Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

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bittware
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Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:31 pm

Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

Post by bittware »

Hi,
I am about to have a 5444B in my lab.
I'd use it to capture 5us periodic (200Hz) pulse signal.
The sampling speed is set to 10MSPS. Pre-trigger window is 100us. Post-trigger window is 900us.
So each trigger needs 10KB storage space. 200 triggers per second means 2MB. 5444B has 512MB. So continous recording of 256 seconds is expected.
However, my application needs to keep capturing longer than that.
In oder to squeeze more space before 5444B gets full filled, can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?
P.S. I only cares about the average of each capture, so downsamling average mode is chosen. Hence the burden of transferring data to PC would not be high.

Hitesh

Re: Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

Post by Hitesh »

Hi bittware,

Unfortunately it is not possible to retrieve data while the device is collecting data in rapid block mode - you either have to stop the capture or wait for the device to finish then collect the data.

Please note that at 12-bit resolution or above, the buffer memory is effectively halved so you would have 256MS available.

How long do you need to capture data for? What is the ratio you are selecting for the averaging?

Regards,

bittware
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Re: Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

Post by bittware »

Hi Hitesh,
I need to keep capturing the downsampled waveform for 5 minutes at least.
Any way to work around?

AndrewA
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Re: Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

Post by AndrewA »

There is no work around for this.

So you are have the downsampling set to 10 yes-
10MS/s / 10 = 1MS/s
256 seconds x 1MS/s x 1 channel = 256M of memory (memory is half when using 12-bits and above for 5000 series)

Could you try increasing the down sampling ratio more? This shouldn't be a issue if just looking at the average of the pulses.

Do you have enough time to capture each pulse and download the data to the PC?
Regards Andrew
Technical Specialist

Mark_O
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Re: Can I retrieve data while rapid block mode is running?

Post by Mark_O »

AndrewA wrote:Do you have enough time to capture each pulse and download the data to the PC?
I would think so. Each sample burst acquires only 10KS (20KB), and he has 4 ms before the next pulse fires. USB can transfer data a lot faster than 5 MB/sec.

- Mark

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