Keithley PDISO-8 User Manual

PDISO-8

User’s Guide

A GREATER MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE

WARRANTY

Hardware

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of one (1) year from the date of shipment (3 years for Models 2000,
2001, 2002, 2010 and 2700), the Keithley Hardware product will be free from defects in materials or workmanship. This
warranty will be honored provided the defect has not been caused by use of the Keithley Hardware not in accordance with
the instructions for the product. This warranty shall be null and void upon: (1) any modification of Keithley Hardware that
is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley or (2) operation of the Keithley Hardware outside
of the environmental specifications therefore.

Upon receiving notification of a defect in the Keithley Hardware during the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option,
either repair or replace such Keithley Hardware. During the first ninety days of the warranty period, Keithley will, at its
option, supply the necessary on site labor to return the product to the condition prior to the notification of a defect. Failure
to notify Keithley of a defect during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this
warranty.

Other Hardware

The portion of the product that is not manufactured by Keithley (Other Hardware) shall not be covered by this warranty,
and Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers' warranties on behalf of the customer. On those
other manufacturers’ products that Keithley purchases for resale, Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any
manufacturers’ warranties on behalf of the customer.

Software

Keithley warrants that for a period of one (1) year from date of shipment, the Keithley produced portion of the software or
firmware (Keithley Software) will conform in all material respects with the published specifications provided such Keithley
Software is used on the product for which it is intended and otherwise in accordance with the instructions therefore.
Keithley does not warrant that operation of the Keithley Software will be uninterrupted or error-free and/or that the Keithley
Software will be adequate for the customer's intended application and/or use. This warranty shall be null and void upon any
modification of the Keithley Software that is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley.

If Keithley receives notification of a Keithley Software nonconformity that is covered by this warranty during the warranty
period, Keithley will review the conditions described in such notice. Such notice must state the published specification(s)
to which the Keithley Software fails to conform and the manner in which the Keithley Software fails to conform to such
published specification(s) with sufficient specificity to permit Keithley to correct such nonconformity. If Keithley deter­mines that the Keithley Software does not conform with the published specifications, Keithley will, at its option, provide
either the programming services necessary to correct such nonconformity or develop a program change to bypass such
nonconformity in the Keithley Software. Failure to notify Keithley of a nonconformity during the warranty shall relieve
Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.

Other Software

OEM software that is not produced by Keithley (Other Software) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall
have no duty or obligation to enforce any OEM's warranties on behalf of the customer.

Other Items

Keithley warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables, rechargeable batteries, diskettes,
and documentation.

Items not Covered under Warranty

This warranty does not apply to fuses, non-rechargeable batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from
normal wear or failure to follow instructions.

Limitation of Warranty

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modification made by Purchaser without Keithley's express
written consent, or by misuse of any product or part.

Disclaimer of Warranties

EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES ABOVE KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT­ABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH
RESPECT TO THE OTHER HARDWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE.

Limitation of Liability

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS SHALL IN NO EVENT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR
OR BE LIABLE FOR: (1) ECONOMICAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR
EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, WHETHER CLAIMED UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY,
(2) LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DATA OR PROGRAMMING, OR (3) PENALTIES OR PENALTY
CLAUSES OF ANY DESCRIPTION OR INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMER OR OTHERS FOR COSTS, DAM­AGES, OR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

Sales Offices: BELGIUM: Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

CHINA: Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-6202-2886 • Fax: [phone]
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NETHERLANDS: Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-635333 • Fax: [phone]
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28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

4/02

The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, Keithley
Instruments, Inc., assumes no responsibility for its use or for any infringements of patents or other rights
of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any
patent rights of Keithley Instruments, Inc.

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC., SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL,
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RELATED TO THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS
PRODUCT IS NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS OF A LEVEL OF RELIABILITY
SUITABLE FOR USE IN LIFE SUPPORT OR CRITICAL APPLICATIONS.

