Anyone have a COMPLETE GPIB (IEEE-488) to USB converter project?

[solutions]

Ideally NI compatible on Windows 7 and have the drivers to where it can be accessed via a USB com port in the event I put together a quick BASIC routine in future (hey, it's fast and not fussy, so no speeches from C-snobs, please).

Needs to be turn-key and zero development other than fabbing and building the circuit board. I have too many real projects to do anything more than assemble this.

Best off the shelf I've found is close to $200, and eBay pricing on used interfaces is INSANE.

I'd like to do it for $20-$30 in parts. Since I'm worthless  ,assembly labor is not an issue.

thanks!

[CocaCola]

Can't say if this will suit your needs, and it's in German but Google should translate it well enough...

http://www.ringwelt.de/messgeraete/17-gpib/41-gpib-usb-adapter.html

Or this site

http://www.rudiswiki.de/wiki9/GPIBtoUSB_PIC

[solutions]

Interesting.

See attached for members

I'm guessing $80 in components and the board

EDIT: added another converter that has all the files needed to build one

[CocaCola]

Wow they like to sock it too you on the chip and board for that Gee Whiz unit...

[Ichan]

I had no experience with GPIB things, what kind of connector is that? Expensive?

-ichan

[h0nk]

Hi Ichan,

the cheapo version is to use two crimpconnectors (male and female) on both sides of the cable
and a matching ribboncable.

And yes, the normal version is expensive.


Best Regards

[Sideshow Bob]

The one from www.prologix.biz may do the job. But is more of a GPIB to virtual serial converter. Based on a FTDI chip. I used it a few years ago with labview. But it was very basic GPIB commands i used it with. Do not know if it support low level GPIB commands from labview

[solutions]

The prologix is more than double what I can spend, having been unemployed for longer than I want to admit.

There's that pesky food habit my body has which keeps getting in the way of buying stuff I'd like to get.

The connector is $10 plus shipping

[Sideshow Bob]

This also looks like a quite well documented project http://scasagrande.blogspot.no/2012/04/gpibusb-for-sale.html. If you scroll down you will find links to code++ in the Items of note:
section

[Gallymimu]

Just a side rant.  GPIB SUCKS.  I can't believe how much it costs to use such a mediocre interface.  I've spent a lot of time looking for decent interfaces and a few hundred $$$ was the best I could find (though I wasn't looking to build one).  Really a big rip off.

Posted on: December 28, 2013, 10:40:32 22:40 - Automerged

The one from www.prologix.biz may do the job. But is more of a GPIB to virtual serial converter. Based on a FTDI chip. I used it a few years ago with labview. But it was very basic GPIB commands i used it with. Do not know if it support low level GPIB commands from labview

I never really understood the prologix adapter.  Why would they design a converter that doesn't really support GPIB(you need to use several unique commands in addition to whatever GPIB commands you want to send).  I don't get it.

[andybiker]

Have a look at Elektor 2012 july/august 2012. There's a circuit that's basically a pic 18f2550 (available as a free sample from microchip!) and a few ttl chips.
The whole year is available here:
http://www.sonsivri.to/forum/index.php?topic=526.msg142760#msg142760
the firmware and pcb layout is here:
http://www.elektor.com/magazines/2012/july-047-august/gee-whiz-a-gpib-to-usb-converter.2188340.lynkx
looks simple and cheap!!
the whole circuit consists of the pic, a crystal, resistors,capacitors, one 74ls245 (to drive 8 status leds if you need them - you could leave this out though)
if you can get the connectors off old boards then the whole thing could be made as a 'junkbox-project' and cost next to nothing!
hope this helps.
Andy

[solutions]

It's not cheap. You missed the discussion in reply 2 and 3 of this thread. It'll be about $80

[Sideshow Bob]

Yes

It's not cheap. You missed the discussion in reply 2 and 3 of this thread. It'll be about $80

Yes I read that, and had no problem understanding your goal. But if you quit monkeying around  . You will see that this person also share code and layout. If you scroll down to the Items of note: section. And  use the link at the 3. bullet point. However I do not have any knowledge on how good or bad this project is. But it is what you asked for a complete project. Hope you give us word on how this project ended then done

[solutions]

My reply was to andybiker, Bob.....

Still camping out to see what else comes in from those 8000 active members we have here.

Not in a hurry (this time...). I kind of like the Gee Whiz one right now, as it's the most turnkey one.

There's an interesting emulator here for capturing HP-GL/2 plots off your IEEE bus: http://www.thegleam.com/ke5fx/gpib/7470.htm which is what I'd like to do with the old, used, oscilloscope Santa brought me.

[Gallymimu]

I did a little bit of looking and I think I ran across someone on EEVBlog who said that the firmware for the elektor device was pretty buggy.  Don't quote me on it but you might take a look before committing to an approach.  Sorry I wasn't smart enough to save the link for you.

[Sideshow Bob]

I think I have read that article on EEVBLOG just google this eevblog usb gpib
And it should pop up on one of the first hits

[dotm]

There's an interesting emulator here for capturing HP-GL/2 plots off your IEEE bus: http://www.thegleam.com/ke5fx/gpib/7470.htm which is what I'd like to do with the old, used, oscilloscope Santa brought me.

I can confirm this to work on a HP 8920A.

All those devices that are homemade will use a serial port driver. As far as i know those from NI that are fully compatible with labview have a dedicated GPIB driver. Having to fiddle around hours in labview to enable a third party interface seems like an unhealthy option.

edit: you may allready have discovered this list: http://sigrok.org/wiki/GPIB_interface_comparison

[bigtoy]

I use the prologix to talk to a HP spectrum analyzer. Seems expensive for what it is, but still the cheapest I could find to do the job. Sigh.

[MisterX]

Have you seen this project ?

http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=6120#p56282

[h0nk]

Hello,

this one looks promising:
http://www.microlab.ti.bfh.ch/wiki/huce:microlab:projects:internal:gecko:gecko-system:gecko3com:start

Best Regards