Dear PIC.ers,
This is a little off-topic, but I think it will be of interest to a lot of
us, if only for reference.
..
A client of mine wants to chart the progress of a laboratory
stress/strain test, for materials QA purposes.
Initially, he thought an analogue X/Y plotter would be appropriate,
till he found what that would cost these days. Obsolete approach,  etc.
Sensibly, he now opts to use a redundant PC (XT or AT) and the 8-bit
analogue game port available on many cheap combo cards.
I agreed whole-heartedly with him, and have elected to wire up his
transducers, head amps., etc., and program the whole shooting match.
..
Problem:  I'm darned if I can find technical data on these ports, in
my shelf literature, or on the 'net.
There's no shortage of vendors for them, just a lack of those that will
give you  enough data on how to use them for anything other than
pluggin' them in to run games & the like.
I don't know what speed they run at, what signal input ranges they
work over, software register sets, or anything useful for that matter.
                   Indeed, I am the ignorant one today.
Has anyone got a handy site that can answer this type of query?
..
BTW, I do use PICs, for other things - just can't seem to find a way
to shoehorn them into this job.

John S.
email from John Sanderson   /   JS Controls, Boksburg, RSA
Manufacturer & purveyor of laboratory force testing apparatus
and related products and services.
Tel/fax: Johannesburg 893 4154    Cellphone 082 453 4815