NI-DAQmx

2023-11-14
 NI-DAQmx

Contents
NI-DAQmx Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
LabVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
LabWindows/CVI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Measurement Studio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
ANSI C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
.NET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SignalExpress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Finding Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
NI-DAQmx Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Channels and Tasks in NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Channels: Physical, Virtual, Local Virtual, and Global Virtual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Tasks in NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Creating Channels and Tasks with the DAQ Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Choosing Whether to Use the API or the DAQ Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Timing and Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Timing, Hardware Versus Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Synchronization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Subsystem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Exported Signal Behaviors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Software Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Reading and Writing Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Selecting Read and Write Data Format and Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Buffering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Regeneration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
TDMS Logging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Signal Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Specifying a Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

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Single-Device Routing Versus Multi-Device Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Creating Multi-Device Routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Plugging in and Registering Your RTSI Cable in MAX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Dynamically Selecting Trigger Bus Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Task-Based Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Immediate Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Logical Inversion of Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Routing and Hardware Sharing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Line Tristating Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lazy Line Transitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Device Resetting and Interactions with Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Device Routing in MAX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Counters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Paired Counters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Two Counter Measurement Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Dynamic Averaging Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Counter Parts in NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Configuring a Time-Based Measurement in NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Configuring a Displacement Measurement with NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Buffered Pulse Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Configuring Triggers for Pulse Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Generating Single Pulses, Finite Pulse Trains, and Continuous Pulse Trains. 134
Setting Pulse Train Polarity and the Initial Delay State. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Counter Frequency Coercion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Terminals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Signal Versus Terminal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Terminal Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Coercion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Input Limit Coercion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Clock Frequency Coercion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Device Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Channel Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Control in NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

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 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Single-Point Real-Time Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Timing Control Loops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Control Algorithms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Synchronizing Analog Input and Output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Setting Priorities for Control Applications in LabVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
I/O Cycles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Timing and Triggering with NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Task Behavior of NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Reading and Writing Data with NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Distributed Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Deployment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
DAQmx I/O Server and Virtual Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Functions, VIs, Properties, and Attributes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
External Reference Sources for Generating Voltage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Custom Scales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
NI-DAQmx Versus Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Measurement Fundamentals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Measurement System Overview—Hardware and NI-DAQmx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Signal Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Analog Connection Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Digital Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Signal Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Signal Conditioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Amplification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Linearization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Transducer Excitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Isolation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Common Sensors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
2-Wire Resistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
3-Wire Resistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
4-Wire Resistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Bridge-Based Sensors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Eddy Current Proximity Probes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

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Encoders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
IEPE and Charge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Overview of Temperature Sensor Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
LVDTs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
RVDTs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
TEDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Control Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Real Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Loop Cycle Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Jitter Overview for Control Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Event Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Common Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Acceleration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Acceleration Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Frequency (Analog). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Frequency Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Hysteresis with Analog Frequency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Angular Displacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Encoder Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
RVDT Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Event Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Control Loops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Counting Edges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Edge Count Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Charge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Measuring Charge Programming Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Current Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Current Generation Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Current Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Current Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
AC Current. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Digital Value Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

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Digital Value Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

Digital Value Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Digital Value Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Duty Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Pulse Measurement Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Force with a Bridge-Based Sensor Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Force with a Piezoelectric Sensor Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Frequency (Digital). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Pulse Measurement Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Frequency Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Generic Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Analog Input Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Analog Output Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Counter Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Digital Input Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Digital Output Programming Flows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Triggered Acquisition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
GPS Timestamp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
GPS Timestamp Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Linear Displacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Encoder Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
LVDT Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Period (Digital). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Pulse Measurement Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Period Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Pressure Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Proximity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Proximity Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Pulse Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Pulse Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Finite Pulse Train Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Continuous Pulse Train Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312

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Pulse Width. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

Pulse Width Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Resistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Resistance Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Semi-Period (Digital). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Pulse Measurement Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Semi-Period Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Sound Pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Sound Pressure Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Strain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Strain Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Torque. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Torque Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Temperature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
RTD Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Thermistor Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Thermocouple Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Two-Edge Separation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Two-Edge Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Velocity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Velocity (IEPE). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Velocity Angular (Encoder). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
Velocity Linear (Encoder). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Voltage Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Voltage Generation Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Voltage Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Voltage Flowchart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
NI-DAQmx Device Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Analog Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Valid Analog Trigger Sources for DSA Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Analog Triggering Considerations for TestScale Modules and C Series, E Series,
M Series, and S Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Triggering Considerations for NI ELVIS II Family Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
Analog Triggering Considerations for SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344

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Device Calibration Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

AO Series Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
C Series Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Virtual Channel Calibration Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
DSA Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
E Series Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
FieldDAQ Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
M Series, NI 6010, NI 9205, NI 9206, and TS-15100 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
NI 6154 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
NI 6614 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
NI PXI-6608 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
S Series Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
SC Express Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
SCXI-1600 Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
X Series Calibration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Signal Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Counters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Averaging Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
C Series Counter Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Connecting Counter Signals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Counter Internal Routing Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Counter Input Error Reporting with C Series, M Series USB, and NI ELVIS II
Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Duplicate Count Prevention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Incomplete Sample Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Prescaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Pulse Measurement Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Sample Clock Timing Support for Time-Based Measurements. . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Digital Filtering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390
Digital Filtering Considerations for C Series Devices or or TestScale Modules 390
Digital Filtering Considerations for DIO Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Digital Filtering Considerations for TIO-Based Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
Digital Filtering Considerations for X Series and NI 661x Devices. . . . . . . . . . . 396
Digital Filtering Considerations for SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397

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FieldDAQ Filtering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398

NI 9202, NI 9252, and NI 9253 Filtering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Digital I/O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Change Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Digital I/O Considerations for C Series and TestScale Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Sample Clock Timing for Digital I/O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Handshake Timing Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Burst Handshaking Timing Defaults for NI 653x Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Burst Handshake Timing for Digital I/O. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404
Handshaking Line Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Handshake Timing Defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Watchdog Timers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
Pause Triggering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Pause Trigger Considerations for AO Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
Pause Trigger Considerations for C Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Pause Trigger Considerations for DSA Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Pause Trigger Considerations for E Series and M Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . 409
Pause Trigger Considerations for S Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Pause Trigger Considerations for TIO Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Pause Trigger Considerations for SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
AO Series Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
C Series and TestScale Module Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417
CompactRIO Single-Board Controller Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426
E Series Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
FieldDAQ Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
M Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434
myDAQ Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
NI 6010 Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
NI 6154 Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
NI 6533/6534 Device Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 449
NI 6535/6536/6537 Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
NI ELVIS II Family Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451
S Series Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454

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SCXI and SCC Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 455

SC Express Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456
SensorDAQ Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
TIO Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458
USB DAQ Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460
X Series Physical Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462
Internal Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 464
Default Input/Output Terminal Configurations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
Terminal Configurations (Analog Input Ground Reference Settings) for Isolated
Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Routing Considerations for AO Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Routing Considerations for E Series and S Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
Routing Considerations for TIO Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
API Support for Switch Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
Switching Capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
Synchronization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
Synchronizing cDAQ Chassis and FieldDAQ Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
Synchronizing DSA Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
Synchronizing DSA Devices with Multifunction DAQ Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Synchronizing X Series, M Series, and SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Synchronizing E Series, S Series, and AO Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
PXI_CLK 10 with the NI 6608 and the NI 6614. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520
Synchronization with M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family Devices. . . . . . . . . 520
Supported Devices for Trigger Skew Correction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Timing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Timing Considerations for AO Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Timing Considerations for C Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Timing Considerations for DSA Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
Timing Considerations for E Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527
Timing Considerations for FieldDAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528
Hardware-Timed Non-Buffered Sample Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529
Timing Considerations with NI ELVIS II Family and M Series USB Devices. . . 529

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Non-Buffered Change Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529

Timing Considerations for S Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
Timing Considerations for SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Timing Considerations with Standalone NI CompactDAQ Systems. . . . . . . . . 532
Sample Rate Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Sample Clock-Timed Pulse Train Generation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Device-Specific Sampling Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Timing Considerations for X Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Timestamps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Configurable ADC Timing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Configurable Timing for SC Express Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
Multiple Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
NI 4339, 4463, 4464 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538
NI 4340 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
NI 4466 and 4467 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
NI 4480, 4481 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
NI 6533, 6534 Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
cDAQ-91xx and TestScale Chassis Timing Engines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
CompactRIO Timing Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
DSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
Alias Rejection (DSA, C Series, and NI 433x). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
Channel Order. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
DSA, C Series, and the DAQmx I/O Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Filter Delay Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
Filter Delay (DSA, C Series, and NI 433x). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Gain for DSA Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
Hardware Data Compression (DSA and NI 433x). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Integrated Electronic Piezoelectric Excitation (IEPE). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Input Coupling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Overload Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
NI 4339, 4463, and 4464 Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

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NI 4340 Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

NI 4480 and 4481 Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
NI 6533/6534 Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
CompactDAQ, CompactRIO, and TestScale Simultaneous Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . 553
Multidevice Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 557
C Series Multidevice Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 558
DSA, SC Express, and X Series Multidevice Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
FieldDAQ Multidevice Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
S Series Multidevice Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Bridge Measurement Type Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
C Series Device Groupings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 564
Common-Mode Over-Range Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566
Connecting Analog Voltage Input Signals for Isolated Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
CompactRIO Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Devices That Support Multi-Counter Tasks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Digital AI Filtering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571
Excitation Fault Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572
External Overvoltage Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
External Reference Sources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
FD-11637 Signal Conditioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
Initialized States for Terminals and Output Channels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Input Limits Fault Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 575
Internal PLL Unlock Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
NI 9775 Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576
NI USB-TC01 Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579
Open Channel Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 579
Open Current Loop Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 580
Open Thermocouple Detection (OTD). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Overcurrent Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582
Overtemperature Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Remote and Local Sensing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Power Supply and Power Channel Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583
Power Supply Fault Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
Push-Pull and Open Collector Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

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Querying Device Capabilities with C Series Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587

Reading Available Samples on USB or Ethernet DAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 587
RTSI Triggering with M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
SC Express Smart Accessory Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 588
SCC Signal Conditioning Device Considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Self-Powered Versus Bus-Powered M Series USB Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
Setting Power-Up States for M Series, NI 670x, and Software-Timed Digital I/O
Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590
Supported Device ID Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
Sync Lock Lost Detection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Taking Custom Voltage Measurements with the PXIe-4339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
Time-Based Features for Network-Synchronized Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
Using Chopping to Remove Offset Voltages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
Using the RM-4339 with the PXIe-4339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
X Series Device Groupings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
NI-DAQmx Device Terminals Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
DAQ Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
FD-11601. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615
FD-11603. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616
FD-11605. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
FD-11613. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 618
FD-11614. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619
FD-11634. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 620
FD-11637. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
TS-15050 DIO P0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622
TS-15100. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623
TS-15110. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624
TS-15120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
TS-15130. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626
TS-15200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627
USB-4431. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 628
USB-4432. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 629
NI 4461/4462. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 630
NI 4463. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631

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NI 4464. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PXIe-4466/4467. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NI 447x. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631
NI 449x. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 632
PXIe-4610. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 633
USB-6000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 634
USB-6001. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635
USB-6002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636
USB-6003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637
USB-6008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 638
USB-6009. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639
NI 6020E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 639
DAQPad-6020E (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641
DAQPad-6052E (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641
DAQCard-6062E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642
NI 6010. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
NI 6110. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
NI 6111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646
NI 6115. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647
NI 6120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 648
NI 6122. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
NI 6123. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
NI 6124. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651
NI 6132. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 653
NI 6133. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 654
NI 6143. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655
NI 6154. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 656
USB-6210. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 657
USB-6211. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 659
USB-6212 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661
USB-6212 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 663
USB-6212 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665
USB-6215. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667
USB-6216 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 669

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USB-6216 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 671

USB-6216 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 673
USB-6218. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 675
USB-6218 BNC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677
PCI/PXI-6220. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 679
PCI-6221 (37-Pin). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 681
PCI/PXI-6221 (68-Pin). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 682
USB-6221 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
USB-6221 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 686
PCI/PXI-6224. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 688
PCI/PXI-6225. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689
USB-6225 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 690
USB-6225 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692
PCI/PXI-6229. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 694
USB-6229 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
USB-6229 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
PCI/PXI-6230. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
PCI/PXI-6232. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
PCI/PXI-6233. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703
PCI/PXI-6236. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704
PCI/PXI-6238. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705
PCI/PXI-6239. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707
PCI/PXI-6250. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708
PCI/PCIe/PXI/PXIe-6251. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710
USB-6251 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711
USB-6251 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713
USB-6251 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
PCI/PXI-6254. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716
PCI/PXI-6255. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717
USB-6255 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719
USB-6255 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720
PCI/PCIe/PXI/PXIe-6259. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 722
USB-6259 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 723
USB-6259 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 725

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USB-6259 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727

PCI/PXI-6280. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 729
PCI/PXI-6281. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731
USB-6281 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732
USB-6281 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734
PCI/PXI-6284. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 735
PCI/PXI-6289. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737
USB-6289 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 738
USB-6289 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740
PCIe-6320. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742
PCIe-6321. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 744
PCIe-6323. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746
PCIe/PXIe-6341. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
USB-6341. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
USB-6341 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 752
PCIe-6343. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 754
USB-6343. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 756
USB-6343 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 758
PXIe-6345. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 760
PCIe-6346. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 762
USB-6346 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 764
USB-6346 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 766
PXIe-6349. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 768
USB-6349 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770
PCIe-6351. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 772
USB-6351. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 774
PCIe-6353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 776
USB-6353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 778
PXIe-6355. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 780
PXIe-6356. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 782
USB-6356. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 784
USB-6356 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 786
PXIe-6358. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 788
PCIe/PXIe-6361. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790

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USB-6361 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 792

USB-6361 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 794
USB-6361 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 796
PCIe/PXIe-6363. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798
USB-6363 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800
USB-6363 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802
USB-6363 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 804
PXIe-6365. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 806
PXIe-6366. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808
USB-6366 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 810
USB-6366 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 812
USB-6366 (Mass Termination). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814
PXIe-6368. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 816
PCIe-6374. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 818
PXIe-6375. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 820
PCIe-6376. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 822
PXIe-6376. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 824
PXIe-6378. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 826
PXIe-6386. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 828
PXIe-6396. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 830
USB-6501. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 832
NI 6503. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 833
NI 6508. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 834
NI 6509. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 836
NI 6510. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 838
NI 6511. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839
NI 6512. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 841
NI 6513. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 843
NI 6514. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 845
NI 6515. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 847
NI 6516. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 849
NI 6517. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 849
NI 6518. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 849
NI 6519. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 850

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NI 6520. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 850
NI 6521. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 851
USB-6525. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 852
NI 6527. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 853
NI 6528. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 853
NI 6529. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 854
NI 6533. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855
NI 6534. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856
NI 6535. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 857
NI 6536. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 858
NI 6537. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 859
NI 6601. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 860
NI 6602. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 863
NI 6608. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866
NI 6612. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 869
NI 6614. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 870
NI 6624. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 871
NI 6703. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873
NI 6704. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 873
NI 6711. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 875
NI 6713. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 876
DAQCard-6715. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877
NI 6722. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 878
NI 6723 (Extended AO Connector). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 879
NI 6731. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 880
NI 6733. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 881
PCIe/PXIe-6738. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 882
PXIe-6739. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 884
NI 9201. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 886
NI 9201 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887
USB-9201. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 887
USB-9201 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888
NI 9202. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888
NI 9202 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889

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NI 9203. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 890
NI 9205. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 891
NI 9205 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892
NI 9206. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 892
NI 9207 DSUB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 893
NI 9207 (Spring Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 894
NI 9208 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 895
NI 9208 (Spring Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 896
NI 9209 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 897
NI 9209 (Spring Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 898
NI 9210. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 899
NI 9210 (Spring Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900
NI 9211. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 901
USB-9211A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 901
NI 9212 (Mini TC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 902
TB-9212. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 903
NI 9213. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 905
USB-9213. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 905
TB-9214. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 906
NI 9215. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 907
USB-9215A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 907
USB-9215A (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 907
NI 9216. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908
NI 9216 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 908
NI 9217. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909
NI 9218. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 909
NI 9218 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 912
NI 9219. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 914
USB-9219. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 915
NI 9220. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 916
NI 9221. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 917
NI 9221 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 918
USB-9221. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 918
USB-9221 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919

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NI 9222. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 919
NI 9222 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920
NI 9223. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920
NI 9223 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921
NI 9224. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 921
NI 9225. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 922
NI 9226. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 923
NI 9226 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 923
NI 9227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 924
NI 9228. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 924
NI 9229. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 925
NI 9229 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 926
USB-9229. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 927
USB-9229 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 928
NI 9230. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 929
NI 9230 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 929
NI 9231. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 930
NI 9232. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 931
NI 9232 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 932
USB-9233. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 933
NI 9234. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 933
USB-9234. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934
NI 9235. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 934
NI 9236. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 935
NI 9237. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 936
NI 9237 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 937
USB-9237. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 938
NI 9238. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939
NI 9239. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 939
NI 9239 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940
USB-9239. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 942
NI 9242. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 942
NI 9244. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943
NI 9246. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 943

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NI 9247. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 944
NI 9250 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 944
NI 9251 (Mini XLR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 945
NI 9252 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946
NI 9252 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 946
NI 9253 (Screw Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 947
NI 9260 (Mini XLR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 948
NI 9260 (BNC). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949
NI 9262. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 950
NI 9263. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951
USB-9263. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952
NI 9264. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 952
NI 9264 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 953
USB-9264. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 954
NI 9265. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 955
USB-9265. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 955
NI 9266. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 956
NI 9269. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957
NI 9326. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957
NI 9344. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959
NI 9361. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 959
NI 9375. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 961
NI 9401. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 962
NI 9402. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 964
NI 9403. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 965
NI 9411. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 965
NI 9421. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 967
NI 9421 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 970
USB-9421. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 973
USB-9421 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 973
NI 9422. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 974
NI 9423. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 975
NI 9425. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 977
NI 9426. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 977

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 NI-DAQmx

NI 9435. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978
NI 9436. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 979
NI 9437. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 981
NI 9469. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 982
NI 9472. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 982
NI 9472 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 983
USB-9472. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 984
USB-9472 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 985
NI 9474. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 986
NI 9475. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 986
NI 9476 (DSUB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 987
NI 9476 (Spring Terminal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 988
NI 9477. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 989
NI 9478. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 990
NI 9481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 991
USB-9481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 992
NI 9482. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 992
USB-9482. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 993
NI 9485. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 993
sbRIO-9628. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 994
sbRIO-9629. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 997
sbRIO-9638. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000
NI 9775. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1007
DAQCard-DIO-24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1007
myDAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1008
PCI-DIO-96. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1010
SCC-68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1012
SensorDAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1013
USB-TC01. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1014
Signal Conditioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1014
RM-24999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1015
PXIe-4300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1016
TB-4300B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1017

22 ni.com
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TB-4300C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1018
PXIe-4302. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RM-4302. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1019
TB-4302. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1022
TB-4302C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1022
PXIe-4303. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PXIe-4304. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RM-4304. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1023
TB-4304. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1025
PXIe-4305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NI CAL-4309. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1026
PXIe-4309. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4309 (MT). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1027
TB-4309 (ST). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1029
PXIe-4310. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4310 (10V). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1029
TB-4310 (600V). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1030
PXIe-4322. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4322. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1030
PXIe-4330. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4330. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1031
PXIe-4331. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
PXIe-4339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RM-4339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1032
TB-4339. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1035
PXIe-4340. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4340. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1036
NI CAL-4353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1037
PXIe-4353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1038
TC-4353. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1039
PXIe-4357. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TB-4357. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1040
PXIe-4480. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 NI-DAQmx

PXIe-4481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SC-2345 Carrier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1040
SC-2350 Carrier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1041
SCC-68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1043
Switch Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1044
Related Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1046

24 ni.com
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NI-DAQmx Help
July 2022
This help file contains information about using NI-DAQmx to program your National
Instruments device. NI-DAQmx is the software you use to communicate with and
control your NI data acquisition (DAQ) device. Refer to Device Support in NI-
DAQmx in the NI-DAQmx Readme for a list of devices supported in NI-DAQmx.
For more information about this help file, refer to the following topics:
Related Documentation
© 2003–2022 National Instruments. All rights reserved. Refer to the <National I
nstruments>\_Legal Information directory for information about NI
copyright, patents, trademarks, warranties, product warnings, and export
compliance.

© National Instruments 25
 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Overview
What is DAQmx?
NI-DAQmx is the driver software you use to communicate with and control your NI
data acquisition (DAQ) devices. It includes an extensive library of functions and VIs
you can call from your application software, such as LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI, to
program your devices.
For information on getting started, refer to Getting Started.

What is Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX)?

MAX is an application that automatically installs with the NI-DAQmx driver. MAX
informs other programs which devices you have in your system and how they are
configured. With MAX, you can:

■ Configure your National Instruments hardware and software

■ Create and edit channels, tasks, interfaces, scales, and virtual instruments
■ Execute system diagnostics
■ View devices and instruments connected to your system
■ Update your National Instruments software
For more information, refer to the Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for
NI-DAQmx or Getting Started.

What is DAQ Assistant?

The DAQ Assistant is an application that automatically installs with the NI-DAQmx
driver. You can launch the DAQ Assistant from MAX, or from your National
Instruments application software such as LabVIEW, SignalExpress, LabWindows/CVI,
or Measurement Studio. With DAQ Assistant you can:

■ Create and edit tasks and virtual channels

■ Add virtual channels to tasks
■ Create and edit scales

26 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

■ Test your configuration

■ Save your configuration
■ Generate code in your NI application software for use in your application
■ View connection diagrams for your sensors
For more information, refer to the DAQ Assistant Help or Getting Started.

How does DAQmx Work Together with Other Applications and Text Based
Programming Environments?
DAQmx has an application programming interface (API), which is a library of VIs,
functions, classes, attributes, and properties for creating applications for your
device. For information on getting started, refer to Getting Started. For a brief
description of using DAQmx with these applications, refer to the following topics.

■ LabVIEW
■
LabWindows/CVI
■ Measurement Studio with Visual C++, Visual C#, or Visual Basic .NET
■ ANSI C Application without LabWindows/CVI
■
.NET Application without Measurement Studio
■ SignalExpress
Related information
Finding Examples
Troubleshooting
Related Documentation

© National Instruments 27
 NI-DAQmx

LabVIEW
If you program your NI-DAQmx-supported device in LabVIEW, you can interactively
create virtual channels—both global and local—and tasks by launching the DAQ
Assistant from MAX or from within LabVIEW. You also can create local virtual
channels and tasks, and write your own applications using the NI-DAQmx API.
To learn about which NI-DAQmx VIs are most commonly used when creating a NI-
DAQmx data acquisition application, see Learn 10 Functions in NI-DAQmx and
Handle 80% of your Data Acquisition Applications.
For help with NI-DAQmx VIs, refer to DAQmx - Data Acquisition VIs and Functions.
For general help with programming in LabVIEW, refer to LabVIEW Help.
For help with using the DAQ Assistant with LabVIEW, refer to Using the DAQ Assistant
to Automatically Generate LabVIEW Code.

LabWindows/CVI
If you program your NI-DAQmx-supported device in LabWindows/CVI, you can
interactively create global or local virtual channels and tasks by launching the DAQ
Assistant from MAX or from within LabWindows/CVI. You can generate the
configuration code based on your task or channel in LabWindows/CVI. Refer to the
DAQ Assistant Help for additional information about generating code. You also can

28 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

create local virtual channels and tasks, and write your own applications using the
NI-DAQmx API.
For help with NI-DAQmx functions, refer to NI-DAQmx C Function Reference Help.
For general help with programming in LabWindows/CVI, refer to LabWindows/CVI
Help, accessible through Start»All Programs»National
Instruments»LabWindows CVI»LabWindows CVI Help.
For help with using the DAQ Assistant with LabWindows/CVI, refer to Using the DAQ
Assistant in NI LabWindows/CVI.

Measurement Studio with Visual C++, Visual C#, or Visual

Basic .NET
If you program your NI-DAQmx-supported device in Measurement Studio using
Visual C++, Visual C#, or Visual Basic .NET, you can interactively create channels and
tasks by launching the DAQ Assistant from MAX or from within Visual Studio .NET.
You can generate the configuration code based on your task or channel in
Measurement Studio. Refer to the DAQ Assistant Help for additional information
about generating code. You also can create channels and tasks, and write your own
applications in your ADE using the NI-DAQmx API.
For help with NI-DAQmx methods and properties, refer to the NI-DAQmx .NET Class
Library or the NI-DAQmx Visual C++ Class Library included in the NI Measurement
Studio Help. For general help with programming in Measurement Studio, refer to
the NI Measurement Studio Help, which is fully integrated with the Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET help. To view this help file in Visual Studio. NET, select Measurement
Studio»NI Measurement Studio Help.
For help with using the DAQ Assistant with Measurement Studio, refer to Using the
DAQ Assistant in Measurement Studio.

ANSI C Application without LabWindows/CVI

NI-DAQmx has a C API that you can use to create applications. To create an
application, follow these general steps:

1. Create a new project.

© National Instruments 29
 NI-DAQmx

2. Open existing or new source files (.c), and add them to the project. Make sure
you include the NI-DAQmx header file, nidaqmx.h, in your source code files.
You can find this header file at NI-DAQ\DAQmx ANSI C Dev\include.
3. Add the NI-DAQmx import library, nidaqmx.lib, to the project. The import
library files are located under NI-DAQ\DAQmx ANSI C Dev\lib\.
4. To view examples of NI-DAQmx applications, go to the NI-DAQ\Examples\
DAQmx ANSI C directory.
5. Build your application.
For help with NI-DAQmx functions, refer to the NI-DAQmx C Reference Help, which
is installed by default at Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-
DAQ»Text-Based Code Support»NI-DAQmx C Reference Help.
For help with using the DAQ Assistant with ANSI C, refer to Using NI-DAQmx in Text
Based Programming Environments.

.NET Application without Measurement Studio

With the Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1 or later, you can use NI-DAQmx to
create applications using Visual C# and Visual Basic .NET without Measurement
Studio. You need at least Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 or Microsoft Visual
Studio 2005 for the API documentation to be installed.
The installed documentation contains the NI-DAQmx API overview, measurement
tasks and concepts, and function reference. This help is fully integrated into the
Visual Studio .NET documentation. To view the NI-DAQmx .NET documentation, go
to Start»All Programs»National Instruments»NI-DAQ»NI-DAQmx .NET
Reference Help. Expand NI Measurement Studio Help»Measurement
Studio Support for NI-DAQmx Overview» NI-DAQmx .NET class library to
view the function reference. Expand NI Measurement Studio Help»NI
Measurement Studio .NET Class Library»Using the Measurement
Studio .NET Class Libraries to view conceptual topics for using NI-DAQmx with
Visual C# and Visual Basic .NET.
To get to the same help topics from within Visual Studio, go to Help»Contents.
Select Measurement Studio from the Filtered By drop-down list and follow the
previous instructions.

30 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

For help with using the DAQ Assistant with Visual Studio .NET, refer to Using NI-
DAQmx in Text Based Programming Environments.

SignalExpress
If you use your NI-DAQmx-supported device in SignalExpress, you can create a
project that includes NI-DAQmx steps. With SignalExpress, you can log and analyze
data. You can also add global virtual channels that you created in MAX to your NI-
DAQmx steps in SignalExpress. Refer to the DAQ Assistant Help for additional
information.
For help with using the DAQ Assistant with SignalExpress, refer to Taking an NI-
DAQmx Measurement in SignalExpress. For general help with programming in
SignalExpress, refer to SignalExpress Help.

© National Instruments 31
 NI-DAQmx

Getting Started with NI-DAQmx

The National Instruments Getting Started with NI-DAQmx Series on ni.com is aimed
at helping you learn NI-DAQmx programming fundamentals. Through video and text
tutorials, this series will take you from verifying your device's operation in
Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to programming data acquisition
applications using LabVIEW. It is intended for both the beginner who wants to learn
how to use the DAQ Assistant, as well as the experienced user who wishes to take
advantage of advanced NI-DAQmx functionality.
Go to Getting Started with NI-DAQmx: Main Page on ni.com.
The series includes:

■ NI-DAQmx Frequently Asked Questions

■ NI-DAQmx Software and Hardware Installation
■ Basic Programming with NI-DAQmx
■ Advanced Programming with NI-DAQmx
Related information
NI-DAQmx Overview
Finding Examples
Troubleshooting
Related Documentation

Finding Examples
Each API includes a collection of programming examples to help you get started
developing an application. You can modify example code and save it in an
application. You can use examples to develop a new application or add example
code to an existing application.

32 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

To run examples without hardware installed, you can use an NI-DAQmx simulated
device. In MAX, refer to the Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-
DAQmx by selecting Help»Help Topics» NI-DAQmx for information on NI-DAQmx
simulated devices.
To find the locations of examples for your software application, refer to the
following table.

Software Application Example Location

LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI Help»Find Examples
SignalExpress Program Files\National Instrumen
ts\SignalExpress\Examples
ANSI C *...NI-DAQ\Examples\DAQmx ANSI C
MFC 7.0 C++ *...NI-DAQ\Examples\MStudioVC2003
Visual Basic .NET and C# for Visual Studio 2003 *...NI-DAQ\Examples\DotNET1.1
MFC 8.0 C++ *...NI-DAQ\Examples\MStudioVC2005
MFC 9.0 C++ *...NI-DAQ\Examples\MStudioVC2008
Visual Basic .NET and C# for Visual Studio 2005 *...NI-DAQ\Examples\DotNET2.0
Visual Basic .NET and C# for Visual Studio 2008 *...NI-DAQ\Examples\DotNET3.5
* For Windows, the default path is <drive>:\Users\Public\Public Documents\Nat
ional Instruments\NI-DAQ\Examples\... .

Note Visual Studio 2003 and later do not

require Measurement Studio.

Troubleshooting
Installation and Configuration
Refer to the DAQ Getting Started Guide for general installation and configuration
instructions.
Use the following resources if you have problems installing your DAQ hardware
and/or software:

■ Refer to NI DAQ Setup and Support on ni.com for information on getting

started with NI DAQ, support, drivers and code, and other resources.

© National Instruments 33
 NI-DAQmx

■ Refer to ni.com/kb for documents on troubleshooting common

installation and programming problems and for answering frequently asked
questions about NI products.
■ If you think you have damaged your device and need to return your National
Instruments hardware for repair or calibration, refer to sending a National
Instruments board in for repair or calibration.
For LabWindows/CVI users, if the Data Acquisition function panel is disabled, you
may need to uninstall NI-DAQmx and reinstall it, making sure that you add support
for LabWindows/CVI. If you have installed LabWindows/CVI support and Data
Acquisition is still dimmed, select Library»Customize. In the Customize Library
Menu dialog box, check Data Acquisition, and restart LabWindows/CVI. You might
also need to verify that the dataacq.lib is in the bin directory.

Programming
To help you get started programming, you can use the shipping examples for your
ADE.
You can also visit NI's extensive library of technical support resources at ni.com/s
upport.
You can interactively configure global virtual channels and tasks with the DAQ
Assistant. For NI application software such as LabVIEW, you can use the DAQ
Assistant to generate code.
You can use NI I/O Trace to analyze the functions you have called in the API with NI
application software. With NI I/O Trace, you can watch the order of execution of the
application and locate errors as they happen.
Note I/O Trace is not supported by the NI-DAQmx .NET API.
Finally, the NI-DAQmx Help contains programming flowcharts for common
applications such as measuring temperature, current, strain, position, and
acceleration.

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External Connections
In addition to the information on making signal connections in this help file, the
Connection Diagram tab in the DAQ Assistant within MAX shows you how to connect
signals.

Calibration
■ For information on externally calibrating your device, including step-by-step
calibration procedures, refer to ni.com/calibration.
■ For an overview of calibration, including the difference between self-
calibration and external calibration, refer to Device Calibration.
■ For device-specific information required for calibration with NI-DAQmx,
refer to Device-Specific Calibration.
■ For information on channel calibration, refer to What Is Channel
Calibration?

CPU Usage
NI-DAQmx tasks use 100% of the CPU if no other processes are running. However, as
soon as another process requires the CPU, the NI-DAQmx task yields to that process.

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NI-DAQmx Key Concepts

2022-06-15
NI-DAQmx Key Concepts covers important concepts in NI-DAQmx such as channels
and tasks. The ways that NI-DAQmx handles timing, triggering, buffering, and signal
routing are also central in the NI-DAQmx API.
© 2005–2023 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. Refer to the
<National Instruments>\_Legal Information directory for information about NI
copyright, patents, trademarks, warranties, product warnings, and export
compliance.

Channels and Tasks in NI-DAQmx

Virtual channels and tasks are fundamental components of NI-DAQmx.
Virtual channels, or sometimes referred to generically as channels, are software
entities that encapsulate the physical channel along with other channel specific
information—range, terminal configuration, and custom scaling—that formats the
data. Tasks are collections of one or more virtual channels with timing, triggering,
and other properties.
Channels: Physical, Virtual, Local Virtual, and Global Virtual
A physical channel is a terminal or pin at which you can measure or generate an
analog or digital signal. A single physical channel can include more than one
terminal, as in the case of a differential analog input channel or a digital port of
eight lines. Every physical channel on a device has a unique name (for instance,
SC1Mod4/ai0, Dev2/ao5, and Dev6/ctr3 ) that follows the NI-DAQmx
physical channel naming convention.
Virtual channels are software entities that encapsulate the physical channel along
with other channel specific information—range, terminal configuration, and custom
scaling—that formats the data. To create virtual channels, use the DAQmx Create
Virtual Channel function/VI or the DAQ Assistant.
Virtual channels created with the DAQmx Create Virtual Channel function/VI are
called local virtual channels and can only be used within the task. With this

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function/VI, you choose the name to assign for the virtual channel, which is used in
the rest of the NI-DAQmx software framework to refer to the physical channel.
If you create virtual channels with the DAQ Assistant, you can use them in other
tasks and reference them outside the context of a task. Because these channels can
apply to multiple tasks, they are called global virtual channels. You can select global
virtual channels with the NI-DAQmx API or DAQ Assistant and add them to a task. If
you add a global virtual channel to several tasks and modify that global virtual
channel with the DAQ Assistant, the change applies to all tasks that use that global
virtual channel. You must save the changes before they become globally available.
Creating Virtual Channels with the API
The following example illustrates the difference between physical and virtual
channels and demonstrates how to create virtual channels with the API.

Problem

Create an NI-DAQmx virtual channel to measure temperature in the range 50° C to

200° C using a J-type thermocouple wired to channel 0 on an M Series device
configured as Device 1. Use LabVIEW or LabWindows™/CVI™ to write your
application.

Solution

1. Call the AI Temp TC instance of the DAQmx Create Virtual Channel VI in

LabVIEW (DAQmxCreateAIThrmcplChan function in LabWindows/CVI).
2. Use Dev1/ai0 as the physical channel on the device to which the
thermocouple signal is connected.
3. Specify myThermocoupleChannel as the name to assign to your virtual
channel.
4. Select the appropriate values for the thermocouple type and range inputs. NI-
DAQmx applies these attributes to the virtual channel.
You have now created a virtual channel.
Types of Virtual Channels
You can create a number of different types of virtual channels, depending on the
signal type—analog, digital, or counter—and direction (input or output). These

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channels can be either global virtual channels or local virtual channels. For
information on specific functions/VIs, refer to the NI reference help for your ADE.

Analog Input Channels

Analog input channels measure different physical phenomena using a variety
of sensors. The type of channel to create depends on the type of sensor
and/or phenomenon you want to read. For instance, you can create channels
for measuring temperature with a thermocouple, measuring current,
measuring voltage, and measuring voltage with excitation.
Analog Output Channels
NI-DAQmx supports two types of phenomena, voltage and current. You can
use custom scales if the output from the device relates to another unit of
measure.
Counter Input/Output Channels
NI-DAQmx supports several types of counter input and output channels for
different types of counter measurements and generations. To find out more
about counter measurements and terminals used for common applications,
refer to Counter Parts in NI-DAQmx.
Digital Input/Output Channels
For digital channels, you can create both line-based and port-based digital
channels. A line-based channel can contain one or more digital lines from one
or more ports on a device. Reading or writing to a line-based channel does not
affect other lines on the hardware. You can split lines in a particular port
among multiple channels and use those channels simultaneously within one
or multiple tasks, but the lines in a given channel must all be input lines or all
be output lines. Additionally, all channels in a task must be either input
channels or output channels. Some devices also require that the lines of a
given port all be input lines or output lines. Check your device documentation
for the capabilities of your device.
A port-based channel represents a fixed collection of lines on the device.
Reading or writing to a port affects all the lines on the port. The number of
lines in the port (commonly referred to as port width) is hardware dependent
and typically varies from 8 lines (MIO device) to 32 lines (SCXI digital modules).

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Power Channels
Power channels source voltage and current and also provide measurements
of those sources. You can change the voltage and current setpoints
dynamically at runtime. You can use a power channel to control (enable or
disable) the power output as well as to detect various error states that impact
power output.

Physical Channel Syntax

Use this syntax to refer to physical channels and groups of physical channels in NI-
DAQmx.

Physical Channel Names

Physical channel names consist of a device identifier and a slash (/) followed by a
channel identifier. For example, if the physical channel is Dev1/ai1 , the device
identifier is Dev1 , and the channel identifier is ai1 . MAX assigns device identifiers
to devices in the order they are installed in the system, such as Dev0 and Dev1 .
You also can assign arbitrary device identifiers with MAX.
For analog I/O and counter I/O, channel identifiers combine the type of the channel,
such as analog input (ai), analog output (ao), and counter (ctr), with a channel
number such as the following:
ai1
ctr0
For digital I/O, channel identifiers specify a port, which includes all lines within a
port:
port0
Or, the channel identifier can specify a line within a port:
port0/line1
All lines have a unique identifier. Therefore, you can use lines without specifying
which port they belong to. For example, line31 is equivalent to port3/line7
on a device with four 8-bit ports.

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Physical Channel Ranges

To specify a range of physical channels, use a colon between two channel numbers
or two physical channel names:
Dev1/ai0:4
Dev1/ai0:Dev1/ai4
For digital I/O, you can specify a range of ports with a colon between two port
numbers:
Dev1/port0:1
You also can specify a range of lines:
Dev1/port0/line0:4
Dev1/line0:31
You can specify channel ranges in reverse order:
Dev1/ai4:0
Dev1/ai4:Dev1/ai0
Dev1/port1/line3:0

Physical Channel Lists

Use commas to separate physical channel names and ranges in a list as follows:
Dev1/ai0, Dev1/ai3:6
Dev1/port0, Dev1/port1/line0:2

Digital Lines, Ports, and Port Width

Digital lines and ports are important parts of a digital input/output system.

Line
A line is an individual signal. It refers to a physical terminal. The data that the
line carries are called bits, binary values that are either 1 or 0. The terms line
and bit are fairly interchangeable. For example, an 8-bit port is the same as a
port with eight lines.

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Port
A port is a collection of digital lines. Usually, the lines are grouped into an 8-bit
or 32-bit port.
Port Width
The port width refers to the number of lines in a port. For example, a device
with one port with eight lines has a port width of eight.

Channel Name Generation

NI-DAQmx assigns names to local virtual channels that you create programmatically
with the NI-DAQmx API when you do not provide a name for each local virtual
channel.

Physical Channel Names Name To Assign Generated Local Virtual

Channel Names
Dev1/ai0:1 — Dev1/ai0, Dev1/ai1
Dev1/ai0:7 "foo" foo0, foo1, ..., foo7
Dev1/ai0:7 "foo31" foo31, foo32, ..., foo38
Dev1/ai0:7 "foo 123" foo123, foo124, ..., foo130
Dev1/ai0:7 "a0:3, b" a0, a1, a2, a3, b0, b1, b2, b3

Naming Channels, Tasks, and Scales

Use the following guidelines to name your channels, tasks, and scales:
■ Use any alphanumeric characters.
■ Do not use nonalphanumeric characters with the following exceptions:
■ In NI-DAQmx 7.4 or later, dashes are allowed in channel, task, and scale
names.
■ Spaces are allowed.

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■ You can use underscores within the channel, task, or scale name, but you
cannot use leading underscores, such as _Dev1 .
Note: You can use other nonalphanumeric
characters when creating channels, tasks,
and scales, but exporting that configuration
to another system might not work correctly,
especially if the operating system is in a
different language.
■ You must use no more than 256 characters.
Cold-Junction Compensation Channels
On devices with built-in cold-junction compensation (CJC) channels, the CJC
channel is read once per sample clock edge.
Tasks in NI-DAQmx
A task is a collection of one or more virtual channels with timing, triggering, and
other properties. Conceptually, a task represents a measurement or generation you
want to perform. All channels in a task must be of the same I/O type, such as analog
input or counter output. However, a task can include channels of different
measurement types, such as an analog input temperature channel and an analog
input voltage channel. For most devices, only one task per subsystem can run at
once, but some devices can run multiple tasks simultaneously. With some devices,
you can include channels from multiple devices in a task. To perform a
measurement or a generation with a task, follow these steps:

1. Create or load a task. You can create tasks interactively with the DAQ Assistant
or programmatically in your ADE such as LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI.
2. Configure the channel, timing, and triggering properties as necessary.
3. Optionally, perform various task state transitions to prepare the task to
perform the specified operation.
4. Read or write samples.
5. Clear the task.
If appropriate for your application, repeat steps 2 through 4. For instance, after
reading or writing samples, you can reconfigure the virtual channel, timing, or

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triggering properties and then read or write additional samples based on this new
configuration.
If properties need to be set to values other than their defaults for your task to be
successful, your program must set these properties every time it executes. For
example, if you run a program that sets property A to a nondefault value and follow
that with a second program that does not set property A, the second program uses
the default value of property A. The only way to avoid setting properties
programmatically each time a program runs is to use virtual channels and/or tasks
created in the DAQ Assistant.
Creating Tasks with the API
The following example illustrates how to create a task with the API:

Problem

Create an NI-DAQmx task to measure temperature in the range 50°C to 200°C using a
J-type thermocouple that is wired to channel 0 on an M Series device configured as
Device 1. Sample the temperature 10 times per second, and acquire 10,000 samples.
Use LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI to write your application.

Solution

1. Call the AI Temp TC instance of the DAQmx Create Virtual Channel VI in

LabVIEW (DAQmxCreateAIThrmcplChan function in LabWindows/CVI).
2. Specify Dev1/ai0 as the physical channel for the device connected to the
thermocouple signal.
3. Specify myThermocoupleChannel as the name to assign to your virtual
channel.
4. Select the appropriate values for the thermocouple type and range inputs. NI-
DAQmx applies these attributes to the virtual channel.
5. Call the Sample Clock instance of DAQmx Timing VI in LabVIEW (or
DAQmxCfgSampClkTiming function in LabWindows/CVI), specifying a rate of
10 Hz and a sample mode of finite.
6. Call the DAQmx Start Task VI (DAQmxStartTask in LabWindows/CVI).

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7. Call the Analog 1D DBL 1Chan NSamp instance of DAQmx Read VI

(DAQmxReadAnalogF64 in LabWindows/CVI), specifying number of samples
per channel as 10,000.
8. Call the DAQmx Stop Task VI (DAQmxStopTask function in LabWindows/CVI)
after the desired number of samples have been acquired.
9. Call the DAQmx Clear Task VI (DAQmxClearTask function in LabWindows/CVI).
You have now created a task called myTemperatureTask that uses a local virtual
channel called myThermocoupleChannel.
Note: You also can use the DAQ Assistant to
create the same task and generate the code to
run the task.

Using the Start Task function/VI

To explicitly start a task, call the Start Task function/VI. You auto-start a task when
you perform some other operation that implicitly starts the task. For instance,
calling a Read function/VI or a Write function/VI might implicitly start the task if one
is not already started. How to specify this behavior depends on the operation that
your task performs. By default, the Read function/VI and the Write function/VI for a
single sample automatically starts a task.

Starting a Finite Measurement Task

If you have specified a task to perform a finite measurement, you do not need to
call the Start Task function/VI, nor do you need to change the default behavior of
the DAQmx Read function/VI. Calling the Read function/VI starts your task, performs
the finite measurement, and stops the task after the last sample is read. The task
returns to its state before you called the read operation. However, if you need to
perform additional read operations after the task has been stopped (in other words,
if you want to read earlier locations in the buffer), the default behavior is insufficient
for two reasons:

1. The task is returned to the Verified state and the samples are no longer
accessible.
2. Future calls of the Read function/VI start new read operations rather than
reading from the completed operation.

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For this situation, explicitly commit the task by calling the Control Task function/VI
with the Action parameter set to Commit. Then, after performing the initial read
operation and before performing the subsequent read operations, set the Auto-Start
Read attribute/property to False.

Starting a Continuous Measurement Task

For a continuous measurement, explicitly call the Start Task function/VI, perform
the desired read operations, and call the Stop Task function/VI to stop the
continuous measurement. When you perform a read operation in a loop—regardless
if the read operation performs a single-sample, on-demand read, or a multiple-
sample, hardware-timed read—call the Start Task function/VI before entering the
loop and call the Stop Task function/VI after leaving the loop.

Starting an Analog Output Task

The behavior of the Write function/VI is more complicated. Calling the Write
function/VI always results in the task transitioning to at least the Committed state.
Whether the task transitions to the Running state depends on the value of the
Auto-Start parameter.
For single-sample write operation, call a single-sample version of the Write
function/VI. This call implicitly starts the task, writes the single sample, and
stops the task. For a multiple-sample, on-demand write operation, call the Write
function/VI, but also set the Auto-Start parameter to True, which by default is set to
False. This call implicitly starts the task, writes the multiple samples, and stops the
task.
For a multiple-sample, hardware-timed write operation, first call the Write
function/VI to write the samples to generate, explicitly call the Start Task
function/VI, wait for the samples to be generated by calling the Wait Until Done
function/VI, and then explicitly call the Stop Task function/VI.
If you attempt to perform a hardware-timed generation with the Auto-Start
parameter of the Write function/VI set to True either because you explicitly set it
to true or because you are using a single-sample Write function/VI, the operation
might fail because the samples that you write are not transferred to the device
in time to generate the waveform. As a result, when performing hardware-timed

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generations, always write at least part of the waveform to generate before starting
the task.

Improving Performance with the Start Task function/VI

There are other situations in which you should explicitly call the DAQmx Start
Task function/VI and the DAQmx Stop Task function/VI, even though you are not
required to do so. When you call the Read function/VI or the Write function/VI in a
loop, you can significantly improve performance if you explicitly call the Start Task
function/VI before entering the loop and call the Stop Task function/VI after exiting
the loop. Without explicitly calling the Start Task function/VI before entering the
loop, the task must implicitly transition from its current state to the Running state
before performing the read or write operation. After the read or write operation
is complete, the task must implicitly transition from the Running state back to its
previous state. These implicit state transitions occur for every iteration of the loop,
which is inefficient.
Aborting a Task
Several conditions cause a task to abort:
■ To explicitly abort a task, call the DAQmx Control Task function/VI with the
Action parameter set to Abort. In general, aborting a task is not a normal
operation. It is intended for exceptional situations.
■ In LabVIEW, you also can abort a task by clicking the Abort Execution
button. Doing so results in all tasks created in that VI hierarchy to be aborted
and then cleared.
■ If you remove a device from the system, all tasks currently using the
resources of that device are aborted.
■ If you call the DAQmx Reset Device function/VI to restore a device to its
initial configuration, all tasks currently utilizing the resources of that device
are aborted.
When a task is aborted, it is returned to the Verified state. If the task is running, it is
stopped as soon as possible and is then unreserved. After a task has been aborted,
you can continue to use the task. However, you might need to transition the task
back to its previous state before continuing the specified operation.

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Using Is Task Done

You can use the Is Task Done function/VI for applications in which you need to
monitor the progress of a task running in one section of your application from
another section of your application.
In general, use the Is Task Done function/VI with continuous measurements and
generations when you are not actively reading or writing samples but want to
monitor for errors.
Using Wait Until Done
You might need to call the Wait Until Done function/VI to ensure that the specified
operation is complete before you stop the task.
The most common example is a finite generation. If you start a task that performs a
finite generation and then immediately stop the task, the generation probably has
not completed when you stop the task. As a result, the generation does not
complete as expected. To ensure that the finite generation completes as expected,
call the Wait Until Done function/VI before stopping the task. After the Wait Until
Done function/VI executes, the finite generation has been completed, and you can
stop the task.
In general, use the Wait Until Task Done function/VI with finite measurements and
generations.
When Is A Task Done?
If the measurement or generation is finite, the task is done when you acquire or
generate the final sample or when you call the Stop Task function/VI. If the
measurement or generation is continuous (including on-demand timing), or if
retriggering is enabled, the task is not done until you call the Stop Task function/VI.
In addition, the task is done if a fatal error is generated while performing the
measurement or generation, or you abort the measurement or generation. Check
for errors and warnings to verify the task completed successfully.
Task State Model
NI-DAQmx uses a task state model to improve ease of use and speed up driver
performance.

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The task state model consists of five states—Unverified, Verified, Reserved,

Committed, and Running. You call the Start Task function/VI, Stop Task function/VI,
and Control Task function/VI to transition the task from one state to another. The
task state model is very flexible. You can choose to interact with as little or as much
of the task state model as your application requires.

If you explicitly invoke a state transition that has already occurred, it is not repeated
and an error is not returned. For example, if the task has already reserved its
resources and, therefore, is in the Reserved state, calling the Control Task
function/VI with the Action parameter set to Reserve does not reserve the resources
again.
Sometimes, calling a function/VI may require multiple state transitions, such as
calling the Start Task function/VI while in the Verified state. In these cases, the task
will implicitly transition between each of the necessary states to get to the final
desired state, as shown in the following diagram.

Transitioning backwards in the Task State Model will undo any implicit forwards
transitions in addition to the requested explicit transition. Continuing with the
example above, calling the Stop Task function/VI after implicitly transitioning to the
Running State from the Verified State will cause the task to return to the Verified
State, as shown in the following diagram.

Unverified State

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When a task is created or loaded, either explicitly or implicitly, it is in the Unverified

state. In this state, you configure the timing, triggering, and channel attributes/
properties of the task.
Verified State
NI-DAQmx checks the timing, triggering, and channel attributes/properties for
correctness when the task transitions from the Unverified to the Verified state. You
can explicitly perform this transition by calling the Control Task function/VI with
Action set to Verify. While NI-DAQmx detects and verifies some invalid values for
attributes/properties immediately when you set the attribute/property, NI-DAQmx
cannot verify other values immediately because they depend on other attributes/
properties and the devices being used. NI-DAQmx checks the value of these
attributes/properties during the verify transition and reports any invalid values at
that time. If NI-DAQmx finds no invalid values, the task is successfully verified and
transitions to the Verified state. Otherwise, it remains in the Unverified state.
In certain cases, NI-DAQmx will coerce the values of attributes/properties when
successfully verifying a task rather than generating an error. This is done when the
value set on the attribute/property cannot be met exactly as specified and coercing
it to a legal value has little functional impact on the task.
Reserved State
The resources a task uses to perform the specified operation are acquired
exclusively when the task transitions from the Verified state to the Reserved state.
These resources can be clocks or channels on a device, trigger lines on a PXI chassis,
or buffer memory in the computer. Reserving these resources prevents other tasks
from using these resources, which interferes with this task performing the specified
operation. You can explicitly perform this transition by calling the Control Task
function/VI with Action set to Reserve. This transition fails if some task resources are
currently reserved by another task. If the task can gain access to all the resources it
uses, the task is successfully reserved and transitions to the Reserved state.
Otherwise, it remains in the Verified state.
Committed State
NI-DAQmx programs some of the settings for the resources when the task is
committed. These settings might be the rate of a clock or the input limits of a
channel on a device, the direction of a trigger line on a PXI chassis, or the size of the

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buffer memory in the computer. Other settings, such as the sample counter, cannot
be programmed when the task is committed because they need to be programmed
every time the task is started. When a task is committed, it transitions from the
Reserved state to the Committed state. You can explicitly perform this transition by
invoking the Control Task function/VI with Action set to Commit. In general, the
commit transition should not fail. If it does, it is an exceptional condition and the
task remains in the Reserved state. If the settings for the resources used by the task
are programmed, the task is successfully committed and transitions to the
Committed state.
Running State
When the task begins to perform the specified operation, the task transitions from
the Committed state to the Running state. You can explicitly perform this transition
by invoking the Start Task function/VI. Notice that starting a task does not
necessarily start acquiring samples or generating a waveform. You might have
specified the timing and triggering attributes/properties such that a sample is not
acquired until you call the Read function/VI or a waveform is not generated until a
trigger is detected. In general, the start transition does not fail. If it does, it is an
exceptional condition, and the task remains in the Committed state. If the task
begins to perform the specified operation, the task is successfully started and
transitions to the Running state.
Running to Committed State
The task ceases to perform the specified operation when the task transitions from
the Running state to the Committed state. To explicitly perform this transition, call
the Stop Task function/VI. Notice that you might have specified the timing and
triggering attributes/properties such that all the samples are acquired before this
transition occurs. For output operations, the last value written will typically
continue to be generated after the task is stopped. In this situation, despite the fact
that no additional samples are acquired, the task is still in the Running state until
this transition occurs. In general, the stop transition does not fail. If it does, it is an
exceptional condition, and the task is returned to the Reserved state. If the task is
stopped, the task successfully transitions back to the Committed state.
Committed to Verified State

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When the task resources that perform the specified operation are released, the task
transitions from the Committed state to the Verified state. These resources may be
clocks or channels on a device, trigger lines on a PXI chassis, or buffer memory in
the computer. To explicitly perform this transition, call the Control Task function/VI
with Action set to Unreserve. After the task releases all of its resources, it
successfully transitions back to the Verified state.
Explicit Versus Implicit State Transitions
When should you perform explicit state transitions, and when should you rely on the
task to perform implicit state transitions? The answer depends on your application.
The following list identifies instances in which you should use explicit state
transitions:

Verify
If in your application users interactively configure a task by setting various
channel, timing, and triggering attributes/properties, explicitly verify the task
occasionally to inform the users if they have set an attribute/property to an
invalid value.
Reserve
If the following is true, explicitly reserve a task: your application contains
many different tasks that use the same set of resources, one of these tasks
repeatedly performs its operation, and you want to ensure that none of the
other tasks acquires these resources after the task begins its sequence of
operations. Reserving the task exclusively acquires the resources that the task
uses, ensuring that other tasks cannot acquire these resources. For example, if
your application contains two tasks that each perform a sequence of
measurements and you want to ensure that each sequence is completed
before the other sequence begins, you can explicitly reserve each task before
it begins its sequence of measurements.
Commit
If your application performs multiple measurements or generations by
repeatedly starting and stopping a task, explicitly commit a task. Committing
the task exclusively acquires the resources that the task uses and programs
some of the settings for these resources. By explicitly committing the task,
these operations are performed once, not each time the task is started, which
can considerably decrease the time needed to start your task. For example, if

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your application repeatedly performs finite, hardware-timed measurements,

the time required to start the task can dramatically decrease if you explicitly
commit the task before repeatedly performing these measurements. Explicitly
committing a task also is required if you need to perform additional read
operations of the samples acquired by the task after stopping the task. For
more information, refer to Using the Start Task Function/VI.
Start
If your application repeatedly performs read or write operations, explicitly
start a task. Starting the task reserves the resources that the task uses,
programs some of the settings for these resources, and begins to perform the
specified operation. By explicitly starting the task, these operations are
performed once, not each time the read or write operation is performed. This
process can considerably decrease the time required to perform each read or
write operation. For example, if your application repeatedly performs single-
sample, software-timed read operations, the time required for each read
operation can dramatically decrease if you explicitly start the task before
repeatedly performing these read operations.

Implicit Task State Transitions

Although you can explicitly transition a task through each of its states as described
in Task State Model, you rarely need this level of detailed control. Two scenarios
exist in which a task is implicitly transitioned from one state to another:

■ Moving the task through multiple states at the same time

■ Operations that require state transitions
Task Moves Through Multiple States at the Same Time
Some state transitions require the task to move through one or more states to reach
the specified state. For example, if the task is in the Unverified state, and you call the
Control Task function/VI, setting Action to Reserve, the task is verified and reserved.
The task transitions from the Unverified state to the Verified state and to the
Reserved state. In most applications, it is not helpful to explicitly transition the task
to each state. Instead, invoke only those transitions that are necessary, and the task
implicitly handles the rest.
Operations That Require State Transitions

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You implicitly transition the task to a new state when you perform an operation that
requires that the task be in a specific state and it is not. If this occurs, the task is
implicitly transitioned to the required state. Some operations that require state
transitions include the following:

■ Querying the value of an attribute/property implicitly verifies the task. This

verification is required to return accurate coerced values of attributes/
properties. Because the coerced value of a attribute/property often depends
on the values of other attributes/properties, the task as a whole must be
verified to calculate the value. Because the task might be implicitly verified
when you query the value of an attribute/property, NI-DAQmx may return an
error specifying that the value of attribute/property is invalid.
■ Calling the Read function/VI implicitly commits the task if the task is not
already committed. If the value of the DAQmx Read Auto Start attribute/
property is True and the task has not been started, the task also is implicitly
started. For more information regarding the auto-start behavior of read
operations, refer to Using the Start Task Function/VI.
■ Calling the Write function/VI commits the task. If the value of the Auto-Start
parameter is True, the task also is started. For more information regarding the
auto-start behavior of write operations, refer to Using the Start Task
Function/VI.
For example, if the task is in the Reserved state, the value of the DAQmx Read Auto
Start attribute/property is True, and you call the Read function/VI, the task is
implicitly committed and started. The task transitions from the Reserved state to the
Committed state and to the Running state before the read operation is performed.
In some applications, it is not necessary to explicitly transition the task to any state.
Instead, invoke the desired operation and the task implicitly handles everything
else.
Transitioning the State Backwards
When a task is implicitly transitioned backwards, it returns to the state of the task
prior to the last operation that resulted in a forward state transition. For example, if
the task was in the Verified state and you called the Start Task function/VI to start
the task, the task is reserved, committed, and started, transitioning to the Reserved
state and to the Committed state before transitioning to the Running state. When

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you invoke the Stop Task function/VI, the task is not just stopped and transitioned
from the Running state to the Committed state. If this were the case, the result is
unexpected because the task still has its resources reserved despite the fact that
you never explicitly reserved them. Instead, the task is stopped, uncommitted, and
unreserved, returning to the Verified state, its state immediately before you
performed the last operation that resulted in the state transition, calling the Start
Task function/VI.
As another example, suppose the task is in the Reserved state, and you call the Read
function/VI to perform a finite measurement. This results in the task implicitly
transitioning from the Reserved state to the Committed state and then to the
Running state before performing the read operation. When the read operation
completes, the task does not remain in the running state. If this were the case, the
result is unexpected behavior, because you need to stop the task and unreserve its
resources despite the fact you never explicitly reserved the resources or started the
task. Instead, after the finite read operation completes, the task is implicitly
transitioned from the Running state to the Committed state to the Reserved state.
This results in the task returning to the state before you performed the read
operation.
Keep in mind that setting the value of a channel, timing, or triggering attribute/
property does not implicitly transition the task back to the Unverified state. Instead,
the task remains in its current state and is implicitly verified when the next state
transition occurs. For example, if the task is in the Reserved state and you set the
value of timing attribute/property, the task remains in the Reserved state. The next
time the task, either implicitly or explicitly, is committed, the task is verified.
Because the task is implicitly verified when the next state transition occurs, NI-
DAQmx can return an error specifying that the value of attribute/property is invalid.
Creating Channels and Tasks with the DAQ Assistant
You can launch the DAQ Assistant from your NI application software or from MAX.
The DAQ Assistant is a graphical interface for configuring channels, tasks, and
scales.
After you launch the DAQ Assistant, follow the wizard instructions to create your
new task or channel. When the wizard is done, you can configure measurement-
specific settings, scaling, and, if necessary, timing and triggering.

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LabVIEW
In LabVIEW, there are several ways to open the DAQ Assistant. A couple of common
ones are the following:

■ Drop the DAQ Assistant Express VI from the Express Input palette.
■ Use the DAQmx Task Name control to open the DAQ Assistant.
■ Open the DAQ Assistant from within a LabVIEW Project as described in Using
NI-DAQmx with LabVIEW Project in the LabVIEW Help.

LabWindows/CVI
In LabWindows/CVI, select Tools»Create/Edit DAQmx Tasks. You also can launch
the DAQ Assistant by clicking the Task Name control of the DAQmx LoadTask
function panel and selecting New Task.

Measurement Studio
In Measurement Studio, open Visual Studio .NET and select Project»Add New
Item to open the Add New Item dialog box. In the Categories pane, select
Measurement Studio»Assistants. In the Templates pane, select DAQmx Task
Class.

MAX
In MAX, right-click Data Neighborhood, and select Create New from the shortcut
menu. Select NI-DAQmx Task or NI-DAQmx Global Virtual Channel in the
Create New window, and click Next.

Signal Express
In SignalExpress, add a DAQmx Acquire or DAQmx Generate step.
Choosing Whether to Use the API or the DAQ Assistant
When creating a new application, you can choose to use DAQ Assistant or the API.
Advantages of Using the DAQ Assistant:

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■ The DAQ Assistant requires no programming. You can configure channels,

timing, triggering, and scales interactively.
■ The DAQ Assistant can decrease development time. You can create a
complete application in a matter of minutes.
■ If you create your application using the DAQ Assistant and later need
functionality that it doesn't expose, you can easily generate the equivalent API
code from your DAQ Assistant task if you use an NI ADE such as LabVIEW,
LabWindows/CVI, or Measurement Studio.
Advantages of Using the API:

■ The API contains advanced features not exposed by the DAQ Assistant.
■ The API provides additional flexibility, allowing you to customize your
application to suit your needs.
■ The API gives you tighter control over the performance of your application.

Timing and Triggering

Timing and triggering are important in NI-DAQmx. The clocks section explains
clocks and handshaking. The triggering section goes over the triggers—such as a
Start Trigger and a Reference Trigger—and common trigger types—such as an
analog edge trigger or a digital edge trigger.
Timing, Hardware Versus Software
You can use software timing or hardware timing to control when a signal is
generated. With hardware timing, a digital signal, such as a clock on your device,
controls the rate of generation. With software timing, the rate at which the samples
are generated is determined by the software and operating system instead of by the
measurement device. A hardware clock can run much faster than a software loop. A
hardware clock is also more accurate than a software loop.
In NI-DAQmx, select hardware timing with the Sample Clock Timing function/VI or
by setting the Sample Timing Type attribute/property to Sample Clock. If you do
neither of these things, or you set the Sample Timing Type attribute/property to On
Demand, you are selecting software timing.

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Note: Some devices do not support hardware

timing. Refer to your device documentation if
you are unsure whether your device supports
hardware timing.

Clocks
Periodic digital edges measure time and are called clocks. Clocks such as a sample
timebase clock and the 20 MHz timebase clock mark the passing of time or are used
to align other signals in time. Clocks usually do not cause actions in the sense that
triggers do. The names of clocks usually do not refer to actions. The sample clock is
a notable exception.
The following are some common clocks used by DAQ devices. Refer to your device
documentation for all the clocks on your device.

AI Convert Clock
The clock on a multiplexed device that directly causes ADC conversions. The
default AI Convert Clock rate uses 10 µs of additional settling time between
channels, compared to the fastest AI Convert Clock rate for the device. When
the Sample Clock rate is too high to allow for 10 µs of additional settling time,
the default AI Convert Clock rate uses as much settling time as is allowed by
the Sample Clock rate. If there are multiple devices in the same task, the same
amount of additional settling time is used for all devices in the task, even if
their maximum AI Convert Clock rates differ.
AI Convert Clock Timebase
The clock that is divided down to produce the AI convert clock.
AI Sample Clock
The clock that controls the time interval between samples. Each time the
sample clock ticks (produces a pulse), one sample per channel is acquired.
AI Sample Clock Timebase
The onboard clock used as the source of the AI sample clock. The AI Sample
Clock Timebase is divided down to produce the AI sample clock.
Counter Timebase
The clock connected to the source terminal of a counter (Ctr0Source, for
example).

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DI Sample Clock
The clock that controls the time interval between samples. Each time the
sample clock ticks (produces a pulse), one sample per channel is acquired.
DO Sample Clock
The clock that controls the time interval between samples. Each time the
sample clock ticks (produces a pulse), one sample per channel is acquired.
DO Sample Clock Timebase
The onboard clock used as the source of the DO sample clock. The DO Sample
Clock Timebase is divided down to produce the DO sample clock.
Master Timebase
An onboard clock used by other counters on the device. The master timebase
is divided down to produce a slower clock or to measure elapsed time. This
timebase is the onboard clock used as the source of the AI Sample Clock
timebase, the AO Sample Clock timebase, and the counter timebases, for
example.
12.8 MHz Timebase
The onboard clock source for the master timebase from which other
timebases are derived. This timebase is often used to synchronize tasks across
chassis.
13.1072 MHz Timebase
The onboard clock source for the master timebase from which other
timebases are derived. This timebase is often used to synchronize tasks across
chassis.
20 MHz Timebase
The onboard clock source for the master timebase from which other
timebases are derived, if the device does not support an 80 MHz Timebase.
Otherwise, the clock produced by dividing the 80 MHz Timebase by 4.
80 MHz Timebase
The onboard clock source for the master timebase from which other
timebases are derived.
100 MHz Timebase
The onboard clock source for the master timebase from which other
timebases are derived.
100 kHz Timebase
The clock produced by dividing the 20 MHz Timebase by 200.

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Note: M Series, C Series, and X Series devices do

not have a master timebase of an arbitrary
frequency. These devices use the 20 MHz/80
MHz/100 kHz timebase directly.
The following diagram illustrates the M Series clocks that comprise analog input
and analog output timing. The black circles in the diagram represent terminals.

The following diagram illustrates the C Series clocks that comprise analog input and
analog output timing.

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The following diagram illustrates the X Series clocks that comprise analog input,
analog output, digital input, and digital output timing. The black circles in the
diagram represent terminals.

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The following diagram illustrates the E Series clocks that comprise analog input and
analog output timing. The black circles in the diagram represent terminals.

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Trigger and Clock Distinction

The distinction between triggers and clocks is blurred when the digital edges used
as a trigger are periodic. In such a case, a clock causes the device to perform an
action. The sample clock is the primary example. The stimulus for the action of
producing a sample is so often a clock that NI-DAQmx configures the sample clock
instead of the sample trigger. The distinction is made clear when you consider the
sample clock is in fact just one way of providing the source of a sample trigger.
Sample Timing Types

NI-DAQmx introduces the concept of a sample timing type. Each sample timing type
is a different stimulus for triggering the action of producing a sample. When you
select a Timing function/VI, you select your sample timing type. There also is an
attribute/property for setting the following sample timing types:

Sample Clock
A digital edge produces each sample. Nearly all devices have an onboard clock
that is dedicated to producing these edges periodically. Even when the edges
are not periodic, as they might be when the clock source is something other
than the dedicated onboard clock, you still use sample clock timing. Sample
clock timing is a type of hardware timing.
On Demand
Every time the Read or Write function/VI executes, the device produces the
requested samples as fast as possible. In this mode, the Sample Quantity
attributes/properties are ignored. On-demand timing is a type of software
timing.
Change Detection
Change detection timing captures samples from digital physical channels
when NI-DAQmx detects a change-a rising edge, a falling edge, or both rising
and falling edges-on one or more digital lines or ports. Change detection
timing reduces the digital data an application has to process. One issue to be
aware of with change detection on some devices is overflow. Overflow occurs
when NI-DAQmx cannot read a sample prior to the next change detection
event. The effect is that one or more samples can be missed.
Programmatically, you include the Change Detection Timing function/VI,
specifying the physical channels for rising and falling edges on which to detect

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changes. You can query for an overflow by using the Overflow attribute/
property in your application after the task starts.
Handshake
The handshake sample timing type is used to acquire or generate digital data
with the 8255 protocol. Many devices have an 8255 chip, and other devices
emulate the 8255 protocol by default with the handshake timing type.
Burst Handshake
Burst handshake timing acquires or generates digital data on the data lines
with a clocked protocol. This timing type involves three control signals: the
sample clock, the Pause Trigger, and the Ready for Transfer Event. Data is
transferred on each active sample clock edge if the peripheral device
deasserts the Pause Trigger and the DAQ device asserts the Ready for Transfer
Event.
There are separate Burst Handshake Timing functions/VIs based on whether
you import or export a sample clock. Using the appropriate function/VI is
important because there are timing restrictions (such as setup and hold
times) when sharing a clock between the two devices.
Implicit
The implicit sample timing type is used for acquiring period or frequency
samples using counters. It is also used for generating pulses. This timing type
is called implicit because the signal being measured is itself the timing signal
or the timing is implicit in the rate of the generated pulse train.

Sample Clock
Your device uses a sample clock to control the rate at which samples are acquired
and generated. This sample clock sets the time interval between samples. Each tick
of this clock initiates the acquisition or generation of one sample per channel. You
also can connect an outside source as your clock. In software, you can specify the
interval (how fast the clock acquires or generates signals) by specifying the sample
rate. You can limit the sample rate by the signal conditioning you apply to the
signals or the number of channels in your application. However, the number of
channels affects your measurement only if you are sampling close to the maximum
sample rate for your device.

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Note: Sample clock timing for digital I/O is not

supported on all devices.
Handshaking
If you want to communicate with an external device using an exchange of signals to
request and acknowledge each data transfer, use handshaking.
For example, you might want to acquire an image from a scanner. The process
involves the following steps:

1. The scanner sends a pulse to your measurement device after it scans the
image and is ready to transfer the data.
2. Your measurement device reads an 8-, 16-, or 32-bit digital sample.
3. Your measurement device then sends a pulse to the scanner to inform the
scanner that the digital sample has been read.
4. The scanner sends out another pulse when the scanner is ready to send
another digital sample.
5. After your measurement device receives this digital pulse, the device reads the
sample.
This process repeats until all the samples are transferred.

Note: Not all devices support handshaking.

Refer to your device documentation to see if
handshaking is supported on your device. For E
Series devices, only those devices with more
than eight digital lines—those devices that have
an additional 8255 chip onboard—support
handshaking.
Burst Handshaking Signals
For devices that support burst handshake timing, three signals are used:

■ Pause Trigger (formerly called REQ)

■ Ready for Transfer Event (formerly called ACK)
■ sample clock

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For digital input tasks, when the Pause Trigger signal is logic low and the Ready for
Transfer Event is logic high, the samples are sent to the measurement device. For
digital output tasks, when the Pause Trigger signal is logic low and the Ready for
Transfer Event is logic high, the NI-DAQmx device sends the samples to a peripheral
device. The sample clock, either onboard or external, controls the timing. Data is
transferred or acquired on either the rising or falling edge of the sample clock.
The default terminals used for burst handshaking signals vary from device to device.
Handshaking Signals for Devices That Emulate the 8255 Protocol

Devices that emulate the 8255 protocol support two handshaking signals:

Handshake Trigger
Also called Strobe Input (STB) and Acknowledge Input (ACK)
Handshake Event
Also called Input Buffer Full (IBF) and Output Buffer Full (OBF)

For input tasks, when the Handshake Trigger signal is low, the samples are sent to
the measurement device. After the samples have been sent, Handshake Event is
high, which tells the peripheral device that the data has been read. For digital
output, Handshake Event is low while the NI-DAQmx device sends the samples to a
peripheral device. After the peripheral device receives the samples, it sends a low
pulse back on the Handshake Trigger line. Refer to your device documentation to
determine which digital ports you can configure for handshaking signals.
The default terminals used for handshaking signals vary from device to device.
Handshaking Signals for 8255-Based Devices
8255-based devices that perform handshaking support four handshaking signals:

■ Strobe Input (STB)

■ Input Buffer Full (IBF)
■ Output Buffer Full (OBF)
■ Acknowledge Input (ACK)

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Use the STB and IBF signals for digital input operations and the OBF and ACK signals
for digital output operations. When the STB line is low, the samples are sent to the
measurement device. After the samples have been sent, IBF is high, which tells the
peripheral device that the data has been read. For digital output, OBF is low while
the software sends the samples to a peripheral device. After the peripheral device
receives the samples, it sends a low pulse back on the ACK line. Refer to your device
documentation to determine which digital ports you can configure for handshaking
signals.

Digital Data on Multiple Ports

For 8255-based devices, the ports in the task affect which handshaking lines are
used. Always use the handshaking lines associated with the highest order port in
the task. For instance, if you want to group ports 1 and 2 into a single task, use the
handshaking lines associated with port 2.
Connect all the STB lines together if you are grouping ports for digital input, as
shown in the following figure. Connect only the IBF line of the highest order port
in the task to the other device. No connection is needed for the IBF signals for the
other ports.

If you group ports for digital output on an 8255-based device, connect only the
handshaking signals of the last port in the port list, as shown in the following figure.

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When performing handshaking, some lines are automatically reserved for control
purposes and are unavailable for use. The control lines used depend on the ports
you are using and whether you are handshaking with input or output channels. The
remaining lines in the port not used for control are still available for use. If you are
transferring data across any line in a port in a handshaking task, the entire port is
reserved for handshaking data and the remaining lines in the port are unavailable
for use.
Hardware-Timed Single Point Sample Mode
In hardware-timed single-point sample mode, samples are acquired or generated
continuously using hardware timing and no buffer. You must use the sample clock
or change detection timing types. No other timing types are supported.
Use hardware-timed single-point sample mode if you need to know if a loop
executes in a given amount of time, such as in a control application.
Because there is no buffer if you use hardware-timed single-point sample mode,
ensure that reads or writes execute fast enough to keep up with hardware timing. If
a read or write executes late, it returns a warning.
Continuous Pulses (HW Timed Updates) is hardware-timed single point for counter
output.
Multiplexed Versus Simultaneous Sampling
Devices use either multiplexed or simultaneous sampling. Simultaneous sampling
devices have an ADC for each analog channel and can sample from all channels at
the same time, as shown in the following figure.

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Multiplexed sampling devices have a single ADC for all analog input channels. These
devices use both a sample clock and a convert clock. The sample clock initiates the
acquisition of a sample from all channels in the scan list. The convert clock causes
the ADC conversion for each individual channel. The following figure depicts a three-
channel analog input task on a device that uses multiplexed sampling. Notice that,
unlike S Series devices, the samples are not digitized simultaneously.

The convert clock must run faster than the sample clock to achieve the specified
sample rate. For instance, if you specify a sample rate of 10 S/s for 8 analog input
channels, the convert clock must run at least eight times the sample rate (80 Hz) to
ensure that each channel is sampled 10 times a second. At faster sampling rates,
you must also take settling time between channels into account.
Setup and Hold Times
When a DAQ device samples a digital signal, the signal must remain stable for a
period of time before and after the assertion of the clock edge used for timing. The
amount of time before the assertion of the clock is called the setup time. The
amount of time after the assertion of the clock edge is called the hold time. Refer to
your device documentation for minimum setup and hold times.
Simultaneous Analog Output On-Demand Timing
Typically, when you use software timing to output samples on multiple AO channels,
NI-DAQmx writes a sample to the first DAC, and the sample is generated. Then, NI-
DAQmx writes a sample to the second DAC, and that sample is generated, and so on.
However, with the simultaneous single-point on-demand timing, all of the data is
generated at the same time after NI-DAQmx writes to each DAC. You set this timing
with the Simultaneous Analog Output Enable attribute/property.
Timing Response Modes

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Digital I/O and DAQ devices typically use the single-cycle timing response mode,
meaning the device responds to an external signal by the next active sample clock
edge.
Devices that support the pipelined timing response mode, such as the PCIe-6536
and PCIe-6537, can respond to an external signal a few sample clock edges later.
This mode uses a source-synchronous clock scheme, which simultaneously returns
the clock and data to the acquiring device. With a source-synchronous data transfer,
you can acquire and generate data at much higher rates than with single-cycle
timing response mode.
With the pipelined timing response mode, you can configure external sample clocks,
but the sample clock must be free-running and started before the task commits. If
you export the sample clock, the export occurs during a task commit. As with other
events, when the task uncommits, the signal remains exported.
Triggering
When a device controlled by NI-DAQmx does something, it performs an action. Two
very common actions are producing a sample and starting a waveform acquisition.
Every NI-DAQmx action needs a stimulus or cause. When the stimulus occurs, the
action is performed. Causes for actions are called triggers. Triggers are named after
the actions they cause:

■ Advance Trigger
■ Expiration Trigger
■ Handshake Trigger
■ Pause Trigger
■ Reference Trigger
■ Start Trigger
■
Arm Start Trigger
In addition to specifying the action you want a trigger to cause, you must select the
type of trigger to use, which determines how the trigger is produced.
Advance Trigger

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An Advance Trigger causes a switch device to execute the next entry in its instruction
(scan) list. You can configure this trigger to occur on a digital edge or when the Send
Software Trigger function/VI runs.
Arm Start Trigger
When you configure an Arm Start Trigger, a counter task does not respond to any
Start Triggers until after the Arm Start Trigger occurs. You can configure this trigger
to occur on a digital edge or at a specified time (for devices that support time
triggering). The Arm Start Trigger is separate from a Start Trigger and is typically
used in advanced counter/timer applications. You might use an Arm Start Trigger to
synchronize multiple tasks, such as counting edges and pulse generation. The Start
Trigger then would be used to start the acquisition or generation.
Expiration Trigger
An Expiration Trigger expires a watchdog task. You can use this trigger instead of the
watchdog timer to signal an expiration. You can configure this trigger to occur on a
digital edge.
Handshake Trigger
A Handshake Trigger is a control signal from a peripheral device. The peripheral
device asserts the Handshake Trigger to indicate to the DAQ device that it has
acquired a sample (for output tasks) or generated a sample (for input tasks). For
input tasks, the DAQ device latches data, by default, at the trigger position specified
by the Sample Input Data When attribute/property, or when the peripheral device
asserts the Handshake Trigger.
Pause Trigger
With sample clock timing or burst handshake timing, the Pause Trigger pauses an
ongoing acquisition or generation. Deasserting this trigger resumes an acquisition
or generation. Depending on your device, there are some additional issues you need
to remember.
Reference Trigger
A Reference Trigger establishes the reference point in a set of input samples. You can
configure this trigger to occur on a digital edge, a digital pattern, an analog edge, or

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when an analog signal enters or leaves a window. Data acquired up to the reference
point is pretrigger data. Data acquired after this reference point is posttrigger data.

Start Trigger
A Start Trigger begins an acquisition or generation. You can configure this trigger to
occur on a digital edge, a digital pattern, an analog edge, when an analog signal
enters or leaves a window, or at a specified time (for devices that support time
triggering).
Trigger Types
In addition to specifying the action you want a trigger to cause, you must select the
type of trigger to use, which determines how the trigger is produced. If you need to
trigger off an analog signal, use an analog edge trigger or an analog window trigger.
If the trigger signal is digital, choose a digital edge trigger with the source typically
being one of the PFI pins.
Analog Edge Triggering
For analog edge triggering, you configure the measurement device to look for a
certain signal level and slope (either rising or falling). After the device identifies the
trigger condition, the device performs the specified action associated with the
trigger, such as starting the measurement or marking which sample was acquired
when the trigger occurred. You connect analog trigger signals to any analog input
channel or terminal capable of accepting analog signals. Refer to the device-specific
analog triggering considerations for your device for additional information.
In the following figure, the trigger is set to capture data for a rising edge signal when
the signal reaches 3.2.

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Hysteresis adds a window above or below the trigger level and often is used to
reduce false triggering due to noise or jitter in the signal. When using hysteresis with
a rising slope, the trigger asserts when the signal starts below level (or threshold
level) minus hysteresis and then crosses above level. The trigger deasserts when the
signal crosses below level minus hysteresis.
For example, if you add a hysteresis of 1 to the previous example, which used a level
of 3.2, the signal must start at or drop below 2.2 for triggering to occur. The trigger
then asserts as the signal rises above 3.2 and deasserts when it falls below 2.2.

When using hysteresis with a falling slope, the trigger asserts when the signal starts
or rises above level (or threshold level) plus hysteresis and then crosses below level.
The trigger deasserts when the signal crosses above level plus hysteresis. If you
instead trigger on a falling edge at 3.2 with a hysteresis of 1, the signal must start at
or rise above 4.2 and then fall below 3.2 for triggering to occur. The trigger will then
assert as the signal falls below 3.2 and deassert when it rises above 4.2.

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Analog Level Triggering

An analog level trigger is similar to an analog edge trigger. With both trigger types,
you specify the edge—rising or falling—and the trigger level. With an analog edge
trigger, you are interested in the point at which the trigger condition is met. With an
analog level trigger, on the other hand, you are interested in the duration that the
signal remains above or below the trigger level. An analog level trigger is typically
used with a Pause Trigger. The Pause Trigger asserts or deasserts when the trigger
condition is met. In the following illustration, a trigger asserts when the signal
crosses above the trigger level and deasserts when it drops below it. The
deassertion of the trigger could correspond to a Pause Trigger.

Analog Multi Edge Triggering

An analog multi edge trigger functions similar to an analog edge trigger. The analog
multi edge trigger differs in that you can configure multiple channel sources
acquiring in the same task to each have their own analog trigger condition. When
any of the multiple channel sources satisfy their respective condition, a trigger is
generated and the device will perform the specified action associated with the
trigger.

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Analog Window Triggering

A window trigger occurs when an analog signal either passes into (enters) or passes
out of (leaves) a window defined by two voltage levels. Specify the levels by setting
the window top value and the window bottom value. The following image
demonstrates a trigger that acquires data when the signal enters the window.

The following image demonstrates a trigger that acquires data when the signal
leaves the window.

Digital Edge Triggering

A digital trigger is usually a TTL signal with two discrete levels: a high and a low
level. When the signal moves from high to low or from low to high, a digital edge is
created. There are two types of edges: rising and falling. You can produce Start or
Reference Triggers from the rising or falling edge of your digital signal.
In the following figure, the acquisition begins after the falling edge of the digital
trigger signal. Usually, digital trigger signals are connected to PFI pins on your
measurement device.

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Digital Level Triggers

Digital level triggering starts, stops, or pauses an acquisition or measurement based
on the value read on a digital line.
Digital Pattern Triggering
For digital pattern triggering, you configure the device to detect a specific digital
pattern on specific physical channels. After detecting this condition, the device
performs the action associated with the trigger, such as starting the task or marking
which sample was acquired when the trigger occurred.
The digital pattern is specified using the following characters:

■ X: ignore the physical channel

■ 0: Match on a logic low level on the physical channel
■ 1: Match on a logic high level on the physical channel
■ R: Match on rising edge on the physical channel
■ E: Match on either rising or falling edge on the physical channel
■ F: Match on falling edge on the physical channel
For instance, if you specify a pattern of "X11100" and a source of "dev1/line0:4,dev1/
line6," the pattern match occurs when physical channels "dev1/line1," "dev1/line2,"
and "dev1/line3" are logic high and when physical channels "dev1/line4" and "dev1/
line6" are logic low. "dev1/line0" is ignored.

