BenchVue, GPIB (82357B) and 34401a - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: JJalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 07:18:54 pm
content: Hi,I'm not able to get readings from the DMM in BenchVue. I can change the settings of the instrument (Meaurement type, range, integration time ...) from the software, but the measurements are not sent to the software?Is live readings enabled by some option in the software/DMM?/Jonas

author: JJalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 08:17:27 pm
content: If I connect to the DMM via RS232, it works just fine. Maybe the USB->GPIB is just crap./Jonas

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2015, 11:16:04 pm
content: Can you use command expert to send say *IDN? over GPIB, to confirm if GPIB is working at all?

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 01:09:01 am
content: Can you confirm the GPIB channels match? That is common enough and easy to fix.

author: radioFlash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 02:13:50 am
content: Did your setup work before?Under the I/O menu, is the Language set to "SCPI"? Also, I've had trouble with Benchvue having communications problems. I endued up uninstalling and reinstalling BenchVue and the Keysight IO suite.

author: JJalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 07:01:23 am
content: Hi all,I just got the GPIB cable today, so I haven't tried it before.GPIB is definitely working. I can send *IDN? and read back "HEWLETT-PACKARD,34401A,0,10-5-2\n". This also confirms that it is the correct address. I can also change range, integration time and so on via. GPIB.I have attached a log from BenchVue communicating with the DMM.Everything is fine until I press "Start".It looks like the error occurs when the command "*SRE 176\n" is sent (on page 18). The DMM never replies, and all communication stops - I have to restart the DMM to communicate with it again./Jonas

author: VK5RC
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 07:15:57 am
content: Is it a genuine 82357? Some good fakes are about, with significant internal chip differences. If a possible fake, see the eevblog forum post about this issue.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 07:43:03 am
content: Quote from: JJalling on August 18, 2015, 07:01:23 amCheck that the instrument is set to clear byte status on power-on, which you probably do want it to. "*PSC 1" will make it do that. This setting is non-volatile and can be queried with "*PSC?" *SRE enables GPIB/HPIB SRQ for the specified event mask (128+32+16). That's kind of an odd thing to send actually since 128 is always 0 on the 34401A and presumably ignored, but maybe it's common code for an entire group of DMMs. Most likely what happens on the *SRE is that there is a pending message (it's a queue) that immediately causes it to assert SRQ, which BenchVue isn't expecting. Once SRQ is asserted, if I understand correctly, the GPIB device becomes a talker, not a listener, and won't respond until the event has been cleared and it's put back into listener mode. (Or maybe I got it all wrong; I find the entire SRQ business very confusing and an endless source of problems.) So BenchVue sends a command the instrument never responds to. Or something along those lines. Or maybe trying to set 128 itself causes an error and SRQ is by default configured to assert on error? I'd factory reset the thing.

author: JJalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 07:46:05 am
content: Quote from: bson on August 18, 2015, 07:43:03 amHi bson,That sounds interesting!! I will give that a try, when I get back from work./Jonas

author: JJalling
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 07:46:53 am
content: Quote from: VK5RC on August 18, 2015, 07:15:57 amI'm actually not sure if it is genuine. I bought it from eBay, but it looks genuine.BR Jonas

author: Dr. Frank
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 09:36:29 am
content: Hi,I think your adapter is ok, as everything else is working, but maybe is not working correctly with BenchVue.I did not find any hint in the B.V. documentation, which GPIB adapters are supported, but in the 82357B manual, BenchVue is not mentioned.. maybe due to the later appearance of B.V.In the 82357B manual, page 43, I found a hint that SRQ is slower than with an PCI adapter (DMA for example is also not supported, by HW limitations, I assume).That might be the reason , why B.V. hangs. Maybe there's another hint, how to speed up the USB adapter.There should be an FAQ for B.V. somewhere, maybe other people also encountered problems.My 34401A works fine with B.V., but I use a National Instruments PCI adapter..FrankPS: I'm using B.V. 2.7 with Windows 10, and it works, despite the hint on the Keysight forum.

author: radioFlash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 11:45:51 am
content: I've got BenchVue working with two 34401As using a (possibly fake) 82357B. It worked in windows 7 and now Wibdows 10.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

author: Dr. Frank
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 12:01:15 pm
content: If you search the Keysight forum, there are other problems with this adapter.One user had contact problems. Unplugging both sides several may help.Then Keysight assumed problems with the IO library and recommended complete Deinstallation of BenchVue and reinstallation.Frank

author: sorenkir
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 01:36:15 pm
content: Try to post your question onhttp://www.keysight.com/owc_discussions/category.jspa?categoryID=77People from Keysight are really trying to help!Michel.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2015, 01:57:51 pm
content: I have several 34401A and several of the 82357B adapters and all of them worked on BV perfectly.But at one time suddenly BV would not recognize the 82357B adapter and the 34401AI had to re-install BV completely and it worked again afterwards and never had a problem since.