USB 6501 pulse train

[vob555]

How can I generate a continuous pulse train with the NI USB-6501?

[AnalogKid2DigitalMan]

Looks like that device only has digital I/O and a counter (never used it, just looked up the specs). No hardware timer to generate accurate pulse trains. There may be a means to do a timed loop in software, but not an optimal approach.

Maybe someone else with experience with the device will chime in.

[AlanArmstead]

That's correct.  The USB-6501 does not have the hardware capability to generate a hardware timed pulse train.  However, a pulse train could be produced with a digital line and some software timing.  It would entail toggling a digital line in a loop structure.  In this situation, the pulse train would of course be software timed, and at the mercy of the operating system.
-Alan A.

[Irene He]

Hello,

You may want to consider our iUSBDAQ - U120816. It has two PWM outputs which can generate pulse train of 3kHZ - 333kHZ. It's the best price/performance multifunction USB DAQ in the market. (priced from $49 - $79US). LabVIEW is of course supported.

Details please check out the below link:

http://www.hytekautomation.com/Products/IUSBDAQ.html

Thank you.

Irene

[AA Dan]

Typically to generate an accurate pulse train you need a counter timer product.  All the National Instruments E Series products have a counter timer available.  You can consider using the DAQPAD-6016 in order to generate accurate pulse trains off an accurate hardware clock.

[jrojfer]

Hi all,
I am developping a system for triggering cameras and I need to generate a square signal with a frequency between 10Hz and 100Hz, and all I have are two NI USB-6501,  do you think it is  possible to  achieve this in windows? I know that it is not possible to obtain a perfect signal but how similar could they become? I mean will the software/instruction limitations let me achieve a 100 hz signal?

I am developping with C++ in XP. Is there any example of software temporization for this device outhere?

Thank you very much in advance

[jrojfer]

 Hi all,

I have timed it via software but I don't like the solution because the CPU consumption is about 60% and because it is a shoddy piece of work. Hardware timed is the solution. So, I need a card able to output a square signal with a frequency from 1Hz to 100Hz, I want to be able to set this frequency via software. Could you recommend me a card not as expensive as NI DAQPad-6016? the simpler, the better!

Thank you very much!!!!!

[Brian F.]

Hello jrojfer.  Our USB-6210 should fit your application very well.  It is a member of our M Series Class of DAQ cards which can output a hardware timed pulsetrain via the onboard clock source.  It also has 16 bits of resolution and a large sampling rate that will allow you to get a lot of other use out of this card.  Finally, it uses our DAQmx driver which allows quick and powerful programming with easy to understand functions.  For more information on this product, please visit the product page at:

https://www.ni.com/en-us/shop/model/usb-6210.html

Good luck with your application and if you have any other questions, please let all of us know!

Brian F.

National Instruments

[jrojfer]

Mensaje editado por jrojfer

[jrojfer]

Hi Brian,
thanks for your reply. For my application, I just need one square signal generator, and two output channel. NI USB 6210 is still two much for me, I do not really need such a fast device to acquire data, simply because I do not acquire it, just generate a couple of signal. By the way, thank you very much for your recommendation. Is not another cheaper one avalaible? Maybe something with different devices but cheaper globally...

Looking forward to reading from you!