DAQ PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

PCI-MIO E Series

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User Manual

Multifunction I/O Boards for

PCI Bus Computers

© Copyright 1995, 1997 National Instruments Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

January 1997 Edition

Part Number 320945B-01

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U.K. 01635 523545

National Instruments Corporate Headquarters

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Important Information

Warranty

The PCI-MIO E Series boards are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year
from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option,
repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and
labor.

The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming
instructions, due to defects in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced
by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do
not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects during the warranty
period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free.

A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside
of the package before any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping
costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by warranty.

National Instruments believes that the information in this manual is accurate. The document has been carefully
reviewed for technical accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves
the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The
reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National Instruments be liable for
any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.

XCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN

E

SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

USTOMER’S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL

C

NSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER

I

WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF

Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action, whether in contract or tort, including negligence. Any action
against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments
shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided
herein does not cover damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the
National Instruments installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product;
owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire, flood, accident, actions of third parties, or
other events outside reasonable control.

ATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND

, N

.

ATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

. N

. This limitation of the liability of National

Copyright

Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part,
without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation.

Trademarks

LabVIEW®, NI-DAQ®, RTSI®, ComponentWorks™, CVI™, DAQ-STC™, MITE™, NI-PGIA™, SCXI™, and
VirtualBench™ are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation.

Product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

WARNING REGARDING MEDICAL AND CLINICAL USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS

National Instruments products are not designed with components and testing intended to ensure a level of reliability
suitable for use in treatment and diagnosis of humans. Applications of National Instruments products involving
medical or clinical treatment can create a potential for accidental injury caused by product failure, or by errors on the
part of the user or application designer. Any use or application of National Instruments products for or involving
medical or clinical treatment must be performed by properly trained and qualified medical personnel, and all traditional
medical safeguards, equipment, and procedures that are appropriate in the particular situation to prevent serious injury
or death should always continue to be used when National Instruments products are being used. National Instruments
products are NOT intended to be a substitute for any form of established process, procedure, or equipment used to
monitor or safeguard human health and safety in medical or clinical treatment.

About This Manual

Organization of This Manual........................................................................................xi

Conventions Used in This Manual................................................................................xii

National Instruments Documentation...........................................................................xiii

Related Documentation.................................................................................................xiv

Customer Communication............................................................................................xiv

Chapter 1
Introduction

About the PCI-MIO E Series........................................................................................1-1

What You Need to Get Started .....................................................................................1-2

Software Programming Choices...................................................................................1-3

National Instruments Application Software...................................................1-3

NI-DAQ Driver Software...............................................................................1-4

Register-Level Programming .........................................................................1-5

Optional Equipment......................................................................................................1-6

Custom Cabling ............................................................................................................1-6

Unpacking.....................................................................................................................1-7

Table

of

Contents

Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration

Software Installation.....................................................................................................2-1

Hardware Installation....................................................................................................2-1

Board Configuration .....................................................................................................2-2

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National Instruments Corporation v PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Table of Contents

Chapter 3
Hardware Overview

Analog Input.................................................................................................................3-3

Input Mode.....................................................................................................3-3

Input Polarity and Input Range...................................................................... 3-4

Dither ............................................................................................................. 3-8

Multichannel Scanning Considerations ......................................................... 3-9

Analog Output.............................................................................................................. 3-11

Analog Output Reference Selection............................................................... 3-11

Analog Output Polarity Selection .................................................................. 3-11

Analog Output Reglitch Selection ................................................................. 3-12

Analog Trigger ............................................................................................................. 3-13

Digital I/O..................................................................................................................... 3-16

Timing Signal Routing................................................................................................. 3-16

Programmable Function Inputs...................................................................... 3-17

Board and RTSI Clocks ................................................................................. 3-18

RTSI Triggers ................................................................................................ 3-18

Chapter 4
Signal Connections

I/O Connector............................................................................................................... 4-1

I/O Connector Signal Descriptions ................................................................ 4-3

Analog Input Signal Connections................................................................................. 4-11

Types of Signal Sources............................................................................................... 4-13

Floating Signal Sources ................................................................................. 4-13

Ground-Referenced Signal Sources............................................................... 4-13

Input Configurations..................................................................................................... 4-13

Differential Connection Considerations (DIFF Input Configuration) ........... 4-15

Single-Ended Connection Considerations ..................................................... 4-18

Common-Mode Signal Rejection Considerations.......................................... 4-21

Analog Output Signal Connections.............................................................................. 4-22

Digital I/O Signal Connections .................................................................................... 4-23

Considerations for Selecting Input Ranges...................................... 3-7

Differential Connections for Ground-Referenced Signal

Sources.......................................................................................... 4-16

Differential Connections for Nonreferenced or Floating

Signal Sources............................................................................... 4-17

Single-Ended Connections for Floating Signal Sources

(RSE Configuration)..................................................................... 4-20

