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Let's go through the process above one step at a time:
Top of Page Types of Data Acquisition SystemsThree general usage types:
Laboratory and distributed DAQ systems are normally put in a permanent location as these are comprised of relatively large or bulky hardware and connect to desktop PCs in some way. These systems depend upon the PC to access, process, and analyze input data and prepare it for some type of presentation. Portable DAQ systems, on the other hand, are small, lightweight units that are easily carried by hand and work with laptops or, even, no computer at all when installed at a location or site to only record data. Laboratory and distributed data-acquisition systems typically adhere to industry-based packaging standards. For instance, some laboratory systems are mounted in standard 19-inch racks while distributed systems often use track mountings. A subset of these systems includes a host computer that accommodates data-acquisition plug-in boards. Portable systems, in contrast, have no real standardized form -- they may come in various sizes and shapes, but they are typically small and light. Further, portable systems are additionally classified as either stand-alone units or those which connect to a PC. Stand-alone units are self-contained data loggers and don't need a PC connection to function. Most modern data-acquisition systems, regardless of form factor, do their intended tasks very well; i.e., they acquire and process data. All systems have several factors in common; they need signal conditioners to convert sensor signals and other electrical inputs to a form that a processor can handle. They also have a wide variety of analog input channels varying in number from two to several hundred -- or even thousands. Further, inputs may or may not be isolated, and either single-ended or differential, or both. Of the three types, portable systems are gaining a larger market share as the other (legacy) systems age, and these portable systems are increasingly outperforming them. Further, the new portable systems can be easily configured for laboratories and distributed systems as well as portable applications. When considering a data acquisition system to purchase, however, the most important functional parameters that differentiate them include accuracy, resolution, and sampling rate.
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