Ultra fast digital pattern capture and generation
This page provides information on all the Spectrum
PCI-Express digital cards, capable of capturing or generating digital patterns at
very high speeds up to 32 bits wide. The M4i.77xx digital capture cards have
the enhanced capability to work with a wide range of logic signal levels, whilst the M2p.75xx
cards can handle LVTTL or TTL signals.
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Spectrum M4i programmable digital input cards
Using a high bandwidth multi-lane PCI Express Gen 2.0 interface, real
time data streaming with the PC is greatly enhanced at over 3 Gbytes per second.
This makes the M4i.77xx card series of particular value when recording patterns of
bus wide digital signals for long periods at ultra-high speed. The universal
logic level compatibility of range -3V to +5V covers many standards including
LVDS, LVPECL, PECL, (N)ECL, and comes in single-ended and differential input
format. Utilising the very latest digital technology, 32 digital channels
of data can be captured at up to 350 MHz sampling, which results in a data rate of 700
mega bits per second when Double Data Rate clocking is used. This mode uses
both edges of the sampling clock. Also the Bit pattern capture can be single
shot or in a loop.
Up to eight cards from M4i.77xx series can be perfectly synchronised
to provide up to 256 digital channels. They also have many useful features
to allow pattern and gated triggering, plus time stamping of these triggers.
Building on the success of the previous generation of the M2i digital
capture cards, the M4i series shares the same well proven software driver set.
This follows the practice of supporting both existing and new users. The versatile
Windows® and Linux® drivers support all popular text programming languages,
as well as packages such as LabVIEW® and MATLAB®. For easy capture
and analysis
SBench6 Professional software is available as an option. This has
a logic analyser window for comparison of multiple bit pattern streams.
Menu driven no programming is required.
More information on the M4i.77xx series and the multi-purpose digital I/O options can
be found by following the image links in the tables below. |
Spectrum M2p programmable digital I/O cards:
The Spectrum M2p.75xx series of cards are not as fast as the M4i.77xx
versions, however they have the advantage that they can not only capture fast digital signals
but replay them too. Up to 32 digital channels of data can be clocked in or out
at up to 125MHz. They represent a cost effective solution for many projects
where high performance logic analysis or pattern generation is required.
The M2p.75xx is a half-length PCIe card, measuring just 168 x 107 mm in size.
The small form factor means that it can be inserted into almost any desktop PC,
turning it into a powerful tool for applications such as logic analysis or
pattern generation. The channels offer 3.3 V and 5 V TTL compatibility. In generation
mode, the cards typically deliver output levels of 0.2 V for low states and
2.8 V for high states into high impedance. A 1 GByte of on-board memory is
standard for holding digital data. A variety of different acquisition and
replay modes can operate short or long duration signals, the latter aided by
an ultra-fast transfer speed over the PCIe x4 lane bus of up to 700 MBytes/s.
Fully programmable and the hardware comes with drivers for Windows and
Linux operating systems, as well as programming examples for C++, LabVIEW,
MATLAB, Visual Basic.NET, Python and most other popular programming languages.
Spectrum offers its own control software
SBench 6 Professional
that allows signal generation, acquisition, display, processing, storage, reporting and includes
a screen based logic analyser. This new M2p digital series also compliments
the existing M2p analogue signal acquisition and generation cards, all of which
can be sample and trigger synchronised together using the Star-Hub option.
This versatility provides the ability to use these products in many applications
and extend the number of channels easily.
The first release of this series, the M2p.7515-x4 replaces the earlier M2i.70xx
digital I/O cards, but does share the same well proven software driver set,
so moving over to the new digital I/O card is easy. It even shares the same
Hirose FX2 signal digital port connectors. This follows the practice of supporting both
existing and new users. Windows® and Linux® programming drivers are provided,
plus examples to show the main operational features
We also provide multi-purpose digital I/O options which can be added to the
Spectrum's existing range of M2p digitisers and AWG cards.
More information on the M4i.75xx series and the multi-purpose digital I/O options can
be found by following the image links in the tables below. |
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Spectrum's digital I/0 hardware feature summary. |
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Signal data ports up to 32 bits wide |
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Data width on the cards ports is software programmable |
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Synchronisation of multiple cards using the Star-Hub option extends the bit width even further |
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M2p.75xx series cards can also be synchronised withe M2p analogue digitisers and waveform generators |
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Large standard memory of 4 GBytes on the M4i, 1Gbyte on M2p |
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Versatile trigger features, including fast auto re-arm |
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Multiple Recording (+ replay on M2p)
for servicing fast repeated triggers.
Also Gated Recording (+ replay on M2p). |
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Programmable Sequence Replay Mode, dynamic change to new signal on event, or loop |
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Optimised clock section, internal or external clock reference |
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Multi-lane PCI-Express interface for sustained data streaming rate with the PC* |
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Versatile and wide ranging software support for programming the card in Windows® and Linux® |
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DIGITAL CARD SELECTION TABLE - Format PCI-EXPRESS
| This versatile 3/4 length M4i digital capture card range fits into
desktop computers, but also some types of industrial computers too. A choice
card models offer different maximum capture speeds and it is possible to program
a wide range of input capture speeds up the maximum. Data bits can be captured at up
to 350 MHz sampling rate on the fastest versions, which results in a data rate
of 700 mega bits per second when Double Data Rate* clocking is used. |
| M4i (PCIe x8-lane) |
MODEL SERIES
Please click on the images for more information |
CHANNEL TYPE | MAXIMUM SAMPLE RATE | CHANNEL NUMBER |
 M4i.77xx |
Digital input logic levels
-3.0V to +5V
Single-ended or LVDS | 350 MHz
700 Mbits/sec. in DDR* | 8, 16, 32 bits |
| Shown below, the versatile M2p.75xx series provides the capability for high-speed
sampling and generation of digital signals. The direction is software programmable.
Its x4-lane PCI-Express interface allows full speed digital signal streaming to
or from the host PC. The compact half-length card makes for an easy fit. The
digital ports FX2 connectors were also standard to Spectrum's earlier digital I/O cards
(e.g. the M2i.70xx series), so providing an element of backward cabling compatibility.
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| M2p (PCIe - x4 lane) |
MODEL SERIES OPTION
Please click on the images for more information |
CHANNEL TYPE | MAXIMUM SAMPLE RATE | CHANNEL NUMBER |
 M2p75xx |
Digital logic levels
3.3V LVTTL
(inputs 5V TTL tolerant) | 125 MHz | 16, 32 bits |
| The digital options add multi-purpose digital
I/O lines to the M2p.59xx digitisers or the M2p.65xx AWG cards, producing a "mixed-mode"
type of operation. Access to these extra lines is via SMB or FX2 connectors. On
the M2p.59xx digitisers the digital I/O can be set synchronous to A/D sampling.
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 M2p59.xxxx-Dig |
Digital multi-purpose lines for M2p.59xx digitiser cards
3.3V LVTTL | 125 MHz | 16 bits |
| M2p65.xxxx-Dig |
Digital multi-purpose lines for M2p.65xx AWG cards
3.3V LVTTL | 125 MHz | 16 bits |
| For existing users of the older PCI and PCI-Express M2i.70xx
series cards, who simply wish for a drop-in replacement, we can still supply. For
new applications requiring digital signal capture we now recommend the M2p.75xx series
cards. |
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