Comparison of Some Data Acquisition Systems

Over the past five years, at least a half-dozen data acquisition systems have been installed in the author's working area. The hardware ranged from a maxicomputer to minicomputers to a calculator; the software ranged through BASIC, FORTRAN, and special languages; in environments ranging from no operating system to OS-8 and UNIX (UNIX is a trademark of Bell Laboratories). The degree of our involvement ranged from none (an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) turnkey system) to building the complete system from drivers on up.

This paper compares some of the systems and offers general remarks intended to assist the first-time user in selection of an automated data system.