Artisan Technology Group is your source for quality
new and certied-used/pre-owned equipment
• FAST SHIPPING AND
DELIVERY
• TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
IN-STOCK ITEMS
• EQUIPMENT DEMOS
• HUNDREDS OF
MANUFACTURERS
SUPPORTED
• LEASING/MONTHLY
RENTALS
• ITAR CERTIFIED
SECURE ASSET SOLUTIONS
SERVICE CENTER REPAIRS
Experienced engineers and technicians on staff
at our full-service, in-house repair center
Instra
Remotely inspect equipment before purchasing with
our interactive website at www.instraview.com
Contact us: (888) 88-SOURCE | sales@artisantg.com | www.artisantg.com
SM
REMOTE INSPECTION
View
WE BUY USED EQUIPMENT
Sell your excess, underutilized, and idle used equipment
We also offer credit for buy-backs and trade-ins
www.artisantg.com/WeBuyEquipment
LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION?
Visit us on the web at www.artisantg.com for more
information on price quotations, drivers, technical
specications, manuals, and documentation
PXI Express
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
March 2015
374684C-01
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Support
Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information
ni.com
Worldwide Offices
ni.com/niglobal to access the branch office websites, which provide up-to-date
Visit
contact information, support phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.
National Instruments Corporate Headquarters
11500 North Mopac Expressway Austin, Texas 78759-3504 USA Tel: 512 683 0100
For further support information, refer to the NI Services appendix. To comment on National
Instruments documentation, refer to the National Instruments website at
ni.com/info and
enter the Info Code feedback.
© 2014–2015 National Instruments. All rights reserved.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Legal Information
Limited Warranty
This document is provided ‘as is’ and is subject to being changed, without notice, in future editions. For the latest version,
refer to
ni.com/manuals. NI reviews this document carefully for technical accuracy; however, NI MAKES NO EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN AND
SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY ERRORS.
NI warrants that its hardware products will be free of defects in materials and workmanship that cause the product to fail to
substantially conform to the applicable NI published specifications for one (1) year from the date of invoice.
For a period of ninety (90) days from the date of invoice, NI warrants that (i) its software products will perform substantially
in accordance with the applicable documentation provided with the software and (ii) the software media will be free from
defects in materials and workmanship.
If NI receives notice of a defect or non-conformance during the applicable warranty period, NI will, in its discretion: (i) repair
or replace the affected product, or (ii) refund the fees paid for the affected product. Repaired or replaced Hardware will be
warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or ninety (90) days, whichever is longer. If NI elects to repair or
replace the product, NI may use new or refurbished parts or products that are equivalent to new in performance and reliability
and are at least functionally equivalent to the original part or product.
You must obtain an RMA number from NI before returning any product to NI. NI reserves the right to charge a fee for
examining and testing Hardware not covered by the Limited Warranty.
This Limited Warranty does not apply if the defect of the product resulted from improper or inadequate maintenance,
installation, repair, or calibration (performed by a party other than NI); unauthorized modification; improper environment;
use of an improper hardware or software key; improper use or operation outside of the specification for the product; improper
voltages; accident, abuse, or neglect; or a hazard such as lightning, flood, or other act of nature.
THE REMEDIES SET FORTH ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVE AND THE CUSTOMER’S SOLE REMEDIES, AND SHALL
APPLY EVEN IF SUCH REMEDIES FAIL OF THEIR ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.
EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH HEREI N, PRODUCTS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF
ANY KIND AND NI DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE
PRODUCTS, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES THAT MAY ARISE FROM
USAGE OF TRADE OR COURSE OF DEALING. NI DOES NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR MAKE ANY
REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE PRODUCTS IN TERMS
OF CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NI DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE
OPERATION OF THE PRODUCTS WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE.
In the event that you and NI have a separate signed written agreement with warranty terms covering the products, then the
warranty terms in the separate agreement shall control.
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.
National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. NI software is protected
by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials
belonging to others, you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the
terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction.
End-User License Agreements and Third-Party Legal Notices
You can find end-user license agreements (EULAs) and third-party legal notices in the following locations:
• Notices are located in the
directories.
• EULAs are located in the
•Review
<National Instruments>\_Legal Information.txt for information on including legal information in
installers built with NI products.
