the images for more information |
RESOLUTION | MAXIMUM SAMPLE RATE
(GS/s = Giga samples per second) (MS/s = Mega samples per second) | NUMBER OF CHANNELS |
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8 to 16 bit | 5GS/s | 1 to 48 |
hybridNETBOX DN2 (signal capture & generation) |
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8 to 16 bit | 500MS/s A/D, 1.25GS/s D/A | 1 to 8 (A/D), 1 to 8 (D/A) |
A/D SIGNAL CAPTURE SELECTION TABLES - multi-lane PCI Express card format
This versatile card range fits into a wide range of computers,
most commonly a desktop but also some types of industrial computers too. Sampling
speeds shown below are the maximum, however slower converters are fitted to certain
models to best match the application and help ensure the most cost effective solution. |
M4i (PCIe - x8 lane) |
MODEL SERIES Please click on the images for more information |
RESOLUTION | MAXIMUM SAMPLE RATE
(GS/s = Giga samples per second) (MS/s = Mega samples per second) | NUMBER OF CHANNELS |
M4i.22xx |
8 bit | 5GS/s | 1 to 4 |
M4i.44xx |
14 to 16 bit | 500MS/s | 1 to 4 |
M4x (PXIe - x4 lane) |
M4x.22xx |
8 bit | 5GS/s | 1 to 4 |
M4x.44xx |
14 to 16 bit | 500MS/s | 1 to 4 |
M2p (PCIe - x4 lane) |
M2p.59xx |
16 bit | 125 MS/s | 1 to 8 |
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