Refer to your Keithley Instruments license agreement for specific warranty and liability information.

All brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

© Copyright Keithley Instruments, Inc., 1988, 1994, 1998, 1999.

All rights reserved. Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this documentation beyond that permitted
by Section 117 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the Copyright owner is
unlawful.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

28775 Aurora Road, Cleveland, OH 44139

PDISO-8

User’s Guide

Revision E - April 2001

Part Number: 70850

S

The following safety precautions should be observed before using this product and any associated instrumentation.
Although some instruments and accessories would normally be used with non-hazardous voltages, there are situations
where hazardous conditions may be present.

This product is intended for use by qualified personnel who recognize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety
precautions required to avoid possible injury. Read and follow all installation, operation, and maintenance information
carefully before using the product. Refer to the manual for complete product specifications.

If the product is used in a manner not specified, the protection provided by the product may be impaired.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body is the individual or group responsible for the use and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that

the equipment is operated within its specifications and operating limits, and for ensuring that operators are adequately
trained.

Operators use the product for its intended function. They must be trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use

of the instrument. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with hazardous live circuits.

Maintenance personnel perform routine procedures on the product to keep it operating properly, for example, setting

the line voltage or replacing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in the manual. The proce­dures explicitly state if the operator may perform them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service personnel.

Service personnel are trained to work on live circuits, and perform safe installations and repairs of products. Only

properly trained service personnel may perform installation and service procedures.

Keithley products are designed for use with electrical signals that are rated Installation Category I and Installation
Category II, as described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 60664. Most mea­surement, control, and data I/O signals are Installation Category I and must not be directly connected to mains voltage
or to voltage sources with high transient over-voltages. Installation Category II connections require protection for high
transient over-voltages often associated with local AC mains connections. Assume all measurement, control, and data
I/O connections are for connection to Category I sources unless otherwise marked or described in the Manual.

Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or
test fixtures. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock hazard exists when voltage levels
greater than 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC are present.

age is present in any unknown circuit before measuring.

Operators of this product must be protected from electric shock at all times. The responsible body must ensure that
operators are prevented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases, connections must be ex­posed to potential human contact. Product operators in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves from
the risk of electric shock. If the circuit is capable of operating at or above 1000 volts,

may be exposed.

Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits. They are intended to be used with impedance
limited sources. NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When connecting sources to switching cards,
install protective devices to limit fault current and voltage to the card.

Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connected to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect
the connecting cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks before each use.

afety Precautions

A good safety practice is to expect that hazardous volt-

no conductive part of the circuit

5/02

When installing equipment where access to the main power cord is restricted, such as rack mounting, a separate main
input power disconnect device must be provided, in close proximity to the equipment and within easy reach of the
operator.

For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any other instruments while power is applied to the cir­cuit under test. ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge any capacitors before: connecting
or disconnecting cables or jumpers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal changes, such as in­stalling or removing jumpers.

Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth)
ground. Always make measurements with dry hands while standing on a dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the
voltage being measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its specifications and operating instructions or the
safety of the equipment may be impaired.

Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and accessories, as defined in the specifications and op­erating information, and as shown on the instrument or test fixture panels, or switching card.

When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating for continued protection against fire hazard.

Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground con­nections.

If you are using a test fixture, keep the lid closed while power is applied to the device under test. Safe operation re­quires the use of a lid interlock.

If or is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the wire recommended in the user documentation.

!

The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating instructions located in the manual.

The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or measure 1000 volts or more, including the combined
effect of normal and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to avoid personal contact with these
voltages.

The

WARNING

associated information very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

the warranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.

Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and all test cables.

To maintain protection from electric shock and fire, replacement components in mains circuits, including the power
transformer, test leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instruments. Standard fuses, with applicable
national safety approvals, may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components that are not safety related
may be purchased from other suppliers as long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that selected parts
should be purchased only through Keithley Instruments to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you
are unsure about the applicability of a replacement component, call a Keithley Instruments office for information.

