1.25 Megasamples/Second Logged Continuously.

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 1, 1998--

14-Bit Data Acquisition Processor Board with 16 MB RAM

Microstar Laboratories, Inc. today announced a new top-of-the-line 14-bit resolution Data Acquisition Processor board for Windows (95, 98, and NT) systems that have to process results in real time.

The new DAP board -- model number DAP 4200a/526 -- combines the latest 14-bit A/D conversion technology and the latest PCI techniques with proven hardware and software from 12-bit resolution DAP 3200a models. DAPlog Plus, an optimized Windows application included with the DAP 4200a, logs acquired data to disk continuously at a rate of 1.25 million words per second (2.5 MB/second). Each word can hold either a single 14-bit sample from an analog channel, or from 1 to 16 single-bit samples from digital channels. When used with DAPlog Plus, or with any other Windows program, the DAP 4200a/526 dynamically buffers data acquired at its maximum rate for up to 5 seconds in onboard RAM. Thisprotects an application from random operating system and network delays.

Every model in the entire range of DAP boards has its own onboard intelligence implemented as DAPL, a multitasking real-time operating system optimized for high performance real-time data acquisition and control applications on a PC. The new DAP 4200a model, like all DAPs except the entry-level DAP 820 and DAP 1200a models, runs DAPL 2000 -- a full 32-bit implementation of DAPL -- on its onboard processor. DAPL supervises data acquisition and control applications on a DAP, free from any delays imposed by Windows or other programs running on the PC at the srequire real-time performance from their systems -- and from the industry standard Windows-compatible interfaces to their systems: DASYLab, HP VEE, LabVIEW, etc. For these users, Data Acquisition Processor boards and driver software from Microstar Laboratories present a ready-made solution: users can stay with the software they prefer and they can have real-time performance.

Many data acquisition applications require some sort of filter for the incoming signal. With Microstar Laboratories hardware and software, filtering can take place in real time right on the board. DAPL has a wide range of appropriate routines available to it, including DSP commands and oversampling (with data reduction) procedures, that handle this real-time processing before they transfer data to the PC.

Measuring or controlling a real-time process requires computing power on demand. If some polled event has tied up CPU cycles on the PC at that time, then -- without onboard intelligence -- the system loses data and that corrupts measurements...or lets a process go out of control. Onboard intelligence deals up front with the critical aspects of any application -- the parts that have to run in real time.

The DAP 4200a/526 provides 14-bit A/D resolution for its 16 onboard analog inputs, and 12-bit D/A resolution for its 2 onboard analog outputs. The onboard analog input channels sample at an overall 769k samples per second, and the 16 onboard digital input channels sample at an overall rate of 1.67M words per second; the two onboard analog output channels update at an overall 1M updates per second, and the 16 onboard digital output channels update at an overall 1.67M words per second.

External expansion in 19" industrial racks allows a total of up to 512 analog inputs and up to 66 analog outputs connected to a single DAP 4200a. All additional analog inputs can have 14-bit resolution. Rack-mountable option cards expand 16 onboard digital inputs to up to 128 digital inputs, and 16 onboard digital outputs to up to 1024 digital outputs. The digital section of the DAP 4200a/526 samples inputs at 1.67M words per second, and updates outputs at 1.67M words per second.

The two onboard analog output channels each can run at 500k updates per second. Each channel can run at up to 400k updates per second and still maintain full accuracy. The system uses its 16-bit digital output port to distribute updates across up to 64 additional analog channels; these additional channels share up to 417k updates per second from the digital output port. Multiple 12-bit or 16-bit DACs on analog output expansion boards perform the conversion, so the 64 additional analog output channels can have either 12-bit or 16-bit resolution.

To maintain 14-bit resolution with 512 inputs may sometimes mean the overall sampling rate has to drop below 769k samples per second, depending on cable lengths and signal source impedance. In these cases, full speed comes at the cost of lowered resolution -- and the reverse.

The DAP 4200a/526 costs $4095, DAPL 2000 software and DAPlog Plus included. Microstar Laboratories can take orders now, for immediate delivery. For more information, call toll-free 1-888-MSTARLABS (678-2752), e-mail [e-mail], or visit www.mstarlabs.com.

Note to the Editor:

Hardware used for the disk-logging benchmark included a 350 MHz Pentium II processor and a UDMA (Ultra DMA) EIDE drive. The Norton SI utility, running under DOS, measured the transfer rate of this drive as 3.9 Megabytes/Sec.

Microstar Laboratories, Inc. claims these words as trademarks: Microstar Laboratories, DAPL, DAPL 2000, DAPlog Plus, DAP, DAP 820, DAP 1200a, DAP 3200a, DAP 4200a, and Data Acquisition Processor.

Microsoft Corporation has registered these words as trademarks: Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95, and Windows NT. Intel Corporation has registered Pentium as a trademark. DATALOG GmbH claims DASYLab as a trademark. National Instruments Corporation has registered LabVIEW as a trademark. Hewlett-Packard Company claims HP VEE as a trademark.

Microstar Laboratories makes it a practice to use an appropriate symbol at the first occurrence of a trademark or registered trademark name in a document, or to include trademark statements like this with the document.

    CONTACT:  Microstar Laboratories
               George Atherton, 425/453-2345
               [e-mail]