Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are an ideal fit for data acquisition systems as they offer unparalleled real-time signal processing power. Moving functionality from the host PC to the on-board FPGAs helps offload the PCs central processing unit (CPU) and relaxes data transfer rate requirements. This capability is key in achieving the performance levels needed in many of today's leading-edge applications.

All our data acquisition and generation modules host Xilinx FPGAs and are delivered with pre-installed general data acquisition firmware (for ADQ7 and ADQ14 we refer to this firmware as "FWDAQ"). In addition to the standard/default firmware, we also offer optional firmware development kits (available for all models) and application-specific firmware packages (available for ADQ7 and ADQ14 only). More information about these below.

Please note that the firmware options are replacements (not add-ons) to the standard FWDAQ firmware. This means that the standard acquisition modes used in most examples and in documentation will either not work at all or in a very limited fashion. Only the API functions and examples specially designed for the specific firmware will work with the firmware option loaded. Please note that with each device you are always entitled to load the standard FWDAQ onto the device and use the device with the standard firmware acquisition modes. ​

The optional firmware development kit opens up the FPGA to the user so that custom firmware can be integrated together with the pre-defined standard/default firmware inside the FPGA. The kit is based on the Xilinx development tool suite and access to these tools is hence a prerequisite. Learn more by clicking the link below: ​

The optional firmware packages extend the functionality provided by the standard/default firmware by offering a rich set of pre-compiled additional functions commonly used in different application areas and measurement scenarios. Click the links below to learn more about each individual package: ​