To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do
not apply cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill on the instrument. Products that consist
of a circuit board with no case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a computer) should never
require cleaning if handled according to instructions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is affected,
the board should be returned to the factory for proper cleaning/servicing.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might result in personal injury or death. Always read the

heading in a manual explains hazards that could damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate

Table of Contents

Preface

Overview

1

Features and Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Supporting Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

2

Functional Description

Installation

3

Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Inventorying Required Installation Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Installing DriverLINX Software and Documentation . . . . . . . . 3-3

Configuring Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Preparing and Installing Your Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Unwrapping and Inspecting the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Setting the Board Address and Response Switches . . . . . . . 3-8

Installing the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Checking Your Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

I/O Bit Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Output Set Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Input Read Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

4

Cabling and Wiring

Attaching an STA-U or STP-37/FC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Attaching an STC-37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Usage Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Using Relay Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Using Isolated Control Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Programming

5

i

ii

Troubleshooting

6

Problem Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Testing the I/O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

I/O Bit Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Output Set Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Input Read Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10

Testing the Board and Host Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

Testing the Accessory Slot and I/O Connections . . . . . . . . 6-11

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

A

Specifications

B

Connector Pin Assignments

Register Maps

C

Relay Output Register Data Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Isolated Control Input Register Data Format . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

Index

List of Figures

Figure 2-1 Block Diagram of the PDISO-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Figure 3-1 Switch Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Figure 3-2 8-Position Response Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10

Figure 3-3 An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12

Figure 3-4 DIO channel tab example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Figure 3-5 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs

and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Figure 3-6 Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Figure 3-7 An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Figure 3-8 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs

and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Figure 3-9 Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Figure 3-10 Configuring channel 0 for output bit

pattern B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Figure 4-1 Pin Assignments for the Main I/O Connector . . 4-1
Figure 4-2 Attaching an STA-U or STP-37/FC to a

PDISO-8 Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Figure 4-3 Layout of STC-37 Screw Terminal

Connector Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Figure 4-4 Attaching an STC-37 Accessory . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

Figure 4-5 Adding a Snubber Network Across Relay

Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Figure 4-6 Equivalent Circuit of an Isolated

Control Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Figure 4-7 Unfiltered Opto-Isolator Output with

AC Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7

Figure 6-1 An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Figure 6-2 DIO channel tab example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Figure 6-3 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs

and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Figure 6-4 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A . 6-5

Figure 6-5 An AIO Panel example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Figure 6-6 Configuring the digital I/O channels as inputs

and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8

Figure 6-7 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern A . 6-8
Figure 6-8 Configuring channel 0 for output bit pattern B . 6-9

Figure B-1 Main I/O Connector Pin Assignments . . . . . . . . B-1

iii

List of Tables

Table 3-1 Values of Base Address Switch Positions . . . . . 3-9

Table A-1 Output Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Table A-2 Isolated Control Input Specifications . . . . . . . . . A-2

Table A-3 General Environmental Specifications . . . . . . . . A-2

Table A-4 Power Consumption Specifications . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Table C-1 I/O Map and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2

Table C-2 Relay Addresses in the Relay Output Register . . C-2
Table C-3 Input Addresses in the Isolated Control

Input Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3

iv

Preface

The

PDISO-8 User’s Guide

installation, functions, and operation of the PDISO-8 board. This guide
describes board capabilities, board setup and installation, use of wiring
accessories, included-software characteristics and installation, and
combined board and software configuration. There are also sections on
usage and troubleshooting.

is intended to help you understand the

To follow the information and instructions contained in this manual, you
must be familiar with data acquisition principles, with the Windows

®

95/98/NT operating system, and with your application.

The

PDISO-8 User’s Guide

●

Section 1 describes board features, supporting software, and

is organized as follows:

accessories.

●

Section 2 summarizes functional information about the board. This
section contains a block diagram and brief descriptions of I/O.

