Author: rkessing01

  • One ADC Per Channel (It is Simpler)

    OpenDAQ specifies that each channel in an OpenDAQ system will utilize a distinct analog to digital converter (ADC). There are several benefits that are realized with this approach, and actually simplify OpenDAQ designs. In the early days of data acquisition, the ADC was one of, if not the, most expensive components in a DAQ product.…

  • An Alias By Any Other Name

    Generally speaking, an alias can be a problematic thing. In the world of Data Acquisition, Aliasing is equally problematic. As with an alias, aliasing is a bit of a fake, a phony, a confusing situation where the data that you capture is not indicative of the true signal that is being measured. Data acquisition relies…

  • And the Meek Shall Dictate the Bus Speed

    If you have ever worked with standard bus interfaces before, you will know that in almost all cases, the transfer speed of the bus is, in some way, fixed between devices on the bus. This is the typical case for both point-to-point and multi-point busses. Having a fixed bus speed can simplify the design and…

  • If I Only Had a Brain

    All OpenDAQ products need to have a brain. We call this brain a processor, but what we really mean is that the brain is a micro-controller that has some digital I/O and a couple of common peripheral interfaces. But in the OpenDAQ architecture, the processor also contains memory for programs and memory to store acquired…

  • The Desktop PC Model

    The Desktop PC was a revolution in micro-computer design for many reasons. OpenDAQ looks at the modular concepts of the desktop PC for inspiration in implementing modular hardware that is designed to accomplish specific DAQ tasks. The Desktop PC implemented fundamental computer hardware that would be used in all computer applications on a mother-board. This…

  • Welcome to OpenDAQ

    Welcome to the OpenDAQ discussion site. OpenDAQ is the start of a community of users that have an interest in helping to create a hardware/software platform that focuses on data acquisition tasks and problems. Although measuring analog signals and converting them into digital format has been around for decades, it has largely been ignored by…