Information required for communicating with IEEE-488 Interface instrument.

[Yamata]

Dear All,

I have an instrument which has IEE-488 interface. I would like to connect this to my laptop using GPIB USB connector from NI.

In order to communicate with this device and record data i have a licensed version of LABVIEW. But when i got in touch with NI salesperson i was told the connector would cost me Rs. 40000/- including software as indicated in web.

Question 1 - Is it necessary to purchase the software along with connector ? or can i manage to read it through LABVIEW?

Question 2 - I have read that the instrument manual and it can be programmed using IEEE-488.2 interface using LABVIEW measurement and automation explorer  can i do this using the existing LABVIEW.

Looking forward for an answer.

Regards,

Srini

[Albert.Geven · Accepted solution]

Hi 

if you have LabVIEW and NI GPIB hardware the VISA software is free.

Which instrument (model and vendor) are you trying to communicate with?

[Yamata]

Many thanks for the reply.

I am trying to communicate with temperature monitor from Lakeshore cryotronics. As per the manual, Programming is to be done using QUICK BASIC.     Is it mandatory or i can use LABVIEW to program the instrument.

Regards,

Srinivas

[Albert.Geven]

LabVIEW is used over here in all those places.

LabVIEW is a full blown programming language with a perfect support for instrument control, where VB was designed (or better grown) by non programmers.

LabVIEW itself is also a parallell programming language so doing stuff on the UI can run in parallel with other tasks without having to program a lot of stuff just to keep your program running.

In fact LabVIEW was original designed for users of gpib that were not used to program.

[Yamata]

Thanks for the reply.

How about connectors from other vendors. Does LABVIEW support connectors from any company or NI only.

I got this doubt just after looking a series of vendors who supply similar connectors.

Regards,

Srinivas

[Albert.Geven]

some connectors from other vendors will also work but with additional difficulty, for the agilent gpib-usb it is possible via an extra visa plugin.

For others it is also possible but using the standard instrument drivers like this one for Lake Shore (620/622 and 647)

http://sine.ni.com/apps/utf8/niid_web_display.download_page?p_id_guid=E3B19B3E9473659CE034080020E748...

are readily available free of charge, and are tested by a lot of users.