by
jwmol » Fri May 23, 2008 2:54 pm
I hostnestly think that it would be more efficient to buy a new GC than to find a 2nd hand CDS for this instrument. Even a second hand HP5890 would be easier to find than the items listed below if money is a concern.
If you must then you have these options:
1. Analog data acquistion, control settings from GC front panel, no instrument control from the PC
- Any modern CDS that can take analog signals. Note: you sacrifice the FID full dynamic range when in auto-range mode. Can only do fixed range on the FID.
2. Use a DAQ only version of Chrompack Maestro aka. Maestro 0. This only uses standard RS232 signals, no instrument control, use GC front panel for settings, full FID dynamic range when in auto-range mode is possible.
3. Use the full instrument control version of Chrompack Maestro II or CP-Maitre (same product, different name). For this you need 3 things in hardware which makes this an unattractive proposition:
a. ComMod interface box (protocol converter)
b. PCNet board, aka. ChromNet board. Be careful: this is an ISA board not supported in modern PCs
c. A PC that still has an ISA slot. Most likely a PC from a industrial PC vendor such as Advantech.
None of the above Chrompack / Varian parts are still on the pricelist. You would have to find everything on the 2nd hand market.
Good luck in your search.
JW
Applied Instruments