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Re: Reccomended Computer Interface Systems



I second the comments of Joe Darling. Both are very good systems. I chose
Vernier for many of the reasons already quoted. I also chose MPLI which has
several advantages over the ULI. Faster collection rates is one but the
user interface for the MPLI is better. I also believe that there is more
versatility with the number and type of probes that can be simultaneously in
use with the MPLI vs the ULI. I know of two areas in which the ULI is
preferable. One is the ability to handle digital inputs. The other is that
the ULI connects to the computer through a parallel (?) port whereas the
MPLI is resides on an installed board in the computer. The installed board
makes it faster but it also makes it more difficult to take from computer to
computer.

At 03:06 PM 3/5/98 -0600, you wrote:
I choose the Vernier ULI systems. Both Vernier and Pasco are excellant
companies to do business with, although you definitely have the feeling
that you are dealing one on one with Vernier.

One consideration that I agonized over was whether I should go with the
Vernier ULI system, which supported a radiation moniter, versus the
Vernier MPLI system which allows for a higher rate of data collection,
75,000 /s versus 11,000 /s. I went with the ULI and the radiation
moniter, which has been used in chemistry classes as well as physics. I
am still in the implimentations stages but we have done some fabulous
dynamics experiments and have yet to run into a data collection rate
problem. However, when I was asking around about this decision, there
were others who definately thought the higher data collection rate was
more important in the long run.

Perhaps others will comment along these lines.

Joe D. Darling jdarling@emh1.otc.cc.mo.us
Instructor of Physics and Physical Science
Ozarks Technical Community College
1020 East Brower Springfield, MO 65802
(417) 895-7907 (417) 895-7085 FAX

On Wed, 4 Mar 1998, Dan Finkenthal wrote:

I need advice on choosing a computer-based laboratory interface system.
I've narrowed the field to PASCO science workshop or VERNIER ULI systems.
Both seem quite capable, which makes actually committing to one or the
other difficult. (I've got a one-time opportunity to purchase six systems)

Does anybody have any experiences that would lead them to choose one over
the other?

Thanks in advance

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Jim Riley
Department of Physics
Drury College
Springfield Missouri 65802
(417) 873 7233
e-mail: jriley@lib.drury.edu
fax: (417) 873 7432