Re: HP-IB x IEEE-488 x GPIB Message #5 Posted by Garth Wilson on 15 May 2005, 2:54 a.m., in response to message #3 by Vassilis Prevelakis
Vassilis wrote:
> Controlling HP-IB instruments is easy, but an entire program to perform data collection on the HP-41C may be painful.
After quite a bit of experience with it, I'd have to say the only painful part might be learning the command set of each instrument. But after learning the commands from all the instruments' manuals, I found the actual 41 programming to be pretty easy.
Please don't think of the interface as being only for data collection though. You can do a lot in the way of control with it too. In fact, one relay unit we used was only a bus listener and had no capability to output anything onto the bus. It only took instructions.
If you consider all of the IEEE-488 equipment available, it probably amounts to hundreds if not thousands of models, and virtually all of it can be controlled by the HP-41.
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