DATAQ Instruments, Inc. News and Articles

Windows Vista 64-bit Support

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST

The Windows Vista support schedule is updated to include 64-bit support for many DATAQ Instruments products.

Date and Time Added to Spreadsheet Print (.CSV) File Export

Mon, 04 May 2009 15:00:00 EST

Date and Time data added to WinDaq Waveform Browser export to spreadsheet print (.csv) function.

Connection and Calibration of Strain-Gage Based Transducers

Tue, 12 May 2009 14:40:00 EST

Resources for connecting and calibrating strain-gage based transducers (DI-8B38 or DI-5B38) to your DI-718B or DI-718Bx Data Logger

Bridge Structural Monitoring System - Distributed Synchronous Ethernet Data Acquisition Systems Satisfy Demanding I35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge Health Measurements

Fri, 15 May 2009 13:40:00 EST

The collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 1, 2007 was a calamity of huge proportion. Carrying over 135,000 vehicles daily, the bridge failed during the evening rush hour resulting in thirteen fatalities and 145 injuries. Almost immediately plans were formulated for a replacement bridge, which subsequently opened on September 18, 2008. But unlike its ill-fated predecessor the new I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge is designed with an integral state-of-the-art monitoring system that continuously assesses bridge integrity to ensure that a catastrophic failure will not repeat. That monitoring system was implemented using DATAQ Instruments' Distributed Ethernet data acquisition products, which provide the optimal blend of data acquisition power with the ability to capture measurements across the bridge's immense 1,200-foot length. <more…>

How To Determine Loop Load in Process Current Measurements

Thu, 21 May 2009 11:29:30 EST

Process current (4-20 mA) measurements are popular with DATAQ Instruments' customers, and that often leads to some interesting application questions. One of the better ones relates to how many process current instruments can be connected to a single current loop. Customers know that there MUST be a limit, but they're not sure about how to quantify it. This application note will answer that question so you know exactly how far you've pushed your current loop, and how much further you can go before getting into trouble. <more…>

How Much ADC Resolution Do You Really Need?

Thu, 28 May 2009 10:04:00 EST

You just bought a data logger with a 14-bit ADC (analog-to-digital converter.) What exactly does that mean? Could you have gotten away with a 12-bit product? A 10-bit? Did you gaffe and really need a 16-bit data logger? You know that a higher "bit" number is better, but how much better is "better"? This application note describes a method you can use to answer these questions in terms of your specific situation, as opposed to the generalized explanations provided by product data sheets. <more…>

Follow DATAQ Instruments on Twitter

Fri, 29 May 2009 08:40:00 EST

DATAQ Instruments, Inc. is now on Twitter. <Follow us on Twitter>

How To Connect and Calibrate Thermocouples Using DI-8B47 Series Amplifiers

Fri, 29 May 2009 14:06:00 EST

Thanks to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), thermocouple wire is color coded to indicate thermocouple type and polarity. This takes the guesswork out of connecting thermocouple wires to your DI-718B, DI-718Bx, or DI-788. <more…>

Trade in your old DI-720 or DI-730

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:45:00 EST

For a limited time, trade in any working or broken DI-720 or DI-730 instruments and receive a brand new DI-720 or DI-730 at a 30 percent discount off the US list price. If you originally purchased a WinDaq/Pro+ license you'll also receive a FREE software update. That's a $200 value all by itself. <more…>

How to Store Data using WinDaq/MySQL

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:15:00 EST

A MySQL database can store 30,000 times more data than a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Used in combination with WinDaq/Lite, Pro or Pro+, WinDaq/MySQL is a convenient solution for those needing to store and easily retrieve large quantities of data. The WinDaq/MySQL application acts as a bridge, linking WinDaq to a MySQL database. <more…>

What You Really Need to Know About Sample Rate

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 09:33:00 EST

By and large discussions of sample rate are like watching paint dry. Do we really have to get into the details? After all, everyone knows that you only need to sample at twice the frequency of your signal of interest to get good results, right? If you answered "right!" to that last statement, perhaps you should read on. While it's true that the so-called Nyquist rate of two times the highest signal frequency component is the sample rate required to eliminate alias frequencies, the often overlooked qualifier to this rule is that the signal being digitized must be bandwidth limited at a value equal to half the Nyquist rate. What's important is not just your frequency of interest, but all the frequencies contained in the signal you digitize and how they compare to the sample rate you've chosen. Let's go back to the basics. <more…>

NEW Low-cost EL-USB-2+ Data Logger

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:58:00 EST

High Accuracy Humidity, Temperature and Dew Point Data Logger features 0 to +100%RH Measurement Range at ±2% accuracy, and -35 to +80°C (-31 to +176°F) Temperature Measurement Range, at ± 0.30°C (0.60°F) accuracy. <See the EasyLog Data Logger Series Page>

NEW Low-cost EL-USB-TC-LCD Data Logger

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Thermocouple (J,K,T) Data Logger with LCD Display features measurement ranges of -200 to +1300°C (K-type), -100 to +900°C (J-type), or -200 to +400°C (T-type). Includes basic 1.5 meter K-type thermocouple rated from 0 to 300°C (32 to 446°F), replaceable lithium battery, and software on CD. <See the EasyLog Data Logger Series Page>

NEW True RMS Input Module

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

New module in the popular DI-8B series industrial signal conditioning modules. Plug in to the DI-718B data logger, DI-718Bx data logger, DI-78B backpack, or DI-788 industrial data acquisition system to interface true RMS input voltage. Input ranges from 100mV to 300V. <View the DI-8B33 Page>

Bandwidth and DI-8B/DI-5B Series Signal Conditioning Modules

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST

Suppose you're browsing the DATAQ web site looking for a DI-8B series, analog voltage module to acquire a 10V peak-to-peak, 100Hz waveform. You come across the DI-8B31-02. It's an analog voltage module; it has a full scale measurement range of ±5V, perfect. Not so fast! The DI-8B31-02 has a bandwidth of 3Hz. What does that mean? It means that sub-3 Hz frequencies will be displayed correctly, while any component of the waveform with a frequency approaching 3Hz will begin to lose amplitude or get smaller (attenuate). <more…>

NEW DVTH Data Logger for Temperature and Humidity

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST

NEW Low-cost Temperature and Humidity Data Logger with Graphical Display. Measures 15°F to 150°F (10°C to 65°C) and 0 to 99% RH. <View the DVTH Data Logger Page>

NEW AC Line Data Loggers at 10% Discount

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:26:00 EST

NEW Data Loggers for AC Line Measurements CL601 Current Data Logger and L261 Voltage Data Logger Available now at a 10% Discount (restrictions apply). Use the CL601 for 0-600 Arms measurements or the L261 for 0-600 VAC/DC measurements. Both instruments have built-in 240,000 sample memory, a built-in data time clock, alarm function, and are powered with two AA batteries. <Learn more about this offer.>