Diamond Systems Ruby-MM-416

Introduction

The Ruby-MM-416 PC/104 module provides 4 channels of 16-bit resolution analog voltage output. The output range for each channel can be independently selected for 0-10V, ±5V, or ±10V with jumpers. All outputs are updated simultaneously, either with a software command or in response to an external signal. The board includes 24 lines of digital I/O using an 82C55 chip. The I/O connector pinout is compatible with the Ruby-MM-4 12-bit analog output board shown in our catalog on pages 20-21. Other features include +5V-only operation, individual DC/DC converters with filtered outputs for each DAC to supply ±15V for operation, and a six-layer circuit board to bury and shield the analog signals.

Analog Output Features

For any output range, the resolution is equal to the maximum possible range of output voltages divided by the maximum number of possible steps. A 16-bit D/A converter has very high resolution, because the maximum number of steps is 216 = 65536 (the actual output codes range from 0 to 65535, which is the full range of possible 16-bit binary numbers). Thus the resolution is equal to 1/65536 times the full-scale range. This is the smallest possible change in the output. It corresponds to a change of 1 in the output code, and therefore it is often referred to as the value of 1 LSB, or 1 least significant bit.

Block Diagram

Software

The industry-leading Universal Driver software is available free with all Diamond Systems I/O boards. Universal Driver provides programming support for the most popular embedded operating systems, including Linux, Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/XP embedded, Windows CE.NET, QNX, VxWorks, and DOS. Example programs are provided for each function and each operating system to help you get started with your application development quickly.