void updateChannelData(){
  byte inByte;
  int byteCounter = 0; 
  int numChan = 4;  //assume 4 channel.  If needed, it automatically changes to 16 automatically in a later block.
  long stat_1[1];

  channelData[4] = 0;
  
if(digitalRead(ADS_DRDY) == LOW){ 
  digitalWrite(CS_ADS, LOW);        //  open SPI
  
  // READ CHANNEL DATA FROM FIRST ADS
  for(int i=0; i<1; i++){     //  read 3 byte status register from ADS 1 (1100+LOFF_STATP+LOFF_STATN+GPIO[7:4])
    inByte = SPI.transfer(0x00);
    stat_1[i] = (stat_1[i]<<8) | inByte;        
  }
  
  for(int i = 0; i < numChan; i++){
    for(int j=0; j < 3; j++){   //  read 24 bits of channel data from 1st ADS in 8 3 byte chunks
      inByte = SPI.transfer(0x00);    
      channelData[i] = (channelData[i]<<8) | inByte;    // Int data array
    }

  }  
  digitalWrite(CS_ADS, HIGH);       //  close SPI
 
  //reformat the numbers
  for(int i = 0; i < numChan; i++){
    if(((channelData[i] & 0x800000) >> 23) == 1){
      channelData[i] = channelData[i] - 2^24;
      channelData[i] |= 0xFF000000;
      ads[i] = channelData[i];
      }else{
        channelData[i] &= 0x00FFFFFF;
        ads[i] = channelData[i];
        }   
    }

for(int i = 0; i < 1; i++){
    if(bitRead(stat_1[i],23) == 1){  
    stat_1[i] |= 0xFF000000;
      } else{
    stat_1[i] &= 0x00FFFFFF;
      }   
   Serial.println(stat_1[i], HEX);
    }
  printChannelData();
  }
}


 // ------------------------------- Print Channel Data -------------------------------------
  
void printChannelData(){
//  Serial.println(" ");

 for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++){  

//  Serial.println(channelData[i],HEX);
//  Serial.println(channelData[i],DEC);
  Serial.println(ads[i]*((2*4.5/24)/(2^23 - 1)),DEC);
    }  
  Serial.println(); 
}