Simplify test system development and control

Agilent says its I/O Libraries Suite, GPIB cards and converters that work with industry-standard software development environments, such as Agilent VEE Pro and Microsoft development languages, now works with National Instruments LabVIEW and LabWindows.

Adding NI-488 compatibility with the existing Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) ensures that test-system developers do not have to struggle with IO hardware and software incompatibility.

The suite, cards and converters are part of Agilent Open, a program designed to reduce the time and frustration often found in building test systems with products from multiple vendors.

The suite simplifies and accelerates the process of connecting test instruments. It automatically detects instruments connected to a PC, configures the interfaces and verifies the connection even in test systems that mix ethernet/LAN, GPIB, RS232, USB and VXI instruments as well as multiple software from multiple vendors.

All IO hardware can now be used in mixed-configuration systems (along with National Instruments' IO hardware) and automatically configure to work in less than 15 minutes with the suite that is claimed to be the only multi-vendor test software that allows engineers to establish error-free connections quickly and create test programs in the development language they choose, whether from Agilent, Microsoft, or National Instruments.

This capability reduces the complexity of setting up, replicating or updating a test system setup. Version 14.1, with NI-488 compatibility, supports Agilent I/O hardware, including Agilent's 82357A GPIB/USB interface, E5810A GPIB/LAN gateway and 82350B PCI GPIB card, as well as many previous-generation cards and converters.