Ordering MCE Hardware
Contents
Hardware Overview
What to Order
MCE
See MCE main website - hardware board descriptions and schematics
- MCE Subrack
- Address Card
- Clock Card
- Readout Card
- Bias Card
- Vicor Power Supply (for balloon-based experiments)
- Accessories
- Sync Box
- Instrument Backplane Tester (AKA: Cryostat Continuity Tester)
- Programmed EEPROM for the PCI Card
- Software
- MAS, Linux Kernal Patch, Drivers for PCI Card
Data Acquisition PC
- We are working on a compact "MCE Control Computer" to be available soon. Contact Don Wiebe (dvw at phas.ubc.ca) for details.
- Alternatively, you may setup your own Linux PC:
Specs: http://e-mode.phas.ubc.ca/mcewiki/index.php/MAS_PC_specifications_email_template
- ARC-64 - 250 MHz PCI Interface Board Rev. 5E (ask for a card from the batch of those set aside for UBC):
http://www.astro-cam.com/arcpage.php?txt=products.php&cat=Controller%20Boards#ARC-64 Order the cards from: Bob Leech San Diego State University Astronomical Research Cameras, Inc. 2247 San Diego Ave., Ste. 135 San Diego, CA 92110-2943 USA 1.619.278.0866 1.619.278.0868 fax leach at astro-cam.com
Power Supplies
MCE can be powered by either a UBC-supplied Switching Power Supply (Vicor) or by a set of Linear Supplies. We recommend using Linear Supplies for all ground-based experiments. See details here
MCE Firmware-Upgrade Accessories
There are various programmable parts in the MCE. The firmware for these parts can be upgraded either through the MCE fibre interface or using the MCE front-panel JTAG connector and Altera-supplied software/hardware listed below.
Upgrading MCE firmware over the fibre interface or so-called remote fimware update is a relatively new feature. See details here
Here is what you need for the old method:
- USB Blaster here. Note that
if you are an academic institution, USB Blasters are available for free from Altera website.
- Quartus II Software (only the web-edition is necessary) from https://www.altera.com/download/software/quartus-ii-we
Cryostat Continuity Checker
The test setup relies on running a labview script to measure resistances across signal. The recent Labview script does not use the
"Labview Report Generation Software" only available in Windows platform.
- GPIB to USB Adaptor, National Instruments
Model: GPIB-USB-HS http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/201586 OR Model: GPIB-USB-B (no longer available) http://www.ni.com/pdf/products/us/4gpib675-676.pdf
- LabView, Version 8, National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/labview/
- Labview Report Generation Software, Version 1.1.1, National Instruments
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/5769
- GPIB Cable, National Instruments
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/1281
- Digital Multi-Meter, Agilent
Agilent 34401A http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?pn=34401A