U.S. Government Restricted Rights
If you are an agency, department, or other entity of the United States Government (“Government”), the use, duplication,
reproduction, release, modification, disclosure or transfer of the technical data included in this manual is governed by the
Restricted Rights provisions under Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.227-14 for civilian agencies and Defense Federal
Acquisition Regulation Supplement Section 252.227-7014 and 252.227-7015 for military agencies.
Trademarks
Refer to the NI Trademarks and Logo Guidelines at ni.com/trademarks for more information on National Instruments
trademarks.
ARM, Keil, and µVision are trademarks or registered of ARM Ltd or its subsidiaries.
LEGO, the LEGO logo, WEDO, and MINDSTORMS are trademarks of the LEGO Group.
TETRIX by Pitsco is a trademark of Pitsco, Inc.
FIELDBUS FOUNDATION
<National Instruments>\_Legal Information and <National Instruments>
<National Instruments>\Shared\MDF\Legal\license directory.
™
and FOUNDATION™ are trademarks of the Fieldbus Foundation.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
EtherCAT® is a registered trademark of and licensed by Beckhoff Automation GmbH.
®
CANopen
DeviceNet
Go!, SensorDAQ, and Vernier are registered trademarks of Vernier Software & Technol ogy. Vernier Software & Technology
and
is a registered Community Trademark of CAN in Automation e.V.
™
and EtherNet/IP™ are trademarks of ODVA.
vernier.com are trademarks or trade dress.
Xilinx is the registered trademark of Xilinx, Inc.
Taptite and Trilobular are registered trademarks of Research Engineering & Manufacturing Inc.
®
is the registered trademark of Apple Inc.
FireWire
®
Linux
is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.
®
Handle Graphics
trademarks, and TargetBox
Tektronix
The Bluetooth
The ExpressCard
license.
The mark LabWindows is used under a license from Microsoft Corporation. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and other countries.
, MATLAB®, Real-Time Workshop®, Simulink®, Stateflow®, and xPC TargetBox® are registered
™
®
, Tek, and Tektronix, Enabling Technology are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc.
®
word mark is a registered trademark owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
™
and Target Language Compiler™ are trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.
word mark and logos are owned by PCMCIA and any use of such marks by National Instruments is under
Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments
and have no agency, partnership, or joint-venture relationship with National Instruments.
Patents
For patents covering National Instruments products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your
software, the
patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.
Export Compliance Information
Refer to the Export Compliance Information at ni.com/legal/export-compliance for the National Instruments global
trade compliance policy and how to obtain relevant HTS codes, ECCNs, and other import/export data.
WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS
YOU ARE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING THE SUITABILITY AND
RELIABILITY OF THE PRODUCTS WHENEVER THE PRODUCTS ARE INCORPORATED IN YOUR SYSTEM OR
APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN, PROCESS, AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM
OR APPLICATION.
PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED, MANUFACTURED, OR TESTED FOR USE IN LIFE OR SAFETY CRITICAL
SYSTEMS, HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS OR ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTS REQUIRING FAIL-SAFE
PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING IN THE OPERATION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES; AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION; AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS; LIFE SAVING OR LIFE SUSTAINING SYSTEMS OR SUCH OTHER MEDICAL
DEVICES; OR ANY OTHER APPLICATION IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE COULD
LEAD TO DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, SEVERE PROPERTY DAMAGE OR ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
(COLLECTIVELY, “HIGH-RISK USES”). FURTHER, PRUDENT STEPS MUST BE TAKEN TO PROTECT AGAINST
FAILURES, INCLUDING PROVIDING BACK-UP AND SHUT-DOWN MECHANISMS. NI EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS
ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS OF THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES FOR HIGH-RISK
USES.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Compliance
Electromagnetic Compatibility Information
This hardware has been tested and found to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements and limits
for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) as indicated in the hardware’s Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
These requirements and limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the hardware is operated in the intended electromagnetic environment. In special cases, for example
when either highly sensitive or noisy hardware is being used in close proximity, additional mitigation
measures may have to be employed to minimize the potential for electromagnetic interference.
While this hardware is compliant with the applicable regulatory EMC requirements, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. To minimize the potential for the hardware to
cause interference to radio and television reception or to experience unacceptable performance degradation,
install and use this hardware in strict accordance with the instructions in the hardware documentation and
1
the DoC
.
If this hardware does cause interference with licensed radio communications services or other nearby
electronics, which can be determined by turning the hardware off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient the antenna of the receiver (the device suffering interference).
