Anyone using a Birger Engineering Lens Controller?

[Frank_Rizzo]

What has your experience been?  Thanks!

[robotbuilder]

Hello,

I am using a Birger lens controller for my LabVIEW application. This far, my experience has been disastrous, and I would advise that you avoid their USB model, and utilize their RS-232 model, using a RS-232 port on the host machine. In my application I am using VISA to control the device, and have found that there are known incompatibilities with certain USB to RS-232 transceivers and VISA. This often caused total loss of USB connectivity! (I started this thread which contains links discussing this problem.) The USB transceiver chip used in the Birger is known to suffer from stack errors, and I'm certain it is incompatible with VISA, hence my suggestion that you use the RS-232 model. Birger is planning to release an improved lens controller, but I don't know when.

In summary:

• Use the RS-232 version of the lens controller
• Use a RS-232 serial connection on the host computer
• If you must use USB, then make certain your USB to Serial device is compatible with VISA

Finally, if you have any luck, please post your code. I'll post some code once I've sorted out the issues, I don't want to lead you down the wrong path with the code I have now. Good luck!

Regards,

Joshua.Robot

PS,

Disregarding the VISA issue, I've found the lens controller to work reliably via Hyperterminal and with a microcontroller.

Message Edited by robotbuilder on 07-03-2008 11:57 AM

[robotbuilder]

To follow up on my previous post:

I did not intend to imply that there is anything wrong with the lens controller, as I've seen it successfully used in other applications, rather, it is the combination of LabVIEW and the USB Birger that I have had trouble with.

As promised, I've attached a crude sample .vi which should illustrate how to use the lens controller via VISA. This .vi should work with either version of the Birger, but I've only tested it with the USB version, which works only intermittently. If I've made an error in my code, please let me know.

Regards,

Joshua.Robot