Single-Ended Connections for Grounded Signal Sources

(NRSE Configuration).................................................................. 4-20

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual vi

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Table of Contents

Power Connections .......................................................................................................4-25

Timing Connections......................................................................................................4-25

Programmable Function Input Connections...................................................4-26

DAQ Timing Connections..............................................................................4-27

SCANCLK Signal............................................................................4-28

EXTSTROBE* Signal .....................................................................4-29

TRIG1 Signal...................................................................................4-29

TRIG2 Signal...................................................................................4-31

STARTSCAN Signal.......................................................................4-32

CONVERT* Signal..........................................................................4-34

AIGATE Signal................................................................................4-36

SISOURCE Signal...........................................................................4-36

Waveform Generation Timing Connections ..................................................4-37

WFTRIG Signal...............................................................................4-37

UPDATE* Signal.............................................................................4-38

UISOURCE Signal ..........................................................................4-40

General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections ................................................4-40

GPCTR0_SOURCE Signal..............................................................4-41

GPCTR0_GATE Signal...................................................................4-42

GPCTR0_OUT Signal .....................................................................4-42

GPCTR0_UP_DOWN Signal..........................................................4-43

GPCTR1_SOURCE Signal..............................................................4-43

GPCTR1_GATE Signal...................................................................4-44

GPCTR1_OUT Signal .....................................................................4-45

GPCTR1_UP_DOWN Signal..........................................................4-46

FREQ_OUT Signal..........................................................................4-47

Field Wiring Considerations.........................................................................................4-48

Chapter 5
Calibration

Loading Calibration Constants .....................................................................................5-1

Self-Calibration.............................................................................................................5-2

External Calibration......................................................................................................5-2

Other Considerations ....................................................................................................5-3

Appendix A
Specifications

Appendix B
Optional Cable Connector Descriptions

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National Instruments Corporation vii PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Table of Contents

Appendix C
Common Questions

Appendix D
Customer Communication

Glossary
Index
Figures

Figure 1-1. The Relationship between the Programming Environment,

NI-DAQ, and Your Hardware............................................................... 1-5

Figure 3-1. PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4 Block Diagram.........................3-1

Figure 3-2. PCI-MIO-16XE-10 Block Diagram...................................................... 3-2

Figure 3-3. PCI-MIO-16XE-50 Block Diagram...................................................... 3-3

Figure 3-4. Dither.....................................................................................................3-9

Figure 3-5. Analog Trigger Block Diagram............................................................. 3-13

Figure 3-6. Below-Low-Level Analog Triggering Mode ........................................ 3-14

Figure 3-7. Above-High-Level Analog Triggering Mode ....................................... 3-14

Figure 3-8. Inside-Region Analog Triggering Mode............................................... 3-15

Figure 3-9. High-Hysteresis Analog Triggering Mode............................................3-15

Figure 3-10. Low-Hysteresis Analog Triggering Mode............................................. 3-15

Figure 3-11. CONVERT* Signal Routing................................................................. 3-17

Figure 3-12. RTSI Bus Signal Connection................................................................. 3-19

Figure 4-1. I/O Connector Pin Assignment for the PCI-MIO E Series Boards....... 4-2

Figure 4-2. PCI-MIO E Series PGIA....................................................................... 4-12

Figure 4-3. Summary of Analog Input Connections................................................ 4-14

Figure 4-4. Differential Input Connections for Ground-Referenced Signals...........4-16

Figure 4-5. Differential Input Connections for Nonreferenced Signals...................4-17

Figure 4-6. Single-Ended Input Connections for Nonreferenced or

Floating Signals..................................................................................... 4-20

Figure 4-7. Single-Ended Input Connections for Ground-Referenced Signals........ 4-21

Figure 4-8. Analog Output Connections.................................................................. 4-23

Figure 4-9. Digital I/O Connections......................................................................... 4-24

Figure 4-10. Timing I/O Connections........................................................................ 4-26

Figure 4-11. Typical Posttriggered Acquisition.........................................................4-27

Figure 4-12. Typical Pretriggered Acquisition .......................................................... 4-28

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual viii

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Table of Contents

Figure 4-13. SCANCLK Signal Timing.....................................................................4-28

Figure 4-14. EXTSTROBE* Signal Timing ..............................................................4-29

Figure 4-15. TRIG1 Input Signal Timing...................................................................4-30

Figure 4-16. TRIG1 Output Signal Timing................................................................4-30

Figure 4-17. TRIG2 Input Signal Timing...................................................................4-31

Figure 4-18. TRIG2 Output Signal Timing................................................................4-32

Figure 4-19. STARTSCAN Input Signal Timing.......................................................4-33

Figure 4-20. STARTSCAN Output Signal Timing....................................................4-33

Figure 4-21. CONVERT* Input Signal Timing.........................................................4-35

Figure 4-22. CONVERT* Output Signal Timing ......................................................4-35

