Advantech PCL-818L User manual

PCL-818L
High-performance
DAS card with
programmable gain

Copyright
This documentation and the software routines contained in the PCL-
818L software disk are copyrighted 1994 by Advantech Co., Ltd. All
rights are reserved. Advantech Co., Ltd. reserves the right to make
improvements in the products described in this manual at any time
without notice.
No part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, translated or
transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written
permission of Advantech Co., Ltd. Information provided in this
manual is intended to be accurate and reliable. However, Advantech
Co., Ltd. assumes no responsibility for its use, nor for any infringe-
ments of the rights of third parties which may result from its use.
Acknowledgments
PC-LabCard is a trademark of Advantech Co., Ltd. IBM and PC are
trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-
DOS, Microsoft C and QuickBASIC are trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. BASIC is a trademark of Dartmouth College. Intel is a
trademark of Intel Corporation. TURBO C is a trademark of Borland
International.
Part No. 2003818082 4th Edition
Printed in Taiwan October 1995

Contents
Chapter 1 General information ................................ 1
Introduction........................................................................ 2
Features.............................................................................. 2
Specifications..................................................................... 3
Daughterboards .................................................................. 5
Software support ................................................................ 7
Chapter 2 Installation ............................................... 9
Initial inspection .............................................................. 10
Switch and jumper settings .............................................. 10
Connector pin assignments .............................................. 16
Hardware installation ....................................................... 19
Software installation ........................................................ 20
Chapter 3 Signal connections ................................. 21
Analog input connections ................................................ 22
Expanding analog inputs.................................................. 24
Analog output connection................................................ 25
Digital signal connections................................................ 25
Chapter 4 Register structure and format ............. 27
A/D data registers – BASE+0/1....................................... 29
Software A/D trigger – BASE+0 ..................................... 29
A/D range control – BASE+1.......................................... 30
MUX scan register – BASE+2......................................... 30
Digital I/O registers – BASE+3/11 .................................. 32
D/A output registers – BASE+4/5 ................................... 32
A/D status register – BASE+8 ......................................... 33
Control register – BASE+9.............................................. 34
Timer/counter enable register – BASE+10...................... 36
Programmable timer/counter registers – B+12/13/14/15. 36

Chapter 5 A/D conversion ....................................... 37
A/D Data format and status register ................................ 38
Input range selection ........................................................ 39
MUX setting .................................................................... 39
Trigger mode.................................................................... 40
A/D data transfer.............................................................. 41
How to make an A/D conversion ..................................... 42
Chapter 6 D/A conversion ....................................... 43
General information ......................................................... 44
D/A applications .............................................................. 45
Chapter 7 Digital input and output ....................... 47
Chapter 8 Programmable timer/counter ............... 49
The Intel 8254.................................................................. 50
Counter read/write and control registers.......................... 50
Counter operating modes ................................................. 53
Counter operations........................................................... 55
Counter applications ........................................................ 56
Chapter 9 Direct memory access operation .......... 57
Using DMA transfer with the PCL-818L ........................ 59
Appendix A Block Diagram ...................................... 61
Appendix B Connector, switch and VR Locations . 63
Appendix C PC I/O port address map ..................... 65
Appendix D Calibration ........................................... 67
VR assignment................................................................. 68
A/D calibration ................................................................ 69
D/A calibration ................................................................ 69

Chapter 1 General information 1
1
General information
CHAPTER

2PCL-818L User's Manual
Introduction
The PCL-818L is a high performance multi-function data acquisition
card for IBM PC/XT/AT or compatible computers. It offers the five
most desired measurement and control functions: 12-bit A/D conver-
sion, D/A conversion, digital input, digital output and timer/counter.
Automatic channel scanning circuitry and on-board SRAM let you
perform multiple-channel A/D conversion with DMA and individual
channel gains.
The PCL-818L is an advanced new version of our popular PCL-818.
A custom 160-pin ASIC chip integrates the functions of the full-size
PCL-818. This chip gives you maximum accuracy and reliability,
along with minimum cost, size and power consumption.
The resulting half-size card is fully software compatible with the PCL-
818. This puts rich software support and a wide variety of external
signal conditioning boards at your disposal.
The PCL-818L is excellent for data acquisition, process control,
automatic testing and factory automation.
Features
• 16 single-ended or eight differential analog inputs, switch selectable
• 12-bit A/D, up to 40 KHz sampling rate with DMA transfer and
different gain for each channel.
• Software programmable gain values
• Software selectable analog input ranges (bipolar):
Two ranges, selected by jumper JP7
±10, ±5, ±2.5, ±1.25 or ±5, ±2.5, ±1.25, ±0.625
• 16 digital inputs and 16 digital outputs, TTL/DTL compatible
• One 12-bit analog output channel
• Flexible triggering options: software trigger, programmable pacer
trigger and external pulse trigger.
• Data transfer by program control, interrupt handler routine or DMA
• New-technology 160 pin 1.0 mm CMOS ASIC chip

