jackson@curium.dec.com (SETH JACKSON 297-4751) (01/07/88)
Digital Equipment Corporation announces Version 1.2 of the VAXlab Data
Acquisition and Analysis System family.
Product Description
-------------------
VAXlab is a family of products that provide tools and applications for
realtime data acquisition and analysis in a VMS environment. The
product set includes real-time hardware peripherals from Digital and
third parties plus a software toolkit known as the VAXlab Software
Library (VSL). VSL consists of subroutine libraries for realtime I/O,
scientific plotting, signal processing, and mathematical and
statistical analysis. Also included in VSL is the Interactive Data
Acquisition Tool (IDAT), a menu-driven interface that allows users to
interactively collect, plot, FFT, and store data.
VAXlab uses a standard subroutine calling interface, known as Laboratory
Input/Output (LIO) for real-time I/O. LIO makes it easy to write software
in high-level programming languages to do real-time data acquisition. Also,
it provides a common programming interface across a wide range of real-time
I/O devices. This allows software applications to be easily ported among
different I/O devices, VAX processors and I/O bus architectures.
For convenience of ordering and installation, packaged systems have
been created for the four most popular VAXlab configurations. Packaged
systems bundle hardware and software under a single part number.
Packaged systems are shipped with software preinstalled on the system
disk, or on a pregenerated system tape.
Version 1.2 Enhancements
------------------------
o VAXlab functionality has been extended to all Q-bus, VAXBI and VAX
2000-series systems, including the MicroVAX and VAXstation
3000-series.
o Reduced price for the VAXlab Software Library
o New packaged systems that include a VAXstation 3500 configuration
o New high-speed analog-to-digital converter
o New functions for the VAXlab Software Library include:
- LIO support for the following VAXBI devices: DRB32 and DRB32W parallel
interfaces; and the high-speed GMAD-series analog input subsystems from
Preston Scientific, using the DRB32W as the interface to the VAXBI bus.
- LIO support for serial lines, including the ability to take data from
RS-232/DEC423 instruments remotely over the Ethernet, using
DECserver-200's as instrument concentrators. Instruments with flow-control
capabilities can be connected to the terminal ports on a DECserver. The
devices can then be programmed with LIO as if they were connected directly
to a local serial port. A DECserver-200 is capable of handling 8 serial
lines, each running at rates of up to 9600 baud.
- LIO subroutine support for the ADQ32 analog-to-digital converter,
and for the IEQ11 IEEE-488 interface for the Q-bus.
- Plotting library enhancements, including support for VT330 and VT340
terminals and POSTSCRIPT(TM) devices; input functions that allow the
programmer to create pop-up menus and accept menu choices or screen
coordinates as input; and log-scale plotting,
- IDAT enhancements, including support for the full line of VAXlab analog
I/O options from Digital, as well as the DRQ3B, DRV11-WA, DRV11-J,
DRB32-E and DRB32-W digital I/O interfaces and the GMAD high-speed
analog-to-digital converter from Preston Scientific; and power spectrum
analysis
The ADQ32, a new analog-to-digital converter for the Q-bus, offers 32
channels of input and data acquisition speeds of up to 200 KHz, as
well as many other features which make it one of the most flexible
products on the market. Features of the ADQ32 include:
- 32 Channel 12 bit A/D, 200 KHz continuous throughput
- 512-entry conversion parameter list
- Programmable Gains of 1, 2, 4, 8
- Programmable single ended or differential operation
per conversion
- On board realtime clock with a wide range of triggering modes
- Pre/post stimulus triggering
- Efficient Block Mode DMA transfers
The price of the VAXlab Software Library on the MicroVAX II has been
reduced from $6,000 to $1,000. On the VAXstation II the price has
been reduced from $2,000 to $312. On the other processors, which were
not previously supported, the price is determined according to pricing
tiers based on the rated performance of the processor. VSL prices
range from $312 at the low end to $7,500 on a VAX 8800 processor. The
price on MicroVAX 3xxx multiuser systems in $3750.
The four new packaged systems are:
Description Price
----------- -----
VAXlab/STD Multi-user MicroVAX II system $45,434
VAXlab/GPX VAXstation II/GPX 8-plane color system 41,131
VAXlab/3500 VAXstation 3500 4-plane color system 62,150
VAXlab/2000 VAXstation 2000 with 15" monochrome 8,625
monitor
All VAXlab packaged systems include VMS, DECnet, VAX GKS, disk
storage, streaming tape drive, and memory. On Q-bus systems, a
real-time clock is included. A wide array of real-time hardware
options and scientific software is available from Digital and its
partners.
Additional information can be found in the VAXlab Information Sheet
(ED-31150-61), and the Realtime Systems and Options Catalog
(ED-29869-47). Contact your local Digital sales office.