Figure 4-23. SISOURCE Signal Timing....................................................................4-37

Figure 4-24. WFTRIG Input Signal Timing...............................................................4-38

Figure 4-25. WFTRIG Output Signal Timing............................................................4-38

Figure 4-26. UPDATE* Input Signal Timing ............................................................4-39

Figure 4-27. UPDATE* Output Signal Timing..........................................................4-39

Figure 4-28. UISOURCE Signal Timing ...................................................................4-40

Figure 4-29. GPCTR0_SOURCE Signal Timing.......................................................4-41

Figure 4-30. GPCTR0_GATE Signal Timing in Edge-Detection Mode ...................4-42

Figure 4-31. GPCTR0_OUT Signal Timing ..............................................................4-43

Figure 4-32. GPCTR1_SOURCE Signal Timing.......................................................4-44

Figure 4-33. GPCTR1_GATE Signal Timing in Edge-Detection Mode ...................4-45

Figure 4-34. GPCTR1_OUT Signal Timing ..............................................................4-45

Figure 4-35. GPCTR Timing Summary .....................................................................4-46

Figure B-1. 68-Pin MIO Connector Pin Assignments ..............................................B-2

Figure B-2. 50-Pin MIO Connector Pin Assignments ..............................................B-3

Tables

Table 3-1. Available Input Configurations for the PCI-MIO E Series ...................3-4

Table 3-2. Actual Range and Measurement Precision,

PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4...................................................3-5

Table 3-3. Actual Range and Measurement Precision,

PCI-MIO-16XE-10 and PCI-MIO-16XE-50.........................................3-7

Table 4-1. I/O Signal Summary, PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4................4-6

Table 4-2. I/O Signal Summary, PCI-MIO-16XE-10.............................................4-7

Table 4-3. I/O Signal Summary, PCI-MIO-16XE-50.............................................4-9

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National Instruments Corporation ix PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

About

This

Manual

This manual describes the electrical and mechanical aspects of each
board in the PCI-MIO E Series product line and contains information
concerning their operation and programming. Unless otherwise noted,
text applies to all boards in the PCI-MIO E Series.

The PCI-MIO E Series includes the following boards:

• PCI-MIO-16E-1

• PCI-MIO-16E-4

• PCI-MIO-16XE-10

• PCI-MIO-16XE-50
The PCI-MIO E Series boards are high-performance multifunction

analog, digital, and timing I/O boards for PCI bus computers. Supported
functions include analog input, analog output, digital I/O, and timing
I/O.

Organization of This Manual

The

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

• Chapter 1,
lists what you need to get started, describes the optional software
and optional equipment, and explains how to unpack your
PCI-MIO E Series board.

• Chapter 2,
and configure your PCI-MIO E Series board.

• Chapter 3,
hardware functions on your PCI-MIO E Series board.

• Chapter 4, Signal Connections
output signal connections to your PCI-MIO E Series board via the
board I/O connector.

• Chapter 5,
your PCI-MIO E Series board.

©

National Instruments Corporation xi PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Introduction

Installation and Configuration

Hardware Overview

Calibration

, describes the PCI-MIO E Series boards,

, discusses the calibration procedures for

is organized as follows:

, explains how to install

, presents an overview of the

, describes how to make input and

About This Manual

• Appendix A,
PCI-MIO E Series board.

• Appendix B,
connectors on the optional cables for the PCI-MIO E Series boards.

• Appendix C,
questions and their answers relating to usage and special features
of your PCI-MIO E Series board.

• Appendix D,
to request help from National Instruments or to comment on our
products.

• The

• The

Glossary

used in this manual, including acronyms, abbreviations, definitions
metric prefixes, mnemonics, and symbols.

Index

including the page where you can find the topic.

Specifications

Optional Cable Connector Descriptions

Common Questions

Customer Communication

contains an alphabetical list and description of terms

alphabetically lists topics covered in this manual,

, lists the specifications of each

, describes the

, contains a list of commonly asked

, contains forms you can use

Conventions Used in This Manual

The following conventions are used in this manual.

bold

bold italic

italic

Macintosh Macintosh refers to all Macintosh computers with PCI bus, unless

monospace

NI-DAQ NI-DAQ refers to the NI-DAQ driver software for Macintosh or

PC Refers to all PC AT series computers with PCI bus unless otherwise

Bold text denotes parameters.
Bold italic text denotes a note, caution, or warning.
Italic text denotes emphasis on a specific board in the PCI-MIO E Series

or on other important information, a cross reference, or an introduction
to a key concept.

otherwise noted.
Text in this font denotes text or characters that are to be literally input

from the keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and
syntax examples. This font is also used for the proper names of disk
drives, paths, directories, programs, subprograms, subroutines, device
names, functions, variables, file names, and extensions, and for
statements and comments taken from program code.

