Daqarta
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
Scope - Spectrum - Spectrogram - Signal Generator
Software for Windows
Science with your Sound Card!
The following is from the Daqarta Help system:

Features:

Oscilloscope

Spectrum Analyzer

8-Channel
Signal Generator

(Absolutely FREE!)

Spectrogram

Pitch Tracker

Pitch-to-MIDI

DaqMusiq Generator
(Free Music... Forever!)

Engine Simulator

LCR Meter

Remote Operation

DC Measurements

True RMS Voltmeter

Sound Level Meter

Frequency Counter
    Period
    Event
    Spectral Event

    Temperature
    Pressure
    MHz Frequencies

Data Logger

Waveform Averager

Histogram

Post-Stimulus Time
Histogram (PSTH)

THD Meter

IMD Meter

Precision Phase Meter

Pulse Meter

Macro System

Multi-Trace Arrays

Trigger Controls

Auto-Calibration

Spectral Peak Track

Spectrum Limit Testing

Direct-to-Disk Recording

Accessibility

Applications:

Frequency response

Distortion measurement

Speech and music

Microphone calibration

Loudspeaker test

Auditory phenomena

Musical instrument tuning

Animal sound

Evoked potentials

Rotating machinery

Automotive

Product test

Contact us about
your application!

Sample Rate Select

Controls: X-Axis Dialog >> Sample Rate
Macro: SmplRate

The Sample Rate button in the X-Axis Dialog opens a separate Sample Rate dialog with buttons for popular sample rates: 11025, 12000, 22050, 24000, 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, and 192000 Hz.

The default is 48000 samples per second (Hz) if your card supports it, otherwise 44100 samples per second.

Selecting one of these buttons closes the Sample Rate dialog and forces the Rate Adjust control (in the X-Axis dialog, just below the Sample Rate button) to the selected value. Alternatively, you can directly enter any arbitrary value into the Rate Adjust control.

Important: Note that although many modern sound cards are capable of samples rates higher than the default 48000 Hz (upper limits of 96000 or even 192000 Hz are becoming common, even on inexpensive laptop chipsets), their drivers may have 48000 set as the upper limit. The problem is that Windows doesn't reject higher rates, it just simulates them using sample rate conversion (SRC). This doesn't really give the rate you request, and may introduce low-level distortion as well, but you won't be aware of that without careful testing. (See Sample Rate Adjust for more info.)

To enable the higher rates, you will need to delve into Windows Control Panel or your card's proprietary utility. Try this first on Vista/7/8/10/11: Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and click Playback Devices. In the dialog that opens, click on Speakers and then click on Properties at the lower right. The Speakers Properties dialog will open; click the Advanced tab and select the desired sample rate from the list. Repeat all of this for Input Devices.

The sample rate determines the time resolution and extent of the waveform display, as well as the frequency resolution and extents of the Spectrum, Spectrogram, and Pitch Track displays.

Daqarta acquires 1024 samples per display. For a waveform, the resolution is the sample period, which is the reciprocal of the sample rate. The resolutions and X-axis extents for the full 0-1023 samples are:

Rate      Period       X-axis
 Hz       microsec     millisec
11025     90.703       92.79
12000     83.333       85.25
22050     45.351       46.39
24000     41.667       42.63
44100     22.676       23.20
48000     20.833       21.31
88200     11.337       11.60
96000     10.416       10.66
176400     5.668       5.799
192000     5.208       5.328

For a spectrum, those 1024 samples become 512 spectral lines ranging from 0 (DC) to just under half the sample rate (known as the Nyquist frequency). The resolution is the sample rate divided by 1024. The resolutions and X-axis extents for lines 0-511 are:

Rate      Line      X-axis
 Hz        Hz        Hz
11025     10.77     5501.73
12000     11.72     5988.28
22050     21.53     11003.47
24000     23.44     11976.56
44100     43.07     22006.93
48000     46.88     23953.31
88200     86.13     44013.87
96000     93.75     47906.25
176400    172.3     88027.73
192000    187.5     95812.50

The astute observer will note that higher sample rates give better time resolution but narrower overall axis time for waveforms, while lower sample rates give better resolution and lower overall frequency range for spectra.

If you change the sample rate, you may need to adjust certain Generator controls. In particular, Burst durations are stored internally as sample counts, based upon the sample rate in effect when they were originally set. For example, if you set a High duration of 0.100 sec with a sample rate of 44100 hertz, it is stored as 4410 samples. Changing the sample rate to 22050 Hz doesn't change the number of samples, so it doubles the effective duration because each sample takes twice as long.

Similarly, Slow Factor and Step Size in the Random / Step Timing dialog are stored as sample counts, so halving the sample rate would also double the effective times.

Caution: Changing Sample Rate causes all Generator frequencies (including modulation rates) to be updated using the current Frequency Entry Step Mode. For Step Modes that use quantization (those other than Direct), this may cause unexpected results. Always set Sample Rate before setting Generator frequencies.

However, note that you can use Decimation to view signals at a slower effective sample rate, while maintaining an unchanged high actual Generator output rate.

Note that sample rate controls are disabled during averages.


Macro Notes:

SmplRate=44100 sets the Sample Rate to 44100 samples per second.


See also X-Axis Control Dialog

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