Automating Agilent MSO-x 2024A Oscilloscope Measurements

[biancajs]

My lab (I'm a Physics PhD student) has just purchased a Agilent MSO-x 2024A Oscilloscope, predominantly due to it's memory depth and segmented memory acquisition capabilities. We are wanting to collect pulsed data (we have purchased the additional licence required for this) which has a small magnitude (~10mV) and each pulse is ~1us wide, with ~100us repetition rate. Each pulse consists of an AC signal, at a few MHz, and we are wanting to (as accurately as possible) determine the phase of the AC signal contained within each pulse (compared to some reference signal)

My problem is that I need to automate the data collection process so that the settings can be programmed from a computer, an extrnal signal will cause the scope to trigger, and the data collected will be automatically transferred to and saved on a computer in a systematic way. I have little experience with this kind of remote programming, and wondered whether you had any suggestions? I have National Instruments' LabView installed on my computer, but again, I have little experience with this program.

Also, any other tips anyone could offer on sampling and recording a signal of this type with as much accuracy and precision as possible would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[HighVoltage]

One way to automate this is with MATHLAB and its almost unlimited possibilities.
There are several videos on youtube, showing how to do it, based on examples.

If you type "mathlab oscilloscope" or "mathlab agilent" in to youtube, you will find a lot of very useful videos.

Here are two links:



I hope this helps you to get started

[KSP]

MATLAB and LabVIEW are ideal tools for automating test and measurement, but it depends how complicated you want to make things. If all you want is the raw data then you could write a simple C/C++ program which would take the readings from the scope and dump them into a database or excel, and from there you can manipulate the data as you see fit.

However LabVIEW is a very powerful tool, and you can make some pretty nifty programs with it, though I do not have much experience. I just had a look on the National Instruments website and there is indeed a LabVIEW device driver for the MSO-X series scopes. This will make programming in LabVIEW a lot easier as you can just install the driver and call functions with simple commands. Again, my experience with LabVIEW is very limited so you will have to look up tutorials, but it shouldnt be too difficult.
You could also see if National Instruments are holding a LabVIEW development day somewhere in your area any time soon. They are free to attend (though you must register in advance) and they hold various mini-classes and seminars which give you a basic insight into how LabVIEW works. They are worth a look

[biancajs]

Hi there,

Thank you to both of you for your suggestions! The option of using Matlab seems like it would be easiest, but also I would really like to give LabView a try. We do not have the GPIB or LAN options for the scope, so it can only be connected via USB - will this still work for each of these options?

I have tried downloding the driver for LabView to have a play around with - I'm a little lost at this stage but will try looking for relevant tutorials.

The LabView develpment days sound great, but I doubt there will be any where I live (Dunedin, NZ). Looking this up shows that there is one in Auckland soon, but getting there for it probably isn't achievable unless I can convince my supervisor that it is a valid "research cost"! Do you know if these sessions are recorded?

[KSP]

We do not have the GPIB or LAN options for the scope, so it can only be connected via USB - will this still work for each of these options?

If you have LabVIEW installed then chances are you have NI-MAX (Measurement and Automation Executive) installed. If you plug the scope in via usb then it should be recognised under MAX which will allow you to configure it, etc. LabVIEW uses MAX to communicate with instruments via a protocol called VISA (Virtual Instrument Software Architecture), so in actual fact usb is probably the better option as GPIB is a very old standard

The LabView develpment days sound great, but I doubt there will be any where I live (Dunedin, NZ). Looking this up shows that there is one in Auckland soon, but getting there for it probably isn't achievable unless I can convince my supervisor that it is a valid "research cost"! Do you know if these sessions are recorded?

NI do post webcasts and have user groups for support, but I have never tried them out so I dont know how helpful they will be.
Check this out and share your findings 
http://us.ni.com/webcasts/introduction-to-labview-measurements

[biancajs]

Thanks KSP, those webcasts look really helpful, I will check them out

[KSP]

Not a problem at all, happy to help. Instrument automation is a field I am currently working in and trying to gain experience. Just wish my employer would splash some cash and get us LabVIEW here! 

[HighVoltage]

Just wish my employer would splash some cash and get us LabVIEW here! 

There is a little brother of LabView available, called DasyLab.
I think it is or was owned by NI, but I am not sure.
It is much lower cost, compared to LabView and still can probably do 95% of what LabView is capable of.
I used it on one project and it worked very well.

[KSP]

There is a little brother of LabView available, called DasyLab.
I think it is or was owned by NI, but I am not sure.
It is much lower cost, compared to LabView and still can probably do 95% of what LabView is capable of.
I used it on one project and it worked very well.

Oo never heard of that, I may look in to it. What sort of compatibility does it have with other software? For example labview can incorporate IVI drivers, C/C++ code (LabWindows/CVI) and can be used with various other tools. It also has all the support of people writing and uploading device drivers for 3rd party instruments. Does DasyLab have a similar support network?