Windows NT & USB instrument & LV 7.1?

[SynergyMike]

I have a PC with Windows NT (and LabVIEW 7.1) on it that I would like to connect to an instrument that only has a USB interface.  The PC does have a GPIB card, but the only converter I could find for USB instruments seems to be one made by Tektronix specifically for their stuff (and this is an R&S instrument).  I've thought of using a converter from RS-232 output to USB input, but these are hard to find at all (as opposed to the other way around), much less one that includes Windows NT support!  LabVIEW 7.1 is already on the machine and is already controling several GPIB instruments. 

Anyone else been through this or have some suggestions?

Thanks.

Michael Tracy

Synergy Microwave

[Dennis_Knutson]

I'm not sure why you think you need a converter. Typically, all you do is connect a USB cable from the pc to the instrument. If the instrument is USBTMC class, then it will show up in MAX and you use VISA Writes and Reads just like a GPIB instrument. If it's not USBTMC, then you would use a driver provided by the vendor and the Call Library Function Node or write you own with the VISA Driver Wizard. The one thing I am not sure about is winNT. I don't remember what kind of support it had for USB. I don't think it was very good. Plug it in and see what the OS makes of it or explain a bit more about the instrument and what kind of software you got from the vendor.

I would also suggest that it is far past the time to upgrade the OS.

[Coq_Rouge]

As to my knowledge NT has no USB support at all( with exception for some USB mouse and keyboards). NT 4.0 was retired in late 2001. So perhaps it is time to upgrade to Windows 2000 ;). Windows 2000 has USB support. If the drivers USB to RS232 drivers support Windows 2000.

In the meantime since 2001 someone may have come up some tweaks. See this web sites.

http://www.everythingusb.com/windows_nt.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196661

Anyway I suggest you upgrade your system. LV 7.1 runs well on both XP and windows 2000