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Labview driver for Sony EX frontend (also known as 01dB-Metravib Orchestra)

I am looking for information on a third party driver for the Sony EX-IF10 data acquisition frontend.  I know sony made a driver as it was advertised in promotional materials.  Unfortunately the division of Sony seems to have been sold.

 

Very similar hardware (identical) has also been sold under the name 01dB-Metravib Orchestra.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Heres a link to a sony promo poster: http://assets.sonybiz.net/doc/sesdatasheets/Front-end_EX-Series(brch).pdf

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Message 1 of 9
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Unfortunately, I don't see any third party drivers available on our site.  Typically, you can find these at www.ni.com/idnet

 

Without that, we would need to either find someone that has created the driver or build one to get it to work for your application.

 

Do you have experience working with the device outside of LabVIEW?  The key to building a driver is knowing how to communicate with the device.  If you understand that, a driver is mostly a wrapper containing these commands to make it easier to communicate with the device going forward.  Do you have the manual that comes with the device?

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Message 2 of 9
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Thanks BoKnows,

 

I did search the database of third party drivers on the NI website so I was pretty sure NI didn't have the driver on file.  Hoping someone in the community still has a copy.

 

I do not have any documentation beyond performance specifications.   The interface is Firewire.  

 

Hopefully someone out there knows more about the device than I do.

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Which version of Windows are you running?  I've looked to see if I can find anything.  I found a readme for what appears to be the original Sony drivers here: ftp://ftp.mayahtt.com/nvtestproducts/TFI6/Sony_EX_README.txt  These drivers reference support for XP and Vista.

 

The new compnay's support seems to be here: http://support.01db-metravib.com/   I don't have a login to see if they've maintained the LabVIEW drivers Sony advertised on the original poster.

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I can run XP for measurements.  The driver you found is for Test for I-deas (maintained by B&K) http://www.bksv.com/Products/other/test-for-ideas

 

Though that driver and the associated dll's would hold the key to deciphering the hardware communication protocols and commands.  Is there any way to decompile these to see the source or approx of the source....i.e. reverse engineer the driver?

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Honestly, I'm not versed in decompiling.  You mentioned this division of Sony has been sold.  Were you able to contact the new company's support to see if they kept a copy of the drivers around or was that also a dead end?

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Hi

 

I’ve been working with Sony EX series professionally for many years. Sony Manufacturing Systems Corporation manufactured and promoted this system and later also discontinued it, officially because of environmental reasons in the production line. They later also went away from the data acquisition market were they had been successful earlier on with tape recorders.

 

So what is your current Sony EX Series system configuration, do you only have hardware or do you also have Sony PCscanIV software?

 

The Sony EX series driver is only for 32bit OS and EX-UT10 interface doesn’t support multiprocessor operation or hyper threading technology. I only use computers were I have disabled multicore and run on one single core. Can be run on multicore but not stable in my experience.

 

Regarding third-party software I had a contact with Sony Manufacturing Systems in Japan and the MATLAB mexEX subroutine were never sold or even finalized. Sony Manufacturing Systems didn’t want me to use or try it. As for LabVIEW Sony Manufacturing Systems are the supplier so only if someone else has a driver.

 

With the other software suppliers you only need the Sony EX driver and maybe a dongle. I use Head Acoustics Head Recorder software witch support all Sony EX modules and several other DAQ units, works with a licensed dongle.

 

Sony EX series was delivered with Sony PCscanIV software for acquisition and post processing. You had the option of STD / ADV / PRO / RTA on a license dongle.

The system was hardware supported up until 2015 some spare part may still be available.


http://web.archive.org/web/20060411120722/http://www.sonysms.co.jp/e/products/datarecorder/pdf/EX_Se...

 

regards / Fredrik

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Message 7 of 9
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Hi Fredrik,

 

Thanks so much for the response.  Sorry for my delay, I switched emails and didn't get a notification of your post.

 

My system has 4 IEPE modules and 1 Analog out module.  I don't have a battery or power supply/connector so I can't even power test it.  Though it looks to be in fine shape.  I searched for a power connector without success and I'm relucatant to buy a battery for it due to the cost considering the uncertainty regarding my ability to use the equipment.  I have a regulated power supply and I'm going to do a test when I get a chance. 

 

I bought this thinking I hit the jackpot considering the Sony promotoional materials I found on the web.  Looked to have good software support, looks like that never materialized.

 

The original software can with a windows driver and the PCScanIV software?  Do you know where I could get these?

 

I'm very disappointed that there is no Labview driver.  Looks to be amazing hardware which never recieved the suport it deserved.  

 

Any further information you can provide would be appreciated.  If I can't get it working I might just resell for parts and search for a cDAQ system based on the 9234 modules.

 

Regards, Buddy

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Message 8 of 9
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Hi again

 

Drop me an email at

 

contact@greenacoustics.se

 

Regards / Fredrik

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