PC compatible computers unless otherwise noted.

noted.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual xii

©

National Instruments Corporation

About This Manual

SCXI SCXI stands for Signal Conditioning eXtensions for Instrumentation

and is a National Instruments product line designed to perform
front-end signal conditioning for National Instruments plug-in DAQ
boards.

♦ The ♦ indicates that the text following it applies only to specific

PCI-MIO E Series boards.

< > Angle brackets containing numbers separated by an ellipsis represent a

range of values associated with a bit, port, or signal name (for example,
ACH<0..7> stands for ACH0 through ACH7).

Abbreviations, acronyms, definitions, metric prefixes, mnemonics,
symbols, and terms are listed in the Glossary at the end of this manual.

National Instruments Documentation

The PCI-MIO E Series User Manual is one piece of the documentation
set for your DAQ system. You could have any of several types of
manuals depending on the hardware and software in your system. Use
the manuals you have as follows:

• Getting Started with SCXI—If you are using SCXI, this is the first
manual you should read. It gives an overview of the SCXI system
and contains the most commonly needed information for the
modules, chassis, and software.

• Your SCXI hardware user manuals—If you are using SCXI, read
these manuals next for detailed information about signal
connections and module configuration. They also explain in greater
detail how the module works and contain application hints.

• Your DAQ hardware documentation—This documentation has
detailed information about the DAQ hardware that plugs into or is
connected to your computer. Use this documentation for hardware
installation and configuration instructions, specification
information about your DAQ hardware, and application hints.

• Software documentation—You may have both application software
and NI-DAQ software documentation. National Instruments
application software includes ComponentWorks, LabVIEW,
LabWindows®/CVI, Measure, and VirtualBench. After you set up
your hardware system, use either your application software
documentation or the NI-DAQ documentation to help you write
your application. If you have a large, complicated system, it is

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National Instruments Corporation xiii PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

About This Manual

worthwhile to look through the software documentation before you
configure your hardware.

• Accessory installation guides or manuals—If you are using
accessory products, read the terminal block and cable assembly
installation guides. They explain how to physically connect the
relevant pieces of the system. Consult these guides when you are
making your connections.

• SCXI Chassis Manual—If you are using SCXI, read this manual for
maintenance information on the chassis and installation
instructions.

Related Documentation

The following documents contain information you may find helpful:

• DAQ-STC Technical Reference Manual

• National Instruments Application Note 025, Field Wiring and Noise
Considerations for Analog Signals

• PCI Local Bus Specification Revision 2.0

The following National Instruments manual contains detailed
information for the register-level programmer:

• PCI-MIO E Series Register-Level Programmer Manual

This manual is available from National Instruments by request.
You should not need the register-level programmer manual if you
are using National Instruments driver or application software.
Using NI-DAQ, ComponentWorks, LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI,
Measure, or VirtualBench software is easier than the low-level
programming described in the register-level programmer manual.

Customer Communication

National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products
and manuals. We are interested in the applications you develop with our
products, and we want to help if you have problems with them. To make
it easy for you to contact us, this manual contains comment and
configuration forms for you to complete. These forms are in
Appendix D, Customer Communication, at the end of this manual.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual xiv

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National Instruments Corporation

Chapter

Introduction

This chapter describes the PCI-MIO E Series boards, lists what you
need to get started, describes the optional software and optional
equipment, and explains how to unpack your PCI-MIO E Series board.

About the PCI-MIO E Series

Thank you for buying a National Instruments PCI-MIO E Series board.
The PCI-MIO E Series boards are completely Plug and Play,
multifunction analog, digital, and timing I/O boards for PCI bus
computers. This family of boards features 12-bit and 16-bit ADCs with
16 analog inputs, 12-bit and 16-bit DACs with voltage outputs, eight
lines of TTL-compatible digital I/O, and two 24-bit counter/timers for
timing I/O. Because the PCI-MIO E Series boards have no DIP
switches, jumpers, or potentiometers, they are easily software­configured and calibrated.

The PCI-MIO E Series boards are completely switchless and jumperless
data acquisition (DAQ) boards for the PCI bus. This feature is made
possible by the National Instruments MITE bus interface chip that
connects the board to the PCI I/O bus. The MITE implements the PCI
Local Bus Specification so that the interrupts and base memory
addresses are all software configured.

1

The PCI-MIO E Series boards use the National Instruments DAQ-STC
system timing controller for time-related functions. The DAQ-STC
consists of three timing groups that control analog input, analog output,
and general-purpose counter/timer functions. These groups include a
total of seven 24-bit and three 16-bit counters and a maximum timing
resolution of 50 ns. The DAQ-STC makes possible such applications as
buffered pulse generation, equivalent time sampling, and seamlessly
changing the sampling rate.

Often with DAQ boards, you cannot easily synchronize several
measurement functions to a common trigger or timing event. The
PCI-MIO E Series boards have the Real-Time System Integration
(RTSI) bus to solve this problem. The RTSI bus consists of our RTSI

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National Instruments Corporation 1-1 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

bus interface and a ribbon cable to route timing and trigger signals
between several functions on as many as five DAQ boards in your
computer.

