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Daqarta for DOS
Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis
Freeware for Legacy ISA-bus Systems
(Use Daqarta for Windows with modern systems)
Daqarta for DOS now includes a FREE license for hobby or other non-commercial users.

NOTE: Daqarta for DOS will not run on Windows NT, XP, 2000, Vista, or Windows 7... use Daqarta for Windows instead.

Daqarta for DOS v2.21
Download Options:

For a new Daqarta installation, just create a DQA directory and unZIP the following DQA.ZIP or DQA-SB16.ZIP into it. There is no "install" program to mess up your configuration files... Daqarta uses its own DQA.CFG without changing your system.

UnZIP ISSUES: Some unZIP software apparently corrupts the DQA.HLP file, causing Daqarta to abort when it tries to load this soon after start-up. This has been reported with Windows' built-in unZIP. The free 7-Zip for Windows is known to work, as is the old shareware PKUNZIP for DOS.

Be sure to check out the README.TXT file. It has tips for troubleshooting, creating a Win9x shortcut, and more.

If you are upgrading from an earlier version, the unZIP process will prompt you to replace each matching file. But most users will have made changes to DQA.CFG for a particular board setup, so don't let unZIP replace that. Similarly, if you have created custom palette files, don't let them be replaced by the default MAIN.PAL and SGRAM.PAL versions. Everything else can be safely replaced.

Basic Daqarta 2.21 Starter Package:

This package includes the DEMO.ADC driver only. You'll also need the custom Daqarta driver for your particular sound card or laboratory board (below). Or, if you have one of the many SB16-family ISA-bus cards, just get the DQA-SB16 package... it includes everything in DQA.ZIP, plus the SB16.ZIP driver package.

DQA.ZIP (539595 bytes) includes:

Complete SB16 Daqarta Package:

DQA-SB16.ZIP (593168 bytes) includes everything in the above Daqarta starter package, plus the complete SB16 Sound Blaster 16/32/64 driver package below, including CT417x ViBRA / WavEffects support.
For ISA-bus cards only... PCI not supported.

Drivers for Sound Cards:

(See SBCHECK.EXE in the Utilities section for compatibility test.)
You can view the Help system for any of these boards before downloading.

Each .ZIP file includes .ADC driver and .HLP Help system.

  • Sound Blaster 16/32/64 driver:
    Offers full duplex operation with the STIM3A Advanced Stimulus Function Generator module. Supports simultaneous 16-bit ADC input and 16-bit DAC outputs with CT417x ViBRA / WavEffects models. (For ISA-bus cards only... PCI not supported.) Requires Daqarta v2.10 or later. (This driver is included in the above DQA-SB16.ZIP package.)
The following drivers presently use only the board's built-in FM synthesizer for signal generation... they do not work with STIM3A.
All require Daqarta v2.00 or later.
  • ESS driver (for ES1868, etc):

  • Sound Blaster Pro (8-bit) driver:

  • 8-bit Sound Blaster driver (for DSP version 2.xx):

  • Thunder Board driver:

  • Don't see your favorite sound card here? Contact us with the model name and we'll provide driver recommendations.

Drivers for Laboratory-Type Boards:

You can view the Help system for any of these boards before downloading.
All of these drivers will work with STIM3A for signal generation.
Each .ZIP file includes .ADC driver and .HLP Help system.
All require Daqarta v2.00 or later.
  • DAS-16 family driver now supports 41 different DAS16-family data acquisition boards from Keithley Metrabyte, Measurement Computing (ComputerBoards), CyberResearch, and Apex Embedded Systems, including 6 different PC/104 models for embedded systems:

  • DT2821-series driver:
    The original Data Translation high-performance pioneer, includes support for DT2821, DT2823, DT2824, DT2825, DT2827, DT2828, DT2829, DT21-EZ, DT23-EZ, and DT24-EZ models. Daqarta is the only system to allow simultaneous high-speed acquisition and stereo signal generation with these boards... even Data Translation can't do this!

  • DAS-20 driver:
    The Keithley Metrabyte high-performance legacy classic.

  • DAS-8 family driver (including clones except /JR):

  • CIO-DAS08/Jr and CYDAS 8JR family driver
    (including 16-bit and AO versions):

  • LPTX driver:
    Data acquisition / stimulus generation with a standard LPT printer port, using simple hardware you can build yourself... from just a few resistors, to a small multi-chip circuit board. Includes theory, design, and general printed circuit fabrication instructions. Perfect for classroom use!
    • Download LPTX.ZIP (79 Kbytes)
    • Browse LPTX Help
    • Schematics and printed circuit layouts for simultaneous ADC / DAC (MUX) design can be downloaded for direct output to your choice of printers.