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For pattern triggers on ports, the pattern match occurs in reverse order. For
instance, if you specify a pattern of "11000000" and a source of "dev1/port0," the
pattern match occurs when physical channels "dev1/line0" and "dev1/line1" are
logic high and the other six lines are logic low.
Software Triggers
Software triggering starts, stops, or pauses an acquisition or measurement or
advances a scan list based on a software trigger command being sent. You generate
a software trigger command with the DAQmx Send Software Trigger function/VI.
Time Triggering
For devices that support it, a time trigger starts an acquisition or measurement at a
specific time. If the specified time has already elapsed, you will get an error message
indicating the time has already elapsed.
The timestamp timescale can be configured using the Timestamp.Timescale
attribute/property. Time triggers and timestamps can be specified in I/O Device
Time or Host Time, depending on the needs of your application.

I/O Device Time

Shared by all network-synchronized devices on your 802.1AS subnet. I/O
Device Time is most useful for synchronizing events across multiple chassis or
correlating timestamps from multiple chassis, because even though it may be
in an obscure time scale (for example, related to a point in the distant past,

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such as the Linux 1970 epoch), it removes other sources of skew related to
Windows system time or other systems that are not network-synchronized to
the same 802.1AS subnet. In that way, the I/O Device Time provides the best
precision and relative accuracy but may reduce usability if it is not correlated
to a recognizable global time. I/O Device Time also has the advantage of being
monotonically increasing, so time triggers and timestamps spread across
multiple devices or tasks accurately maintain their offsets from each other.
■

Host Time
The timescale your PC or NI Linux Real-Time controller uses. In cases where
the NI Linux Real-Time controller is the Grand Master of your 802.1AS subnet,
Host Time and I/O Device Time are the same. However, Host Time is typically
synchronized to a local Real Time Clock or a Network Time Protocol server,
and it is usually traceable to global time. Using Host Time is more intuitive
because triggers and timestamps on the chassis are specified in times that are
easily correlated to your local system time. However, this usability comes at
the cost of reduced relative accuracy between time triggers and timestamps
that are spread across multiple devices or tasks, because using the calculated
offset between the two timescales is not as accurate as using I/O Device Time
directly. To help account for this loss of accuracy in a specific and common
use-case, NI-DAQmx guarantees that two events that are scheduled for the
same Host Time are guaranteed to start at the same I/O Device Time,
preserving precise synchronization between chassis.
Whether a device supports time triggers or not can be queried using
TimeTrigSupported attribute/property.
Network-synchronized devices include the cDAQ-9185, 9189; FD-11601,
FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11634, FD-11637; cRIO-9040,
9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056, 9057,
9058; and sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.

Synchronization
Synchronized operations are created by routing timing and control signals.
Synchronization can be within a single device—for instance, synchronizing analog

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input and analog output on an M Series device—or on multiple devices. Timing and
control signals that synchronize operations fall into three categories: clocks,
triggers, and events.
These timing and control signals are routed by connecting two terminals together.
Selecting a terminal as the source of a clock or a trigger constructs a route. On PCI
devices, the RTSI bus provides the pathways for signal routing. On PXI devices, the
PXI trigger bus provides the same pathways. For NI-DAQmx to find a free PXI trigger
line, you must perform a PXI chassis identification in MAX. For NI-DAQmx to find a
free RTSI line, you must create a RTSI cable in MAX and populate it with the devices
connected by the cable. You can discover what routes are possible by referencing a
table of possible routes in MAX.
On some devices, you synchronize analog input, analog output, and digital input/
output channels from multiple modules by including those channels in the same
task. All channels within a task must be of the same channel type, such as analog
input or counter output.
Types of Synchronization, Lockstep and Handshaked
Lockstep synchronization involves two or more similar devices sharing the same
timing and triggering and essentially acting as a single device. Sharing a sample
clock between analog input and analog output operations on a single device is also
considered lockstep synchronization. The goal of lockstep synchronization is to
eliminate skew as much as possible. In lockstep synchronization, clocks and triggers
are typically shared.
Handshaked synchronization (or stimulus/response) is two or more devices acting
in sequence. In handshaked synchronization, triggers and events are typically
shared. A simplified DAC test is an example of this type of synchronization. A digital
device sends a digital pattern to the DAC and a signal causing the DAC to create a
voltage in response to this pattern. At the same time or soon after, the digital device
sends a signal to a DMM causing the DMM to measure the voltage output by the DAC.
When the DMM has finished the measurement, it sends a signal back to the digital
device causing the digital device to send the next pattern to the DAC.
In lockstep synchronization, the operations involved all use a clock or trigger for the
same purpose. In handshaked synchronization, the roles of the trigger or event are

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typically reversed between the operations (for example a Sample Complete Event
from a DMM is used as a Sample Clock by the digital device that receives it).
Master and Slave Devices
Most synchronization applications involve using a signal from another device. For
example, when performing Sample Clock synchronization, a device or set of devices
use the Sample Clock from another device. Even for Reference Clock
synchronization, where devices lock their onboard oscillators to a shared clock
rather than use that clock directly, the synchronized devices use the Start Trigger
from one of the devices.
The device that provides the signal is called the master device, and all other devices
in the application that use that signal are called slave devices. Because the master
device provides all the signals, it begins acquiring or generating samples
immediately when the task starts. The slave devices, however, cannot acquire or
generate data until receiving the signals from the master. Therefore, you must start
any tasks on slave devices before starting the task on the master device. When you
start the tasks on the slave devices, they wait for the signals from the master device.
Then, when the task starts on the master device, that device emits the synchronized
signals, ensuring all devices start acquiring or generating samples simultaneously. If
you start the task on the master device before starting the tasks on slave devices,
the master device will acquire or generate data for a non-deterministic amount of
time before the tasks start on the slave devices. The application is not truly
synchronized in such cases, and can result in errors.
Sources of Error
There are several sources of error when synchronizing measurements:

■ Jitter
■ Stability
■ Accuracy
■ Skew
Jitter
Jitter is small variations in the period of the clock (from sample to sample). It shows
up as noise in the digitized signal and affects higher-frequency signals more. Each

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component added to the clock's path adds additional jitter. You can control jitter
but not eliminate it by using an accurate clock source.
Stability
Stability describes how well the clock frequency resists fluctuations. Factors that
can cause the frequency to fluctuate include variations in temperature, time (aging),
supply voltage, shock, vibration, and capacitive load that the clock must drive.
Temperature is often the dominant factor that affects crystal oscillator stability.
Some oscillators are housed inside small ovens with controlled temperature to
provide stability that can be orders of magnitude better than with other techniques.
These oscillators are known as oven controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs). For
example, the NI 6608 contains an OCXO.
Accuracy
Clock accuracy describes how well the actual frequency of the clock matches the
specified frequency. An oscillator generates a clock. However, an oscillator never
generates a perfect frequency. The accuracy of the oscillator-generated clock is
affected by the quality of the crystal and the oscillator's assembly.
You can describe timing errors in several different ways. Some common units of
timing error are parts per million (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb). Parts per million
gives you a fractional value of error. For example, to find the error in Hertz of an 80
MHz oscillator with 5 ppm error, you multiply the frequency of the oscillator—
80,000,000—by 5 divided by 1,000,000 or [80,000,000 Hz (5 Hz/1,000,000 Hz) = 400
Hz].
From this equation, you see that the oscillator can be off by as much as 400 Hz.
Therefore, the actual frequency of the oscillator can be anywhere between
79,999,600 Hz and 80,000,400 Hz. Parts per billion is similar to parts per million, and
it is used to describe more accurate clocks.
Skew
Skew is a propagation delay that is caused when a signal arrives at two places at
different times. For instance, a signal is sent by a controlling device at time T0. A
receiving device A acts upon the signal at time T1. A receiving device B acts upon the
signal at time T2. If T1 is not equal to T2, the difference between T1 and T2 is the

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skew. The distance between devices and the cabling between your devices and
signal paths within the devices themselves all affect signal arrival times.
Methods of Synchronization
Several methods exist for synchronizing devices, depending on the devices involved
and the requirements of the application.

■ Start Trigger
■ Sample Clock
■ Reference Clock
■ Master Timebase
■ Sample Clock Timebase
■ Mixed-clock
Start Trigger Synchronization
For synchronizing multiple tasks on a single device, even at different rates and on
different subsystems, you do not need to synchronize any clocks. Because the
device derives those clocks from the same internal oscillator, you need to share only
the Start Trigger among the tasks so the clocks start at the same time.
To perform Start Trigger synchronization, configure start triggering on all slave
tasks, setting the trigger source to the internal Start Trigger terminal from the
master task, such as ai/StartTrigger. You do not have to configure start triggering on
the master task. All tasks include an implicit Start Trigger, which occurs immediately
when the task starts.

Note: You must start any tasks on slave devices

before starting the task on the master device.
Sample Clock Synchronization
Sample Clock synchronization allows you to synchronize tasks on multiple devices
at the same rate.
When using Sample Clock synchronization, slave devices replace the Sample Clock
for a given subsystem with the Sample Clock from another device.

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To perform Sample Clock synchronization, configure all devices to use Sample Clock
timing. Set the source of the Sample Clock on all slave devices to the internal
Sample Clock terminal from the master device. For example, the name of the
Sample Clock terminal from the AI subsystem is ai/SampleClock.

Note: You must start any tasks on slave devices

before starting the task on the master device.
Sample Clock synchronization results in skew due to the time required for the clock
to travel between devices. On multiplexed devices, Sample Clock synchronization
results in jitter because, even though you synchronized the Sample Clock, the
devices do not synchronize the AI Convert Clock.
Use Master Timebase synchronization or Reference Clock synchronization to
synchronize devices at different rates.
Reference Clock Synchronization
Reference Clock synchronization is the most flexible and powerful synchronization
method available on supported devices. Reference Clock synchronization allows
you to synchronize all timing for the synchronized devices, even at different rates
and regardless of subsystem, in that clocks derived from the Reference Clock start
and remain in phase. Derived clocks with a slower frequency than the Reference
Clock are not in phase. For counter operations, Reference Clock synchronization
ensures the counter timebases remain synchronized without drift, or in phase if the
application requires different counter timebase frequencies.
When using Reference Clock synchronization, a device does not directly use a clock
from another device in place of an onboard clock. Instead, all devices synchronize
their onboard oscillators to a common reference signal using a phase-locked loop.
Each device then derives other clocks from the synchronized oscillators. You must
share a Start Trigger for the derived clocks to start in phase.
For PXI devices, the reference signal is typically a 10 MHz clock on the chassis
backplane ( PXI_Clk10). For PXI Express devices, the reference signal is typically a
100 MHz clock on the chassis backplane ( PXIe_Clk100).

Note: Always use one of the PXI or PXI Express

chassis backplane clocks, if possible. Using a
clock from another device results in skew due to

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the time required for the signal to travel from

one device to the other.
PXI or PXI Express chassis backplane clocks might provide different accuracy than
the onboard oscillator of a device. For example, the PXIe-1062Q chassis has 25 ppm
clock accuracy, while the PXI-6259 has 50 ppm clock accuracy.
For PCI and PCI Express devices, that reference signal is a clock from another device
(typically 10MHzRefClk). Use the RefClk.Src attribute/property to specify the
terminal of the reference signal for a given task. Set RefClk.Src to OnboardClock
on the master device to lock to the onboard oscillator, rather than use it directly.
Locking to the onboard oscillator helps to equalize skew between the master and
slave devices.
Even though Reference Clock synchronization minimizes or eliminates skew in the
clocks, the shared Start Trigger must travel from the master device to the slave
devices, resulting in skew. Some devices allow you to correct for that skew.
Some devices use a Master Timebase instead of a Reference Clock, thus they use
Master Timebase synchronization. Reference Clock synchronization also requires
you to share multiple signals and reserve multiple RTSI or PXI trigger lines for those
signals. For Sample Clock-timed applications where all devices run at the same rate,
you can use Sample Clock synchronization to eliminate the need for a shared Start
Trigger, thus the additional RTSI/PXI line. You can also use Sample Clock
synchronization to synchronize devices that use a Master Timebase with devices
that use a Reference Clock.
Master Timebase Synchronization
Master Timebase synchronization is the most flexible and powerful synchronization
method available on supported devices. It allows you to synchronize all timing for
the synchronized devices, even at different rates and regardless of subsystem, in
that clocks derived from the Master Timebase start and remain in phase. For
counter operations, Master Timebase synchronization ensures the counter
timebases remain synchronized without drift, or in phase if the application requires
different counter timebase frequencies.
When using Master Timebase synchronization, slave devices replace their onboard
oscillator (the Master Timebase) with the Master Timebase from a master device.

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Each device then derives other clocks from the synchronized oscillators. You must
share a Start Trigger for the derived clocks to start in phase.

Note: You must start any tasks on slave devices

before starting the task on the master device.
You must set two properties on the slave devices to synchronize the Master
Timebase. Use the MasterTimebase.Src attribute/property on the slave devices to
specify the terminal of the Master Timebase from the master device. Because the
slave devices then use an external timebase, you must also use the
MasterTimebase.Rate property to specify the rate of the Master Timebase. Instead of
hard-coding those values, you can query the Master Timebase rate and source from
the master device and set the rate and source on the slave devices to the same
values.
Master Timebase synchronization results in skew due to the time required for the
clock to travel between devices.
Most devices use a Reference Clock instead of a Master Timebase, thus they use
Reference Clock synchronization. Master Timebase synchronization also requires
you to share multiple signals and reserve multiple RTSI or PXI trigger lines for those
signals. For Sample Clock-timed applications where all devices run at the same rate,
you can use Sample Clock synchronization to eliminate the need for a shared Start
Trigger, thus the additional RTSI/PXI line. You can also use Sample Clock
synchronization to synchronize devices that use a Master Timebase with devices
that use a Reference Clock.
Sample Clock Timebase Synchronization
Sample Clock Timebase synchronization allows you to synchronize devices at
different rates. Use Sample Clock Timebase synchronization to synchronize a
combination of devices for which Reference Clock, Master Timebase, or Sample
Clock synchronization is not an option.
When using Sample Clock Timebase synchronization, slave devices replace the
Sample Clock Timebase for a given subsystem with the Sample Clock Timebase
from another device. Each device derives its Sample Clock from the synchronized
Sample Clock Timebase. You must share a Start Trigger for the derived clocks to
start in phase.

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Note: You must start any tasks on slave devices

before starting the task on the master device.
You must set two properties on the slave devices to synchronize the Sample Clock
Timebase. Use the SampClk.Timebase.Src attribute/property to specify the terminal
of the Sample Clock Timebase from the master device. Because the slave devices
then use an external timebase, you must also use the SampClk.Timebase.Rate
property to specify the rate of that timebase. Instead of hard-coding those values,
you can query the Sample Clock Timebase rate and source from the master device
and set the rate and source on the slave devices to the same values.
Sample Clock Timebase synchronization results in skew due to the time required for
the clock to travel between devices.
Mixed-Clock Synchronization
For some applications, the other synchronization methods might not be sufficient.
In such cases, you might be able to synchronize by using a clock from one device as
a different clock on another device. For example, to synchronize devices that use a
Reference Clock with devices that use a Master Timebase, such as to synchronize X
Series devices with E Series devices, you can perform Reference Clock
synchronization, but instead of locking the X Series reference clock to a PXI
backplane clock, lock it to the Master Timebase of the E Series device.
Mixing clocks in this manner is often much more complicated than using the same
clocks. You might have to manually configure several other timing parameters, such
as delays, active edges, or clock divisors. Use mixed-clock synchronization only as a
last resort if the other synchronization methods are not an option.
Counter Synchronization
You cannot synchronize counter input applications using implicit timing in the same
sense as analog input or output applications. These types of counter input
applications cannot be programmed to make their measurements at the same time
because the signals being measured themselves determine when the
measurements are made, and there is no reason to set up multiple devices to
measure the same signal. You also cannot use Start Triggers for these applications.
You can, however, ensure that all counters are using the same timebase for their
input measurements by sharing the CI Counter Timebase signal. Program all devices
to use the same signal (usually the 20MHzTimebase from one of the devices) as their

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CI Counter Timebase. More generally, one device can be queried for its CI Counter
Timebase source and that terminal can be set as the source of the CI Counter
Timebase for the other devices.
To synchronize Sample Clock-timed buffered counter input applications, use
Sample Clock synchronization. The Sample Clock must be externally supplied to
one of your devices. The other synchronized devices are programmed to use as their
Sample Clock the CtrnGate signal, where n is the number of the counter.
To synchronize pulse generation counter output applications, share the CO Counter
Timebase and Start Trigger signal. Program all devices to use the same signal
(usually the 20MHzTimebase from one of the devices) as their CO Counter Timebase.
More generally, one device can be queried for its CO Counter Timebase source and
that terminal can be set as the source of the CO Counter Timebase for the other
devices. Program all devices to use the same signal as their Digital Edge Start
Trigger. This is typically the CtrnGate signal from one of the devices, where n is the
number of the counter.
Trigger Skew Correction
When sharing a trigger across multiple devices, the master device must respond to
and export the trigger, and the trigger signal must travel from the master device to
slave devices. This results in skew in the trigger signal. On some devices using
Reference Clock synchronization, you can compensate for that skew by locking the
trigger to the Reference Clock or to a clock derived from the Reference Clock. When
you lock triggers to a clock, the device responds to those triggers on a subsequent
edge of that clock, rather than immediately. Therefore, skew correction results in
increased latency.
To enable trigger skew correction for an application, specify which device is the
master and which devices are slaves using the SyncType DAQmx Trigger property.
Subsystem
A subsystem is the circuitry (ADCs, DACs, clocks, triggers, timing signals, timing
engines, and so on) that a device uses to acquire or generate samples. On DAQ
devices, there are separate subsystems for analog input, analog output, each
counter, and digital I/O. A subsystem is not synonymous with I/O type, however. For

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instance, each counter's input and output circuitry make up one subsystem. The
trigger bus can also function as a subsystem.
Timing Engines
A timing engine is the circuitry a device uses to control an acquisition or generation.
Controlling an acquisition or generation includes:

■ Utilizing timing signals to control when the device acquires or generates

each sample.
■ Determining when to start and stop the acquisition or generation, using
triggers and other control signals.
■ Producing clocks, triggers, and other control signals.
■ Routing those signals to other devices or other parts of the same device.
Timing engines for different devices and subsystems provide different functionality.
The timing engine for an analog input or output subsystem uses a timebase to
produce a Sample Clock. The capabilities of a digital I/O timing engine depend on
the device. Some can use change detection and/or handshaking for sample timing,
while others can also produce a Sample Clock. Some timing engines cannot
produce a Sample Clock, but can perform Sample Clock timing if the clock comes
from an external source, such as from another subsystem or from a source external
to the device. For example, counters produce no inherent timing signals, but can
utilize a Sample Clock from an external source. Some devices can perform Sample
Clock timing for digital I/O, but require an external clock.
All timing engines can respond to and route control signals, such as triggers. Not all
triggers are supported by all devices and measurement types.
Most devices have a single timing engine per subsystem. When a task reserves
resources from a timing engine, another task cannot reserve those same resources.
However, another task can use signals routed by that timing engine. For example, a
counter task can use the Sample Clock from an analog input task. One task can use
the Start Trigger from another task to synchronize when the tasks start. Reserving
one part of a timing engine reserves the entire timing engine. For example, if an
analog input task uses the Sample Clock from an analog output task, the analog
input task must reserve the analog input timing engine to utilize that external

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Sample Clock. As a result, another task can not use the Sample Clock from the
analog input timing engine.

Note: On-demand analog input tasks must

reserve resources from a timing engine.
Some devices have multiple timing engines available for some subsystems. Multiple
timing engines allow a device to run multiple tasks simultaneously on the same
subsystem or to use different terminals for handshaking.
Events
Triggers and clocks are input signals. Exportable triggers and clocks, such as the
sample clock, also can be output signals. Output signals that do not have a trigger
or clock counterpart are called events. Events are emitted to signify a device state
change, the arrival of a certain kind of sample, the production of a certain amount of
samples, or the passage of time.
NI-DAQmx includes the following events:

Advance Complete Event

A signal emitted by a switch when it has finished executing an instruction in its
scan list.
AI Hold Complete Event
A signal emitted by a multiplexed analog input circuit when the analog signal
at the physical channel being measured has been latched or held. The AI Hold
Complete Event is designed to signal an external multiplexer to switch to the
next channel. This signal was previously known as SCANCLK, which is the
legacy name of the external terminal where this signal can be emitted.
Change Detection Event
A signal a DIO device generates after it detects a change-a rising edge, a falling
edge, or both rising and falling edges-on the data lines.
Counter Output Event
A signal produced by a counter when it reaches terminal count.
Handshake Event
A signal generated by a DAQ device that is used for handshaking. The
assertion and deassertion times for this event are configurable within a
handshaking cycle for some devices. For these devices, the default

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configuration is to mimic the 8255 protocol, which means that for input tasks,
this event asserts after the device has space available in its FIFO; for output
tasks, it asserts after valid data has been driven on the data lines; and in both
input and output tasks, the event deasserts after the Handshake Trigger has
been asserted.
Ready For Start Event
A signal produced when a device is ready to accept a Start Trigger.
Ready For Transfer Event
A signal sent to the peripheral device. The signal indicates that the DAQ device
is ready for a transfer. For burst handshake output tasks, this means that the
data is on the data lines. For input tasks, this means that there is space
available in the device FIFO. This event is used by devices that support burst
handshake timing.
Sample Complete Event
A signal produced when the device acquires a sample from every channel in a
task.
Watchdog Timer Expired Event
A signal produced when a watchdog timer expires. Watchdog timers are
hardware features that can detect failures in the software controlling the
device.

Note: The Sample Complete Event is not

exportable.
Note: Some event signals might be missed
when you run an application. This typically
happens with high-speed event sources. NI-
DAQmx does not generate an error if this occurs.

Exported Signal Behaviors

You can export clocks, triggers, and events. The exported signal can exhibit one of
three behaviors. It can rapidly change from its current state and then back again
(pulse), change from its current state and remain at that state (toggle), or change
from its current state and remain at that new state for a period of time determined
by the configuration of the task before reverting back to the initial state (level). Most
exported signals have pulse behavior, but some signals have programmable output
behavior. For example, the Counter Output Event supports toggle as well as pulse

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behaviors. The Sample Clock supports pulse and level behaviors. You specify the
behavior through the Output Behavior attribute/property for the exported signal.
Most exported signals exhibit the pulse behavior. When the event occurs, a finite
pulse is generated. The pulse width of some exported triggers and events is
configurable. The polarity of a signal exported as a pulse is also sometimes
configurable. In the following illustration, the polarity is set to active high, meaning
the initial state change of the signal is from low to high. When an event is exported
as a pulse, each time the event occurs, the exported signal pulses.

When an event is exported as a toggle, each time the event occurs the exported
signal changes state just once and remains at its new state until the next occurrence
of the event. You can also set the initial state. In the following illustration, the initial
state is set to high. The Counter Output Event is an example of a signal that can
toggle.

For level behavior, the signal changes state and remains at that state for a period of
time that is dependent on some configurable aspect of your task. If you are
exporting the Sample Clock, the exported signal goes high at the beginning of the
sample and goes low when the last AI Convert Clock pulse begins, as shown in the
illustration.

Note: On some devices, the exported signal can

go low at the beginning of the sample and then
high when the last AI Convert Clock pulse
begins. Refer to your device documentation for
additional information.

Software Events
Software events provide an asynchronous notification mechanism for a set of DAQ
events. Unlike hardware events, software events do not require you to use a thread
to wait until data is available. Using event-based programming, you can write an

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application that continues to perform work while waiting for data without resorting
to developing a multi-threaded application.
NI-DAQmx includes the following software events:

Every N Samples Acquired Into Buffer Event

Occurs when the user-defined number of samples is written from the device to
the PC buffer. This event works only with devices that support buffered tasks.
Note: Some devices—such as AO Series, E
Series, and M Series devices—require that
the sample interval divide evenly into the
buffer size when using DMA as your data
transfer mechanism. For instance, if the
buffer size is 1,000 samples, specifying 102
for this software event generates an error.
Specifying 100, however, would not generate
an error. If you are using IRQ as the data
transfer method, the value does not need to
be evenly divisible. With IRQ, however, the
Data Transfer Request Condition attribute/
property can affect when this software event
occurs.
Every N Samples Transferred From Buffer Event
Occurs when the user-defined number of samples is written from the PC
buffer to the device. This event works only with devices that support buffered
tasks.
Note: Some devices—such as AO Series, E
Series, and M Series devices—require that
the sample interval divide evenly into the
buffer size when using DMA as your data
transfer mechanism. For instance, if the
buffer size is 1,000 samples, specifying 102
for this software event generates an error.
Specifying 100, however, would not generate
an error. If you are using IRQ as the data
transfer method, the value does not need to
be evenly divisible. With IRQ, however, the
Data Transfer Request Condition attribute/

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property can affect when this software event

occurs.
Done Event
Occurs when the task completes execution or when an error causes the task to
finish. Recoverable errors that do not cause the task to finish do not cause this
event to fire. Calling the Stop Task function/VI to complete execution similarly
does not cause this event to fire.
Signal Event
Occurs when the specified hardware signal occurs. Supported signals include
the counter output event, change detection event, sample complete event,
and the sample clock.

Reading and Writing Data

This section covers buffering and selecting data formats and organization.
Selecting Read and Write Data Format and Organization
NI-DAQmx provides multiple VIs and functions for reading and writing data. In many
cases, you can use multiple options. This section outlines the options and provides
some guidelines to follow to select the best option. Some data formats and
organizations are not supported in all ADEs.
The read and write VIs have two major selection criteria: data format and data
organization. Data format deals with the type of the data that is returned. For
example, counter reads can return integers or floating-point formats. The second
category, data organization, deals with the structure the data is returned in. For
example, analog reads have a variety of array and scalar organizations.
Data Formats in NI-DAQmx
Data format deals with the type of the data that is read or written.

Analog and Power Channel Data Formats

Waveform
The waveform data format includes the channel name, timing, and unit
information with the actual 64-bit scaled floating-point data. Your ADE

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provides a mechanism for extracting and setting individual parts of the

waveform.
For input tasks, you can use the additional information for a variety
of purposes. For example, you can update graphs to show the timing
information and include labels with the channel names. Analysis routines
can use the timing information for calculations such as FFTs. Because there
is overhead associated with including this additional information, NI-DAQmx
allows you to configure the information you want to include.
For output tasks, the timing information is the primary field that is useful. A
waveform generated by a library may include timing information that you can
use to set up the timing for your output task.
When reading data, the waveform data includes the time when the first
sample in the waveform was acquired, t0, and the amount of time that
elapsed between each sample, dt. However, there are limitations on these
two values.
64-Bit Floating-Point Numbers
The 64-bit floating-point number format allows you to read or write scaled
data with no additional information. Use this format to work with scaled data
that requires higher performance than the waveform format provides. You
might also use this format because it is a better match for the libraries you
plan to use.
Unsigned and Signed Integers
The unsigned and signed integer format reads or writes data in the native
format of the device. Use this format for maximum performance. The tradeoff
is that your application has to understand how to interpret and manipulate
data that is not in engineering units.

Digital Channel Data Formats

Waveform
The waveform data format includes the channel name and timing information
with the actual data represented in a dedicated digital format. Your ADE
provides a mechanism for extracting and setting individual parts of the
waveform.

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The dedicated digital format represents digital data similar to logic analyzers
and digital simulation tools. Each channel has no limits on the number of
lines. In addition, the digital format allows for additional states beyond basic
1s and 0s. The ADE can take advantage of this format by tailoring data and
graph displays for the digital data.
For input tasks, you can use the additional information for a variety
of purposes. For example, you can update graphs to show the timing
information and include labels with the channel names. Because there is
overhead associated with including this additional information, NI-DAQmx
allows you to configure the information you want to include.
For output tasks, the timing information is the primary field that is useful. A
waveform generated by a library may include timing information that you can
use to set up the timing for your output task.
When reading data, the waveform data includes the time when the first
sample in the waveform was acquired, t0, and the amount of time that
elapsed between each sample, dt. However, there are limitations on these
two values.
Line Format (Boolean)
The line format represents each line within a channel as a single Boolean
value (a single byte). The states of the data are limited to 1s (true) and 0s
(false). Line formats are only provided for single sample reads and writes.
Use the line format when it is convenient for manipulating or displaying the
digital data. A typical application is controlling or reading back relay states.
For high-speed digital applications, you should generally not use the line
format.
Port Format (Integer)
The port format matches the native format of digital devices that can
represent only two digital states and organize individual lines into collections
known as ports. For more information, refer to Digital Data-Integer Format.
The port format is the most efficient in terms of space, as it requires only a bit
of memory per line. In addition, the port format is often the most efficient in
time as it matches the native format of many devices.

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The largest integer supported is 32 bits; therefore, you can read and write
digital channels with no more than 32 lines when using the port format.

Counter Channel Data Formats

64-Bit Floating-Point Numbers

The 64-bit floating-point number format reads scaled data. This format is best
when you want to work with data in engineering units.
Unsigned Integers
The unsigned integer format reads data in the native format of the device. Use
this format for maximum performance. The tradeoff is that your application
will have to understand how to interpret and manipulate data that is not in
engineering units.

Raw Data Formats

The raw data format is defined by the native data format of the device.
Data Organization
The number of channels and the number of samples being read generally affect
data organization. For example, if 100 samples are read for eight analog channels
using 64-bit floating-point format, a two-dimensional array is used with one index
selecting the channel and the second index selecting the sample. On the other
hand, a simple floating-point scalar value is sufficient to read one sample for one
analog channel using the 64-bit floating-point format. In general, the data
organization for a particular read or write call is the simplest reasonable format that
can handle the number of channels and samples requested.
There are often multiple legal data organizations to choose from. The main tradeoff
to consider for data organization is difficulty in manipulation of the data. You can
use data organizations that can handle multiple channels and multiple samples, but
they are generally the most complicated to manipulate.
Performance is similar for equivalent operations used to read or write data with
different data organizations.

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Waveform Data Organization

A waveform can contain one or more samples.
1D Waveform Array Data Organization
The single dimension of a waveform array selects the channel. Each waveform
can contain multiple samples, so a second dimension is not required.
Scalar Data Organization
Use scalars when you read or write a single sample on a single channel. Scalar
data is easy to manipulate. It is a good match when data is read and/or written
to individual channels as needed.
Scalar data is generally not a good match for high-speed multiple sample
applications.
Scalar data also is not a good choice if multiple channels are acquired or
generated simultaneously. Using a multiple channel organization is easier and
in the case of output operations is actually a requirement.
Array Data Organization
Array formats allow you to read or write data for multiple channels and/or
multiple samples at the same time. If you acquire or generate on multiple
channels simultaneously, reading and writing them at the same time is
easiest. Reading and writing multiple samples in one call is more efficient
than reading and writing samples one at a time.
Raw Data Organization
The raw data organization is defined by the native organization of the device.

Digital Data (Integer Format)

You typically use an integer format to read or write entire ports. In integer format,
each digital channel you read or write must fit into one integer. For example, if the
largest channel in a task consists of one 8-line port, you can use the 8-bit, 16-bit, or
32-bit format. If you have more than one 8-line port or a port with more than eight
lines in any channel within a task, you must use the 32-bit format.
Each byte in the integer maps to a port in the channel, in the order in which you
added the ports to the channel. The least significant byte maps to the first port
added to the channel, with all unused bytes zeroed out. Therefore, if a channel
contains two 8-line ports, port0 and port1, and you added port0 to the
channel before port1, the channel uses a 32-bit representation:

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unused unused port1 port0

Within a particular byte, each bit in the integer maps to a line in the corresponding
port. NI-DAQmx orders the bits by line number, with the least significant bit
mapping to the lowest line number. Therefore, with these values assigned to the
lines in the channel, you might get the following:

port0/line0 0
port0/line1 0
port0/line2 1
port0/line3 0
port0/line4 1
port0/line5 1
port0/line6 0
port0/line7 1
port1/line0 1
port1/line1 1
port1/line2 1
port1/line3 0
port1/line4 1
port1/line5 0
port1/line6 0
port1/line7 1
The 32-bit binary representation of the channel is the following:

with an integer value of 38836.

If you specify only certain lines in a port to read or write, the full length of the integer
is still used, but all unused bits are zeroed out. Therefore, the following lines and
values:

port0/line0 1
port0/line3 1
yield the following 8-bit representation:

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with an integer value of 9.

Interleaving

Interleaved samples prioritize samples before channels, such that the array lists the
first sample from every channel in the task, then the second sample from every
channel, up to the last sample from every channel.

Channel 0—Sample 1
Channel 1—Sample 1
Channel 2—Sample 1
Channel 0—Sample 2
Channel 1—Sample 2
Channel 2—Sample 2
...
Channel 0—Sample N
Channel 1—Sample N
Channel 2—Sample N
Non-interleaved samples prioritize channels before samples, such that the array
lists all samples from the first channel in the task, then all samples from the second
channel, up to all samples from the last channel.

Channel 0—Sample 1
Channel 0—Sample 2
...
Channel 0—Sample N
Channel 1—Sample 1
Channel 1—Sample 2
...
Channel 1—Sample N
Channel 2—Sample 1
Channel 2—Sample 2
...

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Channel 2—Sample N

Raw Data

Raw data is in the native format and organization of the device, read directly from
the device or buffer without scaling or reordering. The native format of a device can
be an 8-, 16-, or 32-bit integer, signed or unsigned.
If you use a different integer size than the native format of the device, one integer
can contain multiple samples or one sample can stretch across multiple integers.
For example, if you use 32-bit integers, but the device uses 8-bit samples, one
integer contains up to four samples. If you use 8-bit integers, but the device uses 16-
bit samples, a sample might require two integers. This behavior varies from device
to device. Refer to your device documentation for more information.
NI-DAQmx does not separate raw data into channels. It returns data in an
interleaved or non-interleaved 1D array, depending on the raw ordering of the
device. Refer to your device documentation for more information.

Note: If your device supports software

calibration, NI-DAQmx does not calibrate raw
samples. Refer to calibration to find out if your
device uses software or hardware calibration.

Unscaled Data
Unscaled data is in the native format of the device, read directly from the device or
buffer without scaling. The native format of a device can be an 8-, 16-, or 32-bit
integer, signed or unsigned.

Note: If your device supports software

calibration, NI-DAQmx does not calibrate
unscaled samples. Refer to calibration to find
out if your device uses software or hardware
calibration.

Waveform Timing Limitations

The limitation on t0 is that NI-DAQmx calculates the starting time for the task when
data is read the first time. At this time, NI-DAQmx calculates the starting time for the
task by reading the current system time and subtracting the number of samples

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acquired × dt from the system. Therefore, if you call read after the acquisition is
complete, the calculated start time for the task is not accurate. This inaccuracy is
reflected in the t0 returned with the waveform data.
The limitation on dt is that for certain timing types, NI-DAQmx cannot calculate the
value of dt. When you use sample clock timing, NI-DAQmx calculates dt based on
the rate of the clock. Because NI-DAQmx does not know the rate when handshake,
implicit, on demand, or change detection timing is specified, NI-DAQmx returns dt
as 0. Waveforms with a dt of 0 often do not work with the waveform analysis
functions. However, you can always update the value of dt in your application if you
know the expected rate of the timing source. Your ADE has an interface to update
the value of dt.

Note: The waveform data only supports

symmetric timing between samples. If your
timing is not symmetric such as if each sample
has a time stamp, the waveform data format
cannot contain the timing information.
However, you can use your ADE's analysis
library to resample the data using a constant dt.
You can the use the resampled data with the
waveform based analysis library.

Buffering
A buffer is a temporary storage in computer memory for acquired or to-be-
generated samples. Typically this storage is allocated from your computer's
memory and is also called the task buffer. For input operations, a data transfer
mechanism transfers samples from your device into the buffer where they wait for a
call to the Read function/VI to copy the samples to your application. For output
operations, the Write function/VI copies samples into the buffer where they wait for
the data transfer mechanism to transfer them to your device.
When Is a Buffer Created?
If you use the Timing function/VI and set the sample mode to finite or continuous,
NI-DAQmx creates a buffer. If you set sample mode to Hardware Timed Single Point,
NI-DAQmx does not create a buffer.
If you set the Data Transfer Mechanism to Programmed I/O or set the buffer size to
zero by using either the Input or Output Buffer Config function/VIs, NI-DAQmx does

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not create a buffer (even if you also used the Timing function/VI). A data transfer
mechanism of programmed I/O means there is no buffer.
How Is Buffer Size Determined?

Input Tasks
If your acquisition is finite (sample mode on the Timing function/VI set to Finite
Samples), NI-DAQmx allocates a buffer equal in size to the value of the samples
per channel attribute/property. For example, if you specify samples per channel
of 1,000 samples and your application uses two channels, the buffer size would
be 2,000 samples. Thus, the buffer is exactly big enough to hold all the samples
you want to acquire. If the acquisition is continuous (sample mode on the Timing
function/VI set to Continuous Samples), NI-DAQmx allocates a buffer equal in size
to the value of the samples per channel attribute/property, unless that value is less
than the value listed in the following table. If the value of the samples per channel
attribute/property is less than the value in the table, NI-DAQmx uses the value in the
table.

Sample Rate Buffer Size

No rate specified 10 kS
0-100 S/s 1 kS
101-10,000 S/s 10 kS
10,001-1,000,000 S/s 100 kS
>1,000,000 S/s 1 MS
Note: For performance reasons, the default
buffer size for continuous acquisitions differs
slightly when logging is enabled.
You can override the default buffer size by calling the Input Buffer Config
function/VI.
NI-DAQmx does not create a buffer when the sample mode on the Timing
function/VI is set to Hardware Timed Single Point.

Note: Using very large buffers may result

in diminished system performance due to
excessive reading and writing between memory

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and the hard disk. Reducing the size of the

buffer or adding more memory to the system
can reduce the severity of these problems.

Output Tasks
For generations, the amount of data you write before starting a generation
determines the size of the buffer. The first call to a Multiple Samples version of
the Write function/VI creates a buffer and determines its size.
You also can use the Output Buffer Config function/VI to create an output buffer. If
you use this function/VI, you must use it before writing any data.
The samples per channel attribute/property on the Timing function/VI does not
determine the buffer size for output. Instead it is the total number of samples to
generate. If n is your buffer size, setting samples per channel to 3×n generates the
data in the buffer exactly three times. To generate the data exactly once, set samples
per channel to n.
NI-DAQmx does not create a buffer when the sample mode on the Timing
function/VI is set to Hardware Timed Single Point.
Continuous Acquisition and Generation with Finite Buffer Size
The NI-DAQmx API uses circular buffers as shown in the following figure. For input
operations, portions of data are read from the buffer while the buffer is filled.
Likewise for output operations, portions of the buffer can be written to while the
buffer is emptied. Using a circular buffer, you can set up your device to continuously
acquire data in the background while NI-DAQmx retrieves the acquired data.

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When a continuous operation reaches the end of the buffer, it returns to the
beginning and fills up (or in the case of output operations, reads from) the same
buffer again. Your input application must retrieve data in blocks, from one location
in the buffer, while the data enters the circular buffer at a different location, so
newer data does not overwrite unread data.
While a circular buffer works well in many applications, two possible problems can
occur with this type of acquisition: Your application might try to retrieve data from
the buffer faster than data is placed into it, or your application might not retrieve
data from the buffer before NI-DAQmx overwrites the data into the buffer. When
your application tries to read data from the buffer that has not yet been collected,
NI-DAQmx waits for the data to be acquired and then returns the data. If your
application does not read the data from the circular buffer fast enough, you receive
an error, stating that some data has been overwritten and lost. If losing data in this
way is not important to you, change the setting of the OverWrite Mode attribute/
property.
Reference Triggering Impact on Buffers
Even though you have set the sample mode parameter on the Timing function/VI to
Finite Samples, the acquisition runs continuously until the Reference Trigger occurs.
The number of posttrigger samples in your buffer after the acquisition has finished
is equal to the value of the samples per channel parameter from the Timing

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function/VI minus the number of pretrigger samples from the Trigger function/VI.
When using a Reference Trigger, the default read position is Relative To First
Pretrigger Sample with a read Offset of 0.
Controlling Where in the Buffer to Read Samples
Default read behavior depends on if a Reference Trigger is configured. If there is no
Reference Trigger, NI-DAQmx reads samples beginning with the first sample
acquired with each subsequent read beginning where the previous one left off. If
there is a Reference Trigger, NI-DAQmx reads samples beginning with the first
pretrigger sample and cannot begin reading until the acquisition has finished. This
default behavior can be changed by using the Relative To and Offset attributes/
properties.
The place where a read begins is called the Current Read Position. Each time data is
read, the Current Read Position is computed based on the settings of the Relative To
and Offset attributes/properties. When there is no Reference Trigger, the default for
Relative To is Current Read Position. When there is a Reference Trigger, the default
for Relative To is First Pretrigger Sample. In either case, the default for Offset is 0.
Changing the settings of these two attributes/properties controls where in the
buffer data is read.
During a continuous acquisition, for example, you can always read the most recent
1000 points by setting Relative To to Most Recent Sample and Offset to -1000. Even
when a Reference Trigger is configured, you can begin reading samples immediately
by setting Relative To to First Sample.
Read Status Attributes/Properties and Buffers
The three Read Status attributes/properties are useful for observing the progress of
your acquisition.

■ The Current Read Position is the place in the buffer where the next read
begins if the Relative To attribute/property is Current Read Position and the
Offset is 0. In any case, the Current Read Position is always where the last read
left it.
■ Total Samples per Channel Acquired is the total number of samples per
channel acquired by the device and transferred into the buffer.

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■ Available Samples per Channel is computed by first calculating the Current

Read Position based on the settings of the Relative To and Offset attributes/
properties and then subtracting this number from Total Samples per Channel
Acquired.
Controlling Where in the Buffer to Write Samples
By default, NI-DAQmx writes samples sequentially beginning with the first sample in
the buffer, and each write begins where the previous one left off. The sample where
a write begins is called the Current Write Position. Each time data is written, the
Current Write Position is computed based on the settings of the Relative To and
Offset attributes/properties. The default write behavior results from the default
settings of these two attributes/properties. The default for Relative To is Current
Write Position and the default for Offset is 0. Changing the settings of these two
attributes/properties controls where in the buffer data is written.
Write Status Attributes/Properties and Buffers
The three Write Status attributes/properties are useful for observing the progress of
your generation.

■ The Current Write Position is the place in the buffer where the next write
begins if the Relative To attribute/property is Current Write Position and the
Offset is 0. In any case, the Current Write Position is always where the last
write left it.
■ Total Samples per Channel Generated is the total number of samples per
channel generated by your device since the task started.
■ Space Available in Buffer is computed by first calculating the Current Write
Position based on the settings of the Relative To and Offset attributes/
properties and then subtracting this number from the sum of Total Samples
per Channel Generated and the buffer size. If regeneration is allowed, the
Space Available in Buffer value is capped at the buffer size and grows from 0
to the buffer size repeatedly.
Glitching
Glitching refers to the generation of a waveform in which, when transitioning from
old samples in the buffer to new samples, a mixture of old and new samples is

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generated rather than just the new samples. This situation may occur when
continuously generating samples if the Regeneration Mode write attribute/property
is set to Allow Regeneration. Glitching occurs when, while you write new samples, a
subset of these new samples are generated and then, since you have not finished
writing all of the new samples, a subset of the old samples is generated. After your
write operation completes, only the new samples are generated.
NI-DAQmx reduces the likelihood of glitching by ensuring that the writing of new
samples does not overtake the generation. This glitching protection works by
pausing the write until the total samples generated is more than one buffer ahead of
the current write position. However, NI-DAQmx does not ensure that the generation
does not overtake the new samples being written. If this occurs, a glitch results, and
NI-DAQmx reports the kWarningPotentialGlitchDuringWrite warning (error 200015).
The following suggestions can help you to avoid generating glitches:

■ Write new samples that are almost one buffer ahead of the total samples
generated. By writing the new samples almost one buffer ahead of the total
samples generated, there is less of a chance that the generation overtakes the
new samples that are being written. If you are updating the entire buffer at a
time, wait to write the new samples until the total samples generated
attribute/property is one sample greater than an integral number of buffer
sizes. For example, if the buffer size is 1000 samples, wait to write new
samples until the total samples generated is either 1001, 2001, 3001, and so
on.
■ Increase the buffer size. If the buffer size is larger, there is less of a chance
that the generation overtakes the new samples that are being written.
■ Decrease the sample clock rate. If the sample clock rate is slower, there is
less of a chance that the generation overtakes the new samples that are being
written.
In the following graphs, the sine wave is generated from old samples and the square
wave is generated from the new samples. The first graph depicts glitching.

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The second graph depicts the same waveforms without glitching.

Data Transfer Mechanisms

There are four primary ways to transfer data across the PCI bus: Direct Memory
Access (DMA), Interrupt Request (IRQ), Programmed I/O, and USB Bulk.

Direct Memory Access (DMA)

DMA is a mechanism to transfer data between the device and computer memory
without the involvement of the CPU. This mechanism makes DMA the fastest
available data transfer mechanism. National Instruments uses DMA hardware and
software technology to achieve high throughput rates and to increase system
utilization. DMA is the default method of data transfer for DAQ devices that support
it.

Note: DAQCard and USB devices do not support

DMA .

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Interrupt Request (IRQ)

IRQ transfers rely on the CPU to service data transfer requests. The device notifies
the CPU when it is ready to transfer data. The data transfer speed is tightly coupled
to the rate at which the CPU can service the interrupt requests. If you are using
interrupts to acquire data at a rate faster than the rate the CPU can service the
interrupts, your systems may start to freeze.

Programmed I/O
Programmed I/O is a data transfer mechanism in which a buffer is not used and
instead the computer reads and writes directly to the device. Software-timed (on-
demand) operations typically use programmed I/O.

USB Bulk
USB Bulk is a buffered, message-based streaming mechanism for data transfer. This
high-speed method is the default transfer mechanism for USB devices.

Memory Mapping
Memory mapping is a technique for reading and writing to a device directly from
your program, which avoids the overhead of delegating the reads and writes to
kernel-level software. Delegation to the kernel is safer, but slower. Memory mapping
is less safe because an entire 4 KB page of memory must be exposed to your
program for this to work, but it is faster. Memory mapping is set by default if your
device supports it.

Changing Data Transfer Mechanisms between DMA and IRQ

There are a limited number of DMA channels per device (refer to your device
documentation). Each operation (AI, AO, and so on) that requires a DMA channel
uses that mechanism until all of the DMA channels are used. After all of the
DMA channels are used, you receive an error if you try to run another operation
requesting a DMA channel. If appropriate, you can change one of the operations to
use interrupts. For NI-DAQmx, use the Data Transfer Mechanism channel attribute/
property.

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Regeneration
Generating the same data more than once is called regeneration. You can configure
NI-DAQmx to allow or disallow regeneration by setting the Regeneration Mode
attribute/property. By default, NI-DAQmx allows regeneration for sample clock
timing and disallows it for handshaking or burst handshaking timing. When
regeneration is disallowed, new data must be continuously written to the device.

Allowing Regeneration and Using Onboard Memory

When the Use Only Onboard Memory attribute/property is true, NI-DAQmx transfers
data only once to the device and that data is continually regenerated from there.
Attempting to write new data to the device after starting the task returns an error. In
addition, the amount of data written to the device before starting the task must fit in
the onboard memory of the device.
When the Use Only Onboard Memory attribute/property is false, NI-DAQmx
continuously transfers data from the host memory buffer to the device even though
this data is not changing. Thus, if you write new data to the device after starting
the task, that new data is generated and regenerated until you write more new
data. This type of regeneration is sometimes called PC memory or user buffer
regeneration.
When this attribute/property is false, you can also set the Data Transfer Request
Condition attribute/property to specify when to transfer data from the host buffer to
the device.
TDMS Logging
Technical Data Management Streaming (TDMS) is a binary file format that allows for
high-speed data logging. When you enable TDMS data logging, NI-DAQmx can
stream data directly from the device buffer to the hard disk. NI-DAQmx improves
performance and reduces the disk footprint by writing raw data to the TDMS file,
including the scaling information separately for use when reading back the TDMS
file. You can also read data while logging to disk.
For optimal performance, follow these tips:

■ Use a PCI Express or PXI Express device with a RAID array.

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■ Log data only. For very high-speed acquisitions, logging and reading data
can slow performance.
■ If logging and reading data, ensure the number of samples per channel to
read is evenly divisible by the sector size of the hard disk.
■ If manually configuring the buffer size, choose a multiple of eight times the
sector size of the hard disk. For instance, if your sector size is 512 bytes, your
buffer size might be 4,096 samples.
National Instruments provides a number of mechanisms for reading TDMS files,
including software support in LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, ANSI C, DIAdem, and
Measurement Studio. In addition, National Instruments provides a Microsoft Excel
plug in. Refer to ni.com/tdms for additional information. For information about
high-speed data streaming, refer to ni.com/streaming.
Logging Across Multiple Files
You can split TDMS logs across multiple files by using either the DAQmx Start New
File function/VI or the Logging.SampsPerFile attribute/property.

Start New File

The DAQmx Start New File function/VI starts a new TDMS file with the specified file
name the next time data is written to disk. If the logging mode is set to Log, data
is written to disk on multiples of the Logging.FileWriteSize attribute/property. For
example, if Logging.FileWriteSize is set to 150 when you use this function/VI, a new
TDMS file is created at the next 150 sample interval. If the logging mode is set to Log
and Read, data is written to disk when you call the DAQmx Read function/VI.

Samples Per File

The Logging.SampsPerFile attribute/property specifies the number of samples to
log to a TDMS file before creating a new file. New files are named with the
convention of <filename>_####.tdms, where #### starts at 0001 and increments
automatically with each new file.
You can set the Logging.FilePath attribute/property while the task is running to
change the file path. The change takes place with the next file created. If you
change the log name, the numbering of the files resets to 0001. You can also change

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the directory to save log files to by specifying a name ending in a back slash (for
example, D:\). If you specify a directory, the log file name remains the same and
file numbering continues off of the old directory. For example, if you change the
directory from C:\ to D:\ while logging to testlog_0003.tdms, testlog_0003.tdms is
written to C:\, and testlog_0004.tdms is written to D:\.

Note: If the Logging.LoggingMode attribute/

property is set to Log Only,
Logging.SampsPerFile must be divisible by the
Logging.FileWriteSize attribute/property, which
is based, by default, on the buffer size.
To change a file immediately, you can also use the DAQmx Start New File function/VI
while the Logging.SampsPerFile attribute/property is active.
On-Demand Logging
For on-demand logging, NI-DAQmx creates a Time channel in the TDMS file that
contains timestamp data. The Time channel can be omitted with the WfmAttr Read
attribute/property, which specifies the data to return. To disable the Time channel,
set WfmAttr to Samples.
Pausing Logging
You can pause or resume logging by setting the Logging.Pause attribute/property.
This can be used if you do not want to initially log data but want to begin when a
certain condition is met. You can also use this attribute/property to temporarily
disable logging.
If you re-enable logging after disabling logging in an application, a new group is
created in the log file. This group is denoted by the name <group name> #1 ,
where the number is automatically incremented.
Before you resume logging data in Log and Read mode, you can set the Offset
attribute/property to log data that was previously read while logging was paused.
For example, if you set Offset to -1000 and resume logging, NI-DAQmx logs the 1000
samples read before Logging.Pause is enabled. After resuming logging, Offset is
automatically reset to 0.

Signal Routing

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A single routing API now controls all the digital routing for NI measurements
devices. Signal routing controls the mapping of digital signals or triggers across
hardware such as digital multiplexers or public trigger buses.
Here is a basic list of features in the signal routing API:

■ A single unified signal routing API for all devices supported in NI-DAQmx
■ Multi-device routing: a single route will be able to span two devices
■ Logical inverter support
■ Double driving prevention across public trigger buses

Specifying a Route
A route is a connection between a pair of terminals. The source and destination
terminals make a terminal pair. Any time the source or destination terminal of a
signal is specified, a route is created. Usually, you specify only one terminal for the
route. For example, if you export a signal to the I/O connector, you set the
destination terminal, but the source terminal is predetermined by the name of the
signal. If you import a hardware trigger for a task, you can set the source terminal,
but the destination terminal is predetermined by the name of the trigger.
Single-Device Routing Versus Multi-Device Routing
A single-device route is a connection between two terminals on the same physical
device. Before NI-DAQmx, all routes were single-device routes. NI-DAQmx introduces
multi-device routing. An example is specifying a terminal on a device as the source
of a Start Trigger for a second device.
Creating Multi-Device Routes
NI-DAQmx supports multi-device routing. You simply specify the source terminal
and destination terminal. If the two terminals are on different devices, NI-DAQmx
uses the trigger bus to route the signal from the source device to the destination
device. NI-DAQmx also selects and reserves an available trigger line on the trigger
bus.
Plugging in and Registering Your RTSI Cable in MAX

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To create a multi-device route, the source and destination devices must share a
trigger bus both physically and logically in MAX. For PCI devices, you must register
your RTSI cable in MAX. For more information on how to register (or add) a RTSI
cable in MAX, refer to Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx. If
you do not register your RTSI cable, NI-DAQmx fails to create a route. PXI trigger
backplanes are automatically registered when you identify your chassis type in MAX.
Dynamically Selecting Trigger Bus Lines
Management of trigger lines is another feature of NI-DAQmx routing. If you hard-
code two measurement tasks to the same trigger line for different signals, at least
one of the measurement tasks causes a resource conflict. Multi-device routing
allows you to dynamically select trigger lines at run time. This means that NI-DAQmx
selects any available trigger line. You can still select a specific trigger bus line by
splitting your multi-device route into two single-device routes. However, the two
static routes lose the ability to dynamically choose an available trigger at run time.
Task-Based Routing
Task-based routing is the most common form of routing. When you create a
hardware trigger or export a hardware signal, you create a task-based route. These
routes are embedded in a task. You can use Export Signal function/VI to explicitly
make a task-based route. When the task is committed, the route is committed. When
the task is cleared, the route is unreserved. Clearing the task does not always clear
the route. Refer to Lazy Line Transitions for more information.
Immediate Routing
Immediate routing is not associated with any task. An immediate route is a pair of
fully qualified terminal names specifying the source and destination of the route.
When an immediate route is created, the route gets committed to hardware
immediately. Because an immediate route does not have a task governing its
lifetime, you need to actively destroy the route. Create an immediate route with the
Connect Terminals function/VI and destroy it with the Disconnect Terminals
function/VI. Also, if you make an immediate route multiple times with several calls
to Connect Terminals, only one call to Disconnect Terminals releases the route.
There are other ways to destroy routes such as resetting the device. Refer to Device
Resetting and Interactions with Routing for more information.

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Logical Inversion of Signals

If you route a signal to or from an external device, you might need to invert the
polarity of the signal. For example, you may need to change a high gating signal to a
low gating one or look at falling edges instead of rising edges. With routing in NI-
DAQmx, you can invert a signal during the routing. If there is an inverter available
along the route, the inversion of the signal takes place. Inversion could fail if an
overlapping route has previously reserved the inverter with an incompatible
configuration.
Routing and Hardware Sharing
Two or more routes might overlap in a compatible fashion—especially if these two
routes have the same source and destination. When routes overlap in a compatible
fashion, the routing software handles this situation.
As an example, assume that two separate tasks make the same route. The resources
associated with the routes are not released until both tasks have been unreserved.
Mixing task-based and immediate routes is acceptable, too. However, the hardware
resources are not released until all task-based routes have been released and the
immediate route has been disconnected.
Releasing a task-based route using the Disconnect Terminals function/VI is not
possible. You must release task-based routes by unreserving or clearing the task. In
LabVIEW, if you explicitly create your task with the Create Task VI, you must clear it
with the Clear Task VI. Otherwise, LabVIEW clears your task for you when the top
level VI of your program stops executing.
Line Tristating Issues
During device initialization, all terminals on the I/O connector and trigger buses are
tristated. Tristated means the terminal is floating or at high impedance. For the
terminal to be driven from the device, the tristate buffer associated with the
terminal must be enabled.
For instance, assume that you have a device with a single bidirectional terminal on
the I/O connector. The terminal on the I/O connector is called the trigger terminal
for reference purposes. Also, the trigger terminal of the device is bidirectional
because it can accept an external trigger signal or export the internal trigger signal.

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The exported internal trigger signal could be different from the external trigger
signal.

Scenario Usage and Consequences

The trigger terminal is being driven by an This is a common case for triggering an
external trigger signal only. operation from an external source. As a result of
this operation, you must disable the tristate
buffer associated with the trigger terminal so
that the internal trigger signal does not drive
the trigger terminal, too.
The trigger terminal is being driven by the In this case, an internally generated trigger is
internal device trigger only. starting the device. This signal could be useful
for other devices, too. To export this trigger
signal, you must enable the tristate buffer
associated with the trigger terminal, so the
device can drive the pin with the trigger signal.
It is important that there is no external signal
hooked up to the trigger terminal. If it is
inconvenient to unhook the external signal, you
must make sure the external signal is at least
tristated.
The trigger terminal is being driven by both the Driving the trigger terminal both internally and
internal device trigger AND an external trigger externally is called double driving. If the
signal. internal and external sources drive the signal in
opposite directions, it signals problems. Usually
the driving hardware is damaged, but more
extreme consequences can occur as well.
Remember to be very careful to avoid double
driving any terminals on your I/O connectors.

Lazy Line Transitions

When a task-based route gets created and released, it does not necessarily go away.
The hardware resources associated with the route are released, but the
configuration might remain so that glitches are minimized.
By default, all tristate buffers associated with I/O connector terminals are disabled.
When a task-based route with a destination on the I/O connector is released, the
tristate buffer associated with the I/O connector terminal is not disabled. This
means that even though the route was released, glitches are minimized on the
destination terminal on the I/O connector. If you do not want this behavior, you can

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disable the tristate buffer associated with the I/O terminal with the Tri-State Output
Terminal function/VI. Or, if you initially created the route by exporting a signal with
the Export Signal function/VI, you can also disable the tristate buffer by calling the
Export Signal function/VI with the same signal name but with an empty string as the
output terminal. Putting the terminal back into a tristate mode is necessary if an
external signal must be connected to the I/O terminal. If the terminal is not tristated
first, double driving the terminal damages the hardware.
All other connectors, such as the RTSI connector, use a different rule. When the task-
based route associated with the RTSI connector is released, the tristate buffer
associated with the RTSI terminal is disabled. The RTSI bus is a public bus that is
shared by multiple devices. All drivers using the RTSI bus assume that all devices on
the bus are tristated. The I/O connector is different because you have full control of
it. You must keep track of which terminals are tristated or being driven by internal or
external signals.
Device Resetting and Interactions with Routing
When you reset a device in NI-DAQmx, every immediate route and task associated
with the device is invalidated. When the task is invalidated, all the routes are
invalidated, too. If a task-based route is invalidated using a device reset, its parent
task also is invalidated.
For instance, device A is running a task that performs an analog input operation.
This same analog input operation receives its Start Trigger from device B. This task
spans across device A and B due to the multi-device routing. If device B gets reset,
all routes on device B are destroyed. The invalidation of the task-based route on
device B causes its parent task on device A to be invalidated, too. You must consider
these possible consequences when issuing a device reset. If the route between
device A and B is an immediate route, there is not a relationship between the
immediate route and the task. This could result in the task not being invalidated.
You need to decide if you need to preserve the task.
Device Routing in MAX
To find the device routing table for your device, launch MAX and select Devices and
Interfaces. Click a device to open a tabbed window in the middle pane. Click the
Device Routes tab at the bottom of the pane to display the device routing table.

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Note: MAX does not display the device routing

table for SCXI chassis, SCC connector blocks, or
RTSI cable devices.
Each cell in the table is an index with the valid source and destination terminal for
the device. These are the same terminal names you can find in the Terminal Name
I/O control in LabVIEW.
If a route is possible between a source and destination terminal, the intersecting cell
is colored green or yellow. A green cell indicates the route can be made without
consuming any important resource of your device. A yellow cell indicates that
although the route is possible, something important must be consumed to create
the route. Placing the cursor over a yellow square reveals the resource used in the
subsystem used indicator. Usually, the sacrificed resource is a counter.
When you display the device routing table for a cDAQ chassis or a C Series device,
the table contains all of the terminals for the chassis and all devices installed in the
chassis.

Counters
This section provides an overview of counters in NI-DAQmx and the two counter
measurement method for period and frequency measurements.
Paired Counters
For more complex and accurate measurements and generations, a counter is paired
with another counter with dedicated connections to and from each counter. This
pairing allows you to perform such operations as finite pulse-train generations,
higher accuracy frequency and period measurements, and cascaded edge counting.
Paired counters are generally numbered sequentially. For example, ctr0 and ctr1 are
a pair, ctr2 and ctr3 are a pair, and so on.
Two Counter Measurement Method
For period and frequency measurements, you also can use a second counter. For
most applications, the low frequency with one counter method is sufficient and
desirable because it uses fewer resources. However, if you have a high-frequency or
widely varying signal, you can use one of the two counter measurement methods—
the high-frequency measurement method or the large-range measurement method.

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Depending on the rate of your input signal and measurement method used, your
measurement is subject to different amounts of quantization error. In two counter
applications, you only need to call the Create Channel function/VI once, specifying
only the counter channel to which you want to connect your input signal. NI-DAQmx
automatically takes care of making the internal routes necessary to perform the
measurement across paired counters.
High Frequency Two-Counter Measurement Method
Use this high-frequency measurement method if you measure a digital frequency or
period of a signal with a high frequency component. To perform measurements
using this method in NI-DAQmx, a paired counter generates a pulse train with a
period specified using the measurement time attribute/property. The measurement
time is generally much larger than the period of the input signal being measured to
reduce quantization error. However, the measurement time must be small enough
to keep the counter from rolling over. The measurement counter counts the number
of periods of the input signal that occur during the measurement time, averages the
results, and returns the averaged value in the Read function/VI. The value returned
is calculated as follows:
Period (in seconds) = Measurement Time / Number of Periods Counted
Frequency (in Hz) = Number of Periods Counted / Measurement Time
To determine if you should use the high-frequency measurement method, refer to
the quantization error tables. If the quantization error listed for the one-counter
method is too high, use the high-frequency measurement method instead.
Large-Range Two Counter Measurement Method

If you measure the digital frequency or the period of a counter signal, you can use
this two-counter method to measure signals with large ranges. This method is useful
when you have a widely varying signal to measure and would like increased
accuracy throughout the entire range. Refer to the quantization error section for
more information on increasing measurement accuracy with the large-range
measurement method. You can also use this method to measure signal frequencies
that are faster than your counter timebase rate as long as the input signal does not
exceed the maximum input frequency supported by the counter.

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To perform measurements using this method in NI-DAQmx, a paired counter is used

to divide the input signal by a value specified using the Divisor attribute/property.
However, you need to be careful the Divisor you choose does not cause the counter
to roll over. This divisor has the effect of shifting the measurable frequency range
upward. The Divisor scales the measured period and returns data according to the
following equations:
Period = Measured Period / Divisor
Frequency = Divisor × Measured Period
For example, if you use a 24-bit counter and the Counter Timebase Rate is 100 kHZ,
the measurable frequency range is approximately 0.006 Hz to 50 kHz because

However, with a divisor of 4, the measurable frequency range is 0.024 Hz to 200 kHz
because

To determine if you should use the large-range measurement method, refer to the
quantization error tables. If the quantization error listed for the one-counter method
in that section is too high, use the large-range measurement method instead.
Quantization Error
Quantization error is the inherent uncertainty in digitizing an analog value as a
result of the finite resolution of the conversion process. Quantization error depends
on the number of bits in the converter, along with its errors, noise, and
nonlinearities. Quantization error occurs due to phase differences between the
input signal and the counter timebase. Depending on how the phase of the input
signal and counter timebase align, the count measured has three possibilities:

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Miss Both Edges

The counter recognizes neither the first rising edge nor the last rising edge of
the counter timebase, giving a count of one less than the expected value.
Miss One, Catch One
The counter only recognizes the first rising edge or the last rising edge of the
counter timebase, giving the expected value.
Catch Both Edges
The counter recognizes both the first rising edge and the last rising edge of the
counter timebase, giving a count of one more than the expected value.

For example, if the counter timebase rate is 20 MHz, and the frequency of the input
signal is 5 MHz, the measured value can be 3, 4, or 5 due to quantization error. This
corresponds to a measured frequency of 6.67 MHz, 5 MHz, or 4 MHz, resulting in a
quantization error of as much as 33%.

Quantization Error with One Counter Time Measurements

For one counter time measurements, the following equation gives the quantization
error.
ErrQuantization = Actual Frequency / (Counter Timebase Rate - Actual Frequency)
You can reduce the quantization error for single counter time measurements by
increasing the counter timebase rate. The following table shows the quantization
error for various timebase rates with given input signal frequencies:

Actual Frequency of Input Counter Timebase Rate Quantization Error

Signal
10 Hz 100 kHz 0.01%
100 Hz 100 kHz 0.10%
1 kHz 100 kHz 1.01%

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Actual Frequency of Input Counter Timebase Rate Quantization Error

Signal
10 kHz 100 kHz 11.11%
10 kHz 20 MHz 0.05%
100 kHz 20 MHz 0.50%
1 MHz 20 MHz 5.26%
2 MHz 20 MHz 11.11%
5 MHz 20 MHz 33.33%
For period and frequency measurements, if the quantization error is too large for
your input signal, you might consider using one of the two counter period and
frequency measurements.

Quantization Error with High Frequency Two Counter Method

For two counter high-frequency measurements, the following equations give the
quantization error.
ErrQuantization = Actual Period / Measurement Time
ErrQuantization = 1 / (Measurement Time × Actual Frequency)
Increasing the measurement time reduces the quantization error. The quantization
error also decreases with higher frequency input signals. The following table shows
the quantization error for various measurement times and input signal frequencies:

Actual Frequency of Input Measurement Time Quantization Error

Signal
10 kHz 1 ms 10.00%
100 kHz 1 ms 1.00%
1 MHz 1 ms 0.10%
5 MHz 1 ms 0.02%
10 MHz 1 ms 0.01%
10 kHz 10 ms 1.00%
100 kHz 10 ms 0.10%
1 MHz 10 ms 0.01%

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Actual Frequency of Input Measurement Time Quantization Error

Signal
5 MHz 10 ms 0.002%
10 MHz 10 ms 0.001%
10 kHz 100 ms 0.10%
100 kHz 100 ms 0.010%
1 MHz 100 ms 0.001%
5 MHz 100 ms 0.0002%
10 MHz 100 ms 0.0001%
10 kHz 1s 0.010%
100 kHz 1s 0.0010%
1 MHz 1s 0.0001%
5 MHz 1s 0.00002%
10 MHz 1s 0.00001%
As the table shows, quantization error is reduced at higher frequencies of the input
signal. However, the advantage of this measurement method disappears at lower
frequency input signals because you need to measure longer to gain accuracy, and
you use up more resources.

Quantization Error with Large Range Two-Counter Measurement Method

For two counter large-range measurements, the following equations give the
quantization error.
ErrQuantization = 1 / (Divisor × Counter Timebase Rate × Actual Period - 1)
ErrQuantization = Actual Frequency / (Divisor × Counter Timebase Rate - Actual
Frequency)
Increasing the divisor, increasing the counter timebase rate, or lowering the input
signal frequency reduces the quantization error. The table lists the quantization
error for various divisors and input signal frequencies assuming a counter timebase
rate of 20 MHz.

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Actual Frequency of Input Divisor Quantization Error

Signal
1 kHz 4 0.00125%
100 kHz 4 0.125%
1 MHz 4 1.266%
1 kHz 10 0.0005%
100 kHz 10 0.05%
1 MHz 10 0.5%
1 kHz 100 0.00005%
100 kHz 100 0.005%
1 MHz 100 0.05%
Notice that the use of a divisor reduces the quantization error. Although the
high frequency two-counter measurement method is more accurate at higher
frequencies, the large range two-counter measurement method is more accurate
throughout the range in a shorter amount of time. For example, if the input signal
varies between 1 kHz and 1 MHz and you require a maximum quantization error of
2.0% at any signal range, you need a minimum measurement time of 50 ms using
the high frequency two-counter measurement method. To gain the same accuracy
using the large range two-counter method requires a maximum measurement time
of 4 ms for any one measurement.

Quantization Error with Dynamic Averaging Method

For dynamic averaging method, the following equation gives the quantization error.

ErrQuantization = Actual Frequency / (Number of Signal Periods x Counter Timebase

Rate - Actual Frequency)

To calculate the quantization error, this equation uses the Number of Signal Periods
of the input signal that have been measured and averaged. The number of periods
is dynamically adjusted based on a combination of the measurement time and
divisor settings, plus the period of the input signal being measured as shown in the
following equation.

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Number of Signal Periods = Max(1, Min( Divisor, Floor(Measurement Time / Signal

Period)))

Increasing the divisor or measurement time results in a larger number of signal

periods being averaged, and more signal periods in turn reduces the quantization
error.

The following table shows examples of quantization error for various divisor and
measurement time settings for different input signal frequencies. The counter
timebase rate is 100 MHz.

Actual Divisor Measurement Property Used Number of Quantization

Frequency of Time for Frequency Signal Periods Error
Input Signal Measurement
100 Hz 1 0s Divisor 1 0.0001%
0 200 ms Measurement 20 0.000005%
Time
10 200 ms Divisor 10 0.00001%
10 50 ms Measurement 5 0.00002%
Time
100 50 ms Measurement 5 0.00002%
Time
1 kHz 1 0s Divisor 1 0.001%
0 20 ms Measurement 20 0.00005%
Time
10 20 ms Divisor 10 0.0001%
10 5 ms Measurement 5 0.0002%
Time
100 50 ms Measurement 50 0.0002%
Time
100 kHz 1 0s Divisor 1 0.1%
0 200 µs Measurement 20 0.005%
Time
10 200 µs Divisor 10 0.01%
10 50 µs Measurement 5 0.02%
Time

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Actual Divisor Measurement Property Used Number of Quantization

Frequency of Time for Frequency Signal Periods Error
Input Signal Measurement
100 50 ms Divisor 100 0.001%
1 MHz 1 0s Divisor 1 1%
0 20 µs Measurement 20 0.05%
Time
10 20 µs Divisor 10 0.1%
10 5 µs Measurement 5 0.2%
Time
100 50 ms Divisor 100 0.01%

Dynamic Averaging Method

The dynamic averaging method for frequency and period measurements provides
configuration options that can be set before the start of an acquisition. These
options affect the amount of averaging or filtering applied to the counter
measurements allowing for tradeoffs in measurement accuracy and noise versus
latency. During the acquisition, the counter continuously measures and filters the
input signal periods to produce frequency or period measurements. The NI 9326
and 9361 use this method.

With Counter Filtering Enabled

The NI 9326 can enable low pass filtering of counter signals to give accurate
measurement of in-band frequencies while rejecting higher frequency noise. Set
the CI.Filter.Enable attribute/property to true to enable filtering. Filtering is enabled
by default and is recommended as the easiest way to achieve accurate, low-noise
counter measurements.
With filtering enabled, you can then specify the filter cutoff frequency using the
CI.Filter.Freq attribute/property to control amount of filtering applied. Lower cutoffs
provide lower noise but longer latency. The latency of the filter can be queried
using the CI.FilterDelay attribute/property. Each counter can be configured with
independent settings.

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Note: The measurement time, divisor, and

maximum measurable period parameters are
ignored when filtering is enabled.

With Counter Filtering Disabled

If CI.Filter.Enable is set to false or if counter filtering is not supported on your device,
then the dynamic averaging method produces measurements by averaging one or
more periods of the input signal. The amount of averaging performed is controlled
by the following:

Divisor
Specifies the number of periods of the input signals to measure and average.
Use a larger divisor to get more averaging and lower noise measurements.
Measurement Time
Specifies the amount of time over which to measure periods of the input
signal to get the average value of the input signal period. Use a longer
measurement time to get more averaging and lower noise measurements.
Maximum Measurable Period
Specifies the duration to wait for the input signal transitions before a no valid
measurement found state is indicated. Set this to be longer than the slowest
frequency you wish to measure.

Note: The input divisor and measurement

time settings wired into DAQmx Create Virtual
Channel VI are ignored. Instead, DAQmx
calculates default values for these settings
based on the minimum and maximum values
wired to the DAQmx Create Virtual Channel
VI. You can use a channel property node to
override these defaults allows for better control
over the amount of averaging applied to your
application.
During an acquisition, the dynamic averaging method will average between 1 period
and divisor periods of the input signal to determine the input signal's frequency.
The measurement time property sets an upper limit to the amount of time that
is used for this averaging. As a result, the dynamic averaging method balances

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measurement accuracy vs. measurement latency throughout the input signal range
as shown in the following table.

Signal Frequency Counter Behavior

High Measures divisor periods of signal.
(Divisor*Input Signal Period < Measurement
Time)

Medium Measures between 1 and Divisor periods of the

(Input Signal Period < Measurement Time < signal, depending on the number of periods
Divisor*Input Signal Period) that fit within the Measurement Time.

Low Measure 1 period of signal.

(Input Signal Period >= Measurement Time)

Very Low Input signal is slower than the maximum

(Input Signal Period > Maximum Measurable measurable period. 0 Hz returned.
Period)

The measurement time and divisor can also be set manually using the property
node before the acquisition starts if the auto measurement settings are not desired.
The measurement time or divisor can be disabled by setting it to zero.

Measurement Time Divisor Notes

0 1 Measure 1 period of the input
signal, similar to the 1 Counter
(Low Frequency) method.
Input measurement time 0 Counts the number of periods
of the input signal that occur
during input measurement
time, similar to the 2 Counters
(High Frequency) method.
0 Input divisor Counts how long it takes for
the input divisor periods of
the signal to elapse, similar to
the 2 Counters (Large Range)
method.
You can view examples of the dynamic averaging method in the NI 9361 datasheet,
which you can find at ni.com/manuals.

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Counter Parts in NI-DAQmx

A counter contains several advanced terminals that you can use to perform time
measurements and generate pulses. For most applications, NI-DAQmx
automatically makes the proper routes from the terminal connector block to the
correct advanced terminal with no additional routing required. For advanced
applications, you might need to make explicit routes to the internal counter
terminals

Advanced Terminals and Common Counter Applications

The following list identifies the names of the advanced terminals as well as their
common uses:

CtrnGate
The signal at this advanced terminal is used as the Start Trigger, pause trigger,
sample clock, or the input signal being measured. The following table lists
how this terminal is used in various applications:
Application Purpose of Gate Terminal
Pulse Generation Pause or Start Trigger
One Counter Time Measurements Input Signal
Two Counter Time Measurements Unused
Nonbuffered Edge Counting Pause Trigger
Buffered Edge Counting Sample Clock
Two-Edge Separation Second Input Terminal
Position Z Input Terminal
CtrnSource
The signal at this advanced terminal is either the input terminal for the
measurement or the counter timebase. The following table lists how this
terminal is used in various applications:
Application Purpose of Source Terminal
Pulse Generation Counter Timebase
One Counter Time Measurements Counter Timebase
Two Counter Time Measurements Input Terminal

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Application Purpose of Source Terminal

Nonbuffered Edge Counting Input Terminal
Buffered Edge Counting Input Terminal
Two-Edge Separation Counter Timebase
Position A Input Terminal
CtrnInternalOutput
The signal at this advanced terminal is where the pulsed or toggled output
of the counter appears. The output of a counter pulses or toggles when the
counter reaches terminal count. When counting down, the counter reaches
terminal count when the count reaches zero. When counting up, the counter
reaches terminal count when the counter rolls over. To configure the counter
to toggle or generate pulses, use the Export Signal function/VI with Counter
Output Event as the signal name.
For the output of a counter to appear at the I/O connector (Ctr0Out,
for example), the signal on the internal output terminal must be routed
to a terminal on the I/O connector. For pulse generations, this route is
automatically made to the dedicated counter output terminal on the I/O
connector. For measurements, if you are interested in observing this signal,
you need to manually make this route to the appropriate pin on the I/O
connector using the Export Signal function/VI with Counter Output Event as
the signal name. After you route the internal output of a counter to the I/O
connector, the signal remains on the I/O connector until the device is reset or
you explicitly tristate the terminal.
CtrnAux
The following table lists how this terminal is used in various applications:
Application Purpose of Aux Terminal
Pulse Generation Unused
One Counter Time Measurements Unused
Two Counter Time Measurements Unused
Nonbuffered Edge Counting Optional Count Direction Terminal
Buffered Edge Counting Optional Count Direction Terminal
Two-Edge Separation First Input Terminal
Position B Input Terminal

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CtrnSampleClock
You can connect a sample clock in or export it through this terminal.

Counter Parts
The main parts of a counter include the following:
A GATE input terminal controls when counting occurs. A GATE input is similar to a
trigger because it starts or stops a count.
A SOURCE (CLK) input terminal is the timebase for a measurement or the signal to
count.
A count register increments or decrements the number of edges to count. If the
count register decrements, it counts down to zero. The count register size is the
number of bits in the counter, and you calculate it as Count Register = 2
An OUT signal terminal can output a pulse or a pulse train, which is a series of
pulses.

Configuring a Time-Based Measurement in NI-DAQmx

To configure a measurement, you specify the expected range of the input signal.
Based on this range, NI-DAQmx automatically picks the internal timebase that
provides the highest resolution for your measurement and uses it as the counter
timebase. You also can explicitly specify the source of the counter timebase by
setting the Counter Timebase Source attribute/property and the rate of the
timebase by setting the Counter Timebase Rate attribute/property. For more
information on where to connect input signals, refer to Connecting Counter Signals.
For non-buffered time-based measurements, calling the Read function/VI initiates
the measurement and returns the next valid sample. Calling the Read function/VI
repeatedly does not return consecutive measurements of the input signal.

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To perform buffered time-based measurements, you must use Implicit or Sample

Clock timing, configured using the DAQmx Timing function/VI.

Implicit Timing
After the acquisition begins, NI-DAQmx measures each consecutive sample of the
input signal and stores the measurement in the input buffer. Due to this consecutive
measurement, the rate of the input signal implicitly determines the rate of the
acquisition.

Sample Clock Timing

Some devices support Sample Clock timing for buffered time-based measurements.
After the acquisition begins, your device measures each consecutive sample of the
input signal, but does not store it to the input buffer until an active edge of the
Sample Clock occurs. Using this timing type, the Sample Clock rate determines the
acquisition rate rather than the input signal. When using Sample Clock timing, all
measurements returned are a valid, complete cycle of your input signal. Using this
method, you can measure signals that are much faster than your sample rate, which
minimizes the amount of data transferred from your device to NI-DAQmx.

Averaging
For frequency and period measurements using Sample Clock timing, some devices
can return an averaged measurement of all periods since the previous Sample Clock
pulse, instead of measuring only the period immediately preceding the current
Sample Clock pulse. Use the EnableAveraging DAQmx Channel property/attribute,
associated with each of those measurement types, to enable averaging.

Invalid Initial Samples

Depending on the phase of the input signal in relation to the start of the
measurement, the first sample of a buffered measurement is often invalid. For
instance, if you are performing a buffered period measurement, and you start
the measurement when the input signal is halfway through its current cycle, the
measured period for the first sample is half its expected value. Subsequent samples
indicate the correct values because they are guaranteed to be taken after a full
period of the input signal. For this reason, the first sample of buffered period,

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pulse width, and semi-period measurements often indicates a smaller value than
the actual value. For buffered frequency measurements, the first sample often
indicates a higher frequency than the actual frequency. Some devices detect these
incomplete samples and discard them.

Pulse Measurement
Some devices support measuring individual pulses, returning each sample as a
tuple of frequency/duty cycle, high/low time, or high/low ticks.
Configuring a Displacement Measurement with NI-DAQmx
To configure a measurement, specify the initial sensor position through the Initial
Angle attribute/property. You also can specify if the Z Input Terminal is used with
the Z Index Enable attribute/property. You can configure the reload position on a Z
index, and when a Z index position should cause a reload to occur in relation to the
A and B signals, by using the Z Index Phase and Z Index Value attributes/properties,
respectively.
When performing a single point, or on-demand, displacement measurement, you
first arm the counter by calling the Start Task function/VI. Each subsequent read
returns the current position of the encoder. If you perform multiple reads without
first starting the counter, the counter implicitly starts and stops with each Read
function/VI call, and the position is not recorded properly between read calls.
With a buffered displacement measurement, the device latches the current position
onto each active edge of the sample clock and stores the position in the buffer.
There is no onboard clock for buffered displacement measurement, so you must
supply an external sample clock.
Buffered Pulse Generation
You can specify the size of the buffer by calling the DAQmx Configure Buffer
function/VI, by specifying the buffer size attribute/property in the buffer property
node, or by writing a number of pulse specifications using the DAQmx Write Counter
MultiPoint function/VI before starting the task. This is ideal for applications that
require pulse-width modulation, such as proportional integral derivative (PID) loop
control applications. An example of an Implicit buffered generation would look like
the following:

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The high and low times provided in the Create Channel function/VI are ignored in
this case.
If you do not use a software buffer, all pulses generated will be the same, unless you
update the high time and low time while the application is running. This will cause
the pulse specifications to be software timed and change on-demand.
You can use the same attributes/properties that create the channel to update the
pulse specifications of the pulse train generation. Because you need two attributes/
properties to specify the pulse specifications of the pulse train, the specifications
only update when you set one of the two. For example, if you specify the pulse
generation in terms of frequency, the frequency and duty cycle control the
specifications of the generation. However, the pulse specifications only update
when you set the frequency attribute/property. The same is true when you specify
pulse generation in terms of time or ticks; the low time and low ticks control when
the pulse specifications update. When updating the pulse specifications of the pulse
generation, a complete period of the current specification generates before the new
pulse specification takes effect. Updating the pulse specifications while running is
not supported on buffered pulse train generation.
In some devices, such as M Series, E Series, and S Series devices, generating finite
pulse trains requires the use of paired counters. In devices that require paired
counters on a finite pulse train generation, the first counter (for example, Counter 0)
generates a pulse of desired width. The second counter (Counter 1) generates the
pulse train, which is gated by the pulse of the first counter. The routing is done
internally. The following illustration shows a two counter finite pulse train timing
diagram.

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Note: STC3-based devices, such as X Series

devices, do not require paired counters.

Configuring Triggers for Pulse Generation

You can configure a variety of triggers with pulse generations. All pulse generations
support Start Triggers. Single pulse generation and finite pulse train generation also
support the Retriggerable attribute/property, or attribute, for Start Triggers. To
determine if a pulse is complete and the hardware is ready for another Start Trigger,
query the Pulse Done attribute/property. Continuous pulse train generations also
support pause triggers. However, you cannot use both the start and the pause
trigger at the same time.
Generating Single Pulses, Finite Pulse Trains, and Continuous
Pulse Trains
When generating pulses, you can generate either a single pulse, a finite pulse train,
or a continuous pulse train. By default, single pulses are generated unless you use
the Timing function/VI with the Implicit or Sample Clock timing types.
In Implicit mode, the Samples per Channel input to the Timing function/VI
determines the number of pulses to generate for finite pulse trains. In the following
illustration, three pulses are generated:

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In Sample Clock mode, which uses a software buffer, the Samples per Channel input
determines the number of distinct pulse specification (High Time/Low Time)
transitions to generate. In the following example, Samples per Channel is set to
three. Notice that the counter increments after the sample clock pulses and the
counter signal transitions from high to low. The device generates the high and low
values specified in the Create Channel function/VI until the first sample clock
arrives.