Section 3 describes important safety information, how to install the

●

DriverLINX software and documentation, how to unpack, set up, and
install the board, and how to configure and check the installation.

●

Section 4 shows the preferred methods for making I/O (input/output)
connections, using the available accessories and cables. This section
also contains usage notes.

●

Section 5 briefly describes the need to program through the
DriverLINX interface provided with your board, and tells how to
access the extensive DriverLINX documentation.

●

Section 6 contains information on testing the inputs and relays and
for isolating and determining the source of operating problems. This
section also contains instructions for obtaining technical support.

v

Appendix A contains specifications for the PDISO-8.

●

●

Appendix B contains pin assignments for the main I/O connector of
the PDISO-8.

●

Appendix C provides register maps, for background reference only
(you program the PDISO-8 board through the DriverLINX interface,
not at the register level).

●

An index completes the manual.

vi

The PDISO-8 is a low-cost, 8-channel, isolated input/output, interface
board for control and sensing operations. The combined board and
supplied software installs and runs in any IBM PC-compatible computer
that runs the Microsoft Windows® 95/98/NT operating system
(Pentium®-series processor recommended). This section lists PDISO-8
features and applications, summarizes features of the DriverLINX
software that is supplied with the board, and describes available PDISO-8
accessories.

Features and Applications

Features of the PDISO-8 are as follows:

1

Overview

Eight optically isolated inputs

●

Eight electromechanical relay outputs

●

●

3A contact ratings

Typical applications for the PDISO-8 are as follows:

●

Energy management

●

Product test

Security control

●

●

Annunciation

●

Laboratory automation

Factory automation

●

1-1

Supporting Software

DriverLINX software is supplied by Keithley with the PDISO-8 board.
DriverLINX provides convenient interfaces to configure and set I/O bits
without register-level programming.

Most importantly, however, DriverLINX supports those programmers
who wish to create custom applications using Visual C/C++, Visual Basic,
or Delphi. DriverLINX accomplishes foreground and background tasks to
perform data acquisition. The software includes memory and data buffer
management, event triggering, extensive error checking, and context
sensitive online help.

More specifically, DriverLINX provides application developers a
standardized interface to over 100 services for creating foreground and
background tasks for the following:

●

Analog input and output

Digital input and output

●

●

Time and frequency measurement

●

Event counting

Pulse output

●

Period measurement

●

In addition to basic I/O support, DriverLINX also provides:

●

Built-in capabilities to handle memory and data buffer management

●

A selection of starting and stopping trigger events, including
pre-triggering, mid-point triggering and post-triggering protocols

●

Extensive error checking

●

Context-sensitive on-line help system

DriverLINX is essentially hardware independent, because its portable
APIs work across various operating systems. This capability eliminates
unnecessary programming when changing operating system platforms.

1-2 Overview

Accessories

The following accessories are available for use with PDISO-8 boards

voltages up to 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC:

●

STA-U

— screw terminal panel. This accessory connects to the main
I/O connector of a PDISO-8 through a C1800 cable to connect all I/O
lines to labeled screw terminals.

●

STC-37

— screw terminal connector panel. This accessory connects
directly the main I/O connector of a PDISO-8 to provide
general-purpose, screw-terminal connections in a compact form
factor.

●

STP-37/FC

— screw terminal panel with a female DB-37 connector.
This accessory connects to the main I/O connector of a PDISO-8
through a C-1800/M cable. The printed-circuit area of this accessory
is covered to provide extra protection against personal or tool contact
with signals.

●

C1800

— cable. The C1800 is an 18-inch ribbon cable terminated at

each end with a 37-pin, D-type connector.

●

C-1800/M

— cable. The C-1800/M is an 18-inch ribbon cable
terminated at one end with a connector to fit the main I/O connector
of a board and terminated at the other end with a connector to fit the
I/O connector of an STP-37/FC accessory.

at

Warning

Refer to Section 4 for information on connecting these accessories to
PDISO-8 boards.

