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Can an Elvis I be used as a DAQ device in "modern" LabVIEW?

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The year that NI brought out the Elvis II, our very talented NI Sales Rep succeeded in selling the University a dozen or more Elvis I's, which were even then almost obsolete.  Talk about planned obsolescence -- the Elvis I was already discontinued when we received them.  They've been gathering dust ever since, but a colleague just noticed they come with Prototype boards and power supplies, so is using them in a Circuits class as a "powered Breadboard".

 

However, he told me we also have the USB-6251 Multifunction I/O gadget that has an Elvis connector on one side and a USB connector on the other, and is how Elvis I's get "attached" to LabVIEW 8.x (or whatever was running way back then).

 

If I plug the USB-6251 into my PC and turn it on, MAX and NI find the driver for it, and identify it as a "Mass Termination".  However, it doesn't show the Elvis (I) when I connect it and power it up.  I did install the Elvis (II) driver from the 2016 Kit, but, no surprise, we still don't see the Elvis (I).

 

Are there any Elvis I users out there?  Anyone have hints how to get MAX and the Elvis I "talking" using the USB-6251?  Sure would be nice to get something out of this White Elephant ...

 

Bob Schor

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Hi Bob,

 

I'm fairly certain that when connected to your USB-6251, the ELIVS I is no different than a breakout board you would attach to any other DAQ device. The ELVIS drivers work in a way to pretend that your USB-6251's connections are the ELVIS, but due to the nature of how the ELVIS is connected to your device and then to the computer, it's not actually "there" as far as NI MAX is concerned. This manual might provide some insight into how to set up your device with the ELVIS:

 

http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/373363f.pdf

 

Mark M.
Applications Engineering
National Instruments
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So, 'Elvis has left the building'? 🙂

 

Sorry NI, could not pass up that opportunity.

 

-AK2DM

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"It’s the questions that drive us.”
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Mark,

     Very helpful.  The manual refers to something called NI Elvis Traditional Software, which I assume we got 8-9 years ago (I'm guessing) when the Elvis II was released.  I just looked through my old Academic Kits and don't see any Elvis software, so I'm guessing it was a separate Product not included on the set of CDs.

 

     Is this software still available?  What version of LabVIEW will it support?  I suppose, in principle, I could build a VM with Windows XP, LabVIEW 8.6, Elvis Drivers (coming to you through USB) ...

 

Bob Schor

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Hi Bob,

 

This looks like what you are looking for:

 

http://www.ni.com/download/ni-elvis-software-3.0.7/3647/en/

 

It supports up to LabVIEW 2012.

Mark M.
Applications Engineering
National Instruments
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Mark,

 

     I'm going to build a VM, put LabVIEW 2012 on it, and give this a try!  It would really be exciting if we can (finally) get some use out of these White Elephants!  This will probably take a day or two, but I'll report back on my findings.

 

Bob Schor

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Hello Mark,

The link provided in the post must have been good in 2017, however now it has been redirected to the latest version of ELVIS III. As a 'retired' engineer messing around with vintage gear as a hobby, being able to access the necessary software for hardware would really be appreciated.

 

A working link to ELVIS 3.0.7 PLEASE?

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Hi Sparks,

does this link help? http://download.ni.com/#support/daq/pc/ni-elvis/3.0.1/ ?

It is not 3.0.7 but the closest I found.

 

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