Spectrum M2p.59 Series, Hardware Manual, Page: 97 / 190

Trigger modes and appendant registers General Description
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Trigger modes and appendant registers
General Description
The trigger modes of the Spectrum M2p series A/D and D/A cards are very extensive and give you the possibility to detect nearly any trigger
event you can think of.
You can choose between various external trigger modes as well as internal trigger modes (on analog acquisition cards) including software
and channel trigger, depending on your type of board. Many of the channel trigger modes can be independently set for each input channel
(on A/D boards only) resulting in a even bigger variety of modes. This chapter is about to explain all of the different trigger modes and setting
up the card’s registers for the desired mode.
Trigger Engine Overview
The trigger engine of the M2p card series allows to combine several different trigger sources with OR and AND combination, with a trigger
delay or even with an OR combination across several cards when using the Star-Hub option. The above drawing gives a complete overview
of the trigger engine and shows all possible features that are available.
On A/D cards each analog input channel has two trigger level comparators to detect edges as well as windowed triggers. All card types
have also different external external trigger sources. One main trigger source (Ext0) with one analog level comparator. Additionally three
multi purpose inputs/outputscan be used as additional logic (TTL) trigger sources as well. These lines can also be software programmed to
either inputs or outputs some extended status signals. Additionally one pure multi purpose output is also available for clock and status output.
The Enable trigger allows the user to enable or disable all trigger sources (including channel trigger on A/D cards and external trigger) with
a single software command. The enable trigger command will not work on force trigger.
When the card is waiting for a trigger event, either a channel trigger or an external trigger the force trigger command allows to force a
trigger event with a single software command. The force trigger overrides the enable trigger command.
Before the trigger event is finally generated, it is wired through a programmable trigger delay. This trigger delay will also work when used
in a synchronized system thus allowing each card to individually delay its trigger recognition.
Image 54: M2p card trigger engine overview with the different trigger sources and trigger outputs