54503a Oscilloscope GPIB labview

[downbook]

Hi,

    I am doing a summer project with my professor using gpib and connect it to the HP 54503a Oscilloscope. The objective of this project is displaying the Oscilloscope on the computer with minial delay. So far I am encountering the problem with the oscilloscope keep flickering each time it goes through digitizing it. Is there anyway to make it go like real time

any help will be appreciated,
downbook

[Song_M]

Hey downbook! Are you using our instrument driver network driver for the HP 54503a? I have found the driver, and it can be found here: 54503a Driver Download

The driver will contain premade subvis and examples that will allow you to communicate with the 54503a.   Also, please provide some more information regarding the flickering effect. Is the instrument itself flickering when you take data? Or is the data that is displayed flickering? Thank you!

[downbook]

Hi Song,

I used the driver to help me write the code. The Oscillscope flickers each time it reads the commands digitize or read source. So my question is how to make it so that the Oscilloscope's display to appear both on the oscillscope and on the computer screen at real time.

[Song_M]

Hey downbook!

To give you a little bit of background, all LabVIEW is doing is sending the command to the oscilloscope to "give us the data."  LabVIEW can not control the oscilloscope's traits.  LabVIEW can not control how the oscilloscope reacts.  I hope this makes sense.  For more information, I would contact the Oscilloscope manufacturer regarding the flickering effect.  I hope this helps downbook, perhaps there is a special function call we can make that will allow the oscilloscope to work in "real time" with LabVIEW; however, that information would be with the oscilloscope manufacturer!  Thank you downbook!

[downbook]

Thanks for your help song,

    I am not sure if there are any people that can help with this problem. Since the product is pretty much obsolete and so old now.

downbook

[Dennis_Knutson]

You will find that a GPIB scope (even a new model) is not well suited to continuous display and waveform to a pc. They and the GPIB bus were just not designed that way. I'm not sure about the flickering but it may be the scope reacting to an initiate  or capture command you send. The scope will then take x amount of time to store the waveform and y amount of time to transfer the waveform to the pc. Only when the transfer is complete will the scope start to display data again. For continuous waveform display, a simple DAQ card or pc based scope card is a much better choice. Cheaper too.