As illustrated previously, to output pulse trains in which pulse specifications are

hardware timed and change deterministically, you must use a software buffer, if
supported by your device.
Setting Pulse Train Polarity and the Initial Delay State
The idle state, which controls the pulse train polarity, is applied to the signal when a
task transitions to the Committed state (which happens automatically when the
task starts). The idle state polarity also determines the state of the initial delay.
When you set the idle state to low, the generation starts low for the initial delay,
then transitions to high for the high time. The low time is ignored for the first pulse,
but will be repeated before the high time for each subsequent pulse, as shown in
the following illustration.

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When you set the idle state to high, the generation starts high for the initial delay,
then transitions to low for the low time. The high time is ignored for the first pulse,
but is repeated after the low time for each subsequent pulse. In both cases, the
output rests at the idle state after the pulse generation completes.

Counter Frequency Coercion

The frequency of the counter output must be evenly divisible into the frequency of
its timebase. The resulting period is further divided by the duty cycle, which defines
how long the signal stays high and how long it stays low for each period. If the
requested frequency and duty cycle combination can't be produced exactly, then
DAQmx will coerce the signal to the closest frequency and duty cycle that is
possible. If you want to define exactly how long the signal stays high and low, use
ticks instead.
Terminals
A terminal is a named location where a signal is either generated (output or
produced) or acquired (input or consumed). A terminal that can output only one
signal is often named after that signal. A terminal with an input that can be used
only for one signal is often named after the clock or trigger that the signal is used
for. Terminals that are used for many signals have generic names such as RTSI,
PXITrig, or PFI.
Signal Versus Terminal
A signal is a means of conveying information. An analog waveform and a digital edge
are both examples of signals. The word signal, in this section, refers to the digital
edge variety, also known as hardware signals. A terminal, on the other hand, is a
named location where a signal is either generated (output or produced) or acquired
(input or consumed).

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When a terminal shares a name with a signal, it is not always clear which is being
referred to—the terminal or the signal. The sample clock provides a good example.
Within most devices, there is a terminal such that the signal at that terminal is
always used as the sample clock. So when you refer to the sample clock signal, you
refer to this terminal. For instance, for M Series analog input tasks, this terminal is
named the ai/SampleClock terminal. For analog output tasks, this terminal is
named the ao/SampleClock terminal.
When you use the Timing function/VI to select the source of the sample clock signal
for your analog input task on an M Series device, you choose a signal at some other
terminal to act as the source for the ai/SampleClock terminal. In other words, NI-
DAQmx connects your chosen terminal (a PFI terminal pin, for instance) to the ai/
SampleClock terminal. Selecting the ai/SampleClock terminal as the sample clock
source returns an error because a terminal cannot be connected to itself.
Terminal Names
Terminal Names Explanation
OnboardClock An alias for the terminal within a device where
the default source for a clock can be found. If
your application does not set the source of a
clock (or uses an empty string as the source),
the clock's particular onboard clock is used. For
example, the onboard clock for the ai sample
clock is the ai Sample Clock Timebase.
PFIn Programmable Function Interface—general-
purpose input terminals, fixed-purpose output
terminals. The name of the fixed output signal
is often placed on the I/O connector next to the
terminal as a hint.
PXI_Trign PXI Trigger bus—general-purpose input/output
lines.
RTSIn Real Time System Integration bus—general-
purpose input/output lines. RTSI7 is the
exception. It is the only line to use for the 20
MHz Timebase signal.
ai/SampleClock A terminal within a device where the analog
input sample clock can be found.

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Terminal Names Explanation

ai/StartTrigger A terminal within a device where the analog
input Start Trigger can be found.
ai/ReferenceTrigger A terminal within a device where the analog
input Reference Trigger can be found.
ao/SampleClock A terminal within a device where the analog
output sample clock can be found.
ao/StartTrigger A terminal within a device where the analog
output Start Trigger can be found.
20MHzTimebase A terminal within a device where the onboard
clock source for the master timebase can be
found.
di/SampleClock A terminal within a device where the digital
input sample clock can be found.
do/SampleClock A terminal within a device where the digital
output sample clock can be found.
di/ReferenceTrigger A terminal within a device where the digital
input Reference Trigger can be found.
80MHzTimebase A terminal within a device where the onboard
clock source for the master timebase can be
found.
100MHzTimebase A terminal within a device where the onboard
clock source for the master timebase can be
found.
MasterTimebase A terminal within a device where the master
timebase signal can be found. This signal
originates either from the 20MHzTimebase
terminal or the RTSI7 terminal. This signal is the
onboard source for the Sample Clock
Timebases and is one of the possible sources
for the AI convert clock timebase.
100kHzTimebase A terminal within a device where the 100 kHz
Timebase signal can be found. This signal is
created by dividing the signal at the
20MHzTimebase terminal by 200 and is one of
the possible sources for the Sample Clock
Timebases.

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Terminal Names Explanation

ai/ConvertClock A terminal within a device where the AI Convert
Clock can be found.
ai/ConvertClockTimebase A terminal within a device where the AI Convert
Clock Timebase can be found. This is the
onboard clock source for the AI convert clock.
ai/HoldCompleteEvent A terminal within a device where the AI Hold
Complete Event signal can be found.
AIHoldComplete The terminal at the I/O connector (external to
the device) where the AI Hold Complete Event
signal can be emitted.
ai/PauseTrigger A terminal within a device where the analog
input pause trigger can be found.
ai/SampleClockTimebase A terminal within a device where the AI Sample
Clock Timebase can be found. This is the
onboard clock source for the AI sample clock.
AnalogComparisonEvent A terminal within a device where the output of
the analog comparison circuit, the Analog
Comparison Event signal, can be found. This
circuit is active whenever an analog edge or
window trigger is configured.
ao/PauseTrigger A terminal within a device where the analog
output pause trigger can be found.
ao/SampleClockTimebase A terminal within a device where the AO Sample
Clock Timebase can be found. This is the
onboard clock source for the AO sample clock.
di/SampleClockTimebase A terminal within a device where the DI Sample
Clock Timebase can be found. This is the
onboard clock source for the DI sample clock.
do/SampleClockTimebase A terminal within a device where the DO Sample
Clock Timebase can be found. This is the
onboard clock source for the DO sample clock.
Ctr0Out, Ctr1Out, Ctr2Out, Ctr3Out Terminals at the I/O connector where the
output of counter 0, counter 1, counter 2, or
counter 3 can be emitted. You also can use
Ctr0Out as a terminal for driving an external
signal onto the RTSI bus.

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Terminal Names Explanation

Ctr0Gate, Ctr1Gate, Ctr2Gate, Ctr3Gate Terminals within a device whose purpose
depends on the application. Refer to Counter
Parts in NI-DAQmx for more information on how
the gate terminal is used in various
applications.
Ctr0Source, Ctr1Source, Ctr2Source, Ctr3Source Terminals within a device whose purpose
depends on the application. Refer to Counter
Parts in NI-DAQmx for more information on how
the source terminal is used in various
applications.
Ctr0InternalOutput, Ctr1InternalOutput, Terminals within a device where you can
Ctr2InternalOutput, Ctr3InternalOutput choose the pulsed or toggled output of the
counters. Refer to Counter Parts in NI-DAQmx
for more information on internal output
terminals.
PairedCtrInternalOutput A terminal within a device that chains counters
together, creating a paired counter without
using any external connections. If your
application uses counter 0,
PairedCtrInternalOutput refers to the output of
counter 1. If your application uses counter 1,
PairedCtrInternalOutput refers to the output of
counter 0.
PairedCtrOutputPulse A terminal within a device that chains counters
together without using any external
connections. If you configure counter 0,
PairedCtrOutputPulse refers to the pulsed
output of counter 1. If you configure counter 1,
PairedCtrOutputPulse refers to the pulsed
output of counter 0. Refer to Paired Counters for
more information. When the counter reaches
terminal count (zero when counting down, its
maximum count when counting up), the output
of the PairedCtrOutputPulse pulses. By using
this terminal, you can chain counters together
to create a wider counter, perform buffered
edge counting using the other counter as your
clock source, perform finite pulse-train

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Terminal Names Explanation

generation, and create other custom
applications.
di/ChangeDetectionEvent A terminal within a device where the change
detection event occurs.
FrequencyOutput A terminal within a device where the Frequency
Output signal, which is used to generate a pulse
train, is found.
SyncPulse A terminal within a device where the Sync Pulse
signal can be found. This signal is used to
synchronize DSA devices.
Ctr0StartArmTrigger A terminal within a device where the Arm Start
Trigger can be found.
Ctr0Aux, Ctr1Aux Terminals within a device whose purpose
depends on the application. Refer to Counter
Parts in NI-DAQmx for more information on how
the aux terminal is used in various applications.
Ctr0A, Ctr1A, Ctr2A, Ctr3A Terminals within a device that are used for
position measurements.
Ctr0B, Ctr1B, Ctr2B, Ctr3B Terminals within a device that are used for
position measurements.
Ctr0Z, Ctr1Z, Ctr2Z, Ctr3Z Terminals within a device that are used for
position measurements.
port[0..2]line[0..3] Terminals within a C Series device used for
triggers, clocks, and timebase routing. These
terminals are not available for digital I/O.
te0/StartTrigger, te1/StartTrigger A terminal within a device where the timing
engine Start Trigger can be found.
te0/ReferenceTrigger, te1/ReferenceTrigger A terminal within a device where the timing
engine Reference Trigger can be found.
te0/SyncPulse, te1/SyncPulse A terminal within a device where the timing
engine Sync Pulse signal can be found. This
signal is used to synchronize DSA devices.
te0/SampleClock, te1/SampleClock A terminal within a device where the timing
engine Sample Clock can be found.
it0/SampleClock, it1/SampleClock, it2/ A terminal within a device where the input
SampleClock, it3/SampleClock, it4/ timing engine Sample Clock can be found.

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Terminal Names Explanation

SampleClock, it5/SampleClock, it6/
SampleClock, it7/SampleClock
it0/StartTrigger, it1/StartTrigger, it2/ A terminal within a device where the input
StartTrigger, it3/StartTrigger, it4/StartTrigger, timing engine Start Trigger can be found.
it5/StartTrigger, it6/StartTrigger, it7/StartTrigger
it0/ReferenceTrigger, it1/ReferenceTrigger, it2/ A terminal within a device where the input
ReferenceTrigger, it3/ReferenceTrigger, it4/ timing engine Reference Trigger can be found.
ReferenceTrigger, it5/ReferenceTrigger, it6/
ReferenceTrigger, it7/ReferenceTrigger
it0/PauseTrigger, it1/PauseTrigger, it2/ A terminal within a device where the input
PauseTrigger, it3/PauseTrigger, it4/PauseTrigger, Pause Trigger can be found.
it5/PauseTrigger, it6/PauseTrigger, it7/
PauseTrigger
it0/SampleClockTimebase, it1/ A terminal within a device where the input
SampleClockTimebase, it2/ Sample Clock Timebase can be found. This is
SampleClockTimebase, it3/ the onboard clock source for the input sample
SampleClockTimebase, it4/ clock.
SampleClockTimebase, it5/
SampleClockTimebase, it6/
SampleClockTimebase, it7/
SampleClockTimebase
ot0/SampleClock, ot1/SampleClock, ot2/ A terminal within a device where the output
SampleClock, ot3/SampleClock, ot4/ timing engine Sample Clock can be found.
SampleClock, ot5/SampleClock, ot6/
SampleClock, ot7/SampleClock
ot0/StartTrigger, ot1/StartTrigger, ot2/ A terminal within a device where the output
StartTrigger, ot3/StartTrigger, ot4/StartTrigger, timing engine Start Trigger can be found.
ot5/StartTrigger, ot6/StartTrigger, ot7/
StartTrigger
ot0/PauseTrigger, ot1/PauseTrigger, ot2/ A terminal within a device where the output
PauseTrigger, ot3/PauseTrigger, ot4/ Pause Trigger can be found.
PauseTrigger, ot5/PauseTrigger, ot6/
PauseTrigger, ot7/PauseTrigger
ot0/SampleClockTimebase, ot1/ A terminal within a device where the output
SampleClockTimebase, ot2/ Sample Clock Timebase can be found. This is
SampleClockTimebase, ot3/ the onboard clock source for the input sample
SampleClockTimebase, ot4/ clock.
SampleClockTimebase, ot5/

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Terminal Names Explanation

SampleClockTimebase, ot6/
SampleClockTimebase, ot7/
SampleClockTimebase
cRIO_Trig0, cRIO_Trig1, cRIO_Trig2, cRIO_Trig3, cRIO Trigger bus—general-purpose input/
cRIO_Trig4, cRIO_Trig5, cRIO_Trig6, cRIO_Trig7 output lines for sharing signals between NI-
DAQmx tasks and FPGA IO on a cRIO chassis.
Note: M Series, C Series, and X Series devices do
not have a master timebase of an arbitrary
frequency. These devices use the 20 MHz/80
MHz/100 kHz timebase directly.

Analog Input Accessory Terminal Names

The following table lists the revised names for analog input terminal names.

Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

AIGND, ACHGND AIGND The reference point for
referenced single-ended
measurements and the bias
current return point for
differential measurements
ACH# AI# AI0, AI1, and so on; the analog
input channels
AISENSE AISENSE The reference point for NRSE
measurements using channels
0-15
AISENSE2 AISENSE2 The reference point for NRSE
measurements using channels
16-79
AISENSE3 AISENSE3 The reference point for NRSE
measurements using channels
80-143
AISENSE4 AISENSE4 The reference point for NRSE
measurements using channels
144-207
SCANCLK AI HOLD COMP The terminal where the AI Hold
Complete Event signal appears

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Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

TRIG1 AI START TRIG Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AI Start
Trigger can be emitted
TRIG2 AI REF TRIG Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AI
Reference Trigger can be
emitted
CONVERT* AI CONV CLK Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AI Convert
Clock can be emitted
STARTSCAN AI SAMP CLK Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AI Sample
Clock can be emitted

Analog Output Accessory Terminal Names

The following table lists the revised names for analog output terminal names.

Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

DAC0OUT AO0 An analog output channel
DAC1OUT AO1 An analog output channel
EXTREF AO EXT REF AO external reference
AOGND AO GND The analog output ground
UPDATE* AO SAMP CLK Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AO Sample
Clock can be emitted
WFTRIG AO START TRIG Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the AO Start
Trigger can be emitted

Counter Accessory Terminal Names

The following table lists the revised names for counter terminal names.

Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

GPCTR1_SOURCE CTR1SOURCE Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the Ctr1Source
signal can be emitted

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Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

GPCTR1_GATE CTR1GATE Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the Ctr1Gate
signal can be emitted
GPCTR1_OUT CTR1OUT The name of the terminal
where the Ctr1Out signal
appears
GPCTR0_SOURCE CTR0SOURCE Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the Ctr0Source
signal can be emitted
GPCTR0_GATE CTR0GATE Placed as a hint next to the PFI
terminal where the Ctr0Gate
signal can be emitted
GPCTR0_OUT CTR0OUT The name of the terminal
where the Ctr0Out signal
appears
FREQ_OUT FREQ OUT The name of the terminal
where the output of the 4-bit
clock divider signal appears

Digital Accessory Terminal Names

The following table lists the revised names for digital terminal names.

Original Terminal Names Revised Terminal Names Explanation

DIO# P0.# Ports on devices are referred to
by a number. Port A is called
port 0, for instance. The #
symbol refers to a single digital
line
PA#, PB#, and so on P0.#, P1.#, and so on Ports on devices are referred to
by a number. Port A is called
port 0, for instance. The #
symbol refers to a single digital
line
DIOA#, DIOB# P0.#, P1.#, and so on The # symbol refers to a single
digital line

Syntax for Terminal Names

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The syntax for terminal names is a unique identifier that refers to a physical terminal
in your system. To guarantee the uniqueness of a terminal name across multiple
devices, terminal names begin with a forward slash, followed by the name of the
device as configured in MAX, such as Dev1. A forward slash and the name of the
terminal follow the device identifier, such as PFI3. For example, the fully qualified
terminal name for PFI3 on Dev1 is /Dev1/PFI3.
For terminals that exist on multiple subsystems or timing engines, the name of the
subsystem or timing engine precedes the terminal name. For example, the output
terminal of the Start Trigger for the analog input subsystem on Dev1 is /
Dev1/ai/StartTrigger.

Coercion
When a value you set cannot be met exactly, NI-DAQmx sometimes adjusts—or
coerces—that value to a valid one. Coercion often occurs when an attribute/
property supports a set of discrete ranges.
After you set an attribute/property, you can query that attribute/property to
determine its actual value after coercion.
Input Limit Coercion
Some devices support only a discrete set of device ranges. When you specify input
limits, NI-DAQmx coerces those values to fit within one of the supported device
ranges.
For instance, suppose your device only supports ranges of 0 to 10 V, -5 to 5 V, and -10
to 0 V. If you set a maximum value of 8 V, NI-DAQmx coerces the maximum value to
10 V. NI-DAQmx also coerces scaled values, including custom scaling. If you have a
temperature sensor that outputs 100 mV for every 1 °C, NI-DAQmx coerces a
maximum value of 80 °C to 100 °C.
Because NI-DAQmx coerces input limits, code width is calculated based on the
coerced values, which can be outside the minimum and maximum values you
expect to measure.
Clock Frequency Coercion

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Frequencies of clocks must be evenly divisible into the frequency of their timebase.
For example, the rate of the Sample Clock must be evenly divisible into the
frequency of the Sample Clock Timebase. If you specify a Sample Clock rate that is
not evenly divisible into the frequency of the Sample Clock Timebase, NI-DAQmx
coerces the Sample Clock rate to one that is valid.

Calibration
There are two types of calibration, channel calibration and device calibration.
Device Calibration

What Is Device Calibration?

Device calibration consists of verifying the measurement accuracy of a device
and adjusting for any measurement error. Verification consists of measuring the
performance of the device and comparing these measurements to the published
specifications. During calibration, you supply and read voltage levels or other
signals using external standards, then you adjust the device calibration constants.
The new calibration constants are stored in the EEPROM. These calibration
constants are loaded from memory as needed to adjust for the error in the
measurements taken by the device. There are two kinds of calibration, external
and self. For more information on calibrating your device with NI-DAQmx, refer
to Device Calibration Considerations. For detailed external calibration procedures,
refer to ni.com/calibration.

External Calibration
External calibration, which is typically performed by a metrology lab, requires using
a high-precision voltage source to verify and adjust calibration constants. This
procedure replaces all calibration constants in the EEPROM and is equivalent to a
factory calibration. Because the external calibration procedure changes all EEPROM
constants, it invalidates the original calibration certificate. If an external calibration
is done with a NIST-certified voltage source, a new NIST traceability certificate can
be issued.

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Self-Calibration (Internal Calibration)

Self-calibration adjusts the calibration constants with respect to an onboard
reference stored on the device. The new calibration constants are defined with
respect to the calibration constants created during an external calibration to
ensure that the measurements are traceable to these external standards. The
new calibration constants do not affect the constants created during an external
calibration because they are stored in a different area of the device memory.
You can perform a self-calibration at any time to adjust the device for use in
environments other than those in which the device was externally calibrated.
You use the DAQmx Self Calibrate (or DAQmxSelfCal) function/VI to perform a self-
calibration.

Note: Self-calibration does not require any

external connections.

Channel Calibration
Channel calibration is a technique used to achieve higher measurement accuracy. In
most applications, device calibration provides sufficient accuracy. However, in
applications where the highest degree of accuracy is critical, channel calibration is
necessary, but it does not replace device calibration. Channel calibration
compensates for various errors, including those introduced by cabling, wiring, and
sensors.

Control in NI-DAQmx
This section explains control concepts as implemented in NI-DAQmx. Timing control
loops, synchronizing analog input and output, using control algorithms, single-
point real-time applications, and setting priorities for control applications in
LabVIEW are described.
For a general introduction to control, independent of the software you are using,
refer to the control overview.
NI-DAQmx Single-Point Real-Time Applications
This section describes sample applications that demonstrate the functionality for
hardware-timed single-point operations on real-time platforms.

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Most of these applications use the Wait For Next Sample Clock function/VI, which
guarantees tight synchronization between the hardware layer and the software
layers for hardware-timed single-point tasks. Wait For Next Sample Clock provides
an accurate way to correlate application execution to hardware signals, such as the
sample clock for the given task, while providing feedback on the overall real-time
execution of the control loop.
The following sections present common control applications:

■ Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O

■ Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O with Data Exchanges
between Time-Critical and Non-Time-Critical Loops
■ Hardware-Timed Input, Software-Timed Output
■ Hardware-Timed Counter Tasks
■ Software-Timed I/O
■ Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O Using the Timed Loop
(LabVIEW Only)
Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O

Requirement
The I/O must be hardware-timed. All output values need to simultaneously
update at the arrival of the sample clock edge.
Solution
Use the DAQmx Wait For Next Sample Clock function/VI to verify that a new
sample clock edge has not yet occurred.
Advantages

■The current iteration's output samples are guaranteed to be aligned

with the next iteration's input samples.
■ NI-DAQmx returns an error if the DAQmx Wait For Next Sample Clock
function/VI does not start before the next sample clock edge occurs.
■ I/O jitter is confined to the jitter of the hardware clock, which is on the
order of a few nanoseconds.

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Restrictions
Read, process, and write operations are confined to the time available
between the moment the device starts acquiring data and the moment the
next sample clock edge arrives.

Sample Application—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O

An example of this kind of application is an analog control loop that reads samples
from a specific number of analog input channels, processes the data using a
control algorithm (such as PID), and writes new control values to the analog output
channels.

LabVIEW Example—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O

Note: Although this example is written for

LabVIEW users, the principles apply if you are
using another ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI.
LabVIEW Example

■ Wire the DAQmx Wait For Next Sample Clock VI to one of the hardware-
timed tasks. Use dataflow wiring to guarantee that the DAQmx Wait For Next
Sample Clock VI executes after the AO Write call.

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■ If the DAQmx Wait For Next Sample Clock VI does not start before the arrival
of the next sample clock edge, it returns an error.
Sample Block Diagram

Note:
■ Use only one DAQmx Wait For Next
Sample Clock VI within a LabVIEW loop. If
you have multiple hardware-timed single-
point I/O tasks within the same LabVIEW
loop, you can connect the DAQmx Wait
For Next Sample Clock VI to any one
hardware-timed single-point task within
that loop.
■ If, when a cycle overflow occurs,
you want to receive a warning rather
than an error, set the DAQmx
Real-Time»Convert Late Errors to
Warnings property to True.
■ The DAQmx Wait For Next Sample
Clock VI has two modes of operation:
Polling and Wait For Interrupt. To change
these values, use the DAQmx Real-
Time»Wait For Next Sample Clock
Wait Mode property. Wait For Interrupt
mode, which is the default, allows lower
priority processes to execute while the
time-critical loop waits for the next
sample clock. Polling mode allows for
higher sampling rates, but it prevents

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lower priority processes in the system

from executing while the time-critical
loop waits for the next sample clock.
■ The analog instance of DAQmx Read
calls have two modes of operation:
Polling and Wait For Interrupt. To
change these values, use the DAQmx
Read»Advanced»Wait Mode property.
Wait For Interrupt mode allows lower
priority processes to execute while the
time-critical loop waits for all the
requested samples to be converted.
Polling mode allows for higher sampling
rates, but it prevents lower priority
processes in the system from executing
while the time-critical loop waits for the
converted analog samples.
■ The specific application shown in this
section assumes the use of Wait For
Interrupt mode for both the DAQmx
Wait For Next Sample Clock VI and the
analog instance of the DAQmx Read VI.
To change these values, use the DAQmx
Read»Advanced»Wait Mode and/or
DAQmx Real-Time»Wait For Next
Sample Clock Wait Mode properties.

Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O with Data Exchanges

between Time-Critical and Non-Time-Critical Loops

Requirement
The I/O needs to be hardware-timed. All output values need to simultaneously
update at the arrival of the sample clock edge. Data needs to be exchanged
between a time-critical loop and lower-priority processes.
Solution
Use the Wait For Next Sample Clock function/VI to verify that a new sample
clock edge has not yet occurred. Place the communication code (usually real-

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time FIFOs in LabVIEW or a thread-safe queue in LabWindows/CVI) after the

Wait For Next Sample Clock function/VI.
Advantages

■The current iteration's output samples are guaranteed to be aligned

with the next iteration's input samples.
■ NI-DAQmx returns an error if the Wait For Next Sample Clock
function/VI does not start before the next sample clock edge occurs.
■ I/O jitter is confined to the jitter of the hardware clock, which is on the
order of a few nanoseconds.
■ Hardware-timed counter input operations have no conversion period
similar to that of multiplexed analog input. Therefore, you can place the
real-time FIFO, or the thread-safe queue, anywhere within the loop.
Restrictions
Read, process, and write operations are confined to the amount of time
available between the moment the device starts acquiring data and the
moment the next sample clock edge arrives.

Sample Application—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O with

Data Exchanges between Time-Critical and Non-Time-Critical Loops
An example of this kind of application is an analog control loop that reads samples
from a specific number of analog input channels, processes the data using a control
algorithm (such as PID), and writes the new control values to the analog output
channels. The application uses a real-time FIFO to stop the control loop based on a
Boolean value provided by a lower-priority process. A similar approach can employ
the use of real-time FIFOs to vary the PID parameters on the fly, or to transfer
acquired and control output values to lower-priority processes for data logging and
remote monitoring.
Timing Diagram

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LabVIEW Example—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O with

Data Exchanges between Time-Critical and Non-Time-Critical Loops
Note: Although this example is written for
LabVIEW users, the principles apply if you are
using another ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI.

■ Wire the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI to one of the hardware-timed tasks.
Use dataflow wiring to guarantee that the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI
executes after the AO Write call.
■ Use dataflow wiring to guarantee that the real-time FIFO operations execute
after the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI executes.
■ If the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI does not execute before the arrival of
the next sample clock edge, it returns an error.
Sample Block Diagram

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Note:
■
Use only one Wait For Next Sample
Clock VI within a LabVIEW loop. If you
have multiple hardware-timed I/O tasks
within the same LabVIEW loop, you can
connect the Wait For Next Sample Clock
VI to any one hardware-timed single-point
task within that loop.
■ If, when a cycle overflow occurs, you
want to receive a warning rather than an
error, set the DAQmx Real-Time»Convert
Late Errors to Warnings property to True.
■ Although you do not have to place
the real-time FIFO code after the Wait
For Next Sample Clock VI, it is highly
recommended that you do so when
dealing with multiple-channel analog
input operations on multiplexed devices
(such as E and M Series). Because the
device can spend up to 50% of the sample
period converting samples on the analog
input channels, executing the FIFO code
during this conversion period has the
advantage of using up otherwise idle
time.
■ You can increase the Analog Input
Conversion Rate manually through the
DAQmx Timing Property Node. This
reduces the total amount of time spent
converting the requested number of

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samples. It is important to consider

the minimum settling time specifications
for the complete data acquisition
system to avoid signal degradation and
interference.

Hardware-Timed Input, Software-Timed Output

Requirement
An analog input task must be hardware-timed. The output task does not need
hardware synchronization with the sample clock edge.
Solution
Use the DAQmx real-time Report Missed Samples attribute/property, which
returns an error if new samples are available before the read operation
finishes converting samples from the previous iteration.
Advantages

■ Input samples are hardware-timed.

■ Read, process, and write operations can overflow into the next sample
period, as long as enough time remains for the subsequent read
operation to complete on the next set of input samples. An application
that acquires data from multiple channels on multiplexed devices (such
as E Series and M Series) has to wait for the device to convert input
samples before the read operation can return. By allowing process and
write operations to overflow into the next sample period, the
application takes advantage of otherwise idle time. This enables the
application to achieve higher control-loop rates.
Restrictions
Output updates suffer from software jitter because they are not hardware-
timed.

Sample Application—Hardware-Timed Input, Software-Timed Output

An example of this kind of application is an analog control loop that reads samples
from a specific number of multiplexed analog input channels, processes the data

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using a control algorithm (such as PID), and writes the new control values to the
analog output channels using a software-timed task.
Timing Diagram

LabVIEW Example—Hardware-Timed Input, Software-Timed Output

Note: Although this example is written for

LabVIEW users, the principles apply if you are
using another ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI.

■ Set the Report Missed Samples property for the analog input operation to
True.
■ The analog input operation returns an error if new samples are available
before the read operation finishes converting samples from the previous
iteration.
Sample Block Diagram

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Note:
■ If, when an Analog Input Read overflow
error occurs, you prefer to receive a
warning rather than an error, set the
Convert Late Errors to Warnings property
to True.
■ Do not use the Wait For Next Sample
Clock VI and the Report Missed Samples
property within the same LabVIEW loop.
■ Only hardware-timed single-point
analog input tasks support the Report
Missed Samples property.
■ Because the analog output task is
software timed, the value is written out as
soon as the write call is initiated. It does
not wait for a hardware clock to output
the data.

Hardware-Timed Counter Tasks

Requirement
Use hardware-timed counter input operations to drive a control loop.
Solution
Use the Wait For Next Sample Clock function/VI to synchronize the counter
operations with the counter's sample clock.
Advantages

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■ Counter tasks allow for flexible timing and event detection operations
that can drive the software processing of the control loop. In other
words, the control loop can have a dynamic clock rate.
■ NI-DAQmx returns an error if the Wait For Next Sample Clock
function/VI does not start before the next sample clock edge arrives.
Restrictions
Read, process, and write operations are confined to the time available
between the moment the device starts acquiring data and the moment the
next sample clock edge arrives.

Sample Application—Hardware-Timed Counter Tasks

An example of this kind of application is a control loop that uses a counter input
task, such as count edges, while controlling digital lines based on some predefined
control logic. This sample application performs communication through the use of
real-time FIFOs. In LabWindows/CVI, you can use a thread-safe queue instead of
real-time FIFOs.
Timing Diagram

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Sample Application 2—Hardware-Timed Counter Tasks

Another example application is a control loop that monitors discrete inputs and
uses the values to update a counter output task, using pulse frequency mode
to generate pulse-width modulation control signals. This example application
performs communication through the use of real-time FIFOs. In LabWindows/CVI,
you can use a thread-safe queue instead of real-time FIFOs.
Timing Diagram

LabVIEW Example—Hardware-Timed Counter Tasks

Note: Although this example is written for

LabVIEW users, the principles apply if you are
using another ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI.

■ Wire the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI to the counter input task.
■ If the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI does execute before the arrival of the
next sample clock edge, it returns an error.
Sample Block Diagram

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Example 2

■ Wire the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI to the counter output task.
■ If the Wait For Next Sample Clock VI does not execute before the arrival of
the next sample clock edge, it returns an error.
Sample Block Diagram

Note:
■ Use only one Wait For Next Sample
Clock VI within a LabVIEW loop. If you
have multiple hardware-timed I/O tasks
within the same LabVIEW loop, you can
connect the Wait For Next Sample Clock
VI to any one hardware-timed single-point
task within that loop.
■ If, when a cycle overflow occurs,
you want to receive a warning rather
than an error, set the DAQmx
Real-Time»Convert Late Errors to
Warnings property to True.
■ Hardware-timed counter operations
have no conversion period similar to that
of multiplexed analog input. Therefore,

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the real-time FIFO can be placed

anywhere within the LabVIEW loop.
■ NI-DAQmx provides a mechanism to
recover after missing a sample clock
edge when performing counter writes.
If this write recovery mechanism is not
successful, NI-DAQmx returns an error,
and subsequent operations on that task
are no longer hardware timed.
■ The DAQmx Real-Time»Write
Recovery Mode property allows you
to choose between Wait For Interrupt
or Polling mode for the recovery
mechanism. Wait For Interrupt, which
is the default, allows lower priority
processes to execute while NI-DAQmx
attempts to recover. Polling mode, on the
other hand, allows for higher sampling
rates.

Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O Using the Timed Loop

(LabVIEW Only)

Requirement
I/O needs to be hardware-timed. All output values need to simultaneously
update at the arrival of the sample clock edge. The application uses the Timed
Loop.
Solution
Use the DAQmx Create Timing Source function/VI to create a timing source
that drives a Timed Loop that contains the I/O operations and the control
algorithm.
Advantages

■ Using a timing source allows you to specify an I/O signal (for example,
the sample clock signal) to trigger the execution of Timed Loop
iterations.

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■ Timing sources such as the Control Loop From Task provide strict
lateness checking and allow other threads to execute while several
analog channels are being multiplexed and sampled.
■ The Timed Loop provides feedback as to whether the iterations
complete in time.
■Multi-rate applications, using distinct I/O hardware subsystems, are
possible by extending this approach to multiple Timed Loops.
Restrictions

■Minor increase in overhead when compared to a regular LabVIEW

While Loop
■ Requires additional code to handle warm-up iterations

Sample Application—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O Using

the Timed Loop (LabVIEW Only)
An example of this kind of application is an analog control loop that reads samples
from a specific number of analog input channels, processes the data using a control
algorithm (such as PID), and writes the new control values to the analog output
channels.
You can create such an application with the Control Loop From Task timing source.
The Control Loop From Task timing source uses the sample clock signal from the
analog input task, which allows strict lateness-checking of all tasks associated with
that sample clock.
The Control Loop From Task timing source also allows you to specify a delay
between the time the sample clock event is handled and the time the Timed Loop
starts executing. This delay, or sleep time, keeps the DAQmx Read function/VI inside
the Timed Loop from using 100% of the CPU time available while waiting for the
analog input samples to be multiplexed and digitized.
Timing Diagram

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LabVIEW Example—Hardware-Timed Simultaneously Updated I/O Using

the Timed Loop
■ Create a Control Loop From Task timing source for the Timed Loop. This
signal serves as the timebase that drives the execution of the Timed Loop.
■ The Timed Loop provides feedback to the application as to whether the
previous iteration completed in time. It does this through the "Finished Late
[i-1]" node.
■ Allow a few warm-up iterations to account for the effects of processor-
caching and other events that may occur during the first iterations of the loop.
Sample Block Diagram

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Note:
■ The DAQmx Read VI is implicitly
configured to polling mode when
using the Control Loop From Task
timing source. Polling mode avoids
the additional scheduling overhead
associated with interrupts inside the
Timed Loop.
■ You can increase the Analog Input
Conversion Rate manually through
DAQmx Timing properties. This reduces
the total amount of time spent converting
the requested number of samples. It
is important to consider the minimum
settling time specifications for the
complete data acquisition system to avoid
signal degradation and interference.
■ Do not use the Wait For Next Sample
Clock VI for any of these tasks.
■ Lower-priority processes, including
other Timed Loops with lower priorities,
can execute while the Timed Loop waits
until its next iteration.
■ To optimize multi-channel control
applications in which lower-priority
threads might require additional

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processing time, provide a non-zero value

for the sleep time (us) parameter of the
DAQmx Create Timing Source VI. This non-
zero value allows other threads to use
the time spent converting analog input
samples to perform other tasks such as
communication or logging to disk.
■ The maximum amount of sleep time
you can set without impacting the overall
rate of the application depends on
several factors, including the number
of analog channels being acquired, the
sample conversion rate, and the system's
specifications.

The following diagram shows, for multiple channel configurations, the effect of
the amount of sleep over the maximum achievable rate and the amount of work
lower-priority threads can execute at such rates.

*See benchmark configuration below.

The graph shows that, when acquiring 8 channels using a specific hardware and
software configuration, the maximum achievable rate decreases as soon as the
amount of sleep time increases from 0 to 5 µs. This is not, however, the case for the
12- and 16-channel configurations, for which increasing the amount of sleep up to
10 and 15 µs respectively has no visible effect on the maximum achievable I/O rates.

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In the 12- and 16-channel case, the additional sleep interval allows other threads to
execute more work (refer to definition below) without affecting the overall I/O rate
of the application.
Benchmark Configuration

■ Hardware Configuration:
■ NI PXI-8196 RT Controller
■ NI PXI-6070 E Series MIO device
■ NI PXI-6723 Analog Output device
■ Software Configuration:
■ LabVIEW Real-Time 8.0
■ NI-DAQmx 8.0
■ Ethernet driver set to polling mode
■ Benchmark details:
■ A work unit is defined as the number of times a normal-priority loop can
increment an unsigned 64-bit number while the I/O Timed Loop, depicted in
the sample block diagram above, runs in parallel with it.
■ The analog input conversion is not explicitly configured. This means that
the DAQmx driver auto-calculates it based on the number of channels and
desired sample clock rate.
Software-Timed I/O

Requirement
The I/O tasks do not support hardware-timed operations.
Solution
Apply software timing to your time-critical loop by using the Timed Loop in
LabVIEW or asynchronous timers in LabWindows/CVI. Configure your NI-
DAQmx tasks to use on-demand timing.
Advantages

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■ You can perform I/O control loops with operations that are not
hardware-timed.
■ Read, process, and write operations are confined to the software
timing period that you define with the Timed Loop or asynchronous
timers.
Restrictions
I/O samples suffer from software jitter.

Sample Application—Software-Timed I/O

An example of this kind of application is a digital I/O control loop. The application
monitors the state of several discrete inputs and toggles the corresponding output
based on the control algorithm. Hardware timing is not available for single-point
digital I/O tasks in NI-DAQmx.
Timing Diagram

LabVIEW Example—Software-Timed I/O

Note: Although this example is written for

LabVIEW users, the principles apply if you are
using another ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI.

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■ A Timed Loop running off the system's time sources (millisecond or

microsecond resolution) accomplishes the task. Configure the Timed Loop
to run at the desired rate.
■ Configure all tasks to be software-timed (on demand).
■ The Timed Loop provides feedback to the application as to whether the
previous iteration completed in time. It does this through the "Finished Late
[i-1]" node.
Sample Block Diagram

Note:
■ The Timed Loop allows the application
to adjust its period from within the loop,
allowing the implementation of dynamic
timing algorithms for control.
■ Lower-priority processes can execute
while the Timed Loop waits until its next
iteration.
■ Other software timing methods include
the use of the Wait and Wait Until
next multiple VIs (with microsecond or
milliseconds resolution). These methods
provide no feedback when the application
falls behind.

Timing Control Loops

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You can time control loops using software timing or hardware timing. You can also
use the Timed Loop structure.
For software timing, the software and operating system determines the rate at
which the loop executes. Software timing is not deterministic. Controlling a while
loop and using the Wait Until Next ms Multiple VI to handle timing is an example of a
software-timed loop. Hardware timing uses the DAQ device internal clock or an
external clock to control when a read executes within a loop. The example block
diagram shown in Control Loops in the Common Applications section uses
hardware timing.
The Timed Loop structure is hardware timed. It is ideal for multirate applications. By
default, the Timed Loop uses the 1 kHz clock of the Windows operating system as its
timing source. Refer to your LabVIEW Help for more information about the Timed
Loop structure.
Control Algorithms
There are many data processing algorithms to consider when creating a control
application. You can create custom control algorithms using LabVIEW. You also can
use VIs, such as the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module VIs and
Functions, to process control application data. This module offers several libraries
that you can use to design, analyze, simulate, and deploy dynamic system models,
including controllers.
Synchronizing Analog Input and Output
You can time analog output events and synchronize the events to the analog input
clock. You can share a common clock for A/D and D/A conversions to ensure that
both occur simultaneously. The advantage of this method is that, so long as your
software completes in time, you mask out jitter. One caveat is that outputs are
always one loop cycle behind the inputs, as shown in the following figure.

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Setting Priorities for Control Applications in LabVIEW

The relative priority of parallel processes is important in a control application.
Because LabVIEW is multi-threaded, you can separate your application into
individual tasks, each with its own priority. By setting priorities, time-critical tasks
can take precedence over non-time-critical tasks. The time-critical task must
periodically yield processor resources to the lower-priority tasks so they can
execute. By properly separating the time-critical task from lower priority tasks, you
can reduce application jitter. Refer to the LabVIEW Real-Time Module Help for details
on assigning priorities to tasks.
I/O Cycles
The input and output operations along with any processing performed during a
single sample clock period are called I/O cycles. I/O cycles can consist of reads or
writes only, but an I/O cycle in a typical control application consists of reading data,
processing that data, then writing a result.

NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices

This section includes information about timing and triggering, task behavior, and
reading and writing data with NI-DAQmx simulated devices.
Refer to the Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx for detailed
instructions on creating NI-DAQmx simulated devices and importing NI-DAQmx
simulated device configurations onto physical devices.
Timing and Triggering with NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices
With NI-DAQmx simulated devices, the following timing and triggering
considerations exist:

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■ NI-DAQmx simulated devices simulate timing for continuous analog input,

digital input, and all output tasks. Timing is not simulated for counter tasks.
■ NI-DAQmx simulated devices do not cause a timed loop to execute.
■ NI-DAQmx simulated devices support software events. However, events that
rely on the hardware, such as a sample clock event, are not supported.
■ Triggers always occur immediately.
■ Watchdog timers do not expire.

Task Behavior of NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices

NI-DAQmx tasks using NI-DAQmx simulated devices are verified just as tasks are on
physical devices. If a property is set to an invalid value, the error returned for an NI-
DAQmx simulated device is identical to the error returned for a real device. All
resources necessary for the task are reserved for NI-DAQmx simulated devices. RTSI
lines, PXI Trigger lines, DMA channels, counters, and so on are counted and reserved
just as on physical devices.

Note: NI-DAQmx simulated devices cannot be

included in the same task with physical devices.

Reading and Writing Data with NI-DAQmx Simulated Devices

NI-DAQmx simulated devices will show up in NI MAX as the appropriate icon ( For
example, USB, PXI, PCIe, cDAQ Chassis, C Series Module), but will be colored yellow
to indicate that the device is simulated. The naming convention for these devices is
the same as for real hardware. Data written to an NI-DAQmx simulated device is
scaled as if the device were real.

Reading Data
All NI-DAQmx simulated devices return analog input data in the form of a full-scale
sine wave with 3% of full-scale noise.

When multiple channels are in the task, the data for each channel is offset 5° in time.

Setting the minimum and maximum signal input range determines the amplitude of
the simulated signal. If you decrease the minimum and maximum values the
amplitude of the simulated sine wave decreases. However, on real hardware , your

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analog input signal clips at the maximum and minimum signal input range that is
set.

For simulated AO data, set the minimum and maximum values for Signal Output
Range. The range cannot exceed the specifications for the real hardware. Set the
Test Signal Type to Sine Wave, Square Wave, or Triangle Wave. If you are using a Test
Panel, there are options for DC and Sinewave generation.

Digital data is always returned as if each eight-bit port were a binary counter for
both digital input and output.

Counter data is always returned as 0.

Writing Data
Data written to an NI-DAQmx simulated device is scaled as if the device were real.
So, any custom scales implemented in a task would affect the simulated data
appropriately.

Distributed Applications
This section includes information about deploying applications and using the
DAQmx I/O Server for distributed applications.
Deployment
Deployment refers to developing an application so that it can be distributed, or
deployed, on a different computer than the one on which the application was
developed. To deploy an application, you need the saved application and any
configuration information the application and system requires.
When deploying an application, you must coordinate the use of configuration items
that can be shared among multiple tasks. This includes devices, scales, and global
virtual channels.

Developing Applications for Deployment

You can deploy NI-DAQmx applications in several ways:

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■ You can use the MAX Export Wizard to deploy an entire setup to another
computer, including tasks, channels, scales, and devices.
■ You can use the MAX Export Wizard to deploy an entire setup, except the
device configurations, to another computer. You might choose to do this if the
target computer already has tasks that rely on existing device configurations.
In this case, you might have to make modifications after deployment so
that your tasks and channels refer to the device configurations on the target
computer.
■ You can use the MAX Export Wizard initially to deploy a fixed set of
device, scale, and global virtual channel configurations among a group of
users. Each member of the group can create tasks that rely on the shared
configurations, then create applications that use these tasks, and finally share
the applications within the group. In some cases, the tasks deploy with
the applications automatically. In other cases, you must deploy the tasks
separately from the applications. Refer to the Deploying Tasks and Channels
section for more information.

Deploying Tasks and Channels

Your tasks and channels deploy automatically with your application under the
following circumstances:

■ You use LabVIEW Express VIs for your DAQ applications, and the tasks use
local channels only.
■ You save your tasks within a LabWindows/CVI or Measurement Studio
project, and the tasks use local channels only.
■You create your tasks and channels programmatically using the NI-DAQmx
API.
You must deploy your tasks and channels using the MAX Export Wizard if you create
your tasks and channels in the following ways:

■ You create your tasks and channels directly in MAX.

■You create your tasks and channels in LabVIEW from the Task Name and
Channel Name controls and do not generate configuration code.

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■ You create your tasks in LabWindows/CVI and neither generate

configuration code nor copy the tasks to your project.
■ You create a SignalExpress project that includes a global virtual channel.
■ You use LabVIEW Express VIs for your DAQ applications with tasks that use
global virtual channels, but do not use code generation.
Note: If your project uses global virtual
channels that were added, not copied,
generating a LabVIEW diagram from
SignalExpress still requires deployment of
channels using the MAX Export Wizard.

DAQmx I/O Server and Virtual Channels

In NI-DAQmx 8.0 or later, you can set up distributed applications to combine remote
data applications using the NI-DAQmx I/O Server. For instance, you can configure a
central computer to monitor other computers that control hardware sensors by
using shared variables. You can connect to the NI-DAQmx I/O Server through
LabVIEW 8.0 or later, but LabVIEW is not required. If you use a third-party OPC client,
you also can access DAQ channels.

Note: You must have at least one global virtual

channel defined either in the project or in
Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to
use the NI-DAQmx I/O Server. Global virtual
channels of any I/O type can be bound to
shared variables, but tasks cannot.
When using a third-party OPC client, connect to the variable engine server to access
DAQ channels on the network.
Refer to the LabVIEW Help for information about binding to a DAQ channel using a
shared variable in a LabVIEW Project.

Functions, VIs, Properties, and Attributes

You program your device primarily with the functions (or VIs in LabVIEW) that make
up the NI-DAQmx API. The functions contain the core functionality of the API, but for
advanced or uncommon functionality, you can use the following:

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■ Properties for LabVIEW, Visual C++, Visual Basic .NET, and Visual C#
■ Get and Set Attribute functions for ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI
Refer to your function or VI reference help for detailed information on available
attributes and properties.

External Reference Sources for Generating Voltage

Devices that support an external voltage reference enable you to maximize the
resolution of your device. If the voltages you want to generate do not exceed a
certain level and you can supply an external reference voltage at that level, you
achieve your device's maximum resolution. The external reference voltage settings
are available as a Channel property in the Analog Output»General
Properties»DAC»Reference Voltage.
You also can use external reference voltages to apply a gain to a DC voltage or to a
time-varying waveform. For example, set your external reference voltage level to 1.0,
and write a sine wave buffer with values from -1.0 to +1.0 V. When you apply an
actual reference voltage of 2.0 V, your signal jumps to ±2 V in amplitude. Increasing
the reference voltage level to 3.0 again jumps the signal to ±3 V. Applying a reference
voltage level of 0.0 V immediately flat-lines your time-varying voltage signal at 0.0 V.
The terminal you use for external reference sources varies depending on your
device.

Custom Scales
You can create scales to specify a conversion from the prescaled units measured by
a channel to the scaled units associated with your transducer or actuator. For input
channels, the scale converts samples read to the final scaled units. For example, a
scale could convert a voltage to a linear position. For output channels, the scale
converts samples written to the prescaled units of the channel. For example, a scale
could convert a linear position to a voltage. You also can use scales to calibrate
samples read or written so that the final scaled units are identical to the prescaled
units of the channel.
Often, you do not need to create a scale because NI-DAQmx has explicit support for
many of the most common transducers, sensors, and actuators. For example, when
creating an analog input temperature channel, you can specify the type of

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transducer (for example, thermistor, RTD, or thermocouple) used to make the

measurement when creating the channel. However, if NI-DAQmx does not explicitly
support your transducer or actuator, you can create a scale that specifies how to
convert from the prescaled units to the scaled units. You can associate the same
scale with multiple channels. You do not need to create a scale for each channel if
the scale is the same. After a scale is assigned to a channel, the scale applies to all
attributes normally expressed in the prescaled units of the channel. For example, if
a custom scale, which converts volts to meters, is assigned to a voltage channel, the
channels minimum and maximum attributes are expressed in meters.

Prescaled Versus Scaled Units

Prescaled refers to values expressed in the unit of the channel prior to the custom
scale being applied. Usually, these prescaled units are volts or amps since scales are
most often associated with channels that natively measure or generate signals using
these units. However, it is possible to associate a scale with a channel that contains
a transducer explicitly supported by NI-DAQmx. In this case, the prescaled units are
the units of the channel including the explicitly supported transducer. For example,
you can create a analog input resistance channel and associate a scale with this
channel. In this example, the prescaled units would be ohms and the scale would
specify how to convert from ohms to the desired scaled units.
Scaled refers to values expressed in the final unit after NI-DAQmx applies the custom
scale. For example, a linear-position-to-voltage scale is assigned to a voltage output
channel. In this case, the prescaled samples are in volts while the scaled samples
could be specified in meters. Scaled units are the units that are most convenient for
your application. You have complete control over the scaled units when specifying
your scale. The scale specifies the conversion from the prescaled units of the signal
measured or generated by the channel to your specified scaled units. When you read
samples from a channel associated with a scale, the samples are in scaled units.
Likewise, when you write samples to a channel associated with a scale, the samples
are in scaled units.
You can create scales in the DAQ Assistant or programmatically. When you
programmatically associate a scale with a channel, you must set the custom
scale name attribute/property to the name of the scale and set the units attribute/
property to From Custom Scale.

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Note: Unscaled data is not synonymous with

prescaled units. Unscaled data refers to an 8-,
16-, or 32-bit integer in the native format of
the device. Prescaled refers to the units of
measurement, such as volts or amps, before a
custom scale is applied.

Example—Converting Volts to Revolutions/Minute

Imagine that you have connected an analog output voltage channel to a motor
whose speed is proportional to the generated voltage, and you want to create
a scale that specifies this conversion. The prescaled units in this case would be
volts and the scaled units could be revolutions/minute. You would then specify the
equation, table, or map that converts from volts to revolution/minute. After you
have created this scale, you would associate the scale with an analog output voltage
channel. Now, rather than having to convert between volts and revolutions/minute
when operating your application or having to develop additional code in your
application to perform this conversion, you can simply write samples in units of
revolutions/minute directly to the channel associated with the scale and NI-DAQmx
automatically performs the specified conversions. Scales can simplify your code and
improve the usability of your application.

Applying Scales That Do Not Monotonically Increase or

Decrease
Some scale types allow scales that do not monotonically increase or decrease.
This is problematic because application of the scale may not produce the desired
results. For example, if multiple prescaled values map to the same scaled value,
the conversion from the scaled value to the prescaled values is ambiguous.
The conversion is well defined and predictable even in these cases. While not
disallowed, non-monotonically increasing scales should be avoided or used with
caution.

NI-DAQmx Versus Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy)

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NI-DAQmx replaced Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy) in 2003. NI-DAQmx and Traditional

NI-DAQ (Legacy) have their own APIs, hardware configurations, and software
configurations.

NI DAQmx
NI-DAQmx has the following advantages over Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy):

■
DAQ Assistant—a graphical way to configure virtual channels and
measurement tasks for your device, and to generate NI-DAQmx code based
on your virtual channels and tasks, for use in LabVIEW, SignalExpress,
LabWindows/CVI, and Measurement Studio.
■Increased performance, including faster single-point analog I/O and
multithreading.
■ NI-DAQmx simulated devices for testing and modifying applications without
plugging in hardware.
■ Simpler, more intuitive APIs for creating DAQ applications using fewer
functions and VIs than earlier versions of NI-DAQ.
■Expanded functionality for LabVIEW, including property nodes and
waveform data type support.
■Similar APIs and functionality for ANSI C, LabWindows/CVI, and
Measurement Studio, including native .NET and C++ interfaces.
■ Improved support and performance for the LabVIEW Real-Time Module.

Who Can Use NI-DAQmx

Install and use NI-DAQmx if the following situations apply:

■ You are a new user.

■ You are using devices supported by NI-DAQmx; refer to the NI-DAQmx
Readme for a list of supported devices.
■ You are using an OS supported by NI-DAQmx; refer to the NI-DAQmx Readme
for a list of supported OSes.

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If you are using NI application software with NI-DAQmx, you must use supported
versions of LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, Measurement Studio, NI SignalExpress, or
the LabVIEW Real-Time Module. Refer to the NI-DAQmx Readme for specific versions
of NI application software supported in your version of NI-DAQmx.
If you use one of the Microsoft .NET languages, Visual C# and/or Visual Basic .NET,
or a device supported only by NI-DAQmx, such as an M Series device, you must use
NI-DAQmx.
You also can use NI-DAQmx with a supported compiler, such as an ANSI C compiler.

Who Must Use Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy)

Install and use Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy) if one of the following situations apply:

■ You have a device that is not supported by NI-DAQmx, such as the AT E

Series multifunction DAQ devices.
■You are using an unsupported version of LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, or
Measurement Studio.
■You are upgrading from NI-DAQ 6.9.x and have existing applications that you
do not want to port to NI-DAQmx now.

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Measurement Fundamentals
2022-03-22
November 2018, 371408N-01
Measurement Fundamentals covers API-independent information that might help
you as you develop applications. Topics include an explanation of different signal
types, sensors commonly used with measurement devices, signal conditioning, and
control fundamentals.
© 2005–2018 National Instruments. All rights reserved.

Measurement System Overview—Hardware and NI-DAQmx

The following figure depicts the measurement system overview, showing the path of
real-world physical phenomena to your measurement application.

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Sensors and transducers detect physical phenomena. Signal conditioning

components condition physical phenomena so that the measurement device can
receive the data. The computer receives the data through the measurement device.
Software controls the measurement system, telling the measurement device when
and from which channels to acquire or generate data. Software also takes the raw
data, analyzes it, and presents it in a form you can understand, such as a graph,
chart, or file for a report.
NI measurement devices and application software are packaged with NI-DAQmx
driver software to program all the features of your NI measurement device such as

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configuring, acquiring, and generating data from and sending data to NI

measurement devices. Using NI-DAQmx saves you from having to write these
programs yourself. Application software, such as LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, and
Measurement Studio, sends the commands to the driver, such as acquire and return
a thermocouple reading, and then displays and analyzes the data acquired.
You can use the NI-DAQmx driver from NI application software or from any
programming environment that supports calling dynamic link libraries (DLLs)
through ANSI C interfaces. Regardless of the programming environment, your DAQ
application uses NI-DAQmx, as shown in the figure.

Signal Types
A signal is classified as analog or digital by the way it conveys information. A digital
(or binary) signal has only two possible discrete levels—high level (on) or low level
(off). An analog signal, on the other hand, contains information in the continuous
variation of the signal with respect to time. A breakdown of the main signal types is
shown in the following figure.

Analog Connection Considerations

To measure analog signals, you need to know the signal source—grounded or
floating. You also must consider the measurement system—differential, referenced
single-ended, or nonreferenced single-ended.
Connecting Analog Input Signals
Signal connections vary depending on your device, connector block, and signal
conditioning module. The DAQ Assistant contains connection diagrams that show
terminal connections for all common analog input measurements, such as

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measuring strain, temperature, current, voltage, and so on. Refer to Viewing

Connection Diagrams in the DAQ Assistant Help for additional information.
For terminals specific to your device, refer to your device documentation.
Floating Signal Sources
In a floating source, the voltage signal is not connected to any absolute reference or
any common ground, such as earth or building ground as shown in the following
figure.

Floating signal sources are also called nonreferenced signal sources. Some common
examples of floating signal sources are batteries, thermocouples, transformers, and
isolation amplifiers. Notice in the figure that neither terminal of the source is
connected to the electrical outlet ground, so each terminal is independent of the
system ground.

Measuring Floating Signal Sources

You can measure floating signal sources with both differential and single-ended
measurement systems. In the case of the differential measurement system,
however, make sure the common-mode voltage level of the signal with respect to
the measurement system ground remains in the common-mode input range of the
measurement device. A variety of phenomena—for example, the instrumentation
amplifier input bias currents—can move the voltage level of the floating source out
of the valid range of the input stage of a DAQ device.
Grounded Signal Sources
A grounded source is one in which the voltage signals are referenced to a system
ground, such as earth or building ground, as shown in the following figure.

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Because such sources use the system ground, they share a common ground with the
measurement device. The most common examples of grounded sources are devices
that plug into the building ground through wall outlets, such as signal generators
and power supplies.

Note: The grounds of two independently

grounded signal sources generally are not at the
same potential. The difference in ground
potential between two instruments connected
to the same building ground system is typically
10 mV to 200 mV. The difference can be higher if
power distribution circuits are not properly
connected.

Measuring Grounded Signal Sources

A grounded signal source is best measured with a differential or an NRSE
measurement system. If you use an RSE measurement system with a grounded
source, the result is typically a noisy measurement system often showing power-
line frequency (60 Hz) components in the readings. Ground-loop introduced noise
can have both AC and DC components, introducing offset errors and noise in the
measurements. The potential difference between the two grounds causes a current
to flow in the interconnection. This current is called ground-loop current.
However, you can still use an RSE measurement system if the signal voltage levels
are high and the interconnection wiring between the source and the measurement
device has a low impedance. In this case, the signal voltage measurement is
degraded by ground loop, but the degradation may be tolerable. You must observe
the polarity of a grounded signal source before connecting the signal to a ground-

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referenced measurement system because the signal source can be short-circuited to

ground, which can damage the signal source.
Measurement System Types and Signal Sources
The type of input signal source (grounded or floating) and the configuration of the
measurement system (differential, single-ended, pseudodifferential) determine how
you connect signals to measurement devices.
The following table provides an application-independent summary of analog input
connections.

Input Signal Source Type

Floating Signal Source (Not Grounded Signal Source
Connected to Building Ground)
Examples: Ungrounded Example: Instruments with
thermocouples, signal nonisolated outputs
conditioning with isolated
outputs, battery devices
Differential (DIFF)

Ground Referenced Single-

Ended (RSE)

Note: AI GND is shared as a

reference for all RSE channels

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Input Signal Source Type

Floating Signal Source (Not Grounded Signal Source
Connected to Building Ground)
Examples: Ungrounded Example: Instruments with
thermocouples, signal nonisolated outputs
conditioning with isolated
outputs, battery devices
Nonreferenced Single-Ended
(NRSE)

Note: AI SENSE is shared as a

reference for all NRSE channels

Pseudodifferential

R ext is the external bias resistor that you add.

Differential Measurement System

A differential measurement system has neither of its inputs tied to a fixed reference,
such as earth or building ground. A differential measurement system is similar to a
floating signal source in that the measurement is made with respect to a floating
ground that is different from the measurement system ground. Hand-held, battery-
powered instruments and DAQ devices with instrumentation amplifiers are
examples of differential measurement systems.
The following figure shows an implementation of an 8-channel differential
measurement system used in a typical NI device. Analog multiplexers are used in the
signal path to increase the number of measurement channels when there is only a
single instrumentation amplifier. For this device, the pin labeled AIGND, the analog
input ground, is the measurement system ground.

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Your signal source—floating or grounded—helps determine if you should use a

differential measurement system.
Rejecting Common-Mode Voltages
An ideal differential measurement system responds only to the potential difference
between its two terminals—the positive (+) and negative (–) inputs. Any voltage
measured with respect to the instrumentation amplifier ground that is present at
both amplifier inputs is referred to as a common-mode voltage. Common-mode
voltage is completely rejected (not measured) by an ideal differential measurement
system. This capability is useful in rejection of noise, because unwanted noise is
often introduced as common-mode voltage in the circuit making up the cabling
system.
Real-world devices have several factors, described by parameters such as common-
mode voltage range and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR), that limit the ability
to reject the common-mode voltage.

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Common-Mode Voltage
The common-mode voltage range limits the allowable voltage swing on each input
with respect to the measurement system ground. Violating this constraint results
not only in measurement error but also in possible damage to components on the
device. Common-mode voltage (Vcm) is defined using the following formula:

■ Vcm = (V+ + V–) / 2

where V+ is the voltage at the noninverting terminal of the measurement system
with respect to the measurement system ground, and V– is the voltage at the
inverting terminal of the measurement system with respect to the measurement
system ground.

CMRR
CMRR measures the ability of a differential measurement system to reject the
common-mode voltage signal. For instance, if you are measuring a thermocouple in
a noisy environment, the noise from the environment appears on both input leads.
Therefore, this noise is a common mode voltage signal that is rejected by an amount
equal to the CMRR of the instrument. Most DAQ devices specify the CMRR up to 60
Hz, the power line frequency. CMRR in decibels (dB) is defined using the following
formula:

■ CMRR(dB) = 20 log (Differential Gain/Common-Mode Gain)

A simple circuit is shown in the following figure. In this circuit, CMRR in decibels is
measured as 20 log Vout/Vcm, where Vcm = (V+ + V–)/2.

Referenced and Nonreferenced Single-Ended Measurement Systems

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Referenced and nonreferenced single-ended measurement systems are similar to

grounded sources in that the measurement is made with respect to ground. A
referenced single-ended (RSE) measurement system measures voltage with respect
to the ground, AIGND in the figure, which is directly connected to the measurement
system ground. The following figure shows an 8-channel referenced single-ended
measurement system.

DAQ devices often use a variant of the referenced single-ended measurement

technique, known as nonreferenced single-ended (NRSE). The following figure
shows an NRSE system.

In an NRSE measurement system, all measurements are still made with respect to a
single-node analog input sense (AISENSE), but the potential at this node can vary

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with respect to the measurement system ground. The previous figure illustrates that
a single-channel NRSE measurement system is the same as a single-channel
differential measurement system.
Pseudodifferential Measurement System
A pseudodifferential measurement system combines some characteristics of a
differential input channel and a referenced single-ended (RSE) input channel. Like a
differential input channel, a pseudodifferential measurement system exposes both
the positive and negative sides of the channel. You connect the positive and
negative inputs to the respective outputs of the unit under test. The negative input
is tied to system ground through a relatively small impedance (designated as Z1 in
the diagram below). The impedance between the negative input and ground may
include both resistive and capacitive components. The positive and negative sides
of the input channel are separated by a larger impedance (designated by Zin).
Pseudodifferential input configurations are common in simultaneous sampling and
dynamic signal acquisition (DSA) devices that do not employ a multiplexed signal
architecture. A pseudodifferential system is well-suited for measuring the output of
floating or isolated devices under test such as battery-powered instruments or most
accelerometers. The pseudodifferential setup can also be used to measure
referenced signals if the signal reference potential does not differ greatly from the
ground potential of the measurement device. However, ground loops may pose an
issue if the potential of the negative leg of the signal differs significantly from
chassis ground. In general, a differential input offers a better common-mode
rejection ratio (CMRR) than a pseudodifferential input.

Connecting Analog Output Signals

Signal connections vary depending on your device, connector block, and signal
conditioning module. The following figure shows how to make analog output
connections for a typical NI device.

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For terminals specific to your device, refer to your device documentation.

Sampling Considerations
When sampling a signal it is important to consider device range, input limits,
sampling rate, resolution, and code width.
Device Range
Device range refers to the minimum and maximum analog signal levels that the ADC
can digitize. Many measurement devices can select from several ranges by changing
from unipolar mode to bipolar mode or by selecting from multiple gains, allowing
the ADC to take full advantage of its resolution to digitize the signal.

Unipolar and Bipolar Modes

Unipolar mode means that a device only supports a range of 0 V to +X V. Bipolar
mode means that a device supports a range of -X V to +X V. Some devices support
only one mode or the other, while other devices can change from unipolar mode to
bipolar mode.
Devices that can change from unipolar to bipolar mode are able to select the mode
that best fits the signal to measure. The first chart of the following figure illustrates
unipolar mode for a 3-bit ADC. The ADC has eight digital divisions in the range from
0 to 10 V. In bipolar mode, the range is -10.00 to 10.00 V, as shown in the second
chart. The same ADC now separates a 20 V range into eight divisions. The smallest

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detectable difference in voltage increases from 1.25 to 2.50 V, and you now have a
much less accurate representation of the signal. The device selects the best mode
available based on the input limits you specify when you create a virtual channel.

Gain Adjustment
If a device has multiple gains, it multiplies an input signal by one of the gains to
make the signal take up more of the full device range. This essentially gives the
device multiple ranges it can select from. For example, a device with an overall
range of -10 V to 10 V and possible gains of 1, 2, and 4 can select between ranges of
-10 V to 10 V, -5 V to 5 V, and -2.5 V to 2.5 V. The device selects the best gain available
according to the input limits you specify when you create a virtual channel.

Note: Gain works differently for DSA devices

Input Limits (Maximum and Minimum Values)

Input limits are the maximum and minimum values you expect to measure, after any
scaling, including custom scaling.

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Input limits are sometimes confused with device range. Device range refers only to
the input range of a particular device.
If you set your minimum to 0 and your maximum to 7, and your device only has a 0-5
and a 0-10 device range, the device range will be coerced to 0-10 by NI-DAQmx. This
also applies when using a custom scale.
The maximum and minimum input limit values will match the units of measurement
of the task. For instance, the device range for a DAQ device might be 0 to 10 V, but
that device might be used with a temperature sensor that outputs 100 mV for every
1 °C. The input limits in that case could be 0 to 100, with 10 V corresponding to 100
°C. For an analog current input task, the units would be amps.
Input limits in a smaller range can improve the precision of your measurement. If
your device has multiple input ranges, you can strategically choose the minimum
and maximum values to detect smaller differences in your signal of interest.
Consider a device that has a 0-10 V and a 0-5 V range. In the previous temperature
sensor example, if you knew that the temperature would never be higher than 50 °C,
you could choose a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 50. The device can
then detect smaller differences in temperature because it is digitizing a voltage
between 0 and 5 V, rather than 0 and 10 V.
Sampling Rate
One of the most important parameters of an analog input or output system is the
rate at which the measurement device samples an incoming signal or generates the
output signal. The sampling rate, which is called the scan rate in Traditional NI-DAQ
(Legacy), is the speed at which a device acquires or generates a sample on each
channel. A fast input sampling rate acquires more points in a given time and can
form a better representation of the original signal than a slow sampling rate.
Generating a 1 Hz signal using 1000 points per cycle at 1000 S/s produces a much
finer representation than using 10 points per cycle at a sample rate of 10 S/s.
Sampling too slowly results in a poor representation of the analog signal.
Undersampling causes the signal to appear as if it has a different frequency than it
actually does. This misrepresentation of a signal is called aliasing.
Resolution
Resolution is the smallest amount of input signal change that a device or sensor can
detect. The number of bits used to represent an analog signal determines the

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resolution of the ADC. You can compare the resolution on a measurement device to
the marks on a ruler. The more marks you have, the more precise your
measurements. Similarly, the higher the resolution, the higher the number of
divisions into which your system can break down the ADC range, and therefore, the
smaller the detectable change.
A 3-bit ADC divides the range into 2 or 8 divisions. A binary or digital code between
000 and 111 represents each division. The ADC translates each measurement of the
analog signal to one of the digital divisions. The following figure shows a sine wave
digital image as obtained by a 3-bit ADC. Clearly, the digital signal does not
represent the original signal adequately, because the converter has too few digital
divisions to represent the varying voltages of the analog signal. By increasing the
resolution to 16 bits, however, the number of divisions of the ADC increases from 8
to 65,536 (2). The ADC now can obtain an extremely accurate representation of the
analog signal.

Calculating the Smallest Detectable Change—Code Width

The resolution and device range of a measurement device determine the smallest
detectable change, called the code width, in the input signal. The smaller your code
width, the more accurate your measurements are.
You can calculate the code width using the following formula:

■ code width = device range/ 2

For example, a 12-bit measurement device with a 0 to 10 V range detects a 2.4 mV
change, while the same device with a -10 to 10 V input range detects only a change
of 4.8 mV:

■ device range/ 2 = 10/2 = 2.4 mV

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■ device range/ 2 = 20/2 = 4.8 mV

A high-resolution A/D converter (ADC) provides a smaller code width given the
preceding device voltage ranges.

■ device range/ 2 = 10/2 = 0.15 mV

■ device range/ 2 = 20/2 = 0.3 mV
The following table shows how the code width of a 12-bit measurement device
varies by device range. The device selects the best possible range based on the input
limits you specify when you create a virtual channel. Select input limits that
accurately reflect the signal you want to measure in order to achieve the smallest
possible code width. NI-DAQmx coerces those input limits to fit the selected device
range.

Overall Device Range Possible Device Ranges with Precision

Gain Adjustment
0 to 10 V ■ 0 to 10 V ■ 2.44 mV
■ 0 to 5 V ■ 1.22 mV
■ 0 to 2.5 V ■ 610 µV
■ 0 to 1.25 V ■ 305 µV
■ 0 to 1 V ■ 244 µV
■ 0 to 0.1 V ■ 24.4 µV
■ 0 to 20 mV ■ 4.88 µV

–5 to 5 V ■ -5 to 5 V ■ 2.44 mV
■ -2.5 to 2.5 V ■ 1.22 mV
■ -1.25 to 1.25 V ■ 610 µV
■ -0.625 to 0.625 V ■ 305 µV
■ -0.5 to 0.5 V ■ 244 µV
■ -50 to 50 mV ■ 24.4 µV
■ -10 to 10 mV ■ 4.88 µV

-10 to 10 V ■ -10 to 10 V ■ 4.88 mV

■ -5 to 5 V ■ 2.44 mV

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Overall Device Range Possible Device Ranges with Precision

Gain Adjustment
■ -2.5 to 2.5 V ■ 1.22 mV
■ -1.25 to 1.25 V ■ 610 µV
■ -1 to 1 V ■ 488 µV
■ -0.1 to 0.1 V ■ 48.8 µV
■ -20 to 20 mV ■ 9.76 µV

Note: The NI 4472 is a 24-bit device with a range

of -10 V to 10 V. However, one bit is reserved,
leaving an effective resolution of 23 bits. Thus,
the code width is 20/2 = 2.38 µV.
The value of 1 Least Significant Bit (LSB) of the 12-bit ADC. In other words, the
voltage increment corresponding to a change of 1 count in the ADC 12-bit count.
Digital Signals
A digital signal has two discrete levels—a high and a low level. One example of a
digital signal is a transistor-transistor logic (TTL) compatible signal. A TTL-
compatible signal has the following characteristics:
■ 0 V to 0.8 V = logic low
■ 2 V to 5 V = logic high
■ Maximum rise/fall time = 50 ns

Digital devices can monitor the state of the pulse and can transition the pulse from
one state to another. A counter can also monitor the state as well as detect rising
edges, a transition from logic low to logic high, and falling edges, a transition from
logic high to logic low. Counters are used commonly to count edges and for time
measurements, such as measuring digital frequency or the period of a signal.

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Connecting Digital I/O Signals

The number of digital lines varies from device to device. The following figure shows
signal connections for three typical DIO applications.

The figure shows PO <0..3> configured for digital input and PO <4..7> configured for
digital output. Digital input applications include receiving TTL signals and sensing
external device states such as the state of a switch. Digital output applications
include sending TTL signals and driving external devices such as the LED shown in
the figure.
Counters
Counters measure and generate digital signals. Counters are used commonly to
count edges and for time measurements, such as measuring digital frequency or the
period of a signal. The signal connections required for counters vary depending on
the device and your application.
Digital Logic States
Test engineers can choose from a number of different digital I/O instruments with a
range of features for communication and test applications. Beyond the basic

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capabilities of driving a digital pattern of 1s and 0s, digital instruments often

support waveforms that can include some or all of the logic states shown in the
following table.

Logic State Drive Data Expected Response

Drive States 0 Logic Low Don't Care
1 Logic High Don't Care
Z Disable Don't Care
Compare States L Disable Logic Low
H Disable Logic High
X Disable Don't Care
The six logic states control the voltage driver and, if supported, the compare engine
of the digital tester (such as a DAQ device) on a per clock cycle basis. Drive states
specify what stimulus data the digital tester drives on a particular channel or when
to disable the voltage driver (referred to as the tristate or high-impedence state).
Compare states indicate the expected response from the device under test. These
six logic states make it possible to perform bidirectional communication and real-
time hardware comparison of acquired response data.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle is a characteristic of a pulse. Use the following equation to calculate
the duty cycle of a pulse whose high time and low time are unequal:

■ Duty Cycle = High Time/Pulse Period

where Pulse Period is high time plus low time.
The duty cycle of a pulse is between 0 and 1 and is often expressed as a percentage.
Refer to the following figure for examples of duty cycles. A pulse with a high time
equal to the low time has a duty cycle of 0.5, or 50%. A duty cycle less than 50%
indicates that the low time is greater than the high time, and a duty cycle greater
than 50% indicates that the high time is greater than the low time.

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Signal Analysis
Signal analysis is the process of transforming an acquired signal to extract
information about the signal, filter noise from the signal, and present the signal in a
more understandable form than the raw signal.
Filtering and windowing are two signal analysis techniques.
Filtering
Filtering is one of the most commonly used signal processing techniques. Signal
conditioning systems can filter unwanted signals or noise from the signal you are
measuring. Use a noise filter on low-rate, or slowly changing, signals, such as
temperature, to eliminate higher frequency signals that can reduce signal accuracy.
A common use of a filter is to eliminate the noise from a 50 or 60 Hz AC power line. A
lowpass filter of 4 Hz removes the 50 or 60 Hz AC noise from signals sampled at low
rates. A lowpass filter eliminates all signal frequency components above the cutoff
frequency. Many signal conditioning modules have lowpass filters that have
software-selectable cutoff frequencies from 10 Hz to 25 kHz.
Windowing
Use windowing, or smoothing windows, to minimize spectral leakage associated
with truncated waveforms.

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Spectral Leakage
Spectral leakage is a phenomenon whereby the measured spectral energy appears
to leak from one frequency into other frequencies. It occurs when a sampled
waveform does not contain an integral number of cycles over the time period during
which it was sampled. The technique used to reduce spectral leakage is to multiply
the time-domain waveform by a window function.
Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) are mathematical
techniques that resolve a given signal into the sum of sines and cosines. It is the
basis for spectrum analysis. Using the DFT/FFT when you sample a noninteger
number of cycles, such as 7.5 cycles, returns a spectrum in which it appears as if
the energy at one frequency leaks into all the other frequencies because the FFT
assumes that the data is a single period of a periodically repeating waveform. The
artificial discontinuities appear as very high frequencies that were not present in the
original signal. Because these frequencies are higher than the Nyquist frequency,
they appear aliased between 0 and fs/2.
The type of window to use depends on the type of signal you acquire and on the
application. Choosing the correct window requires some knowledge of the signal
that you are analyzing. The following table lists common types of windows, the
appropriate signal types, and example applications.

Window Signal Type and Description Applications

Rectangular (no window) Transient signals that are Order tracking, system
shorter than the length of the analysis (frequency response
window; truncates a window to measurements) with
within a finite time interval pseudorandom excitation,
separation of two tones with
frequencies very close to each
other but with almost equal
amplitudes
Triangle Window that is the shape of a General-purpose applications
triangle
Hanning Transient signals that are Often used in speech signal
longer than the length of the processing
window
Hamming Transient signals that are Often used in speech signal
longer than the length of the processing

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Window Signal Type and Description Applications

window; a modified version of
the Hanning window that is
discontinuous at the edges
Blackman Transient signals; similar General-purpose applications
to Hanning and Hamming
windows but adds one
additional cosine term to
reduce ripple
Flat Top Has the best amplitude Accurate, single-tone
accuracy of all the windows but amplitude measurements
limits frequency selectivity with no nearby frequency
components
Note: In many cases, you might not have
sufficient knowledge of the signal, so you need
to experiment with different windows to find
the best one.

Signal Conditioning
Sensors can generate electrical signals to measure physical phenomena, such as
temperature, force, sound, or light. To measure signals from transducers, you must
convert them into a form that a DAQ device can accept. For example, the output
voltage of most thermocouples is very small and susceptible to noise. Therefore,
you may need to amplify or filter the thermocouple output before digitizing it.
The manipulation of signals to prepare them for digitizing is called signal
conditioning. Common types of signal conditioning include the following:
■ Amplification
■ Linearization
■ Transducer excitation
■ Isolation

Amplification
Amplification is a type of signal conditioning that improves accuracy in the resulting
digitized signal by increasing signal amplitude relative to noise.

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For the highest possible accuracy, amplify the signal so the maximum voltage swing
equals the maximum input range of the ADC, or digitizer. Your system should
amplify low-level signals at the measurement device located nearest the signal
source, as shown in the following figure.

Tip: Use shielded cables or a twisted pair of cables. By minimizing wire length, you
can minimize noise that the lead wires pick up. Keep signal wires away from AC
power cables and monitors to reduce 50 or 60 Hz noise.
If you amplify the signal at the measurement device, the signal is measured and
digitized with noise that may have entered the lead wires. However, if you amplify
the signal close to the signal source with an SCXI module, noise has less impact on
the measured signal.
Linearization
Linearization is a type of signal conditioning in which software linearizes the voltage
levels from transducers, so the voltages can be scaled to measure physical
phenomena. For example, a change in voltage of 10 mV for a thermocouple usually
does not reflect a change of 10 degrees. However, with linearization in software or
hardware, the thermocouple can be scaled to the appropriate temperature in your
application. Most transducers have linearization tables that describe scaling the
transducer.
Transducer Excitation
Signal conditioning systems can generate excitation for some transducers. Strain
gages and RTDs require external voltage and current, respectively, to excite their
circuitry into measuring physical phenomena. This type of excitation is similar to
the power a radio needs to receive and decode audio signals. Several measurement
devices provide the necessary excitation for transducers. Consult your device
documentation to see if your device can generate excitation.

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Isolation
Signals often can exceed the limits that a measurement device can handle. Trying to
measure a signal that is too large for the measurement device can damage the
device or you. To keep you and your device safe from large voltages, you can apply a
signal conditioning technique called isolation. The signal conditioning hardware
attenuates high common mode voltages and extracts a signal that measurement
devices can handle. Isolation also ensures that differences in ground potentials do
not affect your device.

Common Sensors
Depending on your application, you may use several different kinds of sensors.
Some commonly used ones are strain gages, thermocouples, thermistors, angular
encoders, linear encoders, bridge-based sensors, and resistance temperature
detectors (RTDs).
2-Wire Resistance
Resistance measurements in the range above 100 Ω are generally made using the 2-
wire method shown in the following figure. The excitation current flows through the
leads and the unknown resistance, Rmeas. Your device measures the voltage across
the resistance through the same set of leads and computes the resistance
accordingly.
Errors in the 2-wire measurements are introduced by the lead resistance, RLead,
when measuring lower resistances. Because there is a voltage drop across the lead
resistance equal to I × RLead, the voltage measured by your device is not exactly the
same as the voltage across the resistance, Rmeas. Because typical lead resistances lie
in the range of 0.01–1 Ω, accurate 2-wire resistance measurements are very difficult
to obtain if Rmeas is below 100 Ω.

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3-Wire Resistance
Use the 3-wire resistance method, as shown in the following figure, to measure
resistance on resistors that have three lead wires.

The 3-wire method uses three test leads, one pair for the excitation current (EX+,
EX-), and a third wire (Sense-) to compensate for the lead wire resistances. The third
wire measures the voltage developed over the lead resistance in the EX- leg of the
excitation current path. By subtracting its value from the overall differential signal,
the device can compensate for parasitic lead resistances in the EX+ leg. However,
this would only compensate for lead resistance in the EX+ leg and not in the EX- leg.
To compensate for lead resistance both in the EX- leg and in the EX+ leg, the device

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approximates the EX+ leg by assuming the voltage is the same as in the EX- leg. Thus
the voltage between Sense- and EX- is multiplied by two before being subtracted
from the overall differential signal. This method works well when lead resistances in
the EX+ leg match resistances in the EX- leg.
Some legacy devices do not provide compensation. In that case, you need to specify
the lead-wire resistance so that it can be subtracted in software.
4-Wire Resistance
Use the 4-wire resistance method, as shown in the following figure, to measure
resistances of less than 100 Ω. The 4-wire method is more accurate than the 2-wire
method.

The 4-wire method uses four test leads, one pair for the injected current (the test
lead) and the other pair for sensing the voltage across the resistor Rmeas (the sense
lead). Because no current flows in the sense lead, the device measures only the
voltage developed across the resistance. Thus, a 4-wire resistance eliminates errors
that test lead and contact resistance cause.
Bridge-Based Sensors
Bridge-based sensors operate by correlating a physical phenomena, such as strain,
temperature, or force, to a change in resistance in one or more legs of a Wheatstone
bridge. The general Wheatstone bridge, shown in the following figure, is a network

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of four resistive legs with an excitation voltage, VEX, that is applied across the bridge.
One or more of these legs can be active sensing elements.

The Wheatstone bridge is the electrical equivalent of two parallel voltage divider
circuits. R1 and R2 compose one voltage divider circuit, and R4 and R3 compose the
second voltage divider circuit. You measure the output of a Wheatstone bridge
between the middle nodes of the two voltage dividers.
A physical phenomena, such as a temperature shift or a change in strain applied to a
specimen, changes the resistance of the sensing elements in the Wheatstone bridge.
You can use the Wheatstone bridge configuration to help measure the small
variations in resistance that the sensing elements produce corresponding to a
physical change in the specimen.
Bridge Measurement Types
NI-DAQmx provides several measurement types for taking measurements from a
bridge-based sensor.

Strain gage
Use the strain gage measurement type for performing strain measurements.
Force, pressure, and torque
Use these measurement types for performing bridge-based force, pressure, or
torque measurements on supported devices.

NI-DAQmx provides additional measurement types from which you read data in
electrical units. Use a custom scale or write scaling code to convert the electrical
units to physical units.

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Bridge (V/V)
Channels using the bridge V/V measurement type return a voltage ratio
instead of physical units. Use this measurement type on supported devices for
other bridge-based sensors, for sensors that scale data to physical units NI-
DAQmx does not support, or to measure torsional strain.
Custom voltage with excitation
Use this measurement type for bridge-based measurements on devices that
do not support the strain gage, force, pressure, torque, or bridge (V/V)
measurement types. Specify to use excitation for scaling to acquire a voltage
ratio instead of a voltage. On ratiometric devices, you must specify to use
excitation for scaling because those devices can only acquire a voltage ratio.
Voltage
Use this measurement type with bridge-based sensors that include an
internal amplifier and output voltage.
Current
Use this measurement type with bridge-based sensors that include an
internal amplifier and output current.

Bridge Sensor Scaling

Measurements from a bridge-based sensor are based on a ratio of measured voltage
to excitation voltage. NI-DAQmx uses the following equation to calculate that ratio:

where VR is the voltage ratio; V is the voltage output from the bridge; VIB is the initial
bridge voltage, as determined by offset nulling; VEX is the excitation voltage supplied
to the bridge; and G is the gain adjustment from shunt calibration.
Ratiometric devices divide the voltage output from the bridge by the excitation
voltage in hardware. Therefore, V/VEX must be within the device range of the device.
On voltage devices, the voltage output from the bridge must be within the device
range. The initial bridge voltage and gain adjustment affect the association between
device range and input limits. For example, on a device that can measure ±5 V, an
initial bridge voltage of 1 V means that the minimum and maximum input limits
must correspond to -6 V to 4 V.

