National Instruments PCI-8331, PCI-8336, PXI-8331, PXI-8336 User Manual
TM
MXI
MXI-4 Series User Manual
MXI-4 Multi-System Extension Interface for PCI, CompactPCI,
and PXI Bus Computers
PCI-8331
PXI-8331
PCI-8336
PXI-8336
MXI-4 Series User Manual
December 2003 Edition
Part Number 370840A-01
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Contents
About This Manual
Conventions ...................................................................................................................vii
Related Documentation..................................................................................................viii
Chapter 1
Introduction
About the MXI-4 Series.................................................................................................1-1
Description and Features .................................................................................1-1
Basic MXI-4 Systems......................................................................................1-2
Larger MXI-4 Systems ....................................................................................1-3
What You Need to Get Started ......................................................................................1-5
Unpacking......................................................................................................................1-5
Chapter 2
Hardware and Software Installation
Software Installation ......................................................................................................2-1
Hardware Installation.....................................................................................................2-2
Installing a PCI MXI-4 Card ...........................................................................2-2
Installing a PXI MXI-4 Card...........................................................................2-3
Cabling ............................................................................................................2-5
Powering Up the MXI-4 System .....................................................................2-6
Powering Down the MXI-4 System ................................................................2-6
Chapter 3
Hardware and Software Overview
Hardware Overview.......................................................................................................3-1
Functional Overview .......................................................................................3-1
Functional Unit Descriptions...........................................................................3-2
National Instruments MXI-4 FPGA..................................................3-2
Parallel-to-Serial Converter ..............................................................3-2
Serial-to-Parallel Converter ..............................................................3-2
Serial Connector/Fiber Optic Transceiver ........................................3-2
MXI-4 Cable Options......................................................................................3-3
Software Configuration..................................................................................................3-3
MXI-4 Retransmit Count.................................................................................3-3
MXI-4 Linked Chassis Status..........................................................................3-6
© National Instruments Corporation v MXI-4 Series User Manual
Contents
Appendix A
Specifications
Appendix B
Common Questions
Appendix C
Technical Support and Professional Services
Glossary
Index
MXI-4 Series User Manual vi ni.com
About This Manual
This manual describes the features, functions, and operation of the MXI-4
series of products. The four products in this series are the PCI-8331,
PXI-8331, PCI-8336, and PXI-8336. The PXI-PCI 8331 and 8336
incorporate MXI-4 technology, which couples two physically separate PCI,
CompactPCI, or PXI buses with a data link capable of 1.5 Gbit/s serial data
rates.
Conventions
The following conventions appear in this manual:
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to
avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.
bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names.
italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction
to a key concept. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter 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, operations,
variables, filenames and extensions, and code excerpts.
MXI-4 card MXI-4 card refers to any of the following cards, unless otherwise noted:
PCI-8331, PXI-8331, PCI-8336, and PXI-8336.
MXI-4 dyad MXI-4 dyad refers to any of the following 4 pairs of MXI-4 cards:
• PCI-8331 and PXI-8331
• PCI-8336 and PXI-8336
• PXI-8331 and PXI-8331
• PXI-8336 and PXI-8336
© National Instruments Corporation vii MXI-4 Series User Manual
About This Manual
Note In this manual, whenever a PXI chassis is referenced, a CompactPCI chassis could
be used instead.
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you might find helpful
as you read this manual:
• Set Up Your MXI-4 System
• Your computer or chassis documentation
• PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 2.1
• PXI Software Specification, Revision 2.1
• PCI Specification, Revision 2.2
• PCI-PCI Bridge Architecture Specification, Revision 1.0
• PICMG CompactPCI 2.0 R2.1 specification
MXI-4 Series User Manual viii ni.com
Introduction
This chapter describes the MXI-4 series of products, lists what you need to
get started, and explains how to unpack and set up your hardware.
The four products in this series are the PCI-8331, PXI-8331, PCI-8336, and
PXI-8336. For the remainder of this manual the term MXI-4 card will refer
to any of the products in the MXI-4 series.
MXI-4 cards must always be installed as either a pair of PXI cards or as a
PCI card and a PXI card. The term MXI-4 dyad will refer to one of the four
allowable pairings of MXI-4 cards which are described in the Conventions
section of the About This Manual.
