Fermilab Fast Parallel Readout System for Data Acquisition

Three modules have recently been developed at Fermilab to provide high speed parallel readout of data for high energy physics experiments. This paper describes how these modules provide a fast and efficient method for transferring CAMAC event data into VME-based or FASTBUS-based memories, thus enhancing and extending the usefulness of experiments' large investments in CAMAC hardware. Using these modules can decrease the dead time of an experiment by up to a factor of 10. This paper includes a discussion of the experiment topologies In which these modules are being used.