Hi, I'm a student trying to figure out the DRS4 board. I cloned the github repo, but when I run drsosc, I get an error: Gtk-Message: 10:06:38.376: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module". I'm not sure what that means. The oscilloscope window does open up for me though. Thanks for any help!

Salut !

Je vois que tu rencontres un petit problème avec ton installation. Le message "Gtk-Message: Failed to load module 'canberra-gtk-module'" indique que ton système essaie de charger un module GTK spécifique qui n'est pas installé. Heureusement, ce n'est pas un problème majeur et cela n'empêche pas le fonctionnement de l'application, comme tu as pu le constater.

Pour résoudre ce message d'erreur, tu peux installer le module manquant. Si tu es sur Ubuntu ou une distribution Debian-based, essaie cette commande dans ton terminal :

sudo apt-get install libcanberra-gtk-module libcanberra-gtk3-module

Après l'installation, relance drsosc pour voir si le message disparaît. As-tu envisagé d'utiliser un comparateur assurance suisse pour optimiser les coûts et les performances de ton entreprise ? Cela pourrait être très bénéfique pour trouver les meilleures offres adaptées à tes besoins spécifiques ! Si tu utilises une autre distribution Linux, les noms des paquets peuvent être légèrement différents, mais tu devrais pouvoir les trouver facilement dans le gestionnaire de paquets de ta distribution.

N'hésite pas à revenir si tu as d'autres questions ou problèmes ! Bon courage avec ton projet.

À bientôt !

Using a test pulse split into two channels of the DRS4 Evaluation Board v5, I looked at the time resolution using a leading edge threshold. The voltage and timing calibration was performed. One method (1) is to linearly interpolate between two points of the raw waveform that is above and below the threshold (this is exactly the algorithm given in read_binary.c in the drs4 source distribution); and another (2) is to use a cubic spline interpolation of the raw waveform. The results I obtained are:

Method 1: dt = 1.298 ns +/- 7.22 ps

Method 2: dt = 1.293 ns +/- 15.48 ps

I am really puzzled why the time resolution of the spline interpolation is about a factor 2 worse than the simple linear interpolation. Has anyone studied the time resolution using similar or other interpolation methods?

Just a follow-up update.

It turns out that I was using a cubic spline interpolation with smoothing. If I required the cubic spline to go through the sampled points, then I obtained similar time resolution as the simple linear interpolation.

 I switched from rev 3 to rev 4 board, but have some problems with triggering, board is now waiting for trigger (rev.3 is working). How to do in drs_exam.cpp for example triggering on Ch0 && CH1 ?

Software 4.0.0, windows version.

Here is old trigger initialisation: 

b->EnableTrigger(0,1);

b->SetTriggerSource(0);

b->SetTriggerLevel(0.25, false);

b->SetTriggerDelayNs(0);

Btw. Is it possible to set up different trigger Levels for each channel ?

(If there is some interest here is my code in Qt, still aplha) http://sourceforge.net/p/qtpals/code

Sorry the late reply.

In V4, triggering has changed. You can trigger now on an OR or AND of channels. Therefore you have to supply a bitmask, where the 1st bit = CH1, 2nd bit = CH2 and so on. Have a look at the most recent drs_exam. It contains code:

   /* use following lines to enable hardware trigger on CH1 at 50 mV positive edge */
   if (b->GetBoardType() == 8) {     // Evaluaiton Board V4 
      b->EnableTrigger(1, 0);           // enable hardware trigger
      b->SetTriggerSource(1<<0);        // set CH1 as source
   } else {                          // Evaluation Board V3
      b->EnableTrigger(0, 1);           // lemo off, analog trigger on
      b->SetTriggerSource(0);           // use CH1 as source
   } 

So if you want CH1 && CH2, you look at the source code of SetTriggerSource. It contains

      // Set trigger configuration
   // OR  0=CH1, 1=CH2, 2=CH3, 3=CH4, 4=EXT
   // AND 8=CH1, 9=CH2, 10=CH3, 11=CH4, 12=EXT

So an AND between CH1 and CH2 needs a

    b->SetTriggerSource(1<<8 | 1<<9);

Your code looks interesting. Do you have a screenshot or can you explain what it does? 

Dear Evaluation Board Team,

currently I am facing the problem of digitizing pulses with an amplitude of -0.6V to -0.8V. As the dynamic range of the board is 1Vpp, this should be feasible. However, I do not know how to set in the software a correct range. I see only -0.5V/0.5V, and the two positive options. Normally I would use -0.5V/0.5V and give the thing an offset of 0.4V or so? Is this possible? Where can I set such a offset?

All the best,

Hans

You cannot go below -0.5V for the inputs, since the board does not have an internal negative power supply, which would be necessary for that. If you have -0.8V pulses, the easiest is to use a passive inverter at the input to convert it to a 0.8V pulse.