Chapter 1 General information 3
Specifications
åAnalog Input (A/D converter)
• Channels: 16 single-ended or 8 differential, switch selectable
• Resolution: 12 bits
• Input ranges (bipolar, VDC): ±0.625, ± 1.25, ±2.5, ±5 or
±1.25, ± 2.5, ±5, ±10
All input ranges are software programmable.
• Overvoltage: Continuous ±30 V max.
• Conversion type: Successive approximation
• Conversion rate: 40 KHz max.
• Accuracy: ±(0.01% of reading), ±1 bit
• Linearity: ±1 bit
• Trigger mode: Software trigger, on-board programmable pacer
trigger or external trigger
• Ext. trigger: TTL compatible.
Load is 0.4 mA max. at 0.5 V and -0.05 mA max. at 2.7 V
• Data transfer: Program, interrupt or DMA
åAnalog output (D/A converter)
• Channels: 1 channel
• Resolution: 12 bits
• Output range: 0 to +5 (+10) V with on-board -5 (-10) V reference.
Max. ±10 V with external DC or AC reference
• Reference:
Internal: -5 V or -10 V
External DC or AC: ±10 V max.
• Conversion type: 12 bit monolithic multiplying
• Linearity: ±0.5 bit
• Output drive: ±5 mA max.
• Settling time: 5 microseconds

4PCL-818L User's Manual
åDigital input
• Channel: 16 bits
• Level: TTL compatible
• Input voltage:
Low: 0.8 V max.
High: 2.0 V min.
• Input load:
Low: 0.4 mA max. at 0.5 V
High: 0.05 mA max. at 2.7 V
åDigital Output
• Channel: 16 bits
• Level: TTL compatible
• Output voltage:
Low: Sink 8 mA at 0.5 V max.
High: Source -0.4 mA at 2.4 V min.
åProgrammable timer/counter
• Device: Intel 8254 or equivalent
• Counters: 3 channels, 16 bit.
2 channels are permanently configured as programmable pacers
1 channel is free for your applications
• Input, gate: TTL/CMOS compatible
• Time base:
Pacer channel 1:10 MHz or 1 MHz, switch selectable
Pacer channel 2:Takes input from channel 1
Pacer channel 0:Internal 100 KHz or external clock (10 MHz max).
Source selected with Timer/Counter Enable
Register (BASE+10)
• Pacer output: 0.00023 Hz (71 minutes/pulse) to 2.5 MHz
åInterrupt channel
• Level: IRQ 2 to 7, software selectable
• Enable: Via INTE bit of Control Register (BASE+9)

Chapter 1 General information 5
åDMA channel
• Level: 1 or 3, jumper selectable
• Enable: Via DMAE bit of Control Register (BASE+9)
åGeneral
• Power consumption:
+5 V: 210 mA typical, 500 mA max.
+12 V: 20 mA typical, 100 mA max.
-12 V: 20 mA typical, 40 mA max.
• I/O connector: 20 pin post headers for I/O connection. Adapter
available to convert to DB-37 connector
• Analog input/output/counter connector: DB-37
•I/O base: Requires 16 consecutive address locations. Base address
definable by the DIP switch SW1 for address line A9-A4. (Factory
setting is Hex 300)
• Operating temp: 0 to +50oC
• Storage temp: -20 to +65oC
Daughterboards
We offer a wide variety of optional daughterboards to help you get the
most from your PCL-818L. You will need the PCLD-774 Analog
Expansion Board or PCLD-8115 Wiring Terminal Board to make
connections.
åPCLD-789 Amplifier/Multiplexer board
This analog input-signal conditioning board multiplexes up to 16
differential inputs to one A/D input channel. A high grade instrumen-
tation amplifier provides switch selectable gains of 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 50,
100, 200, 1000 or user defined.
åPCLD-788 Relay Multiplexer Board
This board multiplexes up to 16 differential inputs to one analog
output channel. It offers isolated break-before-make high voltage
switching and a CJC circuit for thermocouple measurement.