The PCI-MIO E Series boards can interface to an SCXI system so that
you can acquire over 3,000 analog signals from thermocouples, RTDs,
strain gauges, voltage sources, and current sources. You can also
acquire or generate digital signals for communication and control.
SCXI is the instrumentation front end for plug-in DAQ boards.

Detailed specifications of the PCI-MIO E Series boards are in
Appendix A, Specifications.

What You Need to Get Started

To set up and use your PCI-MIO E Series board, you will need the
following:

❑ One of the following boards:

PCI-MIO-16E-1
PCI-MIO-16E-4
PCI-MIO-16XE-10
PCI-MIO-16XE-50

❑ PCI-MIO E Series User Manual
❑ One of the following software packages and documentation:

ComponentWorks
LabVIEW for Macintosh
LabVIEW for Windows
LabWindows/CVI for Windows
Measure
NI-DAQ for Macintosh
NI-DAQ for PC Compatibles
VirtualBench

1

1

❑ Your computer

1. Please note that only the PCI-MIO-16XE-50 is currently supported on the Macintosh.
Please contact National Instruments for information on Macintosh support for the other
boards in the PCI-MIO E Series.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 1-2

©

National Instruments Corporation

Software Programming Choices

You have several options to choose from when programming your
National Instruments DAQ and SCXI hardware. You can use National
Instruments application software, NI-DAQ, or register-level
programming.

National Instruments Application Software

ComponentWorks contains tools for data acquisition and instrument
control built on NI-DAQ driver software. ComponentWorks provides a
higher-level programming interface for building virtual instruments
through standard OLE controls and DLLs. With ComponentWorks, you
can use all of the configuration tools, resource management utilities,
and interactive control utilities included with NI-DAQ.

LabVIEW features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user
interface, and a powerful graphical programming language. The
LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Library, a series of VIs for using
LabVIEW with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is included with
LabVIEW. The LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Library is functionally
equivalent to NI-DAQ software.

Chapter 1 Introduction

LabWindows/CVI features interactive graphics, state-of-the-art user
interface, and uses the ANSI standard C programming language. The
LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition Library, a series of functions for
using LabWindows/CVI with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is
included with the NI-DAQ software kit. The LabWindows/CVI Data
Acquisition Library is functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

VirtualBench features virtual instruments that combine DAQ products,
software, and your computer to create a stand-alone instrument with the
added benefit of the processing, display, and storage capabilities of
your computer. VirtualBench instruments load and save waveform data
to disk in the same forms that can be used in popular spreadsheet
programs and word processors.

Using ComponentWorks, LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, or
VirtualBench software will greatly reduce the development time for
your data acquisition and control application.

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National Instruments Corporation 1-3 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

NI-DAQ Driver Software

The NI-DAQ driver software is included at no charge with all National
Instruments DAQ hardware. NI-DAQ is not packaged with SCXI or
accessory products, except for the SCXI-1200. NI-DAQ has an
extensive library of functions that you can call from your application
programming environment. These functions include routines for analog
input (A/D conversion), buffered data acquisition (high-speed A/D
conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation
(timed D/A conversion), digital I/O, counter/timer operations, SCXI,
RTSI, self-calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended
memory.

NI-DAQ has both high-level DAQ I/O functions for maximum ease of
use and low-level DAQ I/O functions for maximum flexibility and
performance. Examples of high-level functions are streaming data to
disk or acquiring a certain number of data points. An example of a
low-level function is writing directly to registers on the DAQ device.
NI-DAQ does not sacrifice the performance of National Instruments
DAQ devices because it lets multiple devices operate at their peak.

NI-DAQ also internally addresses many of the complex issues between
the computer and the DAQ hardware such as programming interrupts
and DMA controllers. NI-DAQ maintains a consistent software
interface among its different versions so that you can change platforms
with minimal modifications to your code. Whether you are using
conventional programming languages or National Instruments
application software, your application uses the NI-DAQ driver
software, as illustrated in Figure 1-1.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 1-4

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National Instruments Corporation

Chapter 1 Introduction

Programming Environment

SCXI Hardware

Figure 1-1. The Relationship between the Programming Environment,

Register-Level Programming

The final option for programming any National Instruments DAQ
hardware is to write register-level software. Writing register-level
programming software can be very time-consuming and inefficient, and
is not recommended for most users.

Conventional 




DAQ or

ComponentWorks,

LabWindows/CVI, or

NI-DAQ

Driver Software

NI-DAQ, and Your Hardware



LabVIEW,

VirtualBench



Personal 

Computer or 

Workstation

Even if you are an experienced register-level programmer, using
NI-DAQ or application software to program your National Instruments
DAQ hardware is easier than, and as flexible as, register-level
programming, and can save weeks of development time.

