New data system for HP 5890s

[skunked_once]

I'd appreciate some input on updating our data systems for our HP 5890 GCs. We are running two HP5890 Series II GCs, one with electronic pressure controller. The instrument with EPC uses Chemstation version A.03.34 running on a Windows 95 computer. The other instrument uses Chemstation version A.03.04 running on a Windows 3.11 computer. I know that these computers may die at any time and I want to be prepared to upgrade to a single data system that will control both GCs and collect data from both. The Varian Galaxy software seems to fit the bill but I would like to hear comments (pro and con) from users. Suggestions on any other data systems that would fit this application would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance for your comments!

[DR]

Since you're already familiar with it, I'd look into a newer version of Chemstation.

If you can get the right Jet Direct card into the back of each GC, an extra NIC for your PC and a switch, you may well be able to run both instruments from a single chemstation PC (with the extra license, of course). Given the ever lower prices of PCs these days, I'd also be inclined to go for 2 PCs, unless you're required to revalidate or do a bunch of other work every time MS tosses another Windows patch out there.

[leadazide]

My old work have recently upgraded an old 5890 from a Chemstation V?.?? running under win 3.1 to a newer chemstation.. Version A9.?? I don't remember the exact versions.. But I know that they have had problems ever since! So be careful!

A cheaper alternative to Chemstation could be EZ-Chrom..

Best of luck with your selection!

[Consumer Products Guy]

We have 5890 on A.09 with ChemStor, and have no issues (Win2000). We also have 5890s on Windows 95 using A.06.03, which we got free from Agilent for Y2K. All users below A.06.03 should've gotten that free software then, and there may be no restriction on just updating to that for no charge, even if Agilent no longer supplies it. For that, we didn't need any firmware upgrade, can't remember about the unit on A.09.

[ivanvins]

If your GC were controled by Chemstation, a cheaper alternative to upgrade to a newer version of Chemstation can be our software Clarity,

see the manual on

http://www.dataapex.com/sharedScripts/d ... .php?id=67

the only limitation is, that the EPC is not supported (the EPC parameters can be set by GC keyboard and the rest of method from Clarity).

DR, the 5890 GC is using a different communication board than the JetDirect used in 1100 HPLC systems.

[Bruce Hamilton]

Firstly, what is your connection to PC, HPIB or HPIL, or ?.
You need to ensure that your new computers will take the HPIB cards ( ISA bus ? ), and that the new Chemstation still supports those cards.

The Agilent Chemstation WWW site had a neat table of all the versions of Hardware and software that each version of Chemstation supported. I'd hunt that down, and compare with your PC interface. If you decide to bug cheap GPIB boards that go into the newer inferface that's on you new PCs ( which may not have ISA slots ), be aware that they may not always work with Chemstation. I also assume you don't have an A>D board in the PC for non Agilent detectors, if you do, that's another problem that needs to be checked on the Agilent WWW site.

I'd recommend updating to two computers, and to the latest version of Chemstation that supports all your hardware. Multi-instruments on one PC are generally a bad idea.

Good luck, and please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton

[promochrom]

The upgrade is quite standard in Agilent Chemstation support. You need a PCI type GPIB card (part numebr 82350) and a upgrade software G1656A. Now no PC can hold the old type ISA GPIB card. Two GCs on one PC should be fine.

PromoChrom