6PCL-818L User's Manual
åPCLD-787 8-channel simultaneous sample and hold board
This board lets you simultaneously acquire up to eight analog inputs
with less than 30 nsec of channel-to-channel sample time uncertainty.
åPCLD-786 AC/DC power SSR and relay driver board
This board holds eight opto-isolated solid state relay modules and
provides an additional eight outputs to drive external relays.
åPCLD-785B and PCLD-885 relay output boards
These boards let you control relays through the PCL-818L's 16-bit
digital output channels. PCLD-785B provides 24 SPDT relays, while
the PCLD-885 provides 16 SPST power relays.
åPCLD-782B Isolated D/I Board
This board provides 24 opto-isolated digital input channels and a
cable to connect to the PCL-818L's digital input ports.
åPCLD-779 8-channel relay-isolated multiplexer
and amplifier board
This board lets you easily make multi-channel temperature measure-
ments. We designed it for the cost-sensitive customer who requires
precision, low-level signal measurement and isolation for industrial
applications.
åPCLD-770 with PCLD-7701 and PCLD-7702 modules
PCLD-770 accepts signals from up to eight PCLD-7701 or PCLD-
7702 signal conditioning modules and multiplexes them into a single
analog input channel. PCLD-7701 is an isolated amplifier module and
the PCLD-7702 is an amplifier with I/V source. You can cascade up to
ten PCLD-770s for a total of 80 differential input channels.
åPCLD-5B16 module carrier board
This board holds 16 5B-series input and/or output modules. We supply
5B modules for wide variety of signal input signals, including
thermocouples, strain gauges and RTDs.

Chapter 1 General information 7
Software support
The PCL-818L comes with a powerful and easy-to-use software driver
whose functions can be accessed by referring to a user-defined
Parameter Table. With these driver functions your application pro-
gramming becomes much easier, especially when you want to use
some of the sophisticated features available from the PCL-818L, such
as interrupt or DMA data transfer.
You can also use the following application software packages with the
PCL-818L.
åDADiSP
Spreadsheet software for off-line data analysis and digital signal
processing. DSP Development Corp.
åLABTECH NOTEBOOK
Integrated data acquisition software with real time analysis, display
and process control. Laboratory Technologies Corp.
åLABTECH ACQUIRE
Low cost data acquisition software . Laboratory Technologies Corp.
åDAXpert 1.0
DOS-based general purpose data acquisition package. You can quickly
set up an experiment, acquire data and graphically display the results
on the screen in real time. Advantech.
åGENIE 1.1
Windows-based general purpose data acquisition package. Its intui-
tive, object-oriented graphical user interface simplifies control
strategy and display setups. Advantech
åPC-Scope
This software turns your PC into a storage-oscilloscope. Advantech

8PCL-818L User's Manual
åSNAP-MASTER for Microsoft Windows
A PC-based data-acquisition, analysis and display software tool for
Microsoft Windows. This is the first Windows-based package that
allows control of sensors, transducers, actuators and signal condition-
ers as part of the data-acquisition system. HEM Data Corporation
åGENESIS
Icon-based process-control software for graphically creating, simulat-
ing and executing real-time data acquisition and process control
strategies. ICONICS, Inc.
åPC-Streamer
A menu-driven, user friendly data acquisition software package
capable of continuously streaming up to 16 channels of acquired data
to disk. It can store at up to 200 KB/sec with no limitations on file
size. Advantech
Contact your local PC-LabCard representative for more information
about these software packages.

