Using high level software packages for controlling a network based detector system

Modern detector systems use networks for data acquisition and experimental control. Often they have to be controlled by software that can be quite complex in itself. Experimental control and analysis software packages like Matlab and LabVIEW offer high-level modules for rapid development. Both packages are able to operate on standard networks provided a suitable protocol for network communication is chosen. However, the two packages tend to overlap to some degree and it isn't always clear which package, if any of them, is best suited for a specific project. We have studied these issues while developing diagnostic software for a decentralized detector system in an in-house developed SPECT camera. We have compared a Matlab and a Labview approach with each other and with a similar system developed in Java. We will discuss our conclusions about each package's suitability in our applications, including issues such as ease of use, performance and use of resources.