User manual

PCL-818 Series User Manual 2
Chapter 1 Overview
1.1 Introduction
Thank you for buying the Advantech PCL-818HD/HG/L. The PCL-
818HD/HG/L is a high-performance multifunction data acquisition card
for IBM PC/XT/AT or compatible computers. It offers the five most
desired measurement and control functions: 12-bit A/D conversion, D/A
conversion, digital input, digital output and timer/counter.
A programmable-gain instrument amplifier (x 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8) lets you
acquire different input signals without external signal conditioning. An
onboard 1 K word FIFO buffer provides high-speed data transfer and pre-
dictable performance under Windows.
Automatic channel scanning circuitry and on-board SRAM let you per-
form multiple-channel A/D conversion with DMA and individual gains
for each channel.
The PCL-818HD uses a CPLD chip designed in-house by Advantech
engineers. This single chip integrates most of the card's functions, giving
you maximum accuracy and reliability, along with minimum cost, size
and power consumption.
The PCL-818HD is hardware and software compatible with its popular
predecessor, the PCL-8l8HG. This puts rich software support and a wide
variety of external signal conditioning boards at your disposal.