We have a Delphi program that we have been running for years on an old 95 machine. The system now needs upgrading to xp due to site rules.
The program records sound and takes data using the function:
'adc100_get_times_and_values (times, values, values, max_samples) '. it runs this for two minutes and collects 60000 samples.
After hard work getting the device to work on XP, whenever i run this function it completely freezes the PC for the two minutes. Not allowing any recording. I tried even running the windows sound recorder in the background but to no avail. The whole PC freezes even the time in the corner, mouse and any other programs running for the whole two minutes.
Any idea how to stop this behaviour? Any help appreciated.
Hi in theory this is possible, in practice it isn't this is because it will all your CPU resources and slow your PC down. With modern operating systems they demand more resources and as such trying to achieve the same thing it not a surprise that it causes the system to freeze. You see the PC is trying to drive the unit and cope with its normal background tasks.
Our newer devices do not use the PC to dictate that timing and as such your results are much more attainable.
We have decided that we are going to have to buy some upgrades.
We would preferably like the 4000 series for the 12 bit however are unsure about the extra cost due to needing approximately 5 device.
Would they be any differences in the coding for these devices for what I am wanting.
To be clear, I want to run exactly 60000 samples spread well over 2 minutes as I have with the ADC100 using the functions, set interval and then running getTimesAndValues with maxSamples set to 60000.
There would be a significant difference in the coding, however the documentation gives you all the function calls and description. You would be able to do 6000 samples.
I have a ADC100 unit that I have been using on an old Win98 laptop. Although the 'meter' and osciloscope work well the spectrum ananlsyer is very slow on this machine. So I have decided to dedicate an old XP desk top machine spacificaly for this device.
The XP machine installed the software all ok and does recognise the ADC100 but every waveform is a square wave (irrespective if the input is square, triangular or sine wave) and all signals seem to be detected at the same level (varying the input voltage amplitude does not seem to effect the trace that is recorded).
I wonder you know why this is? is simply because it cant be run on XP or do I need to install an different printer driver (I reinstalled XP for the job and I may be missing drivers)?
I get a nice flat line when there are no inputs (i.e. the BNCs are removed), lathough there may be slight glitches of transcient signals appearing (these dissapear when the i/p is shorted to ground). but when I introduce any varying signal I get a rough square wave. A rough square wave for sine and triangular input and a better / cleaner square wave for a real square wave input. Jonathan
Upon discussion with one of our longer serving engineers, the problem is due to power really. Some computers do not provide enough power to the parallel port and hence the chip does not have enough power to drive signal. In the past there were modifications that we used to do. However this is an obsolete product. If I can find anything I will let you know.