Measurement Computing PCI-DAS4020/12 - Manual (Page 10)

PCI-DAS4020/12 User's Guide Installing the PCI-DAS4020/12
10
Unpacking the PCI-DAS4020/12
As with any electronic device, you should take care while handling to avoid damage from static
electricity. Before removing the PCI-DAS4020/12 from its packaging, ground yourself using a wrist strap or by
simply touching the computer chassis or other grounded object to eliminate any stored static charge.
If any components are missing or damaged, notify Measurement Computing Corporation immediately by
phone, fax, or e-mail:
 Phone: 508-946-5100 and follow the instructions for reaching Tech Support.
 Fax: 508-946-9500 to the attention of Tech Support
 Email:
[email protected]
Installing the software
Refer to the Quick Start Guide for instructions on installing the software on the Measurement Computing Data
Acquisition Software CD. This booklet is available in PDF at
www.mccdaq.com/PDFmanuals/DAQ-Software-
Quick-Start.pdf .
Installing the PCI-DAS4020/12
The PCI-DAS4020/12 board is completely plug-and-play, with no switches or jumpers to set. Configuration is
controlled by your system's BIOS. To install your board, follow the steps below.
Install the MCC DAQ software before you install your board
The driver needed to run your board is installed with the MCC DAQ software. Therefore, you need to install the
MCC DAQ software before you install your board. Refer to the Quick Start Guide for instructions on installing
the software.
1. Turn your computer off, open it up, and insert your board into an available PCI slot.
2. Close your computer and turn it on.
If you are using an operating system with support for plug-and-play (such as Windows 2000 or
Windows XP), a dialog box opens as the system loads, indicating that new hardware has been detected. If
the information file for this board is not already loaded onto your PC, you are prompted for the disk
containing this file. The Measurement Computing Data Acquisition Software CD supplied with your board
contains this file. If required, insert the disk or CD and click
OK .
3. To test your installation and configure your board, run the InstaCal utility installed in the previous section.
Refer to the Quick Start Guide that came with your board for information on how to initially set up and
load InstaCal.
If your board has been powered-off for more than 10 minutes, allow your computer to warm up for at least
15 minutes before acquiring data. This warm-up period is required in order for the board to achieve its rated
accuracy. The high speed components used on the board generate heat, and it takes this amount of time for a
board to reach steady state if it has been powered off for a significant amount of time.
Configuring the PCI-DAS4020/12
All of the hardware configuration options on the PCI-DAS4020/12 are software controlled. Use InstaCal to
select the number of channels to sample (one, two or four channels), and the analog output range (±10 V or
±5 V.) Once selected, any program that uses the Universal Library will initialize the hardware according to your
selections.