KFL%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (02/12/84)
From: Keith F. Lynch <KFL @ MIT-MC> We plan to purchase a new data aquisition computer in the very near future. It should be able to sample at least 10 analog channels simultaneously at up to 10,000 samples per second with at least 12 bit precision. The system cost (with peripherals) should not exceed $20,000. It should be reasonably fast, bug free, and friendly. Unix would be ideal. The system should be able to tolerate shipping and field use. We currently have a LeCroy 3500 which we bought in 1980. It samples 32 channels simultaneously at up to 40,000 samples per second with 12 bit precision, using a CAMAC bus. It runs CP/M on an 8085 with 64k. The CAMAC bus and the processor/ memory bus (MULTIbus?) are not terribly well integrated. The software is poor, the hardware cannot tolerate being shipped, the support is virtually nonexistant, as is the documentation. Software and hardware upgrades are very overpriced ($3000 for a Shugart SSSD 8 inch floppy disk drive and controller (241k), $5000 for a (small) hard disk, $600 for WordStar, $1500 for Microsoft Basic, etc.). We will not consider anything made by LeCroy. Other than that, all references are welcome. Does anyone else out there have any experience, positive or negative, with LeCroy? ...Keith