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Connector

SimDAQ

A simulated high-rate DAQ, no hardware needed

Category
Data acquisition
Kind
source
Capabilities
StreamsAssetsEntities
Runs on
Linux x64Linux ARM64macOS Apple siliconmacOS IntelWindows x64

Try a high-rate DAQ with no hardware. SimDAQ streams simulated multi-channel waveforms at up to 1 MS/s per channel, in the same way a real DAQ card does. Every channel is named /simdaq/..., so it is never mistaken for a measurement.

What you get

  • Streams data — channels (default 8, up to 64) channels at /simdaq/<device>/ch0 …, each an f64 at rate_hz (default 100 000 samples/s per channel). Data arrives in chunk_hz blocks per second (default 10, so 10 000-sample blocks at the default rate), like a real card.
  • Waveforms — mixed (default) gives each channel its own shape (sine, ramp, square, noise, cycling) and its own frequency, stepped up from signal_hz. Or pick one shape for every channel. The same channel produces the same samples on every run.

When to use it

  • To demo 100 kS/s-class data (live tiles, replay, trellises) on a laptop.
  • To size or soak-test a machine: run two inputs with different device names to simulate two cards, or raise rate_hz or channels to find its limit.

If the machine falls behind

Like a real card, SimDAQ skips the samples it missed and never back-fills them. The gap is logged and shows as a hole in the data.

#Supports

  • No hardware required — generates simulated DAQ signals on this machine

#Connection fields

Every field the Add input form shows for this connector.

FieldTypeRequiredDefault
Device name
Instance label — channels appear as /simdaq/<device>/ch0, ch1, … Run two instances with different names to simulate two cards.
sim0
Text—sim0
Channels
How many simulated analog inputs to stream.
8
Number—8
Sample rate (Hz)
Samples per second per channel. 100000 = the 100 kS/s a mid-range DAQ card acquires at.
100000
Number—100000
Waveform
`mixed` gives each channel a different shape and tone frequency, so a wall of tiles reads at a glance; the others put one shape on every channel.
One of
mixed · sine · ramp · square · noise
—mixed
Amplitude
Peak value — every channel swings between -amplitude and +amplitude.
1
Number—1
Signal frequency (Hz)
Base tone frequency of channel 0; each further channel is offset upward from it so the tiles are visually distinct.
50
Number—50
Frames per second
How often a block of samples is put on the wire (10 at 100 kS/s = 10000 samples per channel per frame, the block size a real card delivers).
10
Number—10
Clocks
How many sample clocks the channels are split across, as a multi-task DAQ input runs one task per module: channel n is on clock n mod this.
1
Number—1

Updated