• Relocate the transmitter (the device generating interference) with respect to the receiver.
• Plug the transmitter into a different outlet so that the transmitter and the receiver are on different branch
circuits.
Some hardware may require the use of a metal, shielded enclosure (windowless version) to meet the EMC
requirements for special EMC environments such as, for marine use or in heavy industrial areas. Refer to
the hardware’s user documentation and the DoC
When the hardware is connected to a test object or to test leads, the system may become more sensitive to
disturbances or may cause interference in the local electromagnetic environment.
Operation of this hardware in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference. Users are required to
correct the interference at their own expense or cease operation of the hardware.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by National Instruments could void the user’s right to
operate the hardware under the local regulatory rules.
1
for product installation requirements.
1
.
1
The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) contains important EMC compliance information and instructions
for the user or installer. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit
model number or product line, and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
ni.com/certification, search by
Contents
About This Manual
How to Use the Documentation Set ................................................................................. xi
Related Documentation .................................................................................................... xi
Chapter 1
Introduction
Benefits of PXI Express ................................................................................................... 1-1
NI PXIe-8880 ................................................................................................................... 1-2
Description................................................................................................................ 1-2
Functional Overview ................................................................................................ 1-2
NI PXIe-8880 Functional Description..............................................................1-3
National Instruments Software ......................................................................................... 1-4
Cleaning............................................................................................................................ 1-5
Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration
Installing the NI PXIe-8880 ............................................................................................. 2-1
How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Express Chassis................................ 2-3
BIOS Setup Utility............................................................................................................ 2-4
Accessing BIOS Setup Utility .................................................................................. 2-4
Main Setup Menu ..................................................................................................... 2-5
Advanced Setup Menu.............................................................................................. 2-5
SATA Configuration Submenu ........................................................................ 2-6
CPU Configuration Submenu ........................................................................... 2-6
Video Configuration Submenu ......................................................................... 2-7
Power/Wake Configuration Submenu .............................................................. 2-8
PCI Configuration Submenu ............................................................................2-8
USB Configuration Submenu ........................................................................... 2-8
TPM Configuration Submenu (TPM Variant).................................................. 2-9
TPM Physical Presence Confirmation Screen.......................................... 2-9
LabVIEW RT Setup Menu ....................................................................................... 2-10
Current Hardware Switch Settings ................................................................... 2-10
LabVIEW RT Configuration Overrides Submenu ........................................... 2-10
Boot Setup Menu ...................................................................................................... 2-11
Boot Settings Configuration Submenu ............................................................. 2-12
Hard Drive BBS Priorities Submenu................................................................ 2-12
CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities Submenu .............................................. 2-12
Floppy Drive BBS Priorities Submenu ............................................................ 2-12
Network Device BBS Priorities Submenu........................................................ 2-12
Security Menu........................................................................................................... 2-13
Save & Exit Menu .................................................................................................... 2-13
© National Instruments | vii
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Contents
BIOS Diagnostic Utilities .................................................................................................2-14
Accessing BIOS Diagnostic Utilities........................................................................ 2-14
Hard Drive Diagnostic Utility................................................................................... 2-14
Memory Diagnostic Utility....................................................................................... 2-14
System CMOS .................................................................................................................. 2-14
LabVIEW RT Installation.................................................................................................2-16
LabVIEW RT Software Installation ......................................................................... 2-16
LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches..................................................................... 2-17
Drivers and Software ........................................................................................................ 2-19
PXI Express Features........................................................................................................2-19
PXI Express Trigger Connectivity............................................................................2-19
PXI Express Chassis Configuration.................................................................................. 2-19
PXI Express System Configuration ..........................................................................2-19
Upgrading RAM ...............................................................................................................2-20
Hard Drive Recovery ........................................................................................................ 2-21
Installing an OS ................................................................................................................2-22
Installing from a USB CD/DVD-ROM .................................................................... 2-22
Chapter 3
I/O Information
Front Panel Connectors.....................................................................................................3-1
Front Panel ........................................................................................................................3-2
DisplayPort ............................................................................................................... 3-3
Ethernet ..................................................................................................................... 3-4
Universal Serial Bus .................................................................................................3-6
Trigger ......................................................................................................................3-7
GPIB (IEEE 488.2) ................................................................................................... 3-8
Front Panel Features ......................................................................................................... 3-9
Data Storage...................................................................................................................... 3-10
Chapter 4
Common Configuration Questions
General Questions............................................................................................................. 4-1
Boot Options .....................................................................................................................4-1
Cables and Connections .................................................................................................... 4-2
Software Driver Installation.............................................................................................. 4-3
Upgrade Information.........................................................................................................4-3
PXI Express Configuration ...............................................................................................4-5
Chapter 5
Troubleshooting
Appendix A
Specifications
viii | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Appendix B
NI Services
Glossary
Index
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
© National Instruments | ix
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
About This Manual
This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring the National
Instruments PXIe-8880 embedded computer kit.