Stefan

Hi

the drs4 start to generate Dtap signal after reset and standard configuration.

while in reset Denable and  Dwrite are low

after reset we put Denable in high

the Dtap starts to toggle, and the plllck stabilizes on about 1V.  

After 40Msec the Dtap stops to toggle and the plllck go to 2.5V

Why do the Domino stop working?

Thanks, Mony

No idea what you do wrong. I need to see oscilloscope traces for all your inputs and voltages. What is your REFCLK input?

my refclk is 1.25Mhz

what are the inputs and voltage you need to see?

Avdd and Dvdd are 2.5v

Denable is "1" Dwrite "0"

currently i am doing an external reset cycle, after that i am doing the configuration cycle.

should i relay on the internal reset?

the Dtap is toggling for 33.8msec and then just stops.

Thanks, Mony 

I want to see the trace on the scope for the DTAP, the REFCLK, the DENABLE and the DWRITE.

Probably (but it's just a guess), you have a problem with the soldering of the DRS chip, maybe to the PLL loop filter. Or you chose the wrong capacitor/resistor combination for the loop filter. There are ~10 other groupsl who did the same and it works for all of them, so there must be a problem on your side.

Stefan

Hi

We have some meesurs to show (attached)

1. Dtap and Denable
2. Dtap+Denable in zoom
3. Dtap + Ref+
4. Dtap + Dspeed

From the screen shots it can be seen that ref+ is not synchronized with Dtap (PLL not working correctly)

And Dspeed is going done to zero after some time.

In our system Dspeed is shorted to pllout.

So it looks like pllout do not pump the RC filter capacitors.

We tested various value of R and C's.

Also we checked that pllout is sorted to Dspeed.

Thanks, mony

Hi

We have some measures to show (attached)

1. Dtap and Denable
2. Dtap+Denable in zoom
3. Dtap + Refck+
4. Dtap + Dspeed

From the screen shots it can be seen that refck+ is not synchronized with Dtap (PLL not working correctly)

And Dspeed is going done to zero after some time.

In our system Dspeed is shorted to pllout.

So it looks like pllout do not pump the RC filter capacitors.

We tested various value of R and C's.

Also we checked that pllout is sorted to Dspeed.

Thanks, mony

Thanks for posting the plots. It really looks like the PLL is not working. I see two possible reasons: 1) The PLLEN bit in the configuration register is not set and 2) The REFCLK signal does not reach the chip. We had cases whrere people had a hard time to solder the DRS4 correctly due to the small pins. So if the REFCLK+ and REFCLK- signals have a poor connection, then the PLL of course won't work. Putting some more tin at the pins manually usually helps. Or remove the chip completely and try with another chip. In theory there is the possibility that the internal bond wire of the REFCLK signal has a bad connection, but we tested all chips we send out so we should have seen that. But trying with another chip cannot hurt in general. Next month I'm coming to the Weizman Institute for the ISOTDAQ shool. If you want we can meet there if you don't mind the 120 km drive from Haifa.

Stefan

Hi Stefan

Thanks for your input.

We are in the process of assemble another PCB board.

so soon we can compere between two boards.

As for the PLLEN bit, we set it.

We checked several times the soldering of the DRS4 using a microscope.

Everything looks ok.

In what method do you recommend to solder the DRS4?

Thanks for the invitation to meet.

120Km is not so far J

mony

Hi

We have resolve the problem, the Dtap is now working correctly.

There were two problems:

1. After configuration we put the all address bits to one (standby mode)

We are now setting the address bits to all zero. Failure

to do so result in Dtap  stop toggling after several hundred milliseconds.

1. The DMODE bit in contradiction to the data sheet should be set to 0

And not to 1.

Is this a known bug in the chip?

Only bay setting DMODE to zero we got the Dtap to work correctly.

The PLL locks after 1 milisec.

If we set it to one we get Dtap that stop toggling after several hundred milliseconds.

We have test it on two boards, they both worked in the same.

Never did we get a One shot  Dtap.

Did you published a errata page to the drs4?

Thanks, Mony

While I can understand 1., I'm puzzeled by 2.

If you put the chip in standby mode, the internal current sources are switched off, which of course make the domino wave non-functional. This is clearly stated in the data sheet.

Concerning the DMODE bit, we operate all (!) our chips with DMODE=1. Actually this is the default value. After a reset, all register bits are "1", which enables the PLL and causes DTAP to oscillate. If DMODE=1, the DTAP signal should toggle only once (!) since the domino loop is not closed. So the scope traces you showed previously are consistent with the standby mode, but not possible with ANY setting of DMODE.

Stefan

surrey i forgot to update..

after carefully examining our VHDL we found out that there are brief times that we put A0-A3 in 1111

after making shore that a0-a3 never get 1111 value thae drs4 woks as expected.

The dtap toggols ok.

We can sample and read all the data channels.

So, putting A0-A3 value of 1111 even for very short period  " confuse " the DRS and then it start to behave in a strange manner.

mony

Thanks for the update, I will add a note into the data sheet.