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NI-DAQmx uses various methods to scale that voltage ratio to physical units,
depending on the bridge configuration for strain measurements or on the scaling
type that best matches the specifications provided by the sensor manufacturer for
other bridge-based sensors NI-DAQmx supports.
Bridge Configurations
There are three types of bridge configurations: quarter-bridge, half-bridge, and full-
bridge. The number of active element legs in the Wheatstone bridge determines the
kind of bridge configuration.

Configuration Number of Active Elements

Quarter-bridge 1
Half-bridge 2
Full-bridge 4
Strain gages use variations of these bridge configurations.
Signal Conditioning Requirements for Bridge-Based Sensors
Common signal conditioning requirements for bridge-based sensors include:
■ Bridge completion
■ Bridge excitation and remote sensing
■ Signal amplification
In addition, you should calibrate your sensor periodically to account for changes in
the physical characteristics of the sensor and in the material the sensor is
measuring, to account for variations in the lead wire resistance, and to compensate
for imperfections in the measurement system. Calibrating bridge-based sensors
usually involves two steps: offset nulling, or bridge balancing, and shunt calibration,
or gain adjustment.
Bridge Completion
Unless you are using a full-bridge sensor, you must complete the bridge with
reference resistors. Therefore, signal conditioners for bridge-based sensors typically
provide half-bridge completion networks consisting of two high-precision reference
resistors. The nominal resistance of the completion resistors is less important than
how well the two resistors match. Ideally, the resistors match well and provide a

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stable reference voltage of VEX/2 to the negative input lead of the measurement
channel. The high resistance of the completion resistors helps minimize the current
draw from the excitation voltage. However, using completion resistors that are too
large can result in increased noise and errors due to bias currents.
Signal Amplification
The output of bridge-based sensors is relatively small. For example, most strain
gage bridges and strain-based transducers output less than 10 mV/V, or 10 millivolts
of output per volt of excitation voltage. Therefore, signal conditioners for bridge-
based sensors usually include amplifiers to boost the signal level, to increase
measurement resolution, and to improve signal-to-noise ratios. For example, SCXI
signal conditioning modules include configurable gain amplifiers with gains up to
2,000. Other devices support multiple device ranges.
Bridge Excitation
Bridge-based sensors require a constant voltage to power the bridge. Bridge signal
conditioners typically include a voltage source. While there is no standard voltage
level that is recognized industry wide, excitation voltage levels of around 3 V and 10
V are common.
Excitation sources can suffer from stability and accuracy issues. To compensate,
ratiometric devices constantly measure the actual excitation voltage and use it,
rather than an intended excitation value, when scaling data.

Remote Sensing
If the bridge circuit is located away from the signal conditioner and excitation
source, a possible source of error is voltage drops caused by resistance in the
wires that connect the excitation voltage to the bridge. Therefore, some signal
conditioners include a feature called remote sensing to compensate for this error.
There are two common methods of remote sensing.

With feedback remote sensing, you connect extra sense wires to the point where the
excitation voltage wires connect to the bridge circuit. The extra sense wires serve
to regulate the excitation supply, to compensate for lead losses, and to deliver the
needed voltage at the bridge.

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An alternative remote sensing scheme uses a separate measurement channel

to measure directly the excitation voltage delivered across the bridge. Because
the measurement channel leads carry very little current, the lead resistance has
negligible effect on the measurement. You then can use the measured excitation
voltage in the voltage-to-strain conversion to compensate for lead losses.

Bridge-Based Sensor Calibration

Calibrate bridge-based sensors periodically to account for changes in the physical
characteristics of the sensor and in the material the sensor is measuring, to account
for variations in the lead wire resistance, and to compensate for imperfections in the
measurement system. Calibrating bridge-based sensors usually involves two steps:
offset nulling, or bridge balancing, and shunt calibration, or gain adjustment.
Offset Nulling (Bridge Balancing)
When you install a bridge-based sensor, the bridge probably will not output exactly
0 V when not under load. Slight variations in resistance among the bridge legs
generate some nonzero initial offset voltage. Use the DAQmx Perform Bridge Offset
Nulling Calibration VI/function or the DAQ Assistant to perform an offset nulling
calibration, which performs bridge balancing in a few different ways. Refer to the
device documentation to determine the offset nulling methods your device
provides.

Software Compensation (Initial Bridge Voltage)

This method of bridge balancing compensates for the initial voltage in software.
With this method, NI-DAQmx measures the bridge while not under load. NI-DAQmx
then uses this measurement as the initial bridge voltage when scaling readings from
the bridge. This method is simple, fast, and requires no manual adjustments. The
disadvantage of the software compensation method is that the method does not
remove the offset of the bridge. If the offset is large enough, it limits the amplifier
gain you can apply to the output voltage, thus limiting the dynamic range of the
measurement.

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Offset Nulling Circuit

The second bridge balancing method uses an adjustable resistor, or potentiometer,
to electrically adjust the output of the bridge to 0 V.

Hardware Nulling Compensation

The third method, like the software compensation method, does not affect the
bridge directly. A nulling circuit adds an adjustable DC voltage, positive or negative,
to the output of the instrumentation amplifier to compensate for initial bridge
offset.
Shunt Calibration (Gain Adjustment)
You can verify the output of a bridge-based measurement system by comparing the
measured bridge output with a calculated value if the physical load on the sensor is
known. NI-DAQmx can then use the difference (if any) between the calculated and
the measured values as a gain adjustment factor for each measurement. You can
simulate applying a load to the bridge by connecting a large known resistor in
parallel with the bridge. This resistor, called a shunt resistor, offsets the zero voltage
of the bridge. Because the value of the shunt resistor is known, you can calculate the
physical load corresponding to the voltage drop of the resistor.
Use the DAQmx Perform Shunt Calibration VI/function or the DAQ Assistant to
perform a shunt calibration, which sets the gain adjustment for a virtual channel. NI-
DAQmx then uses this gain adjustment when scaling readings from the bridge. Some
National Instruments products include internal shunt resistors.
Bridge-Based Force, Pressure, and Torque Sensors
Sensors for measuring force, pressure, and torque, such as a load cell, are often
based on a Wheatstone bridge. These sensors typically use a full-bridge
configuration with a 350 Ω nominal bridge resistance.
Sensor manufacturers often provide a table or polynomial equation to describe how
electrical values scale to the physical phenomena the sensor measures. NI-DAQmx
provides several scaling types for scaling data according to the specifications
provided by the sensor manufacturer.
Bridge Scaling Types

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NI-DAQmx provides three methods to scale electrical values (voltage ratios) from a
bridge-based sensor to physical units:

Two-Point Linear
You provide two pairs of electrical values and their corresponding physical
values. NI-DAQmx uses those values to calculate the slope and y-intercept of a
linear equation and uses that equation to scale electrical values to physical
values. Measured electrical and physical values can fall outside the range of
the values specified for calculating the slope and y-intercept.
Table
You provide a set of electrical values and the corresponding physical values.
NI-DAQmx performs linear scaling between each pair of electrical and physical
values. The input limits must fall within the smallest and largest physical
values.
Polynomial
You provide the forward and reverse coefficients of a polynomial equation. NI-
DAQmx uses that equation to scale electrical values to physical values. Use
the DAQmx Compute Reverse Polynomial Coefficients VI/function to
determine one set of coefficients if you know only the other set.

Datasheets or calibration certificates from sensor manufacturers often include a

table of electrical and physical values or a polynomial equation for scaling. If you do
not have a table or polynomial equation for your sensor, use two-point linear
scaling. Use the rated output of the sensor and the sensor capacity as one pair of
electrical and physical values. Use zero for the other pair of electrical and physical
values.

Note: Strain gages use specific equations for

scaling, depending on the bridge configuration.

Strain Gages
You can measure strain with a strain gage, which is a device with electrical resistance
that varies in proportion to the amount of strain in the device, and with signal
conditioning. When using a strain gage, you bond the strain gage to the device under
test, apply force, and measure the strain by detecting changes in resistance (Ω).
Strain gages return varying voltages in response to stress or vibrations in materials.

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Resistance changes in parts of the strain gage to indicate deformation of the

material. Strain gages require excitation, generally voltage excitation, and
linearization of the voltage measurements.
Strain measurements rarely involve quantities larger than a few microstrain (µε).
Therefore, measuring strain requires accurate measurements of very small changes
in resistance. For example, if a test specimen undergoes a substantial strain of 500
µε, a strain gage with a gage factor of 2 exhibits a change in electrical resistance of
only 2 × (500 × 10 ) = 0.1%. For 120 Ω, this is a change of only 0.12 Ω.
To measure such small changes in resistance and to compensate for temperature
sensitivity, strain gages often use a Wheatstone bridge with a voltage or current
excitation source, arranged in one of several bridge configurations. The gage is the
collection of all of the active elements of the Wheatstone bridge.
NI-DAQmx supports measuring axial strain, bending strain, or both. While you can
use some similar configuration types to measure torsional strain, NI software scaling
does not support these configuration types. It is possible to use NI products to
measure torsional strain, but to properly scale these configuration types you must
use a custom scale with a bridge (V/V) or a custom voltage with excitation channel.

Gage Factor
A fundamental parameter of the strain gage is its sensitivity to strain, expressed
quantitatively as the gage factor (GF). Gage factor is the ratio of the fractional
change in electrical resistance to the fractional change in length, or strain. The gage
factor must be the same for each gage in the bridge.

The gage factor for metallic strain gages is usually around 2. You can obtain the
actual gage factor of a particular strain gage from the sensor vendor or sensor
documentation.

Nominal Gage Resistance

Nominal gage resistance is the resistance of a strain gage in an unstrained position.
You can obtain the nominal gage resistance of a particular gage from the sensor
vendor or sensor documentation.

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Strain Gage Bridge Configurations

Connect strain gages in a variation on a generic Wheatstone bridge configuration.
These configurations vary based on the placement of strain gages within the bridge;
their location and orientation on the material you want to measure; and whether
the gages are active sensing gages or dummy gages, used for temperature
compensation.
Quarter-Bridge Type I
The following figure shows how to position a strain gage resistor in an axial
configuration for the quarter-bridge type I.

The following figure shows how to position a strain gage resistor in a bending
configuration for the quarter-bridge type I.

Quarter-bridge type I strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ A single active strain gage element mounted in the principle direction of
axial or bending strain.
■ A passive quarter-bridge completion resistor, known as a dummy resistor, in
addition to half-bridge completion.

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■ Temperature variation decreasing the accuracy of the measurements.

■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 0.5 mVout / VEX input.

Quarter-Bridge Type I Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R2 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R3 is the quarter-bridge completion resistor, known as a dummy resistor.
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for quarter-bridge
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, RL is the lead resistance, and Rg is the
nominal gage resistance.
Quarter-Bridge Type II
The following figure shows how to position a strain gage resistor in an axial
configuration for the quarter-bridge type II.

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The following figure shows how to position a strain gage resistor in a bending
configuration for the quarter-bridge type II.

Quarter-bridge type II strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ One active strain gage element and one passive, temperature-sensing
quarter-bridge element, known as a dummy resistor. The active element is
mounted in the direction of axial or bending strain. The dummy gage is
mounted in close thermal contact with the strain specimen but is not bonded
to the specimen, and is usually mounted transverse, or perpendicular, to the
principle axis of strain. This configuration is often confused with the half-
bridge type I configuration, but in the half-bridge type I configuration, the R3
element is active and bonded to the strain specimen to measure the effect of
Poisson's ratio.
■ Completion resistors which provide half-bridge completion.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 0.5 mVout/ VEX input.

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Quarter-Bridge Type II Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R2 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R3 is the quarter-bridge temperature sensing element, known as a dummy
resistor.
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for quarter-bridge
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, RL is the lead resistance, and Rg is the
nominal gage resistance.
Half-Bridge Type I
The following figure shows how to position strain gage resistors in an axial
configuration for the half-bridge type I.

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The following figure shows how to position strain gage resistors in a bending
configuration for the half-bridge type I.

Half-bridge type I strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ Two active strain gage elements, one mounted in the direction of axial strain
and the other acting as a Poisson gage and mounted transverse, or
perpendicular, to the principal axis of strain.
■ Completion resistors which provide half-bridge completion.
■ Sensitivity to both axial and bending strain.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■Compensation for the aggregate effect on the principle strain measurement
due to the Poisson's ratio of the material.
■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 0.65 mVout/ VEX input

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Half-Bridge Type I Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R2 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R3 is the active strain gage element measuring compression due to the
Poisson effect (–ε).
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for half-bridge type I
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, v is the Poisson's ratio, RL is the lead
resistance, and Rg is the nominal gage resistance.
Half-Bridge Type II
The half-bridge type II configuration only measures bending strain.

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The following figure shows how to position strain gage resistors in a bending
configuration for the half-bridge type II.

Half-bridge type II strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ Two active strain gage elements, one mounted in the direction of axial strain
on the top side of the strain specimen and the other mounted in the direction
of axial strain on the bottom side.
■ Completion resistors which provide half-bridge completion.
■ Sensitivity to bending strain.
■ Rejection of axial strain.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 1 mVout / VEX input.

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Half-Bridge Type II Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R2 is the half-bridge completion resistor.
■ R3 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive strain (–ε).
■ R4 is the active strain gage resistor measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for half-bridge type II
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, RL is the lead resistance, and Rg is the
nominal gage resistance.
Full-Bridge Type I
The full-bridge type I configuration only measures the bending strain.

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The following figure shows how to position strain gage resistors in a bending
configuration for the full-bridge type I.

Full-bridge type I strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ Four active strain gage elements, two mounted in the direction of bending
strain on the top side of the strain specimen and the other two mounted in the
direction of bending strain on the bottom side.
■ High sensitivity to bending strain.
■ Rejection of axial strain.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■ Compensation for lead resistance.
■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 2.0 mVout / VEX input.

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Full-Bridge Type I Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive strain (–ε).
■ R2 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ R3 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive strain (–ε).
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for full-bridge type I
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, and GF is the gage factor.
Full-Bridge Type II
The full-bridge type II configuration only measures bending strain.

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The following figure shows how to position strain gage elements in a bending
configuration for the full-bridge type II.

Full-bridge type II strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:

■ Four active strain gage elements. Two are mounted in the direction of
bending strain with one on the top side of the strain specimen and the other
on the bottom side. The other two act together as a Poisson gage and are
mounted transverse, or perpendicular, to the principal axis of strain with one
on the top side of the strain specimen and the other on the bottom side.
■ Rejection of axial strain.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■Compensation for the aggregate effect on the principle strain measurement
due to the Poisson's ratio of the material.

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■ Compensation for lead resistance.

■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 1.3 mVout / VEX input.

Full-Bridge Type II Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive Poisson effect
(–ε).
■ R2 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile Poisson effect (+ε).
■ R3 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive strain (–ε).
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for full-bridge type II
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, and v is the Poisson's ratio.
Full-Bridge Type III
The following figure shows how to position strain gage resistors in an axial
configuration for the full-bridge type III.

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The full-bridge type III configuration only measures the axial configuration.

Full-bridge type III strain gage configurations have the following characteristics:
■ Four active strain gage elements. Two are mounted in the direction of axial
strain with one on the top side of the strain specimen and the other on the
bottom side. The other two act together as a Poisson gage and are mounted
transverse, or perpendicular, to the principal axis of strain with one on the top
side of the strain specimen and the other on the bottom side.
■ Compensation for temperature.
■ Rejection of bending strain.
■Compensation for the aggregate effect on the principle strain measurement
due to the Poisson's ratio of the material.
■ Compensation for lead resistance.

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■ Sensitivity at 1000 µε is ~ 1.3 mVout / VEX input.

Full-Bridge Type III Circuit Diagram

The following symbols apply to the circuit diagram:

■ R1 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive Poisson effect
(–ε).
■ R2 is the active strain gage element measuring tensile strain (+ε).
■ R3 is the active strain gage element measuring compressive Poisson effect
(–ε).
■ R4 is the active strain gage element measuring the tensile strain (+ε).
■ VEX is the excitation voltage.
■ RL is the lead resistance.
■ VCH is the measured voltage.
The following equation converts voltage ratios to strain units for full-bridge type III
configurations.

where Vr is the voltage ratio that virtual channels use in the voltage-to-strain
conversion equation, GF is the gage factor, and v is the Poisson's ratio.
Strain Rosette
A strain gage can measure strain in only one direction—the axis along which the
strain gage is mounted. To effectively measure the three independent components

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of plane strain (extensional strain along X and Y axis, as well as shear strain), three
independent strain measurements are needed. Strain gage rosettes are used to
perform such measurements.
A strain gage rosette is an arrangement of two or three closely positioned strain
gages, separately oriented to measure the strains along different directions of the
underlying surface of the object being measured.
Strain-gage manufacturers offer three basic types of strain gage rosettes.

Tee Rosette
A tee rosette consists of two gages oriented at 90 degrees with respect to each
other.
Rectangular Rosette
A rectangular rosette consists of three strain gages, each separated by a 45
degree angle.
Delta Rosette
A delta rosette consists of three strain gages, each separated by a 60 degree
angle.

Eddy Current Proximity Probes

Proximity probes are sensors that measure relative proximity. They use changes in
voltage to measure shaft surfaces that rotate or reciprocate. Because they are non-
contacting transducers, proximity probes are mounted on a reasonably stationary
mechanical structure, such as a bearing housing. From the mounting point, they
measure the static and dynamic displacement behavior of the moving machinery.
Use the proximity probe measurement type when you want to measure a dynamic
position, such as an air gap between parts of moving machinery.
Eddy current proximity probes contain a driver and a monitor or regulated DC
supply. The monitor or DC supply applies a power input of -24 VDC to the driver. The
driver's internal oscillator converts some of the energy into a high-frequency radio
signal. The signal is directed to the probe coil through a coaxial cable. The coil at the
tip of the probe broadcasts the signal as a magnetic field into the surrounding area.
If a conductive material intercepts the magnetic field, eddy currents are generated
and the high-frequency radio signal loses power. The closer the conductive material

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is to the probe tip, the more power the signal loses. This power loss triggers a
change in the voltage of the driver.
Proximity probe sensitivity is usually defined as the slope of a calibration curve as
follows:

You can calculate the sensitivity by measuring two points in the sensor's dynamic
range, using the following formula:

Note: Proximity probes can differ in sensitivity.

Refer to the documentation provided by the
proximity probe manufacturer for information
specific to your probe.
Offset voltage can occur when the tip of the probe touches the conductive material.
Use the following formula to determine the offset voltage where offset is the output
voltage of the sensor when the tip contacts the conductive material. In most cases,
offset should be 0 V.

After you calibrate your proximity probe, you need to update the sensitivity and
offset attributes. You can determine the physical distance between the sensor's tip
and the target material by using the following formula:

Encoders
There are two common types of encoders used for measuring position: two-pulse
encoders and quadrature encoders.
Quadrature Encoders

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Quadrature encoders measure position by causing two signals to pulse while the
encoder moves. These signals are signal A (also called channel A) and signal B (also
called channel B). Signal A and B are offset by 90°, which determines the direction
the encoder moves. For instance, in an angular quadrature encoder, if signal A leads,
the encoder rotates clockwise. If signal B leads, the encoder rotates counter
clockwise.
Counters on M Series, C Series, NI-TIO devices support three types of decoding for
quadrature encoders: X1, X2, and X4. With X1 decoding, when signal A leads signal B,
the counter increments on the rising edge of signal A. When signal B leads signal A,
the counter decrements on the falling edge of signal A.

With X2 decoding, the same behavior holds as with X1, except the counter
increments and decrements on both rising and falling edges of signal A.

Similarly, with X4 decoding, the counter increments and decrements on both rising
and falling edges of both signal A and signal B. X4 decoding is more sensitive to
position, but is also more likely to provide an incorrect measurement if there is
vibration in the encoder.

Many encoders also use z indexing for precise determination of a reference position.
Two-Pulse Encoders
A two pulse encoder is a position measurement sensor that has two channels, A and
B. When the encoder is moved, either signal A or signal B on the encoder pulses. A
pulse on signal A represents a movement in one direction, and a pulse on signal B
represents movement in the opposite direction. When signal A pulses, the counter
increments. When signal B pulses, the counter decrements.

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Many encoders also use z indexing for precise determination of a reference position.
Z Indexing
Encoders typically use a third signal for Z indexing, which produces a pulse at fixed
positions that you can use for precise determination of a reference position. For
instance, if the Z index is 45° for an angular encoder, the encoder sends a pulse on
the Z input terminal every time the encoder is turned to the 45° mark.
The behavior of signal Z differs with designs. You must refer to the documentation
for an encoder to obtain the timing of signal Z in relation to the A and B signals. In
NI-DAQmx, you can configure Z indexing with the Z Index Phase attribute/
property.
Integrated Electronics Piezoelectric (IEPE) and Charge
Integrated Electronics Piezoelectric (IEPE) is a type of transducer that is packaged
with a built-in amplifier. Because the charge produced by some sensors is very
small, the electrical signal produced by the transducer is susceptible to noise, and
sensitive electronics must be used to amplify and condition the signal. An IEPE
sensor integrates the sensitive electronics as close as possible to the transducer to
ensure better noise immunity and convenient packaging. These sensors require a
4-20 mA current excitation to operate.

Charge Mode Operation

A charge mode sensor is a piezoelectric transducer which requires an amplifier, but
unlike IEPE transducers, this amplifier is not built in. This separation of transducer
and amplifier allows for the implementation of more complex amplifiers and filters
because there is less constraints on physical space and power. The separation of
piezoelectric element and signal conditioning also allows the transducer to operate
over a higher temperature range. These sensors require no external excitation, but
do require a device which has charge mode amplification.

Accelerometers

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An accelerometer, a sensor that represents acceleration as a voltage, comes in two

axial types. The most common accelerometer measures acceleration along only a
single axis. This type is often used to measure mechanical vibration levels. The
second type is a tri-axial accelerometer. This accelerometer can create a 3D vector of
acceleration in the form of orthogonal components. Use this type when you need to
determine the type of vibration—lateral, transverse, rotational, and so on—that a
component is undergoing or the direction of acceleration of the component.
Both types of accelerometers come with either both leads insulated, or isolated,
from the case or with one lead grounded to the case. Some accelerometers rely on
the piezoelectric effect to generate voltage. To measure acceleration with this type
of sensor, the sensor must be connected to a charge-sensitive amplifier.
Other accelerometers have a charge-sensitive amplifier built inside them. This
amplifier accepts a constant current source and varies its impedance with respect to
a varying charge on the piezoelectric crystal. You can see this change in impedance
as a change in voltage across the inputs of the accelerometer. Thus, the
accelerometer uses only two wires per axis for both sensor excitation, or current,
and signal output, or voltage. The instrumentation for this type of accelerometer
consists of a constant current source and an instrumentation, or differential,
amplifier. The current source provides the excitation for the built-in amplifier of the
sensor, while the instrumentation amplifier measures the voltage potential across
the leads of the sensor.
When choosing an accelerometer, pay attention to the most critical parameters. If
the sensor must operate in extreme temperatures, you are limited to a sensor that
relies on the piezoelectric effect to generate voltage. If the environment is very
noisy, a sensor with a charge-sensitive amplifier built in might be the only usable
choice.
To reduce errors when using an accelerometer, consider these factors:

■ If the sensor is DC coupled, the DC offset of the accelerometer can drift with
both temperature and age. This applies to both types of sensors because
charge-sensitive amplifiers are prone to drift. AC coupling the output of the
amplifier can minimize the drift in the system.
■ Motors, transformers, and other industrial equipment can induce noise
currents in the sensor cables. These currents can be an especially large source

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of noise with sensor systems that rely on the piezoelectric effect to generate
voltage. Carefully routing sensor cables can minimize the noise in the cables.
■ Accelerometers might have ground loops. Some accelerometers have their
cases tied to a sense wire, while others are completely isolated from their
cases. If you use a case-grounded sensor in a system with a grounded input
amplifier, you set up a large ground loop, creating a source of noise.

Force Sensors (Piezoelectric)

Piezoelectric force sensors are typically used to measure dynamic force events. Such
sensors are divided into two main categories: load cells and impact hammers.
Piezoelectric load cells measure the amount of force transmitted through the sensor
in response to an external stimulus, such as shaking or an impact.
Impact hammers allow you to apply an impact to a material and measure the actual
amount of force applied. You can then correlate that force to the force measured by
a load cell or to readings from accelerometers. Impact hammers can use tips of
different size, shape, or material for measuring different frequencies.

Note: NI-DAQmx supports only bridge-based

and IEPE force sensors.
Sensor manufacturers make load cells and impact hammers with varying sensitivity
and other characteristics. Refer to the documentation from your sensor
manufacturer for specifications and theory of operation for your load cell or impact
hammer.

Sensor Calibration
Force sensors can drift from their documented sensitivity over time. Calibrating a
force sensor involves determining its actual sensitivity. Use ratio calibration with a
calibrated accelerometer to determine the actual sensitivity of a force sensor.
Microphones
A microphone is a transducer that converts acoustical waves into electrical signals.
The most common instrumentation microphone, a condenser microphone, uses a
capacitive sensing element.

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A condenser microphone incorporates a stretched metal diaphragm that forms one

plate of a capacitor. A metal disk placed close to the diaphragm acts as a backplate.
When a sound field excites the diaphragm, the capacitance between the two plates
varies according to the variation in the sound pressure. A stable DC voltage is
applied to the plates through a high resistance to keep electrical charges on the
plate. The change in the capacitance generates an AC output proportional to the
sound pressure. The following figure shows a condenser microphone.

AP = acoustic pressure, 1 = metal diaphragm, 2 = metal disk, 3 = insulator, 4 = case.

An instrumentation microphone usually consists of a microphone cartridge and a
pre-amplifier. Sometimes these two components are independent; sometimes the
components are combined and cannot be separated.
The major characteristics of a microphone are its sensitivity, usually expressed in
mV/Pa, and its frequency response. Microphones are available in different
diameters. Common diameters include: 1/8 in., 1/4 in., 1/2 in., and 1 in. Each
diameter offers a specific compromise in terms of sensitivity and frequency
response.
To reduce errors when using a microphone, keep several factors in mind:
■ For measurements in a free field (a sound field with no major nearby
reflections), use a free-field microphone pointed at the source of sound.
■ For measurements in a diffuse field, such as inside in a highly reverberant
room, where sound is coming from all directions, use a random incidence
microphone.
■ For measurements when the microphone is part of the surface of a room or
of the object being measured, use a pressure microphone.

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■ For outdoor measurements, fit the microphone with suitable protection

against the environment. This may include windscreens, rain caps, and built-
in heaters to prevent condensation.
■ To prevent vibrations from influencing the measurement, you might need to
shock mount the microphone. Check the microphone specifications for
vibration sensitivity.
■ For reproducible measurements, make sure the microphone is mounted
firmly and at a precisely reproducible location, both compared to the unit
being tested and to the environment.
■ Always calibrate the entire measurement chain, including the microphone,
before starting the measurement. For highly critical measurements, as an
extra precaution, you may want to perform a new calibration immediately
after the measurements are completed to make sure the system is still within
tolerances.
Velocity Transducers
Velocity transducers are used to measure dynamic velocity such as that produced by
a running machine or a vibrating structure.
Older velocity probes use a moving coil in a permanent magnetic field to generate a
signal that is proportional to the velocity of the vibration.
More modern implementations operate using the same principles as IEPE
accelerometers. Additionally, an integrating circuit is used to convert acceleration to
velocity. Use the same best practices for storage and handling, calibration,
mounting, and signal conditioning of IEPE velocity sensors as you would for IEPE
accelerometers.

Note: NI-DAQmx supports only IEPE velocity

sensors.
Sensor manufacturers make IEPE velocity transducers with varying sensitivity and
other characteristics. Use a sensor appropriate for your application.
Overview of Temperature Sensor Types
The three most commonly used transducers for temperature are thermocouples,
resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), and thermistors. The following table

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illustrates some of the capabilities and limitations of these sensors. Use this table as
a reference for choosing the right sensor for your temperature measurement
application.

Sensor Advantages Disadvantages

Thermocouples wide range, fast response, require CJC, nonlinear
inexpensive
RTDs rugged, accurate slow response, require
excitation, lead resistance,
nonlinear
Thermistors repeatable, fine resolution, low require excitation, narrow
current, fast response range, nonlinear

Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs)

An RTD is a temperature sensing device with resistance that increases with

temperature. An RTD is usually constructed with wire coil or deposited film of pure
metal. RTDs can be made of different metals and have different nominal resistances,
but the most popular RTD is platinum and has a nominal resistance of 100 Ω at 0 °C.
Signal conditioning is generally required to measure temperature using an RTD.
Because an RTD is a resistive device, you must pass a current through the device to
produce a measurable voltage. Providing current to take a resistive measurement is
a form of signal conditioning called current excitation. In addition to producing
current excitation for the RTD, signal conditioning amplifies the output voltage
signal, and filters the signal to remove unwanted noise. You also can use signal
conditioning to electrically isolate the RTD and the monitored system from the DAQ
system and the host computer. Refer to Signal Conditioning Requirements for
Thermistors and RTDs for more information.
Numerous types of RTDs exist, and they are typically defined by their material, their
nominal resistance, and their temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). The TCR of
an RTD is the average temperature coefficient of resistance of the RTD from 0 to 100
°C and is the most common method of specifying the behavior of an RTD. The TCR
for platinum RTDs is determined by the Callendar-Van Dusen equation.
Platinum RTD Types

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The following table lists common platinum RTD types and standards. All of these
RTD types are supported in NI-DAQmx. Notice that there are some shared standards.
The TCR and the Callendar-Van Dusen coefficients are more important than the
standards.

Standards Material TCR Typical R0 (Ω) Callendar-Van Notes

Dusen
Coefficient
Platinum 3851 Most common
■ IEC-75 ■ 100 Ω ■ A=
RTDs
1 ■ 1000 Ω 3.9083 ×
■ DIN 10
43760 ■ B=
■ BS -5.775 ×
1904 10
■ ASTM-
■ C=
E1137 -4.183 ×
10
■ EN-60
751
■ IEC-60
751

Low-cost Platinum 3750 1000 Ω Low-cost RTD

■ A=
vendor
3.81 × 10
compliant RTD
■ B=
-6.02 ×
10
■ C=
-6.0 × 10

JISC 1604 1997 Platinum 3916 100 Ω Used primarily

■ A=
in Japan
3.9739 ×
10
■ B=
-5.870 ×
10
■ C=
-4.4 × 10

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Standards Material TCR Typical R0 (Ω) Callendar-Van Notes

Dusen
Coefficient
US Industrial Platinum 3920 100 Ω Low-cost RTD
■ A=
Standard
3.9787 ×
D-100
10
American
■ B=
-5.8686 ×
10
■ C=
-4.167 ×
10

US Industrial Platinum 3911 100 Ω Low-cost RTD

■ A=
Standard
3.9692 ×
American
10
■ B=
-5.8495 ×
10
■ C=
-4.233 ×
10

ITS-90 Platinum 3928 100 Ω The definition

■ A=
of temperature
3.9888 ×
10
■ B=
-5.915 ×
10
■ C=
-3.85 ×
10

No standard. Check the TCR.

Callendar-Van Dusen Equation
Platinum RTDs use a linearization curve known as the Callendar-Van Dusen
equation to measure the temperature of RTDs. The equation is as follows:

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Temperatures below 0 °C:

R T = R0[1 + A × T + B × T + C × T × (T - 100 °C)]
Temperatures above 0 °C:
R T = R0[1 + A × T + B × T]
Where:
T = temperature in degrees Celsius
RT = RTD resistance at temperature T
R0 = RTD nominal resistance at 0 °C
A, B, and C = coefficients given in the table in Platinum RTD Types.
Thermistors

A thermistor is a piece of semiconductor made from metal oxides, pressed into a

small bead, disk, wafer, or other shape, heated at high temperatures, and coated
with epoxy or glass.
Like RTDs, by passing a current through a thermistor, you can read the voltage
across the thermistor and thus determine its temperature. Unlike RTDs, thermistors
have a higher resistance (anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 Ω) and a much higher
sensitivity (~200 Ω/°C). However, thermistors are generally used only up to the 300
°C temperature range.
NI-DAQmx scales the resistance of a thermistor to a temperature using the Steinhart-
Hart thermistor equation:

where T is the temperature in Kelvins, R is the measured resistance, and A, B, and C

are constants provided by the thermistor manufacturer.
Because thermistors have high resistance, lead-wire resistance does not affect the
accuracy of the measurements. Unlike RTDs, 2-wire measurements are adequate.
For more information about the signal conditioning requirements of a thermistor,
refer to Signal Conditioning Requirements for Thermistors and RTDs.

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Signal Conditioning Requirements for Thermistors and RTDs

Thermistors and RTDs require the following signal conditioning:

Current Excitation
Because RTDs and thermistors are resistive devices, your DAQ system must
provide a current excitation source to measure a voltage across the device.
This current source must be constant and precise.
2-, 3-, and 4-Wire Configurations (RTDs only)
RTDs come in 2-, 3-, and 4-wire configurations. Therefore, your system must
support the type of RTD you choose. Thermistors are typically 2-wire devices
because they have higher resistance characteristics, thus eliminating lead
resistance considerations.
Linearization
Neither RTD nor thermistor output voltage is linear with temperature.
Therefore, your system must perform linearization either in hardware or
software.

Thermocouples

Thermocouples are the most commonly used temperature sensors.

A thermocouple is created when two dissimilar metals touch and the contact point
produces a small open-circuit voltage that corresponds to temperature. This
thermoelectric voltage is known as Seebeck voltage and is nonlinear with respect to
temperature. Thermocouples require signal conditioning.
Thermocouple types differ in composition and accurate range:

Thermocouple Positive Negative Temperature Temperature

Type Conductor Conductor Range (°C) for Range (°C) for
Polynomial Inverse
Coefficients or for Polynomial
Table Conversion Coefficients
J Iron Constantan -210 to 1200 -210 to 1200

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Thermocouple Positive Negative Temperature Temperature

Type Conductor Conductor Range (°C) for Range (°C) for
Polynomial Inverse
Coefficients or for Polynomial
Table Conversion Coefficients
K Chromel Alumel -270 to 1372 -200 to 1372
N Nicrosil Nisil -270 to 1300 -200 to 1300
R Platinum-13% Platinum -50 to 1768 -50 to 1768
Rhodium
S Platinum-10% Platinum -50 to 1768 -50 to 1768
Rhodium
T Copper Constantan -270 to 400 -200 to 400
B Platinum Rhodium 0 to 1820 250 to 1820
E Chromel Constantan -270 to 1000 -200 to 1000
Use the temperature ranges for polynomial coefficients when converting
temperature to voltage. For most thermocouples, the equation used for converting
temperature to voltage is the following:

where E is the voltage in millivolts, t90 is the temperature in degrees Celsius, and ci
is the coefficient.
Use the temperature ranges for inverse polynomial coefficients when converting
voltage to temperature. For most thermocouples, the equation for converting
voltage to temperature is the following:

where t90 is the temperature in degrees Celsius, E is the voltage in millivolts, and Di
is the coefficient.

Note: For coefficients to use with each

thermocouple type, visit the NIST ITS-90
thermocouple database available at nist.gov.

Signal Conditioning Requirements for Thermocouples

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Thermocouples require the following signal conditioning:

Amplification for High-Resolution ADC

Thermocouples generate very low-voltage signals, usually measured in
microvolts. To acquire these signals with a measurement device, you must
amplify the thermocouple signal to measure it accurately with a standard 12-
bit measurement device. Alternatively, you can use a measurement device
with a high-resolution ADC. NI recommends a device with 16 bits of resolution
and amplification capabilities or a device with 24 bits of resolution.
Cold-Junction Compensation
Thermocouples require some form of temperature reference to compensate
for unwanted parasitic thermocouples. A parasitic thermocouple is created
when you connect a thermocouple to an instrument. Because the terminals
on the instrument are made of a different material than the thermocouple
wire, voltage is created at the junctions, called cold junctions, which changes
the voltage output by the actual thermocouple.
Traditionally, the temperature reference was 0 °C. The National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) thermocouple reference tables are created
using this setup. Although an ice bath reference is quite accurate, it is not
always practical. A more practical approach is to measure the temperature of
the reference junction with a direct-reading temperature sensor, such as a
thermistor or an IC sensor, and then subtract the parasitic thermocouple
thermoelectric contributions. This process is called cold-junction
compensation.

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Filtering
A thermocouple can act much like an antenna, making it very susceptible to
noise from nearby 50/60 Hz power sources. Therefore, apply a 2 Hz or 4 Hz
lowpass filter to your thermocouple signal to remove power line noise.
Linearization
The output voltage of a thermocouple is not linear with temperature.
Therefore, your system must perform linearization either through hardware or
software.

LVDTs
LVDTs operate on the principle of a transformer and consist of a stationary coil
assembly and a moveable core. An LVDT measures displacement by associating a
specific signal value for any given position of the core. LVDT signal conditioners
generate a sine wave for the primary output signal and synchronously demodulate
the secondary output signal. The demodulated output is passed through a lowpass
filter to remove high-frequency ripple. The resulting output is a DC voltage
proportional to core displacement. The sign of the DC voltage indicates whether the
displacement is to the left or right.
LVDTs require special electronics designed for the sensor. LVDTs typically have a
delay of approximately 10 ms caused by filtering in the signal conditioner.
LVDTs typically come in 4-wire, or open wire, and 5-wire, or ratiometric wire,
configurations. Wires from the sensor connect to a signal conditioning circuit that
translates the output of the LVDT to a measurable voltage. The method of signal
conditioning used on the signals from the first and second secondaries differentiate
the 4-wire and 5-wire configurations. In the 4-wire configuration, the sensor only
measures the voltage difference between the two secondaries.
The benefit of using a 4-wire configuration is that you require a simpler signal
conditioning system. However, temperature changes can alter the efficiency of the
magnetic induction of the LVDT. Because the 4-wire scheme is also sensitive to
phase changes between the primary and the resulting secondary voltage, long wires
or a poor excitation source also can cause problems.
The 5-wire configuration is less sensitive to both temperature changes and phase
differences between the primary and the secondaries. The device determines phase
information at the signal conditioning circuitry without needing to reference the

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phase of the primary excitation source. Therefore, you can use longer wires between
the LVDT and the signal conditioning circuitry.
LVDTs are extremely rugged, operate over wide temperature ranges, and are
insensitive to moisture and dirt. LVDTs are a preferred sensor in harsh environments,
where very long life is needed because there are no moving parts in contact or
where very low friction is required. Also, LVDT technology lends itself well to
applications requiring accurate measurements less than 0.1 in., such as measuring
the thickness of sheet material. The main advantage of the LVDT transducer over
other types of displacement transducer is the high degree of robustness. Because
there is no physical contact across the sensing element, there is no wear in the
sensing element.
Because the device relies on the coupling of magnetic flux, an LVDT can have infinite
resolution. Therefore, suitable signal conditioning hardware can detect the smallest
fraction of movement, and only the resolution of the data acquisition system
determines the resolution of the transducer.
RVDTs
RVDTs are the rotational version of LVDTs and generally operate over an angular
range of ±30°–70°. They are available in servo-mount and can rotate through 360°
without stopping.
RVDTs require special electronics designed for the sensor. RVDTs typically have a
delay of 10 ms caused by required filtering in the signal conditioner. They are
extremely rugged and operate over wide temperature ranges. In environments
characterized by extremes in temperature and shock, an RVDT is the clear choice for
rotational applications when you need more than 70° of measurement range.
Transducer Electronic Data Sheets (TEDS)
IEEE P1451.4 is an emerging standard for adding plug and play capabilities to
analog transducers. The underlying mechanism for plug and play identification is
the standardization of a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS). A TEDS contains
the critical information needed by a device or measurement system to identify,
characterize, interface, and properly use signals from an analog sensor. That
information includes the sensor's model number, model ID, calibration constants,
scaling constants, and more.

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A TEDS is deployed for a sensor in one of two ways:

■ A TEDS can reside in embedded memory, typically an EEPROM, within the
sensor. To download a TEDS from the sensor, you need TEDS-supported
hardware such as the BNC-2096 or the SCXI-1314T. You can then download the
TEDS in MAX to use in your application. Refer to the Measurement &
Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx for additional information on
downloading and using TEDS.
■ A Virtual TEDS can exist as a separate file, downloadable from the internet. A
Virtual TEDS extends the benefits of the standardized TEDS to legacy sensors
and applications in which the embedded memory or EEPROM is not available.
You can download Virtual TEDS from ni.com by typing in the sensor serial
number. A Virtual TEDS does not require TEDS-supported hardware.
Writing Data to TEDS Sensors
Use the Write TEDS Data function/VI to write data to a TEDS sensor. The TEDS data
must be in a virtual TEDS file or in a bitstream constructed according to the IEEE
1451.4 specification.
National Instruments provides a LabVIEW library for viewing and editing TEDS
bitstreams and virtual TEDS files. You can download the TEDS Library for LabVIEW at
ni.com/teds.

Basic TEDS Data

Some TEDS sensors include a PROM, to which you can write data one time. When
you write TEDS data, you can choose to write basic TEDS data to the PROM or to
the EEPROM. Basic TEDS data includes the manufacturer ID, model number, serial
number, version number, and version letter. If you write basic TEDS data to the
PROM, the Write TEDS Data function/VI returns an error if you later attempt to write
basic TEDS data to the EEPROM.

Control Overview
In a typical control application, there are one or more process variables that you
want to control, such as temperature. Sensors measure the process variable in the
dynamic system and provide the data to the control application. The set point is the
value you want for the process variable. A comparator determines if a difference

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exists between the process variable and the set point. If a difference exists and if the
control system deems the difference large enough, the compensator processes the
data and determines the desired actuator output to drive the system closer to the
set point.

For example, in a temperature measurement system, if the actual temperature is

100 °C and the temperature set point is 120 °C, the compensator needs to take some
action to raise the temperature. One actuator output might be to drive a heater at
62 percent of its maximum output capacity. The increased heater actuator output
causes the system to become warmer, which results in an increased temperature.
This kind of system is called a closed-loop control system because the process of
reading sensors and calculating the actuator output you want repeats continuously
at a fixed loop rate.
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID)
The Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithm is the most common control
algorithm used in industry. Often, people use PID to control processes that include
heating and cooling systems, fluid level monitoring, flow control, and pressure
control. In PID control, you must specify a process variable and a setpoint. The
process variable is the system parameter you want to control, such as temperature,
pressure, or flow rate, and the setpoint is the desired value for the parameter you
are controlling. A PID controller determines a controller output value, such as the
heater power or valve position. The controller applies the controller output value to
the system, which in turn drives the process variable toward the setpoint value.
Real Time
Real time means that responses occur in time, or on time. With non-real-time
systems, there is no way to ensure that a response occurs within any time period,

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and operations may finish much later or earlier than expected. In other words, real-
time systems are deterministic, which guarantees that operations occur within a
given time. Real-time systems are predictable.
For a system to be a real-time system, all parts of it need to be real time. For
instance, even though a program runs in a real-time operating system, it does not
mean that the program behaves with real-time characteristics. The program may
rely on something that does not behave in real-time such as file I/O, which then
causes the program to not behave in real-time.
Loop Cycle Time
Many applications that require a real-time operating system are cyclic, such as a
control application. The time between the start and finish of each cycle, T, is called
the loop cycle time (or sample period). 1/T is the loop rate or sample rate. Even with
real-time operating systems, the loop cycle time can vary between cycles, but will
not be greater than the maximum jitter.
Jitter Overview for Control Applications
For control applications, the amount of time that the loop cycle time varies from the
desired time is called jitter. The maximum amount that a loop cycle time varies from
the desired loop cycle time is called maximum jitter.

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In real-time systems, jitter is bounded. For instance, air bags must deploy within
fractions of a second after a critical impact and are thus bound to a maximum jitter.
In non-real-time systems, jitter is unbounded—or very large. Waiting for a bus is an
example. Suppose that according to the schedule, the bus is supposed to arrive at
11:00 a.m. but actually arrives at 11:05 a.m. one day, 11:30 a.m. the next day, and
has a flat tire the day after that. There is no bound on how late the bus could arrive.
Event Response
Event response applications require a response to a stimulus in a determined
amount of time. An example is monitoring the temperature of an engine. When the
temperature rises too high, the engine is slowed down. The event, in this case, is the
temperature rising above a predetermined level, and the response is the engine
slowing down. Another example comes from manufacturing. In a manufacturing
line, a system senses when a part is in front of a station (the event) and takes a
reading or manipulates the part (the response). If the system does not sense and
respond to the presence of that part in a set amount of time, the manufacturing line
creates defective parts.

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Common Applications
Acceleration
Frequency (Analog)
Angular Displacement
Control
Counting Edges
Current Generation
Current Measurement
Digital Value Generation
Digital Value Measurement
Duty Cycle
Force
Frequency (Digital)
Generic Programming Flowcharts
GPS Timestamp
Linear Displacement
Period (Digital)
Pressure
Proximity
Pulse Generation
Pulse Width
Resistance
Semi-Period (Digital)
Sound Pressure

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Strain
Torque
Temperature
Two-Edge Separation
Velocity
Voltage Generation
Voltage Measurement

Measuring Acceleration
Acceleration is a change in velocity with respect to time. An accelerometer is a
transducer that represents acceleration as a voltage. Accelerometers also can
measure vibration and shock. Accelerometers typically convert acceleration
measured in g's to voltage. For example, a sensor with a rated output of 10 mV/g
should produce 50 mV when subjected to 5 g of acceleration.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Acceleration Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure acceleration. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring
acceleration using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring acceleration is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Measuring Analog Frequency

Some devices can measure analog frequency directly using frequency-to-voltage
circuitry. Many devices, however, only measure voltage, and you must use software
algorithms to convert those measurements to frequency.
Devices that measure analog frequency, such as DSA devices and the SCXI-1126,
have circuitry that produces triggers of the same frequency as the measured signal.
Every time the signal passes from threshold level minus hysteresis to threshold

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level, a trigger occurs. A pulse generator uses these triggers and produces a pulse
once every frequency cycle. The input frequency range sets the width of this pulse.
As the input frequency range increases, the pulse width grows smaller. This pulse
train is then converted to a DC signal that has a level proportional to the duty cycle
of the pulse train. The duty cycle is the fraction of a period of the pulse train when
the pulse is occurring. The DC signal has a voltage that is proportional to the input
frequency and can therefore be scaled to that frequency value.
For devices that cannot measure frequency directly, you need to use software
algorithms, such as the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to convert voltage to
frequency. LabVIEW Full and Professional Development Systems contains advanced
analysis VIs that handle these transformations. The LabWindows™/CVI™ full
development system also contains advanced analysis functions to help you
measure analog frequency. Regardless of whether you use existing VIs or functions
or create your own, you need to sample at least twice as fast as the highest
frequency component in the signal you are acquiring.

Analog Frequency, Sample Rate, and the Nyquist Theorem

The Nyquist Theorem states that the highest frequency you can accurately represent
is half the sampling rate. For instance, to measure the frequency of a 100 Hz signal,
you need a sampling rate of at least 200 S/s. In practice, you should use sampling
rates of 5 to 10 times the expected frequencies to improve accuracy of
measurements.
In addition to sample rate, you need to determine the number of samples to
acquire. You must sample a minimum of three cycles of the analog signal. For
example, you need to collect at least 15 samples, or points, if you use a sampling
rate of 500 S/s to measure the frequency of a 100 Hz signal. Because you sample
about five times faster than the signal frequency, you sample about five points per
cycle of the signal. You need data from three cycles, so 5 points x 3 cycles = 15
points. In practice, however, you should acquire 10 or more cycles to improve
accuracy of measurements, so you should acquire 50 or more samples.
The number of points you collect determines the number of frequency bins that the
samples fall into. The size of each bin is the sampling rate divided by the number of
points you collect. For example, if you sample at 500 S/s and collect 100 points, you
have bins at 5 Hz intervals.

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The Nyquist frequency is the bandwidth of the sampled signal and is equal to half
the sampling frequency. Frequency components below the Nyquist frequency
appear normally. Frequency components above the Nyquist frequency appear
aliased between 0 and the Nyquist frequency. The aliased component is the
absolute value of the difference between the actual component and the closest
integer multiple of the sampling rate. For example, if you have a signal with a
component at 800 Hz and you sample at 500 S/s, that component appears aliased at
200 Hz because |800–(2 x 500)| = 200(Hz).
One way to eliminate aliased components is to use an analog hardware filter before
you digitize and analyze the frequency information. If you want to perform all the
filtering in software, you must first sample at a rate fast enough to correctly
represent the highest frequency component the signal contains. For example, with
the highest component at 800 Hz, the minimum sampling rate is 1,600 Hz, but you
should sample 5 to 10 times faster than 800 Hz. If the frequency you want to
measure is around 100 Hz, you can use a lowpass Butterworth filter with a cutoff
frequency (fc) of 250 Hz to filter out frequencies above 250 Hz and pass frequencies
below 250 Hz.

Note LabVIEW includes Butterworth filters with

the LabVIEW Full and Professional Development
Systems.

Measuring Frequency with Filtering

The following figure shows a lowpass filter.

Lowpass Filter
The Ideal Filter in the figure is optimal. All frequencies above the Nyquist frequency
are rejected. The Real Filter in the figure is what you might actually be able to

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accomplish with a Butterworth filter. The passband is where Vout/Vin is close to 1.

The stopband occurs where Vout/Vin is close to 0. The frequencies gradually
attenuate on the transition region between 1 and 0.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Analog Frequency Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure analog frequency. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring
analog frequency using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.

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Measuring frequency is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog

Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.
Hysteresis with Analog Frequency Measurements
For waveform repetitions, hysteresis adds a window below the threshold level.
Hysteresis is typically used to avoid erroneous measurements due to noise or jitter
in the signal. The signal must drop below the threshold level minus the hysteresis
before NI-DAQmx recognizes a waveform repetition at the threshold level.

Measuring Angular Displacement

Angular displacement is movement around an axis, such as the angular motion of
the shaft of a motor. An angular displacement sensor is a device whose output
signal represents the rotation of the shaft; it cannot measure the physical
displacement of the whole shaft. One type of sensor used to measure angular
displacement is a rotary variable differential transformer (RVDT). Another type of
sensor used to measure angular displacement is a resolver, which is a rotating
transformer that can measure 360° of rotation.
On M Series devices, C Series devices, and NI-TIO-based devices, you can use the
counters to perform displacement measurements with quadrature encoders, or
angular encoders. You can measure angular position with X1, X2, and X4 angular
encoders. You can choose to do either a single-point or a buffered sample clock
displacement measurement.
You also can measure velocity with angular encoders, but you need to use a sample
clock with a fixed frequency. To measure velocity, use the following formula:
V = D/T
where V is the average velocity, D is the distance, and T is time.

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The counter measures the position of the encoder using the A and B signals, which
are offset by 90°. The counter also supports the Z index, which provides a precise
reference point and is available on some encoders.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
RVDT Programming Flowchart
Encoder Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Position with Encoders Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for measuring
position with an encoder in an NI-DAQmx application. If you prefer, you can
configure a task using the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring position with an encoder is an example of a counter measurement. Refer

to Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.
Measuring Position with an RVDT or LVDT Programming
Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure position with an RVDT or LVDT. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring position using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring position is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Control

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You can create an event response or control loop application in any operating
system supported by NI-DAQmx. However, your application can only be
deterministic if you have the LabVIEW Real-Time module and use your application
on a real-time controller. This section assumes that you are using LabVIEW with NI-
DAQmx to create a control application. It does not assume that you have the
LabVIEW Real-Time module or the real-time controller.
Event Response
In a control application, an event is the same as an occurrence. This occurrence
leads to an action, or a response. An example is monitoring the temperature of an
engine. When the temperature rises too high, the engine slows down. The event, in
this case, would be the temperature rising above a predetermined level, and the
response would be the engine slowing down. Another example comes from
manufacturing. In a manufacturing line, a system senses when a part is in front of a
station (the event) and takes a reading or manipulates the part (the response). If the
system does not sense and respond to the presence of that part in a set amount of
time, the manufacturing line creates defective parts.
When creating an event response application, make sure you consider the amount
of time needed to respond to the event. For example, if the device controls the
temperature of your home, the time to react to events (changes in temperature) is
less critical than if the device controls a nuclear reactor. If the application is not time
critical, the application does not need to be deterministic, meaning that you do not
need the LabVIEW Real-Time Module or a real-time controller.
The relative priority of the task is important as well. Because LabVIEW is multi-
threaded, you can separate the application into tasks, each with its own priority. By
setting priorities, time-critical tasks can take precedence over non-time-critical
tasks. The time-critical task must periodically yield processor resources to the
lower-priority tasks so they can execute. By properly separating the time-critical
task from lower priority tasks, you can reduce application jitter. Refer to the
LabVIEW Real-Time Module Concepts book in the LabVIEW Help for more
information about assigning priorities to tasks.
Examples
See Also

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Key Control Concepts

Setting Priorities for Control Applications
Control Loops
A control application monitors and controls a system. The application continuously
loops by reading samples, processing data, and adjusting the output. You can use
NI-DAQmx and DAQ devices to create a control application. With the LabVIEW Real-
Time Module, you can create deterministic control applications.

Creating a Control Loop Application with NI-DAQmx

The following block diagram shows a typical deterministic control loop application.
First, an analog value is read. This value corresponds to the process variable. This
value is compared to the set point, which is specified in the Ctrl Algrthm VI in the
diagram, and adjusted as necessary within the while loop, possibly using a PID
algorithm. The adjusted value is then written. This value corresponds to the
actuator output.
In the block diagram, the sampling rates are the same for analog input and output.
Because the example shown assumes a single DAQ device, the Start Trigger
synchronizes the analog input and analog output tasks. For multiple devices,
synchronization works differently. Refer to Synchronization for more information.
Notice also that the slave task—the analog output task—starts before the analog
input task. Finally, within the loop, the Wait for Next Sample Clock VI checks to make
sure that the loop executes within the specified sampling rate. If it does not, this VI
returns an error.

Examples

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See Also
Timing Control Loops
Key Control Concepts
Setting Priorities for Control Applications

Edge Counting
Edge counting is when a device counts rising or falling edges using a counter
channel. You can choose to do either single point or buffered sample clock edge
counting.
The following figure shows an example of edge counting in which the counter in a
device counts five edges on the input terminal.

With buffered edge counting, the device latches the number of edges counted onto
each active edge of the sample clock and stores the number in the buffer. There is
no built-in clock for buffered edge counting, so you must supply an external sample
clock.

In NI-DAQmx, when doing on-demand edge counting, you first arm the counter by
calling the Start function/VI. Each subsequent read returns the number of edges
counted since the counter was started. If you perform multiple reads without first
starting the counter, the counter implicitly starts and stops with each Read

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function/VI call, and the number of counted edges is not cumulative between read
calls.
On devices that support gate configuration along with timing engine pause
triggering, use the CI.CountEdges.Gate.Enable attribute/property to enable gate
functionality.
With the exception of the NI 9361, you also can pause counting with on-demand
edge counting in NI-DAQmx by configuring a pause trigger. To configure a pause
trigger, use the trigger attributes/properties to set the source terminal of the digital
trigger as well as the level on which to pause.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Edge Counting Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for counting
edges in an NI-DAQmx application. If you prefer, you can configure a task for
counting edges using the DAQ Assistant.

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Edge counting is an example of a counter measurement. Refer to Counter

Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Charge
Electrical charge is a fundamental property of matter. Charge is a measurement of
the net effect of protons and electrons being unequally distributed. Piezoelectric
transducers produce a charge from physical stress, deformation, acceleration, or
force. Charge is measured in coulombs.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Charge Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure charge. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring charge
using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read

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samples, and Stop would come just before you

clear the task.
You can use charge sensors to measure physical phenomenon such as acceleration
and sound pressure with charge mode accelerometers and microphones. These
measurements can be converted from coulombs to the appropriate engineering
units using custom scales.
Measuring charge is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring and Generating Current

Many measurement devices can measure and generate current. To measure or
generate current with a DAQ device, you need a resistor. Current then can be
measured through an analog input connector or generated through an analog
output connector. The resistance must be placed in parallel with the connector and
the current source. To measure voltage dropped across the resistor and convert it to
current, use Ohm's Law.
I(A) = V(V)/ R(Ω)
where I is the current, V is the voltage, and R is the resistance.

4 to 20 mA Loops
4 to 20 milliamp (4-20 mA) loops are commonly used in measurement systems. 4-20
mA loops couple a dynamic range with a live zero of 4 mA for open circuit detection
in a system that does not produce sparks. Other advantages include a variety of
compatible hardware, a long operating range, and low cost. 4-20 mA loops have a
variety of uses, including digital communications, control applications, and reading
remote sensors.
The purpose of the 4-20 mA current loop is for the sensor to transmit a signal in the
form of a current. In the following figure, the Level Sensor and Remote Sensor
Electronics are typically built into a single unit. An external 24 VDC supply powers
the sensor. The sensor regulates the current, which represents the value of what the
sensor measures, in this case, the fluid level in a tank.

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Current Loop Wiring

The DAQ device reads the voltage drop across the 249 Ω resistor Rp, using Ohm's
Law.
Because the current is 4-20 mA and Rp is 249 Ω, V ranges from 0.996 V to 4.98 V,
which is within the range that DAQ devices can read. Although the equation is useful
for calculating the current, the current typically represents a physical quantity you
want to measure. In the following figure, the tank level measures 0 to 50 feet. 4 mA
represents 0 feet, and 20 mA represents 50 feet. L is the tank level, and I is the
current.

Linear Relationship between Tank Level and Current

Using the Ohm's Law equation and substituting 0.249 for the value of Rp, you can
derive L in terms of measured voltage:

Making Signal Connections

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Creating a Program
Measuring Current
Generating Current
Examples
See Also
Tips on Measuring AC Current
Generating Current Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart illustrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx
application to generate current. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
generating current using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are written, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just after you write
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Generating current is an example of an analog output measurement. Refer to
Analog Output Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

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Measuring and Generating Current

Many measurement devices can measure and generate current. To measure or
generate current with a DAQ device, you need a resistor. Current then can be
measured through an analog input connector or generated through an analog
output connector. The resistance must be placed in parallel with the connector and
the current source. To measure voltage dropped across the resistor and convert it to
current, use Ohm's Law.
I(A) = V(V)/ R(Ω)
where I is the current, V is the voltage, and R is the resistance.

4 to 20 mA Loops
4 to 20 milliamp (4-20 mA) loops are commonly used in measurement systems. 4-20
mA loops couple a dynamic range with a live zero of 4 mA for open circuit detection
in a system that does not produce sparks. Other advantages include a variety of
compatible hardware, a long operating range, and low cost. 4-20 mA loops have a
variety of uses, including digital communications, control applications, and reading
remote sensors.
The purpose of the 4-20 mA current loop is for the sensor to transmit a signal in the
form of a current. In the following figure, the Level Sensor and Remote Sensor
Electronics are typically built into a single unit. An external 24 VDC supply powers
the sensor. The sensor regulates the current, which represents the value of what the
sensor measures, in this case, the fluid level in a tank.

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Current Loop Wiring

The DAQ device reads the voltage drop across the 249 Ω resistor Rp, using Ohm's
Law.
Because the current is 4-20 mA and Rp is 249 Ω, V ranges from 0.996 V to 4.98 V,
which is within the range that DAQ devices can read. Although the equation is useful
for calculating the current, the current typically represents a physical quantity you
want to measure. In the following figure, the tank level measures 0 to 50 feet. 4 mA
represents 0 feet, and 20 mA represents 50 feet. L is the tank level, and I is the
current.

Linear Relationship between Tank Level and Current

Using the Ohm's Law equation and substituting 0.249 for the value of Rp, you can
derive L in terms of measured voltage:

Making Signal Connections

Creating a Program
Measuring Current
Generating Current
Examples
See Also

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Tips on Measuring AC Current

Measuring Current Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart illustrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx
application to measure current. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring current using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring current is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.
Tips on Measuring AC Current

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To measure AC current, insert a precisely calibrated, low-value resistor into the

signal path and measure the voltage drop across the resistor. You must then perform
high-pass filtering on the resulting signal to remove the DC component. You can
perform this filtering using an analog filter or digital signal processing techniques,
such as the filtering tools in the analysis library of LabVIEW.

Measuring and Generating Digital Values

Signals that are read or measured are called input signals. Those signals that are
generated are called output, or standard output. Some specialized devices also
support a Wired-OR output. Refer to the device documentation for more
information about the types of input and output the device supports.
This section covers software-timed digital input/output operations—or unstrobed
operations. These signals are controlled by software timing.
Measuring and generating digital values are used in a number of applications,
including controlling relays and monitoring alarm states. Generally, measuring and
generating digital values is used in laboratory testing, production testing, and
industrial process monitoring and control.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring a Digital Value
Generating a Digital Value
Examples
Generating a Digital Value Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to generate digital values. If you prefer, you can configure a task for generating
digital values using the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring and Generating Digital Values

Signals that are read or measured are called input signals. Those signals that are
generated are called output, or standard output. Some specialized devices also
support a Wired-OR output. Refer to the device documentation for more
information about the types of input and output the device supports.
This section covers software-timed digital input/output operations—or unstrobed
operations. These signals are controlled by software timing.
Measuring and generating digital values are used in a number of applications,
including controlling relays and monitoring alarm states. Generally, measuring and
generating digital values is used in laboratory testing, production testing, and
industrial process monitoring and control.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring a Digital Value
Generating a Digital Value
Examples
Measuring a Digital Value Programming Flowchart

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The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure digital values. If you prefer, you can configure a task for acquiring digital
values using the DAQ Assistant.

Measuring Duty Cycle

You can use the counters on your measurement device to measure duty cycle. Duty
Cycle measurements measure the active time of a signal. Use the following equation
to calculate the duty cycle of a pulse:
Duty Cycle = High Time/Pulse Period
where Pulse Period is high time plus low time.
The duty cycle of a pulse is between 0 and 1 and is often expressed as a percentage.
Refer to the following figure for examples of duty cycles. A pulse with a high time
equal to the low time has a duty cycle of 0.5, or 50%. A duty cycle less than 50%
indicates that the low time is greater than the high time, and a duty cycle greater
than 50% indicates that the high time is greater than the low time.

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Creating a Program
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure the frequency/duty cycle, high/low ticks, or high/low time of digital
pulses. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring digital pulses using the
DAQ Assistant.

Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.

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Measuring Force
Force is an influence that changes the motion, size, or shape of an object. Many
types of sensors exist for measuring force. Some are piezoelectric sensors, typically
used for dynamic force measurements, such as impact testing. Others are bridge-
based sensors, typically used for measuring static or slow-changing loads.

Note NI-DAQmx supports only IEPE force and

bridge-based sensors.
Making Signal Connections
Force with a Piezoelectric Sensor Programming Flowchart
Force with a Bridge-Based Sensor Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Force with a Bridge-Based Sensor Programming
Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure force with a bridge-based sensor. Alternatively, you can configure a task
for measuring force using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
When selecting the scaling type, choose the one that best matches the
specifications for your sensor.
Measuring force is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog Input
Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.
Measuring Force with a Piezoelectric Sensor Programming
Flowchart

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The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure force with a piezoelectric force sensor. Alternatively, you can configure a
task for measuring force using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring force is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog Input
Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Digital Frequency

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The digital frequency of a signal is the inverse of the period of a signal. To get the
frequency of the signal, take the inverse of the period. The formula for frequency is
Frequency (in Hz) = Counter Timebase Rate (in Hz) / Count.
The Counter Timebase Rate is a known frequency and is usually a built-in time
source. If the counter timebase rate is unknown, you only can make measurements
only in terms of ticks of the counter timebase. This may be the case if you are using
an external signal for the counter timebase, and the frequency of the external signal
is unknown or aperiodic.
Digital frequency is an example of a time measurement. Refer to Configuring a Time
Measurement in NI-DAQmx and Two Counter Measurement Method for more
information about measuring time.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure the frequency/duty cycle, high/low ticks, or high/low time of digital
pulses. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring digital pulses using the
DAQ Assistant.

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Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure digital frequency or period. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring digital frequency using the DAQ Assistant.

Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.

Generic Programming Flowcharts

This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications—such as measuring temperature, measuring current, and measuring
strain—in the Common Applications section of this help file.
In the programming flowcharts, many applications also include explicit control
functions to start, stop, and clear the task. For instance, for applications that use
your counter/timer, such as finite counter input, you need to call the Start

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function/VI to arm the counter. In LabVIEW, clearing occurs automatically. For other
ADEs, you must include these functions in your application.
Functions and VIs produce the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.
However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and
LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Analog Input Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Analog Input
Finite Analog Input
Continuous Analog Input

Analog Output Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Analog Output
Finite Analog Output
Continuous Analog Output

Digital Input Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Digital Input
Finite Digital Input
Continuous Digital Input

Digital Output Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Digital Output
Finite Digital Output
Continuous Digital Output

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Measuring Counter Values (Counter Input) Programming Flowcharts

Single Point Counter Input
Finite Counter Input
Continuous Counter Input
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts
This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications—such as measuring temperature, measuring current, and measuring
strain—in the Common Applications section of this help file.
Functions and VIs provide the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.
However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and
LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Analog Input Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Analog Input
Finite Analog Input
Continuous Analog Input
Triggered Acquisition
Single Sample Analog Input Programming Flowchart
Acquiring a single sample is an on-demand operation. In other words, NI-DAQmx
acquires one value from an input channel and immediately returns the value. This
operation does not require any buffering or hardware timing. For example, if you
periodically needed to monitor the fluid level in a tank, you acquire single data
points. You can connect the transducer that produces a voltage representing the
fluid level to a single channel on your measurement device and initiate a single-
channel, single-point acquisition when you want to know the fluid level.

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With NI-DAQmx, you also can gather data from multiple channels. For instance, you
might want to monitor the fluid level in the tank as well as the temperature. In this
case, you need two transducers connected to two channels on your device. The
following flowchart depicts the steps to programmatically create a single sample
analog input application. If you prefer, you can configure a task for acquiring a
single sample using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Finite Analog Input Programming Flowchart
One way to acquire multiple samples for one or more channels is to acquire single
samples in a repetitive manner. However, acquiring a single sample on one or more
channels over and over is inefficient and time consuming. Moreover, you do not
have accurate control over the time between each sample or channel. Instead, you
can use hardware timing, which uses a buffer in computer memory to acquire data
more efficiently. Programmatically, you need to include the timing function,
specifying the sample rate and the sample mode (finite). As with other functions,
you can acquire multiple samples for a single channel or multiple channels. You can
configure a task for finite analog input using the DAQ Assistant.

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Continuous Analog Input Programming Flowchart

If you want to view, process, or log a subset of the samples as they are being
acquired, you need to continually acquire samples. For these types of applications,
set the sample mode to continuous. The following flowchart depicts the main
steps required in an NI-DAQmx application for measuring voltage. Instead, you can
configure a task for continuous analog input using the DAQ Assistant.

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Analog Output Programming Flowcharts

This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications—such as generating voltage and generating current—in the Common
Applications section of this help file.
In the programming flowcharts, many applications also include explicit control
functions to start, stop, and clear the task. In LabVIEW, clearing occurs
automatically. For other ADEs, you must include these functions in your application.
Functions and VIs provide the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.
However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and

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LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Analog Output Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Analog Output
Finite Analog Output
Continuous Analog Output
Single Sample Analog Output Programming Flowchart
Generating a single sample is an on-demand operation. In other words, NI-DAQmx
generates one value from an input channel and immediately returns the value. This
operation does not require any buffering or hardware timing.
With NI-DAQmx, you also can generate samples from multiple channels. If you
prefer, you can configure a task for generating a single sample using the DAQ
Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are written, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you write
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.

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Finite Analog Output Programming Flowchart

The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to generate a finite number of voltage samples in a buffered generation. If you
prefer, you can configure this task using the DAQ Assistant.

Continuous Analog Output Programming Flowchart

The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to continuously generate voltage samples. If you prefer, you can configure this task
using the DAQ Assistant.

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Counter Programming Flowcharts

This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications—such as counting edges and generating pulses—in the Common
Applications section of this help file.
In the programming flowcharts, many applications also include explicit control
functions to start, stop, and clear the task. For instance, for applications that use
your counter, such as counting edges or measuring period, you need to call the Start
function/VI to arm the counter. In LabVIEW, clearing occurs automatically. For other
ADEs, you must include these functions in your application.
Functions and VIs provide the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.

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However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and
LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Counter Input Programming Flowcharts

Single Point Counter Input
Finite Counter Input
Continuous Counter Input
Single Point Counter Input Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for an on-
demand counting application. If you prefer, you can configure this task using the
DAQ Assistant.

Finite Counter Input Programming Flowchart

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The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for finite counter
input in an NI-DAQmx application. If you prefer, you can configure this task using the
DAQ Assistant.

Time-based measurements include period, semi-period, pulse width, two-edge

separation, and digital frequency.
Edge counting-based measurements include edge counting, encoder-based position
measurements, and GPS timestamp measurements.
Continuous Counter Input Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for continuous
counting in an NI-DAQmx application. If you prefer, you can configure this task using
the DAQ Assistant.

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Time-based measurements include period, semi-period, pulse width, two-edge

separation, and digital frequency.
Edge counting-based measurements include edge counting, encoder-based position
measurements, and GPS timestamp measurements.
Digital Input Programming Flowcharts
This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications—such as measuring a digital value—in the Common Applications
section of this help file.
In the programming flowcharts, many applications also include explicit control
functions to start, stop, and clear the task. In LabVIEW, clearing occurs
automatically. For other ADEs, you must include these functions in your application.
Functions and VIs provide the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.

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However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and
LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Digital Input Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Digital Input
Finite Digital Input
Continuous Digital Input
Single Sample Digital Input Programming Flowchart
Acquiring a single sample is an on-demand operation. In other words, NI-DAQmx
acquires one value from an input channel and immediately returns the value. This
operation does not require any buffering or hardware timing. For example, if you
periodically needed to monitor the fluid level in a tank, you acquire single data
points. You can connect the transducer that produces a voltage representing the
fluid level to a single channel on your measurement device and initiate a single-
channel, single-point acquisition when you want to know the fluid level.
With NI-DAQmx, you also can gather data from multiple channels. For instance, you
might want to monitor the fluid level in the tank as well as the temperature. In this
case, you need two transducers connected to two channels on your device. The
following flowchart depicts the steps to programmatically create an application to
measure digital values. If you prefer, you can configure a task for acquiring a single
sample using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Finite Digital Input Programming Flowchart
One way to acquire multiple samples for one or more channels is to acquire single
samples in a repetitive manner. However, acquiring a single data sample on one or
more channels over and over is inefficient and time consuming. Moreover, you do
not have accurate control over the time between each sample or channel. Instead,
you can use hardware timing, which uses a buffer in computer memory to acquire
data more efficiently. Programmatically, you need to include the timing function,
specifying the sample rate and the sample mode (finite). As with other functions,
you can acquire multiple samples for a single channel or multiple channels. You can
configure a task for measuring digital values using the DAQ Assistant.

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Note Triggering and Sample Clock timing for

Digital I/O are not supported on all devices.
Continuous Digital Input Programming Flowchart
If you want to view, process, or log a subset of the samples as they are being
acquired, you need to continually acquire samples. For these types of applications,
set the sample mode to continuous. The following flowchart depicts the main
steps required in an NI-DAQmx application for acquiring digital signals. You can
configure a task for continuously acquiring digital values using the DAQ Assistant.

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Note Sample clock timing for Digital I/O is not

supported on all devices.

Digital Output Programming Flowcharts

This section contains general programming flowcharts that you can use when
creating an application. You also can find programming flowcharts for typical
applications in the Common Applications section of this help file.
In the programming flowcharts, many applications also include explicit control
functions to start, stop, and clear the task. For instance, for applications that use
your counter/timer, such as counting edges or measuring period, you need to call

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the Start function/VI to arm the counter. In LabVIEW, clearing occurs automatically.
For other ADEs, you must include these functions in your application.
Functions and VIs provide the core functionality of the NI-DAQmx API. For instance,
NI-DAQmx includes functions for timing, triggering, reading, and writing samples.
However, for advanced functionality, Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic .NET, and
LabVIEW require properties. ANSI C and LabWindows/CVI employ the Get and Set
Attribute functions. For more information, refer to the programming reference help
for your ADE.

Digital Output Programming Flowcharts

Single Sample Digital Output
Finite Digital Output
Continuous Digital Output
Single Sample Digital Output Programming Flowchart
Generating a single sample is an on-demand operation. In other words, NI-DAQmx
generates one value on an output channel immediately after the Write function/VI is
called. This operation does not require any buffering or hardware timing.
With NI-DAQmx, you also can generate samples from multiple channels. If you
prefer, you can configure a task for generating a single sample using the DAQ
Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are written, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the preceding flowchart, the
Start function/VI would come just before you
write samples, and Stop would come just before
you clear the task.
Finite Digital Output Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to generate a finite number of digital values in a buffered generation. If you prefer,
you can configure a task for generating digital values using the DAQ Assistant.

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Note Sample clock timing for Digital I/O is not

supported on all devices.
Continuous Digital Output Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to continuously generate digital values. If you prefer, you can configure a task for
generating digital values using the DAQ Assistant.

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Note Sample clock timing for Digital I/O is not

supported on all devices.

Triggered Acquisition Programming Flowchart

The following flowchart depicts the main steps you follow for adding triggering to
an acquisition. If you prefer, you can configure triggering with the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring GPS Timestamp

You can take a GPS timestamp measurement with the NI PXI-6608. In a GPS
timestamp measurement, the NI PXI-6608 determines the precise time of year using
a specialized onboard counter. You can select a single point (on-demand)
timestamp or a buffered (sample clock) timestamp.

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You can synchronize the GPS timestamp counter to a GPS receiver signal by using a
pulse per second (PPS) or an IRIG-B (timecode TTL) synchronization signal from the
GPS receiver. PPS does not include any timing information; rather, the PPS
accurately reports when the beginning of a second occurs. IRIG-B, on the other
hand, has the time encoded in the signal from the beginning of the current year. The
GPS counter can latch on the current time upon receiving a hardware gate signal.
GPS does not provide year information; however, the time is stored in a 64-bit
floating-point number that can be converted to seconds since January 1 of the
current year.
When doing an on-demand GPS timestamp measurement, you must first arm the
counter by calling the Start function/VI. Each subsequent read returns the number
of seconds counted.
When doing a buffered GPS timestamp measurement, the current time is latched on
each active edge of the sample clock and stored in the buffer. There is no built-in
clock for buffered GPS timestamp measurements, so you must supply an external
sample clock.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
GPS Timestamp Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to take a GPS timestamp measurement with an NI PXI-6608.

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GPS timestamp is an example of a counter measurement. Refer to Counter

Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Linear Displacement

Linear displacement is movement and direction along a single axis. A position or
linear displacement sensor is a device whose output signal represents the distance
an object has traveled from a reference point. The linear variable differential
transformer (LVDT) is a sensor that measures linear displacement.
On M Series devices, C Series devices, and NI-TIO-based devices, you can use the
counters to perform displacement measurements with two-pulse encoders. Linear
position can be measured with two-pulse encoders. You can choose to do either a
single point or a buffered sample clock displacement measurement.
You also can measure velocity with two-pulse encoders, but you need to use a
sample clock with a fixed frequency. To measure velocity, use the following formula:
V = D/T
where V is the average velocity, D is the distance, and T is time.
The counter measures the position of the encoder using the A and B signals, which
are offset by 90°. The counter also supports the Z index, which provides a precise
reference point and is available on some encoders.

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Making Signal Connections

Creating a Program
LVDT Programming Flowchart
Encoder Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Position with Encoders Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps you must complete for measuring
position with an encoder in an NI-DAQmx application. If you prefer, you can
configure a task using the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring position with an encoder is an example of a counter measurement. Refer

to Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.
Measuring Position with an RVDT or LVDT Programming
Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure position with an RVDT or LVDT. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring position using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your

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application. In the previous flowchart, the Start

function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring position is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, and Two-

Edge Separation
You can measure period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation using
counters, such as on a DAQ device, to determine the duration of an event or to
determine the interval time between two events.
Period measurements measure the time between consecutive rising or falling edges
of a pulse. Semi-period measurements measure the time between consecutive
edges. Pulse width measurements measure the time between either a rising and
falling edge, or a falling and rising edge. Two-edge separation measurements
measure the time between the rising or falling edge of one digital signal and the
rising or falling edge of another digital signal.

The formula for period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation is as
follows:
Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, or Two-Edge Separation (in seconds) = Count /
Counter Timebase Rate (in Hz).

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where Count is the number of counter timebase ticks that elapse during one period,
semi-period, pulse width, or two-edge separation of the measured input signal or
signals.
The Counter Timebase Rate is a known frequency and is usually a built-in time
source. If the counter timebase rate is unknown, you only can make measurements
only in terms of ticks of the counter timebase. This may be the case if you are using
an external signal for the counter timebase, and the frequency of the external signal
is unknown or aperiodic.
Period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation are examples of time
measurements. Refer to Configuring a Time Measurement in NI-DAQmx and Two
Counter Measurement Method for more information about measuring time.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width Programming
Flowchart
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure the frequency/duty cycle, high/low ticks, or high/low time of digital
pulses. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring digital pulses using the
DAQ Assistant.

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Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure digital frequency or period. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring digital frequency using the DAQ Assistant.

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Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.

Measuring Pressure
Pressure is a measure of force per unit area. You can use bridge-based sensors to
measure pressure.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Pressure Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure pressure. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring pressure
using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
When selecting the scaling type, choose the one that best matches the
specifications for your sensor.
Measuring pressure is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Proximity
Proximity is the distance between two objects. An eddy current proximity probe is a
transducer that uses changes in voltage to measure proximity. Eddy current
proximity probes use a high-frequency radio signal to convert voltage to a proximity
measurement. Measurements are recorded as milimeters, microns, mVolts/mil and
Volts/mil where a mil is 1/1000 of an inch.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Proximity Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure proximity using an eddy current proximity probe. Alternatively, you can
configure a task for measuring proximity using the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring proximity is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to

Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Generating Pulses
A pulse is a rapid change in the amplitude of a signal from its idle value to an active
value for a short period of time. Pulses can have high or low idle states. A pulse with
a low idle state starts at the low value (typically zero), pulses high, and returns to
low. A pulse with a high idle state starts high, pulses to low, and returns to high.

A pulse train is more than one pulse. You can use a pulse or pulse train as a clock
signal, a gate, or a trigger for a measurement or a pulse generation. You can use a
single pulse of known duration to determine an unknown signal frequency or to
trigger an analog acquisition. You can use a pulse train of known frequency to
determine an unknown pulse width.
Each pulse or pulse train consists of three parts:

■ High Time—The amount of time the pulse is at a high level.

■ Low Time—The amount of time the pulse is at a low level.

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■ Initial Delay—The amount of time the output remains at the idle state
before generating the pulse. The idle state always replaces high time or low
time for the first pulse of a generation, depending on the idle state.
The pairing of high time and low time pair is a pulse specification.
The period of the pulse is the sum of the high time and the low time. The frequency
is the reciprocal of the period, 1/period.
The following illustration shows the parts of a pulse.

The following illustration shows the parts of a pulse train.

Before you generate a pulse, you need to determine if you want to output the pulse
or pulse train in terms of frequency, time, or number of ticks of the counter
timebase. For frequency, you need to determine the duty cycle. For time, you
specify the high time and the low time. Use the number of ticks if you are using a
counter timebase with an unknown rate. When you configure a pulse generation,
the output appears at the counter output terminal.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Generating a Pulse
Generating a Finite Pulse Train

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Generating a Continuous Pulse Train

Examples
See Also
Setting Pulse Train Polarity and the Initial Delay State
Generating Single Pulses, Finite Pulse Trains, and Continuous Pulse Trains
Buffered Pulse Generation
Configuring Triggers for Pulse Generation
Generating a Pulse Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to generate a pulse. If you prefer, you can configure a task to generate a pulse using
the DAQ Assistant.

Generating a Finite Pulse Train Programming Flowchart

The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
for generating a finite pulse train. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
generating the pulse train using the DAQ Assistant.

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Generating a Continuous Pulse Train Programming Flowchart

The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
for generating a continuous pulse train. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
generating the pulse train using the DAQ Assistant.

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Measuring Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, and Two-

Edge Separation
You can measure period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation using
counters, such as on a DAQ device, to determine the duration of an event or to
determine the interval time between two events.
Period measurements measure the time between consecutive rising or falling edges
of a pulse. Semi-period measurements measure the time between consecutive
edges. Pulse width measurements measure the time between either a rising and
falling edge, or a falling and rising edge. Two-edge separation measurements
measure the time between the rising or falling edge of one digital signal and the
rising or falling edge of another digital signal.

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The formula for period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation is as
follows:
Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, or Two-Edge Separation (in seconds) = Count /
Counter Timebase Rate (in Hz).
where Count is the number of counter timebase ticks that elapse during one period,
semi-period, pulse width, or two-edge separation of the measured input signal or
signals.
The Counter Timebase Rate is a known frequency and is usually a built-in time
source. If the counter timebase rate is unknown, you only can make measurements
only in terms of ticks of the counter timebase. This may be the case if you are using
an external signal for the counter timebase, and the frequency of the external signal
is unknown or aperiodic.
Period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation are examples of time
measurements. Refer to Configuring a Time Measurement in NI-DAQmx and Two
Counter Measurement Method for more information about measuring time.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width Programming
Flowchart
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
Examples

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Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width

Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart demonstrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx
application to measure semi-period and pulse width. Alternatively, you can
configure a task for measuring semi-period and pulse width using the DAQ Assistant.

Period, semi-period, two-edge separation, and pulse width is an example of a

counter measurement. Refer to Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional
flowcharts that can help you create an application.

Measuring Resistance
Resistance is the opposition to passage of an electric current. One Ohm (Ω) is the
resistance through which one volt (V) of electric force causes one ampere (A) to flow.
Two common methods for measuring resistance are the 2-wire method and the 4-
wire method. Both methods send a current through a resistor with a measurement
device measuring the voltage drop from the signal before and after it crosses the
resistor. The 2-wire method is easier to implement, but this method is less accurate

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than the 4-wire method for resistances below 100 Ω. For 3-wire resistors, there is
also a 3-wire method. To calculate resistance, use the following equation.
R(Ω) = V(V) / I(A)
where R is the resistance, V is the voltage, and I is the current.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Resistance Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure resistance. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring
resistance using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the preceding flowchart, the

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Start function/VI would come just before you

read samples, and Stop would come just before
you clear the task.
Measuring resistance is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Measuring Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, and Two-

Edge Separation
You can measure period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation using
counters, such as on a DAQ device, to determine the duration of an event or to
determine the interval time between two events.
Period measurements measure the time between consecutive rising or falling edges
of a pulse. Semi-period measurements measure the time between consecutive
edges. Pulse width measurements measure the time between either a rising and
falling edge, or a falling and rising edge. Two-edge separation measurements
measure the time between the rising or falling edge of one digital signal and the
rising or falling edge of another digital signal.

