NI-6210 USB - Python - Inconsistent value sampling

[dimleon95]

I am currently using a NI-6210 to read data from 2 encoders on the following motors  Ametek Pittman GM8212D142.

I am using the python library nidaqmx.

I am creating 2 tasks, 1 for each encoder:

def initiate_acquisition_task(task_number):
    task_name = 'input_task_1' if task_number == 1 else 'input_task_2'
    channel = 'Dev1/ctr0' if task_number == 1 else 'Dev1/ctr1'
    source = 'PFI0' if task_number == 1 else 'PFI2'
    deg = 0 if task_number == 1 else 180

    acquisition_task = Task(task_name)

    acquisition_task.ci_channels.add_ci_ang_encoder_chan(channel, "", constants.EncoderType.X_4,
                                                         initial_angle=np.deg2rad(deg),
                                                         units=constants.AngleUnits.TICKS)
    acquisition_task.timing.cfg_samp_clk_timing(100000, source=source, sample_mode=constants.AcquisitionType.CONTINUOUS)
    print("created new task: ", task_name)

    return acquisition_task

Then inside a while loop until user termination input I start reading values while moving the assembly and calculating positions of a point in space based on the readings I get.

So the readings are acquired this way :

try:
    read_value_1 = acquisition_task_1.read(number_of_samples_per_channel=80, timeout=0)[0]
    position2 = signedNum(read_value_1, 32)
    degrees2 = (position2 / PPR) * 180
    curr_ang2 = -degrees2[0]
    print(curr_ang2)

except Exception as e:
    # print(e)
    curr_ang2 = previous_ang2
    pass

try:
    read_value_2 = acquisition_task_2.read(number_of_samples_per_channel=80, timeout=0)[0]
    position1 = signedNum(read_value_2, 32)
    degrees1 = (position1 / PPR) * 180
    curr_ang1 = -degrees1[0] + 180
    print(curr_ang1)
    # print("rv2: ", read_value_2)
except Exception as e:
    # print(e)
    curr_ang1 = previous_ang1
    pass

I have been playing around with rate of the acquisition (cfg_samp_clk_timing(100000...) and the number of samples per channel, because changing those values had a massive impact on the real time chart created in python.

My issue is that I start getting values , sometimes I stop moving the assembly but the values are still printing (large buffer I suppose, containing a lot of values and takes time to read and print them all) and sometimes I move the pointer and nothing happens I get no readings at all, happens at random times.

So what I wanted to ask is how I would get a steady semi-real time data acquisition if such thing is possible and if it is a known issue , what could cause the sudden stops in data acquisition .