How to Use the Documentation Set
Begin by reading the NI PXIe-8880 Getting Started Guide, a document that describes how to
install and get started with your controller.
This manual, the NI PXIe-8880 User Manual, contains more details about changing the
installation or configuration from the defaults and using the hardware.
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information you may find helpful as you read this manual:
• PICMG EXP.0 R 2.0 CompactPCI Express Specification, PCI Industrial Computers
Manufacturers Group
• PCI Express Base Specification, Revision 3.0, PCI Special Interest Group
• PXI-5 PXI Express Hardware Specification, Revision 1.0, PXI Systems Alliance
• PXI-6 PXI Express Software Specification, Revision 1.1, PXI Systems Alliance
• Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Revision 6.0,
Compaq Computer et al.
© National Instruments | xi
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
1
Introduction
This chapter provides overview information for PXI Express and the NI PXIe-8880 embedded
controller.
Benefits of PXI Express
The PXI (PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation) industry standard, an open specification governed
by the PXI Systems Alliance (PXISA), has quickly gained adoption and grown in prevalence in
test, measurement, and control systems since its release in 1998. One of the key elements driving
the rapid adoption of PXI is its use of PCI in the communication backplane. As the commercial
PC industry has improved the available bus bandwidth by evolving PCI to PCI Express, PXI is
now able to meet even more application needs by integrating PCI Express into the PXI standard.
By taking advantage of PCI Express technology in the backplane, PXI Express increases the
available PXI bandwidth from up to 132 MB/s to up to 48 GB/s for a more than 60x
improvement in bandwidth.
PXI Express maximizes both hardware and software compatibility with PXI modules.
PXI Express hybrid slots deliver both PCI and PCI Express signaling to accept devices that
use PXI communication and triggering or the newer PXI Express standard. Software
compatibility is maintained because PCI Express uses the same OS and driver model as PCI,
resulting in complete software compatibility among PCI-based systems, for example PXI, and
PCI Express-based systems such as PXI Express.
PXI Express, like PXI, leverages from the CompactPCI specification to define a rugged,
modular form factor that offers superior mechanical integrity and easy installation and removal
of hardware components. PXI Express products offer higher and more carefully defined levels
of environmental performance required by the shock, vibration, temperature, and humidity
extremes of industrial environments. Mandatory environmental testing and active cooling is
added to the CompactPCI mechanical specification to ease system integration and ensure
multivendor interoperability.
The demanding timing and synchronization requirements of instrumentation systems are met by
the integrated features of PXI Express. Not only are the trigger bus, 10 MHz system reference
clock, and star trigger bus available in PXI retained by PXI Express, but new timing and
synchronization features that include a 100 MHz differential system reference clock for the
synchronization of multiple modules and three differential star trigger buses for the distribution
of precise clock and trigger signals have been added. Differential timing and synchronization
signals provide PXI Express systems with increased noise immunity and the ability to transmit
clock signals at higher frequencies.
© National Instruments | 1-1
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Chapter 1 Introduction
NI PXIe-8880
Description
The NI PXIe-8880 PXI Express/CompactPCI Express embedded computer is a high bandwidth
PXI Express/CompactPCI Express-compatible system controller. The NI PXIe-8880 controller
integrates standard I/O features in a single unit by using state-of-the-art packaging. Combining
an NI PXIe-8880 embedded controller with a PXI Express-compatible chassis, such as the
NI PXIe-1085, results in a fully PC-compatible computer in a compact, rugged package.
The standard I/O on each module includes one DisplayPort 1.2 video port, four high-speed
USB 2.0 ports, two high-speed USB 3.0 ports, a PCI-based GPIB controller, two Gigabit
Ethernet connectors, a reset button, and PXI Express triggers.
