Heim Data Systems, Inc., a leading supplier of data acquisition equipment, introduces a new version of the D5000 Series specifically targeting applications requiring compatibility with the IRIG106 Chapter10 standard. This recently introduced standard defines the data formatting, control interfaces and media directories of airborne data acquisition systems such as flight test recorders. Designed to be extremely compact, lightweight, and rugged, the economical single-box D5000 Series systems can now be utilized for PCM telemetry, avionics bus and sensor data acquisition in applications requiring compliance.

With modular signal interfacing and interchangeable media cartridges, the D5000 Series provides highly flexible, COTS solutions that can easily adapt to the changing requirements of airborne applications. With up to 256 Mbit/s total system data rate, and available with hard drive or solid state media, the cartridges have front mounted IEEE-1394b interfaces allowing rapid post mission verification and download of data. These interfaces allow direct connection between the media cartridge and local or remote ground support equipment, with or without removing the cartridge from the D5000 system. Media can be exchanged in seconds, permitting rapid download and turnaround of recording assets with excellent support and security capability. Secure erasure of solid state media is available in line with the standard's requirements. The cartridges also have a high speed SCSI interface that provides output to other Heim IRIG106 Chapter 10 compatible data download and analog replay systems that are fitted with media cartridge receivers. Such systems provide full reconstruction of the original data and digital data transfer as required on the ground.

The D5000 mainframe has three signal module slots that can accommodate any combination of the existing and future D Series signal interface modules, including Analog, MIL 1553, PCM, ARINC429, Ethernet, Voice, Serial, Parallel, Video and others. The D5000 range is further enhanced with new high channel capacity signal modules that can be configured with up to 75 channels in a single mainframe. The user has permanent access to configuration and control functions through front panel controls. The serial remote control and discrete contact interfaces have IRIG106 Chapter 10 compliant protocol and physical connection layout, ensuring that the D5000 can be quickly and reliably connected to compliant ground station systems for configuration, data transfer and media maintenance.

The IRIG106 Chapter 10 standard packet recording system ensures accurate time tagging and consistent channel-to-channel phase relationships. The D5000 Series is complete with integral IRIG time code reader/generator, and can also synchronize to external IRIG and GPS time sources. An external time reference from ground equipment can be uploaded to an independent media cartridge and then transferred to the mainframe when that cartridge is subsequently installed in the mainframe.

The D5000 Series will provide a digital recording replacement for both legacy tape-based video and avionics data acquisition systems, combining both functions into an economical single box solution with greatly enhanced management and correlation of the data during analysis in an IRIG106 Chapter 10 environment.