controlling multiple signal generators from labview

[Sriram Dorai]

Hi,

Is it possible to control more than one signal generator at the same time from labview through the 10 MHz clock signal(or any other possibility) on a 33250 signal generator ? I need to maintain the same frequency on both of them but be able to change the phase on one.

I understand this is possible via ethernet.

Any suggestions...

Thanks

Sri

[gwd]

This instrument (Agilent 33250) has an RS232 interface (and maybe a GPIB interface too). No ethernet.

You can control two of them if you have two RS232 ports, or one GPIB board.

[RobSims]

Hi Sri,

Thanks for posting on the NI forums.

As gwd noted this device has an RS-232 port and indeed does have a GPIB interface, but no ethernet port as per the page three of the 33250A's spec sheet (link below). This means that the instrument can be controlled from your desktop PC via an RS-232 (COM) port (one port per instrument), or via a GPIB card in your PC. As GPIB is a 'multidrop' communication method you will only need one GPIB card to control both instruments in this case.

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5968-8807EN.pdf

I assume you are programming in LabVIEW as this post in the LabVIEW section. There is an instrument driver provided for the LabVIEW environment on the NI website which should make it easier to control your instrument(s) (see link below).

http://sine.ni.com/apps/we/niid_web_display.drv_results?p_app_area=&p_man=agilent&p_keywords=33250&p...=

I hope this helps. all the best,

Rob

[Sriram Dorai]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your help. I have been able to control one signal generator with labview using the said drivers. The way i am connecting pc to the instrument is via GPIB-USB-HS. My question is with this set up will i be able to control more than one signal generator keeping one as a master and the other as slave kind of arrangement.

Or will i need 3 such GPIB_USB_HS  cables going to 3 seperate signal generators and then just assign 3 different gpib address on each instr and control it that way??

Hope this makes sense..

Thanks again

Sri

[RobSims]

Hi there Sri,

You will need one GPIB-USB-HS and three cables to conntect between the GPIB-USB-HS device and your instruments (see link below).

http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/1281

Please see the attached JPEG for the physical layout of a typical GPIB system.

A typical GPIB system consists of a controller (your PC-based GPIB-USB-HS) and and several talkers/listeners (your GPIB instruments). In this case you will need to open three sessions in your LabVIEW code (one to each of your instruments) then action the configurations/measurements etc for each of them individually.

I hope this helps. All the best,

Rob

[Sriram Dorai]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for all your help, i am now able to control multiple signal generators from labview by using the gpib cables as suggested.

Kind Regards

Sri