®
The NI PXIe-8880 has an eight-core Intel
1866 MHz memory, all the standard I/O, and an integrated sold-state drive.
Functional Overview
This section contains functional descriptions of each major logic block on the NI PXIe-8880
embedded computer.
Xeon® E5-2618L v3 processor, triple channel DDR4,
1-2 | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
Intel
C610 Series
Chipset
CPU
Intel Xeon
E5-2618L v3
SO-DIMM
DDR4 SDRAM
PC4 1866
DisplayPort 1.2
Memory Bus Ch. A/B/C
USB 2.0 x4
SATA
SSD
FLA
SH
Watchdog
Trigger
SMB
Connector
x24
PXI
Triggers
GPIB
Controller
GPIB
Connector
USB 2.0 x4
Intel I217
Gigabit
P
H
Y
RJ45
Por t 1
SATA
x4 DMI2
GPU
AMD Radeon
E6460
x4
PCIE
LPC
PXI
Express
Intel I210
Gigabit
MAC/PHY
RJ45
Por t 2
x1 PCIE
SPI
PCIe-to-
PCI-Bridge
USB 3.0 x2
USB 3.0 x2
x1 PCIE
PCI
NI PXIe-8880 Functional Description
The NI PXIe-8880 is a modular PC in a PXI Express 3U-size form factor. Figure 1-1 is a
functional block diagram of the NI PXIe-8880. Following the diagram is a description of each
logic block shown.
Figure 1-1. NI PXIe-8880 Block Diagram
The NI PXIe-8880 consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU module and the
I/O (daughter card) module:
• The SO-DIMM block consists of three 72-bit DDR4 SDRAM sockets that can hold up to
8 GB each, for a total of 24 GB.
• The SMB to PXI Express Trigger provides a routable connection of the PXI Express
triggers to/from the SMB on the front panel.
• The AMD Radeon E6460 Embedded GPU drives the graphics with DisplayPort 1.2 output
display.
• The Watchdog Timer block consists of a watchdog timer that can reset the controller or
generate a trigger.
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
© National Instruments | 1-3
Chapter 1 Introduction
• The Intel C610 Series chipset connects to the SPI, USB, Serial ATA, PCI Express, and LPC
buses.
• The USB Connectors connect the Intel C610 Series chipset to the Hi-Speed USB 2.0
interface and USB 3.0 interfaces.
• The Serial ATA Solid-State Drive is a 240 GB or larger notebook solid-state drive. The
Serial ATA interface enables transfer rates up to 600 MB/s. The solid-state drive also
supports Native Command Queuing.
• The PXI Express Connector connects the NI PXIe-8880 to the PXI Express/
CompactPCI Express backplane.
• Both the I210 and I217 Gigabit Enet ports connect to either 10 Mbit, 100 Mbit, or
1,000 Mbit Ethernet interfaces.
• The GPIB block contains the GPIB interface.
National Instruments Software
National Instruments has developed several software tools you can use with the NI PXIe-8880.
National Instruments’ hardware and software work together to help you make the most of your
™
PXI Express system. The LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, and LabWindows
/CVI™
application development environments combine with leading hardware drivers such as
NI-DAQmx to provide exceptional control of NI hardware. Instrument drivers are available at
ni.com/idnet to simplify communication with instruments over a variety of buses.
LabVIEW is a powerful and easy-to-use graphical programming environment you can use to
acquire data from thousands of different instruments including USB, IEEE 488.2, VXI, serial,
PLCs, and plug-in boards. LabVIEW helps you convert acquired data into meaningful results
using powerful data analysis routines. Add-on tools provide additional specialized functionality.
For more information visit
ni.com/labview and ni.com/toolkits.
If you prefer to use Microsoft’s Visual Basic, Visual C++, and Visual Studio .NET for the core
of your application, Measurement Studio adds tools for Measurement and Automation to each
language. For more information visit
ni.com/mstudio.
LabWindows/CVI is an interactive ANSI C programming environment designed for building
virtual instrument applications. LabWindows/CVI delivers a drag-and-drop editor for building
user interfaces, a complete ANSI C environment for building your test program logic, and a
collection of automated code generation tools, as well as utilities for building automated test
systems, monitoring applications, or laboratory experiments. For more information visit
ni.com/lwcvi.
NI-DAQmx provides an extensive library of functions that you can call from your application
development environment or interactive environment such as NI Signal Express. These
functions provide an intuitive API for National Instruments’ multifunction DAQ products.