Chapter 2 Installation 9
CHAPTER
2
Installation

10 PCL-818L User's Manual
Initial inspection
We carefully inspected the PCL-818L both mechanically and electri-
cally before shipment. It should be free of marks and scratches and in
perfect order on receipt.
As you unpack the PCL-818L, check it for signs of shipping damage
(damaged box, scratches, dents, etc.). If it is damaged or fails to meet
specifications, notify our service department or your local sales
representative immediately. Also, call the carrier immediately and
retain the shipping carton and packing material for inspection by the
carrier. We will then make arrangements to repair or replace the unit.
Discharge any static electricity on your body before you touch the
board by touching the back of the system unit (grounded metal).
Remove the PCL-818L card from its protective packaging by grasping
the rear metal panel. Handle the card only by its edges to avoid static
electric discharge which could damage its integrated circuits. Keep the
antistatic package. Whenever you remove the card from the PC,
please store the card in this package for protection.
You should also avoid contact with materials that hold static electricity
such as plastic, vinyl and styrofoam.
Switch and jumper settings
We designed the PCL-818L ease-of-use as a primary design goal. The
card has one function switch and seven jumper settings
The following sections tell how to configure the card. You may want
to refer to the figure in Appendix B for help identifying card compo-
nents.
Base address selection (SW1)
You control the PCL-818L's operation by reading or writing data to
the PC's I/O (input/output) port addresses. The PCL-818L requires 16
consecutive address locations. Switch SW1 sets the card's base
(beginning) address. Valid base addresses range from Hex 000 to Hex
3F0. Other devices in your system may, however, be using some of
these addresses.

Chapter 2 Installation 11
We set the PCL-818L for a base address of Hex 300 at the factory. If
you need to adjust it to some other address range, set switch SW1 as
shown in the following table:
Card I/O addresses (SW1)
Range (hex) Switch position
123456
000 - 00F llllll
010 - 01F lllll¡
´
200 - 20F ¡lllll
210 - 21F ¡llll¡
´
*300 - 30F ¡¡llll
´
3F0 - 3FF ¡¡¡¡¡¡
¡= Off l= On * = default
Note: Switches 1-6 control the PC bus address lines as follows:
Switch 123456
Line A9 A8 A7 A6 A5 A4
Appendix C provides a PC I/O port address map to help you avoid
the I/O addresses for standard PC devices.
DMA Channel Selection (JP1)
The PCL-818L supports DMA data transfer. Jumper JP1 selects the
DMA channel 1 or 3, as shown in the following figure.
Channel 1 Channel 3 (default)
¡¡¡
13
¡¡¡
13

12 PCL-818L User's Manual
Timer clock selection (JP2)
JP2 controls the input clock frequency for the 8254 programmable
clock/timer. You have two choices: 10 MHz and 1 MHz. This lets you
generate pacer output frequencies from 2.5 MHz to 0.00023 Hz
(71 minutes/pulse).
The following equation gives the pacer rate:
Pacer rate = Fclk / ( Div1 * Div2 )
Fclk is 1 MHz or 10 MHz as set by jumper JP2. Div1 and Div2 are the
dividers set in counter 1 and counter 2 in the 8254. See Chapter for
more information on the card's 8254 counter/timer.
10 MHz 1 MHz (default)
TRIG0 and GATE0 Selection (JP3)
JP3 has two jumpers. The upper jumper selects the card's A/D trigger
source when you use external triggering. The lower jumper selects the
gate control for counter 0 of the card's 8254 timer/counter.
Upper jumper  source for external trigger:
You have two choices: DI0 (pin 1) on connector CN2 or TRIG0 (pin
35) on CN3.
TRIG0 DI0 (default)
Lower jumper  Counter 0 gate controller
You have two choices: DI2 (pin 3) on connector CN2 or GATE0 (pin
36) on CN3.
GATE0 DI2 (default)
¡¡¡
1M 10M
¡¡¡
1M 10M
¡¡¡
DIO TRIG0
¡¡¡
DIO TRIG0
¡¡¡
DI2 GATE0
¡¡¡
DI2 GATE0

Chapter 2 Installation 13
We recommend that you leave JP3 set to the default DI0 and DI2
(both jumpers in the left-hand position), because this setting is
required by the software driver. This setting has the same effect as that
achieved by SW6 positions 7 and 8 on the PCL-718 card.
D/A reference voltage, int./ext. (JP4)
Jumper JP4 selects reference voltage source for the PCL-818L's D/A
converters. You can use the card's internal reference or supply an
external reference.
Set JP4 as shown below:
External ref. Internal ref. (default)
When you set JP4 to INT, the D/A converter takes its reference
voltage input from the card's on-board reference. Jumper JP5 sets the
on-board reference to either -5 V or -10 V. With JP4 set to INT, the
D/A channel has an output range of 0 V to +5 V or 0 V to +10 V.
When you set JP4 to EXT, the D/A converter takes its reference
voltage input from pin 31 of connector CN3. You can apply any
voltage between -10 V and +10 V to this pin to function as the
external reference. The reference input can be either DC or AC
(<100 KHz).
When you use an external reference with voltage Vref, you can
program the D/A channel to output from 0 V to -Vref. You can also use
the D/A converter as a programmable attenuator. The attenuation
factor between reference input and analog output is:
Attenuation factor = G / 4095
where G is a value you write to the D/A registers between 0 and 4095.
For example, if you set G to 2048, then the attenuation factor is 0.5. A
sine wave of 10 V amplitude applied to the reference input will
generate a sine wave of 5 V amplitude on the analog output.
¡¡¡
INT EXT
¡¡¡
INT EXT