  • Don't see your favorite data acquisition board here? Contact us with the model name and we'll provide driver recommendations.

Attenuator Drivers:

These drivers allow control of separate attenuator systems, especially useful for controlling stimulus output from laboratory-type boards, which have no on-board attenuators. Use the ATN-SB16 for new systems, or the TDT1 or WILSONIC for systems that already have those devices.
  • Sound Blaster SB16/32/64 Attenuator Driver:
    Use an SB16-family sound card as an outstanding wide-bandwidth stand-alone attenuator. Works with STIM3A to provide 0.01 dB resolution.
    Requires Daqarta v2.10 or later.
    For ISA-bus cards only... PCI not supported.

  • Tucker-Davis PA3 Programmable Attenuator:
    For systems using the IM3 Interface Module (System 1 only). Requires a separate 8255-type parallel port for control. Controls up to 4 PA3 modules.
    For legacy systems only.

  • Wilsonics PATT Programmable Attenuator:
    For systems using either direct parallel control or GPBA (General Purpose Bus Adaptor) interface. Requires a separate 8255-type parallel port for control. With GPBA, controls up to 4 PATT modules.
    For legacy systems only.

Legacy DOS Utilities:

These "stand-alone" utilities may be used without Daqarta.
All are free.
  • DRV_TEST.EXE (3 Kbytes) checks your primary hard drive for addressability by the special DDISK13A driver. The test consists of moving the heads ("seek" command) to 64 different locations across the drive, selected to use different combinations of Cylinder, Head, and Sector values. It then reads the hardware registers to see if the actual values agree with the requested values. It also reports Cylinder, Head, and Sector numbers, total sectors, and translation mode in use. DDISK13A does these same tests itself when it loads, but it only uses 16 locations for speed. Unlike DRV_TEST, DDISK13A rejects drives that use INT 13h Extensions. DRV_TEST tests these drives, but only seeks over the first 8.4 GB even on larger drives. Note that DDISK13A is only needed for DDisk writes on non-DMA (lab-type) boards, not sound cards.

  • Y2KURE.ZIP (15 Kbytes) cures Year 2000 problems with any BIOS, including the "incurable" Award v4.50 series. Complete with Y2KURE.SYS driver, Y2KURE.DOC text file explaining problems and how Y2Kure solves them, plus special DATE-Y2K utility. Works with any DOS system, including Windows 3.x and 9x.

  • SYSTEST.ZIP version 2.01 (10 Kbytes) reports CPU type and speed, and measures memory, video, and I/O timing. Shows DOS program start address, memory end, BIOS date, various CPU flags, Advanced Power Management status if present, and SMARTDRV version and status. Includes SYSTEST.DOC text file explaining all features and options.

  • REBOOT.EXE (only 15 bytes!) is a tiny utility to reboot your system from a batch file. Complete instructions for using this as part of a dual-boot batch file are given in the Network Incompatibility section.

  • LOGOZOOM.EXE (2 Kbytes) is Daqarta's start-up "logo-ship" action sequence. Doesn't really do anything useful, just looks cool... and provides a quick test to see if your monitor and graphics system will work with Daqarta. (You need EGA or better.)
    A single-digit 'seconds' parameter adds a delay before the action starts, allowing for monitors with slow video mode changes.

  • LTEST.EXE (0.2 Kbytes) reports on free LPT addresses for use when adding a printer port to your system.

  • SBCHECK.EXE version 3.00 (2.7 Kbytes) determines Sound Blaster and clone compatibility with Daqarta .ADC drivers. Identifies Creative Labs Sound Blaster models by DSP version, plus CT417x ViBRA / WavEffects enhanced features. Also identifies ESS models and Media Vision Thunder Board. Now reads BLASTER environment string to get address, if not given on invocation.

  • VID.EXE (1.8 Kbytes) reports assorted information about your video system.

  • XKBD.EXE (0.9 Kbytes) allows setting keyboard response delay and repeat speed on AT-class machines and beyond.

  • KEYCODE.EXE (0.7 Kbytes) allows viewing keycodes returned by keyboard hardware or BIOS. For software developers or the simply curious. Works with XP or Vista, as well as real-mode DOS.
    NOTE: Win9x users should use "Start - Shutdown - Restart in MS-DOS mode" to get to real-mode DOS, rather than an ordinary "DOS prompt".
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