Features available include analog input (A/D conversion), buffered data acquisition (high-speed
A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion), waveform generation, digital I/O,
1-4 | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
counter/timer operations, SCXI signal conditioning, RTSI or PXI Express synchronization,
self-calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory. For more information visit
ni.com/daq.
National Instruments’ Modular Instruments use specialized drivers suited to each product’s
specialization. Express VIs provide customized, interactive programming of instruments in a
single interface and soft front panels provide an interface for testing the functionality of each
instrument with no programming required. NI Switches, DMMs, High-Speed DIO, High-Speed
Digitizers, and Sources each have customized drivers for high-end modular instrumentation
systems. RF applications leverage two drivers, NI-RFSG and NI-RFSA and Dynamic Signal
Acquisition is available through NI-DAQmx. For more information visit
modularinstruments
.
ni.com/
You can expand the timing and triggering functionality of your PXI Express system with
PXI Express Timing and Synchronization products. These products provide precision clock
sources, custom routing of triggers for multi-chassis synchronization, clock sharing, and more
and are programmed with NI-Sync. For more information visit
ni.com/pxi.
NI-VISA is the National Instruments implementation of the VISA specification. VISA is a
uniform API for communicating and controlling USB, Serial, GPIB, PXI, PXI Express, VXI,
and various other types of instruments. This API aids in the creation of portable applications and
instrument drivers. For information on writing your own PXI Express instrument driver with
NI-VISA, refer to the NI-VISA Getting Started Manual and the
readme.txt file in the
NI-VISA directory. For more information visit ni.com/visa.
With LabVIEW for Linux and support for over two hundred devices on Linux with the
NI-DAQmx driver, you can now create Virtual Instruments based on the Linux OS. Instrument
control in Linux has been improved by the NI-VISA driver for Linux and NI Modular
Instruments are partially supported. For more information visit
ni.com/linux.
Cleaning
Use a dry, low-velocity stream of air to clean the NI PXIe-8880 controller. If needed, use a
soft-bristle brush for cleaning around components.
Make sure that the device is completely dry and free from contaminants before returning it to
service.
© National Instruments | 1-5
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
2
Installation and Configuration
This chapter contains information about installing and configuring your NI PXIe-8880
controller.
Installing the NI PXIe-8880
This section contains general installation instructions for the NI PXIe-8880. Consult your
PXI Express chassis user manual for specific instructions and warnings.
1. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXIe-8880. The power cord grounds the
chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the module.
Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards, leave the
chassis powered off until you finish installing the NI PXIe-8880 module.
2. Remove any filler panels blocking access to the system controller slot (Slot 1) in the
chassis.
3. Touch the metal part of the case to discharge any static electricity that might be on your
clothes or body.
© National Instruments | 2-1
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration
4. Remove the protective plastic covers from the four bracket-retaining screws as shown in
Figure 2-1.
Figure 2-1. Removing Protective Screw Caps
1
1 Protective Screw Cap (4x)
5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the NI PXIe-8880
with the card guides on the top and bottom of the system controller slot.
Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI PXIe-8880.
The module will not insert properly unless the handle is in its downward position
so that it does not interfere with the injector rail on the chassis.
6. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until the handle catches on
the injector/ejector rail.
7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the backplane receptacle
connectors. The front panel of the NI PXIe-8880 should be even with the front panel of the
chassis.
8. Tighten the four bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the front panel to secure
the NI PXIe-8880 to the chassis.
2-2 | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
1
2
3
X
Y
Z
9. Check the installation.
10. Connect the keyboard and mouse to the appropriate connectors. If you are using a PS/2
keyboard and a PS/2 mouse, a Y-splitter adapter is available to connect both to a single USB
connector. Refer to Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable.
11. Connect the DisplayPort monitor video cable to the DisplayPort connector, or use the
DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter included with your controller to connect a VGA monitor to
the DisplayPort connector.
12. Connect devices to ports as required by your system configuration.
13. Power on the chassis.
14. Verify that the controller boots. If the controller does not boot, refer to the What if the
NI PXIe-8880 does not boot? section of Chapter 5, Troubleshooting.
Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXIe-8880 installed in the system controller slot of a National
Instruments NI PXIe-1082 chassis.