About the MXI-4 Series
Description and Features
A MXI-4 dyad is a PCI master/slave implementing the PCI-PCI bridge
register set. It couples two physically separate buses with either a copper or
fiber-optic data link capable of 1.5 Gbit/s serial data rates. With the MXI-4
dyad, you can do the following:
•Control a PXI/CompactPCI backplane with a PCI based PC
• Control a PXI/CompactPCI backplane with another PXI/CompactPCI
system
• Increase the available number CompactPCI or PXI slots for your
application
• Physically separate the measurement or automation system from
a host PC
• Combine PCI, CompactPCI, and PXI devices in the same system
1
© National Instruments Corporation 1-1 MXI-4 Series User Manual
Chapter 1 Introduction
Basic MXI-4 Systems
MXI-4 cards are used in two basic configurations, both of which are shown
in Figure 1-1:
• A PCI MXI-4 in a PC, connected to a PXI MXI-4 in the controller slot
• A PXI MXI-4 in a non-controller slot of a PXI/CompactPCI chassis
Note The PXI MXI-4 is capable of automatically detecting whether it is in a controller or
non-controller slot and configuring itself accordingly.
of a PXI/CompactPCI chassis.
with an embedded controller, connected to a PXI MXI-4 in the
controller slot of another PXI/CompactPCI chassis.
PC to PXI/CompactPCI
PXI/CompactPCI to PXI/CompactPCI
Figure 1-1. Basic MXI-4 Configurations
MXI-4 Series User Manual 1-2 ni.com
Larger MXI-4 Systems
Using multiple MXI-4 dyads, large PCI/PXI/CompactPCI systems can be
created. The PCI specification makes provisions for up to 255 bus segments
to simultaneously exist in a PCI hierarchy and MXI-4 hardware provides
everything needed to support those provisions.
Notes Keep in mind that some chassis and PCs have more than one PCI bus segment.
The host configuration software (BIOS and OS) and device drivers must support the
number of bus segments and PCI devices that you intend to use.
Figure 1-2 shows how MXI-4 cards can be used to connect multiple
expansion chassis to a PC in both a star and daisy chain topology. The
PC that is shown at the root of the PCI hierarchy in this example could
instead be a PXI/CompactPCI chassis with an embedded controller in its
controller slot. The star topology will give higher performance than the
daisy chain because it minimizes the number of MXI-4 dyads between the
expansion cards and the PC.
Chapter 1 Introduction
© National Instruments Corporation 1-3 MXI-4 Series User Manual
Chapter 1 Introduction
Daisy-Chain Configuration
Star Configuration
Figure 1-2. Star and Daisy Chain MXI-4 Configurations
Note
Adding PCI bridges, such as MXI-4, to a system can create a slight decrease in
performance when communicating with devices behind the bridges.
Although the distance between individual chassis is confined to a
maximum of 10 meters for copper cables and 200 meters for fiber-optic
cables, there is no limit to the total amount of cable in the system.
MXI-4 Series User Manual 1-4 ni.com
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use your MXI-4 cards, you need the following:
❑ Two MXI-4 cards of the allowable pairings that comprise a MXI-4
dyad. The allowable pairings are:
• PCI-8331 and PXI-8331
• PCI-8336 and PXI-8336
• PXI-8331 and PXI-8331
• PXI-8336 and PXI-8336
❑ A MXI-4 cable
• A copper cable for 8331 dyads
• A fiber optic cable for 8336 dyads
❑ A host—This can be a PC with PCI slots, or a PXI/CompactPCI
chassis that already has a controller
❑ An expansion chassis—This is the PXI/CompactPCI chassis that you
control with the MXI-4 dyad
Chapter 1 Introduction
❑ NI MXI-4 software
Note Your PXI MXI-4 card will work in any standard CompactPCI chassis adhering to
the PICMG CompactPCI 2.0 R2.1 specification, or in PXI chassis that are compatible with
the PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 1.0 or later. Your PCI MXI-4 card will work in
systems compliant with the PCI Specification, Revision 2.2 or later.
Unpacking
Your MXI-4 cards are shipped in antistatic packages to prevent
electrostatic damage (ESD) to the devices. ESD can damage several
components on the device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors. Doing so may damage the device.
© National Instruments Corporation 1-5 MXI-4 Series User Manual
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