Suppliers of D/A converters wanted -- summary of responses.

[Paul Leyland]

A month or so ago, I asked the following:

> Date:    Mon, 23 Jul 90 11:44:41 BST
> From:    Paul Leyland <pcl at robots.oxford.ac.uk>
> Subject: Suppliers of D/A converters wanted
> X-Art:   Usenet #8
> 
> Can anyone tell me the name and address of companies (preferably based in
> the UK) who can provide a VME board containing at least three digital to
> analogue converters?  We want to control a CCD camera which has
> motor-driven pan, tilt and focus controls.  Each motor controller requires
> 0-12V; we'd like as many bits of accuracy as the budget allows, but the
> settling times can be quite long, as we don't envisage data rates greater
> than 10Hz.  If a driver for the board is available as well, so much the
> better, but we'd be happy enough if we just had to poke specific addresses
> in /dev/vme...

This summary is delayed somewhat, as I went off on vacation in the interim.
Here's my results:

X-From: Bradford Garton <garton at edu.columbia.cc.cunixa> 

This isn't exactly what you need, but might help --  MicroTechnology
Unlimited makes an audio VMEbus d/a convertor, it can handle up to 50k
stereo 16 bit samples, direct to/from memory or to/from disk.  Their
address is: 

MTU
156 Wind Chime Court
PO Box 21061
Raleigh, NC  27619  USA

[Brad also says he wrote a driver for it (SunOS 3.2) and would be happy to
send it to me.]

X-From: Glenn Gribble <glenn at com.synaptics>

First, get a copy of the VMEbus compatible products directory from
	VITA - Europe
	P.O. Box 192
	5300 AD Zaltbommel, The Netherlands
	31.4180.14661

[He then goes on to mention a few European suppliers mentioned in the
directory (I won't repeat them here -- I'll mail them to you if you really
want to know and you can't get the book).]

X-From: Alan McIvor <alanm at uucp.bprcsitu>

I saw your request on Sun-Spots for data on D/As for Andrew's system. Here
are ones I know about. Unfortunately, none have SunOS device drivers that
I know of.

PeP VDAD
(4 channel D/A - also 8 channel diff A/D)
AMC Ltd
Unit 2, Deseronto Industrial Estate
St Mary's Road, Langley, Berks SL3 7EW
tel: (0753) 580660 Fax: (0753)580653

MDS-330 Servo Interface Card
(4 D/A channels)
UKP 1195
AMC Ltd
Unit 2, Deseronto Industrial Estate
St Mary's Road, Langley, Berks SL3 7EW
tel: (0753) 580660 Fax: (0753)580653

MDS-620 Analogue Output card
32 channels, 12bit 1microsec settling time, 6U card
AMC Ltd
Unit 2, Deseronto Industrial Estate
St Mary's Road, Langley, Berks SL3 7EW
tel: (0753) 580660 Fax: (0753)580653

BVME240 Analogue Output Module
4 12bit, 3U card
BVM Limited
Flanders Road
Hedge End, Southampton
SO3 3LG
tel 0703 270770
fax 0489 783589

ACROMAG AVME9210/15
8 12bit 6U formfactor
Universal Engineering and Computing Systems
5/11 Tower St
Newtown
Birmingham B19 3UY
tel: 021-359 1749
fax: 021-333 3137

Motorola MVME605
4 12bit 3U form factor

Thame Microsystems
Thame Park Road, Thame
Oxford OX9 3UQ
Tel: 0844 261456
Fax: 0844 261682

Burr-Brown MVP904
16 12bit 6U form factor
Thame Microsystems
Thame Park Road, Thame
Oxford OX9 3UQ
Tel: 0844 261456
Fax: 0844 261682

[Alan used to work with us at the Robotics Research Group at Oxford, and
is clearly very much in touch with this sort of thing.]

X-From: SBCS Systems Staff <root at edu.sunysb.sbcs>

One alternative is to look at single board computers w/serial port rather
than going VME.  Your data rate sound low enough to do over serial ports,
and it is often the case that small single board computers w/ analog
output capability cost << US$400. 

[A neat idea!  I'll certainly check it out.  If the prices translate
reasonably into \pounds from \$, it's likely to prove the cheapest
solution.]

Many thanks to all those who responded.

	Paul Leyland
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