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National Instruments Corporation 1-5 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 1 Introduction

Optional Equipment

National Instruments offers a variety of products to use with your
PCI-MIO E Series board, including cables, connector blocks, and other
accessories, as follows:

• Cables and cable assemblies, shielded and ribbon

• Connector blocks, shielded and unshielded 50 and 68-pin screw
terminals

• Real Time System Integration (RTSI) bus cables

• SCXI modules and accessories for isolating, amplifying, exciting,
and multiplexing signals for relays and analog output. With SCXI
you can condition and acquire up to 3,072 channels.

• Low channel count signal conditioning modules, boards, and
accessories, including conditioning for strain gauges and RTDs,
simultaneous sample and hold, and relays

For more specific information about these products, refer to your
National Instruments catalogue or call the office nearest you.

Custom Cabling

National Instruments offers cables and accessories for you to prototype
your application or to use if you frequently change board
interconnections.

If you want to develop your own cable, however, the following
guidelines may be useful:

• For the analog input signals, shielded twisted-pair wires for each
analog input pair yield the best results, assuming that you use
differential inputs. Tie the shield for each signal pair to the ground
reference at the source.

• You should route the analog lines separately from the digital lines.

• When using a cable shield, use separate shields for the analog and
digital halves of the cable. Failure to do so results in noise coupling
into the analog signals from transient digital signals.

The following list gives recommended part numbers for connectors that
mate to the I/O connector on your PCI-MIO E Series board.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 1-6

©

National Instruments Corporation

Unpacking

Chapter 1 Introduction

Mating connectors and a backshell kit for making custom 68-pin cables
are available from National Instruments (part number 776832-01)

♦ PCI-MIO-16E-1, PCI-MIO-16E-4, PCI-MIO-16XE-10, and the

PCI-MIO-16XE-50
Honda 68-position, solder cup, female connector (part number

PCS-E68FS)
Honda backshell (part number PCS-E68LKPA)

Your PCI-MIO E Series board is shipped in an antistatic package to
prevent electrostatic damage to the board. Electrostatic discharge can
damage several components on the board. To avoid such damage in
handling the board, take the following precautions:

• Ground yourself via a grounding strap or by holding a grounded
object.

• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of your computer
chassis before removing the board from the package.

• Remove the board from the package and inspect the board for loose
components or any other sign of damage. Notify National
Instruments if the board appears damaged in any way. Do not
install a damaged board into your computer.

• Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.

©

National Instruments Corporation 1-7 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Installation and

Chapter

Configuration

This chapter explains how to install and configure your PCI-MIO
E Series board.

Software Installation

Install your software before you install your PCI-MIO E Series board.
Refer to the appropriate release notes indicated below for specific
instructions on the software installation sequence.

If you are using NI-DAQ, refer to your NI-DAQ release notes. Find the
installation section for your operating system and follow the
instructions given there.

If you are using LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, or other National
Instruments application software packages, refer to the appropriate
release notes. After you have installed your application software, refer
to your NI-DAQ release notes and follow the instructions given there
for your operating system and application software package.

2

If you are a register-level programmer, refer to the PCI-MIO E Series
Register-Level Programmer Manual and the DAQ-STC Technical
Reference Manual for software configuration information.

Hardware Installation

You can install a PCI-MIO E Series board in any available expansion
slot in your computer. However, to achieve best noise performance,
leave as much room as possible between the PCI-MIO E Series board
and other boards and hardware. The following are general installation
instructions, but consult your computer user manual or technical
reference manual for specific instructions and warnings.

©

National Instruments Corporation 2-1 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

1. Write down the PCI-MIO E Series board serial number in the
PCI-MIO E Series Hardware and Software Configuration Form in
Appendix D, Customer Communication, of this manual.

2. Turn off and unplug your computer.

3. Remove the top cover or access port to the I/O channel.

4. Remove the expansion slot cover on the back panel of the
computer.

5. Insert the PCI-MIO E Series board into a 5 V PCI slot. Gently rock
the board to ease it into place. It may be a tight fit, but do not force
the board into place.

6. If required, screw the mounting bracket of the PCI-MIO E Series
board to the back panel rail of the computer.

7. Replace the cover.

8. Plug in and turn on your computer.

The PCI-MIO E Series board is installed. You are now ready to
configure your software. Refer to your software documentation for
configuration instructions.

Board Configuration

Due to the National Instruments standard architecture for data
acquisition and the PCI bus specification, the PCI-MIO E Series boards
are completely software configurable. You must perform two types of
configuration on the PCI-MIO E Series boards—bus-related and data
acquisition-related configuration.

The PCI-MIO E Series boards are fully compatible with the industry
standard PCI Local Bus Specification Revision 2.0. This allows the PCI
system to automatically perform all bus-related configurations and
requires no user interaction. Bus-related configuration includes setting
the board base memory address and interrupt channel.

