Lab-PC+

[SHAMBU001]

Hello all

I am working on Lab PC+ (MPN:320502B-01) which is ISA based DAQ .We have gone through repair solution which is not feasible because of old hardware and software.

I will not be able to change the slots to PCI or PCIe because I need to support some legacy products,

I have also seen the bridge solution but it is not feasible also

If you can provide us any kind of reference schematic and driver codes for the ISA based Data acquisition card it would be helpful for us.

If I can get technical support for redesign and development the ISA based DAQ it will be helpful.

[santo_13]

FYI - this is a public forum for users of NI products to help each other and, hence, not the official medium of communication with NI.

NI may not publicly share the proprietary information of their products (schematic, driver source etc.,)

As you pointed out, since the hardware and software are long obsolete, it is best to upgrade your system (it may be a huge investment depending on the application) to the latest to last for a few more decades.

Logically, do you have enough order capacity to influence NI to restart manufacturing the ISA DAQ or even support you?

[JB]

How many cards do you need? Have you ever tried to obtain one on the second-hand market?

[SHAMBU001]

Hello JB 

I have tried in open market only used cards are available and we are not going to procure them are you having any other so that I can directly contact NI for the resources or paid support

[SHAMBU001]

Hello Santhosh 

We do have a requirement of more than 10 cards per year.

[santo_13]

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@SHAMBU001 wrote:

Hello Santhosh 

We do have a requirement of more than 10 cards per year.

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Practically, suppose each card is sold at $1500. In that case, you're practically adding $15,000 in revenue, but to get that revenue, for a company of NI's size, one needs to convince and move a lot of blocks that cost more than the projected revenue, unless you're a big important customer.

In general, I would recommend you upgrade your test systems to the latest.

[rolfk]

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@SHAMBU001 wrote:

Hello Santhosh 

We do have a requirement of more than 10 cards per year.

---

Even if that number had 2 more zeros it is almost impossible that NI would even think about restarting a production batch. Restarting a product that is since more than 15 years out of production, is a major project that costs a lot of money. I remember that we sold those cards in first half of the 90ies of last century when I was an AE at NI Switzerland. So it is a product that is 30 years old now. That's an eternity in computer hardware. And there is a very very high chance that some of the chips are simply not even available on the market anymore. Even if one chip is impossible to source the whole production run is basically out of question. Sure you could try to find a replacement but that would almost certainly require a redesign of the PCB and that is even more expensive.

And your request to get the design files for this product is for sure doomed. Unless you work for the defense department or some similar organization with a lot of financial and other powers in their back, such a request would simply be pretended to not have been heard at all. It is also very likely that those design files couldn't even be easily loaded into modern design software applications, with potential conversion problems and more.

If second hand hardware is not an option for you, your only other option would be to design your own card and write your own drivers for it! I'm very sure that redesigning your entire system to use more current hardware is almost certainly many times cheaper. Even if you need to do a complete new special certification for the system.

[SHAMBU001]

Hello Rolf

Thank you very much for your response.

So as of now I should not expect any positive response from NI it's pretty clear from your response

Actually, the problem is that this board works on ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) protocol, which is very old protocol, so I am unable to find any standard document to start my design .Neither any reference document for schematic design.

Can you suggest me the resources to design data acquisition system based on ISA.

[SHAMBU001]

Hello Rolf 

Gone through your blog. Looks like you know very well about Labview ,Any suggestion on How to start implementing the ISA on Labview would be very helpful if you can give me some idea 

[AustinMan@NI]

@SHAMBU001

Contact a company called ARTISAN Technology Group, based in the USA. Their web site shows they have Lab-PC+ cards in stock. You will need to contact them for a quote and relevant shipping information.

https://www.artisantg.com/TestMeasurement/60547-1/National-Instruments-Lab-PC-Multifunction-I-O-Boar...

They are a reputable company, and I know a number of people (and companies) who have bought obsolete NI equipment from them. Buying from ARTISAN is probably the best way to replace your existing Lab-PC+ card(s). 

As you may have noted, the responses you received to your forum posts are all very similar. If you cannot replace the Lab-PC+ card, a cost-effective solution is to modify/redesign the system to use current technology (PCIe, PXI, USB etc.). It will be cheaper than designing a new DAQ card.

Members of these forums are here, because they want to help, but I believe we have exhausted this topic, and it is time to move on.

Please Note: I am in no way affiliated with ARTISAN and the above is my personal opinion.