Scope GPIB stuff

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Melodolic - 13 Aug 2006 15:20 GMT

I have a Gould OS4020 digital storage scope which is fitted with a GPIB
interface. I also have a 'Brain Boxes' brand GPIB translator thingy that, I
think, talks to centronics and RS232 ports. And a small laptop with parallel
and serial ports.

I don't know much about this, but I gather I can get stuff to happen if I
connect them together in a meaningful way, and probably run some suitable
software on the laptop. Something I'd like to do is capture a waveform in
the scope, and then dump the scope's memory to the computer. The scope has a
set of connectors on the side, including a couple of female D-type. I
*think* these have something to do with the storage functions, but I don't
have the manual for the scope. Can data be dumped through the GPIB bits, or
does that only tell the scope to dump directly from its extra connectors to
the computer?

Can this sort of data dump be done? If not, what could I use the GPIB stuff
for?

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Melodolic Spielberg

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John Fields - 13 Aug 2006 17:20 GMT

>I have a Gould OS4020 digital storage scope which is fitted with a GPIB
>interface. I also have a 'Brain Boxes' brand GPIB translator thingy that, I
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>*think* these have something to do with the storage functions, but I don't
>have the manual for the scope.

---

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Gould+OS4020+instruction+manual

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John Fields
Professional Circuit Designer

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Melodolic - 13 Aug 2006 17:34 GMT

> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Gould+OS4020+instruction+manual

I have manuals for other Gould scopes as PDF (notably OS4000 and
OS4040/OS4041, which are similar models). Turns out that the extra output
connections are Option 4001, but they only mention a data sheet for that -
I'll keep digging, though.

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Melodolic Spielberg

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Rich Webb - 13 Aug 2006 19:16 GMT

>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Gould+OS4020+instruction+manual
>
>I have manuals for other Gould scopes as PDF (notably OS4000 and
>OS4040/OS4041, which are similar models). Turns out that the extra output
>connections are Option 4001, but they only mention a data sheet for that -
>I'll keep digging, though.

This http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx/gpib/readme.htm might be of interest.
Don't know whether it supports your interface, though.

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Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

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Melodolic - 13 Aug 2006 22:07 GMT

> This http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx/gpib/readme.htm might be of interest.
> Don't know whether it supports your interface, though.

Thanks for that - the command line diagnostic tools could be handy. I have
the docs for the interface, so a read of that and the toolkit docs might be
in order.

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Melodolic Spielberg

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Dave Dunfield - 26 Aug 2006 09:49 GMT

>I have manuals for other Gould scopes as PDF (notably OS4000 and
>OS4040/OS4041, which are similar models).

I have an OS4000 which I still use frequently - It's pretty straight forward,
but I've never seen the manuals for it - any chance I could get the PDFs
from you?

Regards,

--
dave06a@ Collector of classic pre-PC computer systems.
dunfield. If you have an old 8/16 bit non-PC system in need of a good
com home, please contact me at email address on the left, or
via contact link of this web site:
http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/index.html

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Melodolic - 29 Aug 2006 22:17 GMT

> I have an OS4000 which I still use frequently - It's pretty straight
> forward, but I've never seen the manuals for it - any chance I could
> get the PDFs from you?

You have mail. :-)

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Melodolic Spielberg

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David L. Jones - 14 Aug 2006 07:12 GMT

> I have a Gould OS4020 digital storage scope which is fitted with a GPIB
> interface. I also have a 'Brain Boxes' brand GPIB translator thingy that, I
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Can this sort of data dump be done? If not, what could I use the GPIB stuff
> for?

Depends entirely on the design of the scope, as every GPIB device will
use the interface in it's own way with it's own set of commands.

You'll first need the list of GPIB instructions available for the scope
(in the user or programmers manual), then you'll know what it's capable
of.

Generally, any GPIB scope will allow you to set up all the usual stuff
(timebase, trigger, vertical etc), and transfer the sampled data too.
I'd be very surprised if you couldn't transfer the sampled data.

The extra connectors are probably for some other feature, parallel
printer port, serial printer/plotter, or external digital word trigger
maybe?
I greatly doubt they have anything to do with transfering captured
data, that is what GPIB is designed for.

GPIB "spy" software can come in handy if you have to play with the GPIB
commands yourself instead of using the application that came with the
scope (if any).

Dave :)

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Electronics Forum / Basics / August 2006

Scope GPIB stuff