Data-acquisition-related configuration includes such settings as analog
input polarity and range, analog input mode, and others. You can
modify these settings through application level software, such as
NI-DAQ, ComponentWorks, LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, and
VirtualBench.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 2-2

©

National Instruments Corporation

Chapter

Hardware Overview

This chapter presents an overview of the hardware functions on your
PCI-MIO E Series board.

Figure 3-1 shows a block diagram for the PCI-MIO-16E-1 and
PCI-MIO-16E-4.

Dither

Circuitry

Calibration

DACs

+

NI-PGIA
Gain
Amplifier
–

3

Trigger

Counter/

Timing I/O

Digital I/O

Configuration

Voltage

REF

(8)

Analog
Muxes

(8)

Calibration

Mux

DACs

2

Trigger

PFI / Trigger

Timing

Digital I/O (8)

Trigger Level

I/O Connector

Mux Mode
Selection
Switches

Analog

Trigger

Circuitry

12-Bit

Sampling

A/D

Converter

Memory

Analog Input

Timing/Control

DAQ - STC

Analog Output
Timing/Control

AI Control

DMA/
Interrupt
Request

Bus

Interface

RTSI Bus

Interface

ADC

FIFO

IRQ
DMA

Data (16)

Analog

Input

Control

DAQ-STC

Bus

Interface

Analog
Output
Control

Generic

Bus

Interface

EEPROM

EEPROM

Control

Interface

3

Control

PCI

MITE

Bus

Interface

Address/Data

DMA

Interface

MIO

I/O

Bus

Interface

Address (5)

PCI Bus

AO Control

DAC0

DAC1

6

DAC

FIFO

Calibration

DACs

Data (16)

RTSI Bus

Figure 3-1. PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4 Block Diagram

©

National Instruments Corporation 3-1 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 3 Hardware Overview

Voltage

REF

(8)

Analog
Muxes

(8)

Trigger Level

DACs

Trigger

PFI / Trigger

Digital I/O (8)

I/O Connector

Timing

Calibration

Mux

2

Mux Mode
Selection
Switches

Analog
Trigger

Circuitry

Figure 3-2 shows a block diagram for the PCI-MIO-16XE-10.

REF

Calibration

DACs

+

Programmable
Gain
Amplifier
–

3

Trigger

Counter/

Timing I/O

Digital I/O

2

Sampling
Converter

Configuration

Memory

Analog Input

Timing/Control

DAQ - STC

Analog Output
Timing/Control

AO Control

Buffer

16-Bit

A/D

AI Control

DMA/
Interrupt
Request

Bus

Interface

RTSI Bus

Interface

ADC

FIFO

Data (16)

Data (16)

IRQ
DMA

Analog

Input

Control

DAQ-STC

Bus

Interface

Analog
Output
Control

Generic

Bus

Interface

EEPROM

EEPROM

Control

MIO

Interface

MITE

Interface



Interface

DMA

Bus

I/O

PCI
Bus

Interface

Control

Address/Data

Address (5)

PCI Bus

DAC0

DAC1

DAC

FIFO

Calibration

4

DACs

Data (16)

RTSI Bus

Figure 3-2. PCI-MIO-16XE-10 Block Diagram

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 3-2

©

National Instruments Corporation

Chapter 3 Hardware Overview

Figure 3-3 shows a block diagram for the PCI-MIO-16XE-50.

Voltage

REF

(8)

Analog
Muxes

(8)

Calibration

Mux

PFI / Trigger

Timing

I/O Connector

Digital I/O (8)

DAC0

DAC1

Mux Mode
Selection
Switches

4

Calibration

DACs

+

Programmable
Gain
Amplifier
–

Calibration

DACs

2

2

16-Bit

Configuration

Memory

Sampling

A/D

Converter

ADC
FIFO

AI Control

IRQ

Data (16)

DMA

Trigger

Counter/

Timing I/O

Digital I/O

Analog Input

Timing/Control

DAQ - STC

Analog Output
Timing/Control

AO Control

Data (16)

DMA/
Interrupt
Request

Bus

Interface

RTSI Bus

Interface

RTSI Bus

Figure 3-3. PCI-MIO-16XE-50 Block Diagram

Analog

Input

Control

DAQ-STC

Bus

Interface

Analog
Output

Control

Generic

Bus

Interface

EEPROM

EEPROM

Control

Interface

MIO

MITE

Interface

DMA

Interface

I/O

Bus

Interface

PCI
Bus

Control

Address/Data

Address (5)

PCI Bus

Analog Input

The analog input section of each PCI-MIO E Series board is software
configurable. You can select different analog input configurations
through application software designed to control the PCI-MIO E Series
boards. The following sections describe in detail each of the analog
input categories.

