Feature #1177
openTask #1168: Generalize Detector Decode methods
Task #1187: v1.8 Decoder improvements
Support firmware v3 in FADC250Module
Description
Implement the v3 firmware specification in the FADC250Module decoder. Firmware documentation can be found at https://coda.jlab.org/drupal/content/vme-payload-modules, specifically the v3 specs here https://coda.jlab.org/drupal/system/files/pdfs/HardwareManual/fADC250-V3/FADC250V3_Firmware_ver_4100_Description_Instructions.pdf.
Simona may have test data available. Otherwise, we fly blind until such data arrive.
Updated by Ole Hansen 14 days ago
- % Done changed from 0 to 50
Based on the documentation of the v3 firmware, it looks like there are no changes to the data types and data format compared to v2. Lasitha did a thorough comparison of the documented data format and confirms that they appear identical at the bit level. As a result, our current FADC250Module decoder should work just fine without any changes. So that was easy—hopefully.
One change of v3 vs. the "original" version of v2, which SBS was using and which is probably programmed into all our current FADC250 modules, is that v3 only documents support for operation in "mode 9" (pulse parameters) and "mode 10" (window raw data + pulse parameters). SBS was using "mode 7" extensively. It is not completely clear to me at this point, but likely, that v3 no longer supports mode 7 at all. Meanwhile, the "original v2" does not support mode 9. If this is right, then the DAQ will need to be switched to mode 9 once the modules are upgraded, or nothing will work. I'll talk to the DAQ folks about it.
We should still do testing with v3 data once available.