Do not use the STA-U, STP-37/FC, C1800, and C-1800/M accessories at
voltages above 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC. These accessories are
rated for 30V RMS, 42.4V peak, or 60VDC maximum. Use at higher
voltages may result in shock hazard.

1-3

2

Functional Description

This section describes the features of the PDISO-8 board to familiarize
you with the operating options and to enable you to make the best use of
your board. Figure 2-1 shows a block diagram of the PDISO-8 board.

470 Ω

IP0

470 Ω

IP1

470 Ω

IP2

470 Ω

IP3

470 Ω

IP4

470 Ω

IP5

470 Ω

IP6

470 Ω

IP7

Isolated Inputs

Base

Address

Switch

Bit 0

Bit 1

Bit 2

Bit 3

Bit 4

Bit 5

Bit 6

Bit 7

Address

Decode

and R/W

Logic

Input Register and Switchable Filters

Response

Switch

Bus

Buffers

Bit 0

Bit 1

Output Register with Readback

Bit 2

Bit 3

Bit 4

Bit 5

Bit 6

Bit 7

Relay Outputs

Reset

OP0

OP1

OP2

OP3

OP4

OP5

OP6

OP7

Computer Bus

Figure 2-1. Block Diagram of the PDISO-8

2-1

The eight electro-mechanical relay outputs (contact closures) are
addressed as a single I/O byte. Five of these relays are Form C (SPDT)
contacts, and three of the relays are Form A (SPST and normally open).
The relay contacts are silver alloy and are rated at 3A at 125VAC or
28VDC with a resistive load. The state of the relays can be determined by
reading back the data from the same I/O port.

The eight individual, optically isolated inputs can be read as a single I/O
port byte. Inputs are not polarity-sensitive and can be driven from DC or
AC (50 to 1000Hz) control voltages in the range of 5 to 24V

rms

. Each
input includes a switchable, slow/fast filter with a time constant of 5ms.
For AC input voltages, you must switch in the filter. For DC input
voltages, you can switch out the filter to obtain response speeds of less
than 50µs, or you can switch in the filter for maximum noise suppression
or contact debouncing. You can also mix inputs of AC and DC voltages,
and you can drive inputs from standard 12/24VAC control transformers.

2-2 Functional Description

3

Installation

This section describes installation and configuration of the PDISO-8
board and software. Read this section before you attempt to install and
use your PDISO-8 board.

After discussing important safety instructions for the PDISO-8 board, this
section contains the following procedures, in the order in which they are
to be performed:

●

Inventorying installation resources

Installing the DriverLINX software needed to operate your PDISO-8

●

board

●

Configuring the installation in software

Unpacking and inspecting the board, setting the base address and

●

response filters of the board, and installing the board in your
computer

●

Checking the installation

If you encounter any problems with the installation, refer to Section 6 for
troubleshooting information.

Note:

board. Otherwise, the device drivers will be more difficult to install.

Install the DriverLINX software before installing the PDISO-8

3-1

Important Safety Instructions

PDISO-8 boards are prominently labeled to warn of shock hazard. Before
you install your PDISO-8 board, perform the following steps:

1. Read the warnings in this section.

2. When installing, cabling, and wiring your board, pay close attention

to the warnings on the board labels.

3. When using the board, do not exceed the ratings specified in

Appendix A.

Warning

Because you can connect the relay contacts of a PDISO-8 board to high
voltage, you can turn some areas of the board surface into a shock hazard.
A shock hazard can exist on those board areas even when your computer
is powered off. To protect you from exposure to areas of shock hazard,
Keithley furnishes PDISO-8 boards only with fully installed protective
covers (front and rear), attached to the board on each side by nylon
screws. While you can remove the covers to service a PDISO-8 board,

you must never use this board with its covers removed!

you must disconnect all cables and wiring before servicing this board.

