Hello Jeff, Thanks for the compliments. Much appreciated. You may configure the Prologix adapter (using ++eot_enable and ++eot_char) to send (append, really) a user-specified character to USB ouput when it detects EOI. By checking for the character you can determine if EOI was asserted. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Mock I have a slightly off-topic question about reads. When issuing a "++read eoi", is it possible to tell whether an EOI was actually returned by the instrument or whether the read was terminated by timeout or block size limitation? jeff

Hi Jeff, Most (all?) GPIB instruments use 7-bit data. You should be OK choosing eot_char in the 0x80-0xFF range. I agree though, your's is a cleaner solution. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Mock Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 1:04 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] OT: Prologix GPIB and HP3478A... ++eot_char is usually okay. The particular problem I was hacking at the time was a screen dump from a Tek scope (TDS 754A). The screen dump is an 8-bit binary file in a weird image format and you don't know exactly how many bytes are going to be dumped (~50k bytes), but it does set EOI with the last byte sent. ++eot_char doesn't work 100% since the chosen EOT character might be binary data or it might be the EOT character. The reason I asked is that the solution would be cleaner if you could do a "++read eoi" and then issue some other ++ query command to ask if EOI was set on the previous read. jeff Prologix wrote: > Hello Jeff, > > Thanks for the compliments. Much appreciated. > > You may configure the Prologix adapter (using ++eot_enable and ++eot_char) > to send (append, really) a user-specified character to USB ouput when it > detects EOI. By checking for the character you can determine if EOI was > asserted. > > Regards, > Abdul > > -----Original Message----- > From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On > Behalf Of Jeff Mock > > > I have a slightly off-topic question about reads. When issuing a > "++read eoi", is it possible to tell whether an EOI was actually > returned by the instrument or whether the read was terminated by timeout > or block size limitation? > > jeff > > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Hi Chuck, Good work identifying the problem! Leaving out the bus driver chips was a conscious decision based on available board space and was not made lightly. Extensive testing had shown that not to be an issue, so far. In fact, yours is the first reported case of a drive related problem. However, we consider even one incident to be one too many, and will be revisiting the decision during a future release. Thank you for brining this to our attention. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Harris Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 7:47 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] OT: Prologix GPIB and HP3478A...The Answer! And the answer is: My Prologix USB <-> GPIB Version 5.0 adapter has insufficient pullups to drive my HP3478A DVM. Once I put another (older) turned on device on the bus, the Prologix snapped to attention and works as it should. Abdul, there is a very good reason why the 488 bus driver chips exist. The 488 standard *requires* that no listener load the bus with more than 1 TTL input load, and *requires* that every active Talker or Controller have a pull up/ pull down resistor on every data and control pin that is equal to this: ~ +5V ~ | ~ 3.1K ~ | ~ Out-+----> ~ | ~ 6.2K ~ | ~ GND It would appear that my 3478A is in a non loading tristate mode until it is addressed, and you are relying on the devices on the bus to do their own pull up. Clearly that isn't always going to work. -Chuck Harris Chuck Harris wrote: > Prologix wrote: >> Hello Chuck, >> >> It appears that 3478A sends data continuously as soon as it is addressed to >> talk. Since the Prologix adapter is busy processing GPIB data it is unable >> to respond to USB commands. > > I don't think the 3478A is sending anything at all. > > If it was, it should be showing some of the annunciators on its LCD display, > like TLK, LSTN, RMT, SRQ, or something. But it isn't. > > I think the Prologix isn't capable of driving the 3478A, logic level wise, > and is waiting in vain for the 3478A to respond to a signal the 3478A cannot see. > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Patrick, There is no semi-colon after Prologix adapter commands (those that start with ++). Try: ser.write("++ver\r\n") Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 6:53 PM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Prologix, 1 more quick ? So sorry guys. I have been pulling my hair out for the last hour. One more question please. Abdul sent me over a PySerial script just before I bought this item. In the script there was line line like this: ser.write("plot;\r\n") I have tried ser.write("++ver;\r\n') and many other commands and carriage returns. With ser.read(100) I get 'Unrecognized command\r\n' So at least I have some communication. Could someone help me with the syntax? Thanks in advance-Patrick Patrick wrote: > Thanks to Chuck, Jeff, Christian and John! > > I was trying to do a quick test with a live CD in bash but the general > message I have gotten is to fix the Ubuntu install. Indeed you were > right and I was wrong. > > I tried this command (thanks Jeff) > > sudo tail -f /var/log/messages > > I found out that I had a conflict with brltty. I don't remember > installing a brail terminal! > > It's funny it only had a conflict with the prologix device and not a > usb-serial adapter. > > Anyhow I am trying to communicate with the device with PySerial now. I > am getting error messages back when I read but at least that's something. > > Thanks again to all. > > -Patrick > > > Chuck Harris wrote: > >> You don't have the daemon that automatically loads new USB >> devices running. I forget its name, but it is easily found >> by doing a google on linux USB. >> >> Or, you can look in Synaptic and search on USB. >> >> If I get a chance, I will look it up later on this evening. >> >> -Chuck Harris >> >> >> >> Patrick wrote: >> >> >>> Hi Everyone >>> >>> I know that my Prologix device is functioning thanks to Ulrich's EZGPIB. >>> >>> I however want to use this device under Linux. My Ubuntu box cannot find >>> /dev/ttyUSB0 but a Mepis Linux live CD can. >>> >>> I have tried the following commands: >>> echo ++auto 0 CR > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 1 CR > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 0 \r > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 1 \r > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 0 \n > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 1 \n > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 0 \r\n > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> echo ++auto 1 \r\n > /dev/ttyUSB0 >>> >>> I have not been able to switch the led on from talk to listen. >>> >>> Could someone give me a bash sample of the correct syntax to use? >>> >>> Thanks in advance-Patrick >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com >>> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >>> and follow the instructions there. >>> >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com >> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Patrick, Prologix GPIB-USB controller does not work as a GPIB bus sniffer. In DEVICE mode the controller reads the bus only if it has previously been addressed as a listener. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:25 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: [time-nuts] prologix device as sniffer Hi Everyone Thanks to all for helping me with my last post. I am now reading with my Prologix device. I am just not sure that I am reading everything. I am trying to monitor the communication between a closed source App and some GPIB devices. After I set up imported and set up serial with PySerial I tried this: ser.write("++mode0\r\n") x=1 def read3(): while(x==1): print ser.read(1000) I also tried print ser.readline() I read the "ID" command sent out by the software but I could not read the response. Am I reading all the addresses with this set up or just one? Does anyone have some thoughts on why I don't read the response? Thanks yet again in advance-patrick _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Patrick, Sorry the product didn't work out for you. With the current firmware, there is really no good way to do what you want to do. GPIB bus sniffing is an oft-requested feature that we will certainly consider adding in the future. Email me off-line if you wish to return the unit. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 11:41 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] prologix device as sniffer Thanks Abdul This comes as a pretty big blow, as this is what I was hoping to do with it from the start. Is there a way to set it up to read one address continuously? thanks in advance-Patrick Prologix wrote: > Patrick, > > Prologix GPIB-USB controller does not work as a GPIB bus sniffer. In DEVICE > mode the controller reads the bus only if it has previously been addressed > as a listener. > > Regards, > Abdul > > > -----Original Message----- > From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On > Behalf Of Patrick > Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:25 AM > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > Subject: [time-nuts] prologix device as sniffer > > Hi Everyone > > Thanks to all for helping me with my last post. I am now reading with my > Prologix device. > > I am just not sure that I am reading everything. I am trying to monitor > the communication between a closed source App and some GPIB devices. > > After I set up imported and set up serial with PySerial I tried this: > > ser.write("++mode0\r\n") > > x=1 > > def read3(): > while(x==1): > print ser.read(1000) > > I also tried print ser.readline() > > I read the "ID" command sent out by the software but I could not read > the response. Am I reading all the addresses with this set up or just > one? Does anyone have some thoughts on why I don't read the response? > > Thanks yet again in advance-patrick > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Ulrich Bangert's EZGPIB software (and Prologix GPIB-USB controller) is mentioned in April issue of "Test and Measurement World" magazine TestVoices page (pg 11). Good work Ulrich! Regards, Abdul

