Hardware history

Power3A

08/2016

• Manufacturing benefits

Power3

09/2012

• Faster processor with floating point
• Dynamic clamp speed tripled over the Power 2
• Faster (2x) data rate to the host by DMA
• USB rate is double that of the Power 2, by DMA
• DACs are de-glitched
• Input amplifiers are now protected and no longer mounted in sockets.
• Larger memory, 1G upgradable to 2G

Power mkII

09/2007

• Faster processor; 4x faster than the Power 1
• Much faster (5x) data rate to the host by DMA
• Much faster waveform output via DAC silo
• Temperature sensor incorporated
• Software selectable ±5 or ±10 V range
• Larger memory, 512M upgradable to 1G

Power 625kHz

12/2003

• ADC speed increased from 400 to 625kHz
• Option to synchronise with other Micros or Powers

Power mkI

06/1999

• ADC and DAC resolution increased to 16 bits
• Faster ADC than Micro 1
• Faster processor; 30x faster than the Micro 1
• Larger memory than Micro 1; 32M
• USB2 interface
• Firmware updatable from the web site
• Internal clock source improved to 10MHz from 4MHz in Micro 1
• Several expansion top box options
• Programmable gain option

Micro4

09/2019

• Faster ADC - 1MHz
• DACs are de-glitched and faster
• 2 DAC outputs standard; option of 2 more
• Faster processor; 3 - 8x faster than the Micro 3
• 3 - 5x faster communication with the host computer
• 32MB internal memory; 8x larger
• Manufacturing benefits

Micro3

05/2009

• DAC resolution increased to 16 bits
• Much faster waveform output via DAC silo
• Faster processor; 1.43x faster than the Micro 2
• 64 channel ADC expansion top box option
• Temperature sensor incorporated
• Software selectable ±5 or ±10 V range
• Parallel interface, ISA or PCI no longer supported

Micro mkII

10/2001

• USB2 interface now integral
• Firmware updatable from the web site
• Faster ADC
• Faster processor; 6.2x faster than the Micro 1
• Larger memory option
• Internal clock source improved to 10MHz from 4MHz in Micro 1
• Option to synchronise with other modern Micros or Powers

Micro mkI

09/1995

• 4 ADC at 16 bits resolution, 2 DAC at 12 bits, 16 bits of digital I/O, optional USB1 host interface, ISA or PCI
• Faster processor; 1.45x faster than the plus
• Several expansion top box options

1401plus

01/1984

• Faster processor; 20x faster than the 1401
• Larger memory, 1M upgradable to 16M
• Compatible with all Spike2 to V7, Signal to V6

1401

08/1983

• 16 ADC, 4 DAC, all at 12 bits resolution, 16 bits of digital I/O
• Some expansion card options
• Memory: less than 64kB
• Compatible with: Spike2 V3 only, Signal to V4