The procedures in the section are intended for qualified service personnel.
Do not perform these procedures unless you are qualified to do so.

Inventorying Required Installation Resources

Before installing DriverLINX and the board, do the following:

1. Inventory your PDISO-8 board’s configuration settings.

2. Determine the resources your PDISO-8 board requires.

3. Inventory your computer’s resources already allocated to other

installed devices.

In addition,

4. Determine whether your computer has sufficient resources for your

PDISO-8 board.

3-2 Installation

5. Determine whether your PDISO-8 board can use your computer’s

free resources.

6. Continue with the next section, “Installing DriverLINX Software and

Documentation.”

Note:

The DriverLINX Installation and Configuration Guide , Section 1,

amplifies the inventory process in checklist items 1-5. (Disregard the rest
of the checklist items for now.) To display this manual from your
DriverLINX PIO Series CD-ROM, open the Windows Explorer, then
double click on

X:\Drvlinx4\Docs\Instconf.pdf

, where X = the letter of
the CD-ROM drive. Acrobat Reader must already be installed on the other
system. If necessary, you can first install Acrobat Reader directly from the
CD-ROM by double clicking X:\Acrobat\setup.exe .

Installing DriverLINX Software and Documentation

Note:

already installed on your system, you must also install the PIO Series
DriverLINX version. In the process, some DriverLINX capabilities
shared by all boards may be upgraded (test utilities, for example).

This section discusses installation of drivers, interfaces, and
documentation. The component installation options provided by the
DriverLINX setup program are as follows:

Even if DriverLINX versions other than the PIO Series version are

●

Install Drivers — This required component installs only the files you

need for configuring your hardware and running third-party
data-acquisition applications that require DriverLINX.

●

Install Interfaces — This optional component installs the files and

example programs that you will need to develop custom applications
for DriverLINX using C/C++, Visual Basic, and Delphi.

●

Install Documentation — This optional component installs

electronic documentation for DriverLINX that you can read, search,
and print using the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Install Acrobat — This optional component installs the Adobe

●

Acrobat Reader for the DriverLINX electronic documentation.

3-3

Install the DriverLINX software and board as follows:

1. Place the DriverLINX PIO Series CD-ROM in your drive and wait a

few seconds. On most systems, setup starts automatically. If not, run
the setup.exe file, found in the root directory of the CD-ROM.

A DriverLINX Browser Introduction screen appears. Thereafter, the
DriverLINX CD Navigator screen appears automatically after waiting
a few seconds or after clicking

Note:

On the DriverLINX CD Navigator and other DriverLINX Browser

Next

.

screens, place the cursor over a menu item to see an explanation. A star
next to a menu item means that it was selected previously.

Before continuing with this installation, Keithley suggests clicking

Me First

on the DriverLINX CD Navigator and reviewing the brief

Read

information that appears.

2. On the DriverLINX CD Navigator screen, click Install DriverLINX .

An Install These DriverLINX Components screen appears.

3. Click Install Drivers , and then follow the series of on-screen

instructions. When done, the Install These DriverLINX Components
screen reappears.

4. If you do not plan to develop custom application software for your

PDISO-8 board, then skip to step 5. If you do plan to develop custom
application software, you must install DriverLINX interfaces before
writing the software. Install them now by clicking

Install Interfaces

and following the series of on-screen instructions. When done, the
Install These DriverLINX Components screen reappears.

5. Click

Install Documentation

and follow the series of on-screen
instructions. This step installs the manuals. When done, the Install
These DriverLINX Components screen reappears.

6. If Acrobat Reader is not already installed on your system, install it
now. You need Acrobat Reader to read the manuals, a section of
which you must access in step 9. Click on

Install Acrobat

and follow
the series of on-screen instructions. When done, the Install These
DriverLINX Components screen reappears.

3-4 Installation