Mysterious MacADIOS

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DrBunsen's picture
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Mysterious MacADIOS

A while back at a MUG swap meet I added a mystery device to my collection.

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It's a MacADIOS-8ain from GW

It's a MacADIOS-8ain from GW Instruments. It appears to be a SCSI-based 8 channel analog to digital converter for lab work (ie virtual oscilloscope, sensor logging, etc)

I have some pictures of it uploaded to my flikr site

On the front is a 34 pin DIL header, and the label "8 ANALOG INPUTS". There's also a 5 pin DIP switch marked "Gain" with "On" and "Off" for each switch.

It's clearly labelled as a SCSI device; there are two 25 pin D
connectors on the rear labelled SCSI in and SCSI out, and a SCSI ID
selector.

Searching the GWI website I find it listed in the PDF brochure for
SuperScope II as a compatible interface:

Low Cost A/D SCSI Device 8DI 12bit 28.8KHz. Input ranges ±10V, ±1V, ±.1V, ±.05V, ±.02V. Not compatible with 68040 or Faster Computers.

I've found a mention of a "MacADIOS ABO Analog Breakout Box" which links to the 34 pin connector at the front.

All of the hits I've been able to find so far on Google (apart from the Superscope PDF) seem to be lab reports from people using the device. What I can't find are any clear descriptions of the breakout unit itself.

Ideally I'd like to set this unit up for data capture on an SE/30 or CC. Anyone have any idea where I could go for more information on the ABO (so that I can build one myself if feasible) or to obtain an ABO?

I haven't opened the unit to have a look yet. I will be doing that to see if I can work out the dealio with the 34 pin DIL. If anyone's interested I can post either a scan or photograph of the insides.

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I'm assuming ADIOS stands for

I'm assuming ADIOS stands for Analogue to Digital Input Over SCSI or I/O over SCSI

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Are you sure?

It might actually be a CINCO MIDI Organizer prototype. ADIOS = A Darn Ingenious Organizer for Songs.

--Peace

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HAR. Anyone?

HAR.

Anyone?

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Goodness. On an idle whim, I

Goodness. On an idle whim, I Googled this topic again. This thread was in the first three (heh) but I actually managed to find something useful 0_0

http://www.signalyze.com/documentation/antialiasingNotice.html

Mac Adios Input and Output

MODEL 411, MacADIOS II: These devices are typically sold with a separate amplification unit that incorporates anti-aliasing filtering for both input and output. Higher-end boards are also sometimes sold with a plug-in anti-aliasing filter. / Users who do not own this amplification-filtering unit should minimally place some other filtering unit between their amplifier and MacADIOS input.

For future reference, this page also has some information on the Apple Built-in Mic, Apple Output, MacRecorder and AudioMedia and Sound Accelerator Boards

JDW
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MacADIOS

Bunsen, here is a very interest article from the October 1986 issue of MACWORLD that talks about MacADIOS being a competitor to LabView:

http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/news/articles/macworld1.pdf

See pages 139-140 in that PDF.

MacADIOS originally sold for $2,500 and allowed the Mac to function as a Spectrum Analyzer, Spectrograph, 8-channel voltmeter, low-frequency oscilloscope, and x-y recorder.

Do you have the software for your MacADIOS unit? (If not, I am sure you are not getting much use out of it!)

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Thanks for the link to that a

Thanks for the link to that article. Fascinating reading.

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