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Device for studying LabView

1. I would like to learn how to create programs to control a useful real measuring or household device using the GPIB, USB or Ethernet interface using LabView. Please advise devices with such interfaces with an acceptable price (up to $200) that can be managed using VISA. Maybe there are such devices on Aliexpress and did any of the specialists use them?
2. Are there software emulators for such devices? Type of emulator for debugging Android programs?

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Not quite sure what you are looking for, but low cost hardware devices (Raspberry Pi, beaglebone, Arduino etc.) typically use the Linx toolkit

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I would go with an Arduino or Raspberry Pi, program to create a serial terminal, and use LabVIEW to talk with it over the serial interface.  If you get that figured out, the rest are fairly simple.


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@tap1956 wrote:

1. I would like to learn how to create programs to control a useful real measuring or household device using the GPIB, USB or Ethernet interface using LabView. Please advise devices with such interfaces with an acceptable price (up to $200) that can be managed using VISA. Maybe there are such devices on Aliexpress and did any of the specialists use them?
2. Are there software emulators for such devices? Type of emulator for debugging Android programs?


Honestly for your budget there's not a whole lot available that is going to be "plug and play".

 

There are some USB DAQ devices near your range, but remember a DAQ device is limited in the voltage range it can directly measure. (Usually +/-10 volts) So you will have to design and build your own signal conditioning if you want to measure household voltages and current

 

  1. NI USB-6001 ($220)
    1. Pros: Uses NI DAQmx, full LabVIEW support
    2. Cons: 2X Expensive compared to other similar devices
  2. Measurement Computing USB-200 ($99)
    1. Pros: Half the cost of similar NI device, good LabVIEW support
    2. Cons: Uses VI's instead of DAQmx
  3. An Arduino and sensors using LINX ($120 for Sparkfun "inventors kit")
    1. Pros: Cheapest device just to "learn on", good LabVIEW support, good community support (dedicated LINX forum)
    2. Cons: Uses LINX instead of DAQmx or VISA
  4. An Arduino and sensors as a "serial device" in place of using LINX
    1. Pros: Uses VISA just like any other device on a serial port
    2. Cons: You will have to write all the Arduino code in the Arduino native language to answer serial queries like an instrument

 

Some National Instrument devices can be simulated using NI Measurement and Automation Explorer (NI-M...

 

 

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I plan to create programs for Windows and Linux in the future not only using LabView, but also using VISA and C # or C++. As I understand it, only Measurement Computing USB-200 is suitable for this task. Do I get it right?

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There are also several products from LabJack that might be useful to you.  LabJack | Measurement & Automation

 

The cheapest choice would be to buy a $10 USB to I2C or SPI converter and then buy your sensors from Adafruit, Digi-key or Newark and wire it all up yourself.  Adding an Arduino or RPi between them as others have mentioned would be a little more convenient at not much extra cost.

LabVIEW Pro Dev & Measurement Studio Pro (VS Pro) 2019 - Unfortunately now moving back to C#, .NET, Python due to forced change to subscription model by NI. 8^{
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Depending on your needs a Pi or Arduino will work fine.  But a device aimed at students that is a bit closer to the DAQ experience professionals have with LabVIEW, would be the MyDAQ.  Student pricing is around $200.

 

https://www.studica.com/National-Instruments-students-ni-labview-mydaq/ni-mydaq-lv-mult-ulti.html

 

It has lots of examples, test panels, and support by NI.  It has AIO, DIO, a DMM for voltage current and resistance measurements, basic scope and frequency generator like functionality, and audio in/out so you can do audio processing in real time.  Of course it does require a PC to control it and doesn't run headless.  For that you'd need a MyRIO which has a Linux real time operating system running on ARM, and an FPGA all programmable in LabVIEW.  A bit more advanced, and more expensive but they also have student pricing, along with 2nd hand stuff on ebay being more affordable.

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Sound card could be used as well. 


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Introduction to LabVIEW FPGA for RF, Radar, and Electronic Warfare Applications
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And all USB sound cards will allow me to use LabView or VISA + C # to manage them on Windows or Linux? What parameters should the audio card have so that it can be create program on Windows or Linux?

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This link has the sound card functions: https://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/371361R-01/lvpict/soundvisnew/

 

They are not a lot but if you are looking to learn LabVIEW (and with little spending since most computers have a sound card) I think this gets you going.  Otherwise, you may want to look at eBay or other secondary marketplaces for hardware that people are looking to get rid sometimes pennies on the dollar.  Beware, older hardware may not have drivers for newer versions of LabVIEW.  Check here on the forum, maybe someone can help.


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ALE Consultants

Introduction to LabVIEW FPGA for RF, Radar, and Electronic Warfare Applications
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