David, These are the ones we've used. I am sure there are many others. Prototypes -- www.pcbfabexpress.com Production -- www.pcbnet.com >> Is there a way to split the layers of an old board apart to study them? An assembly shop can x-ray them for you. Regards, Abdul -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:31 AM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] PCB design questions thread II Hi David and list I am quite interested in this post too. I have wanted to fabricate my own PCBs for several years now but I have never made an attempt. I am set up here to do silk screening and I have ovens and a hot-air soldering iron. Has anyone else tried to fabricate their own boards or is the price of farming the work out just so low now? If anyone has farmed out work, could you please feedback as to the entry level costs and if possible, some suggested companies? P.S Many of the boards I want to fabricate are replacements for obsolete ones. Is there a way to split the layers of an old board apart to study them? Thanks-Patrick

Another option is to cook the boards in a skillet. http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=Reflow%20Skillet While John may be brave enough to hand solder BGA I am not :-) Shorts can be easily detected with x-ray, but opens can be quite difficult to spot. If you do endup hand soldering BGA, this is a good tool to check shorts and opens. That is, if the part is JTAG enabled. http://www.macraigor.com/jscan.htm -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of John Miles Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 7:27 PM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: Re: [time-nuts] PCB design questions thread II > Quoth Bruce Griffiths at 2008-06-03 09:50... > > > How do you cope with SMT parts (eg high frequency ADCs) with metal > > thermal transfer /ground connections under the package itself? > > Haven't done it myself, but interested to hear others experiences. I'm > guessing that this would be a job for solder paste and a toaster oven - > or high-tech equivalent. Yes, see the link I posted. Solder paste + heat gun does the trick, or you can just carve out a hole for your soldering iron tip with a Dremel tool. Even BGAs are commonly soldered at home with toaster ovens. -- john, KE5FX _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.

Hello Matt, It appears your Prologix GPIB-USB controller is in firmware update mode. Please follow these steps: 1. Disconnect USB cable and GPIB cable. If the controller is plugged onto an instrument, unplug it. 2. Connect USB cable. 3. Connect GPIB cable, or plug onto instrument. Let me know if you have more questions. Regards, Abdul Prologix, llc www.prologix.biz -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces@febo.com] On Behalf Of Matt Ettus Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 4:19 PM To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement Subject: [time-nuts] Prologix VRBOOT error I just received a Prologix GPIB interface today. At first it was working, but it only works some times when it is connected. The others it sends the following to minicom: "?????????????????VRBOOT???????????" It seems to get commands and try to respond, but it sends weird things. If I send a "++help" it sends S and more question marks. Pressing enter causes it to send more question marks. Powering off and back on doesn't help. Anybody seen this behavior before? Matt _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.