Figure 2-2. NI PXIe-8880 Controller Installed in a PXI Express Chassis
1 NI PXIe-1082 Chassis 2 NI PXIe-8880 Controller 3 Injector/Ejector Rail
How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Express
Chassis
The NI PXIe-8880 controller is designed for easy handling. To remove the unit from the
PXI Express chassis, complete the following steps.
1. Power off the chassis.
2. Remove any cables that may be attached to the controller front panel.
3. Unscrew the 4 bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.
4. Press the injector/ejector handle down.
5. Slide the unit out of the chassis.
© National Instruments | 2-3
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration
Note If the PXI Express chassis Inhibit Mode Selector Switch is not in the Default
position, any attempt to shut down the NI PXIe-8880 through the power button reset
or using Windows will result in the controller Power OK LED blinking. The user will
be required to use the Remote Inhibit pin on the Remote Inhibit and Voltage
Monitoring Connector to turn off the chassis. Refer to the PXI Express chassis user
manual for details on the functionality of the Remote Inhibit and Voltage Monitoring
controls.
BIOS Setup Utility
You can change the NI PXIe-8880 configuration settings in the BIOS setup program. The BIOS
is the low-level interface between the hardware and operating system software that configures
and tests your hardware when you boot the system. The BIOS setup program includes menus for
configuring settings and enabling NI PXIe-8880 controller features.
Most users do not need to use the BIOS setup program, as the NI PXIe-8880 controller ships
with default settings that work well for most configurations.
Caution Changing BIOS settings may lead to incorrect controller behavior and
possibly an unbootable controller. If this happens, follow the instructions for
restoring default settings in the System CMOS section. In general, do not change a
setting unless you are absolutely certain what it does.
Accessing BIOS Setup Utility
Complete the following steps to start the BIOS setup program.
1. Power on or reboot your NI PXIe-8880 controller.
2. When the message
The setup program loads after a short delay.
The Main menu is displayed when you first enter the BIOS setup program.
Press <DEL> to enter setup appears, press the <Delete> key.
Use the following keys to navigate through the BIOS setup program:
• Left Arrow, Right Arrow—Use these keys to move between the different setup menus. If
you are in a submenu, these keys have no effect, and you must press <Esc> to leave the
submenu first. (To use the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)
• Up Arrow, Down Arrow—Use these keys to move between the options within a setup
menu. (To use the arrows on the numeric keypad, you must turn off Num Lock.)
• <Enter>—Use this key either to enter a submenu or display all available settings for a
highlighted configuration option.
• <Esc>—Use this key to return to the parent menu of a submenu. At the top-level menus,
this key serves as a shortcut to the Exit menu.
• <+> and <->—Use these keys to cycle between all available settings for a selected
configuration option.
2-4 | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
• <Tab>—Use this key to select time and date fields.
• <F9>—Use this key to load the optimal default values for BIOS configuration settings. The
optimal default values are the same as the shipping configuration default values.
• <F10>—Use this key to save and exit.
Main Setup Menu
The most commonly accessed and modified BIOS settings are in the Main setup menu. The
Main setup menu reports the following configuration information:
• Serial Number—This is the serial number of your NI PXIe-8880 controller.
• BIOS Version and Build Date—These values indicate the version of the NI PXIe-8880
controller BIOS and the date on which the BIOS was built.
• Hardware Revision and Embedded Firmware Version—These values help identify the
built-in hardware capabilities.
• Processor Type, Base Processor Frequency, and Active Processor Cores—These
values indicate the type of processor used in the NI PXIe-8880 controller, the speed of the
processor, and the number of active processor cores.
• Total Memory—This value indicates the size of system RAM detected by the BIOS.
• PXIe Chassis Information—These values indicate the overall chassis link configuration,
the width of each link, and the speed of each link.
The Main setup menu also includes the following settings:
• System Time—This setting controls the time of day, which is stored in a battery-backed
real-time clock. Most operating systems also include a way to change this setting. Use <+>
and <-> in conjunction with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.
• System Date—This setting controls the date, which is stored in a battery-backed real-time
clock. Most operating systems also include a way to change this setting. Use <+> and <->
in conjunction with <Enter> and <Tab> to change these values.
Advanced Setup Menu
This menu contains BIOS settings that normally do not require modification. If you have specific
problems such as unbootable disks or resource conflicts, you may need to examine these
settings.
Caution Changing settings in this menu may result in an unstable or unbootable
controller. If this happens, follow the procedures outlined in the System CMOS
section to restore BIOS settings to their factory defaults.