Input Mode

The PCI-MIO E Series boards have three different input modes—
nonreferenced single-ended (NRSE) input, referenced single-ended
(RSE) input, and differential (DIFF) input. The single-ended input
configurations provide up to 16 channels. The DIFF input configuration
provides up to eight channels. Input modes are programmed on a per

©

National Instruments Corporation 3-3 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 3 Hardware Overview

channel basis for multimode scanning. For example, you can configure
the circuitry to scan 12 channels—four differentially-configured
channels and eight single-ended channels. Table 3-1 describes the three
input configurations.

Table 3-1. Available Input Configurations for the PCI-MIO E Series

Configuration Description

DIFF A channel configured in DIFF mode uses two analog

channel input lines. One line connects to the positive
input of the board programmable gain
instrumentation amplifier (PGIA), and the other
connects to the negative input of the PGIA.

RSE A channel configured in RSE mode uses one analog

channel input line, which connects to the positive
input of the PGIA. The negative input of the PGIA is
internally tied to analog input ground (AIGND).

NRSE A channel configured in NRSE mode uses one

analog channel input line, which connects to the
positive input of the PGIA. The negative input of the
PGIA connects to the analog input sense (AISENSE)
input.

For more information about the three types of input configuration, refer
to the Analog Input Signal Connections section in Chapter 4, Signal
Connections, which contains diagrams showing the signal paths for the
three configurations.

Input Polarity and Input Range

♦ PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4

These boards have two input polarities—unipolar and bipolar. Unipolar
input means that the input voltage range is between 0 and V
V

is a positive reference voltage. Bipolar input means that the input

ref

voltage range is between -V
and PCI-MIO-16E-4 have a unipolar input range of 10 V (0 to 10 V)
and a bipolar input range of 10 V (±5 V).

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 3-4

ref

and + V

/2

, where

ref

/2. The PCI-MIO-16E-1

ref

©

National Instruments Corporation

Chapter 3 Hardware Overview

You can program polarity and range settings on a per channel basis so
that you can configure each input channel uniquely.

The software-programmable gain on these boards increases their
overall flexibility by matching the input signal ranges to those that the
ADC can accommodate. The PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4
have gains of 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 and are suited for a wide
variety of signal levels. With the proper gain setting, you can use the
full resolution of the ADC to measure the input signal. Table 3-2 shows
the overall input range and precision according to the input range
configuration and gain used.

Table 3-2. Actual Range and Measurement Precision, PCI-MIO-16E-1 and PCI-MIO-16E-4

Range

Gain Actual Input Range Precision

Configuration

0 to +10 V 1.0

2.0

5.0

10.0

20.0

50.0

100.0

-5 to +5 V 0.5

1.0

2.0

5.0

10.0

20.0

50.0

100.0

1

The value of 1 LSB of the 12-bit ADC; that is, the voltage increment

0 to +10 V

0 to +5 V
0 to +2 V

0 to +1 V
0 to +500 mV
0 to +200 mV
0 to +100 mV

-10 to +10 V

-5 to +5 V

-2.5 to +2.5 V

-1 to +1 V

-500 to +500 mV

-250 to +250 mV

-100 to +100 mV

-50 to +50 mV

2.44 mV

1.22 mV

488.28 µV

244.14 µV

122.07 µV

48.83 µV

24.41 µV

4.88 mV

2.44 mV

1.22 mV

488.28 µV

244.14 µV

122.07 µV

48.83 µV

24.41 µV

corresponding to a change of one count in the ADC 12-bit count.

Note: See Appendix A, Specifications, for absolute maximum

ratings.

1

©

National Instruments Corporation 3-5 PCI-MIO E Series User Manual

Chapter 3 Hardware Overview

♦ PCI-MIO-16XE-10 and PCI-MIO-16XE-50

Note: You can calibrate your PCI-MIO-16XE-10 and PCI-MIO-16XE-50 analog

input circuitry for either a unipolar or bipolar polarity. If you mix unipolar
and bipolar channels in your scan list and you are using NI-DAQ, then
NI-DAQ will load the calibration constants appropriate to the polarity for
which analog input channel 0 is configured.

These boards have two input polarities—unipolar and bipolar. Unipolar
input means that the input voltage range is between 0 and V
V

is a positive reference voltage. Bipolar input means that the input

ref

voltage range is between -V

ref

and +V

. The PCI-MIO-16XE-10 and

ref

, where

ref

PCI-MIO-16XE-50 have a unipolar input range of 10 V (0 to 10 V) and
a bipolar input range of 20 V (±10 V). You can program polarity and
range settings on a per channel basis so that you can configure each
input channel uniquely.

The software-programmable gain on these boards increases their
overall flexibility by matching the input signal ranges to those that the
ADC can accommodate. The PCI-MIO-16XE-50 has gains of 1, 2, 10,
and 100 and the PCI-MIO-16XE-10 has gains of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50,
and 100. These gains are suited for a wide variety of signal levels. With
the proper gain setting, you can use the full resolution of the ADC to
measure the input signal.

PCI-MIO E Series User Manual 3-6

©

National Instruments Corporation