14 PCL-818L User's Manual
¡¡¡ ¡¡¡
10V 5V 10V 5V
¡¡¡ ¡¡¡
±10V ±5V ±10V ±5V
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
Internal voltage reference, -10 V or -5 V (JP5)
If you use an internal reference voltage (set with JP4), the PCL-818L
provides a choice of DC internal reference voltage sources: -5 V and -
10 V. JP5 selects the source, as shown below:
-10 V -5 V (default)
Channel configuration, S. E. or diff. (JP6)
The PCL-818L offers 16 single-ended or eight differential analog
input channels. Jumper JP6 switches the channels between single-
ended or differential input, as shown below:
16 S. E. inputs Eight differential inputs (default)
Input voltage range, ±5 or ±10 V (JP7)
Jumper JP7 selects the input voltage range for the A/D converter.
When you set JP7 to ±5 V, the maximum input voltage range is ±5 V
and the programmable input ranges are ±5 V, ±2.5 V, ±1.25 V and
±0.625 V. When you set JP7 to ±10 V, the maximum input voltage
range is ±10 V and the programmable input ranges are ±10 V, ±5 V,
±2.5 V and ±1.25 V.
Set JP7 as shown below:
±10 V ±5 V (default)
DIFF S/E
DIFF S/E

Chapter 2 Installation 15
Digital output, 20-pin or 37-pin conn. (JP8-11)
Jumpers JP8 to JP11 switch digital output channels 0 to 3 between the
card's 20-pin connector and 37-pin connector. If you set the jumpers
to the left (D) side, the digital output signals will come out on connec-
tor CN1 (20-pin). If you set the jumpers to the right (S) side, the
output signals will come out on connector CN3 (37-pin).
These four digital output signals select the analog input channel when
you use a multiplexer/amplifier daughterboard. Daughterboards with a
DB-37 connector, such as the PCLD-789D or PCLD-779D, read the
digital output signals from the DB-37 connector (DN3). With other
daughterboards you will need to connect an external 20-pin flat cable
from CN1 to the daughterboard.
Settings for JP8 to JP11 appear below:
DO to CN3, 37-pin DO to CN1, 20-pin (default)
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
S0
S1
S2
S3
D0
D1
D2
D3
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
¡¡¡
S0
S1
S2
S3
D0
D1
D2
D3
JP8
JP9
JP8
JP9
JP10
JP11
JP10
JP11

16 PCL-818L User's Manual
Connector pin assignments
The PCL-818L has two on-board 20-pin flat-cable connectors
(insulation displacement, mass termination) and a DB-37 connector
accessible from the card bracket. See the figure in Appendix B for the
location of each connector. Connector pin assignments appear below.
Abbreviations
A/D S Analog input (single-ended)
A/D H Analog input high (differential)
A/D L Analog input low (differential)
A.GND Analog ground
D/A Analog output
D/O Digital output
D/I Digital input
D.GND Digital and power supply ground
CLK Clock input for the 8254
GATE Gate input for the 8254
OUT Signal output of the 8254
VREF Internal voltage reference
VREFIN External voltage reference input
åConnector CN1  Digital output
D/O 0 1 2 D/O 1
D/O 2 3 4 D/O 3
D/O 4 5 6 D/O 5
D/O 6 7 8 D/O 7
D/O 8 9 10 D/O 9
D/O 10 11 12 D/O 11
D/O 12 13 14 D/O 13
D/O 14 15 16 D/O 15
D.GND 17 18 D.GND
+ 5 V 19 20 +12 V
Note: Jumpers JP8 to JP11 select the output connector (either CN1 or
CN3) for digital output signals 0 to 3. If you switch the output to CN3,
no signals will appear on CN1, and vice versa.