The formula for period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation is as
follows:
Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, or Two-Edge Separation (in seconds) = Count /
Counter Timebase Rate (in Hz).

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where Count is the number of counter timebase ticks that elapse during one period,
semi-period, pulse width, or two-edge separation of the measured input signal or
signals.
The Counter Timebase Rate is a known frequency and is usually a built-in time
source. If the counter timebase rate is unknown, you only can make measurements
only in terms of ticks of the counter timebase. This may be the case if you are using
an external signal for the counter timebase, and the frequency of the external signal
is unknown or aperiodic.
Period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation are examples of time
measurements. Refer to Configuring a Time Measurement in NI-DAQmx and Two
Counter Measurement Method for more information about measuring time.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width Programming
Flowchart
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure the frequency/duty cycle, high/low ticks, or high/low time of digital
pulses. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring digital pulses using the
DAQ Assistant.

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Digital frequency and period are examples of counter measurements. Refer to

Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create
an application.
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width
Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart demonstrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx
application to measure semi-period and pulse width. Alternatively, you can
configure a task for measuring semi-period and pulse width using the DAQ Assistant.

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Period, semi-period, two-edge separation, and pulse width is an example of a

counter measurement. Refer to Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional
flowcharts that can help you create an application.

Measuring Sound Pressure

Sound pressure is the dynamic variation of the static pressure of air and is measured
in force per unit area (Pa). The instantaneous sound pressure is typically averaged
over a certain duration to give sound pressure level. Sound pressure level is usually
represented on a logarithmic amplitude scale, which is similar to the human
perception of hearing. Typical values on this logarithmic scale are a sound level of 0
dB, which is the average threshold of human hearing, 60 to 70 dB for normal
conversation, 110 dB at an extremely loud concert, and 150 dB for the noise of a
rocket takeoff or a jet engine at close range.
The Sound Pressure Level (SPL or LP) in decibels is defined by the following
equation.
SPL = 20 log10 (p/pref)

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where p is the instantaneous sound pressure in Pa and pref is 20 µPa, the

internationally accepted reference for sound pressure measurements, which
roughly corresponds to the threshold of human hearing.
You use a microphone to measure sound pressure. The microphone acts as a
transducer, creating a voltage signal that is proportional to the instantaneous sound
pressure.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Sound Pressure Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure sound pressure. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring
sound pressure using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring sound pressure is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Measuring Strain
Strain (ε) is the amount of deformation of a body due to an applied force.
Specifically, strain is the fractional change in length, as shown in the following
figure.

Strain can be positive (tensile) or negative (compressive). Although dimensionless,

strain is sometimes expressed in units such as in./in. or mm/mm. In practice, the
magnitude of measured strain is very small. Therefore, strain is often expressed as
microstrain (µε).
When a uniaxial force strains a bar, as in the preceding figure, a phenomenon known
as Poisson Strain causes the girth of the bar, D, to contract in the transverse
direction, which is perpendicular to the force. The magnitude of this transverse
contraction is a material property indicated by its Poisson's Ratio. The Poisson's
Ratio of a material is the negative ratio of the strain in the transverse direction to the
strain in the axial direction, which is parallel to the force. Poisson's Ratio for steel,
for example, ranges from 0.25 to 0.3.
To measure strain, you can use one or more strain gages in a Wheatstone bridge in
one of several bridge configurations. Refer to Signal Conditioning Requirements for
Bridge-Based Sensors for more information about strain gages and bridge
configurations.

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Making Signal Connections

Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Strain Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure strain. Alternatively, you can configure a task to measure strain with a
strain gage using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read

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samples, and Stop would come just before you

clear the task.
Measuring strain is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Torque
Torque is a measure of the tendency of a force to rotate an object. Torque is the
cross product of a force and the distance of the force from the fulcrum. You can use
bridge-based sensors to measure torque.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Torque Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure torque. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring torque
using the DAQ Assistant.

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Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
When selecting the scaling type, choose the one that best matches the
specifications for your sensor.
Measuring torque is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.

Measuring Temperature
Note Temperature measurements may require
you to condition the signal. The conditioning
requirements depend on your sensor. Refer to

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the Overview of Temperature Sensor Types for

an explanation of sensor types and conditioning
requirements.

Using a Thermocouple to Measure Temperature

A popular way to measure temperature with a DAQ device is to use a thermocouple,
as shown in the following figure, because thermocouples are inexpensive, easy to
use, and easy to obtain. Thermocouples produce a voltage that varies based on
temperature. Using a thermocouple, you can measure a voltage and use a formula
to convert the voltage measurement to temperature.

The typical wiring for a thermocouple, as shown in the following figure, uses a
resistor, R, only if the thermocouple is not grounded at any other point. If, for
example, the thermocouple tip were already grounded, using a resistor would cause
a ground loop and result in erroneous readings.

You also can measure temperature using Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
and Thermistors.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
RTD
Thermistor

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Thermocouple
Examples
Measuring Temperature with an RTD Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure temperature with an RTD. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring temperature using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.

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Measuring temperature is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to

Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.
Measuring Temperature with a Thermistor Programming
Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure temperature with a thermistor. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
measuring temperature using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start

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function/VI and Stop function/VI in your

application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring temperature is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.
Measuring Temperature with a Thermocouple Programming
Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure temperature with a thermocouple. Alternatively, you can configure a
task for measuring temperature using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read

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samples, and Stop would come just before you

clear the task.
Measuring temperature is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to
Analog Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Measuring Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, and Two-

Edge Separation
You can measure period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation using
counters, such as on a DAQ device, to determine the duration of an event or to
determine the interval time between two events.
Period measurements measure the time between consecutive rising or falling edges
of a pulse. Semi-period measurements measure the time between consecutive
edges. Pulse width measurements measure the time between either a rising and
falling edge, or a falling and rising edge. Two-edge separation measurements
measure the time between the rising or falling edge of one digital signal and the
rising or falling edge of another digital signal.

The formula for period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation is as
follows:
Period, Semi-Period, Pulse Width, or Two-Edge Separation (in seconds) = Count /
Counter Timebase Rate (in Hz).
where Count is the number of counter timebase ticks that elapse during one period,
semi-period, pulse width, or two-edge separation of the measured input signal or
signals.

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The Counter Timebase Rate is a known frequency and is usually a built-in time
source. If the counter timebase rate is unknown, you only can make measurements
only in terms of ticks of the counter timebase. This may be the case if you are using
an external signal for the counter timebase, and the frequency of the external signal
is unknown or aperiodic.
Period, semi-period, pulse width, and two-edge separation are examples of time
measurements. Refer to Configuring a Time Measurement in NI-DAQmx and Two
Counter Measurement Method for more information about measuring time.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width Programming
Flowchart
Measuring Digital Frequency and Period Programming Flowchart
Measuring Pulses Programming Flowchart
Examples
Measuring Semi-Period, Two-Edge Separation, and Pulse Width
Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart demonstrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx
application to measure semi-period and pulse width. Alternatively, you can
configure a task for measuring semi-period and pulse width using the DAQ Assistant.

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Period, semi-period, two-edge separation, and pulse width is an example of a

counter measurement. Refer to Counter Programming Flowcharts for additional
flowcharts that can help you create an application.

Measuring Velocity
Velocity is the rate of change in position with respect to time.
Measuring Velocity with an IEPE Velocity Transducer
Measuring Linear Velocity (Encoder)
Measuring Angular Velocity (Encoder)
Measuring Velocity with an IEPE Velocity Transducer
A velocity transducer is an IEPE sensor that converts velocity to voltage. Velocity
transducers are typically used to measure vibration.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program

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Examples
Measuring Velocity Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure velocity with a piezoelectric sensor. Alternatively, you can configure a
task for measuring velocity using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring velocity is an example of analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.
Measuring Angular Velocity (Encoder)

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On devices that support it, you can use the counters to perform velocity
measurements with encoders. An encoder is a device that converts linear or rotary
displacement into digital or pulse signals. Angular velocity can be measured with
X1, X2, and X4 quadrature encoders. You can choose to do either single-point (on-
demand) velocity measurement or buffered (sample clock) velocity measurement.
The counter measures the velocity of the encoder using the A and B signals, which
are offset by 90°. The velocity is calculated using the A and B input signal transitions
and the amount of time that elapses between the changes in the encoder count
value.
The decoding type attribute/property specifies how to count and interpret the
pulses the encoder generates on signal A and signal B.
Measuring Linear Velocity (Encoder)
On devices that support it, you can use the counters to perform velocity
measurements with encoders. An encoder is a device that converts linear or rotary
displacement into digital or pulse signals. Linear velocity can be measured with X1,
X2, and X4 quadrature encoders. You can choose to do either single-point (on-
demand) velocity measurement or buffered (sample clock) velocity measurement.
The counter measures the velocity of the encoder using the A and B signals, which
are offset by 90°. The velocity is calculated using the A and B input signal transitions
and the amount of time that elapses between the changes in the encoder count
value.
The pulse in the distance per pulse attribute/property is one full period of both
signal A and signal B in the units specified by the length portion of the Units input.
The decoding type attribute/property specifies how to count and interpret the
pulses the encoder generates on signal A and signal B.

Generating Voltage
You can generate single sample DC signals or time-varying multiple sample signals.

Single Samples—Including Steady Signals

Use single samples if the signal level is more important than the generation rate. For
instance, generate one sample at a time if you need to generate a constant, or DC,

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signal. You can use software or hardware timing if the device supports hardware
timing to control when the device generates a signal.

Time-Varying Multiple Samples

Use multiple samples if the generation rate is just as important as the signal level, as
in an AC sine wave. Function generators are a common type of device that you can
program to produce certain types of waveforms, such as sine, triangle, and square
waves. You also can use a DAQ device as a function generator. You do this by
generating one cycle of a sine wave, such as with the Sine Generation VI in LabVIEW,
storing one cycle of sine wave data in a waveform, and programming the device to
generate the values continuously from the waveform one point at a time at a
specified rate.
Also called buffered analog output, generating multiple samples involves the
following steps:

1. Your application writes multiple samples into a buffer.

2. All the samples in the buffer are then sent to your device according to the
timing you specify. You can use software or hardware timing (if your device
supports hardware timing) to control when your device generates a signal.
Making Signal Connections
Creating a Program
Generating Voltage General Programming Flow
Generating Multiple Samples Programming Flow
Examples
See Also
External Reference Sources for Generating Voltage
What is a Buffer?
Generating Voltage Programming Flowchart

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 NI-DAQmx

The following flowchart illustrates the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx

application to generate voltage. Alternatively, you can configure a task for
generating voltage using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are written, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just after you write
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Generating voltage is an example of an analog output measurement. Refer to
Analog Output Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you
create an application.

Measuring Voltage
Most measurement devices can measure, or read, voltage. Two common voltage
measurements are direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC).

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Measuring DC Voltage
DC voltage is useful for measuring phenomena that change slowly with time, such
as temperature, pressure, or strain. With DC signals, you want to accurately measure
the amplitude of a signal at a given point in time.

Wind Speed Example

The following figure shows a typical wiring diagram for an anemometer with an
output range of 0 to 10 V, which corresponds to wind speed of 0 to 200 mph. Use the
following equation to scale the data:

Using this equation, a measurement of 3 V would correspond to a wind speed of 60

mph (3 V × 20 mph/V = 60 mph).
Notice that the wiring diagram in the following figure uses a resistor, R, because an
anemometer is usually not a grounded signal source. If the anemometer transducer
were already grounded, using a resistor would cause a ground loop and result in
erroneous readings.

Averaging
Averaging can improve measurement accuracy for noisy and rapidly changing
signals.
The following figure shows what an actual wind speed might look like over time.
Due to gusting winds, the speed values look noisy. Notice that the wind speed
reading of 29 mph is a peak speed that might give the impression that the wind is
holding at 29 mph. A better representation might be to take the average speed over
a short period of time.

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One common reason for averaging is to eliminate 50 or 60 Hz power line noise. The
oscillating magnetic field around power lines can introduce noise voltages on
unshielded transducer wiring. Because power line noise is sinusoidal, or shaped like
a sine wave, the average over one period is zero. If you use a scan rate that is an
integer multiple of the noise and average data for an integer multiple of periods, you
can eliminate the line noise. One example that works for both 50 and 60 Hz is to
sample at 300 samples per second and average 30 points. Notice that 300 is an
integer multiple of both 50 and 60. One period of the 50 Hz noise is 300/50 = 6
points. One period of the 60 Hz noise is 300/60 = 5 points. Averaging 30 points is an
integer multiple of both periods, so you can ensure that you average whole periods.

Measuring AC Voltage
AC voltage is a waveform that constantly increases, decreases, and reverses polarity.
AC voltage is common in household, lab, and industrial devices because most power
lines deliver AC voltage. You can measure AC voltages to determine the maximum,
minimum, and peak-to-peak values of a signal. The peak-to-peak value of a signal is
the maximum voltage swing, from maximum to minimum.

AC Voltage and Root Mean Square (RMS)

Voltage, current, and power are not constant values because AC signals alternate.
However, you can use Vrms (root mean square) to measure voltage, current, and
power such that a load connected to a 120 volts AC (VAC) source develops the same
amount of power as that same load connected to a 120 volts DC (VDC) source. With
RMS, the power formula for DC also works for AC. For sinusoidal waveforms, Vrms =
Vpeak/square root of 2. Because voltmeters read Vrms, the 120 VAC of a typical U.S.
wall outlet actually has a peak value of about 170 V.
Making Signal Connections

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Creating a Program
Examples
Measuring Voltage Programming Flowchart
The following flowchart depicts the main steps required in an NI-DAQmx application
to measure voltage. Alternatively, you can configure a task for measuring voltage
using the DAQ Assistant.

Tip To increase performance, especially when

multiple samples are read, include the Start
function/VI and Stop function/VI in your
application. In the previous flowchart, the Start
function/VI would come just before you read
samples, and Stop would come just before you
clear the task.
Measuring voltage is an example of an analog input measurement. Refer to Analog
Input Programming Flowcharts for additional flowcharts that can help you create an
application.
To measure AC voltages, you generally use a hardware timed acquisition, such as
the ones shown in Finite Voltage Measurements and Continuous Voltage
Measurements. To measure DC voltages, you often do not need a buffer or hardware
timing, so you can use a simple application such as the one shown in Acquiring a
Single Sample.

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NI-DAQmx Device Considerations

2022-06-15
This help file contains information specific to analog output (AO) Series devices, B
Series devices, C Series devices, digital I/O (DIO) devices, DSA devices, E Series
devices, FieldDAQ Devices, M Series devices, S Series devices, SCC devices, SC
Express, SCXI devices, switches, timing I/O (TIO) devices, USB DAQ devices, and X
Series devices that might help you as you create applications with NI-DAQmx.
© 2003–2022 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. Refer to the
<National Instruments>\_Legal Information directory for information about NI
copyright, patents, trademarks, warranties, product warnings, and export
compliance.

Analog Triggering
This section contains information about analog triggering for C Series, NI ELVIS II
Family, DSA, E Series, M Series, S Series, and SC Express devices.
Valid Analog Trigger Sources for DSA Devices
The analog trigger source must be a channel included in your physical channel list.
PFI 0 is not a valid analog trigger source. PFI 0 is reserved for digital triggers.
Analog Triggering Considerations for TestScale Modules and C
Series, E Series, M Series, and S Series Devices
Note: Not all E Series, M Series, S Series, and C
Series devices support analog triggering. Refer
to the specifications for your device to
determine if your device supports analog
triggering.
Certain C Series, E Series, M Series, S Series devices and TestScale modules contain
a single analog trigger circuit that you can configure for analog triggering. The
analog trigger circuitry is a shared resource for the device, and any of the
subsystems can use it. This trigger circuitry supports level and slope triggering with
hysteresis as well as analog window triggering. After it is configured, the output of
this circuitry appears as the Analog Comparison Event, which can be the source for

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various triggers and clocks within the analog input, analog output, and counter
subsystems.

Sharing an Analog Trigger for C Series, E Series, M Series, and S

Series Devices
Even though the analog trigger is a shared resource, only one analog input or analog
output task at a time can configure and reserve it. If you want to share the analog
trigger among multiple tasks, configure and reserve it in one task, and use the
trigger in subsequent tasks by referring to the source of your trigger, clock, or signal
of interest as the Analog Comparison Event. For tasks that support multiple types of
analog triggers within the same task, all triggers must share the same configuration
settings, or you receive an error. For instance, if you want to use an analog trigger for
both your Start and Reference Trigger within an analog input task, the configuration
settings for the start and Reference Trigger must be identical.

E Series and S Series Valid Sources for the Analog Trigger

■ PFI 0
Typically, when configuring an analog trigger, you connect your analog signal
to the PFI 0 terminal. Because PFI 0 is the trigger source for both analog
and digital signals, NI-DAQmx automatically tristates this terminal when a
task exporting a signal on the terminal is not in the committed or running
state. This behavior when exporting a signal on PFI 0 differs from typical
task-based routing with other PFI lines. It prevents accidental connections of
an analog signal directly to digital circuitry, which could permanently damage
the device. Also, notice that when connecting an analog signal to PFI 0, the
terminal configuration is referenced single-ended.
Even when PFI 0 is not the source of your analog trigger, you cannot use PFI 0
for other digital signal routes because the analog trigger takes over the PFI 0
terminal internal to the device when it is enabled. If you try to use the analog
trigger and PFI 0 for digital signals at the same time, you receive a routing
error.
Note: On PXI-6132/6133 and PXIe-6124
devices, you cannot use PFI 0 as the source
of an analog trigger. On PXI-6132/6133, the

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analog triggering circuitry still reserves PFI 0

for internal routing.
■ Analog Input Channel
In addition to PFI 0, analog input tasks can trigger off of one of the analog
input channels being sampled. Because E Series devices use a scanning
architecture, many restrictions are placed on how you can use an analog
trigger when the source is one of the channels you are sampling. When you
use an analog Start Trigger, the trigger channel must be the first channel
in the channel list. When you use an Analog Reference or Pause Trigger,
and the analog channel is the source of the trigger, there can be only one
channel in the channel list. If you have more than one channel for Pause or
Reference Triggers, you must use PFI 0. Since S Series devices do not use
a scanning architecture, none of these restrictions apply. Therefore, for an
S Series device, you can use any analog input channel as the source of the
trigger regardless of how many channels are being sampled or the order of the
trigger channel in the sequence.
■ Scaling with PFI 0 and Analog Input Channels
Scaling, including custom scales, is not applied if PFI 0 is the trigger source.
For instance, you would specify the DAQmx Trigger Analog Edge Level
attribute/property in volts. However, if you use an analog input channel as
the trigger source, you could use scaled units.

M Series Valid Sources for the Analog Trigger

■APFI 0 and APFI 1
When configuring an analog trigger, connect your analog signal to either the
APFI 0 or APFI 1 terminal and specify APFI 0 or APFI 1 as your trigger source.
■ Analog Input Channel
In addition to APFI 0 and APFI 1, analog input tasks can trigger off of one
of the analog input channels being sampled. Because M Series devices use a
scanning architecture, many restrictions are placed on how you can use an
analog trigger when the source is one of the channels you are sampling. When
you use an Analog Start Trigger, the trigger channel must be the first channel
in the channel list. When you use an Analog Reference or Pause Trigger, and
the analog channel is the source of the trigger, there can be only one channel

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in the channel list. If you have more than one channel for Pause or Reference
Triggers, you must use APFI 0 or APFI 1.
■ Scaling with APFI 0, APFI 1, and Analog Input Channels
Scaling, including custom scales, is not applied if APFI 0 or APFI 1 is the trigger
source. For instance, you would specify the DAQmx Trigger Analog Edge Level
attribute/property in volts. However, if you use an analog input channel as the
trigger source, you could use scaled units.

Device Calibration and Accuracy of the Analog Trigger for E

Series, M Series, C Series, or S Series Devices
The trigger DACs in the analog trigger circuitry on an E Series, M Series, C Series,
or S Series device typically contain four less bits of accuracy than the ADC of
the device. No hardware calibration is provided for the analog trigger circuitry.
In addition, the propagation delay from when a valid trigger condition is met to
when the analog trigger circuitry emits the Analog Comparison Event may have
an impact on your measurements if the trigger signal has a high slew rate. If you
find these conditions have a noticeable impact on your measurements, you can
perform software calibration on the analog trigger circuitry by configuring your
task as normal and applying a known signal for your analog trigger. Comparing
the observed results against the expected results, you can calculate the necessary
offsets to apply in software to fine tune the desired triggering behavior.

C Series and TestScale Module Valid Sources for the Analog

Trigger
The NI 9205 and TS-15100 have no APFI 0 or APFI 1 terminal. Analog input tasks
using the NI 9205 or TS-15100 can trigger off one of the analog input channels being
sampled. When you use an Analog Start Trigger, the trigger channel must be the
first channel from the NI 9205 or TS-15100 in the channel list, but channels from
other C Series devices can come first. When you use an Analog Reference or Pause
Trigger, you can use only one channel from the NI 9205 or TS-15100 in the channel
list, but you can use channels from other C Series devices. You can combine Analog
Start, Reference, and Pause Triggers with different configuration settings by using

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multiple NI 9205 devices. All analog triggers on the same device must share the
same configuration settings.
The NI 9775 can only use an analog trigger that is an active channel. See NI 9775
Considerations for further restrictions on analog trigger usage. When you use a
trigger with the NI 9775 in Analog Multi Edge, all of the trigger channels must come
from the same device. When using multiple NI 9775 modules, those modules can
be in the same task as long as the trigger source comes from one of the NI 9775
modules.
Triggering Considerations for NI ELVIS II Family Devices
On NI ELVIS II Family devices, APFI 0 and APFI 1 are not valid analog trigger sources.
When using a Reference Trigger, supported trigger types are analog edge, analog
window, and digital edge. When using a Start Trigger, digital edge is the only
supported trigger type. Valid digital trigger sources are PFI 15 and SYNC terminals.
NI ELVIS II+ also supports analog reference triggering with multiple channels for
oscilloscope channels.
Analog Triggering Considerations for SC Express Devices
Analog triggering on SC Express devices uses one of the device's ADCs to sample the
trigger signal. If the frequency of the trigger signal is higher than the ADC's Nyquist
frequency (half of the sampling rate), aliasing may prevent triggers from being
detected reliably.

Note: Analog trigger condition thresholds are

reverse-calibrated internally by NI-DAQmx, so it
is recommended that you self-calibrate your SC
Express device (if self-calibration is supported
on your device) prior to running an analog
triggered acquisition.
The frequency of the trigger signal is also limited by lowpass filtering on the device's
analog front end. On the NI 4300 and NI 4310, the lowpass filter can be controlled
using the AI.Lowpass.Enable and AI.Lowpass.CutoffFreq channel attributes/
properties. On the NI 433x devices, the lowpass filter cutoff frequency is determined
by the sampling rate. The analog trigger source can be set to any one of the
channels on the device.

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Analog triggering on SC Express devices supports only Reference Triggers, not Start
and Pause Triggers. Digital triggering on SC Express devices does not have this
restriction.

Note: Analog triggers are not supported on the

NI 4309, NI 4322, NI 4353, or NI 4357.
Note: The NI 4302/4303/4304/4305, NI 4310 and
NI 4340 support only analog reference
triggering.

Device Calibration Considerations

Device calibration consists of verifying the measurement accuracy of a device and
adjusting for any measurement error. Verification consists of measuring the
performance of the device and comparing these measurements to the published
specifications. During calibration, you supply and read voltage levels or other
signals using external standards, then you adjust the device calibration constants.
The new calibration constants are stored in the EEPROM. These calibration
constants are loaded from memory as needed to adjust for the error in the
measurements taken by the device.
AO Series Calibration
Your device uses software calibration to fine-tune the analog output circuitry. The
software must be programmed (or loaded) with certain numbers called calibration
constants. Those constants are stored in nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your
device or are maintained by NI-DAQmx. To achieve specification accuracy, you
should self-calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your
computer and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15
minutes. You should allow this same warm-up time before performing any
calibration of your system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and
repeatable measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you
recalibrate it often.
Static AO devices, such as the NI 6703 and NI 6704, do not self-calibrate or
automatically calibrate. You must use a manual procedure to calibrate static AO
devices. Refer to the calibration procedure for your device.

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Note:
■ Calibrating your AO device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust AO Series Calibration
function/VI takes several seconds to
execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

NI-DAQmx automatically loads calibration constants into the software whenever you
call functions/VIs that depend on them.
C Series Calibration
Your device uses software calibration to adjust the software scaling of signals read
from and produced by your device. Using a precise reference signal, your device
measures and calculates scaling constants for analog input and analog output. The
scaling constants are stored in nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI
recommends that you calibrate your device just before a measurement session but
after your module has been powered on and warmed up for at least 15 minutes. You
should allow this same warm-up time before performing any calibration of your
system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and repeatable
measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it
often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Adjust C
Series Calibration function/VI takes
several seconds to execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.
■ The NI 9205 and NI 9206 are calibrated
using the M Series calibration process.

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C Series devices do not self-calibrate or automatically calibrate. You must use a

manual procedure to calibrate these devices.
Virtual Channel Calibration Support
The following devices do not support NI-DAQmx virtual channel calibration:

■ NI DAQPad-6015
■ NI DAQPad-6016
■ NI PCI-6010
■ NI PCI-6013
■ NI PCI-6014
■ NI USB-6000
■ NI USB-6001
■ NI USB-6002
■ NI USB-6003
■ NI USB-6008
■ NI USB-6009
■ SensorDAQ

DSA Calibration
Your device contains digital correction circuitry to compensate for gain and offset
errors in the analog and ADC circuitry. The gain and offset calibration constants are
stored in nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI-DAQmx writes these
calibration constants to the digital correction circuitry.
To achieve the maximum accuracy, you should perform external calibration at least
once per year (the recommended external calibration interval) and perform self-
calibration prior to measurement sessions or otherwise, as desired. You should
calibrate your device only after your computer and the device have been powered
on and warmed up for at least 15 minutes.

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Self-Calibration
Self-calibration is executed with the Self Calibrate VI/function. When you self-
calibrate a DSA device, you do not need signal connections. However, for devices
with analog output channels, values generated on those output channels can
change during the calibration process. If you have external equipment connected
to the AO channels and changing the AO voltage could damage the external
equipment, you should disconnect the external equipment before performing the
self-calibration.

Note: Some DSA devices do not support self-

calibration.

External Calibration
External calibration is performed using a customized calibration program and
external test equipment that has itself been calibrated to the required accuracy
or standard. This operation is usually performed by a specialized metrology
laboratory. The equipment and connections required to externally calibrate a device
varies depending on the device category. For devices that support DC coupling,
you need a stable and accurate DC voltage signal to calibrate the AI subsystem.
For devices that support AC coupling, a sinusoidal source may be required for the
calibration procedure instead of the DC source. NI 4461, 4462, 4463, 4464, 4480,
and 4481 devices also include an adjustable frequency timebase. You need a stable
sinusoidal frequency source to calibrate this timebase. The PCI-4461, PXI-4461,
PXIe-4463, and USB-4431 devices also support analog output. You need a digital
multimeter (DMM) to calibrate the AO subsystem. The DC voltage, frequency source,
and DMM can be manually or automatically controlled and switched between
channels, depending on the nature of the customized calibration program.
E Series Calibration
Your device uses hardware calibration to adjust the analog circuitry. This calibration
is done with calibration digital-to-analog converters, called calDACs, that fine-tune
the analog circuitry. The calDACs must be programmed (or loaded) with certain
numbers called calibration constants. Those constants are stored in nonvolatile
memory (EEPROM) on your device or are maintained by NI-DAQmx. NI recommends
that you self-calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your

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computer and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15
minutes. You should allow this same warm-up time before performing any
calibration of your system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and
repeatable measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you
recalibrate it often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your MIO or AI device takes
some time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust E Series Calibration
function/VI takes several seconds to
execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

Calibration Constant Loading by NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx automatically loads calibration constants into calDACs whenever you call
functions/VIs that depend on them. The following conditions apply:

■ 12-bit E Series devices

■ 12-bit devices use a single set of calibration constants for both unipolar
and bipolar modes of analog input.
■ One set of constants is valid for unipolar, and another set is valid for
bipolar configuration of the analog output channels. When you change the
polarity of an analog output channel, NI-DAQmx reloads the calibration
constants for that channel.
■ 16-bit E Series devices
■ Calibration constants required by the 16-bit E Series devices for unipolar
analog input channels are different from those for bipolar analog input
channels. If you are acquiring data from one channel, or if all of the
channels you are acquiring data from are configured for the same polarity,
NI-DAQmx selects the appropriate set of calibration constants for you. If
you are scanning several channels, and you mix channels configured for

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unipolar and bipolar mode in your scan list, NI-DAQmx loads the calibration
constants that correspond to the first channel in the scan list.
■ NI 6025E devices use a single set of calibration constants for both unipolar
and bipolar modes of analog input.
■ One set of constants is valid for unipolar, and another set is valid for
bipolar configuration of the analog output channels. When you change the
polarity of an analog output channel, NI-DAQmx reloads the calibration
constants for that channel.

FieldDAQ Calibration
FieldDAQ devices use software calibration to adjust the software scaling of signals
read from and produced by your device. Using a precise reference signal, your
device measures and calculates scaling constants for analog input. The scaling
constants are stored in nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. Frequent
calibration produces the most stable and repeatable measurement performance.
The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Adjust
FieldDAQ Calibration function/VI takes
several seconds to execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

FieldDAQ devices do not self-calibrate or automatically calibrate. You must use a

manual procedure to calibrate these devices.
FieldDAQ devices include the FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614,
FD-11634, and FD-11637.
M Series, NI 6010, NI 9205, NI 9206, and TS-15100 Calibration
Your device uses software calibration to adjust the software scaling of signals read
from and produced by your device. Using calibration pulse width modulated (PWM)
sources with a reference voltage, your device measures and calculates scaling

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constants for analog input and analog output. The scaling constants are stored in
nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI recommends that you self-
calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your computer
and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15 minutes. You
should allow this same warm-up time before performing any calibration of your
system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and repeatable
measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it
often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust M Series Calibration
function/VI takes several seconds to
execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

NI 6154 Calibration
Your device uses software calibration to adjust the software scaling of signals read
from and produced by your device. Using calibration pulse-width modulated (PWM)
sources with a reference voltage, your device measures and calculates scaling
constants for analog input and analog output. The scaling constants are stored in
nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI recommends that you self-
calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your computer
and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15 minutes. You
should allow this same warm-up time before performing any calibration of your
system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and repeatable
measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it
often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust S Series Calibration

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function/VI takes several seconds to

execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

NI 6614 Calibration
Only external calibration, not self-calibration, is supported for NI 6614 devices. You
should allow 15 minutes of warm-up time before performing any calibration of your
system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and repeatable
measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it
often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the DAQmx
Adjust TIO Timebase Calibration
function/VI takes several minutes to
execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

NI PXI-6608 Calibration
You cannot calibrate the PXI-6608 in NI-DAQmx. The device must be calibrated using
the Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy) driver. To use the NI PXI-6608 in NI-DAQmx after
calibrating it in Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy), you must do one of the following:

■Call the Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy) Device Reset function/VI.

—or—

■ Right-click the Traditional NI-DAQ (Legacy) Devices folder in MAX and

select Reset Driver for Traditional NI-DAQ.

S Series Calibration

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Your device uses hardware calibration to adjust the analog circuitry. This calibration
is done with calibration digital-to-analog converters, called calDACs, that fine-tune
the analog circuitry. The calDACs must be programmed (or loaded) with certain
numbers called calibration constants. Those constants are stored in nonvolatile
memory (EEPROM) on your device or are maintained by NI-DAQmx. NI recommends
that you self-calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your
computer and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15
minutes. You should allow this same warm-up time before performing any
calibration of your system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and
repeatable measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you
recalibrate it often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your MIO or AI device takes
some time. Do not be alarmed if the
DAQmx Self-Calibrate or Adjust S Series
Calibration function/VI takes several
seconds to execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

SC Express Calibration
The NI 4300, NI 4309, NI 4310, and NI 4340 use software calibration to adjust the
software scaling of signals read from and produced by your device. Using onboard
calibration pulse-width modulated (PWM) sources and an external reference
voltage, your device calculates scaling constants for analog input. The scaling
constants are stored in nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI
recommends that you self-calibrate your device just before a measurement session
but after your computer and the device have been powered on and warmed up for
at least 15 minutes. You should allow this same warm-up time before performing
any calibration of your system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and
repeatable measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you
recalibrate it often.

Note:

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■ Calibrating your device takes some

time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust 4300 Calibration
function/VI takes several minutes to
execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

The NI 4302/4303/4304/4305, NI 4322, NI 433x, NI 4353, and NI 4357 do not self-

calibrate or automatically calibrate. You must use a manual procedure to calibrate
NI 4302/4303/4304/4305, NI 4322, NI 433x, NI 4353, and NI 4357 devices.
SCXI-1600 Calibration
The external calibration process for the SCXI-1600 module is nearly identical to the E
Series devices. However, when applying a precision voltage to the module, you must
connect the signal to the EXTCAL BNC connector on the front of the SCXI-1600,
instead of the AI0 analog input channel. In LabVIEW, use the Adjust E-Series
Calibration VI, instead of the Adjust SC Baseboard Calibration VI.
X Series Calibration
Your device uses software calibration to adjust the software scaling of signals read
from and produced by your device. Using calibration pulse width modulated (PWM)
sources with a reference voltage, your device measures and calculates scaling
constants for analog input and analog output. The scaling constants are stored in
nonvolatile memory (EEPROM) on your device. NI recommends that you self-
calibrate your device just before a measurement session but after your computer
and the device have been powered on and warmed up for at least 15 minutes. You
should allow this same warm-up time before performing any calibration of your
system. Frequent calibration produces the most stable and repeatable
measurement performance. The device is not harmed in any way if you recalibrate it
often.

Note:
■ Calibrating your device takes some
time. Do not be alarmed if the Self-
Calibrate or Adjust X Series Calibration

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function/VI takes several seconds to

execute.
■ For best results, stop any ongoing tasks
and disconnect any unnecessary external
connections before running calibration.

Signal Connections
This section contains information about calibration signal connections for AO
Series, E Series, M Series, NI 6010, NI 6154, S Series, and X Series devices.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for AO Series Devices
When you self-calibrate your AO Series device, no signal connections are necessary.
However, values generated on the analog output channels change during the
calibration process.
When externally calibrating your AO Series device, connect the signals as described
below for the type of AO Series device you are calibrating. Set the reference voltage
between +6.000 V and +9.999 V. Typically, you use a calibrator or other stable voltage
source for the reference voltage. Do not use a power supply as its signals are not
very stable.
Follow these steps for AO Series devices:

1. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to the EXT REF
terminal.
2. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to the AO GND
terminal.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for E Series Devices
When you self-calibrate your E Series device, no signal connections are necessary.
However, values generated on the analog output channels change during the
calibration process. If you have external circuitry connected to the analog output
channels and you do not want changes on these channels, you should disconnect
the circuitry before beginning the self-calibration.
When externally calibrating your E Series device, connect the signals as described
below for the type of E Series device you are calibrating. Set the reference voltage

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between +6.000 V and +9.999 V. Typically, you use a calibrator or other stable voltage
source for the reference voltage. Do not use a power supply as its signals are not
very stable.

■ 12-Bit E Series Devices

Follow these steps for 12-bit E Series devices:

1. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to

physical channel ai8.
2. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to the AI
SENSE terminal.
3. Connect physical channel ao0 to physical channel ai0.
4. If your reference voltage source and your computer are floating with
respect to each other, connect the AI SENSE terminal to the AI GND
terminal as well as to the negative output of your reference voltage
source.
■ 16-Bit E Series Devices
Follow these steps for 16-bit E Series devices:

1. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to

physical channel ai0.
2. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to
physical channel ai8.
3. If your reference voltage source and your computer are floating with
respect to each other, connect the negative output of your reference
voltage source to the AI GND terminal as well as to physical channel ai8.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for S Series Devices
When you self-calibrate your S Series device, no signal connections are necessary.
However, values generated on the analog output channels change during the
calibration process. If you have external circuitry connected to the analog output
channels that is sensitive to these changes, you should disconnect the circuitry
before beginning self-calibration.

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When externally calibrating your S Series device, connect the signals as described
below. Set the reference voltage to the following:

■ NI PCI/PXI 6143: between 3.0 V and 4.998 V

■ NI PCI/PXI 6115: between 4.995 V and 5.005 V
■ NI PCI/PXI 6120: between 4.995 V and 5.005 V
■ All other S Series Devices: between 6.0 V and 9.998 V
Typically, you should use a calibrator or other stable voltage source for calibration.
Do not use a power supply as its signals are not very stable.
For external calibration, make the following signal connections:

1. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to ACH0+.

2. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to ACH0-.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for M Series and NI 6010 Devices
When you self-calibrate your M Series or NI 6010 device, no signal connections are
necessary. However, values generated on the analog output channels change during
the calibration process. If you have external circuitry connected to the analog
output channels and you do not want changes on these channels, you should
disconnect the circuitry before beginning the self-calibration.
When externally calibrating your M Series or NI 6010 device, connect the signals as
described below for the type of device you are calibrating. Set the reference voltage
between +6.0 V and +8.5 V for M Series devices, between +3.5 V and 4.0 V for NI 6010
devices. Typically, you use a calibrator or other stable voltage source for the
reference voltage. Do not use a power supply as its signals are not very stable.
Follow these steps:

1. Disconnect any external connections or circuitry to your device.

2. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel ai0.
3. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel ai8.

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4. If your reference voltage source and your computer are floating with respect
to each other, connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to
the AI GND terminal as well as to physical channel ai8.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for the NI 6154
When you self-calibrate your NI 6154 device, no signal connections are necessary.
However, values generated on the analog output channels change during the
calibration process.
When externally calibrating your NI 6154 device, connect the signals as described
below for the type of device you are calibrating. Set the reference voltage between
+6.0 V and +9.998 V. Typically, you use a calibrator or other stable voltage source for
the reference voltage. Do not use a power supply as its signals are not very stable.
Follow these steps:

1. Disconnect any external connections or circuitry to your device.

2. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel AI0+.
3. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel AI0-.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for NI 6614
For signal connections needed to externally calibrate your NI 6614, refer to the
calibration procedure for the NI 6614.
Device Calibration Signal Connections for X Series Devices
When you self-calibrate your X Series device, no signal connections are necessary.
However, values generated on the analog output channels change during the
calibration process. If you have external circuitry connected to the analog output
channels and you do not want changes on these channels, you should disconnect
the circuitry before beginning the self-calibration.
When externally calibrating (or adjusting) your X Series device, connect the signals
as described below for the type of device you are calibrating. Set the reference
voltage between +6.0 V and +8.5 V for X Series devices. You should use a calibrator or

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 NI-DAQmx

other stable voltage source for the reference voltage. Do not use a power supply as
its signals are not very stable.
Follow these steps:

1. Disconnect any external connections or circuitry to your device.

2. Connect the positive output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel ai0.
3. Connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to physical
channel ai8.
4. If your reference voltage source and your computer are floating with respect
to each other, connect the negative output of your reference voltage source to
the AI GND terminal as well as to physical channel ai8.

Counters
This section contains information on counter signal connections and routing
diagrams that illustrate the internal counter routing.
Averaging Support
The following devices support averaging digital frequency and period
measurements:

■ Parallel digital I/O modules connected to CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale

chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and CompactRIO
Single-Board controllers. Refer to Digital I/O Considerations for C Series
Devices.
■ NI 661x devices
■ X Series devices
cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638

© National Instruments 359

 NI-DAQmx

C Series Counter Modules

The NI 9361 counter input module supports the following measurement types:

■ Duty cycle
■ Event counting
■ Encoder position
■ Frequency
■ Period
■ Pulse width
■ Velocity
The NI 9361 has eight counters and supports adding multiple counter channels to
the same task. A single task can have different measurement types. Multiple counter
module channels can be added to the same task.

Note:
■ You cannot mix module and chassis
counters in the same task.
■ You cannot use the chassis counter
through the counter module.
■ You cannot create multiple counter
tasks with a single NI 9361.
■ You cannot have more than two NI 9361
with different timing/triggering
configuration in a single chassis.

Connecting Counter Signals

The default terminals used for counter measurements and generations vary from
device to device. Follow the links below for information specific to your device. To
override the default input terminal, set the DAQmx Channel Input Terminal
attribute/property for the measurement type. For instance, if you are counting
edges, you would use CI.CountEdges.Term. To override the default output terminal,
set the DAQmx Channel Output Terminal attribute/property to the desired value.

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Bus-Powered M Series Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements on bus-powered M Series devices. You can use a different PFI line for
any of the input terminals. To change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-
DAQmx channel attributes/properties.

16-PFI Line Devices (NI 6218)

Count Edges Edges: PFI 0 Count Direction: Edges: PFI 3 Count Direction:
PFI 9 PFI 10
Pulse Width Measurement PFI 1 PFI 2
Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 2
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 1 PFI 2
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 9 ■ Start: PFI 10
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 1 ■ Stop: PFI 2

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 3

■ B: PFI ■ B: PFI 10
■ Z: PFI 1 ■ Z: PFI 2

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 4 PFI 5

16-PFI Line Devices (NI 6212/6216)

© National Instruments 361

 NI-DAQmx

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 8 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: PFI 10 ■ Count Direction: PFI 11

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4

Period/Frequency PFI 9 PFI 4
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 10 ■ Start: PFI 11
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 9 ■ Stop: PFI 4

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 8 ■ A: PFI 3

■ B: PFI 10 ■ B: PFI 11
■ Z: PFI 9 ■ Z: PFI 4

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 12 PFI 13

8-PFI Line Devices (Such as the NI 6210/6211/6215)

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1
Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 0 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: PFI 0 ■ Count Direction: PFI 3

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 1 PFI 2

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Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 2
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 1 PFI 2
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 0 ■ Start: PFI 3
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 1 ■ Stop: PFI 2

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 3

■ B: PFI 1 ■ B: PFI 2
■ Z: PFI 2 ■ Z: PFI 1

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 4 PFI 5

C Series and TestScale Module Signal Connections for Counters

The following tables lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input terminals. To
change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel attributes/
properties.

For information about counters on CompactRIO Single-Board controllers, refer to

the Counter input and Output section in CompactRIO Single-Board Controller
Physical Channels.

© National Instruments 363

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9401, NI 9421, NI 9422, NI 9423, NI 9436, NI 9437 (8-Channel),

and TS-15050 DIO P0
Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3
Count Edges ■
Edges: PFI ■
Edges: PFI ■
Edges: PFI ■
Edges: PFI
0 4 3 7
■ Count ■ Count ■ Count ■ Count
Direction: Direction: Direction: Direction:
PFI 2 PFI 6 PFI 0 PFI 4

Pulse Width PFI 1 PFI 5 PFI 2 PFI 6

Measurement
Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 5 PFI 2 PFI 6
Measurement
(Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 4 PFI 3 PFI 7
Measurement
(High Frequency
with Two
Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 4 PFI 3 PFI 7
Measurement
(Large Range with
Two Counters)
Semiperiod PFI 1 PFI 5 PFI 2 PFI 6
Measurement
Two-Edge ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI
Separation
2 6 0 4
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI
1 5 2 6

Position ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 4 ■ A: PFI 3 ■ A: PFI 7

Measurement
■ B: PFI 2 ■ B: PFI 6 ■ B: PFI 0 ■ B: PFI 4
■ Z: PFI 1 ■ Z: PFI 5 ■ Z: PFI 2 ■ Z: PFI 6

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NI 9402 and NI 9435 (4-Channel)

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3
Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI
0 3 1 2
■ Count ■ Count ■ Count ■ Count
Direction: Direction: Direction: Direction:
PFI 2 PFI 1 PFI 0 PFI 3

Pulse Width PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 0

Measurement
Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 0
Measurement
(Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3 PFI 1 PFI 2
Measurement
(High Frequency
with Two
Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3 PFI 1 PFI 2
Measurement
(Large Range with
Two Counters)
Semiperiod PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 0
Measurement
Two-Edge ■
Start: PFI ■
Start: PFI ■
Start: PFI ■
Start: PFI
Separation
2 1 0 3
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI
1 2 3 0

Position ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 3 ■ A: PFI 1 ■ A: PFI 2

Measurement
■ B: PFI 2 ■ B: PFI 1 ■ B: PFI 0 ■ B: PFI 3
■ Z: PFI 1 ■ Z: PFI 2 ■ Z: PFI 3 ■ Z: PFI 0

NI 9411 (6-Channel)

© National Instruments 365

 NI-DAQmx

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI
0 3 2 5
■ Count ■ Count ■ Count ■ Count
Direction: Direction: Direction: Direction:
PFI 2 PFI 5 PFI 1 PFI 4

Pulse Width PFI 1 PFI 4 PFI 0 PFI 3

Measurement
Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 4 PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement
(Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3 PFI 2 PFI 5
Measurement
(High Frequency
with Two
Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3 PFI 2 PFI 5
Measurement
(Large Range with
Two Counters)
Semiperiod PFI 1 PFI 4 PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement
Two-Edge ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI
Separation
2 5 1 4
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI
1 4 0 3

Position ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 3 ■ A: PFI 2 ■ A: PFI 5

Measurement
■ B: PFI 2 ■ B: PFI 5 ■ B: PFI 1 ■ B: PFI 4
■ Z: PFI 1 ■ Z: PFI 4 ■ Z: PFI 0 ■ Z: PFI 3

The following tables list the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

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NI 9401, NI 9472, NI 9474, NI 9475, NI 9485 (8-Channel), and

TS-15050 DIO P0
Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 FreqOut
PFI 3 PFI 7 PFI 1 PFI 5 PFI 2

NI 9481, NI 9482, and NI 9402 (4-Channel)

Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 FreqOut
PFI 0 PFI 3 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 1

NI 9361 (8-Counters)
Measure Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7
ment
Count ■ E ■ E ■ E ■ E ■ E ■ ■ E ■ E
Edges
dge dge dge dge dge Edg dge dge
s: s: s: s: s: es: s: s:
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
■ C ■ ■ C ■ C ■ ■ C ■ C ■ C
ou Co ou ou Co ou ou ou
nt unt nt nt unt nt nt nt
Dir Dir Dir Dir Dir Dir Dir Dir
ecti ecti ecti ecti ecti ecti ecti ecti
on: on: on: on: on: on: on: on:
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
■ R ■ R ■ R ■ R ■ R ■ R ■ R ■ R
ese ese ese ese ese ese ese ese
t: t: t: t: t: t: t: t:
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3

Duty PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 6 PFI 7

Cycle
Measure
ment
Pulse PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 6 PFI 7
Width

© National Instruments 367

 NI-DAQmx

Measure Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7

ment
Measure
ment
Period/ PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 6 PFI 7
Frequenc
y
Measure
ment
(Dynamic
Averaging
)
Position ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A
Measure
: : : : : : : :
ment
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B
: : : : : : : :
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3
■ Z ■ Z ■ Z ■ Z ■ Z ■ Z ■ Z ■ Z
: : : : : : : :
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Velocity ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A ■ A
: : : : : : : :
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B ■ B
: : : : : : : :
PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI PFI
4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3

AO Series, E Series, and S Series Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input terminals, with

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 NI-DAQmx

the exception of the count direction terminal for edge counting. To change the PFI
input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel attributes/properties.

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 8 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: port0/ ■ Count Direction: port0/
line6 line7

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4

Period/Frequency PFI 9 PFI 4
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4
The following table lists the default output terminals for counter output. You must
use the default output terminal, with the exception that for Ctr0, you can select a
RTSI line.

Ctr0 Ctr1
CTR 0 OUT CTR 1 OUT
The count direction terminal must be tristated to use an external signal. Reset the
device to ensure the terminal is tristated
myDAQ Signal Connections for Counters
The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements on myDAQ. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input
terminals. To change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel
attributes/properties.

© National Instruments 369

 NI-DAQmx

Measurement Ctr0
Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 0
■ Count Direction: PFI 2

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 1

Period/Frequency Measurement (Low PFI 1
Frequency with One Counter)
Pulse Measurement PFI 1
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 1
Two-Edge Separation Measurement ■ Start: PFI 2
■ Stop: PFI 1

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 0

■ B: PFI 2
■ Z: PFI 1

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for the output terminal.

Ctr0
PFI 3

NI ELVIS II Family Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input terminals. To
change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel attributes/
properties.

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 8 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: PFI 10 ■ Count Direction: PFI 11

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4

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Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Period/Frequency PFI 9 PFI 4
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 10 ■ Start: PFI 11
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 9 ■ Stop: PFI 4

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 8 ■ A: PFI 3

■ B: PFI 10 ■ B: PFI 11
■ Z: PFI 9 ■ Z: PFI 4

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 12 PFI 13

TIO Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input terminals. To
change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel properties/
attributes.

Note: You cannot change the default PFI lines

for quadrature encoder-based position
measurements on NI 660x devices.

© National Instruments 371

 NI-DAQmx

Measur Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7 gpsTim gpsTim
ement estamp estamp
Ctr0 (NI Ctr1 (NI
6608 6608
Only) Only)
Count ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
N/A N/A
Edges
E E E E E E E E
d d d d d d d d
g g g g g g g g
e e e e e e e e
s: s: s: s: s: s: s: s:
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
9 5 1 7 3 9 5 1
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

C C C C C C C C
o o o o o o o o
u u u u u u u u
n n n n n n n n
t t t t t t t t
D D D D D D D D
ir ir ir ir ir ir ir ir
e e e e e e e e
ct ct ct ct ct ct ct ct
i i i i i i i i
o o o o o o o o
n n n n n n n n
: : : : : : : :
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 2 2 2 1 1 9
7 3 9 5 1 7 3

Pulse PFI 38 PFI 34 PFI 30 PFI 26 PFI 22 PFI 18 PFI 14 PFI 10 N/A N/A
Width
Measur
ement
Period/ PFI 38 PFI 34 PFI 30 PFI 26 PFI 22 PFI 18 PFI 14 PFI 10 N/A N/A
Freque
ncy

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Measur Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7 gpsTim gpsTim
ement estamp estamp
Ctr0 (NI Ctr1 (NI
6608 6608
Only) Only)
Measur
ement
(Low
Freque
ncy
with
One
Counte
r)
Period/ PFI 39 PFI 35 PFI 31 PFI 27 PFI 23 PFI 19 PFI 15 PFI 11 N/A N/A
Freque
ncy
Measur
ement
(High
Freque
ncy
with
Two
Counte
rs)
Period/ PFI 39 PFI 35 PFI 31 PFI 27 PFI 23 PFI 19 PFI 15 PFI 11 N/A N/A
Freque
ncy
Measur
ement
(Large
Range
with
Two
Counte
rs)
Semipe PFI 38 PFI 34 PFI 30 PFI 26 PFI 22 PFI 18 PFI 14 PFI 10 N/A N/A
riod
Measur
ement

© National Instruments 373

 NI-DAQmx

Measur Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7 gpsTim gpsTim
ement estamp estamp
Ctr0 (NI Ctr1 (NI
6608 6608
Only) Only)
Two- ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
N/A N/A
Edge
S S S S S S S S
Separat
t t t t t t t t
ion
a a a a a a a a
Measur
rt rt rt rt rt rt rt rt
ement
: : : : : : : :
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 2 2 2 1 1 9
7 3 9 5 1 7 3 ■

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ S
S S S S S S S t
t t t t t t t o
o o o o o o o p
p p p p p p p :
: : : : : : : P
P P P P P P P FI
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI 1
3 3 3 2 2 1 1 0
8 4 0 6 2 8 4

Positio ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
N/A N/A
n
A A A A A A A A
Measur
: : : : : : : :
ement
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
9 5 1 7 3 9 5 1
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

B B B B B B B B
: : : : : : : :
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 2 2 2 1 1 9
7 3 9 5 1 7 3

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Measur Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7 gpsTim gpsTim
ement estamp estamp
Ctr0 (NI Ctr1 (NI
6608 6608
Only) Only)
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
: : : : : : : :
P P P P P P P P
FI FI FI FI FI FI FI FI
3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
8 4 0 6 2 8 4 0

GPS N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A ■ ■

Timesta
P P
mp
FI FI
Measur
7 7
ement
■ ■

S S
y y
n n
c c
h h.
. S
S o
o u
u rc
r e:
c P
e: FI
P 7
FI
7

Note: The NI 6601 has only four counters (ctr0-

ctr3). The entries in the previous table for cntr4,
cntr5, cntr6, and cntr7 do not apply for that
device.
The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

© National Instruments 375

 NI-DAQmx

Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3 Ctr4 Ctr5 Ctr6 Ctr7

PFI 36 PFI 32 PFI 28 PFI 24 PFI 20 PFI 16 PFI 12 PFI 8
Note: The NI 6601 has only four counters (ctr0-
ctr3). The entries in the previous table for cntr4,
cntr5, cntr6, and cntr7 do not apply for that
device.

NI 6624 Issues
The eight PFI lines listed as the defaults for counter output are dedicated for output,
and they are the only terminals you can use for counter output. For example, you
can use PFI 8 (the default for Ctr7) as the output terminal for any counter, but you
cannot use it as an input terminal.
When using counter output, if the Idle State attribute/property is low, the
optocouplers on the NI 6624 will still be driving your output load. Set the Idle State
attribute/property to high to prevent driving the output after your task completes.
X Series Signal Connections for Counters
The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements on X Series devices. You can use a different PFI line for any of the
input terminals. To change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx
channel attributes/properties.

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI ■ Edges: PFI
8 3 0 5
■ Count ■ Count ■ Count ■ Count
Direction: Direction: Direction: Direction:
PFI 10 PFI 11 PFI 2 PFI 7

Pulse Width PFI 9 PFI 4 PFI 1 PFI 6

Measurement
Period/Frequency PFI 9 PFI 4 PFI 1 PFI 6
Measurement
(Low Frequency
with One Counter)

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Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3

Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3 PFI 0 PFI 5
Measurement
(High Frequency
with Two
Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3 PFI 0 PFI 5
Measurement
(Large Range with
Two Counters)
Pulse PFI 9 PFI 4 PFI 1 PFI 6
Measurement
Semiperiod PFI 9 PFI 4 PFI 1 PFI 6
Measurement
Two-Edge ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI ■ Start: PFI
Separation
10 11 2 7
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI ■ Stop: PFI
9 4 1 6

Position ■ A: PFI 8 ■ A: PFI 3 ■ A: PFI 0 ■ A: PFI 5

Measurement
■ B: PFI 10 ■ B: PFI 11 ■ B: PFI 2 ■ B: PFI 7
■ Z: PFI 9 ■ Z: PFI 4 ■ Z: PFI 1 ■ Z: PFI 6

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1 Ctr2 Ctr3

PFI 12 PFI 13 PFI 14 PFI 15

37-Pin DSUB Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements for devices that use the 37-Pin DSUB connector such as the NI 6010,
NI 6154, and NI 623x. You can use a different PFI line for any of the input terminals.
To change the PFI input for a measurement, use the NI-DAQmx channel attributes/
properties.

© National Instruments 377

 NI-DAQmx

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 0 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: PFI 2 ■ Count Direction: PFI 5

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 1 PFI 4

Period/Frequency PFI 1 PFI 4
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 0 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 1 PFI 4
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 2 ■ Start: PFI 5
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 1 ■ Stop: PFI 4

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 6 PFI 7

68-Pin M Series Signal Connections for Counters

The following table lists the default input terminals for various counter
measurements on M Series devices, including M Series USB devices, such as the NI
USB 6259 screw terminal and NI USB-6229 BNC devices. You can use a different PFI
line for any of the input terminals. To change the PFI input for a measurement, use
the NI-DAQmx channel attributes/properties.

Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Count Edges ■ Edges: PFI 8 ■ Edges: PFI 3
■ Count Direction: PFI 10 ■ Count Direction: PFI 11

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Measurement Ctr0 Ctr1

Pulse Width Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4
Period/Frequency PFI 9 PFI 4
Measurement (Low Frequency
with One Counter)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (High Frequency
with Two Counters)
Period/Frequency PFI 8 PFI 3
Measurement (Large Range
with Two Counters)
Semiperiod Measurement PFI 9 PFI 4
Two-Edge Separation ■ Start: PFI 10 ■ Start: PFI 11
Measurement
■ Stop: PFI 9 ■ Stop: PFI 4

Position Measurement ■ A: PFI 8 ■ A: PFI 3

■ B: PFI 10 ■ B: PFI 11
■ Z: PFI 9 ■ Z: PFI 4

The following table lists the output terminals for counter output. You can use a
different PFI line for any of the output terminals.

Ctr0 Ctr1
PFI 12 PFI 13
Some M Series devices, including the NI 6010, NI 6154, NI 6221 (37-pin), and NI 623x,
use the 37-pin DSUB connector. These devices have different counter terminal
defaults. Refer to the 37-Pin DSUB Signal Connections for Counters for the default
input terminals on these devices. Bus-powered M Series devices, such as the NI
USB-621x devices, also have different counter terminal defaults. Refer to the Bus-
Powered M Series Signal Connections for Counters for the default input terminals on
these devices.

Counter Internal Routing Diagrams

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This section contains routing diagrams that illustrate the internal counter routing
for AO Series, C Series with CompactDAQ chassis, E Series, M Series, S Series, TIO, X
Series, and TestScale devices.
AO Series, E Series, S Series Counter Internal Routing Diagram
The following figure shows the internal routing for DAQ devices with the STC
counter/timer such as E Series devices. The black circles represent terminals.

X Series Counter Internal Routing Diagram

The following figure shows the internal routing for DAQ devices with the STC III
counter/timer such as X Series devices. The black circles represent terminals.

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Counter Internal Routing Diagrams for C Series Devices with NI cDAQ-91xx

Chassis and TestScale Modules with TestScale Chassis
The following figure shows the internal routing for C Series devices used with a NI
cDAQ-91xx or TestScale modules connected to a TestScale chassis. The figure shows
direct routes available. Indirect routes are available as well, but use extra internal
resources. The black circles represent terminals.

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cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185,
9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
NI 661x Counter Internal Routing Diagram
The following figure shows the internal routing for NI 661x devices. The black circles
represent terminals. These devices have eight counters which are paired together.
Only counters 0 and 1 are shown in the illustration, but the remaining pairs
(counters 2 and 3, counters 4 and 5, and counters 6 and 7) are routed identically.

Counter Input Error Reporting with C Series, M Series USB, and NI

ELVIS II Devices

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With C Series, NI ELVIS II Family, and M Series USB devices (except bus-powered M
Series devices), buffered counter input error reporting occurs every 128 samples for
high-speed USB and every 16 samples for full-speed USB. When an error is detected,
the task stops. To prevent the acquisition of incorrect samples, only data within
either the 128- or 16-sample group is reported. For instance, if you attempt to
acquire 256 samples, and an error occurs after sample 250, the task returns 128
samples instead of 249. If you attempt to acquire a number of samples less than or
equal to 128 or 16 and an error occurs, the task returns no samples.
Duplicate Count Prevention
Duplicate count prevention (or synchronous counting mode) ensures that a counter
returns correct data in applications that use a slow or non-periodic external source.
Duplicate count prevention applies to any counter application such as measuring
frequency or period. In such applications, the counter should store the number of
times an external Source pulses between rising edges on the Gate signal.

Example Application That Works Correctly (No Duplicate

Counting)
The following figure shows a buffered period measurement that uses an external
signal as the Source.

On the first rising edge of the Gate, the current count of 7 is stored. On the next
rising edge of the Gate, the counter stores a 2 since two Source pulses occurred after
the previous rising edge of Gate.

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The counter synchronizes or samples the Gate signal with the Source signal. So the
counter does not detect a rising edge in the Gate until the next Source pulse. In this
example, the counter stores the values in the buffer on the first rising Source edge
after the rising edge of Gate.

Example Application That Works Incorrectly (Duplicate

Counting)
In the following figure, after the first rising edge of Gate, no Source pulses occur. So
the counter does not write the correct data to the buffer.

Example Application That Prevents Duplicate Counting

With duplicate count prevention enabled, the counter synchronizes both the Source
and Gate signals to the maximum timebase. By synchronizing to the timebase, the
counter detects edges on the Gate even if the Source does not pulse. This enables
the correct current count to be stored in the buffer even if no Source edges occur in
between Gate signals. Refer to the following example.

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Even if the Source pulses are long, the counter increments only once for each Source
pulse.
Normally, the counter value and Counter n Internal Output signals change
synchronously to the Source signal. With duplicate count prevention, the counter
value and Counter n Internal Output signals change synchronously to the maximum
timebase.

When To Use Duplicate Count Prevention

You should use duplicate count prevention if the following conditions are true.
■ You are making a counter measurement
■ You are using an external signal (such as PFI x) as the counter Source
■ The frequency of the external Source is 25% of your maximum timebase or
less
■You can have counter value and output to change synchronously with the
maximum timebase
In all other cases, you should not use duplicate count prevention.

Enabling and Disabling Duplicate Count Prevention in NI-

DAQmx
NI-DAQmx enables duplicate count prevention by default except in the following
cases:

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■ The input terminal is an onboard timebase.

■ Prescaling is enabled.
■ The timing type is on demand.
■ The CtrOutEvent.OutputTerm attribute/property is used in your application.
You can enable and disable duplicate count prevention in NI-DAQmx with the
CI.DupCountPrevention attribute/property.
Incomplete Sample Detection
When performing a buffered time measurement of a digital signal, the initial sample
is often invalid. The following devices detect such samples and discard them.

■ Bus-powered M Series USB devices

■ Parallel digital I/O modules connected to CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale
chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and CompactRIO
Single-Board controllers. Refer to Digital I/O Considerations for C Series
Devices.
■ NI 661x devices
■ X Series devices
cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Prescaling
Prescaling allows the counter to count a signal that is faster than the maximum
timebase of the counter. The TIO counters offer 8X and 2X prescaling on each
counter. You can disable prescaling. Each prescaler consists of a small, simple
counter that counts to eight (or two) and rolls over. This counter is specifically
designed for this application and can count signals that are faster than the general
purpose counters. The CtrN source signal on the general purpose counter is the
divided signal from the simple counter.

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Prescaling is for two-counter period and frequency measurements in which the

measurement is made on a continuous, repetitive signal. The prescaling counter
cannot be read; therefore, you cannot determine how many edges have occurred
since the previous roll-over. Prescaling can be also used for counting edges provided
it is acceptable to have an error of up to seven counts when using 8X prescaling or
one count when using 2X prescaling.
Pulse Measurement Support
The following devices support pulse measurements:

■ Parallel digital I/O modules connected to CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale

chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and CompactRIO
Single-Board controllers. Refer to Digital I/O Considerations for C Series
Devices.
■ NI 661x devices
■ X Series devices
cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Sample Clock Timing Support for Time-Based Measurements
The following devices support Sample Clock timing for time-based measurements
of digital signals, such as frequency, period, and two-edge separation
measurements.

■ Bus-powered M Series USB devices

■ Parallel digital I/O modules connected to CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale
chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and CompactRIO
Single-Board controllers. Refer to Digital I/O Considerations for C Series
Devices.
■ PXIe-6612 and 6614 devices.

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■ PXIe-6738 and 6739 devices.

■ X Series Devices
Note: You cannot use Sample Clock timing for
semi-period measurements on X Series devices.
cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Digital Filtering
Digital filtering rejects state transitions that do not stay at a state for a specified
amount of time. For example, for an edge counting measurement with digital
filtering, the device does not count an edge if the pulse width is not at least the
specified time. For digital input tasks, the device does not recognize that a signal
changed from one state to another unless the signal remains at that state for the
specified amount of time.
This section contains information about digital filtering for C Series, DIO, M Series,
SC Express, TIO, and X Series devices.
Digital Filtering Considerations for C Series Devices or or
TestScale Modules
For C Series devices or or TestScale Modules, you can filter digital I/O lines and
digital input signals.

Timing and Triggering Filters for Digital I/O Lines

You can configure digital filters on the device by choosing three fixed values (112.5
nS, 6.4 µS, 2.56 mS) or a custom filter value. The custom filter value must be the
same for all lines across the device. For example, if you choose a filter value of
2 µS for PFI 0, any other filterable line on the device can only choose from the
three fixed values and the 2 µs value selected for the custom filter. For each digital
line or input terminal, there are four attributes/properties associated with these

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digital filters: Digital Filter Enable, Digital Filter Minimum Pulse Width, Digital Filter
Timebase Source, and Digital Filter Timebase Rate.
When you set the Digital Filter Enable to true, you must also configure the Digital
Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/property. When you select a filter value
with the Digital Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/property, the device uses an
internal 32-bit utility counter to generate the desired filter value. If you would like to
generate the filter clock using your own external signal, you can use the Digital Filter
Timebase Source and Digital Filter Timebase Rate attributes/properties. You must
configure both to use an external signal as the source for the digital filter. The Digital
Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/property represents the minimum value that
is guaranteed to be passed into the device. The maximum pulse width guaranteed
to be blocked by the device is one filter clock tick smaller than the minimum pulse
width guaranteed to pass the filter.
The following table lists the attributes/properties for terminals that can be digitally
filtered.

Type Attribute/Property
Channel Frequency Input Terminal
Period Input Terminal
Count Edges Input Terminal
Count Edges Count Direction
Position A Input Terminal
Position B Input Terminal
Position Z Input Terminal
Pulse Input Terminal (Time, Ticks, and
Frequency)
Pulse Width Input Terminal
Two-Edge First Input Terminal
Two-Edge Second Input Terminal
Semi-Period Input Terminal
Counter Input Timebase Source (External Only)
Counter Output Timebase Source (External
Only)

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Type Attribute/Property
Timing Sample Clock Source
Triggering Arm Start Digital Edge Source
Pause Analog Level Source
Pause Analog Window Source
Pause Digital Level Source
Reference Analog Edge Source
Reference Analog Window Source
Reference Digital Edge Source
Start Analog Edge Source
Start Analog Window Source
Start Digital Edge Source

Filters for Digital Input Signals

Filters are also available on digital input lines, such as cDAQ1Mod1/port0/line0,
but the filters do not support the fixed values mentioned previously or external
timebase sources. The minimum filter pulse width for digital input lines is 50 nS
and can be set in increments of 25 nS. All digital input lines on a module must use
the same minimum filter pulse width. The maximum pulse width guaranteed to be
rejected by the filter is half the pulse width guaranteed to pass the filter.
This filtering circuitry exists on the chassis and is available for all digital lines that
exist on parallel digital modules. With a parallel digital module, input or output data
is communicated in parallel between the module and the chassis backplane rather
than being communicated serially.

Parallel Digital Input Modules for C Series Devices and TestScale Modules
■ NI 9344
■ NI 9401
■ NI 9402
■ NI 9411
■ NI 9421
■ NI 9422

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■ NI 9423
■ NI 9435
■ NI 9436
■ NI 9437
■ TS-15050 DIO P0
Note: The NI 9361 also performs digital filtering,
but its filtering is done on the module rather
than on the chassis. Refer to the NI 9361
Datasheet for more information about its
filtering capabilities.

Digital Filtering Considerations for DIO Devices

Digital filtering is enabled by default on all isolated DIO devices that support digital
filtering. The default minimum pulse width is 0.1 ms or 100 µs. Refer to the following
table for a list of devices and their digital filtering settings.

Digital Filtering Setting Devices

Digital Filtering Enabled by Default ■ PCI-6510
■ PCI-6511
■ PCI-6514
■ PCI-6515
■ PCI-6518
■ PCI-6519
■ PCI-6527
■ PCI-6528
■ PXI-6511
■ PXI-6514
■ PXI-6515
■ PXI-6527
■ PXI-6528
■ PXI-6529
■ USB-6525

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Digital Filtering Setting Devices

Digital Filtering Disabled by Default ■ PCI-6509
■ PCIe-6509
■ PXI-6509
■ PXIe-6509

Digital Filtering Not Supported ■ PCI-6503

■ PCI-6512
■ PCI-6513
■ PCI-6516
■ PCI-6517
■ PCI-DIO-96
■ PXI-6508
■ PXI-6512
■ PXI-6513
■ USB-6501

Digital Filtering Considerations for TIO-Based Devices

Note: For digital filtering with NI 661x devices,
refer to Digital Filtering Considerations for X
Series and NI 661x Devices.
There are two methods for filtering and synchronizing digital signals. One method is
to synchronize the input signal to the maximum onboard timebase on the device. To
do this, set Digital Synchronization Enable to true.
The other method is to pass the input of any PFI line through a digital debouncing
filter. Each PFI line can independently select from four fixed values (5 µs, 1 µs, 500
ns, 100 ns) and one custom filter value. The custom filter value must be the same for
each PFI line. That is, if you choose a filter value of 2 µs for a PFI line, other PFI lines
on the device at the same time can only choose from the four fixed values and the 2
µs value selected as the custom filter value. For each counter input property, there
are four attributes/properties associated with digital debounce filtering: Digital

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Filter Enable, Digital Filter Minimum Pulse Width, Digital Filter Timebase Source, and
Digital Filter Timebase Rate.
When you set the Digital Filter Enable to true, you must also configure the Digital
Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/property. This value represents the minimum
value that is guaranteed to pass into the TIO. The minimum pulse width guaranteed
to be blocked is one-half of the Digital Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/
property. When you select a custom filter value with the Minimum Pulse Width
attribute/property, NI-DAQmx uses an internal 32-bit utility counter to generate the
desired filter value. If you would like to generate the filter clock using your own
external signal, you can use the Digital Filter Timebase Source and Digital Filter
Timebase Rate attributes/properties. You must configure both to use an external
signal as the source for the digital filter.
You cannot set both Digital Filter Enable and Digital Synchronization Enable to true
at the same time. You can use only one of these digital filtering methods at a time.
The following table lists the counter input terminals that can be digitally filtered.

Type Attribute/Property
Channel Frequency Input Terminal
Period Input Terminal
Count Edges Input Terminal
Count Edges Count Direction
Position A Input Terminal
Position B Input Terminal
Position Z Input Terminal
Pulse Width Input Terminal
Two-Edge First Input Terminal
Two-Edge Second Input Terminal
Semi-Period Input Terminal
Counter Input Timebase Source
Counter Output Timebase Source
Timing Sample Clock Source
Triggering Start Trigger Source

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Type Attribute/Property
Pause Trigger Source
Arm Start Trigger Source

Digital Filtering Considerations for X Series and NI 661x Devices

For X Series and NI 661x devices, you can filter digital I/O lines and input signals.
You can configure digital filters on the device by choosing three fixed values (90 nS,
5.12 µS, 2.56 mS). For each digital line or input terminal, there are four attributes/
properties associated with these digital filters: Digital Filter Enable, Digital Filter
Minimum Pulse Width, Digital Filter Timebase Source, and Digital Filter Timebase
Rate.
When you set the Digital Filter Enable to true, you must also configure the Digital
Filter Minimum Pulse Width attribute/property. This value represents the minimum
value that is guaranteed to be passed into the device. The maximum pulse
guaranteed to be blocked by the device varies by digital line. Refer to your device
documentation for details. When you select a custom filter value with the Minimum
Pulse Width attribute/property, NI-DAQmx uses an internal 32-bit utility counter to
generate the desired filter value. If you would like to generate the filter clock using
your own external signal, you can use the Digital Filter Timebase Source and Digital
Filter Timebase Rate attributes/properties. You must configure both to use an
external signal as the source for the digital filter.
When using digital filtering on port 0, you can enable bus mode using the Enable
Bus Mode attribute/property. When enabled, the device observes changes to
multiple lines as a single change if these conditions are met:

■ The skew between them is less than the minimum pulse width of the filter.
■ The lines remain stable for an additional minimum pulse width of the filter.
When using any other signal on the device that supports filtering (excluding port 0),
you can select a custom filter value in addition to the three fixed values mentioned
previously. The custom filter value must be the same for all lines across the device.
For example, if you choose a filter value of 2 µS for PFI 0, any other filterable line on
the device can only choose from the three fixed values and the 2 µs value selected
for the custom filter.

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The following table lists the attributes/properties for terminals that can be digitally
filtered.

Type Attribute/Property
Channel Digital Input Channel
Frequency Input Terminal
Period Input Terminal
Count Edges Input Terminal
Count Edges Count Direction
Position A Input Terminal
Position B Input Terminal
Position Z Input Terminal
Pulse Input Terminal
Pulse Width Input Terminal
Two-Edge First Input Terminal
Two-Edge Second Input Terminal
Semi-Period Input Terminal
Counter Input Timebase Source
Counter Output Timebase Source
Timing Sample Clock Source
AI Convert Clock Source
Triggering Arm Start Trigger Source
Pause Analog Level Source
Pause Analog Window Source
Pause Trigger Source
Reference Analog Edge Source
Reference Analog Window Source
Reference Digital Edge Source
Start Analog Edge Source
Start Analog Window Source
Start Trigger Source

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Digital Filtering Considerations for SC Express Devices

For SC Express devices, you can filter timing/triggering input signals.
You can configure digital filters on the device by choosing three fixed values (90 ns,
5.12 µs, 2.56 ms). For each digital line or input terminal, there are four attributes/
properties associated with these digital filters: DI.DigFltr.Enable,
DI.DigFltr.MinPulseWidth, DI.DigFltr.TimebaseSrc, and DI.DigFltr.TimebaseRate.
When you set the DI.DigFltr.Enable to true, you must also configure the
DI.DigFltr.MinPulseWidth attribute/property. This value represents the minimum
value that is guaranteed to be passed into the device. When you select a custom
filter value with the DI.DigFltr.MinPulseWidth attribute/property, NI-DAQmx uses an
internal 32-bit utility counter to generate the desired filter value.
You can select a custom filter value in addition to the three fixed values mentioned
previously. The custom filter value must be the same for all lines across the device.
For example, if you choose a filter value of 2 µs for PFI 0, any other filterable line on
the device can only be set to one of the three fixed values or the 2 µs value selected
for the custom filter.
The following table lists the attributes/properties for terminals that can be digitally
filtered.

Type Attribute/Property
Timing Sample Clock Source (SampClk.Src)
Triggering Pause Digital Level Source (Pause.DigLvl.Src)
Reference Analog Edge Source
(Ref.AnlgEdge.Src)
Reference Analog Window Source
(Ref.AnlgWin.Src)
Reference Digital Edge Source (Ref.DigEdge.Src)
Start Digital Edge Source (Start.DigEdge.Src)

FieldDAQ Filtering
The FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11634, and FD-11637 can use filtering to
provide an accurate representation of in-band signals while rejecting out-of-band
signals. The filters discriminate between signals based on the frequency range, or

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bandwidth, of the signal. Use the AI.Filter.Enable DAQmx Channel property to

enable or disable a filter. You can then specify the center or cutoff frequency
(AI.Filter.Freq), the filter order (AI.Filter.Order), and choose a Brickwall, Butterworth,
or Comb filter response (AI.Filter.Response). The filter selection applies to all
channels on a bank.
Refer to your device user guide for additional information on filtering.
NI 9202, NI 9252, and NI 9253 Filtering
The NI 9202, NI 9252, and NI 9253 use a combination of analog and digital filtering to
provide an accurate representation of in-band signals while rejecting out-of-band
signals. The filters discriminate between signals based on the frequency range, or
bandwidth, of the signal. The filtering is always enabled and the filter configuration
applies to all channels on the module.
In NI-DAQmx, you can specify the center or cutoff frequency (AI.Filter.Freq), the filter
order (AI.Filter.Order), and choose a Comb filter response (AI.Filter.Response). The
NI 9252/9253 also provide a Butterworth filter.
Refer to the hardware datasheets for additional details on filtering for these devices.

Digital I/O
This section contains information specific to DIO devices.
Change Detection
This section contains information about change detection for C Series, DIO, and M
Series devices.
Change Detection Considerations for NI 6527 Devices
The ChangeDetect.Overflowed attribute/property uses the change detection
overflow circuitry on a DIO device to determine if an overflow occurred. The NI 6527
change detection overflow circuitry does not detect an overflow if a single rising
edge and a single falling edge are detected prior to reading a sample. It will detect
overflows if two rising edges or two falling edges occur prior to reading a sample.
Change-Detection Considerations for C Series and M Series Devices

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When performing a buffered change-detection task with an M Series device or an NI

CompactDAQ system, the parallel digital input circuitry is automatically reserved
and used for the task. Non-buffered tasks, including hardware-timed single point,
do not reserve or use the parallel digital input circuitry.
Digital I/O Considerations for C Series and TestScale Devices
Digital I/O module capabilities depend on the type of digital signals that the module
can measure or generate and the chassis the module is used in.
Serial digital I/O modules: NI 9375, NI 9403, NI 9425, NI 9426, NI 9476, NI 9477, NI
9478, TS-15120, and TS-15130.
Parallel digital I/O modules: NI 9344, NI 9401, NI 9402, NI 9411, NI 9421, NI 9422, NI
9423, NI 9435, NI 9436, NI 9437, NI 9472, NI 9474, NI 9475, NI 9481, NI 9482, NI 9485,
and TS-15050 DIO P0.
Onboard parallel digital I/O modules on sbRIO-9628 and 9638: DIO 0-3, DIO 4-11, DIO
12-19, and DIO 20-27.
The modules can perform the following tasks.
Serial and parallel modules:

■ Software and hardware-timed digital input/output tasks

Parallel modules:

■ Counter/timer tasks
■ Accessing PFI signal tasks (can be used in up to two slots)
Timed digital input/output restrictions:
■ You cannot use parallel and serial modules together on the same hardware
timed task, unless they are in separate cDAQ chassis using multichassis device
tasks.
■ You cannot use serial modules for triggering.
■ You cannot do both static and timed tasks at the same time on a single
serial module.

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■You can only do hardware timing in one direction at a time on a serial

module.

Sample Clock Timing for Digital I/O

You can use sample clock timing for digital I/O on the following devices.

AO Series 1
■ NI 673x

CompactDAQ
■ cDAQ-9132
■ cDAQ-9133
■ cDAQ-9134
■ cDAQ-9135
■ cDAQ-9136
■ cDAQ-9137
■ cDAQ-9138/9139
■ cDAQ-9171
■ cDAQ-9174
■ cDAQ-9178
■ cDAQ-9179
■ cDAQ-9181
■ cDAQ-9184
■ cDAQ-9185
■ cDAQ-9188
■ cDAQ-9188XT
■ cDAQ-9189
■ cDAQ-9191

CompactRIO

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■ cRIO-9040
■ cRIO-9041
■ cRIO-9042
■ cRIO-9043
■ cRIO-9045
■ cRIO-9046
■ cRIO-9047
■ cRIO-9048
■ cRIO-9049
■ cRIO-9053
■ cRIO-9054
■ cRIO-9055
■ cRIO-9056
■ cRIO-9057
■ cRIO-9058
■ sbRIO-9603
■ sbRIO-9608
■ sbRIO-9609
■ sbRIO-9628
■ sbRIO-9629
■ sbRIO-9638

M Series 1
■ NI 622x
■ NI 625x
■ NI 628x

S Series 1
■ NI 6115

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■ NI 6120
■ NI 6132
■ NI 6133

NI 653x
■ PCI-6533 (DIO-32HS)
■ PXI-6533
■ PCI-6534
■ PXI-6534
■ PCIe-6535
■ PXIe-6535
■ PCIe-6536
■ PXIe-6536
■ PCIe-6537
■ PXIe-6537

NI 661x Devices
■ NI 6612
■ NI 6614

X Series Devices
All X Series devices support sample clock timing for digital I/O.

There is no dedicated onboard sample clock for digital I/O on these devices. You
must use a different clock, typically the AI or AO Sample Clock.
Handshake Timing Devices
You can use handshake timing for digital I/O on the following devices:

■ PCI-6025E
■ PCI-6533 (DIO-32HS)
■ PCI-6534

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■ PCI-DIO-24
■ PCI-DIO-96
■ PCIe-6535
■ PCIe-6536
■ PCIe-6537
■ PXI-6025E
■ PXI-6508
■ PXI-6533
■ PXI-6534
■ PXIe-6535
■ PXIe-6536
■ PXIe-6537

Burst Handshaking Timing Defaults for NI 653x Devices

The following table lists the default terminals used for burst handshake timing.

Note: The NI 6533 and NI 6534 have two timing

engines, Timing Engine 1 and Timing Engine 0.
Each timing engine is associated with PFI lines.
The timing engine you use is determined by the
digital lines you use. If the least significant port
is Port 0, NI-DAQmx picks Timing Engine 0. If the
least significant port is Port 2, NI-DAQmx picks
Timing Engine 1.
Device Pause Trigger Default Ready for Transfer Event
Default
PCI-6533 (DIO-32HS), PXI-6533, PFI 2 (Timing Engine 0), PFI 3 PFI 6 (Timing Engine 0), PFI 7
PCI-6534, PXI-6534 (Timing Engine 1) (Timing Engine 1)
PCIe-6535, PXIe-6535, PFI 0 PFI 1
PCIe-6536, PXIe-6536,
PCIe-6537, PXIe-6537
The recommended sample clock terminal for burst handshake timing is PFI 4
(Timing Engine 0) or PFI 5 (Timing Engine 1).

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Burst Handshake Timing for Digital I/O

You can use burst handshake timing for digital I/O on the following devices:

■ PCI-6533 (DIO-32HS)
■ PCI-6534
■
PCIe-6535
■ PCIe-6536
■ PCIe-6537
■ PXI-6533
■ PXI-6534
■ PXIe-6535
■ PXIe-6536
■ PXIe-6537

Handshaking Line Configuration

NI 6533/6534 devices have two timing engines, each of which use a set of default
lines for handshaking and burst handshaking. You can specify a different timing
engine to use the handshaking lines associates with that timing engine.
Handshake Timing Defaults
The following table lists the default terminals used for handshake timing for NI 653x
devices.

Note: The NI 6533 and NI 6534 have two timing

engines, Timing Engine 1 and Timing Engine 0.
Each timing engine is associated with PFI lines.
The timing engine you use is determined by the
digital lines you use. If the least significant port
is Port 0, NI-DAQmx picks Timing Engine 0. If the
least significant port is Port 2, NI-DAQmx picks
Timing Engine 1.

