@Doctorandus_P + @Matje + @nightfire I see in the lxi-tools linux GUI that there is a tab for SCPI keyboard commands... What is the difference between SCPI and LXI interfaces? LXI includes SCPI and all LXI devices are SCPI but not all SCPI devices are LXI-enabled?
SCPI and LXI are different but related things.
SCPI is a set of standard commands for all sorts of programmable devices, like PSUs, oscilloscopes, signal generators etc. Historically this was used over GPIB bus or RS232, but nowadays also can work over USB or Ethernet.
LXI is a standard for controling devices over LAN, i.e. Ethernet. It does in itself not specify SCPI commands be used AFAIK but many devices supporting LXI also support SCPI commands via some standard TCP port, meaning in a pinch you can control your device with telnet and writing a program for it is very simple.
Wikipedia has more info about all this stuff.
- I wonder if it won't be "less real-time" via web than via a software
- I'm not sure I can find any high-end web-enabled device for a price under 200$
Well, web will be less real time usually, but depending on the use case this might not matter.
As for the prices, sorry, all instruments sporting SCPI, LXI and so on fall more on the "high end" side of things and so are more expensive than simpler devices. Especially true for PSUs, since a simple (perfectly usable) PSU doesn't need a microcontroller, Ethernet port and a not quite trivial chunk of software, a remotely controllable one however does - which increases costs.