AMETEK BPS Series Programming Manual - Manual (Page 12)

AMETEK Programmable Power BPS / MX / RS Series SCPI Programming Manual
12 Manual P/N 7003-961 Rev AA
1.5 Introduction to Programming
This section provides some general information regarding programming instrumentation and
available interface types.
1.5.1 IEEE-488 Capabilities of the AC/DC Source
All AC/DC source functions are programmable over the IEEE-488 or RS232C interface bus.
Newer models also offer USB and Ethernet (LAN). The IEEE 488.2 capabilities of the
AC/DC source are listed in appendix A of the User's Guide.
IEEE-488 Address
The AC/DC source operates from a single IEEE-488 address that may be set from the front
panel or programmatically through the IEEE-488 bus. To set the IEEE-488 address from the
front panel, select the Utility entry from the menu screen. Care must be used when setting
the IEEE-488 address programmatically since the next statement sent to the source must
reflect the new address.
1.5.2 USB Capabilities of the AC source
All AC source functions are programmable over the USB interface. The USB capabilities of
the AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the User's Manual. Some capabilities support on
the GPIB interface such as ATN, GET and SRQ interrupts do not apply to the USB interface.
The USB interface operates internally at a fixed baudrate of 460800 baud but USB 2.0 burst
transfer rates are supported.
To set up the USB interface on a Windows XP PC, refer to section 3.4, “USB Interface”.
The USB interface may be used to install updated firmware for the controller if needed.
Firmware updates and a Flash Loader utility program and instructions are available from the
AMETEK Programmable Power website for this purpose. (
www.programmablepower.com )
Multiple USB connections to same PC:
The Windows driver used to interface to the power source’s USB port emulates a serial com
port. This virtual com port driver is unable to reliable differentiate between multiple units
however so the use of more than one AC power source connected to the same PC via USB
is not recommended. Use of the GPIB interface is recommended for these situations.
1.5.3 LAN Capabilities of the AC source
All AC source functions are programmable over the LAN (Ethernet) interface if the –LAN
option is installed. The LAN capabilities of the AC source are listed in Chapter 2 of the
User's Manual. Some capabilities support on the GPIB interface such as ATN, GET and
SRQ interrupts do not apply to the LAN interface. The LAN interface operates internally at a
fixed baudrate of 460800 baud but autodetection of 10Base-T, 100Base-T and 1000Base-T
is supported.
To set up the LAN interface on a Windows XP PC, refer to section 3.5, “LAN Interface
Option”.