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Device Handshake Trigger Source Handshake Event Output

Terminal Default Terminal Default
PCI-6533 (DIO-32HS), PXI-6533, PFI 2 (Timing Engine 0), PFI 3 PFI 6 (Timing Engine 0), PFI 7
PCI-6534, PXI-6534 (Timing Engine 1) (Timing Engine 1)
PCIe-6535, PXIe-6535, PFI 0 PFI 1
PCIe-6536, PXIe-6536,
PCIe-6537, PXIe-6537
The recommended sample clock terminal for burst handshake timing is PFI 4
(Timing Engine 0) or PFI 5 (Timing Engine 1).
Watchdog Timers
Watchdog timers are a hardware feature that you can use to detect a failure in the
software controlling the device. Software failures could include a system crash or a
loop rate that is slower than you intend. To use a watchdog timer, you must use a
watchdog timer task. When you create a watchdog timer task, you specify the
timeout value for the watchdog timer and a set of expiration states for output
physical channels on the device. The channels go to those expiration states if the
watchdog timer expires. In addition, you cannot perform any actions with the task
until you reset it.
Your application must continuously reset the watchdog timer to prevent it from
expiring. For example, if you have a digital I/O application, and you expect a loop in
the application to acquire and analyze data 10 times per second, you should set the
watchdog timer to expire in 100 ms and reset the timer inside the digital I/O loop. If
the loop does not execute once every 100 ms, the watchdog timer expires and the
device goes into the expired state. You must then clear the expiration or reset the
device.
Also, you can use the Expiration Trigger to cause the watchdog timer to expire. Set
the timeout of the watchdog timer task to -1 to disable expiration due to timeout if
you want the Expiration Trigger to be the only mechanism to cause expiration.

Note: For X Series devices, PFI lines used for

routing either by the Connect Terminals
function/VI or by a task and also guarded by a
watchdog timer will go to their assigned safe
states if the watchdog timer expires. The routes

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or tasks using the PFI lines will not necessarily

be notified of the expiration.
Note: For the NI 9260, all channels on a
watchdog task must use the same expiration
state. If the expiration state is set to Voltage, you
can specify different voltage levels for each
channel. If the expiration state is set to No
Change, the channels revert to their idle output
behavior on expiration.

Pause Triggering
This section contains information about Pause Triggering for AO Series, DSA, E
Series, M Series, S Series, SC Express, and TIO devices.
Pause Trigger Considerations for AO Series Devices
The source of your sample clock can affect when your generation resumes after the
deassertion of a Pause Trigger.

Analog Output
When you generate analog output signals, the generation pauses as soon as the
Pause Trigger is asserted. If the source of your sample clock is the onboard clock,
the generation resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted. The NI 6733 and
NI 6251 behave as if an external clock is being used, even if the source of the sample
clock is the onboard clock. For these devices, the generation resumes as soon as the
Pause Trigger is deasserted and another edge of the sample clock is received.

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the generation resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received, as shown in the following figure.

© National Instruments 407

 NI-DAQmx

Counters
Continuous pulse-train generation: The pulse-train generation pauses as soon as
the Pause Trigger is asserted, not at the end of a pulse. The pulse train resumes after
the Pause Trigger is deasserted. A Pause Trigger elongates either the high or low
pulse depending on which one was being generated at the time the Pause Trigger
was asserted.

Nonbuffered edge counting: The counter stops counting edges as soon as the
Pause Trigger is asserted and resumes counting edges after the Pause Trigger is
deasserted.

Pause Trigger Considerations for C Series Devices

The source of your sample clock often can affect when your acquisition or
generation pauses and resumes with the assertion and deassertion of a Pause
Trigger.

Counter Input for the NI 9361

When you acquire counter input signals, the acquisition pauses as soon as Pause
Trigger is asserted. If the source of your sample clock is the onboard clock, the
acquisition resumes after the Pause Trigger is deasserted, and the leftover period
(A) elapses. The leftover period is the unknown time in the sample clock period in
which the pause trigger occurred. In the following image, T represents the signal

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period and A represents the unknown time between the clock pulse and the pause
trigger.

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received as shown in the following figure.

To pause an edge counting task, use the CountEdges.Gate attributes/properties.

Pause Trigger Considerations for DSA Devices

DSA devices do not support Pause Triggering.
Pause Trigger Considerations for E Series and M Series Devices
The source of your sample clock often can affect when your acquisition or
generation pauses and resumes with the assertion and deassertion of a Pause
Trigger.

Analog Input
When you measure analog input signals and the Pause Trigger is asserted, the
current sample across all channels finishes before pausing. For instance, if you are
sampling four channels and the second channel is being sampled at the time the
Pause Trigger is asserted, the second, third, and fourth channels complete their
sample before the acquisition pauses. If you are using the onboard clock as the
source of your sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is
deasserted.

© National Instruments 409

 NI-DAQmx

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received as shown in the following figure.

Analog Output
When you generate analog output signals, the generation pauses as soon as the
Pause Trigger is asserted. If the source of your sample clock is the onboard clock,
the generation resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the generation resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received as shown in the following figure.

Counters
Continuous pulse-train generation: The pulse-train generation pauses as soon as
the Pause Trigger is asserted, not at the end of a pulse. The pulse train resumes after
the Pause Trigger is deasserted. A Pause Trigger elongates either the high or low

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pulse depending on which one was being generated at the time the Pause Trigger
was asserted.

Nonbuffered edge counting: The counter stops counting edges as soon as the
Pause Trigger is asserted and resumes counting edges after the Pause Trigger is
deasserted.

Pause Trigger Considerations for S Series Devices

The source of your sample clock often can affect when your acquisition or
generation pauses and resumes with the assertion and deassertion of a Pause
Trigger.

Analog Input and Analog Output

When you generate analog output signals or acquire analog input signals, the
generation/acquisition pauses as soon as the Pause Trigger is asserted. If the source
of your sample clock is the onboard clock, the generation/acquisition resumes as
soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the generation/acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger
is deasserted and another edge of the sample clock is received as shown in the
following figure.

© National Instruments 411

 NI-DAQmx

Pause triggers also require special consideration when used on a device with a
pipelined ADC. See Timing Considerations for S Series for how pipelined ADCs and
Pause Triggers can affect your measurement.

Counters
Continuous pulse-train generation: The pulse-train generation pauses as soon as
the Pause Trigger is asserted, not at the end of a pulse. The pulse train resumes after
the Pause Trigger is deasserted. A Pause Trigger elongates either the high or low
pulse depending on which one was being generated at the time the Pause Trigger
was asserted.

Nonbuffered edge counting: The counter stops counting edges as soon as the
Pause Trigger is asserted and resumes counting edges after the Pause Trigger is
deasserted.

Note: The NI 6154 does not support pause

triggering.

Pause Trigger Considerations for TIO Devices

Counters

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Nonbuffered Edge Counting

The counter stops counting edges as soon as the Pause Trigger is asserted and
resumes counting edges after the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

Continuous Pulse-Train Generation

The pulse-train generation pauses as soon as the Pause Trigger is asserted, not at
the end of a pulse. The pulse train resumes after the Pause Trigger is deasserted. A
Pause Trigger elongates either the high or low pulse depending on which one was
being generated at the time the Pause Trigger was asserted.

Pause Trigger Considerations for SC Express Devices

Note: NI 433x devices and the NI 4340 do not
support pause triggering.
The source of your sample clock often can affect when your acquisition pauses and
resumes with the assertion and deassertion of a Pause Trigger.

Analog Input and Analog Output for Simultaneous Sampling SC

Express Devices
When you generate analog output signals or acquire analog input signals on a
simultaneous sampling SC Express device, such as the NI 4322 or NI 4300, the
generation/acquisition pauses as soon as the Pause Trigger is asserted. If the source
of your sample clock is the onboard clock, the generation/acquisition resumes as
soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

© National Instruments 413

 NI-DAQmx

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the generation/acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger
is deasserted and another edge of the sample clock is received, as shown in the
following figure.

Analog Input for the NI 4353

The NI 4353 has three ADCs. There is ADC0, which is for the even analog input
channels (for instance, ai4, ai6, and ai10), ADC1, which is for the odd analog input
channels (for instance, ai1, ai3, and ai5), and ADC2, which is for the cold-junction
compensation channels.
If the Pause Trigger is asserted, and you sample from multiple cold-junction
compensation channels, multiple odd-numbered analog input channels, or multiple
even-numbered analog output channels, the current sample across all channels
finishes before pausing. For instance, if you are sampling eight channels, ai0:7,
and ai4 is being sampled when the Pause Trigger is asserted, the remaining four
channels complete their sample before the acquisition pauses. If you are using the
onboard clock as the source of your sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon
as the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

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If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received, as shown in the following figure.

Analog Input for the NI 4357

The NI 4357 has five ADCs. The ADCs are staggered in the following ways:
■ ADC0 maps to the analog input channels ai0, ai5, ai10, ai15
■ ADC1 maps to the analog input channels ai1, ai6, ai11, ai16
■ ADC2 maps to the analog input channels ai2, ai7, ai12, ai17
■ ADC3 maps to the analog input channels ai3, ai8, ai13, ai18
■ ADC4 maps to the analog input channels ai4, ai9, ai14, ai19
If the Pause Trigger is asserted, and you sample from multiple channels on the same
ADC, the current sample across all channels finishes before pausing. For instance,
if you are sampling eight channels, ai0:7, and ai4 is being sampled when the Pause
Trigger is asserted, the remaining four channels complete their sample before the
acquisition pauses. If you are using the onboard clock as the source of your sample
clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted.

If you are using any signal other than the onboard clock as the source of your
sample clock, the acquisition resumes as soon as the Pause Trigger is deasserted
and another edge of the sample clock is received, as shown in the following figure.

© National Instruments 415

 NI-DAQmx

Physical Channels
This section contains information about physical channels for AO Series, bus-
powered M Series, C Series, E Series, M Series, NI 6010, NI 6154, NI 6221 (37-pin), NI
623x, NI 6533/6534, NI 6535/6536/6537, NI ELVIS II Family, S Series, SC Express, SCXI,
SCC, TIO, USB DAQ, and X Series devices.
AO Series Physical Channels
Dev1 in physical channel names is the default device name for AO Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Output
An AO Series device has between four and 64 analog output physical channels
named Dev1/ao0 to Dev1/ao63 .
For more detailed information on the device physical AO characteristics, refer to
your device user manual and specifications.

Digital Input and Output

All AO Series devices have eight lines of digital input and output named Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line7 . These lines belong to a single port,
and the physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all eight lines at once.

Counter Input and Output

All AO Series devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device. There are three primary terminals associated with each counter.

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These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 CTR 0 OUT
Dev/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 CTR 1 OUT

C Series and TestScale Module Physical Channels

In physical channel names:

■ cDAQ1Mod1 is the default device name for a C Series device plugged into a
USB or Standalone CompactDAQ chassis, where cDAQ1 is the default chassis
device name, and Mod1 refers to the slot number
■ TS1Mod1 is the default device name for a TestScale module plugged into a
Standalone TestScale chassis, where TS1 is the default chassis device name,
and Mod1 refers to the slot number
For C Series devices plugged into a network CompactDAQ chassis, such as the NI
cDAQ-9188, the default chassis device name is the host name of the chassis. You can
change these names in MAX. For C Series devices plugged into a supported
CompactRIO or CompactRIO Single-Board controller, Mod1 is the default device
name.

Analog Input
The following table lists the number and naming of analog input physical channels
for C Series devices and TestScale modules.

Device Number of Channels Naming

NI 9218, NI 9250, NI 9251 2 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ai1
NI 9225, NI 9230, NI 9232, NI 3 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
9246, NI 9247 cDAQ1Mod1/ai2
NI 9210, NI 9211, NI 9215, NI 4 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
9217, NI 9219, NI 9222, NI 9223, cDAQ1Mod1/ai3

© National Instruments 417

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Device Number of Channels Naming

NI 9227, NI 9229, NI 9234, NI
9237, NI 9238, NI 9239, NI 9775
NI 9242, NI 9244 4 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ai2 ,
cDAQ1Mod1/neutral
NI 9201, NI 9203, NI 9212, NI 8 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
9216, NI 9221, NI 9226, NI 9224, cDAQ1Mod1/ai7
NI 9228, NI 9231, NI 9235, NI
9236, NI 9252, NI 9253
NI 9202, NI 9207, NI 9208, NI 16 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
9209, NI 9213, NI 9214 , NI 9220 cDAQ1Mod1/ai15
NI 9205, NI 9206 32 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ai31
TS-15100 32 TS1Mod1/ai0 to TS1Mod1/
ai31

On the NI 9205 and NI 9206, you can configure channels 0-7 and 16-23 as the
positive channel of a differential pair. If N is this channel, channel N + 8 is the
negative input of the pair. For instance, if you configure channel 1 in differential
mode, the positive input is channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative input. Use
only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when creating a
differential channel.
You can use channels from multiple analog input C Series devices in the same
NI-DAQmx task.

■ Up to three analog input tasks can run at a given time per chassis in a
cDAQ-91xx or TestScale chassis.
■ Up to eight analog input tasks can run a given time in a CompactRIO
controller or a CompactRIO Single-Board controller.
■ Up to two analog input tasks with a C Series Delta-Sigma device can run at a
given time per chassis in a cDAQ-91xx or TestScale chassis.
■ Up to eight analog input tasks with a C Series Delta-Sigma device can run
at a given time in a CompactRIO controller or a CompactRIO Single-Board
controller.

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Strain and Wheatstone Bridge Measurements

The NI 9235, NI 9236, and NI 9237 support only the AI Strain Gage, AI Force Bridge,
AI Pressure Bridge, AI Torque Bridge, AI Bridge (V/V), and AI Custom Voltage With
Excitation channel types.
When using the NI 9218, NI 9219, NI 9235, NI 9236, or NI 9237 with an AI Custom
Voltage With Excitation channel, you must set the AI.Excit.UseForScaling attribute/
property to true. This attribute/property causes the channel to return ratiometric
data: Vin/Vex. The NI 9219, NI 9235, NI 9236, and NI 9237 modules perform this
division in hardware.
For the NI 9219, NI-DAQmx requires the AI.Excit.Val attribute/property to be set to
2.5 V for AI Strain Gage and AI Custom Voltage With Excitation channel types and
to 500 µA for resistance and RTD measurements. The actual excitation voltage or
current output by the NI 9219 varies with the sensor resistance or the load being
measured.
For the NI 9218, NI-DAQmx requires the AI.Excit.Val attribute/property to be set to
3.3 V or 2 V for AI Strain Gage and AI Custom Voltage With Excitation (bridge mode),
to 12 V for AI Custom Voltage With Excitation (no bridge mode) for powered sensors,
and to 2 mA for IEPE.
NI 9218, NI 9219, NI 9235, NI 9236, and NI 9237 devices return a voltage ratio rather
than a voltage. Therefore, use the AI.Bridge.InitialRatio attribute/property to specify
the initial voltage ratio, or set the AI.Bridge.InitialVoltage attribute/property to the
ratio Vin/Vex returned by the device, multiplied by Vex.
The NI 9219 does not have quarter bridge completion circuitry, which affects AI
Strain Gage Quarter Bridge I channels and AI Custom Voltage With Excitation Quarter
Bridge channels (but not AI Strain Gage Quarter Bridge II channels). With these
channels, the NI 9219 performs a 2-wire resistance measurement on the active
gage element, then NI-DAQmx uses software scaling to convert the resistance
measurement into a bridge ratio. For these channels, the polynomial coefficients
specified by the AI.DevScalingCoeff attribute/property convert unscaled data into
Ohms, not into V/V. Likewise, the AI.Rng.High/AI.Rng.Low attributes/properties
should be specified in units of Ohms, not V/V.

© National Instruments 419

 NI-DAQmx

When the NI 9219 is in quarter bridge mode, you need to use the
AI.Bridge.NomResistance attribute/property to control whether the channel uses
the 120 Ω range or the 350 Ω range.
The NI 9218 has an internal full bridge. However, it can support quarter-bridge and
half-bridge measurements with the proper accessories.

NI 9218 Powered Sensor Measurements

The NI 9218 supports powered sensor measurements. For voltage powered sensor
measurements, you can use either the DAQmx Create Channel function/VI (the AI
Custom Voltage with Excitation measurement type) with the Bridge Configuration
set to No Bridge, or you can use the DAQmx Create Channel function/VI (voltage
measurement type) with the AI.Excit.Val attribute/property. For current powered
sensor measurements, you have to use the DAQmx Create Channel function/VI
(current measurement type) with the AI.Excit.Val attribute/property.

Analog Output
The following table lists the number and naming of analog output physical channels
for C Series devices.

Device Number of Channels Naming

NI 9260 2 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao1
NI 9263, NI 9265 4 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao3
TS-15110 4 TS1Mod1/ao0 to
TS1Mod1/ao3
NI 9262 6 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao5
NI 9266 8 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao7
NI 9264 16 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao15

You can use channels from multiple analog output C Series devices in the same
analog output task. With certain cDAQ-91xx or TestScale chassis, if the task is

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hardware-timed and uses only onboard memory, there is a limit of 16 channels

per task, but if the task is software-timed or does not use only onboard memory,
the number of channels is limited only by the number of devices. Only one
hardware-timed analog output task per CompactDAQ chassis can run at a given
time. With a CompactRIO controller or CompactRIO single-board controller, up to
eight hardware-timed analog output tasks can run at a given time.
When using the NI 9262, NI 9263, NI 9264, NI 9265, NI 9266, or TS-15110 you can run
only one type of timing at a time. You can have one software-timed task per channel
or one hardware-timed task running on a device at one time, but you cannot
have a combination of timing on that device. For instance, you can run up to four
software-timed tasks on the NI 9265 concurrently, but running one hardware-timed
task with one software-timed task generates an error.
When using the NI 9260, if you start a task that uses a different channel than the one
you are currently using, the channel no longer in use reverts to the calibrated 0 V
value.

Digital Input and Output

The following table lists the number, type, and naming of digital input/output lines
for C Series devices.

Device Lines Type Naming

NI 9344 4 digital input cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line3
4 digital output cDAQ1Mod1/port1/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port1/line3
NI 9402, NI 9435, NI 4 digital input and/or cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
9481, 9482 output line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line3
NI 9411 6 digital input cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
line0

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Device Lines Type Naming

to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line5
NI 9401, NI 9421, NI 8 digital input and/or cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
9422, NI 9423, NI 9472, output line0
NI 9474, NI 9475, NI to cDAQ1Mod1/
9485 port0/line7
TS-15050 DIO P0 8 digital input and/or TS1Mod1/port0/
output line0 to TS1Mod1/
port0/line7
NI 9436, NI 9437 8 digital input cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line7
NI 9375 16 digital input cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line15
16 digital output cDAQ1Mod1/port1/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port1/line15
NI 9478 16 digital output cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line15
NI 9403, NI 9425, NI 32 digital input and/or cDAQ1Mod1/port0/
9426, NI 9476, NI 9477 output line0
to cDAQ1Mod1/
port0/line31
TS-15120, TS-15130 32 digital input and/or TS1Mod1/port0/
output line0 to TS1Mod1/
port0/line31

Note: Digital I/O module capabilities depend

on the type of digital signals that the module
can measure or generate and the chassis
the module is used in. Refer to Digital

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I/O Considerations for C Series for more

information.

Chassis Counter Input and Output

The CompactDAQ chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers, and
CompactRIO single-board controllers have four counters. You can use counters/
timers with a C Series device in any slot. CompactRIO single-board controllers
feature onboard I/O connectors in addition to C Series device access through the
RMC connector. See CompactRIO Single-Board Controller Physical Channels for
more information and counter terminal default configuration of CompactRIO single-
board controller onboard I/O connectors.
These chassis also have a 4-bit frequency output generator, referred to as
cDAQ1Modx/freqout, where x is the slot in which the module is located.
Each counter has four primary terminals associated with it. These are the terminals
used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx has default values
for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether your signal
provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the default,
you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.
Counter/timers are only supported on parallel digital I/O modules. Refer to Digital
I/O Considerations for C Series for more information.
The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for 8-channel DIO/DI/DO C
Series devices.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 ctr0 src/ctr2 aux
PFI 1 ctr0 gate/ctr2 out
PFI 2 ctr0 aux/ctr2 gate/freqout
PFI 3 ctr0 out/ctr2 src
PFI 4 ctr1 src/ctr3 aux
PFI 5 ctr1 gate/ctr3 out
PFI 6 ctr1 aux/ctr3 gate
PFI 7 ctr1 out/ctr3 src

© National Instruments 423

 NI-DAQmx

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for 6-channel DIO/DI/DO C
Series devices.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 ctr0 src/ctr2 gate
PFI 1 ctr0 gate/ctr2 aux/ctr2 out/freqout
PFI 2 ctr0 aux/ctr0 out/ctr2 src
PFI 3 ctr1 src/ctr3 gate
PFI 4 ctr1 gate/ctr3 aux/ctr3 out
PFI 5 ctr1 aux/ctr1 out/ctr3 src

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for 4-channel DIO/DI/DO C
Series devices.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 ctr0 src/ctr0 out/ctr2 aux/ctr3
gate
PFI 1 ctr0 gate/ctr1 aux/ctr2 src/ctr2
out/freqout
PFI 2 ctr0 aux/ctr1 gate/ctr3 src/ctr3
out
PFI 3 ctr1 src/ctr1 out/ctr2 gate/ctr3
aux

Module Counter Input and Output

The following table lists the number, type, and naming of counter input lines for C
Series counter modules.

Device Counter Type Names

NI 9361 8 Counter input cDAQ1Mod1/ctr0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ctr7

There are 8 PFI lines, from PFI0 to PFI7. Each counter can use any of the input PFI
lines to perform measurements. Two counters can use the same PFI line as inputs
for their measurements, as long as the input configurations are the same for both
counters.

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The following table shows the terminal defaults for edge counting measurements
for C Series counter modules.

Counter Input terminal Reset Direction

ctr0 PFI0 PFI4 PFI7
ctr1 PFI1 PFI5 PFI6
ctr2 PFI2 PFI6 PFI5
ctr3 PFI3 PFI7 PFI4
ctr4 PFI4 PFI0 PFI3
ctr5 PFI5 PFI1 PFI2
ctr6 PFI6 PFI2 PFI1
ctr7 PFI7 PFI3 PFI0
The following table shows the terminal defaults for position measurements for C
Series counter modules.

Counter A B Z
ctr0 PFI0 PFI4 PFI7
ctr1 PFI1 PFI5 PFI6
ctr2 PFI2 PFI6 PFI5
ctr3 PFI3 PFI7 PFI4
ctr4 PFI4 PFI0 PFI3
ctr5 PFI5 PFI1 PFI2
ctr6 PFI6 PFI2 PFI1
ctr7 PFI7 PFI3 PFI0
The following table shows the terminal defaults for velocity measurements for C
Series counter modules that support velocity measurements.

Counter A B
ctr0 PFI0 PFI4
ctr1 PFI1 PFI5
ctr2 PFI2 PFI6
ctr3 PFI3 PFI7
ctr4 PFI4 PFI0

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Counter A B
ctr5 PFI5 PFI1
ctr6 PFI6 PFI2
ctr7 PFI7 PFI3
The following table shows the terminal defaults for frequency, period, duty cycle,
and pulse width measurements for C Series counter modules.

Counter Input Terminal

ctr0 PFI0
ctr1 PFI1
ctr2 PFI2
ctr3 PFI3
ctr4 PFI4
ctr5 PFI5
ctr6 PFI6
ctr7 PFI7
Connections for PFI lines should be based on the terminal configuration property.
PFI + and PFI- should be connected in differential mode, and PFI + and COM should
be connected for RSE. The default terminal configuration for all counter input
terminals is RSE.
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058.
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185, 9188,
9188XT, and 9189
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185, 9188,
9188XT, and 9189
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185, 9188,
9188XT, and 9189
TS-15000 and TS-15010
CompactRIO Single-Board Controller Physical Channels

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The sbRIO-9603, 9608, and 9609 controllers do not have onboard physical channels.
The sbRIO-9628, 9629, and 9638 controllers have the following onboard IO
characteristics.

Analog Input
Device Number of Channels Naming
sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629, 16 Conn0_AI/ai0 to
sbRIO-9638 Conn0_AI/ai15

Analog Output
Device Number of Channels Naming
sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629, 4 Conn0_AO/ao0 to
sbRIO-9638 Conn0_AO/ao3

Digital Input and Output

Device Lines Type Naming
sbRIO-9628, 4 digital input and/or Conn0_DIO0-3/
sbRIO-9629 output port0/line0 to
Conn0_DIO0-3/
port0/line3
sbRIO-9638 4 digital input and/or Conn0_DIO0-3/
output port0/line0 to
Conn0_DIO0-3/
port0/line3
8 digital input and/or Conn1_DIO4-11/
output port0/line4 to
Conn1_DIO4-11/
port0/line11
Conn1_DIO12-19/
port0/line12 to
Conn1_DIO12-19/
port0/line19

Conn1_DIO20-27/
port0/line20 to

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Device Lines Type Naming

Conn1_DIO20-27/
port0/line27

Chassis Counter Input and Output

The sbRIO-9628, 9629, and 9638 have four counters. You can use counters/timers
with a C Series device using the RMC connector or with onboard I/O on models
where these I/O connectors are available. The following information applies to
CompactRIO Single-Board controller onboard I/O. See C Series Physical Channels
for more information and counter terminal default configuration of C Series device
I/O using the RMC connector.

These chassis also have a 4-bit frequency output generator, referred to as

devicename/freqout , where devicename is the onboard IO module name. For
example, Conn1_DIO4-11/freqout .

Each counter has four primary terminals associated with it. These are the terminals
used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx has default values
for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether your signal
provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the default, you
do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter/timers are supported on the DIO 0-3, DIO 4-11, DIO 12-19 and DIO 20-27
onboard DIO devices and on parallel digital I/O modules. Refer to Digital I/O
Considerations for C Series and the counter section in C Series Physical Channels for
more information about C Series device specific behavior.

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for the DIO 0-3 onboard
device.

Table 1. DIO 0-3 onboard device

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name
PFI 0 ctr0 src/ctr0 out/ctr2 aux/ctr3
gate

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 1 ctr0 gate/ctr1 aux/ctr2 src/ctr2
out/freqout
PFI 2 ctr0 aux/ctr1 gate/ctr3 src/ctr3
out
PFI 3 ctr1 src/ctr1 out/ctr2 gate/ctr3
aux

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for the DIO 4-11 onboard
device.

Table 2. DIO 4-11 onboard device

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name
PFI 4 ctr0 src/ctr2 aux
PFI 5 ctr0 gate/ctr2 out
PFI 6 ctr0 aux/ctr2 gate/freqout
PFI 7 ctr0 out/ctr2 src
PFI 8 ctr1 src/ctr3 aux
PFI 9 ctr1 gate/ctr3 out
PFI 10 ctr1 aux/ctr3 gate
PFI 11 ctr1 out/ctr3 src

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for the DIO 12-19 onboard
device.

Table 3. DIO 12-19 onboard device.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name
PFI 12 ctr0 src/ctr2 aux
PFI 13 ctr0 gate/ctr2 out
PFI 14 ctr0 aux/ctr2 gate/freqout
PFI 15 ctr0 out/ctr2 src
PFI 16 ctr1 src/ctr3 aux
PFI 17 ctr1 gate/ctr3 out
PFI 18 ctr1 aux/ctr3 gate

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 19 ctr1 out/ctr3 src

The following table shows the counter terminal defaults for the DIO 20-27 onboard
device

Table 4. DIO 20-27 onboard device

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name
PFI 20 ctr0 src/ctr2 aux
PFI 21 ctr0 gate/ctr2 out
PFI 22 ctr0 aux/ctr2 gate/freqout
PFI 23 ctr0 out/ctr2 src
PFI 24 ctr1 src/ctr3 aux
PFI 25 ctr1 gate/ctr3 out
PFI 26 ctr1 aux/ctr3 gate
PFI 27 ctr1 out/ctr3 src

E Series Physical Channels

Dev1 in physical channel names is the default device name for E Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
A 16-channel E Series device has physical channels ranging from Dev1/ai0 to
Dev1/ai15 . You can configure only channels 0 through 7 in differential mode.
When you configure a channel in differential mode, the channel is the positive input
and channel plus eight is the negative input. For instance, if you configure channel
1 in differential mode, the positive input is channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative
input.
A 64-channel E Series device has physical channels ranging from Dev1/ai0 to
Dev1/ai63 . You can configure channels in banks of every other eight beginning
with 0 through 7 as the positive channel of a differential pair (0-7, 16-23, 32-39, and
48-55). If N is this channel, channel N + 8 is the negative input of the pair.

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Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel when creating a
differential channel (not both).

Analog Output
An E Series device that supports analog output has two analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .

Digital Input and Output

All E Series devices except the NI 6025E have eight lines of digital input and output
named Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line7 . These lines belong to
a single port, and the physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all eight lines at once.
The NI 6025E has 32 lines of digital input and output with eight lines belonging to
one of four ports. The names are of the form Dev1/port P /line0 through Dev1/
port P /line7 , where P ranges from 0 through 3. There are also four physical
channel names that refer to all eight lines in a port at once of the form Dev1/
port P, where P ranges from 0 through 3. There are two more physical channel
names that refer to all the lines in multiple consecutive ports. They are both of
the form Dev1/port P_N, where P is the port number of the lowest numbered
port, and N is the total number of lines. All 32 lines at once can be configured as a
single virtual channel with the physical channel name Dev1/port0_32 . You can
configure the two ports that can be handshaked as a single virtual channel by using
the physical channel name Dev1/port1_16 .

Counter Input and Output

All E Series devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device. There are three primary terminals associated with each counter.
These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

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Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 CTR 0 OUT
Dev/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 CTR 1 OUT

FieldDAQ Physical Channels

In physical channel names, <product name>-<serial#> is the default device name.
For example, an FD-11613 with serial number 1C6A39C shows up in MAX as
FD11613-1C6A39C . MAX also appends the bank number. For example,
FD11613-1C6A39C-Bank1 . You can change these names in MAX.
FieldDAQ devices include the FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614,
FD-11634, and FD-11637.

Analog Input
The following table lists the number and naming of analog input physical channels
for FieldDAQ devices.

Device Number of Channels Naming

FD-11601 8 FD-11601-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11601-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai3
FD-11601-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11601-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai3

FD-11603 8 FD-11603-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11603-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai3
FD-11603-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11603-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai3

FD-11605 8 FD-11605-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11605-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai3

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Device Number of Channels Naming

FD-11605-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11605-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai3

FD-11613 8 FD-11613-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11613-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai7
FD-11614 16 FD-11614-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11614-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai7
FD-11614-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11614-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai7

FD-11634 8 FD-11634-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11634-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai3
FD-11634-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11634-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai3

FD-11637 8 FD-11637-xxxxxxx-
Bank1/ai0 to FD-11637-
xxxxxxx-Bank1/ai3
FD-11637-xxxxxxx-
Bank2/ai0 to FD-11637-
xxxxxxx-Bank2/ai3

Strain and Wheatstone Bridge Measurements FD-11637

The FD-11637 supports only the AI Strain Gage, AI Rosette Strain Gage, AI Force
Bridge, AI Pressure Bridge, AI Torque Bridge, AI Bridge (V/V), and AI Custom Voltage
With Excitation channel types.

When using the FD-11637 with an AI Custom Voltage With Excitation channel, you
must set the AI.Excit.UseForScaling attribute/property to true. This attribute/
property causes the channel to return ratiometric data: Vin/Vex.

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The FD-11637 returns a voltage ratio rather than a voltage. Therefore, use the
AI.Bridge.InitialRatio attribute/property to specify the initial voltage ratio, or set the
AI.Bridge.InitialVoltage attribute/property to the ratio Vin/Vex returned by the
device, multiplied by Vex.

When the FD-11637 is in quarter bridge mode, you need to use the
AI.Bridge.NomResistance attribute/property to control whether the channel uses
the 120 Ω range or the 350 Ω range.

The FD-11637 has internal half-bridge completion, and quarter-bridge completion

for 120 Ω and 350 Ω strain gauges.

M Series
The section contains information about M Series Physical Channels, Bus-Powered M
Series Physical Channels, NI 6221 (37-Pin) Device Physical Channels, and NI 623x
Physical Channels.
M Series Physical Channels
In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for M Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
Depending on your M Series device, you can have from 16 to 80 analog input
channels. A 16-channel M Series device has physical channels ranging from
Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai15 , a 32-channel device from Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai31 ,
and so on. You can configure the first eight channels as the positive channel of a
differential pair. If N is this channel, channel N + 8 is the negative input of the pair.
For instance, if you configure channel 1 in differential mode, the positive input is
channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative input. For devices with more than 16 AI
channels, 16-23, 32-39, 48-55, and 64-71 are also positive channels of a differential
pair.
Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when
creating a differential channel.

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Analog Output
An M Series device that supports two analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .
An M Series device that supports four analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 , Dev1/ao1 , Dev1/ao2 , and Dev1/ao3 .

Digital Input and Output

All M Series devices have eight, 16, or 32 lines of digital input and
output named Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line7 , Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line15 , or Dev1/port0/line0 through
Dev1/port0/line31 . These lines belong to a single port, and the physical
channel Dev1/port0 refers to all eight or 32 lines at once. Port 0 can perform
both hardware-timed and static digital operations.
M Series devices have two more ports, port 1 and port 2. Port 1 has eight digital I/O
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . Port 2 has eight digital
I/O lines, Dev1/port2/line0 through Dev1/port2/line7 . Port 1 and port 2
can be used as static digital I/O lines or PFI lines, PFI 0..15. When any of PFI lines
0..15 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the
following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port1/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line7
PFI 8 Dev1/port2/line0
PFI 9 Dev1/port2/line1
PFI 10 Dev1/port2/line2

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 11 Dev1/port2/line3
PFI 12 Dev1/port2/line4
PFI 13 Dev1/port2/line5
PFI 14 Dev1/port2/line6
PFI 15 Dev1/port2/line7

Physical channel Dev1/port2 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port2/line0:7 , at

once.

Counter Input and Output

All M Series devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter.
These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-
DAQmx has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know
whether your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your
signal to the default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default
Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 PFI 10 PFI 12
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 11 PFI 13

Bus-Powered M Series Physical Channels

In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for M Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
Depending on your M Series device, you can have from 16 to 32 analog input
channels. A 16-channel M Series device has physical channels ranging from
Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai15 , a 32-channel device from Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai31 ,
and so on. You can configure the first eight channels as the positive channel of a
differential pair. If N is this channel, channel N + 8 is the negative input of the pair.

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For instance, if you configure channel 1 in differential mode, the positive input is
channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative input. For devices with more than 16 AI
channels, 16-23, 32-39, 48-55, and 64-71 are also positive channels of a differential
pair.
Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when
creating a differential channel.

Analog Output
An M Series device that supports two analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .
An M Series device that supports four analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 , Dev1/ao1 , Dev1/ao2 , and Dev1/ao3 .

Digital Input and Output

Most bus-powered M Series devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. For devices
with eight PFI lines, Port 0 has four digital input lines, Dev1/port0/line0
through Dev1/port0/line3 , and port 1 has four digital output lines, Dev1/
port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line3 . For devices with 16 PFI lines such
as the NI 6218, Port 0 has eight digital input lines, Dev1/port0/line0 through
Dev1/port0/line7 , and port 1 has eight digital output lines, Dev1/port1/
line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . You can use port 0 as static digital input lines
or input PFI lines. You can use port 1 as static digital output lines or output PFI lines.
When any of PFI lines 0..15 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel
name shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port0/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port0/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port0/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port0/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line0
PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line2

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 8 Dev1/port0/line4
PFI 9 Dev1/port0/line5
PFI 10 Dev1/port0/line6
PFI 11 Dev1/port0/line7
PFI 12 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 13 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 14 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 15 Dev1/port1/line7

Physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all four or eight lines, Dev1/port1/

line0:3 or Dev1/port1/line0:7 , at once. Physical channel Dev1/port1
refers to all four or eight lines, Dev1/port1/line0:3 or Dev1/port1/line0:7 ,
at once.
The NI 6212 and NI 6216 have 16 lines of digital input and output named Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line15 . These lines belong to a single port,
and the physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all 16 lines at once. Port 0 can
perform static digital I/O operations only.
The NI 6212 and NI 6216 have two more ports, port 1 and port 2. Port 1 has eight
digital I/O lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . Port 2 has
eight digital I/O lines, Dev1/port2/line0 through Dev1/port2/line7 . Port 1
and port 2 can be used as static digital I/O lines or PFI lines, PFI 0..15. When any
of PFI lines 0..15 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name
shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port1/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line5

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line7
PFI 8 Dev1/port2/line0
PFI 9 Dev1/port2/line1
PFI 10 Dev1/port2/line2
PFI 11 Dev1/port2/line3
PFI 12 Dev1/port2/line4
PFI 13 Dev1/port2/line5
PFI 14 Dev1/port2/line6
PFI 15 Dev1/port2/line7

Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port1/line0:7 ,

at once. Physical channel Dev1/port2 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port2/
line0:7 , at once.

Counter Input and Output

All M Series devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1. Unlike the other I/O types, these physical channel
names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits within
the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter. These
are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

16-PFI Line Devices (NI 6218)

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default
Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 9 PFI 4
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 2 PFI 10 PFI 5

16-PFI Line Devices (NI 6212/6216)

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Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 PFI 10 PFI 12
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 11 PFI 13

8-PFI Line Devices (Such as the NI 6210/6211/6215)

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default
Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 0 PFI 4
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 2 PFI 3 PFI 5

NI 6221 (37-Pin) Device Physical Channels

In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for NI 6221 (37-pin)
devices. You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
A 16-channel NI 6221 (37-pin) device has physical channels ranging from Dev1/ai0
to Dev1/ai15 . You can configure only channels 0 through 7 in differential mode.
When you configure a channel in differential mode, the channel is the positive input
and channel plus eight is the negative input. For instance, if you configure channel
1 in differential mode, the positive input is channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative
input.

Analog Output
NI 6221 (37-pin) devices have two analog outputs corresponding to two analog
output physical channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .

Digital Input and Output

NI 6221 (37-pin) devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. Port 0 has two digital I/O
lines, Dev1/port0/line0 and Dev1/port0/line1 . Port 1 has eight digital I/O
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . Port 1 can be used as
static digital I/O lines or input PFI lines, PFI 0..7. When any of PFI lines 0..7 is used as
a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port1/line0

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 1 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line7

Physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to both lines, Dev1/port0/line0:1 ,

at once. Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port1/
line0:7 , at once.

Counter Input and Output

NI 6221 (37-pin) devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter.
These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-
DAQmx has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know
whether your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your
signal to the default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 6
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 7
In addition, the NI 6221 (37-pin) has one frequency generator. The output terminal
of the frequency generator is FREQOUT. The default for FREQOUT is PFI 5. When
using FREQOUT, you can continue to use both ctr0 and ctr1 to perform other
operations.
NI 623x Physical Channels
In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for NI 623x devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

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Analog Input
Refer to the following table for the physical channel naming conventions for each
623x device.

Device Differential RSE

+ - + -
NI 6230 Dev1/ai n Dev1/ai (n+4) Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..3
NI 6232 Dev1/ai n Dev1/ai (n+8) Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..7
NI 6233 Dev1/ai n Dev1/ai (n+8) Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..7
NI 6236 Dev1/ai n+ Dev1/ai n- Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..3
NI 6238 Dev1/ai n+ Dev1/ai n- Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..7
NI 6239 Dev1/ai n+ Dev1/ai n- Dev1/ AI Gnd
ai0..Dev1/ai
n, where n=0..7

Analog Output
NI 623x devices have m analog outputs corresponding to m analog output physical
channels ranging from Dev1/ao0 to Dev1/ao(m-1) . Refer to the hardware
documentation for the number of analog outputs for your device.

Digital Input and Output

NI 623x devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. Port 0 has six digital input lines,
Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line5 . Port 1 has four digital output
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line3 . You can use port 0 as
static digital input lines or input PFI lines, PFI 0..5. You can use port 1 as static digital

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output lines or output PFI lines, PFI 6..9. When any of PFI lines 0..9 is used as a
digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name Direction

PFI 0 Dev1/port0/line0 Input
PFI 1 Dev1/port0/line1 Input
PFI 2 Dev1/port0/line2 Input
PFI 3 Dev1/port0/line3 Input
PFI 4 Dev1/port0/line4 Input
PFI 5 Dev1/port0/line5 Input
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line0 Output
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line1 Output
PFI 8 Dev1/port1/line2 Output
PFI 9 Dev1/port1/line3 Output
Physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all six input lines, Dev1/port0/line0:5 ,
at once. Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all four output lines, Dev1/
port1/line0:3 , at once.

Tristating Digital Output Channels (NI 6230/6236)

NI 6230/6236 devices support tristating for port 1, the four digital output lines. The
power-on state default is to tristate port 1. Tristating is supported only for the entire
port at a time, not on a per-line basis. For instance, port 1 remains tristated as long
as no lines on port 1 are toggled to generate a value. After a line on port 1 is toggled,
all lines on the port are driven to logic high or logic low depending on what you
choose. The default is logic low.

Counter Input and Output

NI 623x devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel names
Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical channel
names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits within
the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter. These
are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether

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your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 6
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 7
In addition, NI 623x devices have one frequency generator. The output terminal of
the frequency generator is FREQOUT. The default for FREQOUT is PFI 8. When using
FREQOUT, you can continue to use both ctr0 and ctr1 to perform other operations.
NI 623x devices use the same default terminals for common counter applications as
other 37-Pin DSUB devices.
myDAQ Physical Channels
In physical channel names, myDAQ1 is the default device name for myDAQ. You can
change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
myDAQ has two analog input channels, myDAQ1/ai0 and myDAQ1/ai1 . These
channels support only the differential terminal configuration. You can configure
the first channel, myDAQ1/ai0 , as the positive channel of a differential pair. Use
only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when creating a
differential channel.
myDAQ also has a DMM physical channel, myDAQ1/dmm, available from the device.
On myDAQ, the DMM physical channels cannot be used in the same task with
other channels. There are also two audio input channels, myDAQ1/audioInputLeft
and myDAQ1/audioInputRight. These channels support only the referenced signal-
ended terminal configuration. Analog input tasks do not work simultaneously with
audio input.

Analog Output
myDAQ has two analog outputs with analog output physical channels named
myDAQ1/ao0 and myDAQ1/ao1 . myDAQ also has two audio output channels,

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myDAQ1/audioOutputLeft and myDAQ1/audioOutputRight . Analog output

tasks do not work simultaneously with audio out.

Digital Input and Output

myDAQ has eight lines of digital input and output named myDAQ1/port0/line0
through myDAQ1/port0/line7 . These lines belong to a single port, and the
physical channel myDAQ1/port0 refers to all 8 lines at once.

Counter Input and Output

myDAQ has one counter/timer referred to by the physical channel name myDAQ1/
ctr0 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical channel names do not refer to
terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits within the device. There are
four primary terminals associated with each counter. These are the terminals used
as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx has default values for
these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether your signal provides
the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the default, you do not
have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

myDAQ1/ctr0 PFI 0 (DIO 0) PFI 1 (DIO 1) PFI 2 (DIO 2) PFI 3 (DIO 3)

NI 6010 Physical Channels

In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for NI 6010 devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
A 16-channel NI 6010 device has physical channels ranging from Dev1/ai0 to
Dev1/ai15 . You can configure only channels 0 through 7 in differential mode.
When you configure a channel in differential mode, the channel is the positive input
and channel plus eight is the negative input. For instance, if you configure channel
1 in differential mode, the positive input is channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative
input.

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Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when
creating a differential channel.

Analog Output
NI 6010 devices have two analog outputs corresponding to two analog output
physical channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .

Digital Input and Output

NI 6010 devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. Port 0 has six digital input lines,
Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line5 . Port 1 has four digital output
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line3 . You can use port 0 as
static digital input lines or input PFI lines, PFI 0..5. You can use port 1 as static digital
output lines or output PFI lines, PFI 6..9. When any of PFI lines 0..9 is used as a
digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port0/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port0/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port0/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port0/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port0/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port0/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line0
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 8 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 9 Dev1/port1/line3

Physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all six input lines, Dev1/port0/line0:5 ,

at once. Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all four output lines, Dev1/
port1/line0:3 , at once.

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Counter Input and Output

NI 6010 devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel names
Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical channel
names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits within
the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter. These
are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 6
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 7

NI 6154 Physical Channels

In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for NI 6154 devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
A 4-channel NI 6154 device has physical channels ranging from Dev1/ai0 to
Dev1/ai3 .

Analog Output
NI 6154 devices have four analog outputs corresponding to four analog output
physical channels ranging from Dev1/ao0 to Dev1/ao3 .

Digital Input and Output

NI 6154 devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. Port 0 has six digital input lines,
Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line5 . Port 1 has four digital output
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line3 . You can use port 0 as
static digital input lines or input PFI lines, PFI 0..5. You can use port 1 as static digital
output lines or output PFI lines, PFI 6..9. When any of PFI lines 0..9 is used as a
digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the following table.

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name Direction

PFI 0 Dev1/port0/line0 Input
PFI 1 Dev1/port0/line1 Input
PFI 2 Dev1/port0/line2 Input
PFI 3 Dev1/port0/line3 Input
PFI 4 Dev1/port0/line4 Input
PFI 5 Dev1/port0/line5 Input
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line0 Output
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line1 Output
PFI 8 Dev1/port1/line2 Output
PFI 9 Dev1/port1/line3 Output
Physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all six input lines, Dev1/port0/line0:5 ,
at once. Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all four output lines, Dev1/
port1/line0:3 , at once.

Counter Input and Output

NI 6154 devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel names
Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical channel
names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits within
the device. There are four primary terminals associated with each counter. These
are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 6
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 5 PFI 7
In addition, the NI 6154 has one frequency generator. The output terminal of the
frequency generator is FREQOUT. The default for FREQOUT is PFI 8. When using
FREQOUT, you can continue to use both ctr0 and ctr1 to perform other operations.

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The NI 6154 uses the same default terminals for common counter applications as
other 37-Pin DSUB devices.
NI 6533/6534 Device Physical Channels

Digital Input and Output

All NI 6533/6534 devices have 32 individually configurable lines of digital input and
output that are grouped into four 8-bit ports.

Port NI-DAQmx Physical Channel NI-DAQmx Physical Channel

Name (Lines) Name (Ports)
Port 0 Dev1/port0/line0 — Dev1/port0
Dev1/port0/line7
Port 1 Dev1/port1/line0 — Dev1/port1
Dev1/port1/line7
Port 2 Dev1/port2/line0 — Dev1/port2
Dev1/port2/line7
Port 3 Dev1/port3/line0 — Dev1/port3
Dev1/port3/line7

For Ports 0 through 3, you can configure a port width of eight, 16, or 32 bits. To
configure a 32-bit port, use the physical channel name Dev1/port0_32. To configure
a 16-bit port, use channel names that refer to all the lines in multiple consecutive
ports: Dev1/port P_N, where P is the port number of the lowest numbered port,
and N is the total number of lines. For instance, combining Port 2 and 3 into a 16-bit
port, you would specify Dev1/port2_16 as the physical channel.
NI 6533/6534 devices also have eight fixed-direction lines, grouped into two ports,
that use PFI lines. Port 4 is used for input operations; Port 5 is for output.
Port 4 and port 5 can be used as static digital I/O lines or PFI lines. When any of
these PFI lines is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name
shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI0 Dev1/port4/line0
PFI1 Dev1/port4/line1

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI2 Dev1/port4/line2
PFI3 Dev1/port4/line3
PFI4 Dev1/port5/line2
PFI5 Dev1/port5/line3
PFI6 Dev1/port5/line0
PFI7 Dev1/port5/line1
This physical channel name refers to all eight lines in a port at once.
NI 6535/6536/6537 Physical Channels
The 32 individually configurable lines of digital input and output on the NI
6535/6536/6537 are grouped into four 8-bit ports, as shown in the following table.
You can choose to configure an entire port for a particular task or only a particular
physical channel.
The following table shows the channel names you can use to configure your task in
NI-DAQmx. Dev1 in physical channel names is the default device name for NI
6535/6536/6537 devices. You can change the device name in MAX.

Port NI-DAQmx Physical Channel NI-DAQmx Physical Channel

Name (Lines) Name (Ports)
Port 0 Dev1/port0/line0 — Dev1/port0
Dev1/port0/line7
Port 1 Dev1/port1/line0 — Dev1/port1
Dev1/port1/line7
Port 2 Dev1/port2/line0 — Dev1/port2
Dev1/port2/line7
Port 3 Dev1/port3/line0 — Dev1/port3
Dev1/port3/line7
Port 4 Dev1/port4/line0 — Dev1/port4
Dev1/port4/line5

For Ports 0 through 3, you can configure a port width of 8, 16, or 32 bits. To configure
a 32-bit port, use the physical channel name Dev1/port0_32 . To configure a 16-
bit port, use channel names that refer to all the lines in multiple consecutive ports:
Dev1/port P_N, where P is 0 or 2 (whichever port number is lower) and N is the

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total number of lines. For example, to combine Port 2 and 3 into a 16-bit port,
specify Dev1/port2_16 as the physical channel.
Using NI-DAQmx, you can configure each physical channel individually by inverting
or tristating the physical channel.

PFI Lines
The NI 6535/6536/6537 has six PFI lines. These bidirectional digital lines allow you
to route synchronization and timing signals to and from the I/O connector. The
following table lists the PFI lines and their timing function.

PFI 0 General-purpose PFI line

PFI 1 General-purpose PFI line
PFI 2 General-purpose PFI line
PFI 3 General-purpose PFI line
PFI 4 General-purpose PFI or the generation Sample
clock terminal
PFI 5 General-purpose PFI or the acquisition Sample
clock terminal
You can use control lines as extra data lines while using the On Demand sample
timing type.
This physical channel name refers to all eight lines in a port at once.
Port 4 is composed of the six PFI lines.
NI ELVIS II Family Physical Channels
In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for the NI ELVIS II
Family device. You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
NI ELVIS II Family devices have 16 analog input channels, ranging from Dev1/ai0
to Dev1/ai15 . You can configure the first eight channels as the positive channel
of a differential pair. If N is this channel, channel N + 8 is the negative input of the
pair. For instance, if you configure channel 1 in differential mode, the positive input
is channel 1, and channel 9 is the negative input.

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Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when
creating a differential channel.
NI ELVIS II Family devices have two oscilloscope physical channels, Dev1/
scopeCh0 and Dev1/scopeCh1 , available from the NI ELVIS II Family benchtop
workstation. The NI ELVIS II Family benchtop workstation also has a DMM physical
channel, Dev1/dmm . On the NI ELVIS II Family devices, the DMM and oscilloscope
physical channels cannot be used in the same task with other channels. However,
scopeCh0 and scopeCh1 can be used together.

Analog Output
NI ELVIS II Family devices have two analog outputs with analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 . NI ELVIS II Family devices also
have two function generator channels, Dev1/fgen and Dev1/fgenBNC , and
two variable power supply channels, Dev1/vpsPos (the positive variable power
supply) and Dev1/vpsNeg (the negative variable power supply). The function
generator channels, Dev1/fgen and Dev1/fgenBNC , use the FGEN Create
Channel function/VI. These function generator terminals also share the same
resource.

Digital Input and Output

NI ELVIS II Family devices have 24 lines of digital input and output named Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line23 . These lines belong to a single port,
and the physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all 24 lines at once. Port 0 can
perform static digital operations.
NI ELVIS II Family devices have two more ports, port 1 and port 2. Port 1 has eight
digital I/O lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . Port 2 has
seven digital I/O lines, Dev1/port2/line0 through Dev1/port2/line6 . Port 1
and port 2 can be used as static digital I/O lines or PFI lines, PFI 0..14. When any
of PFI lines 0..14 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name
shown in the following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port1/line0

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 1 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line7
PFI 8 Dev1/port2/line0
PFI 9 Dev1/port2/line1
PFI 10 Dev1/port2/line2
PFI 11 Dev1/port2/line3
PFI 12 Dev1/port2/line4
PFI 13 Dev1/port2/line5
PFI 14 Dev1/port2/line6

Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port1/line0:7 ,

at once. Physical channel Dev1/port2 refers to all seven lines, Dev1/port2/
line0:6 , at once.

Counter Input and Output

NI ELVIS II Family devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical
channel names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these
physical channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead
to circuits within the device. There are four primary terminals associated with
each counter. These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT
functions. NI-DAQmx has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks,
if you know whether your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or GATE function and
wire your signal to the default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/
property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 PFI 10 PFI 12

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Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 11 PFI 13

Note: PFI 15 refers to the same terminal as

dev1/fgenBNC and both cannot be used at
the same time. PFI 15 is used as an external
clock, as a trigger, and for counter input
operations.

S Series Physical Channels

Dev1 in physical channel names is the default device name for S Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
An S Series device has between two and eight analog input physical channels
named Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai7 .

Analog Output
An S Series device that supports analog output has two analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .

Digital Input and Output

All S Series devices have eight lines of digital input and output named Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line7 . These lines belong to a single port,
and the physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all eight lines at once.

Counter Input and Output

All S Series devices have two counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 and Dev1/ctr1 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device. There are three primary terminals associated with each counter.

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These are the terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx
has default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signal provides the SOURCE or GATE function and wire your signal to the
default, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 CTR 0 OUT
Dev/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 CTR 1 OUT

SCXI and SCC Physical Channels

SC1Mod1 is the default device name for an SCXI module, where SC1 is the default
chassis ID, and Mod1 refers to the slot number. These names can be changed in
MAX.

Analog Input
An SCXI module usually has eight or 32 analog input channels; refer to your
device documentation to be sure. These physical channel names are of the form
SC1Mod <slot#> /ai0 to SC1Mod <slot#> /ai N, where <slot#> is the chassis slot
number of the module, and N equals the number of analog input channels on
the module minus one. For example, SCI1Mod1/ai31 is the highest numbered
physical channel for a module with 32 analog input channels.
An SCC module has either one or two physical channels named SCC1Mod <J
connector#>aiN, where <J connector#> is the number of the J connector where
the SCC module resides, and N is the channel number. SCC1 is the SCC connector
block ID (for example, SCC1Mod1/ai0 ).
NI PXI-4224 Only—You cannot scan channel ai7 and the CJC channel simultaneously
in a task, since the CJC channel is multiplexed to channel 7. However, when
you make a thermocouple measurement on ai0:7 with internal CJC, NI-DAQmx
automatically reads the CJC channel at the beginning of the measurement and then
scans the rest of the channels correctly.

Analog Output
An SCXI module has some number of output channels for voltage or current. These
physical channel names are of the form SC1Mod <slot#> /ao0 to SC1Mod <slot#> /

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ao N, where <slot#> is the chassis slot number of the module, and N equals
the number of analog output channels on the module minus one. For example,
SC1Mod1/ao5 is the highest numbered physical channel on a module with six
channels.

Digital Input and Output

An SCXI digital module has eight, 16, or 32 lines named SC1Mod <slot#> /port0/
line0 through SC1Mod <slot#> /port0/line N, where <slot#> is the chassis slot
number of the module, and N is the number of digital lines minus one. For example,
SC1Mod1/port0/line31 is the highest numbered line for a module with 32 lines.
These lines belong to a single port and the physical channel named SC1Mod<slot#>/
port0 refers to all the lines at once.
An SCC module has either one digital input line or one digital output
line with names of the form SCC1Mod <J connector#> di N or SCC1Mod <J
connector#> do N, where <J connector#> is the number of the J connector where
the SCC module resides, and N is the channel number. SCC1 is the SCC connector
block ID (for example, SCC1Mod1/di0 ).
SC Express Physical Channels
In physical channel names, PXI1Slot1 is the default device name for SC Express
devices, where PXI1 is the chassis number, and Slot1 refers to the slot number. You
can change these names in MAX.

Analog Input
SC Express Devices have from four to 32 analog input channels. A 4-channel device
has physical channels ranging from PXISlot1/ai0 to PXISlot1/ai3 , an 8-
channel device has physical channels ranging from PXISlot1/ai0 to PXISlot1/
ai7 , and a 32-channel device has channels ranging from PXISlot1/ai0 to
PXISlot1/ai31 .
You can use channels from multiple analog input SC Express devices in the same
NI-DAQmx task.

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Analog Output
NI 4322 devices have eight analog output channels ranging from PXI1Slot1/ao0
to PXISlot1/ao7 . You can use channels from multiple analog output SC Express
devices in the same NI-DAQmx task.

Strain and Wheatstone Bridge Measurements

The NI 4330 and 4331 devices support only the AI Strain Gage, AI Force Bridge,
AI Pressure Bridge, AI Torque Bridge, AI Bridge (V/V), and AI Custom Voltage With
Excitation channel types. The NI 4339 supports AI Voltage in addition to the
previously mentioned measurement types.
When using NI 4330 and 4331 devices with an AI Custom Voltage With Excitation
channel, you must set the AI.Excit.UseForScaling attribute/property to true. This
attribute/property causes the channel to return ratiometric data: Vin/Vex. These
devices perform this division in hardware. The NI 4339 does not require the
AI.Excit.UseForScaling attribute/property. Disabling this property allows for the NI
4339 to perform voltage measurements while providing voltage excitation.
NI 4330 and 4331 devices return a voltage ratio rather than a voltage. Therefore, use
the AI.Bridge.InitialRatio attribute/property to specify the initial voltage ratio, or set
the AI.Bridge.InitialVoltage attribute/property to the ratio Vin/Vex returned by the
device, multiplied by Vex.
SensorDAQ Physical Channels
SensorDAQ has analog input, analog output, digital I/O, and counter channels. It
also has three analog sensor channels (labeled Ch. 1, Ch. 2, and Ch. 3 on the device)
and one digital sensor channel (labeled DIG on the device) for use with Vernier
sensors. Please contact Vernier for additional information on the analog and digital
sensor channels.

Analog Input
SensorDAQ has two AI physical channels, Dev1/ai0 and Dev1/ai1 . When you
configure a channel in differential mode, Dev1/ai0 is the positive input and
Dev1/ai1 is the negative input.

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Analog Output
SensorDAQ has two AO physical channels, Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .

Digital Input/Output
SensorDAQ has four digital I/O physical channels.

Counter Input and Output

There is one counter channel referred to by the physical channel name Dev1/
ctr0 . pfi0 is the terminal used for this physical channel.

TIO Physical Channels

Counter Input and Output

TIO devices have up to eight counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 to Dev1/ctr7 . Unlike the other I/O types, these physical
channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O connector but instead to circuits
within the device.
There are four primary terminals associated with each TIO counter. These are the
terminals used as the SOURCE, GATE, AUX, and OUT functions. NI-DAQmx has
default values for these terminals. For counter input tasks, if you know whether
your signals provide the SOURCE, GATE, or AUX functions and wire your signal to the
default input, you do not have to set the Input Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 39 PFI 38 PFI 37 PFI 36
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 35 PFI 34 PFI 33 PFI 32
Dev1/ctr2 PFI 31 PFI 30 PFI 29 PFI 28
Dev1/ctr3 PFI 27 PFI 26 PFI 25 PFI 24
Dev1/ctr4 PFI 23 PFI 22 PFI 21 PFI 20
Dev1/ctr5 PFI 19 PFI 18 PFI 17 PFI 16
Dev1/ctr6 PFI 15 PFI 14 PFI 13 PFI 12
Dev1/ctr7 PFI 11 PFI 10 PFI 9 PFI 8

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Note: The NI 6601 has only four counters (ctr0–

ctr3). The entries in the previous table for cntr4,
cntr5, cntr6, and cntr7 do not apply for that
device.

Digital Input and Output

NI 661x devices have two ports, port 0 and port 1. Port 0 has 32 lines of digital input
and output named Dev1/port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line31 . Port 1
has 8 lines of digital input and output named Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/
port1/line7 . The physical channel Dev1/port0 refers to all 32 lines at once, and
the physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all 8 lines at once. Port 0 can perform
hardware-timed and static digital operations, while port 1 can perform only static
digital operations.
Port 0 and port 1 can be used as static PFI lines, PFI 0..39. When any of PFI lines
0..39 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the
following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port0/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port0/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port0/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port0/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port0/line4
PFI 5 Dev1/port0/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port0/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port0/line7
PFI 8 Dev1/port0/line8
PFI 9 Dev1/port0/line9
PFI 10 Dev1/port0/line10
PFI 11 Dev1/port0/line11
PFI 12 Dev1/port0/line12
PFI 13 Dev1/port0/line13
PFI 14 Dev1/port0/line14

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 15 Dev1/port0/line15
PFI 16 Dev1/port0/line16
PFI 17 Dev1/port0/line17
PFI 18 Dev1/port0/line18
PFI 19 Dev1/port0/line19
PFI 20 Dev1/port0/line20
PFI 21 Dev1/port0/line21
PFI 22 Dev1/port0/line22
PFI 23 Dev1/port0/line23
PFI 24 Dev1/port0/line24
PFI 25 Dev1/port0/line25
PFI 26 Dev1/port0/line26
PFI 27 Dev1/port0/line27
PFI 28 Dev1/port0/line28
PFI 29 Dev1/port0/line29
PFI 30 Dev1/port0/line30
PFI 31 Dev1/port0/line31
PFI 32 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 33 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 34 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 35 Dev1/port1/line4
PFI 36 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 37 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 38 Dev1/port1/line7
PFI 39 Dev1/port1/line8

USB DAQ Physical Channels

Dev1 in physical channel names is the default device name for USB Series DAQ
devices. You can change these names in MAX.

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Analog Input
The following table lists the number and naming of analog input physical channels
for USB DAQ devices.

Device Number of Channels Naming

NI USB-9211A, NI USB-9215A, 4 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
NI USB-9219, NI USB-9229, cDAQ1Mod1/ai3
NI USB-9234, NI USB-9237, NI
USB-9239
NI USB-9201, NI USB-9221 8 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ai7
NI USB-9213 16 cDAQ1Mod1/ai0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ai15

Strain and Wheatstone Bridge Measurements

The NI 9235, NI 9236, and NI 9237 support only the AI Strain Gage, AI Force Bridge,
AI Pressure Bridge, AI Torque Bridge, AI Bridge (V/V), and AI Custom Voltage With
Excitation channel types.
When using the NI USB-9219 or I USB-9237 with an AI Custom Voltage With
Excitation channel, you must set the AI.Excit.UseForScaling attribute/property to
true. This attribute/property causes the channel to return ratiometric data: Vin/Vex.
The NI USB-9219 and NI USB-9237 modules perform this division in hardware.
For the NI USB-9219, NI-DAQmx requires the AI.Excit.Val attribute/property to be
set to 2.5 V for AI Strain Gage and AI Custom Voltage With Excitation channel types
and to 500 µA for resistance and RTD measurements. The actual excitation voltage
or current output by the NI USB-9219 varies with the sensor resistance or the load
being measured.
NI USB-9219 and NI USB-9237 devices return a voltage ratio rather than a voltage.
Therefore, use the AI.Bridge.InitialRatio attribute/property to specify the initial
voltage ratio, or set the AI.Bridge.InitialVoltage attribute/property to the ratio
Vin/Vex returned by the device, multiplied by Vex.
The NI USB-9219 does not have quarter bridge completion circuitry, which affects
AI Strain Gage Quarter Bridge I channels and AI Custom Voltage With Excitation
Quarter Bridge channels (but not AI Strain Gage Quarter Bridge II channels). With

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these channels, the NI USB-9219 performs a 2-wire resistance measurement on the

active gage element, then NI-DAQmx uses software scaling to convert the resistance
measurement into a bridge ratio. For these channels, the polynomial coefficients
specified by the AI.DevScalingCoeff attribute/property convert unscaled data into
Ohms, not into V/V. Likewise, the AI.Rng.High/AI.Rng.Low attributes/properties
should be specified in units of Ohms, not V/V.
When the NI USB-9219 is in quarter bridge mode, you need to use the
AI.Bridge.NomResistance attribute/property to control whether the channel uses
the 120 Ω range or the 350 Ω range.

Analog Output
The following table lists the number and naming of analog output physical channels
for USB DAQ devices.

Device Number of Channels Naming

NI USB-9263, NI USB-9265 4 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao3
NI USB-9264 16 cDAQ1Mod1/ao0 to
cDAQ1Mod1/ao15

When using the NI USB-9263, NI-USB 9264, or NI USB-9265, you can run only one
type of timing at a time. You can have one software-timed task per channel or
one hardware-timed task running on a device at one time, but you cannot have a
combination of timing on that device. For instance, you can run up to four software-
timed tasks on an the NI USB-9263 concurrently, but running one hardware-timed
task with one software-timed task generates an error. Additionally, the NI USB-9263,
NI-USB 9264, and NI USB-9265 can run only one hardware-timed analog output task
per device at a given time.
X Series Physical Channels
In physical channel names, Dev1 is the default device name for X Series devices.
You can change these names in MAX.

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Analog Input
Depending on your X Series device, you can have from eight to 208 analog
input channels. An 8-channel X Series device has physical channels ranging from
Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai7 , a 208-channel device from Dev1/ai0 to Dev1/ai207 .
Use only the physical channel name of the positive channel (not both) when
creating a differential channel.

Analog Output
An X Series device that supports two analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 and Dev1/ao1 .
An X Series device that supports four analog outputs has analog output physical
channels named Dev1/ao0 , Dev1/ao1 , Dev1/ao2 , and Dev1/ao3 .

Digital Input and Output

All X Series devices have eight or 32 lines of digital input and output named Dev1/
port0/line0 through Dev1/port0/line7 or Dev1/port0/line0 through
Dev1/port0/line31 . These lines belong to a single port, and the physical
channel Dev1/port0 refers to all eight or 32 lines at once. Port 0 can perform both
hardware-timed and static digital operations.
X Series devices have two more ports, port 1 and port 2. Port 1 has eight digital I/O
lines, Dev1/port1/line0 through Dev1/port1/line7 . Port 2 has eight digital
I/O lines, Dev1/port2/line0 through Dev1/port2/line7 . Port 1 and port 2
can be used as static digital I/O lines or PFI lines, PFI 0..15. When any of PFI lines
0..15 is used as a digital I/O signal, it uses the physical channel name shown in the
following table.

PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 0 Dev1/port1/line0
PFI 1 Dev1/port1/line1
PFI 2 Dev1/port1/line2
PFI 3 Dev1/port1/line3
PFI 4 Dev1/port1/line4

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PFI Signal Physical Channel Name

PFI 5 Dev1/port1/line5
PFI 6 Dev1/port1/line6
PFI 7 Dev1/port1/line7
PFI 8 Dev1/port2/line0
PFI 9 Dev1/port2/line1
PFI 10 Dev1/port2/line2
PFI 11 Dev1/port2/line3
PFI 12 Dev1/port2/line4
PFI 13 Dev1/port2/line5
PFI 14 Dev1/port2/line6
PFI 15 Dev1/port2/line7

Physical channel Dev1/port1 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port1/line0:7 ,

at once. Physical channel Dev1/port2 refers to all eight lines, Dev1/port2/
line0:7 , at once.

Counter Input and Output

All X Series devices have four counter/timers referred to by the physical channel
names Dev1/ctr0 , Dev1/ctr1 , Dev1/ctr2 , and Dev1/ctr3 . Unlike the other
I/O types, these physical channel names do not refer to terminals on the I/O
connector but instead to circuits within the device. There are five primary signals
associated with each counter: SOURCE, GATE, AUX, OUT, and sample clock. NI-
DAQmx has default terminals for these signals, except for the sample clock. For
counter input tasks, if you know whether your signal provides the SOURCE, AUX, or
GATE function and wire your signal to the default, you do not have to set the Input
Terminal attribute/property.

Counter SOURCE Default GATE Default AUX Default OUT Default

Dev1/ctr0 PFI 8 PFI 9 PFI 10 PFI 12
Dev1/ctr1 PFI 3 PFI 4 PFI 11 PFI 13
Dev1/ctr2 PFI 5 PFI 6 PFI 7 PFI 15
Dev1/ctr3 PFI 0 PFI 1 PFI 2 PFI 14

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Internal Channels
On some devices, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O connector or
acquire a signal that is being generated from the internal multiplexer (an internal
channel). The internal channels available on the multiplexer are typically used for
calibration purposes, but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal
present on the I/O connector. To read from one of these internal channels, you must
use the internal channel as the device's physical channel (for example, Dev1/
_aignd_vs_aignd ) when creating the virtual channel.

Internal Channels for C Series Devices and TestScale Modules

Internal Channels for the NI 9210 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A referenced single-ended terminal with the
positive and negative terminals both connected
to the ground reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_cjtemp A referenced single-ended terminal with the
positive terminal connected to the onboard
temperature sensor and the negative terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input. This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Internal Channels for the NI 9211 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_cjtemp A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.

Internal Channels for the NI 9212 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_cjtemp0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.
_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Internal Channels for the NI 9213 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_cjtemp A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.

Internal Channels for the NI 9214 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_cjtemp0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the

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Internal Channel Name Description

ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.
_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.
_cjtemp2 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Internal Channels for the NI 9205, NI 9206, and TS-15100 Devices

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_aignd_vs_aisense A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM..
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the

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Internal Channel Name Description

negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_ai0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ai8_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai8 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.

Internal Channels for the NI 9219 Device

Internal Channel Name Description
_cjtemp0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation for
analog input channel 0.
_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 1.
_cjtemp2 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 2.
_cjtemp3 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 3.

Internal Channels for the CompactDAQ and CompactRIO Systems*

Internal Channel Name Description
_ctr0 This physical channel name does not refer to
a terminal on the I/O connector but instead
to a circuit within the device. You must
set the Input Terminal or Output Terminal

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Internal Channel Name Description

attributes/properties that are appropriate for
the measurement/generation being performed.
_ctr1 This physical channel name does not refer to
a terminal on the I/O connector but instead
to a circuit within the device. You must
set the Input Terminal or Output Terminal
attributes/properties that are appropriate for
the measurement/generation being performed.
_ctr2 This physical channel name does not refer to
a terminal on the I/O connector but instead
to a circuit within the device. You must
set the Input Terminal or Output Terminal
attributes/properties that are appropriate for
the measurement/generation being performed.
_ctr3 This physical channel name does not refer to
a terminal on the I/O connector but instead
to a circuit within the device. You must
set the Input Terminal or Output Terminal
attributes/properties that are appropriate for
the measurement/generation being performed.
_freqout This physical channel name does not refer to
a terminal on the I/O connector but instead
to a circuit within the device. You must
set the Output Terminal attribute/property
that is appropriate for the generation being
performed.
* CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale chassis, CompactDAQ controller, CompactRIO
controllers and CompactRIO Single-Board controllers:
■ cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184,
9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058
■ TS-15000 and TS-15010
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Internal Channels for DSA Devices

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On a DSA device, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O connector, or you
can acquire a signal that is generated from the internal calibration multiplexer. The
channels available on this multiplexer are typically used for calibration purposes,
but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal present on the I/O
connector. To read from one of these internal channels, you must use one of the
device's AI physical channels (for instance, Dev1/ai0) when creating the channel to
select which ADC to use, then set the appropriate string value on the Input Source
channel attribute/property.
The following table lists internal channels for DSA devices.

Internal Channel Name Supported Devices Description

_external_channel All DSA devices The source of the AI channel is
the device input connector, or
an accessory connected to the
device connector.
_5Vref_vs_aignd 4461/4462/4464, 447x The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, +5V).
_pos10V_vs_aignd 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, +10V).
_neg10V_vs_aignd 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, -10V).
_pos1V_vs_aignd 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, +1V).
_pos316mV_vs_aignd 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, +316mV).
_aignd_vs_pos10V 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, +10V). The
negative terminal is connected
to the ground reference for
analog input.

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Internal Channel Name Supported Devices Description

_aignd_vs_neg10V 4464 The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference signal
(for example, -10V). The
negative terminal is connected
to the ground reference for
analog input.
_ao0_vs_ao0neg 4461 only The source of the AI channel is
the onboard analog output
channel 0.
_ao1_vs_ao1neg 4461 only The source of the AI channel is
the onboard analog output
channel 1.
_aignd_vs_aignd 4461/4462/4464, 447x, 449x The source of the AI channel is
the onboard ground signal.
_ref_sqwv_vs_aignd 449x The source of the AI channel is
the onboard reference square
wave signal.
For all DSA devices, only one internal channel can be read at a time, although the
same internal channel can be read on multiple physical channels (with additional
restrictions for NI 447x devices). For example, you cannot simultaneously read the
internal 5 V reference on one physical channel and the analog ground on another
physical channel.
The NI 447x AI physical channels are grouped into pairs, for instance {ai0, ai1}, {ai2,
ai3}, and so on. NI 447x devices cannot read an internal channel on more than one
physical channel group, and when reading an internal channel, both physical
channels in the group are connected to the internal channel source. For example, if
the Input Source for channel ai0 is set to 5Vref_vs_aignd and the Input Source for
channel ai1 is left at the default value of _external_channel, ai1 still reads the
internal channel 5Vref_vs_aignd since ai0 and ai1 are in the same physical channel
group.
The AO internal channels are valid only for devices with AO physical channels.
Internal Channels for E Series Devices
The following table is a list of internal physical channels for all E Series devices.
Different E Series devices have different subsets of channels. These channels are

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typically for self-calibration, and you can sample them as you would a physical
channel present on the I/O connector.

Internal Channel Name Description

_aognd_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog output.
_aognd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
output and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_ao0_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_calref_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard 5 V reference and the
negative terminal connected to the onboard 5 V
reference.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard 5 V reference and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_ao0_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the onboard 5 V
reference.
_ao1_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the onboard 5 V
reference.
_ao1_vs_ao0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to physical
channel ao0.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected the
ground reference for analog input.
_caldac_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard calibration DAC and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_caldac_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard calibration DAC and
the negative terminal connected to the onboard
5 V reference.
_PXI_SCXIbackplane_vs_aignd A terminal where a signal being conditioned by
a SCXI module is measured across the PXI/SCXI
backplane and not the I/O connector. Reading
from this channel is valid only on PXI devices
inserted in the rightmost PXI slot of a PXI/SCXI
combination chassis.

Internal Channels for FieldDAQ devices

Internal channels for the FD-11613

The following internal channels are available.

Internal Channel Name Description

FD11613-xxxxxxx-Bank1/_cjtemp0 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.
FD11613-xxxxxxx-Bank1/_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Internal channels for the FD-11614

The following internal channels are available.

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Internal Channel Name Description

FD11614-xxxxxxx-Bank1/_cjtemp0 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.
FD11614-xxxxxxx-Bank1/_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.
FD11614-xxxxxxx-Bank2/_cjtemp0 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.
FD11614-xxxxxxx-Bank2/_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Internal Channels for M Series and NI 6010 Devices

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_ao0_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao2_vs_aognd (For M Series devices only.) A differential
terminal with the positive terminal connected
to physical channel ao2 and the negative
terminal connected to the ground reference for
analog output.
_ao3_vs_aognd (For M Series devices only.) A differential
terminal with the positive terminal connected
to physical channel ao3 and the negative
terminal connected to the ground reference for
analog output.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_aignd_vs_aisense A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE.
_aignd_vs_aisense2 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE2.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_calSrcLo_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcLo is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_ai0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_ai8_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai8 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input..
_PXI_SCXIbackplane_vs_aignd A terminal where a signal being conditioned by
a SCXI module is measured across the PXI/SCXI
backplane and not the I/O connector. Reading
from this channel is valid only on PXI devices
inserted in the rightmost PXI slot of a PXI/SCXI
combination chassis.

Internal Channels for NI ELVIS II Family

Internal Channel Name Description
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_ao0_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_aignd_vs_aisense A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_aignd_vs_aisense2 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE2.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_calSrcLo_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcLo is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_ai0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ai8_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai8 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input..
_ai16:31 A differential or RSE terminal used to access
internally connected AI terminals.
_vpsPosCurrent A differential terminal connected to the shunt
resistor on the variable power supply.
_vpsNegCurrent A differential terminal connected to the shunt
resistor on the variable power supply.
_vpsPos_vs_gnd A differential terminal connected to a voltage
divider on the variable power supply.
_vpsNeg_vs_gnd A differential terminal connected to a voltage
divider on the variable power supply.
_dutNeg Reads the voltage equivalent of Current into the
DUT- pin.
_base Reads the voltage at the base pin (base voltage
for 3-wire analyzer).
_dutPos Reads the voltage at the DUT+ pin.
_fgenImpedance Internally routes the function generator to the
impedance analyzer circuit.
_ao0Impedance Internally routes AO 0 to the impedance
analyzer for Three-Wire Current-Voltage
Analyzer measurements.

Internal Channels for the NI PXI-42xx

The following table is a list of internal physical channels for the PXI-42xx devices.
The subset of channels present on your device depends on the specific E Series
device being used. These channels are typically for self-calibration, and you can
sample them as you would a physical channel present on the I/O connector

Internal Channel Name Description

_cjTemp A cold-junction compensation channel for
measuring the temperature at the I/O connector
when making thermocouple measurements.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected the
ground reference for analog input.
_caldac_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard calibration DAC and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard 5 V reference and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
PXI_SCXIbackplane_vs_aignd A terminal where a signal being conditioned by
a SCXI module is measured across the PXI/SCXI
backplane and not the I/O connector. Reading
from this channel is valid only on PXI devices
inserted in the rightmost PXI slot of a PXI/SCXI
combination chassis.
_extcal_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the external calibration input and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_pod_calrefPos_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal positive reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_pod_calrefNeg_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal negative reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.

Internal Channels for NI USB-TC01

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Internal Channel Name Description

_cjtemp A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.

Internal Channels for S Series Devices

On an S Series device, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O connector,
or you can acquire a signal that is being generated from the internal calibration
multiplexer. The channels available on this multiplexer are typically used for
calibration purposes, but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal
present on the I/O connector. To read from one of these internal channels, you must
use one of the device's AI physical channels ( Dev1/ai0 through Dev1/ai7) when
creating the virtual channel. The physical channel specifies the ADC for the internal
channel. You can then set the appropriate string value on the Input Source channel
attribute/property.

Note: All S Series devices must have the same

Input Source setting on all channels. The NI
PCI-6110 and NI PCI-6111 devices cannot
acquire from more than one ADC at a time when
using an internal channel.

■ NI PCI-6110, NI PCI-6111, NI 6115, NI 6120 Internal Channels

■ _external_channel
■ _aognd_vs_aognd
■ _aognd_vs_aignd
■ _ao0_vs_aognd
■ _ao1_vs_aognd
■ _calref_vs_calref
■ _calref_vs_aignd
■ _ao0_vs_calref
■ _ao1_vs_calref

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■ NI PCI-6143 Internal Channels

■ _external_channel
■ _aignd_vs_aignd
■ _calref_vs_aignd
■ _calSrcHi_vs_aignd
■ _calref_vs_calSrcHi
■ _calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi
■ _aignd_vs_calSrcHi
■ NI PXI-6132/6133 Internal Channels
■ _external_channel
■ _aignd_vs_aignd
■ _calref_vs_aignd
■ _calSrcMid_vs_aignd
■ _calSrcHi_vs_aignd
■ _calref_vs_calSrcHi
■ _calSrcMid_vs_calSrcHi
■ _calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi
■ _aignd_vs_calSrcHi
■ NI PCI-6154 Internal Channels
■ _external_channel
■ _aignd_vs_aignd
■ _calref_vs_aignd
■ _calSrcHi_vs_aignd
■ _aignd_vs_calSrcHi
■ _calref_vs_calSrcHi
■ _calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi
■ _aox_vs_aognd

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The following table describes all S Series internal channels.

Internal Channel Name Description

_external_channel The differential terminal on the I/O connector
that is typically used for acquiring data.
_aignd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_aognd_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog output.
_aognd_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
output and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_aox_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the analog output physical
channel, such as ao0, and the negative terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
output.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_calref_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the internal calibration reference voltage.
_calref_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the ground reference for analog input.
_ao0_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the internal
calibration reference voltage.
_ao1_vs_calref A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the

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Internal Channel Name Description

negative terminal connected to the internal
calibration reference voltage.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_calSrcMid_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM. _calSrcMid is the divided down version of
_calSrcHi.

Internal Channels for SC Express Devices

On an NI 4300 or NI 433x device, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O
connector, or you can acquire an onboard signal, via an internal multiplexer. The
channels available on this multiplexer are typically used for calibration purposes,
but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal present on the I/O
connector. To read from one of these internal channels, you must use one of the
device's AI physical channels (Dev1/ai0 through Dev1/ai7) when creating the virtual
channel. The physical channel specifies the ADC for the internal channel. You can

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then set the appropriate string value on the Input Source channel attribute/
property.
On the NI 4353, you can acquire internal channels by specifying their names for the
physical channels input of the DAQmx Create Channel VI/function.

Internal Channels for the NI 4302 and 4303

Input Source Description
_cjtemp The temperature read by a digital temperature
sensor located on the TB-4302 accessory.
This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation.

Input Sources for the NI 4300 and 4310

Input Source Description
_external_channel The source of the AI channel is the device input
connector, or an accessory connected to the
device connector.
_aignd_vs_aignd The source of the AI channel is the onboard
ground signal.
_calref_vs_aignd The source of the AI channel is the onboard
reference signal.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd The source of the AI channel has the positive
terminal connected to the onboard calibration
PWM and the negative terminal connected to
the onboard ground reference.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi The source of the AI channel has the positive
terminal connected to the onboard ground
reference and the negative terminal connected
to the onboard calibration PWM.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi The source of the AI channel has the positive
terminal connected to the onboard reference
signal and the negative terminal connected to
the onboard calibration PWM.
_aipos_vs_calSrcHi The source of the AI channel has the positive
terminal connected to the positive terminal of
the device input connector and the negative

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Input Source Description

terminal connected to the onboard calibration
PWM.
_aineg_vs_calSrcHi The source of the AI channel has the positive
terminal connected to the negative terminal of
the device input connector and the negative
terminal connected to the onboard calibration
PWM.

Internal Channels for the NI 4309

On the NI 4309, you can acquire internal channels by specifying their names for the
physical channels input of the DAQmx Create Channel VI/function.

Input Source Description

_aignd_vs_aignd<0..7> A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference; using the specified ADC
<0..7>. This channel is used to measure the
autozero offset of individual ADCs.
_calSrcLo_vs_aignd<0..7> A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference; using the specified ADC <0..7>.
_calSrcLo is the divided down version of
_calSrcHi.
_7VRef_vs_aignd<0..7> A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard 7V reference signal
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference; using the specified ADC
<0..7>.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd<0..7> A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard calibration PWM and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference; using the specified ADC <0..7>.

Input Sources for the NI 4330 and 4331

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Input Source Description

_external_channel The source of the AI channel is the device input
connector, or an accessory connected to the
device connector.
_aignd_vs_aignd The source of the AI channel is the onboard
ground signal.

Input Sources for the NI 4339

Input Source Description
_external_channel The source of the AI channel is the device input
connector, or an accessory connected to the
device connector.
_paired_channel_excitation The source of the AI channel is the paired
channel's internal excitation. The channel pairs
are ai0 and ai1, ai2 and ai3, ai4 and ai5, ai6 and
ai7.
_aignd_vs_aignd The source of the AI channel is the onboard
signal ground.

Internal Channels for the NI 4353

On the NI 4353, you can acquire internal channels by specifying their names for the
physical channels input of the DAQmx Create Channel VI/function.

