Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!sdd.hp.com!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!uwm.edu!fnnews.fnal.gov!att-in!att-out!undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca!watserv2.uwaterloo.ca!kbkrauel
From: kbkrauel@kingcong.uwaterloo.ca (Kevin Krauel)
Subject: Re: PC Card/Interface to decode optical shaft encoders
Message-ID: <CMv7oq.Cqz@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca>
Keywords: Decode info from optical shaft encoders
Sender: news@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca
Organization: University of Waterloo
References: <9407511.27976@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU>
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 14:46:02 GMT
Lines: 41

Hi.

In article <9407511.27976@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU> you write:
>  We are looking for any information pertaining to a PC Card
>  or Interface Chip which could be used to decode information
>  from a couple of optical shaft encoders used for position
>  measurement in 3D space.
>
>  Is such a chip available? and if so where can it be obtained
>  and what are the costs involved?

Yes.  I have used an HP part, HCTL-2016.  HP has other parts to consider
as well, the HCTL-2000 and HCTL-2020.  These parts are relatively easy
to integrate into a design.  They also provide full 4X decoding of the
quadrature signals from an encoder.  In practice the HCTL-2016 works
great.  If you would like to learn more about these chips, please refer
to Hewlett Packard's 'Optoelectronics Designer's Catalog'.  The data
sheets also provide some information that will provide a basic description
for how encoders are decoded.

If you are NOT interested in designing your own interface card, I know
of a company that is manufacturing and marketing a card that will handle:

	6 quadrature encoders (using 24-bit counters per interface), and

	8 analog input signals (using 12-bit ADCs).

and will provide:

	6 computer controlled analog outputs (using 12-bit DACs),

	a time-base (for control calculations, etc.), and

	16-bits of digital I/O.

If you would like more info on this product, please contact Quanser
Consulting in Ontario, Canada for further information.  Quanser can be
reached by fax, 905-570-1906; or by voice, 905-527-5208.

	-Kevin.