© National Instruments | 2-5
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration
The Advanced setup menu includes the following settings and submenus:
• SATA Configuration—Use this setting to access the SATA Configuration submenu.
Refer to the SATA Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• CPU Configuration—Use this setting to access the CPU Configuration submenu. Refer
to the CPU Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• Video Configuration—Use this setting to access the Video Configuration submenu.
Refer to the Video Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• Power/Wake Configuration—Use this setting to access the Power/Wake Configuration
submenu. Refer to the Power/Wake Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• PCI Configuration—Use this setting to access the PCI Configuration submenu. Refer to
the PCI Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• USB Configuration—Use this setting to access the USB Configuration submenu. Refer
to the USB Configuration Submenu section for more information.
• TPM Configuration (TPM Variant)—Use this setting to access the TPM Configuration
submenu. Refer to the TPM Configuration Submenu (TPM Variant) section for more
information.
SATA Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the hard disk drive (HDD) interfaces. Normally,
you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most
compatible and optimal configuration possible.
• SATA Controller(s)—This setting specifies whether or not the onboard SATA controller
is enabled or disabled. The default value is Enabled.
– SATA Mode Selection—This setting determines whether AHCI mode is enabled or
disabled for the SATA port. Some operating systems, such as Windows 2000, do not
support AHCI mode. You can use this setting to disable AHCI mode and enable IDE
mode so that non-compatible OSes function correctly. The default value is AHCI.
• Internal Drive (SATA)—This item displays the onboard SATA drive detected in the
system.
CPU Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the CPU. Normally, you do not need to modify
these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal
configuration possible.
• Hyper-Threading—This setting enables or disables Intel Hyper-Threading technology.
The default value is Enabled. Enabling Hyper-Threading increases performance for some
applications by adding virtual CPU cores. Hyper-Threading can increase application jitter,
so care should be taken when enabling this setting on a Real Time system. When the BIOS
is configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time, Hyper-Threading will be automatically
disabled.
2-6 | ni.com
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
NI PXIe-8880 User Manual
• Enabled CPU Cores—This setting selects the number of active CPU cores for the
processor. Valid values are All, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1. The default value is All.
• Turbo Boost—This setting enables or disables Intel Turbo Boost technology. The default
value is Enabled. Enabling Turbo Boost allows CPU cores to run at higher than their base
frequency for short durations, while other cores are idle. Enabling Turbo Boost can also
increase application jitter, so care should be taken when enabling this setting on a Real Time
system. To achieve maximum possible Turbo Boost frequencies, also enable the C-States
setting.
• C-States—This setting enables or disables CPU power management. The default value is
Enabled. Enabling C-States allows the processor to put idle CPU cores to sleep, allowing
active cores to run at higher than base frequencies when Turbo Boost is enabled. Enabling
C-States can increase application jitter, so care should be taken when enabling this setting
on a Real Time system. When the BIOS is configured to boot LabVIEW Real-Time,
C-States will be automatically disabled.
• Hardware Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables CPU cache hardware prefetching.
The default value is Enabled. Enabling hardware prefetching can increase system
performance for some applications, but can cause control algorithms to behave less
deterministically.
• Adjacent Cache Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables prefetching of adjacent
cache lines from memory to the CPU cache. The default value is Enabled. Enabling
adjacent cache line prefetching can increase system performance for some applications, but
can cause control algorithms to behave less deterministically.
• Data Cache Unit (DCU) Prefetcher—This setting enables or disables prefetching of the
next cache line when accessing very recently used data in an ascending fashion. The default
value is Enabled. Enabling DCU prefetching can increase system performance for some
applications, but can cause control algorithms to behave less deterministically.
®
• Intel VT-d—This setting enables or disables Intel
Virtualization Technology for Directed
I/O (VT-d). The default value is Enabled. Enabling VT-d provides enhanced I/O
virtualization support, but can cause control algorithms to behave less deterministically.
Video Configuration Submenu
Use this submenu to apply alternate settings to the video configuration. Normally, you do not
need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and
optimal configuration possible.
• Primary Display—This setting specifies which video adapter the BIOS should use as the
primary adapter if more than one is present. To use an external video adapter as the primary
graphics adapter, choose Add-in Board Video. The default value is Onboard Video.
© National Instruments | 2-7
Artisan Technology Group - Quality Instrumentation ... Guaranteed | (888) 88-SOURCE | www.artisantg.com
Loading...