Input Source Description

_cjtemp0 through _cjtemp7 A differential terminal with the positive
and negative terminals connected to a
temperature sensor located on the accessory.
These channels are used for cold-junction
compensation. The mapping between analog
input channels and cold-junction compensation
channels depends on the type of installed
accessory.
_aignd_vs_aignd0 A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference, using the ADC that is used
for even-numbered channels (ai0, ai2, ai4, and
so on). This channel is used to measure the
autozero offset of even-numbered channels.

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Input Source Description

_aignd_vs_aignd1 A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference, using the ADC that is used
for odd-numbered channels (ai1, ai3, ai5, and
so on). This channel is used to measure the
autozero offset of odd-numbered channels.

SCXI Internal Channels

Some SCXI modules also have internal channels. These are physical channels that
are not accessible from an I/O connector. To measure the signals present at these
internal physical channels, use them to create virtual channels. The SCXI-1100,
SCXI-1102, SCXI-1120, SCXI-1121, SCXI-1122, and SCXI-1125 modules have an
internal physical channel called _cjTemp channel. It is the cold-junction
compensation channel for measuring the temperature at the connector for
thermocouples.
The SCXI-1112 has internal channels _cjTemp0, _cjTemp1, _cjTemp2, _cjTemp3,
_cjTemp4, _cjTemp5, _cjTemp6, and _cjTemp7. These are the cold-junction
compensation channels for each analog input channel on the SCXI-1112.
The SCXI-1520 has eight pairs of internal channels _pPos0 and _pNeg0 through
_pPos7 and _pNeg7. These channels read back the excitation on the corresponding
analog input channel. The pPos half of the pair is the positive side of the excitation,
and the pNeg half is the negative side of the excitation. The real excitation value is
the pPos value minus the pNeg value.
The SCXI-1521/B has 24 voltage excitation internal channels _Vex0 through _Vex23.
These channels read back the excitation on the corresponding analog input
channel. In addition, the SCXI-1521/B has 24 pairs of internal channels _IexPos0 and
_IexNeg0 through _IexPos23 and _IexNeg23. The current through a sensor
connected to channel x is the _IexPosx value minus the _IexNegx value.
Internal Channels for USB DAQ Devices
The following table lists the internal channel for the USB-9211 device.

Internal Channel Name Description

_cjtemp A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor

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Internal Channel Name Description

and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation.
The following table lists the internal channels for the USB-9219 device.

Internal Channel Name Description

_cjtemp0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the onboard temperature sensor
and the negative terminal connected to the
ground reference for analog input. This channel
is used for cold-junction compensation for
analog input channel 0.
_cjtemp1 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 1.
_cjtemp2 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 2.
_cjtemp3 This channel is used for cold-junction
compensation for analog input channel 3.

Internal Channels for X Series Multiplexed Sampling Devices

On an X Series device, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O connector,
or you can acquire a signal that is being generated from the internal calibration
multiplexer. The channels available on this multiplexer are typically used for
calibration purposes, but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal
present on the I/O connector. To read from one of these internal channels on a X
Series multiplexed sampling device, you must use the internal channel as the
device's physical channel (for example, Dev1/_aignd_vs_aignd) when creating the
virtual channel.
The following table describes all internal channels for X Series multiplexed sampling
devices.

Internal Channel Name Description

_aignd_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_ao0_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao2_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao2 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao3_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao3 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_calref_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the internal calibration
reference voltage and the negative terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input.
_aignd_vs_aisense A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE.
_aignd_vs_aisense2 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE2.
_aignd_vs_aisense3 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE3.
_aignd_vs_aisense4 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
physical channel AI SENSE4.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the calibration PWM and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the calibration PWM and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_calSrcLo_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the calibration PWM and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcLo is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_ai0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ai8_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai8 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_boardTempSensor_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the onboard
temperature sensor and the negative terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input.

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Internal Channels for X Series Simultaneous Sampling Devices

On an X Series device, you can either acquire a signal present on the I/O connector,
or you can acquire a signal that is being generated from the internal calibration
multiplexer. The channels available on this multiplexer are typically used for
calibration purposes, but you can also sample them as you would a physical signal
present on the I/O connector. To read from one of these internal channels on a X
Series simultaneous sampling device, you must use one of the device's AI physical
channels (for example, Dev1/ai0) when creating the virtual channel. The physical
channel specifies the ADC for the internal channel. You can then set the appropriate
string value on the Input Source channel attribute/property.

Note: All X Series simultaneous sampling

devices must have the same Input Source
setting on all channels.
Internal Channel Name Description
_external_channel The differential terminal on the I/O connector
that is typically used for acquiring data.
_ai0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ai1_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM
_ai0_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ai0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input
_ai8_vs_aignd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the negative terminal of ai0 and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_ai8_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the negative terminal of ai0 and
the negative terminal connected to the
calibration PWM.

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Internal Channel Name Description

_aignd_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive and
negative terminals both connected to the
ground reference for analog input.
_aignd_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_ao0_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao0_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao0 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ao1_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao1_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao1 and the
negative terminal connected to the calibration
PWM.
_ao2_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao2 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_ao3_vs_aognd A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to physical channel ao3 and the
negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog output.
_calref_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the internal calibration
reference voltage and the negative terminal
connected to the ground reference for analog
input.
_calSrcHi_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the calibration PWM and

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Internal Channel Name Description

the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input.
_calSrcHi_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM.
_calref_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the internal calibration reference
voltage and the negative terminal connected to
the calibration PWM.
_calSrcMid_vs_aignd A single-ended terminal with the positive
terminal connected to the calibration PWM and
the negative terminal connected to the ground
reference for analog input. _calSrcMid is the
divided down version of _calSrcHi.
_calSrcMid_vs_calSrcHi A differential terminal with the positive and
negative terminals connected to the calibration
PWM. _calSrcMid is the divided down version of
_ calSrcHi .
_calSrcHi_vs_ai0 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to physical
channel ai0.
_calSrcHi_vs_ai8 A differential terminal with the positive terminal
connected to the calibration PWM and the
negative terminal connected to physical
channel ai8.

Default Input/Output Terminal Configurations

If you do not explicitly specify the input or output terminal configuration when you
create a channel, NI-DAQmx automatically determines the default terminal
configuration at run time. The following table lists the default terminal
configurations for devices.

Device Default Input Terminal Default Output Terminal

Configuration Configuration
AO Series N/A Referenced single-ended
DSA Pseudodifferential Differential

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Device Default Input Terminal Default Output Terminal

Configuration Configuration
NI 60xx (E Series), NI 62xx (M For devices with eight Referenced single-ended
Series), NI 63xx (X Series), NI channels: differential for the
ELVIS II, NI PCI-6010, NI first four channels, referenced
USB-6001, NI USB-6002, NI single-ended for the next four
USB-6003, NI USB-6008, NI channels. For devices with 16
USB-6009, and NI TC01 channels or more: differential
for eight channels followed by
referenced single-ended for
eight channels. For instance,
channels 0-7, 16-23, and 32-39
are differential. Channels 8-15,
24-31, and 40-47 are
referenced-single ended.
myDAQ Differential for the analog input Referenced single-ended
channels, referenced single-
ended for the audio input
channels.
NI ELVIS II+ Referenced single-ended for Referenced single-ended
scopeCh0 and scopeCh1. For
other analog input channels:
differential for channels 0-7,
referenced single-ended for
channels 8-15.
NI USB-6000 Referenced single-ended N/A
NI PXI-6132, NI PXI-6133, NI Differential N/A
PXI-6143
NI PCI-6110, NI PCI-6111, NI Pseudodifferential Referenced single-ended
6115, NI 6120
NI PXI-42xx Differential N/A
SCC Non-referenced single-ended Referenced single-ended
SC Express Differential. On the NI 4353, the N/A
cold-junction compensation
channels are referenced single
ended by default.
SCXI Differential Differential

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Device Default Input Terminal Default Output Terminal

Configuration Configuration
NI 9201, NI USB-9201, NI 9203, Referenced single-ended N/A
NI 9208, NI 9217, NI 9221, NI
USB-9221, NI 9253, NI 9775
NI 9207 Differential for voltage N/A
channels, referenced single-
ended for current channels
NI 9205, NI 9206, NI 9209, and For devices with 16 channels or N/A
AI 0-15 on CompactRIO single- more: differential for eight
board controllers channels followed by
referenced single-ended for
eight channels. For instance,
channels 0-7, 16-23, and 32-39
are differential. Channels 8-15,
24-31, and 40-47 are
referenced-single ended.
FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, Differential N/A
FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11637,
NI 9202, NI 9210, NI 9211, NI
USB-9211A, NI 9212, NI 9213, NI
USB-9213, NI 9215, NI
USB-9215A, NI 9216, NI 9218, NI
9219, NI USB-9219, NI 9220, NI
9224, NI 9225, NI 9226, NI 9227,
NI 9229, NI USB-9229, NI 9235,
NI 9236, NI 9237, NI 9228, NI
USB-9237, NI 9238, NI 9239, NI
USB-9239, NI 9246, NI 9247, NI
9250, NI 9251, NI 9252
FD-11634, NI 9230, NI 9231, NI Pseudodifferential N/A
9232, NI 9234, NI USB-9234
NI 9242, NI 9244 Nonreferenced single-ended
for ai0, ai1, and ai2. Referenced
single-ended for neutral.
NI 9262, NI 9263, NI USB-9263, N/A Referenced single-ended
NI 9264, NI USB-9264, NI 9265,
NI USB-9265, NI 9266, and AO

© National Instruments 495

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Device Default Input Terminal Default Output Terminal

Configuration Configuration
0-3 on CompactRIO single-
board controllers
NI 9269 N/A Differential
All listed devices have a fixed terminal configuration
Terminal Configurations (Analog Input Ground Reference
Settings) for Isolated Devices
You can use differential, referenced single-ended (RSE), or nonreferenced single-
ended (NRSE) terminal configurations (or analog input ground reference settings)
for isolated devices.
The following figure shows a differential measurement system. For illustrations of
other terminal configurations, refer to your device documentation.

RSE and NRSE measurement systems are the same for isolated devices in that the
measurement is made with respect to a floating or isolated ground, AI GND. AI GND
is the floating reference for all RSE and NRSE channels. AI GND is isolated from earth
ground through an isolation barrier on the device.

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It is important to keep within the specifications of your device to avoid hazardous

conditions. It is considered improper use of the device to surpass the specifications,
and the device is no longer considered to be in safe use. Isolated devices specify a
continuous working isolation voltage that specifies the maximum voltage difference
allowed between any of the input signals to the chassis/earth ground. For example,
a product rated for 60 VDC of continuous working isolation that has a voltage
difference of +51 VDC between AIGND and the chassis/earth ground cannot have a
signal greater than +9 VDC when referenced to a AIGND or 60 VDC when reference to
chassis/earth ground at its input terminals.

Routing
This section contains information about routing for AO Series, E Series, S Series, and
TIO devices.
Routing Considerations for AO Series Devices
The counters on these devices are very versatile and in many cases can route signals
across subsystems. They can also be used to route signals to/from the I/O
connector. However, when a counter is used as part of a route, you may not be able
to use the counter for other applications while the route remains reserved. Most
routes do not require an internal counter terminal, but many advanced routes do.
For example, if you want to use the signal present at PFI 4 on Dev1 as the Start
Trigger for an acquisition on Dev2, you simply need to specify /Dev1/PFI4 as the
source of the trigger. However, to make the route, the signal is internally routed
from /Dev1/PFI4 to /Dev1/Ctr0Source to a RTSI bus line or PXI_Trig to
Dev2/ai/StartTrigger . These terminals need not be explicitly specified when
programming the route. In this case, it is not obvious that a counter terminal is used
to make the route. Subsequent attempts at using the counter while it is in use result
in a routing reservation error. To see if the route you are making uses counter
resources, consult the table displayed under the Device Routes tab in MAX.
Routing Considerations for E Series and S Series Devices

PFI 0
When exporting a signal through task-based routing to most PFI terminals, the
route is reserved and committed with the task. When the task goes back to a

© National Instruments 497

 NI-DAQmx

verified state, software resources for the route are released, but the route
remains in place in hardware. It remains in place to prevent glitching on the
PFI terminal and to prevent any unexpected effects on external circuitry
monitoring the signal. However, PFI 0 is an exception to this rule. Because PFI
0 can accept both analog and digital signals, it tristates when the task is not in
the committed or running state. This behavior is intended to prevent
accidental connections of an analog signal directly to digital circuitry that
could damage the device.
Note: PFI 0 accepts only digital signals on
the NI 6154.
When in use, the analog trigger circuitry takes over the PFI 0 terminal internal
to the device. Because of this, you cannot use PFI 0 to route any digital signals
when using the analog trigger, regardless of whether you are triggering off of
PFI 0 or an analog input channel. If you try to use PFI 0 for digital signals and
the analog trigger at the same time, you receive a routing error.
Counters
The counters on these devices are very versatile and in many cases can route
signals across subsystems. They can also be used to route signals to/from the
I/O connector. However, when a counter is used as part of a route, you may
not be able to use the counter for other applications while the route remains
reserved. Most routes do not require an internal counter terminal, but many
advanced routes do. For example, if you want to use the signal present at PFI 4
on Dev1 as the Start Trigger for an acquisition on Dev2, you simply need to
specify /Dev1/PFI4 as the source of the trigger. However, to make the route,
the signal is internally routed from /Dev1/PFI4 to /Dev1/Ctr0Source to
a RTSI bus line or PXI_Trig to Dev2/ai/StartTrigger . These terminals
need not be explicitly specified when programming the route. In this case, it is
not obvious that a counter terminal is used to make the route. Subsequent
attempts at using the counter while it is in use result in a routing reservation
error. To see if the route you are making uses counter resources, consult the
table displayed under the Device Routes tab in MAX.

Routing Considerations for TIO Devices

Though TIO counters can receive signals from any of the PFI lines, NI-DAQmx uses
internal resources to connect some PFIs to counter inputs. There are some PFI lines

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that do not use internal resources that are preferred for use with different counter
signals.

CtrnAux
PFI 37, PFI 33, PFI 29, PFI 25, PFI 21, PFI 17, PFI 13, PFI 9
CtrnGate
PFI 38, PFI 34, PFI 30, PFI 26, PFI 22, PFI 18, PFI 14, PFI 10
CtrnSource
PFI 39, PFI 35, PFI 31, PFI 27, PFI 23, PFI 19, PFI 15, PFI 11

For output, the same rules apply. Though the counter can output on any PFI line,
there are a subset of preferred PFIs that do not use internal resources to make the
routes.

CtrnInternalOutput
PFI 36, PFI 32, PFI 28, PFI 24, PFI 20, PFI 16, PFI 12, PFI 8

To see if the route you are making uses internal resources, consult the table
displayed under the Device Routes tab in MAX.

Switches
This section contains information specific to switch devices about API support and
switching capacity, including switching voltage, switching current, and switching
power.
API Support for Switch Modules
Switch modules can support any of four different ways to control their relays. You
may use the APIs interchangeably, but NI recommends using a single API for each
application.

Digital Output
Create your tasks, either programmatically with the Create Channel Digital
Output function/VI or interactively through the DAQ Assistant, using the digital
output physical channels. Use the digital versions of the Write function/VI to
control the relays. Each digital port consists of 32 digital lines, and each line

© National Instruments 499

 NI-DAQmx

represents a relay on the switch. For example, if a module contains 64 relays,

the first 32 are on port 0, and the rest will be on port 1. Writing a 0 to a digital
line opens the relay and writing a 1 closes it.
Immediate
The immediate API, supported by all switches, provides a switch channel-
based interaction recommended for nonscanning operations. Functions/VIs
such as DAQmx Switch Connect and DAQmx Switch Disconnect are considered
part of the immediate API.
Relay
The relay API provides a relay-based interaction. Functions/VIs like DAQmx
Switch Open Relays and DAQmx Switch Close Relays are considered part of
the relay API.
Scanning
Scanning is a method of connecting channels and is often used when
connecting instruments and devices under test (DUTs) in a specific order. In
this operation mode, the switch cycles through each entry in a scan list
downloaded to the switch. The triggers the switch receives initiate this
cycling. Create scanning tasks using DAQmx Switch Create Scan List and
control tasks using functions/VIs like DAQmx Start, DAQmx Stop, and so on.

Supported Topologies
Every switch module supports one or more topologies. Changing the topology alters
the functionality of the switch and, in many cases, changes the list of supported
channel names.

Special Considerations
Some switch modules have specific behaviors that you must consider when
developing applications. These are described in the following table.

Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

2810/1-Wire 4×43 Matrix
■ NI 2810A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

2811/1-Wire 8×21 Matrix
■ NI 2811A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2812/1-Wire 16x9 Matrix

■ NI 2812A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2813/2-Wire 4x21 Matrix

■ NI 2813A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2814/2-Wire 8x9 Matrix

■ NI 2814A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2815/1-Wire 4×86 Matrix

■ NI 2815A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2816/1-Wire 8×46 Matrix

■ NI 2816A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2817/1-Wire 16x22 Matrix

■ NI 2817A/B ■ Immediate
■ Reed Matrix for NI ■ Relay
SwitchBlock

2833/2-Wire 4x71 Matrix

■ NI 2833 ■ Immediate
■ Electromechanical ■ Relay
Latching Matrix for NI
SwitchBlock

2834/2-Wire 8x34 Matrix

■ NI 2834 ■ Immediate

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ Electromechanical ■ Relay
Latching Matrix for NI
SwitchBlock

2865/1-Wire 4x84 Matrix

■ NI 2865 ■ Immediate
■ Matrix with Analog ■ Relay
Bus Protection for NI
SwitchBlock

■ PXI-2501 ■ Immediate ■ 2501/1-Wire 48x1 Mux

■ 24-Channel FET ■ Relay ■ 2501/1-Wire 48x1
■ Multiplexer/Matrix ■ Scanning Amplified Mux
■ 2501/2-Wire 24x1 Mux
■ 2501/2-Wire 24x1
Amplified Mux
■2501/2-Wire Dual 12x1
Mux
■2501/2-Wire Quad 6x1
Mux
■ 2501/2-Wire 4x6 Matrix
■ 2501/4-Wire 12x1 Mux

■ PXI-2503 ■ Immediate ■ 2503/1-Wire 48x1 Mux

■ 24-Channel Relay ■ Relay ■ 2503/2-Wire 24x1 Mux
■ Multiplexer/Matrix ■ Scanning ■2503/2-Wire Dual 12x1
Mux
■2503/2-Wire Quad 6x1
Mux
■ 2503/2-Wire 4x6 Matrix
■ 2503/4-Wire 12x1 Mux

Independent
■ PXI-2510 ■ Immediate
■ 68-Channel 2A Fault ■ Relay
Insertion Unit ■ Scanning

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

Independent
■ PXI-2512, PXIe-2512 ■ Immediate
■ 7-Channel 10A Fault ■ Relay
Insertion Unit ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXI-2514, PXIe-2514 ■ Immediate
■ 7-Channel 40A Fault ■ Relay
Insertion Unit ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXI-2515, PXIe-2515 ■ Immediate
■ High-Speed Digital I/O ■ Relay
Signal Insertion Switch ■ Scanning

■ PXI-2520 ■ Immediate ■ 80-SPST Switch

■80-Channel SPST Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

■ PXI-2521 ■ Immediate ■ 40-DPST Switch

■40-Channel DPST Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

53-SPDT Switch
■ PXI-2522 ■ Immediate
■53-Channel SPDT Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

26-DPDT Switch
■ PXI-2523 ■ Immediate
■26-Channel DPDT Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

■ PXI-2527 ■ Immediate ■ 2527/1-Wire 64x1 Mux

■32-Channel 300 V ■ Relay ■2527/1-Wire Dual 32x1
Multiplexer ■ Scanning Mux
■ 2527/2-Wire 32x1 Mux

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ 2527/2-Wire Dual 16x1
Mux
■ 2527/4-Wire 16x1 Mux
■ 2527/Independent

■ PXI-2529 ■ Immediate ■2529/2-Wire 8x16

■128-Crosspoint Relay ■ Relay Matrix
Matrix ■ Scanning
■2529/2-Wire 4x32
Matrix
■2529/2-Wire Dual 4x16
Matrix

■ PXI-2530 ■ Immediate ■ 2530/1-Wire 128x1 Mux

■ 128-Channel Reed ■ Relay ■2530/1-Wire Dual 64x1
Relay ■ Scanning Mux
■ Multiplexer/Matrix ■ 2530/2-Wire 64x1 Mux
■ 2530/4-Wire 32x1 Mux
■2530/1-Wire 4x32
Matrix
■2530/1-Wire 8x16
Matrix
■2530/1-Wire Octal 16x1
Mux
■2530/1-Wire Quad 32x1
Mux
■2530/2-Wire 4x16
Matrix
■2530/2-Wire Dual 32x1
Mux
■2530/2-Wire Quad 16x1
Mux
■2530/4-Wire Dual 16x1
Mux
■ 2530/Independent

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ PXI-2531, PXIe-2531 ■ Immediate ■2531/1-Wire 4x128

■ 512-Crosspoint Matrix ■ Relay Matrix
■ Scanning
■2531/1-Wire 8x64
Matrix
■2531/1-Wire Dual 4x64
Matrix
■2531/1-Wire Dual 8x32
Matrix

■ PXI-2532 ■ Immediate ■2532/1-Wire 16x32

■ 512-Crosspoint Matrix ■ Relay Matrix
■ Scanning
■2532/1-Wire 4x128
Matrix
■2532/1-Wire 8x64
Matrix
■ 2532/1-Wire Dual
16x16 Matrix
■2532/1-Wire Dual 4x64
Matrix
■2532/1-Wire Dual 8x32
Matrix
■ 2532/1-Wire Sixteen
2x16 Matrix
■2532/2-Wire 16x16
Matrix
■2532/2-Wire 4x64
Matrix
■2532/2-Wire 8x32
Matrix

2533/1-Wire 4x64 Matrix

■ PXI-2533 ■ Immediate
■256-Crosspoint SSR ■ Relay
Matrix ■ Scanning

2534/1-Wire 8x32 Matrix

■ PXI-2534 ■ Immediate

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■256-Crosspoint SSR ■ Relay
Matrix ■ Scanning

2535/1-Wire 4x136 Matrix

■ PXI-2535 ■ Immediate
■544-Crosspoint FET ■ Relay
Matrix ■ Scanning

2536/1-Wire 8x68 Matrix

■ PXI-2536 ■ Immediate
■544-Crosspoint FET ■ Relay
Matrix ■ Scanning

2542/Quad 2x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXI-2542, PXIe-2542 ■ Immediate
■Quad Terminated 2x1 ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2543/Dual 4x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXI-2543, PXIe-2543 ■ Immediate
■Dual Terminated 4x1 ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2544/8x1 Terminated Mux

■ NI PXI-2544, PXIe-2544 ■ Immediate
■ Terminated 8x1 ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2545/4x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXI-2545 ■ Immediate
■ 2.7 GHz 4x1 ■ Relay
Terminated 50 Ohm ■ Scanning
Multiplexer

2546/Dual 4x1 Mux

■ PXI-2546 ■ Immediate
■ 2.7 GHz Dual 4x1 50 ■ Relay
Ohm Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2547/8x1 Mux
■ PXI-2547 ■ Immediate

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■2.7 GHz 8x1 50 Ohm ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2548/4-SPDT
■ PXI-2548 ■ Digital Output
■ 2.7 GHz 4-SPDT 50 ■ Immediate
Ohm Relay Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

2549/Terminated 2-SPDT
■ PXI-2549 ■ Digital Output
■ 2.7 GHz Terminated ■ Immediate
2-SPDT 50 Ohm Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

2554/4x1 Mux
■ PXI-2554 ■ Immediate
■2.5 GHz 4x1 75 Ohm ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2555/4x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXI-2555 ■ Immediate
■ 2.5 GHz 4x1 ■ Relay
Terminated 75 Ohm ■ Scanning
Multiplexer

2556/Dual 4x1 Mux

■ PXI-2556 ■ Immediate
■ 2.5 GHz Dual 4x1 75 ■ Relay
Ohm Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2557/8x1 Mux
■ PXI-2557 ■ Immediate
■2.5 GHz 8x1 75 Ohm ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2558/4-SPDT
■ PXI-2558 ■ Digital Output
■ 2.5 GHz 4-SPDT 75 ■ Immediate
Ohm Relay Module ■ Relay

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ Scanning

2559/Terminated 2-SPDT
■ PXI-2559 ■ Digital Output
■ 2.5 GHz Terminated ■ Immediate
2-SPDT 75 Ohm Relay ■ Relay
Module ■ Scanning

■ PXI-2564 ■ Digital Output ■ 2564/8-DPST

■ 16-SPST Relay Module ■ Immediate ■ 2564/16-SPST
■ Relay
■ Scanning

2565/16-SPST
■ PXI-2565 ■ Digital Output
■16-SPST Power Relay ■ Immediate
Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ PXI-2566 ■ Digital Output ■ 2566/8-DPDT

■ 16-SPDT Relay Module ■ Immediate ■ 2566/16-SPDT
■ Relay
■ Scanning

2567/Independent
■ PXI-2567 ■ Digital Output
■ 64-Channel Relay ■ Immediate
Driver Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ PXI-2568 ■ Digital Output ■ 2568/15-DPST

■31-Channel SPST Relay ■ Immediate ■ 2568/31-SPST
Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ PXI-2569 ■ Digital Output ■ 2569/50-DPST

■ 100-Channel SPST ■ Immediate ■ 2569/100-SPST
Relay Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ PXI-2570 ■ Digital Output ■ 2570/20-DPDT

■40-Channel SPDT Relay ■ Immediate ■ 2570/40-SPDT
Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

2571/66-SPDT
■ PXI-2571 ■ Digital Output
■66-Channel SPDT Relay ■ Immediate
Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ PXI-2575 ■ Immediate ■ 2575/1-Wire 196x1 Mux

■196x1 Relay ■ Relay ■ 2575/2-Wire 98x1 Mux
Multiplexer ■ Scanning ■ 2575/2-Wire 95x1 Mux

■ PXI-2576 ■ Immediate ■2576/2-Wire Octal 8x1

■ Multi-Bank Multiplexer ■ Relay Mux
■ Scanning
■ 2576/2-Wire Sixteen
4x1 Mux

■ PXI-2584 ■ Immediate ■ 2584/Independent

■High-Voltage ■ Relay ■ 2584/1-Wire 12x1 Mux
Multiplexer ■ Scanning ■2584/1-Wire Dual 6x1
Mux
■ 2584/2-Wire 6x1 Mux

2585/1-Wire 10x1 Mux

■ PXI-2585 ■ Immediate
■ 10-Channel Multiplexer ■ Relay

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ Scanning

■ PXI-2586 ■ Digital Output ■ 2586/5-DPST

■10-Channel SPST Relay ■ Immediate ■ 2586/10-SPST
Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

2590/4x1 Mux
■ PXI-2590 ■ Immediate
■1.3 GHz 4x1 50 Ohm ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2591/4x1 Mux
■ PXI-2591 ■ Immediate
■4 GHz 4x1 50 Ohm ■ Scanning
Multiplexer

■ PXI-2593 ■ Immediate ■ 2593/16x1 Mux

■ 500 MHz Dual 8x1 50 ■ Relay ■ 2593/Dual 8x1 Mux
Ohm Multiplexer ■ Scanning ■2593/8x1 Terminated
Mux
■ 2593/Dual 4x1
Terminated Mux
■ 2593/Independent

2594/4x1 Mux
■
PXI-2594 ■
Immediate
■ 1x4 2.5 GHz Multiplexer ■ Relay
■ Scanning

2595/4x1 Mux
■ PXI-2595 ■ Immediate
■ 1x4 5.5 GHz Multiplexer ■ Relay
■ Scanning

2596/Dual 6x1 Mux

■ PXI-2596 ■ Immediate
■ Relay

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■Dual 1x6 26.5 GHz ■ Scanning
Multiplexer

2597/6x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXI-2597 ■ Immediate
■ 1x6 26.5 GHz ■ Relay
Terminated Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2598/Dual Transfer
■ PXI-2598 ■ Immediate
■ Dual 26.5 GHz Transfer ■ Relay
Switch ■ Scanning

2599/2-SPDT
■ PXI-2599 ■ Immediate
■ Dual 26.5 GHz SPDT ■ Relay
■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXIe-2720 ■ Immediate
■ Ten 8-Bit Channel ■ Relay
Resistor Module ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXIe-2722 ■ Immediate
■ Five 16-Bit Channel ■ Relay
Resistor Module ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXIe-2725 ■ Immediate
■ Eighteen 8-Bit Channel ■ Relay
Resistor Module ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXIe-2727 ■ Immediate
■ Nine 16-bit Channel ■ Relay
Resistor Module ■ Scanning

Independent
■ PXIe-2790 ■ Immediate
■ Relay

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ RF Power Combiner ■ Scanning
and Switch

2796/Dual 6x1 Mux

■ PXIe-2796 ■ Immediate
■Dual 6x1 40 GHz ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2797/6x1 Terminated Mux

■ PXIe-2797 ■ Immediate
■6x1 40 GHz Terminated ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

2798/Dual Transfer
■ PXIe-2798 ■ Immediate
■ Dual 40 GHz Transfer ■ Relay
Switch ■ Scanning

2799/2-SPDT
■ PXIe-2799 ■ Immediate
■ Dual 40 GHz SPDT ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ SCXI-1127 ■ Immediate ■ 1127/1-Wire 64x1 Mux

■32-Channel Relay ■ Relay ■ 1127/2-Wire 32x1 Mux
Multiplexer/Matrix ■ Scanning ■ 1127/4-Wire 16x1 Mux
■ See SCXI-1127 ■ 1127/2-Wire 4x8 Matrix
Considerations

■ SCXI-1128 ■ Immediate ■ 1128/1-Wire 64x1 Mux

■ 32-Channel Solid-State ■ Relay ■ 1128/2-Wire 32x1 Mux
Relay (SSR) ■ Scanning ■ 1128/4-Wire 16x1 Mux
■ Multiplexer/Matrix ■ 1128/2-Wire 4x8 Matrix
■ See SCXI-1128 ■ 1128/Independent
Considerations

■ SCXI-1129 ■ Immediate ■1129/2-Wire 16x16

■ Relay Matrix

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■256-Crosspoint Relay ■ Scanning ■ 1129/2-Wire 8x32
Matrix Matrix
■1129/2-Wire 4x64
Matrix
■1129/2-Wire Dual 8x16
Matrix
■1129/2-Wire Dual 4x32
Matrix
■1129/2-Wire Quad 4x16
Matrix

■ SCXI-1130 ■ Immediate ■ 1130/1-Wire 256x1 Mux

■ 256-Channel Reed ■ Relay ■ 1130/1-Wire Dual
Relay ■ Scanning 128x1 Mux
■ Multiplexer/Matrix ■ 1130/2-Wire 128x1 Mux
■ 1130/4-Wire 64x1 Mux
■1130/1-Wire 4x64
Matrix
■1130/1-Wire 8x32
Matrix
■1130/1-Wire Octal 32x1
Mux
■1130/1-Wire Quad 64x1
Mux
■ 1130/1-Wire Sixteen
16x1 Mux
■1130/2-Wire 4x32
Matrix
■1130/2-Wire Octal 16x1
Mux
■1130/2-Wire Quad 32x1
Mux
■1130/4-Wire Quad 16x1
Mux
■ 1130/Independent

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

1160/16-SPDT
■ SCXI-1160 ■ Digital Output
■ 16-SPDT General- ■ Immediate
Purpose Relay Module ■ Relay

1161/8-SPDT
■ SCXI-1161 ■ Digital Output
■8-SPDT Power Relay ■ Immediate
Module ■ Relay

1163R/Octal 4x1 Mux

■ SCXI-1163R ■ Digital Output
■ 32-Channel SSR ■ Immediate
■ Relay

■ SCXI-1166 ■ Digital Output ■ 1166/16-DPDT

■ 32-SPDT Relay Module ■ Immediate ■ 1166/32-SPDT
■ Relay
■ Scanning

1167/Independent
■ SCXI-1167 ■ Digital Output
■ 64-Channel Relay ■ Immediate
Driver Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ SCXI-1169 ■ Digital Output ■ 1169/50-DPST

■ 100-Channel SPST ■ Immediate ■ 1169/100-SPST
Relay Module ■ Relay
■ Scanning

■ SCXI-1175 ■ Immediate ■ 1175/1-Wire 196x1 Mux

■196x1 Relay ■ Relay ■ 1175/2-Wire 98x1 Mux
Multiplexer ■ Scanning ■ 1175/2-Wire 95x1 Mux

1190/Quad 4x1 Mux

■ SCXI-1190 ■ Immediate

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Device Supported APIs Supported Topologies

■ 1.3 GHz Quad 4x1 50
Ohm Multiplexer

1191/Quad 4x1 Mux

■ SCXI-1191 ■ Immediate
■ 4 GHz Quad 4x1 50
Ohm Multiplexer

1192/8-SPDT
■ SCXI-1192 ■ Digital Output
■ 18 GHz 8-SPDT 50 Ohm ■ Immediate
Relay Module ■ Relay

■ SCXI-1193 ■ Immediate ■ 1193/32x1 Mux

■ 500 MHz Quad 8x1 50 ■ Relay ■ 1193/Dual 16x1 Mux
Ohm Multiplexer ■ Scanning ■ 1193/Quad 8x1 Mux
■1193/16x1 Terminated
Mux
■ 1193/Dual 8x1
Terminated Mux
■ 1193/Quad 4x1
Terminated Mux
■ 1193/Independent

1194/Quad 4x1 Mux

■ SCXI-1194 ■ Immediate
■Quad 1x4 2.5 GHz ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

1195/Quad 4x1 Mux

■ SCXI-1195 ■ Immediate
■Quad 1x4 5.5 GHz ■ Relay
Multiplexer ■ Scanning

SCXI-1127 Considerations
To route signals to the analog bus backplane, you must enable the switch device
property AutoConnAnlgBus. As a result, if you connect a channel (ch1) to the

© National Instruments 515

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common channel (com0), the signal is automatically routed from com0 to the
analog bus (ab0).
The device supports only continuous scanning.
If you have used immediate or relay operations to change relay states before
starting a scan, all of those relays are opened when the scan starts. After the scan
completes, the relays are returned to their previous state prior to the scan.
Early revisions of this hardware reserve the SCXI_TRIG1 line. If you place an older
revision of this hardware (earlier than revision E) into an SCXI chassis that also
contains an SCXI analog input module that performs track and hold (such as the
SCXI-1140 or SCXI-1520), you may get reservation errors when trying to use the SCXI
analog input module.

SCXI-1128 Considerations
To route signals to the analog bus backplane, you must enable the switch device
property AutoConnAnlgBus. As a result, if you connect a channel (ch1) to the
common channel (com0), the signal is automatically routed from com0 to the
analog bus (ab0).
The device supports only continuous scanning.
If you have used immediate or relay operations to change relay states before
starting a scan, all of those relays are opened when the scan starts. After the scan
completes, the relays are returned to their previous state prior to the scan.
Switching Capacity
Signal levels through a switch must account for the following specifications:

■ Switching voltage
■ Switching current
■ Switching power
The following figure shows the valid operating range defined by these limits.

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Switching Current
Switching current is the maximum rated current that can flow through the switch as
it makes or breaks a contact. Switching active currents higher than those specified
in the switch documentation can result in arcing that can damage the contacts of
electromechanical relays. A minimum current specification indicates the smallest
current that can reliably flow through the switch.
Switches can also have carry current. Carry current is the maximum rated current
that can pass through a closed switch, or the current that a switch can carry. Carry
current can be larger than switching current. However, since carry current can only
flow while the switch is closed, the current needs to be stopped while the switch
operates.
Switching Power
Switching power is the limit on the combined open-contact voltage and closed-
contact current of a signal in the switch.
Switching Power = Switching Voltage * Switching Current
Switching high-power signals causes high-energy arcing at the electromechanical
contacts during actuation, reducing the useful life of the switch.

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Switching Voltage
Switching voltage refers to the maximum signal voltage that the switch module can
safely maintain. Switching voltage is defined from channel-to-ground and from
channel-to-channel. Channel-to-ground is the voltage potential between the signal
line and the grounded chassis. Channel-to-channel is the voltage potential between
any pair of signal lines within the module. This voltage includes voltages across
open relay contacts, as well as voltages between adjacent connection terminals.

Note: CE marking for measurement and control

devices requires compliance to the IEC 61010-1
standard. Switch modules intended for high-
voltage signals (> 60 VDC / 30 Vrms ) are rated for
Measurement Categories as defined in this
standard. Measurement Categories describe the
acceptable transient overvoltages and fault
protection necessary for safe operation. Refer to
the NI Switches Getting Started Guide for more
information on Measurement Categories.

Synchronization
This section contains information on synchronizing multiple devices.
Synchronizing cDAQ Chassis and FieldDAQ Devices
If you have multiple devices that support the IEEE 802.1AS standard, you can use
Start Trigger synchronization to trigger at a specific time. These devices must either
be connected through a daisy chain or a switch that supports IEEE 802.1AS.

Note: If the devices are connected to the

network through a real-time host, you must
discover these devices in MAX through the real-
time host. Refer to the MAX Help for NI-DAQmx
for more information on how to discover
devices remotely.
For a detailed tutorial on synchronizing FieldDAQ devices, refer to Synchronizing
Analog Input FieldDAQ Devices with NI-DAQmx in LabVIEW on ni.com.
Synchronizing DSA Devices

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You can synchronize the analog input and output operations on two or more DSA
devices to extend the channel count of DSA measurements. Refer to the NI Dynamic
Signal Acquisition User Manual, which you can find at ni.com/manuals, for
additional DSA synchronization information.
Synchronizing DSA Devices with Multifunction DAQ Devices
You can use Sample Clock synchronization to synchronize DSA devices with
Multifunction DAQ devices. However, synchronization creates phase delay between
the devices.
Synchronizing X Series, M Series, and SC Express Devices
Note: To synchronize analog input tasks on
multiple X Series and SC Express devices at the
same sampling rate, you can use channels from
those devices within the same task.
X Series, M Series, and SC Express devices support the following synchronization
methods:

■ Start Trigger synchronization

■ Reference Clock synchronization
■ Sample Clock synchronization
Refer to the Device Routes tab in MAX to determine which PXI and RTSI lines can
route synchronization signals.

Note: You cannot use a RTSI cable to connect

multiple USB X Series devices.
Note: The NI 4302/4303/4304/4305, NI
4330/4331, and NI 4339 only support exporting
their sample clock. They do not support
importing a sample clock.
Note: The NI 4340 supports importing a sample
clock only in hardware-timed single-point
sample mode.

Synchronizing E Series, S Series, and AO Series Devices

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E Series, S Series, and AO Series devices support the following synchronization

methods:

■ Start Trigger synchronization

■ Master Timebase synchronization
■ Sample Clock synchronization
NI PCI-6154 and PXIe-6124 devices support the following synchronization methods:

■ Start Trigger synchronization

■ Reference Clock synchronization
■ Sample Clock synchronization
Refer to the Device Routes tab in MAX to determine which PXI and RTSI lines can
route synchronization signals.
PXI_CLK 10 with the NI 6608 and the NI 6614
When NI-DAQmx detects that an NI 6608 is installed in slot 2 (or when an NI 6614 is
installed in the system timing slot), NI-DAQmx automatically overrides the chassis
PXI_CLX10 with the more stable oven controlled oscillator (OCXO) from the NI 6608
or NI 6614. This allows all devices in the chassis to inherit the OCXO accuracy and
stability via the PXI_CLK10 signal. In a PXIe chassis, the PXIe_Clk100 signal is phase-
locked to the PXI_CLK10, so PXIe_Clk100 will also inherit the OCXO accuracy and
stability.
Refer to the NI 6608 documentation for more information about the stability of the
OCXO.

Note: For the automatic override to occur in NI-

DAQmx, you must put the NI 6608 in slot 2 or the
NI 6614 in the system timing slot. For more
information about configuring your PXI chassis,
refer to the Measurement & Automation
Explorer Help for PXI.

Synchronization with M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family Devices

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M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family devices do not support reference clock
synchronization.
Supported Devices for Trigger Skew Correction
The following devices support locking synchronized triggers to a clock to
compensate for skew.

■ SC Express devices
■ X Series devices

Timing
This section contains information about timing for AO Series, C Series, DSA, E Series,
FieldDAQ, M Series USB, NI ELVIS II Family, S Series, and SC Express devices.
Timing Considerations for AO Series Devices
When using an external ao/SampleClock for finite generations, you need to provide
one more sample clock pulse than the number of samples in the generation. The
Wait Until Done function/VI uses the extra sample clock to indicate the task is
complete. For example, if you want to generate 1000 samples using an external
sample clock, the first 1000 samples clocks you provide generates all of the
samples, but you need to provide 1001 sample clock pulses for the Wait Until Done
function/VI to indicate the task is done. If you are trying to synchronize an analog
output generation with another acquisition or generation by sharing a common
clock, use the ao/SampleClock as the master clock, or key off of the generation or
acquisition providing the master clock to determine when the generation is
complete.
Static AO devices, such as the NI 6703 and NI 6704, do not have hardware timing and
have multiplexed output. Refer to your device documentation for specifics
concerning your device.
Timing Considerations for C Series Devices
Note: C Series devices do not support hardware-
timed single-point sample mode or Wait for
Next Sample Clock.

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Analog Input Timing Considerations for C Series Devices

You can use multiple analog input devices of different types in the same task, and
NI-DAQmx automatically synchronizes them.
NI-DAQmx supports:

■ Only one analog input task at a time per NI cDAQ-9171, 9181, and 9191
chassis.
■ Up to three analog input tasks at a time per cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135,
9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, and 9189 chassis.
■ Up to eight analog input tasks at a time per supported CompactRIO
controller.
■One analog input task at a time per slot or onboard IO module, per
CompactRIO Single-Board controller.

AI Convert Clock Considerations

C Series Scanned devices, such as the NI 9201, NI 9205, and NI 9221, use multiplexed
sampling controlled by a per-slot AI Convert Clock.
If you have multiple devices in one task, their AI Convert Clocks run in parallel,
which may cause channels on multiple devices to be sampled at the same time. You
can set the AI Convert Rate and the Delay From Sample Clock differently on each
device. When setting AI Convert instances of the DAQmx Timing attribute/property,
you must use the ActiveDev attribute/property to specify the device to which you
are referring. External clocking of the AI Convert Clock is not supported.

Reference Clock Considerations

Devices with a reference clock, such as the NI 9775, do not support on-demand
timing.
These devices require hardware timing from a continuous clock. This clock
synchronizes the onboard oscillators using a phase-locked loop and serves as the
Sample Clock Timebase. When devices with reference clocks are in a task, you
cannot set an external SampClk.Src or SampClkTimebase. Similar to DSA devices,

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devices with a reference clock do not support external sample clocks from arbitrary
signal sources.
For the NI 9775, the reference clock must be 12.8 MHz.

Sampling Rate Considerations

The default AI Convert Clock rate for the C Series Scanned devices uses 10 µs of
additional settling time between channels, compared to the fastest AI Convert Clock
rate for the device. When the Sample Clock rate is too high to allow for 10 µs of
additional settling time, the default AI Convert Clock rate uses as much settling
time as is allowed by the Sample Clock rate. If there are multiple C Series Scanned
devices in the same task, the same amount of additional settling time is used for all
devices in the task, even if their maximum AI Convert Clock rates differ.
In a CompactDAQ chassis with C Series Slow Sample devices, such as the NI 9211, if
the sampling rate of a hardware-timed acquisition exceeds the maximum sampling
rate of the module, the most recently acquired sample may be read multiple times
and no warning or error is generated. Exceeding the maximum sampling rate of
other devices in the same task generates warnings or errors. The first sample of a
hardware-timed acquisition with C Series Slow Sample devices is sampled when the
task is committed. Software-timed acquisitions with C Series Slow Sample devices
always wait for a new sample to be acquired.
In a CompactRIO or Single-Board RIO controller with C Series Slow Sample devices,
such as the NI 9211, if the sampling rate of a hardware-timed acquisition exceeds
the maximum sampling rate of the module, DAQmx generates warning or errors.
When a Slow Sample device is in the same task as a non-Slow Sample device,
exceeding the maximum sampling rate of the Slow Sample device results in the
most recently acquired sample being read multiple times. In this scenario, the
first sample of a hardware-timed acquisition with C Series Slow Sample devices is
sampled when the task is committed.
The NI 9213/9214 maximum sample rate of 100 S/s applies to tasks with 13 or less
analog input channels per module. To determine the maximum sample rate for an
NI 9213/9214, query the AI.MaxMultiChanRate attribute/property and divide that
returned value by the number of channels. For instance, if your analog input task
uses 14 channels and AI.MaxMultiChanRate returns 1360.54, the maximum sample

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rate would be 97.18 S/s. You can also query the maximum sample rate used in the
task with the SampClk.MaxRate attribute/property.
The maximum sampling rate of the NI 9215 depends on which channel(s) you are
acquiring from. For instance, a task acquiring from any combination of ai0, ai1, and
ai2 can sample at faster rates than a task that includes ai3. The maximum sampling
rates are attainable only when sampling from ai0. If you have multiple NI 9215
devices in the same task, they sample in parallel. For instance, multiple NI 9215
devices acquiring from ai0 may be able to achieve a faster sampling rate than a
single NI 9215 acquiring from ai3.
The C Series Delta-Sigma devices, such as the NI 9225, NI 9227, NI 9235, and NI 9239,
have both a maximum and a minimum sampling rate. Refer to the specifications for
your device to determine the sampling rate range.
When you set a sampling rate for the NI 9230, NI 9231, NI 9232, or NI 9234, NI-DAQmx
selects the highest possible decimation rate. Refer to the operating instructions for
your device for more information about available sampling rates.
When C Series Delta Sigma devices, such as the NI 9230, NI 9231, NI 9232, NI 9234, NI
9250, or NI 9251 are in a task with a C Series device that has a different sample clock
timebase, NI-DAQmx always chooses the sample clock timebase with the highest
frequency. To override this selection, you can set the sample clock timebase in the
SampClk.Timebase.Src attribute/property.

Hardware and On-Demand Timing for C Series Delta-Sigma Devices

C Series Delta-Sigma devices do not support the on-demand timing type.
All acquisitions and generations for C Series Delta-Sigma devices require hardware
timing from a steady clock. You cannot set the SampClk.Src attribute/property to
an external source when a C Series Delta-Sigma device is in the task. With C Series
Delta-Sigma devices, external clocking from arbitrary external signal sources such as
encoders and tachometers is not supported.

Analog Output Timing Considerations for C Series Devices

Only one hardware-timed analog output task per CompactDAQ chassis at a given
time is supported, but the number of concurrent software-timed analog output
tasks is limited only by the available channels. A single C Series analog output

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device cannot be used for hardware-timed and software-timed tasks at the same
time.
CompactRIO and Single-Board RIO controllers can support more than one
hardware-timed AO task per controller. Refer to CompactRIO Timing Engines.

Digital Input/Output Timing Considerations for C Series Devices

Only one hardware-timed digital input task and one hardware-timed digital output
task per CompactDAQ chassis at a given time is supported, but the number of
concurrent software-timed digital I/O tasks is limited only by the available lines.
Refer to Digital I/O Considerations for C Series for more information about
hardware-timed digital input/output.
CompactRIO and Single-Board RIO controllers can support more than one
hardware-timed digital input task and one hardware-timed digital output task per
controller. Refer to CompactRIO Timing Engines.

Configurable Timing for C Series Devices

On the NI 9207, NI 9208, NI 9209, NI 9212, NI 9213, NI USB-9213, NI 9214, NI 9216, NI
9217, NI 9219, NI 9224, NI 9226, NI 9228, and NI 9775, you can configure high-speed
or high-resolution measurements using the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property.
On the NI 9212, NI 9219, and NI USB-9219 you can also configure low-noise
measurements using the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property.

Default Settings for the AI.ADCTimingMode Attribute/Property

For all modules in the CompactRIO and Single-Board RIO controllers, the default
value in hardware-timed mode is automatically determined based on Sample Clock
Rate.
For the NI 9207, NI 9208, NI 9209, NI 9212, NI 9213, NI USB-9213, NI 9214, NI 9216,
NI 9217, NI 9219, and NI 9226 in CompactDAQ, the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/
property is set to High Resolution by default. To increase the conversion rate, set
this attribute/property to High Speed.
For the NI USB-9219, this attribute/property is set to High Resolution by default in
on-demand mode, and the default value in hardware-timed mode is automatically

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determined based on Sample Clock Rate. To increase power line noise rejection on
the NI 9212 and NI 9219, set this attribute/property to Best 60 Hz Rejection or Best
50 Hz Rejection.
For the NI 9224 and NI 9228, this attribute/property is set by default to Automatic,
which causes the module to sample with the highest resolution timing mode that is
faster than the rate you specified.
For the NI 9775, this attribute/property has a default timing mode of Automatic. The
Automatic timing mode automatically configures the module to sample with the
highest resolution timing mode that is compatible with the user-specified rate. If the
AI.Lowpass.Enable attribute/property is set to false, the timing mode will remain in
High Speed regardless of the user-specified sample rate.
Slow sample modules are able to sample just fast enough to avoid returning
repeated data. If the user-specified rate is above the maximum rate, the module
will enter background convert and return repeated data. Slow sample modules on
the cDAQ-9171 and cDAQ-9191 chassis have a default timing mode of Automatic.
The AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property affects both the maximum and default
values for AIConv.Rate attribute/property in the DAQmx Timing property node. For
instance, if the ADC timing mode corresponds to a conversion time of 200 ms, the
maximum conversion rate is 5 Hz.

Counter Input Timing Considerations for C Series Devices

For the NI 9361, you can use multiple counter input devices in the same task,
and NI-DAQmx automatically synchronizes them. A single NI 9361 cannot be used
for hardware-timed and software-timed tasks at the same time. The CompactDAQ
chassis and CompactRIO controllers support up to four of the onboard chassis
counters at a time.
Implicit timing is not supported on the NI 9361.
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058.
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Timing Considerations for DSA Devices
■ Supported Sampling Rates

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Unlike some other DAQmx devices, DSA devices have both a maximum and a
minimum sampling rate. Refer to the specifications for your device to
determine the sampling rate range.
■ Other DSA Timing Considerations
DSA devices do not support the on-demand timing type. All DSA acquisitions
and generations require hardware timing from a steady clock. The NI 4464,
4480, and 4481 are an exception. The NI 4464, 4480, and 4481 support on-
demand timing type.
DSA devices do not support external clocking from arbitrary external signal
sources such as encoders and tachometers. The PFI lines on DSA devices
cannot accept external clocks. You can program a DSA device to use an
external clock only when it is a slave in multi-device synchronized system.
Refer to Synchronizing DSA Devices for more details.

Timing Considerations for E Series Devices

Special timing considerations when using E Series devices:

■ ai/ConvertClock
When using the ai/ConvertClock as the source of a route, one extra convert
pulse is generated than you might expect. For example, if you perform a finite
acquisition of 100 samples with four channels, you see 401 convert pulses
instead of 400. This extra convert pulse is necessary to set up the
configuration memory in hardware and occurs as the task transitions to the
committed state.
■ ao/SampleClock
When using an external ao/SampleClock for finite generations, you need to
provide one extra sample clock pulse than the number of samples in the
generation for the Wait Until Done function/VI to indicate the task is complete.
For example, if you want to generate 1000 samples using an external sample
clock, you need to provide 1001 sample clock pulses or the Wait Until Done
function/VI never indicates the task is done. All of the samples are generated,
but the analog output timing engine needs one additional clock pulse to
indicate the generation is complete. If you are trying to synchronize an analog
output generation with another acquisition or generation by sharing a

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common clock, use the ao/SampleClock as the master clock or key off of the
generation or acquisition providing the master clock to determine when the
generation is complete.

Timing Considerations for FieldDAQ

Sampling Rate Considerations

For the FD-11613 and FD-11614, if the sampling rate of a hardware-timed acquisition
exceeds the maximum sampling rate of the module, the most recently acquired
sample may be read multiple times and no warning or error is generated. Exceeding
the maximum sampling rate of other devices in the same task generates warnings
or errors. The first sample of a hardware-timed acquisition with these devices
is sampled when the task is committed. Software-timed acquisitions with these
devices always wait for a new sample to be acquired.
The FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11634, and FD-11637 have a user-selectable
sample clock timebase. You can set the sample clock timebase with the
SampClk.Timebase.Src attribute/property. The FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605,
FD-11634, and FD-11637 also have both a maximum and a minimum sampling rate.
Refer to your device documentation to determine the sampling rate range and the
user-selectable timebase for your FieldDAQ device.
If you do not specify a sample clock timebase source or rate, NI-DAQmx auto-selects
the sample clock timebase with the closest sampling rate greater than or equal to
your requested sampling rate. If you do specify the sample clock timebase source
or rate, NI-DAQmx respects the setting and only chooses a sampling rate supported
with that sample clock timebase.

On-Demand Timing
The FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11634, and FD-11637 do not support the
on-demand timing type.

Configurable Timing for FD-11613 and FD-11614

The FD-11613 and FD-11614 support the following timing modes:

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High Resolution Optimizes accuracy and noise and rejects power

line frequencies.
Best 50 Hz Rejection Optimizes 50 Hz noise rejection.
Best 60 Hz Rejection Optimizes 60 Hz noise rejection.
High Speed Optimizes sample rate and signal bandwidth.
Automatic Uses the most appropriate supported timing
mode based on the Sample Clock Rate.
Use the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property to configure timing on the FD-11613
and FD-11614. This attribute/property is set by default to Automatic, which causes
the module to sample with the highest resolution timing mode that is faster than
the rate you specified.

Hardware-Timed Non-Buffered Sample Mode

In hardware-timed non-buffered sample mode, samples are acquired or generated
continuously using hardware timing and no buffer. You enable this mode by using
sample clock or change detection timing types and specifying a buffer size of 0. This
mode is similar to hardware-timed single point sample mode but with slower
performance and no error checking. Because there is no buffer if you use hardware-
timed non-buffered sample mode, you should ensure that reads or writes execute
fast enough to keep up with hardware timing.

Note: NI USB devices and NI CompactDAQ

systems do not support hardware-timed non-
buffered sample mode when sample clock
timing is used.

Timing Considerations with NI ELVIS II Family and M Series USB

Devices
NI ELVIS II and M Series USB devices do not support hardware-timed single-point
sample mode or Wait for Next Sample Clock. The oscilloscope channels on NI ELVIS
II+, scopeCh0 and scopeCh1, support only finite samples mode, not hardware-timed
single-point mode or continuous samples mode. The NI ELVIS II+ oscilloscope
channels also only support the sample clock sample timing type.
Non-Buffered Change Detection

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On X Series, M Series, and C Series devices, you can detect changes on digital lines
or ports without using a buffer by specifying change detection timing with a buffer
size of 0. To use change detection timing on port 1 or port 2 for X Series devices, you
must use this non-buffered approach (i.e. specifying a buffer size of 0). On M Series
devices, you can read from port 1 and port 2 using non-buffered change detection
timing, but changes must be detected on port 0.
Timing Considerations for S Series

Analog Input with Pipelined ADCs

Note: Not all S Series devices have pipelined
ADCs. Refer to the specifications for your device
to determine if your device contains pipelined
ADCs.
Many S Series devices have pipelined ADCs with an intrinsic pipeline depth. This
pipelining allows the device to sample at higher rates, but it also has other
consequences on the timing requirements for the device. S Series devices, except
for the NI 6143, do not support AI hardware-timed single-point sample mode. Since
the data needs to travel through the pipeline before it can be read, the data being
read is always pipeline-depth points old. For instance, if the pipeline depth for a
device is three, the first sample is acquired on clock tick 1, but it is not available
for reading until clock tick 4. Following this logic, you must supply pipeline-depth
extra clock pulses for a finite acquisition to flush the pipeline. Continuing with
the previous example, if the pipeline depth is three and you want to acquire 1000
samples, you need to generate 1003 sample clock pulses. If you are using the
onboard sample clock, NI-DAQmx automatically generates the appropriate number
of sample clock pulses. However, when using an external sample clock or when
synchronizing devices, you need to ensure you supply the appropriate number of
sample clock pulses.
There is also a finite amount of time a sample can be held in the pipeline
before it starts to degrade and lose measurement accuracy. This time limit
imposes a minimum sampling rate that must be met to achieve the measurement
accuracy specified for the device. Although you can sample slower than this
minimum recommend sampling rate, the accuracy specifications for the device

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are not guaranteed. Refer to the specifications for your device to determine the
recommended minimum sampling rate.
This degradation of samples in the pipeline also affects on-demand single-point
acquisitions and acquisitions that use a Pause Trigger. For on-demand single-point
acquisitions, NI-DAQmx generates multiple sample clocks at the maximum sample
rate of the device for each sample that is read. For S Series devices with a pipelined
ADC, the number of sample clocks generated is equal to the pipeline depth plus
one. For S Series devices that do not have a pipelined ADC, two sample clock pulses
are generated for each point. This means that if you export the sample clock while
doing an on-demand single-point acquisition, you get more sample clock pulses
than data points. NI-DAQmx then throws away all points except the data point that
corresponds to the first sample clock pulse. This ensures the data returned is always
valid data. For acquisitions that use a Pause Trigger, the trigger could invalidate
the samples in the pipeline if the trigger is asserted longer than the pipeline depth
divided by the minimum sampling rate. For instance, if the device has a pipeline
depth of three and a minimum sampling rate of 1000 samples per second, data
should not sit in the pipeline for more than 3 ms. This gives up to a maximum
of 3 ms for the Pause Trigger to remain asserted and three sample clocks to be
detected before the data in the pipeline deteriorates past specifications. In the case
of a Pause Trigger, NI-DAQmx does not detect or throw out any invalid samples. You
must detect this situation and deal with any invalid samples as appropriate.

Analog Output
When using an external ao/SampleClock for finite generations, you need to provide
one more sample clock pulse than the number of samples in the generation for
the Wait Until Done function/VI to indicate the task is complete. For example, if
you want to generate 1000 samples using an external sample clock, you need to
provide 1001 sample clock pulses, or the Wait Until Done function/VI never indicates
the task is done. All of the samples are generated, but the analog output timing
engine needs one additional clock pulse to indicate the generation is complete. If
you are trying to synchronize an analog output generation with another acquisition
or generation by sharing a common clock, use the ao/SampleClock as the master
clock, or key off of the generation or acquisition providing the master clock to
determine when the generation is complete.

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Note: For S Series devices that use the STC2

timing chip, such as the NI 6154, you do not
need to apply an extra sample clock pulse to
complete the task.

Timing Considerations for SC Express Devices

Sampling Rate Considerations

NI 433x devices and the NI 4340 have both a maximum and a minimum sampling
rate. Refer to the specifications for your device to determine the sampling rate
range.
The NI 4309, NI 4353, and NI 4357 use multiplexed sampling with multiple ADCs. The
maximum sampling rate of a NI 4309, NI 4353, or NI 4357 depends on how many
channels you are acquiring, and which channels you are acquiring from. Setting the
AI.ADCTimingMode and AI.ADCCustomTimingMode properties/attributes for the NI
4353 or NI 4357 also affects the maximum sampling rate.

Other Timing Considerations

NI 433x devices do not support external clocking from arbitrary external signal
sources such as encoders and tachometers. You can program a NI 433x device to use
an external timebase only when it is a slave in multi-device synchronized system.
Refer to Synchronizing X Series, M Series, and SC Express Devices for more details.
The NI 4340 supports external clocking only in hardware-timed single-point sample
mode.
Timing Considerations with Standalone NI CompactDAQ Systems
While Standalone NI CompactDAQ systems, such as the NI cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134,
9135, 9136, and 9137 can be programmed with and run the LabVIEW Real-Time
Module, the hardware and software architecture is optimized for data logging
applications rather than for real-time control applications. This means that
Standalone NI CompactDAQ systems are ideal for streaming many channels to or
from disk for extended periods of time, but should not be used for applications that
require hard determinism. The Standalone NI CompactDAQ hardware and software
architectures are not designed for deterministic operation.

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Note:
■ Standalone NI CompactDAQ systems do
not support hardware-timed single-point
sample mode or hardware-timed non-
buffered sample mode.
■ Standalone NI CompactDAQ systems do
not support DAQ events as timing sources
for time loops.

Sample Rate Considerations

The maximum sample rate depends on several factors, including the settling time
for your device, the number of channels in the task, and whether your device uses
simultaneous sampling (one ADC per channel) or multiplexed sampling (one ADC for
all analog input channels). To find the maximum sample rate for your device, use
the Sample Clock:Maximum Sample Rate attribute/property.
Sample Clock-Timed Pulse Train Generation
X Series and 661x devices support buffered, sample clock-timed pulse train
generation. M Series, S Series, TIO, and E Series devices do not. Refer to your device
documentation for additional information on supported counter functionality.
Device-Specific Sampling Methods
S Series and X Series simultaneous sampling devices use simultaneous sampling. M
Series, E Series, all other X Series devices use multiplexed sampling.
C Series devices in CompactDAQ chassis, TestScale modules in TestScale chassis,
CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and CompactRIO Single-Board
controllers use both simultaneous and multiplexed sampling, where all devices in
the chassis share the same sample clock. Devices, such as the NI 9215, with an ADC
for each analog channel use simultaneous sampling. Devices, such as the the NI
9205, with a single ADC sample in sequence use multiplexed sampling.
Each multiplexed C Series device has a separate convert clock. The convert clock
timing is based on the number of channels for that device in the task, not the total
number of channels in the task. You can set the convert clock rate on a per-device
basis using the Active Devices and AI Convert Rate attributes/properties on the

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DAQmx Timing property node. The following figure depicts a ten-channel analog
input task on two simultaneous sampling C Series devices and two multiplexed
sampling C Series devices with different AI convert rates:

cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191
TS-15000 and TS-15010
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Timing Considerations for X Series Devices
X Series USB devices do not support hardware-timed single-point sample mode or
Wait for Next Sample Clock.
Timestamps
Network-synchronized devices support four timestamp resources that allow for
timestamping the first sample clock, start trigger, arm start trigger (counters only) or
reference trigger.
The timestamp resources will be used to provide an accurate t0 for waveform reads
with timed acquisitions that will correspond to the first sample clock for Analog
Input and Digital Input tasks. Therefore, the first sample timestamp is enabled by
default for these types of tasks.

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The timestamp timescale can be configured using the Timestamp.Timescale

attribute/property. Time triggers and timestamps can be specified in I/O Device
Time or Host Time, depending on the needs of your application.

I/O Device Time

Shared by all network-synchronized devices on your 802.1AS subnet. I/O
Device Time is most useful for synchronizing events across multiple chassis or
correlating timestamps from multiple chassis, because even though it may be
in an obscure time scale (for example, related to a point in the distant past,
such as the Linux 1970 epoch), it removes other sources of skew related to
Windows system time or other systems that are not network-synchronized to
the same 802.1AS subnet. In that way, it provides best time trigger and
timestamp accuracy but may reduce usability if it is not correlated to a
recognizable global time. I/O Device Time also has the advantage of being
monotonically increasing, so time triggers and timestamps spread across
multiple devices or tasks accurately maintain their offsets from each other.
■

Host Time
The timescale your PC or NI Linux Real-Time controller uses. In cases where
the NI Linux Real-Time controller is the Grand Master of your 802.1AS subnet,
Host Time and I/O Device Time are the same. However, Host Time is typically
synchronized to a local Real Time Clock or a Network Time Protocol server,
and it is usually traceable to global time. Using Host Time is more intuitive
because triggers and timestamps on the chassis are specified in times that are
easily correlated to your local system time. However, this usability comes at
the cost of reduced relative accuracy between time triggers and timestamps
that are spread across multiple devices or tasks, because using the calculated
offset between the two timescales is not as accurate as using I/O Device Time
directly. To help account for this loss of accuracy in a specific and common
use-case, NI-DAQmx guarantees that two events that are scheduled for the
same Host Time are guaranteed to start at the same I/O Device Time,
preserving precise synchronization between chassis.

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The number of available timestamp resources can be queried using the

NumTimestampEngines attribute/property.
Network-synchronized devices include the following devices:
■ cDAQ-9185, and 9189.
■ FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11634, and
FD-11637.
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058.
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.
Using Wait for Valid Timestamp VI
The Wait for Valid Timestamp VI waits until the selected timestamp is available and
a value is returned. Possible timestamps are Start Trigger, Reference Trigger, Arm
Start Trigger and First Sample.
First Sample Timestamp
The first sample timestamp corresponds to the time of the first sample clock pulse
in a task.
The First Sample Timestamp attribute/property can only be enabled for hardware
timed tasks, and is enabled by default for Analog Input and Digital Input tasks. For
Digital Input tasks as well as C Series Slow Sample and Delta-Sigma Devices, the first
sample timestamp will be the t0 for waveform reads. For C Series Scanned Devices,
the t0 for waveform reads will be the first sample timestamp plus an additional
delay to more accurately reflect the time at which the sample was taken.

Configurable ADC Timing

On some devices, you can configure high-speed, high-resolution, or low-noise
measurements using the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property. The following
devices support configurable ADC Timing.

■ FD-11613 and FD-11614

■ NI 9207, NI 9208, NI 9212, NI 9213, NI 9217, and NI 9219
■ NI 4353 and NI 4357

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Configurable Timing for SC Express Devices

On the NI 4353 and NI 4357, you can configure high-speed or high-resolution
measurements using the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property. You can also
configure a custom value. To configure a custom value, do the following:

1. Set the AI.ADCTimingMode attribute/property to Custom.

2. Specify a custom value with the AI.ADCCustomTimingMode attribute/
property. A smaller value is the lowest noise option while a larger value is the
highest speed option. Refer to your device documentation for additional
information on custom values.

Multiple Timing Engines

The following devices have multiple timing engines on some subsystems.

■ NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 4339, 4340, 4463, 4464, 4480, and 4481
■ NI 6533 and 6534
■ cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185,
9188, 9188XT, and 9189
■ TS-15000 and TS-15010
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638

NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 Timing Engines

The 4302, 4303, 4304, and 4305 have four timing engines. Each of these timing
engines can have its own configuration settings for timing, triggering, and the
sample mode (either buffered or hardware timed single point).
Each timing engine can use any AI channel and can control up to eight channels.
Each channel can only be used once across all timing engines.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to

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specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the four analog input timing engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
2 te2
3 te3
If a task has more than eight channels, NI-DAQmx automatically uses multiple
timing engines, synchronizing and sharing settings across all timing engines. All
timing engines in a single task must share the same settings.
For example, if a task has 10 channels, NI-DAQmx uses two timing engines, which
leaves two timing engines for other tasks. If the task has 32 channels, all four timing
engines are used.
Each channel's digital filter settings can be configured independently if the channel
is used in a task in buffered sample mode. For tasks using HWTSP sample mode, all
channels in the task must have the same digital filter configuration.
NI 4339, 4463, 4464 Timing Engines
The NI 4339 and 4464 provide timing engines for analog input. The NI 4463 provides
timing engines for analog output. Multiple timing engines allow those devices to run
up to two tasks simultaneously, each using independent timing and triggering
configurations.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to
specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

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Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the two analog input timing or analog output engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
On the NI 4339, 4463, and 4464, the Sample Clock and Sample Clock Timebase, as
well as the Start and Reference triggers, exist on each timing engine. Therefore, the
names of the output terminals for those signals include the associated timing
engine. If NI-DAQmx automatically selects the timing engine for a task, the timing
engine, thus the output terminals for those signals, are undefined until you reserve
the task. To reference one of those terminals, such as to share a Start Trigger across
multiple tasks, use the Terminal attribute/property associated with each signal to
determine the terminal name.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the terminal name unless you explicitly specify
the timing engine.
Note: The NI 4339 only supports running a
single buffered task and a single hardware-
timed single-point task simultaneously.

NI 4340 Timing Engines

The 4340 has four timing engines. Each of these timing engines can have its own
configuration settings for timing, triggering, and the sample mode (either buffered
or hardware timed single point).
Each timing engine can use any AI channel and can control up to four channels.
Each channel can only be used once across all timing engines.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to
specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

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Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the four analog input timing engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
2 te2
3 te3

NI 4466 and 4467 Timing Engines

The NI 4466 and 4467 provide four timing engines, two for analog input and two for
analog output. Multiple timing engines allow those devices to run up to two analog
input and two analog output tasks simultaneously, each using independent timing
and triggering configurations.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to
specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the four analog input timing or analog output engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
2 te2
3 te3
The Sample Clock and Sample Clock Timebase, as well as the Start and Reference
triggers, exist on each timing engine. Therefore, the names of the output terminals

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for those signals include the associated timing engine. If NI-DAQmx automatically
selects the timing engine for a task, the timing engine, thus the output terminals for
those signals, are undefined until you reserve the task. To reference one of those
terminals, such as to share a Start Trigger across multiple tasks, use the Terminal
attribute/property associated with each signal to determine the terminal name.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the terminal name unless you explicitly specify
the timing engine.

NI 4480, 4481 Timing Engines

The NI 4480 and 4481 provide timing engines for analog input. Multiple timing
engines allow those devices to run up to three tasks simultaneously, each using
independent timing and triggering configurations.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to
specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the two analog input timing or analog output engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
2 te2
On the NI 4480 and 4481, the Sample Clock and Sample Clock Timebase, as well as
the Start and Reference triggers, exist on each timing engine. Therefore, the names
of the output terminals for those signals include the associated timing engine. If NI-
DAQmx automatically selects the timing engine for a task, the timing engine, thus
the output terminals for those signals, are undefined until you reserve the task. To
reference one of those terminals, such as to share a Start Trigger across multiple

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tasks, use the Terminal attribute/property associated with each signal to determine
the terminal name.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the terminal name unless you explicitly specify
the timing engine.

NI 6533, 6534 Timing Engines

NI 6533 and 6534 devices provide two timing engines for digital I/O. Multiple timing
engines allow those devices to run up to two tasks simultaneously, each using
independent timing and triggering configurations. Also, each timing engine uses
different lines for handshaking and burst handshaking.
By default, NI-DAQmx assigns a timing engine based on the ports used in the task.
Refer to device documentation to determine which ports use which timing engine.
Use the DAQmx Timing property/attribute SampTimingEngine to specify the timing
engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx automatically
selected.
The SampTimingEngine property/attribute is an integer value corresponding to one
of the two timing engines available on the device:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 dig0
1 dig1
On NI 6533 and 6534 devices, the Sample Clock and Sample Clock Timebase, as well
as the Start and Reference triggers, exist on each timing engine. Therefore, the
names of the output terminals for those signals include the associated timing
engine.
cDAQ-91xx and TestScale Chassis Timing Engines
The cDAQ-91xx or TestScale chassis provide three timing engines for analog input.
Multiple timing engines allow those chassis to run up to three analog input tasks
simultaneously, each using independent timing and triggering configurations.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to

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specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the three analog input timing engines available on the chassis:

SampTimingEngine Value Timing Engine Used

0 te0
1 te1
2 ai
On cDAQ-91xx or TestScale chassis, the Sample Clock and Sample Clock Timebase,
as well as the Start, Reference, and Pause triggers, exist on each timing engine.
Therefore, the names of the output terminals for those signals include the
associated timing engine. If NI-DAQmx automatically selects the timing engine for a
task, the timing engine, thus the output terminals for those signals, are undefined
until you reserve the task. To reference one of those terminals, such as to share a
Start Trigger across multiple tasks, use the Terminal attribute/property associated
with each signal to determine the terminal name.
Note: You must reserve the task before querying
the terminal name unless you explicitly specify
the timing engine.

Counter Input Modules

The NI 9361 can also use te0 and te1.

cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185, 9188,
9188XT, and 9189
TS-15000 and TS-15010
CompactRIO Timing Engines
CompactRIO and CompactRIO Single-Board controllers provide eight timing engines
for input and a separate eight timing engines for output. The eight input timing
engines are shared between analog input, digital input, and NI 9361 tasks. Multiple

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input timing engines allow those chassis to run up to eight analog input, digital
input, or NI 9361 tasks simultaneously, each using independent timing and
triggering configurations.
The eight output timing engines are shared between analog output and digital
output. Multiple output timing engines allow those chassis to run up to eight analog
output or digital output tasks simultaneously, each using independent timing and
triggering configurations.
By default, NI-DAQmx automatically selects an available timing engine when
reserving the task. Use the DAQmx Timing attribute/property SampTimingEngine to
specify the timing engine to use or to determine which timing engine NI-DAQmx
automatically selected.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the timing engine unless you explicitly specified
the timing engine.
The SampTimingEngine attribute/property is an integer value corresponding to one
of the eight timing engines available on the chassis:

SampTimingEngine Value Analog Input, Digital Input, and Analog Output and Digital
NI 9361 Timing Engine Used Output Timing Engine Used
0 it0 ot0
1 it1 ot1
2 it2 ot2
3 it3 ot3
4 it4 ot4
5 it5 ot5
6 it6 ot6
7 it7 ot7
On the CompactRIO and CompactRIO Single-Board controllers, the Sample Clock
and Sample Clock Timebase, as well as the Start, Reference (for analog input, digital
input, and NI 9361 tasks only), and Pause triggers, exist on each timing engine.
Therefore, the names of the output terminals for those signals include the
associated timing engine. If NI-DAQmx automatically selects the timing engine for a
task, the timing engine, thus the output terminals for those signals, are undefined

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until you reserve the task. To reference one of those terminals, such as to share a
Start Trigger across multiple tasks, use the Terminal attribute/property associated
with each signal to determine the terminal name.

Note: You must reserve the task before querying

the terminal name unless you explicitly specify
the timing engine.
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058.
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.
DSA
This section contains information specific to DSA devices.
Alias Rejection (DSA, C Series, and NI 433x)
DSA devices, C Series Delta-Sigma devices, and NI 433x devices employ a class of
ADCs and DACs known as delta-sigma converters. Delta-sigma ADCs include built-in
digital filters to provide alias protection from out-of-band signal components. The
digital filters always impart a delay of several samples between the time when a
given analog voltage level becomes present at the ADC input and when the
converter returns the corresponding digitized value. The length of this delay is
always deterministic for a particular device running at a given sampling rate.
Likewise, interpolators and delta-sigma DACs provide digital filtering on analog
output signals to eliminate out-of-band imaging and quantization noise. As with
analog input, the digital output filtering results in a deterministic delay through the
DAC.
You can safely ignore the effects of the digital filter delay for most input-only or
output-only applications. The filter delay can become significant for applications
requiring input and output synchronization such as stimulus-response testing and
tight loop control. For DSA and C Series devices, if your application employs external
digital triggering, the acquisition returns data that occurred in time before the
trigger event. The number of samples preceding the trigger matches the ADC filter
delay. Refer to your device documentation for more details on the ADC and DAC
digital filter delays.

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Alias Rejection at Low Sample Rates (DSA, C Series, and NI 4330/1)

At very low sample rates, the anti-aliasing filters for AI channels on DSA devices, C
Series Delta-Sigma devices, NI 4330, and NI 4331 devices may not completely reject
all out-of-band signals. This is primarily due to the internal digital filter of the delta-
sigma ADC, which cannot suppress signals with frequencies near the multiples of
the oversample rate (sampling rate multiplied by oversample factor). These devices
also employ fixed cutoff analog lowpass anti-aliasing filters, but at low sample rates,
some multiples of the oversample rate can fall below the cutoff frequency of the
analog anti-aliasing filter.
For example, for a device using ADCs with an oversample factor of 128X and
sampling at a rate of 1 kS/s, the oversample rate is 128 kHz. Some multiples of that
oversample rate fall below the cutoff of the analog anti-aliasing filter. If the signal to
be digitized contains energy near these frequencies, aliasing can result.
One way to prevent aliasing is to raise the sample rate so that the first 128X multiple
of the sample rate falls above the cutoff of the analog anti-aliasing filter. For
example, a sample rate of 25.6 kS/s is not subject to aliasing because the first 128X
multiple (3.2 MHz) is well above the cutoff frequency of the analog anti-aliasing
filter. Some DSA devices support enhanced alias rejection, which automatically
handles alias rejection at low sample rates. Refer to the device documentation for
the specifics of your device.
Enhanced Alias Rejection
To avoid aliasing at low sample rates, some DSA devices support enhanced alias
rejection. With enhanced alias rejection enabled, the device clocks the ADCs at a
multiple of the user-specified sample rate. This results in an improvement in low-
frequency alias rejection. With enhanced alias rejection enabled, you do not need to
scale the desired sample rate, and you do not need to programmatically decimate
data the device returns.
Enhanced alias rejection is controlled with the AI.EnhancedAliasRejectionEnable
attribute/property. Enhanced alias rejection is enabled by default on NI 4461/4462
devices and disabled by default on NI 447x and NI 449x devices.

Note: The original versions of NI 447x devices do

not support Enhanced Alias Rejection. Refer to

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National Instruments Dynamic Signal

Acquisition Help for more information.

Synchronization Issues
When synchronizing multiple devices, set the AI.EnhancedAliasRejectionEnable
attribute/property to the same value on all devices. If any of the
synchronized devices do not support enhanced alias rejection, set
AI.EnhancedAliasRejectionEnable to FALSE on all devices. When synchronizing
devices from different categories, NI 4461/4462 with NI 447x for example, set
AI.EnhancedAliasRejectionEnable to FALSE on all devices.
Channel Order
On DSA devices, you must list channels in a task in ascending order. For example, if
your task includes ai0 and ai1, you must arrange the channel list such that ai0
precedes ai1.
This constraint applies to virtual channels as well as physical channels. For example,
if you include a virtual channel for ai0 named vibration and a virtual channel for ai1
named proxProbe, vibration must precede proxProbe in the channel list.
DSA, C Series, and the DAQmx I/O Server
DSA devices and C Series Delta-Sigma devices do not support the DAQmx I/O Server.
Filter Delay Removal
NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 433x, 4340, 4464, 4466, 4467, 4480, 4481, and 449x devices
support filter delay removal, which automatically discards filter delay samples. The
AI.RemoveFilterDelay attribute/property controls the filter delay removal.
On NI 449x devices, the AI.RemoveFilterDelay attribute/property is disabled by
default.
On NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 433x, 4340, 4464, 4466, 4467, 4480, and 4481 devices,
the AI.RemoveFilterDelay attribute/property is enabled by default. On the NI
4330/4331, filter delay removal is always enabled.
On NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 4339, 4340, 4464, 4466, 4467, 4480, and 4481 devices,
you can use the AI.FilterDelayAdjustment attribute/property to further adjust which

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samples to discard. This adjustment is relative to the amount of filter delay in the
device, which is indicated by the AI.FilterDelay attribute/property.
If you disable the AI.RemoveFilterDelay attribute/property, you must compensate
for filter delay samples. Refer to your device documentation for information on how
many filter delay samples to compensate for on your device.
Filter Delay (DSA, C Series, and NI 433x)
The delta-sigma ADCs and DACs on DSA devices, C Series Delta-Sigma devices, and
NI 433x devices employ digital filtering that imparts a delay of several sample
intervals. The filter delays are equal in a homogeneous system, so these delays
cancel out when performing phase measurements between channels. However, the
filter delays differ in a heterogeneous system. This can introduce errors in phase
comparisons between channels on different devices or between channels on similar
devices running at different rates. Such phase errors are always deterministic, and
you can account for them in software.
Gain for DSA Devices
On DSA devices, each gain setting corresponds to a particular range centered on 0 V.
The gain settings are specified in decibels (dB), where the 0 dB reference is the
default range of ±10 V.
For analog input operations, a negative gain value implies attenuation of the signal
before the ADC, increasing the range beyond ±10 V. Thus, an input gain setting of –10
dB corresponds to an input range of ±31.6 V. On analog output, a negative gain value
implies attenuation following the DAC. This decreases the output range. For
instance, an output gain setting of –20 dB corresponds to an output range of ±1 V.
NI-DAQmx has three separate attribute/property sets you can use to control the
hardware gain setting. Each has a different priority. If you write values to two or
more of these attributes/properties that correspond to different hardware gain
settings, the one with the highest priority will determine the hardware behavior.

Gain Attributes/Properties
The gain attributes/properties AI.Gain and AO.Gain set the amount of gain to
apply to the signal. These properties are set in decibels referenced to 10 V.
These properties have the highest priority in NI-DAQmx.

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Range Attributes/Properties
The range attributes/properties AI.Rng.High, AI.Rng.Low, AO.DAC.Rng.High,
and AO.DAC.Rng.Low define the maximum and minimum voltages you can
acquire or generate. The range attributes/properties have a lower priority
than the gain attributes/properties, but a higher priority than the maximum
and minimum attributes/properties.
Maximum and Minimum Attributes/Properties
The maximum and minimum attributes/properties AI.Max, AI.Min, AO.Max,
and AO.Min specify values in engineering units that define the range. These
attributes/properties have the lowest priority in NI-DAQmx. They are also the
most commonly used since you can set them immediately when an NI-DAQmx
task is created.

Hardware Data Compression (DSA and NI 433x)

If the raw data compression type is set to lossless packing and all channels in a task
support hardware compression, hardware data compression is enabled by default.
However, if any channels do not support hardware data compression, software data
compression is selected by default.
Integrated Electronic Piezoelectric Excitation (IEPE)
If you attach an IEPE accelerometer or microphone to an AI channel that requires
excitation from a device such as a DSA device, NI 9230, NI 9231, NI 9232, NI 9234 or
an NI 9250, you must enable the IEPE excitation circuitry for that channel to
generate the required current. IEPE signal conditioning can be independently
configured on a per-channel basis.
To enable the IEPE current source on your device, use the Channel attribute/
property AI.Excit.Val to specify a current in amperes. Some devices allow multiple
excitation current values such as 0.004 A and 0.01 A. Other devices allow only a
single value such as 0.004 A. A value of 0 A disables the IEPE excitation. Refer to the
device documentation for details on your device.

Note:
■ You cannot enable IEPE excitation on
DSA devices when the terminal
configuration is differential. The

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exception is NI 9218 which has optional

IEPE excitation and supports a differential
terminal configuration.
■ Changing the IEPE excitation level may
cause transient voltages to appear in the
signal. NI-DAQmx does not implement a
delay to allow the signal to settle.
Therefore, after changing the IEPE level
and committing this change to the
hardware with the Start function/VI or the
Control Task function/VI, you might add a
software delay to allow the signal to settle
before proceeding with your application.

A DC offset is generated equal to the product of the excitation current and sensor
impedance when IEPE signal conditioning is enabled. To remove the unwanted
offset, you should enable AC coupling. Using DC coupling with IEPE excitation
enabled is appropriate only if the offset does not exceed the voltage range of the
channel.
Devices are listed as examples and are not intended to be a comprehensive list.
Refer to the device documentation for the IEPE specifications of your device.
Input Coupling
You can configure each AI channel of your DSA device to be either AC or DC coupled,
with the exception of the NI 4495, the NI 4496, and the NI 4498 devices, which are AC
coupled only. If you select DC coupling, any DC offset present in the source signal is
passed to the ADC. The DC-coupled configuration is usually best if the signal source
has only small amounts of offset voltage, less than ±100 mV, or if the DC content of
the acquired signal is important.
If the source has a significant amount of unwanted DC offset (bias voltage), you
should select AC coupling to take full advantage of the input dynamic range.
Selecting AC coupling enables a single-pole, high-pass resistor-capacitor (RC) filter
into the positive and negative signal path. Refer to your device documentation for
additional information on the filter circuitry.
Use the NI-DAQmx Channel attribute/property AI.Coupling to set the input coupling
mode on your DSA device.

