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INTRODUCTION
The LC880 is a fully programmable logic and timing controller for coordinating and synchronizing lab equipment
and physical experiments. LC880 provides clocks, counters, triggers, and many other useful functions, with 10 ns
resolution and 100 ps accuracy.
As you are well aware, controlling and synchronizing your experimental equipment are often the most tedious tasks
you’ll face in the lab. Experimenters regularly build their own controls from scratch or piece together systems from
the limited offerings on the market. The LC880 simplifies your control setup, so you can go about the business of
gathering data, and making knowledge.
The LC880 consists of two components: Trigger software and the LC880 experiment controller. Trigger lets you
design and run experiments from a simple graphical interface. The LC880 controller provides the connections and
control for your experimental devices.
PartsList
Your LC880 package should include the following items:
1. the LC880 controller
2. AC power cable
3. Trigger software installation CD
4. 9-pin RS232 cable
5. User’s manual
If any parts are missing or damaged please contact LabSmith support.
Specifications
Trigger software will run on any PC-compatible computer running Microsoft®Windows®95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 or
XP. Drivers for National Instruments’® LabView®software are also available for download. See
http://www.labsmith.com for more information.
The LC880 includes eight TTL-compatible inputs and eight TTL-compatible outputs. Voltages in the range 2.5 –5
V are TTL “highs” and voltages in the range 0.0 –0.2 V are TTL “lows.” Intermediate voltages should not be
present on inputs and outputs except during transitions. The inputs and outputs are protected against connection to
115 VAC. When disconnected the inputs are read as TTL “highs.”
The LC880 can be connected to/ disconnected from the PC at any time without damage to either unit. This ability
allows you to program to LC880 at your computer, then to take the unit to the experiment area for stand-alone use.
BasicFunctions
The LC880 provides eight functional channels,or internal signal paths.
At any time, each channel can be assigned one of eight timing modes. Timing modes include clocks, counters,
delayed triggers, etc. You can set various properties for each timing mode—for example, the delay length on a
Delayed Trigger. All modes are aligned to a precise, 100 MHz internal clock or an external clock, allowing
resolution down to 10 ns.
Each channel also includes logic settings which specify the conditions that will trigger the channel. A channel can be
triggered by any logical combination of signals from the eight inputs and/or the outputs of other channels.
The timing properties and logic that you set up in Trigger can be transferred and stored in the memory of the LC880.
You can store up to 64 variations of these properties in settingsprofiles in the LC880. You can then switch between