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If you create a virtual channel for acceleration or sound pressure measurements

with your DSA device, the input coupling for the channel defaults to AC. For other
types of virtual channels, the input coupling defaults to DC.

Note: NI-DAQmx does not compensate for the

settling time or delay introduced by the RC
filter.
Using AC coupling results in a drop in the low-frequency response of the AI circuitry.
The AC coupling circuitry is usually characterized by a 3 dB cut-off frequency.
However, the roll off from the high-pass filter can have a measurable effect even at
frequencies several times greater than the 3 dB point.
Overload Detection
DSA devices support overload detection in both the analog domain (pre-
digitization) and digital domain (post-digitization). An analog overrange can occur
independently from a digital overrange, and vice versa. For example, an IEPE
accelerometer might have a resonant frequency that, when stimulated, can produce
an overrange in the analog signal. However, because the delta-sigma technology of
the ADC uses very sharp anti-aliasing filters, the overrange is not passed into the
digitized signal. Conversely, a sharp transient on the analog side might not
overrange, but the step response of the delta-sigma anti-aliasing filters might result
in clipping in the digital data.
Some DSA devices support both analog and digital overload detection, while others
support only digital overload detection. Consult your device documentation for
more information on the overload detection capabilities for your device.
Two NI-DAQmx Read attributes/properties allow you to check for overloaded
channels. The first is OverloadedChansExist. This attribute/property returns a
Boolean true if one or more channels experience an overload condition. The second
is OverloadedChans. This attribute/property returns an array of strings indicating
which channels (if any) experienced an overload condition. You must query the
OverloadedChansExist attribute/property before querying the OverloadedChans
attribute/property.
OverloadedChansExist reads the overload condition from the device and caches it in
the driver. It also resets the overload condition of the device after it is read.
Subsequent reads of OverloadedChans attribute/property will read the overloaded

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channel information cached in the driver from the previous OverloadedChansExist

query.

Note: NI-DAQmx returns all data whether or not

an overload occurs. If your application requires
overload checking, it is recommended that you
read the overload attributes/properties after
each call to Read. Your program should discard
questionable data or return a flag when the
driver reports an overload.

Simultaneous Tasks
The following devices can run multiple tasks simultaneously on some subsystems.

■ NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 4339, 4340, 4463, 4464, 4466, and 4467
■ NI 6533 and 6534
■ cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, 9137, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9184, 9185,
9188, 9188XT, and 9189
■ TS-15000 and TS-15010
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638

NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 Simultaneous Tasks

The 4302, 4303, 4304, and 4305 can run up to four analog input tasks
simultaneously, each using independent timing and triggering configurations. Each
task uses at least one of the four timing engines on the device.

Each timing engine can control up to eight channels. If a task has more than eight
channels, NI-DAQmx automatically uses multiple timing engines for the task,
synchronizing and sharing settings across all timing engines. For example, if a task
has 10 channels, NI-DAQmx uses two timing engines for the task, which leaves two
timing engines for other tasks. If the task has 32 channels, all four timing engines are
used for one task.

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Each bank of 8 ADCs (ai0:7, ai8:15, ai16:23, ai23:31) must all be in the same sample
mode (buffered or hardware timed single point). For example, if ai0 is used in a task
configured for hardware timed single point, any task using ai1:7 must also use the
hardware timed single point sample mode.
Each channel's gain can be independently configured regardless of what task it's in
or what sample mode it's used with.
NI 4339, 4463, and 4464 Simultaneous Tasks
NI 4339, 4463, and 4464 devices can run up to two tasks simultaneously, each using
independent timing and triggering configurations. Each task uses one of the two
timing engines on the device.
The NI 4339 only supports running a single buffered task and a single hardware-
timed single-point task simultaneously.
NI 4340 Simultaneous Tasks
NI 4340 devices can run up to four tasks simultaneously, each using independent
timing and triggering configurations. Each task uses one of the four timing engines
on the device.
NI 4480 and 4481 Simultaneous Tasks
NI 4480 and 4481 devices can run up to three tasks simultaneously, each using
independent timing and triggering configurations. Each task uses one of the three
timing engines on the device.
Each timing engine can be individually configured for frequency-domain mode
(Sample Rate ≤ 1.25 MS/s) or time-domain mode (Sample Rate > 1.25 MS/s). For
information on the differences between frequency-domain and time-domain mode
refer to the PXIe-4480/4481 User Manual.

NI 6533/6534 Simultaneous Tasks

NI 6533 and 6534 devices can run up to two tasks simultaneously, each using
independent timing and triggering configurations. Each task uses one of the two
timing engines on the device.

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CompactDAQ, CompactRIO, and TestScale Simultaneous Tasks

To achieve maximum performance and synchronization, synchronize all analog
input channels across modules or output channels across modules by combining
them into a single task to create a multidevice task. This is only plausible if all
channels in the task have the same timing needs.
The remainder of this topic provides information regarding how many tasks you can
run simultaneously at different rates on the following controllers:

■ Gen II CompactDAQ chassis:

■ cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137
■ cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179
■ cDAQ-9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, and 9189
■ cDAQ-9191
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
■ TS-15000 and TS-15010
Because hardware timed tasks typically use more onboard resources than software
timed tasks, the total number of possible concurrent tasks typically depends on
whether you are running tasks that use hardware timing or software (on demand)
timing.

Hardware-Timed Tasks
Hardware-timed tasks require timing information from the System Timing
Controller to use for sample clocks, reference clocks, triggers, and so on.
The System Timing Controller for the Gen II chassis has the following timing engines
built in:

■ Three AI timing engines

■ One AO timing engine

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■ One DI timing engine

■ One DO timing engine
■ Four general purpose counters
The System Timing Controller for the CompactRIO controller has the following
timing engines built in:

■ Eight input timing engines shared between AI and DI

■ Eight output timing engines shared between AO and DO
■ Four general purpose counters
The following table illustrates the number of hardware timed tasks available to the
user.

Hardware-Timed Tasks CompactDAQ and CompactRIO/Single- CompactDAQ,

TestScale: Number of Board RIO: Number CompactRIO, Single-
Tasks per Chassis of Tasks per Controller Board RIO, TestScale:
Number of Tasks per
Module
Analog Input 3 8 1
Analog Output 1 8 1
Counter Input/Output 4, 2 4, 8 4, 1
Digital Input 1 8 1
Digital Output 1 8 1

Streaming Limitations on CompactDAQ Gen II Chassis

On CompactDAQ and TestScale chassis, there is also a streaming buffer for hardware
timed tasks that puts a limit on the total number of hardware timed tasks that
can run simultaneously. The NI cDAQ-9171/9181/9191 support six data streams and
the remaining models support seven data streams. These independent, high-speed
data streams allow for up to six or seven simultaneous hardware-timed tasks, such
as analog input, analog output, buffered counter/timers, hardware-timed digital
input/output, or CAN communication.

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Note: CAN communication always takes up two

data streams, but does not use any timing
engines.
On CompactDAQ and TestScale chassis, the data streams are comprised by an 8 KB
block of memory that is divided up into six or seven First In First Out (FIFO) data
buffers. These data buffers vary in size, and the largest data buffers are assigned to
the first tasks that get reserved. Therefore, to get the best streaming performance,
make sure to reserve your highest bandwidth tasks first. Your first two tasks will
reserve 2048 bytes each, the third, fourth and fifth tasks will reserve 1024 bytes each
and the sixth and seventh tasks will reserve 512 bytes each.

Software-Timed Tasks
Most software-timed tasks do not require a signal from the System Timing
Controller to run. Software timed means the host computer is controlling how often
a sample is read from or written to the C Series module.
Analog Input tasks will still use one of the AI timing engines, so the limit for AI
tasks is always the same as hardware times tasks. Each counter input task using
an NI 9361 will also use an AI timing engine. This is not the case for AO, DI, or DO.
Subsequently, the software timed task limits for these types of acquisitions depends
on the number of channels you have available to use. See following table for a
summary.

Software-Timed (On CompactDAQ and CompactRIO, Single- CompactDAQ,

Demand) Tasks TestScale: Number of Board RIO: Number of CompactRIO, Single-
Tasks per Chassis Tasks per Controller Board RIO, TestScale:
Number of Tasks per
Module
Analog Input 3 8 1
Analog Output Number of total AO Number of total AO 1 Task for each channel
channels in chassis (up channels in controller (up to 16 tasks per
to 128 total tasks). (up to 128 total tasks). module).
Counter Input/ Output 4, 2 4, 8 4, 1
Digital Input Dependent on Dependent on 1 task per port.
modules. Typically, at modules. Typically, at
least 2 static DI per least 2 static DI per
slot. slot.

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Software-Timed (On CompactDAQ and CompactRIO, Single- CompactDAQ,

Demand) Tasks TestScale: Number of Board RIO: Number of CompactRIO, Single-
Tasks per Chassis Tasks per Controller Board RIO, TestScale:
Number of Tasks per
Module
Digital Output Dependent on Dependent on 1 task per port.
modules. Typically, at modules. Typically, at
least 2 static DO per least 2 static DO per
slot. slot.
The number of counter tasks is always limited by the fact that you have four
counters. Depending on whether you are using a counter task that uses two
counters (like measuring frequency using the two counter methods), you may be
restricted to only two counter tasks. But typically, you can have all fout counters
running simultaneously. To determine if you need one or two counters for your
counter task, see the KnowledgeBase topic KB 4L0A62E9.
The number of analog input tasks for Dynamic Signal Analyzer (DSA) devices in Gen
II NI CompactDAQ chassis is limited to two because the chassis support a maximum
of two synchronization pulse signals, which is required when using devices with
different oversample clock timebases, such as DSA.
On Single-Board RIO controllers, you can have one task at a time per slot or onboard
IO module. The number of slots and onboard IO modules varies by sbRIO device.
See the specifications for your device.
On the Gen II NI CompactDAQ chassis, there is a limit of two NI 9361 tasks per
chassis.
On CompactRIO controllers, there is a limit of eight NI 9361 tasks per chassis. On
Single-Board RIO Controllers, there is a limit of one NI 9361 task per slot. You can
add counter channels from one or more NI 9361s to a single task. Using the NI 9361s
and the 4 general purpose counters, there can be a total of 12 tasks.
One NI 9361 only supports a single task. Therefore, multiple counters from a NI 9361
must be used in the same task. Other parallel digital modules allow creating
separate tasks for each one of the four onboard counters from the chassis.
Only Slow-Sampled modules, Multiplexed modules, and Simultaneous SAR modules
support software-timed analog input tasks.
The NI 9401 and TS-15050 DIO P0 are 1 task per nibble.
Multidevice Tasks

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Tasks can contain channels from multiple devices for these devices:
■ C Series
■ FieldDAQ
■ S Series
■ DSA, SC Express, and X Series

C Series Multidevice Tasks

When you include channels from multiple C Series modules in a task, NI-DAQmx
automatically synchronizes the modules. A task can include channels from multiple
C Series modules, given the following conditions:

■ All channels in the task must be of the same I/O type. Multiple counter I/O
channels are only allowed for Devices That Support Multi-Counter Tasks.
■ If the task includes channels from a mixture of C Series Delta-Sigma devices,
you must account for filter delay differences between the devices. This delay
is also known as the input delay. Refer to your device specifications for the
value.
■ The modules must all be in the same NI CompactDAQ chassis or meet the
conditions for multichassis device tasks.
Note:
■ AI tasks containing only 16-bit or lower
resolution AI modules use half the USB
bandwidth of tasks with 24-bit AI
modules.
■ The format of raw data returned by a C
Series AI task varies depending on if any
24-bit AI modules are in the task and
might not correspond to the order of the
channels in the task. Scaled or unscaled
data is preferable to raw data with the NI
CompactDAQ chassis.
■ The acquisition mode of the NI 9775
will vary depending on the other modules
in the task. If the task uses only NI 9775

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modules, all the modules can operate in

Record Mode. If the task uses an NI 9775
module and other types of modules, the
NI 9775 operates in Continuous Mode.

C Series Multichassis Device Tasks

A task can include channels from multiple C Series modules in separate
CompactDAQ chassis, CompactDAQ controllers, CompactRIO controllers and
CompactRIO Single-Board controllers, given the following conditions:

■ Network-synchronized devices must be part of the same time-synchronized

network. Refer to the device specifications for supported synchronization
protocols and topologies.
■ Chassis that are not network-synchronized must be connected through a NI
9469.
■ If a task has a network-synchronized chassis and connections through the NI
9469 to chassis that are not synchronized, the first channel in the task must
be in the network-synchronized chassis along with the NI 9469 connection to
other chassis that are not synchronized.
■ When using signal-based synchronization using the NI 9469, the first
channel in the channel list must be on a module in the master chassis. The
master chassis is determined by the physical configuration of the chassis
connections, and it should be able to output signals to the slave chassis.
■ If an Analog Input task contains Delta-Sigma modules, a channel on a
Delta-Sigma module in the master chassis needs to be first on the channel list.
■ If an Analog Input task contains a device with a reference clock, a channel
from a reference-clocked device needs to be first on the channel list.
■ No more than one CompactRIO controller may participate in a multichassis
device task.

Exceptions
■ The NI 9361 does not support multichassis device tasks.
■ The NI 9260 must drive the idle output to zero. If you don't, you will receive
an error.

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■ The NI 9775 does not support multichassis device tasks.

cDAQ-9171, 9174, 9178, 9179, 9181, 9184, 9185, 9188, 9188XT, 9189, and 9191.
cDAQ-9132, 9133, 9134, 9135, 9136, and 9137.
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058.
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.
Network-synchronized devices include the cDAQ-9185, 9189; FD-11601, FD-11603,
FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11634, FD-11637; cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043,
9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056, 9057, 9058; and sbRIO-9603,
9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.
DSA, SC Express, and X Series Multidevice Tasks
A task can include channels from multiple DSA, SC Express, and X Series devices,
given the following conditions. When you include channels from multiple devices in
a task, NI-DAQmx automatically synchronizes the devices and enables trigger skew
correction for the devices. All channels in a task must be of the same I/O type, such
as analog input or analog output.

Note: For additional device-specific DSA

synchronization information, refer to the NI
Dynamic Signal Acquisition User Manual, which
you can find at ni.com/manuals.

Analog Input
■ USB X Series Devices
You cannot use USB X Series devices in multidevice tasks.
■ PCIe X Series Devices
You must use a RTSI cable to connect the devices, and you must identify the
cable in MAX.
■ PXI/PXIe Devices
■ The devices must be in a single chassis, and you must identify the chassis
in MAX.
■NI-DAQmx accounts for filter delay differences between devices with some
qualifications:

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■ NI 4461 and 4462 devices lack the ability to compensate for filter
delay.
■ For all other devices, if the task includes channels from different
device families, NI-DAQmx will account for filter delay differences
between the devices.
Use the following table to check the multidevice task compatibility of any one
device to another device. A checkmark in a cell indicates that the devices in the
corresponding row and column can be used together in a multidevice task. For
groups of more than two devices, every device must be compatible with every
other device. An example of a group of devices that can be used in a multidevice
task is the NI 4300, 4353, 4357 and PXIe X Series (63xx) as all of these devices are
compatible with every other device listed in the group.

Table 1. PXI/PXIe Multidevice Task Compatibility

430 430 430 431 433 433 434 435 435 446 446 446 448 449x 638 Oth
0 2/43 9 0 0/43 9 0 3 7 1/44 4 6/44 0/44 6/63 er X
03/4 31 62 67 81 96 Seri
304/ es
430 (63x
5 x)
4300 - - - -
4302 - - - -
/
4303
/
4304
/
4305
4309 - - - - - - - - - - - -
4310 - - - - - -
4330 - - - - - - - -
/
4331
4339 - - - -
4340 - - - - - -

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4353 - - - - - - - - - -
4357 - - - - - - - - - - - -
4461 - - - - - - - - -
/
4462
4464 - - - -
4466
/
4467
4480 - - - - -
/
4481
449x - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6386 - - - - - -
/
6396
Othe - - -
rX
Seri
es
(63x
x)

Analog Output
■ PXIe-4463, 4466, and 4467 devices
The devices must be in a single chassis and the chassis must be identified in
MAX. All devices in the task must be PXIe-4463s.
■ PXIe X Series, NI 4322, and NI 6738/6739 Devices
The devices must be in a single chassis and the chassis must be identified in
MAX.
■ PCIe X Series Devices
You must use a RTSI cable to connect the devices, and you must identify the
cable in MAX.
■ USB X Series Devices

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You cannot use USB X Series devices in multidevice tasks.

FieldDAQ Multidevice Tasks

Multiple FieldDAQ devices can be added to the same task, and they will be
automatically synchronized. There are no restrictions on which FieldDAQ devices
can be synchronized together.
S Series Multidevice Tasks
A task can include channels from multiple S Series devices, given the following
conditions. When you include channels from multiple S Series devices in a task, NI-
DAQmx automatically synchronizes the devices.

■ All Devices
All channels in the task must be analog input channels.
When you include channels from different S Series devices and use an
external clock setup, you must import the external clock into the device with
the longest pipeline of all the devices in the task. Failing to do so results in an
incomplete acquisition, with the device importing the clock not receiving
enough sample clock pulses.
■ PXI Devices
The devices must all be in a single chassis, and you must identify the chassis
in MAX.
■ PCI Devices
You must use a RTSI cable to connect the devices, and you must identify the
cable in MAX.

Bridge Measurement Type Support

The following devices support the force, pressure, torque, and bridge (V/V)
measurement types for taking measurements from bridge-based sensors:

■ NI FD-11637
■ PXIe-433x

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■ NI 9218
■ NI 9219
■ NI 9235
■ NI 9236
■ NI 9237

C Series Device Groupings

C Series devices can be grouped into scanned devices, slow sample devices, and
delta-sigma devices based on acquisition behavior.
Note: This list does not include all C Series
devices.

C Series Scanned Devices

■ NI 9201
■ NI 9203
■ NI 9205
■ NI 9206
■ NI 9207
■ NI 9208
■ NI 9209
■ NI 9210
■ NI 9211
■ NI 9213
■ NI 9214
■ NI 9216
■ NI 9217
■ NI 9221
■ NI 9226

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C Series Slow Sample Devices

■ NI 9207
■ NI 9208
■ NI 9209
■ NI 9210
■ NI 9211
■ NI 9212
■ NI 9213
■ NI 9214
■ NI 9216
■ NI 9217
■ NI 9219
■ NI 9224
■ NI 9226
■ NI 9228

C Series Delta-Sigma Devices

■ NI 9202
■ NI 9218
■ NI 9225
■ NI 9227
■ NI 9229
■ NI 9230
■ NI 9231
■ NI 9232
■ NI 9234
■ NI 9235
■ NI 9236

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■ NI 9237
■ NI 9238
■ NI 9239
■ NI 9242
■ NI 9244
■ NI 9246
■ NI 9247
■ NI 9250
■ NI 9251
■ NI 9260

C Series Reference Clocked Devices

■ NI 9775

C Series Simultaneous SAR Devices

■ NI 9215
■ NI 9220
■ NI 9222
■ NI 9223

Common-Mode Over-Range Detection

All input channels share a common ground, COM, that is isolated from other
modules in the system. The device's common-mode range is the maximum voltage
between any channel and COM. The NI 9213, NI 9214, and PXIe 4353 measures the
common-mode voltage level of each channel, and its over-range status can be
monitored in NI-DAQmx.
To determine if a common-mode over-range detection has occurred, use the
Common Mode Range Error Channels Exist and Common Mode Range Error
Channels properties within the DAQmx Read property node. Common Mode Range
Error Channels Exist returns a Boolean of true if one or more channels exceed the
common-mode input range since the last time the property was queried, and

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Common Mode Range Error Channels returns the names of the virtual channels that
exceed the common-mode input range.
If a common-mode voltage out of range is detected, the accuracy of the data on any
channel in the task may be impacted. If a thermocouple is connected to the device,
but is not in the task, make sure the channel does not exceed the common-mode
voltage range. A floating thermocouple, or a channel that is left unconnected, will
not exceed the common-mode voltage range. Refer to the devices Specifications
document for more information about the common-mode voltage range.

Connecting Analog Voltage Input Signals for Isolated

Devices
Input Signal Source Type
Floating Signal Sources (Not Ground-Referenced Signal
Connected to Building Ground) Sources
Examples: Example:
■ Ungrounded ■ Plug-in instruments
thermocouples with non-isolated
■ Signal conditioning outputs
with isolated outputs
■ Battery devices

Differential (DIFF)

Referenced Single-Ended (RSE)

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CompactRIO Considerations
This section contains information on using the following CompactRIO and
CompactRIO single-board controllers with NI-DAQmx:

■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058 controllers.
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638 controllers.

Slot Program Mode

In MAX, when you add a C Series module to a CompactRIO controller there are three
program modes to choose from.

■ Real-Time (NI-DAQmx)
■ Real-Time Scan
■ LabVIEW FPGA
In order for DAQmx to communicate with the module, the module must be in
Real-Time (NI-DAQmx) mode.

Note: Not all modules support Real-Time (NI-

DAQmx).

Hardware Timed Single Point Sample Mode

The CompactRIO controllers support hardware timed single point (HWTSP) sample
mode with a few caveats.

■ The NI 9260 does not support HWTSP.

■ The NI 9361 does not support HWTSP.
■ C Series Scanned Devices do not default to the lowest latency mode. They
default to a slower convert rate to allow more time for settling. This behavior
limits the maximum HWTSP acquisition rate of the module to allow more time
for settling. If you prefer, you can configure the module for a faster acquisition
rate with less time for settling. For additional information, see Sampling Rate
Considerations.

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Model Names
CompactRIO may use slightly different C Series model names and product IDs
compared to CompactDAQ. For CompactRIO, see C Series Module IDs on ni.com.

Timing Considerations
CompactRIO controllers handle sampling rate and the default value for the
hardware-timed mode differently than CompactDAQ chassis.
In a CompactRIO or Single-Board RIO controller with C Series Slow Sample devices,
such as the NI 9211, if the sampling rate of a hardware-timed acquisition exceeds
the maximum sampling rate of the module, DAQmx generates warning or errors.
When a Slow Sample device is in the same task as a non-Slow Sample device,
exceeding the maximum sampling rate of the Slow Sample device results in the
most recently acquired sample being read multiple times. In this scenario, the
first sample of a hardware-timed acquisition with C Series Slow Sample devices is
sampled when the task is committed.

Default Settings for the AI.ADCTimingMode Attribute/Property

For all modules in the CompactRIO and Single-Board RIO controllers, the default
value in hardware-timed mode is automatically determined based on Sample Clock
Rate.

Shared Trigger Bus

On the CompactRIO and CompactRIO Single-Board controllers, NI-DAQmx provides
a simple trigger bus between LabVIEW FPGA and NI-DAQmx with the following
characteristics:

CompactRIO CompactRIO Single-Board

■ Four fixed direction LabVIEW FPGA to ■ Two fixed direction LabVIEW FPGA to
NI-DAQmx Lines: NI-DAQmx Lines:
■ cRIO_Trig0, cRIO_Trig1, cRIO_Trig2, ■ cRIO_Trig0 and cRIO_Trig1 are
and cRIO_Trig3 are terminals that terminals that are driven from LabVIEW
FPGA to NI-DAQmx.

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CompactRIO CompactRIO Single-Board

are driven from LabVIEW FPGA to NI- LabVIEW FPGA: output boolean
■

DAQmx. chassis I/O

■ LabVIEW FPGA: output boolean ■ NI-DAQmx: common-visibility source
chassis I/O terminals
■ NI-DAQmx: common-visibility source ■ Can be used with Immediate
terminals Routing and Task-Based Routing
■ Can be used with Immediate ■ Does not prescribe to Lazy Line
Routing and Task-Based Routing Transitions rules
■ Does not prescribe to Lazy Line ■ Two Fixed Direction NI-DAQmx to
Transitions rules LabVIEW FPGA Lines:
■ Four Fixed Direction NI-DAQmx to ■ cRIO_Trig2 and cRIO_Trig3 are
LabVIEW FPGA Lines: terminals that are driven from NI-
■ cRIO_Trig4, cRIO_Trig5, cRIO_Trig6, DAQmx to LabVIEW FPGA.
and cRIO_Trig7 are terminals that are ■ LabVIEW FPGA: input boolean chassis
driven from NI-DAQmx to LabVIEW I/O
FPGA. ■ Minimum pulse width
■ LabVIEW FPGA: input boolean chassis requirements:
I/O
■ 12.5 ns for most
■ Minimum pulse width destination terminals
requirements: ■ 150 ns for SyncPulse
■ 12.5 ns for most terminals
destination terminals ■ NI-DAQmx: common-visibility
■ 150 ns for SyncPulse destination terminals
terminals
■ Can be used with Immediate
■ NI-DAQmx: common-visibility Routing and Task-Based Routing
destination terminals ■ Does not prescribe to Lazy Line
■ Can be used with Immediate Transitions rules
Routing and Task-Based Routing
■ Does not prescribe to Lazy Line
Transitions rules

Note: The signals available for export from

DAQmx vary in pulse width. On a cRIO
controller, if you route any of the following
signals over the cRIO_Trig bus to the FPGA

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Target, the pulse is too short to be seen in the

default top level clock domain of 40 MHz:
■ Change detection event exported from
a buffered change detection DI task
■ Sample clock exported from a
hardware-timed digital input or output
task running faster than 3.5 MHz
■

Counter output event exported from a

counter task that configures its output
behavior to pulse

To fix this problem, consider routing the signal

to a counter to widen the pulse.
cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055, 9056,
9057, and 9058
sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638
Devices That Support Multi-Counter Tasks
The following devices have multiple counters and support adding multiple counter
channels to the same task.

■ NI 9361

Digital AI Filtering
The NI 4302, 4303, 4304, 4305, 4339, 4480, and 4481 modules have a user-
configurable lowpass filter for their analog input channels. This filtering is
implemented with a digital elliptical filter. It is configured independently of the
tracking anti-aliasing filter. It may be helpful when measuring in an environment
with excessive high frequency noise below the anti-aliasing filter's cutoff.
When sampling in hardware-timed single point mode, the filter is always enabled.
You can set or query its cutoff frequency using the AI.DigFltr.Lowpass.CutoffFreq
attribute/property. If your application does not require this additional filtering,
leave this property set to its default value. This will configure the widest bandwidth
filter possible.

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Digital AI filtering for hardware-timed single point mode is supported on the

following modules:

Modules Default Cutoff Frequency Support Cutoff Frequencies

PXIe-4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 2 kHz 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2
kHz, 3 kHz
PXIe-4339 2 kHz 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz , 3
kHz
When using other sampling modes, the filter is optional. This filter can be enabled
by using the AI.DigFltr.Enable attribute/property, and you can set or query its cutoff
frequency using the AI.DigFltr.Lowpass.CutoffFreq attribute/property.
The following modules support digital AI filtering in other sampling modes:

Modules Default Cutoff Frequency Support Cutoff Frequencies

PXIe-4302, 4303, 4304, 4305 None 2 Hz, 20 Hz, 200 Hz, 1 kHz, 2
kHz, none
PXIe-4480, 4481 2 MHz 2 MHz, user-defined
Note: User-defined cutoff frequencies for the
4480 and 4481 are supported only for sample
rates greater than 1.25 MHz.

Excitation Fault Detection

Two NI-DAQmx Read attributes/properties allow you to check for excitation faults.
The first is ExcitFaultChansExist. This attribute/property returns a Boolean of true if
one or more channels experience an excitation fault condition. The second is
ExcitFaultChans. This attribute/property returns an array of strings indicating which
channels (if any) experienced an excitation fault condition. You must query the
ExcitFaultChansExist attribute/property before querying the ExcitFaultChans
attribute/property.
ExcitFaultChansExist reads the excitation fault condition from the device and stores
it in NI-DAQmx. Subsequent reads of ExcitFaultChans will read the excitation fault
channel information stored in NI-DAQmx from the previous ExcitFaultChansExist
query.

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NI-DAQmx returns all data regardless of whether an excitation fault happens. If your
application needs excitation fault checking, you should read the excitation fault
attributes/properties after each call to read. Your program should discard
questionable data or return a flag when NI-DAQmx reports an excitation fault.
The NI 9218 can detect if there is an overcurrent fault between EX+ and EX- pins of
either channel for either the strain mode case or the powered sensor measurement
case. When the NI 9218 is configured for powered sensor measurement, which
requires a +12 V excitation, it can also detect the absence of the required 9-30 V
external power supply connected to the Vsup terminal. Both of these types of faults
are reported as excitation faults.
The PXIe-4340 can detect if there is an overcurrent fault between the EX+ and EX-
pins of any channel. This fault occurs when a voltage source is connected to the EX+
and EX- pins of any channel, or the load impedance is too low (excessive current).
Ensure that only the primary winding of an LVDT/RVDT sensor is connected to the
EX+ and EX- pins of any channel on this module.

External Overvoltage Detection

An external overvoltage condition occurs when an analog output channel is
connected to an external voltage source that is high enough to overdrive the analog
output channel. Two NI-DAQmx Write attributes/properties allow you to check for
external overvoltage channels.
The first is ExternalOvervoltageChansExist. This attribute/property returns a
Boolean true if one or more channels experience an external overvoltage condition.
The second is ExternalOvervoltageChans. This attribute/property returns an array of
strings indicating which channels (if any) experienced an external overvoltage
condition. You must query the ExternalOvervoltageChansExist attribute/property
before querying the ExternalOvervoltageChans attribute/property.
ExternalOvervoltageChansExist reads the external overvoltage fault condition from
the device and caches it in the driver. It also resets this condition of the device after
it is read. Subsequent reads of ExternalOvervoltageChans attribute/property will
read the faulted channel information cached in the driver from the previous
ExternalOvervoltageChansExist query.

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Note: NI-DAQmx generates all data whether or

not an external overvoltage fault occurs. If your
application requires external overvoltage
checking, it is recommended that you read the
above attributes/properties after each call to
Write. Your program should discard
questionable output or return a flag when the
driver reports an external overvoltage.
Consult your device documentation for more information on fault reporting
thresholds and capabilities specific to your device.

External Reference Sources

For 625x M Series devices, you can use APFI 0 or APFI 1 for analog output external
reference sources. With the NI ELVIS II Family devices, APFI 0 and APFI 1 are not
available as analog output external reference sources. For 628x M Series devices,
you can use ao0 through ao3. On some other STC-based devices, you can use
EXTREF as the analog output external reference source. Using an external voltage
reference enables you to maximize the resolution of your device. If the voltages you
want to generate do not exceed a certain level and you can supply an external
reference voltage at that level, you achieve your device's maximum resolution. You
also can use external reference voltages to apply a gain to a DC voltage or to a time-
varying waveform.
Refer to the specifications for your device for additional information.

FD-11637 Signal Conditioning

Learn about excitation, quarter-bridge completion, and shunt calibration for the
FD-11637.

Excitation
The FD-11637 supports internal excitation at 3 V, 5 V, and 10 V. 10 V excitation is only
supported in Full-Bridge and Half-Bridge modes.

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Quarter-Bridge Completion
The FD-11637 supports internal quarter-bridge completion with resistances of 120 ?
and 350 ?.

Shunt Calibration
The FD-11637 has a built-in resistor for shunt calibration. Shunt calibration also only
works in Quarter-Bridge mode.

Initialized States for Terminals and Output Channels

When you use MAX or the NI-DAQmx API to reset a device, NI-DAQmx sets terminals
and output channels to an initialized state.

■ Digital I/O Lines

NI-DAQmx sets all digital I/O lines to the configured power-up state. NI-DAQmx
tristates all digital I/O lines on devices that do not support configurable
power-up states. NI-DAQmx outputs 0 on all digital output-only lines on
devices that do not support configurable power-up states.
■ PFI Lines
NI-DAQmx tristates all PFI lines, unless they are also digital I/O lines. In that
case, the digital I/O line behavior applies.
■ AO Channels
On E Series, S Series, and AO Series devices, NI-DAQmx does not alter the AO
channels. They continue to generate the DC voltage you last set them to.
With static AO devices, all voltage outputs are at their user-defined values to
full accuracy within 1 s of power-up device reset. Before this time, the voltage
outputs can float to unspecified values.
On DSA devices, NI-DAQmx sets all AO channels to high impedance.
On M Series, C Series, and X Series, the AO channels are set to 0 Volts.

Input Limits Fault Detection

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The NI-DAQmx input limits fault properties allow you to check for samples that are
outside the configurable upper and lower limits for each channel in the task.

The fault detection applies to both positive and negative inputs. For instance, if you
specify a lower limit of 2 mA and an upper limit of 12 mA, NI-DAQmx detects a fault
at 15 mA and -15 mA, but not at -6 mA because it is in the range of -2 mA to -12 mA.
AI.InputLimitsFaultDetectEnable—Enables input limits fault detection.
AI.InputLimitsFaultDetect.UpperLimit—Specifies the level of the upper limit for
input limits detection. An input sample outside the upper and lower bounds causes
a fault.
AI.InputLimitsFaultDetect.LowerLimit—Specifies the level of the lower limit for
input limits detection. An input sample outside the upper and lower bounds causes
a fault.
InputLimitsFaultChansExist—Indicates if the device or devices detected a sample
that was outside the upper or lower limits configured for each channel in the task.
Reading this property clears the input limits fault channel status for all channels in
the task.
InputLimitsFaultChans—Lists the virtual channels that have detected samples
beyond the upper or lower limits configured for each channel in the task. You must
read InputLimitsFaultChansExist before you read this property.

Internal PLL Unlock Status

Two NI-DAQmx Read attributes/properties allow you to check if the PLL was
unlocked during data acquisition for a task. The first is PLL.UnlockedChansExist.
This attribute/property returns a Boolean true if one or more channel PLLs became
unlocked during the previous acquisition. The second is PLL.UnlockedChans. This
attribute/property returns an array of strings indicating which channel PLLs (if any)
became unlocked.
PLL.UnlockedChansExist can only be used when the task is in a stop state but is still
reserved. You can also explicitly commit, start, and then stop the task without
explicitly uncommitting using the DAQmx Control Task VI.

NI 9775 Considerations

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The NI 9775 module operates in two different modes, Continuous Mode and Record
Mode. You can set the NI 9775 operation to be Record Mode by setting the
DataXferReqCond attribute/property to When Acquisition Complete. Any other
supported value of the DataXferReqCond attribute/property will force the NI 9775
into Continuous Mode. If a value is not set for DataXferReqCond attribute/property,
the module will coerce a value based on other task settings.

Continuous Mode
While in Continuous Mode, the NI 9775 returns data as the data is acquired from the
source.
The module does not use the module's onboard buffer when in Continuous Mode.
NI-DAQmx will automatically put the NI 9775 in Continuous Mode if the task is set
for continuous acquisition or if the specified rate is less than or equal to 4 MS/s
aggregate for each module.

Continuous Mode Triggering

In Continuous Mode, the NI 9775 cannot be the source for Analog Edge or Analog
Multi Edge Triggering.
The NI 9775 also does not support Analog Triggering or Retriggering, unless in a task
with the NI 9205 or NI 9206. While in Continuous Mode, Reference and Start triggers
can be configured on the same task.

Record Mode
While in Record Mode, the data is stored on a buffer in the module until the entire
acquisition is complete. The data on the buffer is stored in records based on a
trigger signal sent to the device.
Acquisition is considered complete when any of the following conditions are
satisfied:

■ The maximum number of triggers are detected and the data for all detected
triggers have been acquired.

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By default, the NI 9775 acquires one record. To acquire more than one record,
you can set the Retriggerable attribute/property to true, which will give you
as many records that can fit in the buffer, up to 32 records. Or, you can use
the Maximum Number of Triggers to Detect attribute/property to specify how
many records you want, up to 32 records. Any ignored triggers do not count
towards the maximum of 32 records.
■ The Trigger Window has elapsed.
This time setting can be configured through the Trigger Window attribute/
property. The Trigger Window begins when the modules receive a sync pulse,
which synchronizes modules in a task. This sync pulse is sent during the
commit stage of the task which happens in the Start Task function/VI. If the
Trigger Window expires, the module finishes acquiring post-trigger data. If the
module is already finished acquiring post-trigger data, the module returns all
of the acquired data.
■ The Retrigger Window has elapsed.
This time setting can be configured through the Retrigger Window attribute/
property. The Retrigger Window begins once the module has detected a
trigger and resets every time it detects another trigger. If the Retrigger
Window expires, the module finishes acquiring post-trigger data. If the
module is already finished acquiring post-trigger data, the module returns
all of the acquired data.

NI-DAQmx will automatically put the NI 9775 in Record Mode if the channels on the
module are used for trigger sources or if the rate is specified to be greater than 4
MS/s aggregate for finite acquisitions. When in Record Mode, the NI 9775 may only
be in the same task as other NI 9775 modules in Record Mode.

Record Mode Triggering

In Record Mode, the NI 9775 supports the following triggers and configurations:
■ Digital Edge Triggering.
■ A single channel configured as the source when using Analog Edge
Triggering.

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■Up to 4 channels configured as the source, but all of the source channels
must be on the same device when using Analog Multi Edge Triggering.
■ Configuration of a single trigger type. You can have Start or Reference
triggers configured, but not both.
■Retriggering on any edge trigger type: Digital Edge, Analog Edge, and Analog
Multi Edge.
Note: The module will ignore triggers when
acquiring pre-trigger buffer data or post-
trigger data.

Onboard Memory Behavior

The retrieval of data from the onboard memory of the module may be faster than
the chassis can transfer it to the host. If this occurs, the chassis FIFO will overflow,
erroring the task and causing a loss of data. To prevent this, set the Data Transfer
Maximum Rate attribute/property to a rate lower than the system's bandwidth.

NI USB-TC01 Considerations
If you are acquiring data from the device in a NI-DAQmx task or using the device's
temperature logger, the NI USB-TC01 launch screen cannot acquire data.
In MAX, the Reset Device option is disabled for the NI USB-TC01. If you attempt to
reset the device with the Reset Device VI/function, it returns an error if any task is
using the device. To reset the NI USB-TC01, disconnect and reconnect the device.

Open Channel Detection

The DAQmx Read OpenChansExist and OpenChans attributes/properties allow you
to check for open channels.
OpenChansExist returns a Boolean of true if one or more channels were
disconnected since the last time the attribute/property was queried, and
OpenChans returns the virtual channel names of the channels that were
disconnected. You must query the OpenChansExist attribute/property before
querying the OpenChans attribute/property.

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OpenChansExist reads the open channel condition from the device and caches it in
the driver. Subsequent reads of OpenChans attribute/property will read the channel
information cached in the driver from the previous OpenChansExist query.
NI-DAQmx returns all data whether an open channel is detected. If your application
requires open channel checking, it is recommended that you read the open channel
attributes/properties after each call to Read/Write. Your program should discard
questionable data or return a flag when the driver reports an open channel.
You can also check for shorted channels using the DAQmx Read
OvercurrentChansExist and OvercurrentChans attributes/properties. Refer to
Overcurrent Detection.

Open Current Loop Detection

Two NI-DAQmx Read/Write attributes/properties allow you to check for
disconnected sensors. The first is OpenCurrentLoopChansExist. This attribute/
property returns a Boolean true if one or more channels experience an open current
loop condition. The second is OpenCurrentLoopChans. This attribute/property
returns an array of strings indicating which channels (if any) experienced an open
current loop condition. You must query the OpenCurrentLoopChansExist attribute/
property before querying the OpenCurrentLoopChans attribute/property.
OpenCurrentLoopChansExist reads the open current loop condition from the device
and caches it in the driver. Subsequent reads of OpenCurrentLoopChans attribute/
property will read the open current loop channel information cached in the driver
from the previous OpenCurrentLoopChansExist query.

Note:
■ NI-DAQmx returns all data whether or
not an open current loop occurs. If your
application requires open current loop
checking, it is recommended that you
read the open current loop attributes/
properties after each call to Read. Your
program should discard questionable
data or return a flag when the driver
reports an open current loop.
■ For Analog Input devices with IEPE, the
IEPE excitation current source must be

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enabled for open current loop detection

to work. If IEPE is not turned on, an error
is returned when OpenCurrentLoopChans
is read.

Open Thermocouple Detection (OTD)

Breaking the hot junction of a thermocouple or disconnecting a thermocouple
signal results in an open thermocouple channel. This causes the channel to return
invalid data. Using open thermocouple detection, you can determine if a
thermocouple channel is disconnected.
Devices have a set of pull-up and bias resistor networks that connect to channels,
forming a voltage divider when a thermocouple is connected and working properly.
When a thermocouple breaks or becomes open, the open thermocouple detection
circuitry uses a small current source to push the input voltage out of range, which is
possible to detect in software using limits or conditions. In normal operation, this
current causes a voltage error on the input, known as a lead offset, when pushing
against a source resistance. In many applications, this error is minimal, but in some
applications where high accuracy is required and there are large source resistances
caused by long, narrow gauge thermocouple wires, the error can be significant.
To determine if a thermocouple is disconnected or becomes open on the FD-11613,
FD-11614, NI 4353, NI 9212, NI 9213, or NI 9214, you can use the
OpenThrmcplChansExist and OpenThrmcplChans attributes/properties.
OpenThrmcplChansExist returns a Boolean of true if one or more channels were
disconnected since the last time the attribute/property was queried, and
OpenThrmcplChans returns the virtual channel names of the channels that were
disconnected.

Lead Offset Nulling

To eliminate lead offset, you can disable open thermocouple detection, which
eliminates the bias current. If you are using an SCXI module, you can disable open
thermocouple detection by removing the bias resistor networks. On the NI 4353
and NI 9214, you can disable OTD current with the OpenThrmcplDetectionEnable
attribute/property.

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If an application requires high-accuracy and high-resistance thermocouple wires,

but you do not want to disable the ability to detect open thermocouples, you can
perform lead offset nulling. On the NI 9214, you can calibrate lead offset nulling
programmatically. Lead offset nulling calibration compensates for lead offset error
by taking the difference between a measurement with the bias current from open
thermocouple detection and one without the bias current. This difference is then
stored in the AI.Thrmcpl.LeadOffsetVoltage attribute/property and is applied to
measurements to compensate for current from open thermocouple detection.

Overcurrent Detection
Two NI-DAQmx Read/Write attributes/properties allow you to check for shorted
channels. The first is OvercurrentChansExist. This attribute/property returns a
Boolean true if one or more channels experience an overcurrent condition. The
second is OvercurrentChans. This attribute/property returns an array of strings
indicating which channels (if any) experienced an overcurrent condition. You must
query the OvercurrentChansExist attribute/property before querying the
OvercurrentChans attribute/property.
OvercurrentChansExist reads the overcurrent condition from the device and caches
it in the driver. Subsequent reads of OvercurrentChans attribute/property will read
the overcurrent channel information cached in the driver from the previous
OvercurrentChansExist query.

Note: For the NI 4610, use the

AO.PowerAmp.Overcurrent attribute/property
to check for shorted channels. On the NI 4610,
AO.PowerAmp.Overcurrent detects the
overcurrent condition for the specified channel
and caches that information in the driver.
NI-DAQmx returns all data whether or not a short occurs. If your application requires
overcurrent checking, it is recommended that you read the overcurrent attributes/
properties after each call to Read/Write. Your program should discard questionable
data or return a flag when the driver reports a short.
IEPE must be turned on for overcurrent detection to work (except for the NI 4322, NI
4610, NI 9219, and NI 9269). If IEPE is not turned on, an error is returned when
OvercurrentChansExist is read.

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Shorted current channels are known as short circuits. Overcurrent detection

attributes/properties can be used to detect short circuits.

Overtemperature Detection
An overtemperature condition occurs when the ambient temperature of the device
exceeds a safe operating level. The device may disable any overtemperature
channels until the ambient temperature returns to a safe level. Use the
OvertemperatureChansExist attribute/property to determine if the device is
experiencing an overtemperature condition. Devices may have front panel LEDs that
will indicate an overtemperature condition has occurred.

Note: Refer to device specific documentation for

further information on meaning of LED status.

Remote and Local Sensing

If you use a cable of significant length, you might experience reduced accuracy in
your measurement due to reduced voltage from wire resistance. You can adjust for
this voltage drop using either remote sense or local sense.
Remote sense uses a separate connection to quantify the voltage drop. This
accounts for the length of the cable in the original connection. To use remote sense,
you must connect the RS+ and RS- terminals on the device to the primary winding
terminals on the sensor.
Local sense measures the voltage drop internally at the excitation terminals. This
method does not require the use of additional wires, but is not as accurate as
remote sense.
On the PXIe-4340, you can set each channel to use either remote sense or local
sense by using the AI.Excit.Source attribute/property.

Power Supply and Power Channel Considerations

Refer to Hardware Input and Output»DAQmx»Power in the LabVIEW Example
Finder for examples that implement many of the following considerations.

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Default Values
The following property values take effect when the task is committed or started.

Property Name Default Value

Pwr.IdleOutputBehavior Maintain Existing Value
Pwr.RemoteSense Local Sense
Pwr.OutputEnable True
Pwr.CurrentSetpoint 0.03A
Pwr.VoltageSetpoint 0V

Configuring Voltage and Current Setpoints

Use the DAQmx Create Channel VI/function to set the current and voltage setpoints.
Two properties reflect the current and voltage setpoints for a power channel, and
are settable at runtime via the DAQmx Channel property node:

Pwr.Current.Setpoint
The constant output current, in amperes. If the load draws current greater
than this value, output voltage is reduced and the device operates in constant
current mode.
Pwr.Voltage.Setpoint
The constant output voltage, in volts.

Configuring and Reading Power Output States and Behavior

Use the DAQmx Create Channel VI/function with the Pwr.OutputEnable property to
enable or disable power channel output. At runtime, set this property via the
DAQmx Channel property node.

Use the DAQmx Channel property node with the Pwr.IdleOutputBehavior property
to enable or disable power channel output when the task is uncommitted.

Use the DAQmx Channel property node to read the Pwr.OutputState property and
determine the channel state.

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Note: Some DAQmx Read instances/functions

return power channel samples in I16 format.
These instance will always return a value of 0 for
current and voltage while a power channel is
disabled. Verify the power output state to
validate a current or voltage sample value of 0.

Detecting Auxiliary Power Errors

Use the DAQmx Read property node to read auxiliary power supply errors. Two
properties reflect the error state for auxiliary power.

Note: You must read AuxPowerErrorChansExist

before you read AuxPowerErrorChans.
Otherwise you will receive an error message.

AuxPowerErrorChansExist
Indicates if the device detected something is wrong with an auxiliary power
supply.
AuxPowerErrorChans
Indicates a list of names of any auxiliary power supply error virtual channels.

Detecting Remote Sense Errors

Use the DAQmx Read property node to read remote sense errors. Two properties
reflect the error state for Remote Sense.

Note: You must read

RemoteSenseErrorChansExist before you read
RemoteSenseErrorChans. Otherwise you will
receive an error message.

RemoteSenseErrorChansExist
Indicates if the device detected an error on a hardware or remote sense
connection. You must disable the output and resolve the hardware
connection issue to clear the remote sense error status for all channels in the
task.
RemoteSenseErrorChans
Indicates a list of names of any remote sense error virtual channels.

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Detecting Over-Temperature Errors

Use the DAQmx Read property node to read over-temperature errors. Two
properties reflect an over-temperature condition.

Note: You must read

OvertemperatureChansExist before you read
OvertemperatureChans. Otherwise you will
receive an error message.

OvertemperatureChansExist
Indicates if the device detected an overtemperature condition in any virtual
channel in the task. Reading this property clears the overtemperature status
for all channels in the task.
OvertemperatureChans
Indicates a list of names of any overtemperature virtual channels.

Detecting Reverse Voltage Errors

Use the DAQmx Read property node to read reverse voltage errors. Two properties
reflect the reverse voltage error state of channel

Note: You must read

ReverseVoltageErrorChansExist before you read
ReverseVoltageErrorChans. Otherwise you will
receive an error message.

ReverseVoltageErrorChansExist
Indicates if the device detected a reverse voltage error in any channel in the
task. Reverse voltage error occurs if the local voltage is equal to the negative
saturated voltage.
ReverseVoltageErrorChans
Indicates a list of names of any reverse voltage error virtual channels.

Configuring Remote Sense

Use the DAQmx Channel property to set the Pwr.RemoteSense property.

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■DAQmx Read will return local voltage if Pwr.RemoteSense is configured to

Local .
■DAQmx Read will return remote voltage if Pwr.RemoteSense if configured to
Remote .

Power Supply Fault Detection

The NI 9265 and NI 9266 can detect if there is an insufficient external power or no
external power connected to the Vsup terminal. Two NI-DAQmx Read attributes/
properties allow you to check the external power. The first is
PowerSupplyFaultChansExist. This attribute/property returns a Boolean true if one
or more channels lack external power. The second is PowerSupplyFaultChans. This
attribute/property returns an array of strings indicating which channels (if any)
experienced a power supply fault. You must query the PowerSupplyFaultChansExist
attribute/property before querying the PowerSupplyFaultChans attribute/property.

Push-Pull and Open Collector Mode

The NI USB-6000 /6001/6002/6003 are programmable as either push-pull or open-
collector (open-drain) mode. The default configuration is push-pull.
The NI USB-6008 has open-collector (open-drain) mode only, but each channel on
the NI USB-6501, the NI USB-6009, and SensorDAQ are programmable as either
push-pull or open-collector (open-drain) mode. The default configuration of the
SensorDAQ, the NI USB-6008, the NI USB-6009, and the NI USB-6501 DIO ports is
open-drain, allowing 5 V operation, with an onboard 4.7 k pull-up resistor. An
external, user-provided, pull-up resistor can be added to increase the source current
drive up to a 8.5 mA limit per line. Refer to the device documentation for more
information and instructions on determining the value of the pull-up resistor.

Querying Device Capabilities with C Series Devices

When querying DAQmx Device and DAQmx Physical Channel attributes/properties
with C Series devices, the supported attributes/properties depend on the slot you
plug a device into. If the device is not in a supported slot, you cannot perform
counter I/O, nor can you query counter-specific device capabilities such as the
counter size.

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Reading Available Samples on USB or Ethernet DAQ

Reading -1 or querying AvailableSamplesPerChannel sends a request to the device
forcing it to flush any samples that may be sitting in the buffer.
When using USB or Ethernet DAQ devices, these samples may not reach your
computer's buffer in time, resulting in an incorrect number of samples available
being displayed. To ensure all samples get read, either use a second read also
querying -1 (which will then contain the desired samples), or specify the number of
samples to read so the device waits until the specified number of samples have
entered the computer's buffer before returning the data.

RTSI Triggering with M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family

Devices
M Series USB and NI ELVIS II Family devices do not support RTSI triggering.

SC Express Smart Accessory Connections

The following connections are supported on these SC Express accessories:

Accessory Supported Connections Description

CAL-4353 _tc_calibration Connects all TC channels to the
calibration input. This
connection is used to verify and
adjust TC gain accuracy.
_cjc_calibration Connects one CJC channel to
the calibration input. This
connection is used to verify and
adjust CJC gain and offset
accuracy.
_short_tc_terminals Connects all TC channels
together.
RM-4339 _remote_sense_floating Disconnects remote sensing for
calibration.
_cal_channel Connects all channels to an
external calibration source.
RM-4302 _cal_channel Connects all channels to an
external calibration source.

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Accessory Supported Connections Description

RM-4304 _cal_channel Connects all channels to an
external calibration source.

SCC Signal Conditioning Device Considerations

The following section applies only to analog input (AI) SCC modules.
In a single stage AI SCC configuration, you connect your external signal to an SCC
module which conditions the signal and passes it to the DAQ device. You can install
single stage AI modules in sockets J1-J8 in the SC-2345 carrier.
Sometimes, you can cascade two AI SCC modules together on a single AI channel to
form a dual-stage configuration. In this configuration, you connect the external
signal to the first-stage AI module, which conditions the signal and passes it to the
second-stage AI module. Then, the signal is passed to the DAQ device. First-stage of
dual-stage AI modules can be located in sockets J9-J16. Second-stage of dual-stage
AI modules can be located in sockets J1-J8.
An example of a dual-stage configuration is a voltage attenuator module (SCC-A10)
in the first-stage SCC slot followed by a lowpass filter module (SCC-LP01) in the
second-stage SCC slot to create a combined attenuator and lowpass filter signal
conditioning on the specified AI channel. The following table shows all the SCC
devices that support dual-stage configuration.

SCC Module Single Stage AI (J1-J8) First-Stage of Dual- Second-Stage of Dual-

Stage AI (J9-J16) Stage AI (J1-J8)
SCC-AI Series Yes Yes No
SCC-A10 Yes Yes No
SCC-RTD01 Yes Yes No
SCC-CI20 Yes Yes No
SCC-ACC01 Yes Yes No
SCC-TC Series Yes Yes No
SCC-FV01 Yes No Yes
SCC-LP Series Yes Yes Yes
SCC-FT01 Yes Yes Yes
SCC-SG Series Yes Yes No

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SCC modules that are not listed in the table above do not support dual-stage
configuration. This includes all analog output, digital input, and digital output SCC
modules.

Self-Powered Versus Bus-Powered M Series USB Devices

Bus-powered M Series devices require no external power source. Examples of these
devices include the NI 6210, NI 6211, NI 6212, NI 6215, NI 6216, and NI 6218. Self-
powered M Series devices, on the other hand, require an external power source such
as a wall outlet or a battery. Self-powered devices can drive higher currents than
bus-powered devices. Examples of self-powered M Series devices include the NI
USB-6251 and NI USB-6259.

Setting Power-Up States for M Series, NI 670x, and

Software-Timed Digital I/O Devices
You can set the state of physical channels for some devices when your computer is
powered on or the device is reset in NI-DAQmx. However, for all NI-DAQmx
simulated devices, power-up states are not persisted.
Caution:
Devices have limited numbers of writes to the EEPROM, so change power-up states
infrequently.

Setting Digital States for M Series, X Series and Software-

Timed Digital I/O Devices
You can set the digital power-up state for M Series, X Series, and software-timed
digital I/O devices to logic low, logic high, or tristate (floating) in MAX. You also
can set power-up states with the Set Power Up States (Digital) function/VI, but
using MAX is the recommended method. You can only specify a programmable
power-up state of tristate on devices with configurable direction. Refer to your
device documentation to see if your device supports configurable direction. For NI
6230/36 devices, you can also specify a power-up state of tristate for digital output.
The power-up state can be specified on a port basis only. The power-up state of all
other NI 623x devices can be specified by line but cannot be set to tristate.

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Note: I/O direction on software-timed digital I/O

devices is port configurable only*. Therefore,
you can set the power-up state to tristate only
on a port-by-port basis. You can, however, set
individual digital output lines in a port to logic
low or logic high.
* Except on the PCIe/PXIe-6509 which are also
configurable by line.

Setting Analog States for NI 4322 Devices

You can set the analog power-up state for NI 4322 devices in MAX. You also can set
power-up states with the DAQmx Set Power Up States (Analog With Output Type)
function/VI.

Setting Analog States for NI 670x Devices

You can set the analog power-up state for NI 670x devices in MAX. You also can
set power-up states with the DAQmx Set Power Up States (Analog) function/VI, but
using MAX is the recommended method.

Supported Device ID Numbers

Device ID Device Name
0x0160 NI PCI-DIO-96
0x075C NI DAQCard-DIO-24
0x075F NI DAQCard-6715
0x1150 NI PCI-DIO-32HS
0x1290 NI PCI-6704
0x12B0 NI PCI-6534
0x1310 NI PCI-6602
0x1320 NI PXI-6533
0x1360 NI PXI-6602
0x13C0 NI PXI-6508
0x1490 NI PXI-6534
0x14E0 NI PCI-6110

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Device ID Device Name

0x14F0 NI PCI-6111
0x1710 NI PXI-6509
0x17D0 NI PCI-6503
0x1870 NI PCI-6713
0x1880 NI PCI-6711
0x1920 NI PXI-6704
0x1AD0 NI PCI-6133
0x1AE0 NI PXI-6133
0x1E30 NI PCI-6624
0x1E40 NI PXI-6624
0x2410 NI PCI-6733
0x2420 NI PXI-6733
0x2430 NI PCI-6731
0x24F0 NI PXI-4472
0x2510 NI PCI-4472
0x2520 NI PCI-4474
0x27A0 NI PCI-6123
0x27B0 NI PXI-6123
0x2B10 NI PXI-6527
0x2B20 NI PCI-6527
0x2B80 NI PXI-6713
0x2B90 NI PXI-6711
0x2C60 NI PCI-6601
0x2C90 NI PCI-6703
0x2CC0 NI PXI-6608
0x2EC0 NI PXI-6115
0x2ED0 NI PCI-6115
0x2EE0 NI PXI-6120
0x2EF0 NI PCI-6120
0x7023 NI PXI-2593

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Device ID Device Name

0x703F NI PXI-2566
0x7040 NI PXI-2567
0x704C NI PXI-2530
0x7067 NI PXI-2529
0x7073 NI PCI-6723
0x707E NI PXI-4462
0x7085 NI PCI-6509
0x7086 NI PXI-6528
0x7087 NI PCI-6515
0x7088 NI PCI-6514
0x708C NI PXI-2568
0x708D NI PXI-2569
0x709F NI USB-9421
0x70A1 NI USB-9472
0x70A2 NI USB-9481
0x70A4 NI USB-9201
0x70A5 NI USB-9221
0x70A7 NI USB-9263
0x70A8 NI USB-9233
0x70A9 NI PCI-6528
0x70AA NI PCI-6229
0x70AB NI PCI-6259
0x70AC NI PCI-6289
0x70AD NI PXI-6251
0x70AE NI PXI-6220
0x70AF NI PCI-6221
0x70B0 NI PCI-6220
0x70B1 NI PXI-6229
0x70B2 NI PXI-6259
0x70B3 NI PXI-6289

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Device ID Device Name

0x70B4 NI PCI-6250
0x70B5 NI PXI-6221
0x70B6 NI PCI-6280
0x70B7 NI PCI-6254
0x70B8 NI PCI-6251
0x70B9 NI PXI-6250
0x70BA NI PXI-6254
0x70BB NI PXI-6280
0x70BC NI PCI-6284
0x70BD NI PCI-6281
0x70BE NI PXI-6284
0x70BF NI PXI-6281
0x70C0 NI PCI-6143
0x70C3 NI PCI-6511
0x70C8 NI PCI-6513
0x70C9 NI PXI-6515
0x70CC NI PCI-6512
0x70CD NI PXI-6514
0x70D0 NI PXI-2570
0x70D1 NI PXI-6513
0x70D2 NI PXI-6512
0x70D3 NI PXI-6511
0x70D4 NI PCI-6722
0x70E1 NI PXI-2532
0x70F2 NI PCI-6224
0x70F3 NI PXI-6224
0x70FF NI PXI-6723
0x7100 NI PXI-6722
0x710D NI PXI-6143
0x7124 NI PCI-6510

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Device ID Device Name

0x7125 NI PCI-6516
0x7126 NI PCI-6517
0x7127 NI PCI-6518
0x7128 NI PCI-6519
0x712C NI USB-9265
0x712E NI USB-9421 (DSUB)
0x7132 NI USB-9472 (DSUB)
0x7137 NI PXI-2575
0x713C NI PXI-2585
0x713D NI PXI-2586
0x7146 NI PCI-6132
0x7147 NI PXI-6132
0x7148 NI PCI-6122
0x7149 NI PXI-6122
0x7150 NI PXI-2564
0x715F NI 9221
0x7160 NI 9421
0x7161 NI 9421 (DSUB)
0x7162 NI 9472
0x7163 NI 9472 (DSUB)
0x7164 NI 9481
0x7165 NI 9401
0x716B NI PCI-6230
0x716C NI PCI-6225
0x716D NI PXI-6225
0x716F NI PCI-4461
0x7170 NI PCI-4462
0x7171 NI PCI-6010
0x7177 NI PXI-6230
0x717A NI USB-6008

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Device ID Device Name

0x717B NI USB-6009
0x717D NI PCIe-6251
0x717F NI PCIe-6259
0x718A NI USB-6501
0x718B NI PCI-6521
0x718C NI PXI-6521
0x7191 NI PCI-6154
0x71A1 NI USB-9201 (DSUB)
0x71A2 NI USB-9221 (DSUB)
0x71A5 NI PXI-2594
0x71A7 NI PXI-2595
0x71A9 NI PXI-2596
0x71AA NI PXI-2597
0x71AB NI PXI-2598
0x71AC NI PXI-2599
0x71B0 NI 9211
0x71B1 NI 9215
0x71B2 NI 9215 (BNC)
0x71B3 NI 9205 (DSUB)
0x71B4 NI 9263
0x71BB NI PXI-2584
0x71BC NI PCI-6221 (37-pin)
0x71C2 NI USB-9239
0x71C3 NI USB-9237
0x71C5 NI PCI-6520
0x71C6 NI PXI-2576
0x71D9 NI USB-9211A
0x71DA NI USB-9215A
0x71DB NI USB-9215A (BNC)
0x71DF NI USB-6525

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Device ID Device Name

0x71E0 NI PCI-6255
0x71E1 NI PXI-6255
0x7209 NI PCI-6233
0x720A NI PXI-6233
0x720B NI PCI-6238
0x720C NI PXI-6238
0x7252 NI USB-6251
0x7253 NI USB-6259
0x7263 NI 9234
0x7264 NI 9206
0x7265 NI 9205
0x726F NI USB-6210
0x7270 NI USB-6211
0x7271 NI USB-6215
0x7272 NI USB-6218
0x7279 NI PCI-6232
0x727A NI PXI-6232
0x727B NI PCI-6239
0x727C NI PXI-6239
0x7281 NI PCI-6236
0x7282 NI PXI-6236
0x7283 NI PXI-2554
0x7285 NI 9237
0x72A0 NI USB-6251 (Mass Termination)
0x72A1 NI USB-6259 (Mass Termination)
0x72B5 NI USB-9234
0x72B9 NI 9411
0x72BA NI 9422
0x72BB NI 9423
0x72BC NI 9435

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Device ID Device Name

0x72BD NI 9474
0x72BE NI 9485
0x72BF NI 9403
0x72C0 NI 9425
0x72C1 NI 9476
0x72C2 NI 9477
0x72C3 NI 9264
0x72C4 NI 9265
0x72C5 NI 9201
0x72C6 NI 9201 (DSUB)
0x72C7 NI 9221 (DSUB)
0x72C8 NI 9203
0x72C9 NI 9217
0x72CA NI 9219
0x72CB NI 9239
0x72CC NI SensorDAQ
0x72D0 NI PXI-2545
0x72D1 NI PXI-2546
0x72D2 NI PXI-2547
0x72D3 NI PXI-2548
0x72D4 NI PXI-2549
0x72D5 NI PXI-2555
0x72D6 NI PXI-2556
0x72D7 NI PXI-2557
0x72D8 NI PXI-2558
0x72D9 NI PXI-2559
0x72DC NI USB-6221
0x72DE NI USB-6229
0x72E8 NI PXIe-6251
0x72E9 NI PXIe-6259

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Device ID Device Name

0x72EF NI PXI-4498
0x72F0 NI PXI-4496
0x72F3 NI USB-6005 VSA
0x72F6 NI USB-9264
0x72FA NI 9229
0x72FD NI USB-9229
0x72FF NI USB-6509
0x730C NI USB-9219
0x731C NI PXI-2535
0x731D NI PXI-2536
0x7322 NI PXIe-6124
0x7326C4C4 NI PCIe-6509
0x7A77C4C4 NI PXIe-6509
0x7327 NI PXI-6529
0x732D NI USB-6255
0x732E NI USB-6255 (Mass Termination)
0x732F NI USB-6225
0x7330 NI USB-6225 (Mass Termination)
0x7335 NI PXI-2533
0x7336 NI PXI-2534
0x7337 NI 9402
0x7338 NI 9375
0x7339 NI USB-6212
0x733B NI USB-6216
0x733F NI USB-6281
0x7340 NI USB-6281 (Mass Termination)
0x7342 NI PXI-4461
0x7343 NI USB-6289
0x7344 NI USB-6289 (Mass Termination)
0x7345 NI USB-6221 (BNC)

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Device ID Device Name

0x7346 NI USB-6229 (BNC)
0x7347 NI USB-6251 (BNC)
0x7348 NI USB-6259 (BNC)
0x7359 NI PXI-4495
0x7367 NI USB-9239 (BNC)
0x7368 NI USB-9229 (BNC)
0x7369 NI USB-9263 (BNC)
0x737A NI 9229 (BNC)
0x737B NI 9239 (BNC)
0x737C NI 9263 (BNC)
0x7381 NI 9235
0x7382 NI 9236
0x7388 NI 9225
0x7389 NI USB-6212 (Mass Termination)
0x738A NI USB-6216 (Mass Termination)
0x73A1 NI PXIe-4498
0x73A2 NI PXIe-4496
0x73A6 NI ELVIS II
0x73C5 NI PXIe-2527
0x73C6 NI PXIe-2529
0x73C9 NI PXIe-2532
0x73CA NI PXIe-2569
0x73CB NI PXIe-2575
0x73CC NI PXIe-2593
0x73D1 NI USB-4432
0x73E2 NI 9213
0x73E3 NI 9426
0x73E4 NI 9475
0x73E5 NI 9478
0x73E6 NI 9237 (DSUB)

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Device ID Device Name

0x73E7 NI ELVIS II+
0x73F4 NI PXI-2515
0x73FC NI USB-6212 (BNC)
0x73FD NI USB-6216 (BNC)
0x73FE NI USB-6218 (BNC)
0x7420 NI 9227
0x7425C4C4 NI PCIe-6320
0x7427C4C4 NI PCIe-6321
0x7429C4C4 NI PCIe-6323
0x742AC4C4 NI PXIe-6341
0x742BC4C4 NI PCIe-6341
0x742DC4C4 NI PCIe-6343
0x742FC4C4 NI PCIe-6351
0x7431C4C4 NI PCIe-6353
0x7432C4C4 NI PXIe-6361
0x7433C4C4 NI PCIe-6361
0x7434C4C4 NI PXIe-6363
0x7435C4C4 NI PCIe-6363
0x7436C4C4 NI PXIe-6356
0x7437C4C4 NI PXIe-6358
0x7438C4C4 NI PXIe-6366
0x7439C4C4 NI PXIe-6368
0x7448 NI PXI-2510
0x7449 NI USB-9213
0x744F NI USB-4431
0x7454 NI PXI-2512
0x7455 NI PXI-2514
0x7456 NI PXIe-2512
0x7457 NI PXIe-2514
0x745C NI USB-9264 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 601

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Device ID Device Name

0x7492C4C4 NI PXIe-4300
0x7493 NI cDAQ-9188
0x7494 NI 9264 (DSUB)
0x74A4 NI cDAQ-9178
0x74A5 NI cDAQ-9174
0x74A8C4C4 NI PXIe-4330
0x74A9C4C4 NI PXIe-4331
0x74AE NI PXIe-2515
0x74B2C4C4 NI PXIe-4353
0x74B4 NI PXI-2531
0x74B5 NI PXIe-2531
0x74B7 NI USB-TC01
0x74DF NI 9207 (DSUB)
0x74E0 NI 9208 (DSUB)
0x74E6 NI 9269
0x74F7 NI USB-6343
0x74F8 NI USB-6341
0x74FA NI USB-6351
0x74FB NI USB-6353
0x74FD NI USB-6361
0x74FE NI USB-6363
0x7510 NI 2810
0x7511 NI 2811
0x7512 NI 2815
0x7513 NI 2816
0x7528 NI PXIe-4497
0x7529 NI PXIe-4499
0x752A NI PXIe-4492
0x752B NI 9214
0x7530 NI 9222

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Device ID Device Name

0x7531 NI 9223
0x7559 NI 9232
0x755B NI myDAQ
0x755F NI cDAQ-9181
0x7560 NI cDAQ-9191
0x7561 NI USB-6356 (32 MS)
0x7563 NI USB-6356 (64 MS)
0x7567 NI USB-6366 (32 MS)
0x7569 NI USB-6366 (64 MS)
0x7578 NI 9375 (DSUB)
0x757B NI 2812
0x757E NI 2813
0x7581 NI 2814
0x7584 NI 2817
0x7587 NI 2833
0x758A NI 2834
0x7598 NI PXI-2571
0x759D NI USB-6361 (Mass Termination)
0x759E NI USB-6363 (Mass Termination)
0x75A1 NI USB-6366 (64 MS) (Mass Termination)
0x75BA NI PXI-2543
0x75BB NI PXIe-2543
0x75CFC4C4 NI PXIe-4357
0x75DA NI USB-6341 (BNC)
0x75DB NI USB-6343 (BNC)
0x75DC NI USB-6361 (BNC)
0x75DD NI USB-6363 (BNC)
0x75DE NI USB-6356 (32 MS) (BNC)
0x75DF NI USB-6366 (64 MS) (BNC)
0x75EB NI 9469

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Device ID Device Name

0x75F0 NI cDAQ-9171
0x7606 NI 9220
0x7614 NI cDAQ-9138
0x7616 NI 9220 (DSUB)
0x7617 NI cDAQ-9184
0x761F NI PXI-2540
0x7620 NI PXIe-2540
0x7621 NI PXI-2541
0x7622 NI PXIe-2541
0x7625 NI USB-6346
0x7628 NI cDAQ-9139
0x7638 NI PXI-2720
0x7639 NI PXI-2722
0x763A NI PXIe-2725
0x763B NI PXIe-2727
0x763DC4C4 NI PXIe-6349
0x764B NI PXIe-2790
0x764C NI PXI-2520
0x764D NI PXI-2521
0x764E NI PXI-2522
0x764F NI PXI-2523
0x7654 NI PXI-2796
0x7655 NI PXI-2797
0x7656 NI PXI-2798
0x7657 NI PXI-2799
0x765D NI PXI-2542
0x765E NI PXIe-2542
0x765F NI PXI-2544
0x7660 NI PXIe-2544
0x76ABC4C4 NI PXIe-4322

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Device ID Device Name

0x76AF NI USB-6000
0x76BF NI USB-6001
0x76C4 NI USB-6002
0x76C6 NI USB-6003
0x76C8C4C4 NI PXIe-6614
0x76C9C4C4 NI PXIe-6612
0x76DCC4C4 NI PXIe-4610
0x76E3 NI USB-9482
0x76E7 NI cDAQ-9188XT
0x76F5 NI 9482
0x770B NI 2865
0x770F NI 9244
0x7711C4C4 NI PXIe-4464
0x7712C4C4 NI PXIe-4463
0x7716C4C4 NI PCIe-6612
0x771EC4C4 NI PXIe-4339
0x7739 NI cDAQ-9132
0x773A NI cDAQ-9134
0x773C NI 9222 (BNC)
0x773D NI 9223 (BNC)
0x7749 NI 9242
0x7751 NI 9238
0x7779 NI 9218 (DSUB)
0x777A NI 9218
0x777F NI 9361
0x778D NI 9437
0x77A5C4C4 NI PXIe-6345
0x77A6C4C4 NI PXIe-6355
0x77A7C4C4 NI PXIe-6365
0x77A8C4C4 NI PXIe-6375

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Device ID Device Name

0x77AB NI 9212
0x77BE NI cDAQ-9133
0x77BF NI cDAQ-9135
0x77CAC4C4 NI PXIe-6738
0x77CBC4C4 NI PXIe-6739
0x77CE NI 9230
0x77CF NI 9260 (BNC)
0x77D0 NI 9260 (Mini XLR)
0x77D8 NI 9216
0x77D9 NI 9226
0x77E6 NI 9344
0x77E7 NI 9247
0x77EB NI 9251 (Mini XLR)
0x77EC NI 9250 (BNC)
0x77F1 NI 9209 (DSUB)
0x77F4 NI cDAQ-9179
0x77F6 NI 9246
0x77F9 NI 9216 (DSUB)
0x77FA NI 9226 (DSUB)
0x7802C4C4 NI PXIe-4302
0x7803C4C4 NI PXIe-4303
0x7805C4C4 NI PXIe-4305
0x780F NI 9224
0x7810 NI 9228
0x7829C4C4 NI PXIe-4340
0x7834 NI cDAQ-9136
0x7836 NI cDAQ-9137
0x7844C4C4 NI PXIe-4480
0x7845C4C4 NI PXIe-4481
0x7868 NI 9232 (BNC)

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Device ID Device Name

0x7869 NI 9230 (BNC)
0x786D NI 9436
0x7870 NI Simulated DAQ Device
0x7882C4C4 NI PXIe-6376
0x7883C4C4 NI PXIe-6378
0x788B NI 9202 (DSUB)
0x788D NI 9202
0x788EC4C4 NI PXIe-4304
0x78A0 NI 9775
0x78ACC4C4 NI PXIe-4309
0x78B2 NI 9210 (miniTC)
0x78B5 NI 9266
0x78B9 NI cDAQ-9189
0x78C7 NI cDAQ-9185
0x78DFC4C4 NI PXIe-4310
0x7903 NI cRIO-9040
0x7905 NI cRIO-9045
0x7907 NI cRIO-9043
0x7909 NI cRIO-9048
0x790D NI cRIO-9048 (TPM)
0x790F NI cRIO-9042
0x7911 NI cRIO-9047
0x7913 NI cRIO-9049
0x7918 NI 9207
0x7919 NI 9208
0x791A NI 9209
0x7923 NI 9425 (Spring)
0x7924 NI 9476 (Spring)
0x7931 NI 9231
0x7941 NI FD-11613

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Device ID Device Name

0x7943 NI FD-11637
0x7945 NI FD-11603
0x7988C4C4 NI PCIe-6738
0x7998 NI 9262
0x7999C4C4 NI PCIe-6376
0x799AC4C4 NI PCIe-6374
0x799EC4C4 NI PXIe-6386
0x799FC4C4 NI PXIe-6396
0x79A7C4C4 NI PCIe-6346
0x79C5 NI 9253
0x79C9 NI 9252
0x79CB NI 9252 (DSUB)
0x79CF NI cRIO-9046
0x79D1 NI cRIO-9041
0x79E1 NI cRIO-9053
0x79E2 NI cRIO-9054
0x79E3 NI cRIO-9056
0x79E4 NI cRIO-9057
0x79F7 NI USB-6349
0x79FD NI 9266 (DSUB)
0x79FF NI FD-11614
0x7A07 NI FD-11601
0x7A08 NI USB-6346 (BNC)
0x7A1C NI FD-11634
0x7A27 NI 9210
0x7A29 NI cRIO-9058
0x7A2C NI cRIO-9055
0x7A32 NI FD-11605
0x7A3C NI sbRIO-9603
0x7A3D NI sbRIO-9608

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Device ID Device Name

0x7A3E NI sbRIO-9628
0x7A3F NI sbRIO-9638
0x7A42 NI sbRIO-9609
0x7A44 NI sbRIO-9629
0x7A47 NI AI 0-15
0x7A48 NI AO 0-3
0x7A49 NI DIO 0-3
0x7A4A NI DIO 4-11
0x7A50 NI DIO 12-19
0x7A51 NI DIO 20-27
0x7A5F NI 9326
0x9020 NI PXI-2501
0x9030 NI PXI-2503
0x9040 NI PXI-2527
0x9050 NI PXI-2565
0x9060 NI PXI-2590
0x9070 NI PXI-2591
0x7ADC TS-15000
0x7ADA TS-15010
0x7ADE TS-15050 DIO P0
0x7AD5 TS-15100
0x7AD6 TS-15110
0x7AD7 TS-15120
0x7AD8 TS-15130
0x7ADf TS-15200

Sync Lock Lost Detection

Network-synchronized devices that are part of a time network are synchronized to a
grand master. When the network conditions cause a chassis to lose synchronization,
any task running on that chassis will error.

© National Instruments 609

 NI-DAQmx

This can be configured in a task through the DAQmx Channel Property

SyncUnlockBehavior, which defaults to StopTaskAndError, and can be disabled by
setting the value to IgnoreLostSyncLock. If IgnoreLostSyncLock is configured, the
task will keep running regardless of synchronization status. To query the state on a
given task, the DAQmx Read or Write Property Sync.UnlockedChansExist returns
whether the target is currently locked to the grand master. Sync.UnlockedChans
returns the channels from the devices in an unlocked target.
Network-synchronized devices include the following devices:
■ cDAQ-9185, and 9189.
■ FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11634, and
FD-11637.
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058.
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.

Taking Custom Voltage Measurements with the PXIe-4339

The PXIe-4339 supports taking regular (non-ratiometric) voltage measurements
using an AI Voltage task. In addition, as of NI-DAQmx 14.5, the PXIe-4339 can
perform custom voltage measurements while providing voltage excitation, for
example, when using DC powered sensors that return a non-ratiometric voltage. To
enable this type of measurement, configure the DAQmx Create Virtual Channel VI to
AI Custom Voltage with Excitation mode.
Setting the use excitation for scaling input to False will prevent the PXIe-4339's ADCs
from scaling the measured voltage ratiometrically to the excitation voltage.
Setting the use excitation for scaling input to True, will enable the PXIe-4339 to use
the excitation value that the user sets with the DAQmx driver for scaling the
ratiometric input. The device will not use the voltage present on the remote sense
lines for scaling as it does when providing internal excitation. Thus, while the driver
will support using external excitation for ratiometric measurements, this is not a
recommended configuration.
The table below covers each possible combination of AI channel type, voltage
excitation source input value, and use excitation for scaling input value. The cases

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highlighted will throw DAQmx errors, and the reasons for the errors are described in
the Use Case and Notes column of the table.

Note: An RM-4339 is required to select external

excitation.

Time-Based Features for Network-Synchronized Devices

Network-synchronized devices feature automatic network-based synchronization
when connected together across a compatible network. When these devices are
synchronized across a compatible network all device timebases, time triggers, and
timestamps will automatically be synchronized.
Network-synchronized devices include the following devices:
■ cDAQ-9185, and 9189.
■ FD-11601, FD-11603, FD-11605, FD-11613, FD-11614, FD-11634, and
FD-11637.
■ cRIO-9040, 9041, 9042, 9043, 9045, 9046, 9047, 9048, 9049, 9053, 9054, 9055,
9056, 9057, and 9058.
■ sbRIO-9603, 9608, 9609, 9628, 9629, and 9638.

© National Instruments 611

 NI-DAQmx

The cDAQ-9185/9189 are tethered chassis that can be daisy-chained to each other or
connected to external networks that support 802.1AS synchronization. To learn
about this feature, refer to the cDAQ-9185/9189 User Manual and the related
concepts in this help.
The FD-116xx are devices that can be daisy-chained to each other and connected to
external networks that support 802.1AS synchronization. To learn about this feature,
refer to your FieldDAQ User Guide and the related concepts in this help.

Using Chopping to Remove Offset Voltages

Chopping is a feature that can be used to remove offset voltages and other low
frequency errors. The signal is measured twice, once normally and once with the
inputs inverted. These measurements are then averaged by the device to create
each sample.
The NI 4309 supports chopping but disables it by default. Chopping can be enabled
with the AI.Chop.Enable attribute/property, or when configuring a voltage input task
in the DAQ Assistant by selecting the Enable Chopping option. Refer to the NI 4309
User Manual for wiring instructions.

Using the RM-4339 with the PXIe-4339

This section contains information on using the NI RM-4339 with the PXIe-4339. Refer
to SC Express Smart Accessory Connections for specific terminal connections.

Excitation
The RM-4339 has a connection for an external excitation source. Each channel can
also use it's own channel-specific internal excitation. Use the AI.Excit.Src attribute/
property to set the excitation connection.

Quarter-Bridge Completion
The RM-4339 includes three internal resistors you can use for quarter-bridge
completion. These resistors are 120 ?, 350 ?, and 1 k?. Use the
AI.Bridge.NomResistance attribute/property to set quarter-bridge completion.

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 NI-DAQmx

Shunt Calibration
The RM-4339 includes two independent shunt calibration resistors, named A and B.
You can select which resistor to use using the AI.Bridge.ShuntCal.Select attribute/
property.

You can use an internal or external resistor for shunt resistor A. Use the
AI.Bridge.ShuntCal.ShuntCalASrc attribute/property to set this. Select Built-In to use
the internal 100 k? resistor, or User Provided to use an external resistor.

Shunt resistor B is an internal resistor that you can use only with quarter-bridge
completion. You can use a 50 k? or 100 k? resistor by setting the
AI.Bridge.ShuntCal.ShuntCalBResistance attribute/property.

Note:
The DAQmx Perform Shunt Calibration
function/VI and the Strain Gage Calibration
Wizard in MAX do not support
AI.Bridge.ShuntCal.ShuntCalASrc or
AI.Bridge.ShuntCal.ShuntCalBResistance.

X Series Device Groupings

X Series Multiplexed Sampling Devices:

■ NI 6320
■ NI 6321
■ NI 6323
■ NI 6341
■ NI 6343
■ NI 6345
■ NI 6351
■ NI 6353
■ NI 6355
■
NI 6361

© National Instruments 613

 NI-DAQmx

■ NI 6363
■ NI 6365
■ NI 6375
X Series Simultaneous Sampling Devices:

■ NI 6346
■ NI 6349
■ NI 6356
■ NI 6358
■ NI 6366
■ NI 6368
■ NI 6374
■ NI 6376
■ NI 6378
■ NI 6386
■ NI 6396

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 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Device Terminals Help

April 2022, 370739AAB-01
This help file includes signal names for devices supported in NI-DAQmx. Refer to the
device documentation for specifics regarding terminal configurations.
How Can I Access Pinouts?
The following table lists device terminal/pinout locations.

Location How to Access Pinout

Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) Right-click the device name under Devices and I
nterfaces, and select Device Pinouts.
Right-click the device name under Devices and I
nterfaces, and select Help»Online Device Do
cumentation. A browser window opens to ni
.com/manuals with the results of a search for
relevant device documentation.
DAQ Assistant Select the task or virtual channel, and click the
Connection Diagram tab. Select each virtual
channel in the task.
NI-DAQmx Help Select Start»NI-DAQmx Documentation. (Wi
ndows 10) Select Start»All Apps»National In
struments»NI-DAQmx Documentation.
ni.com/manuals Refer to the device documentation.
© 2003–2022 National Instruments. All rights reserved.

DAQ Devices
Pinout descriptions in this book include DAQ devices supported by NI-DAQmx.

FD-11601

© National Instruments 615

 NI-DAQmx

Pin Signal
Number
1 SP

2 AI-

3 GND/T-

4 AI+

5 T+

FD-11603

616 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pin Signal
Number
1, 3, 5 NC

2 AI-

4 AI+

FD-11605

© National Instruments 617

 NI-DAQmx

Pin Number Wir

1, 3 Bro
2 Wh

4 Bla

* Wire color pertain

Other manufacture

FD-11613

618 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

FD-11614

© National Instruments 619

 NI-DAQmx

FD-11634

620 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pin Wire Signal Descriptio

Number Color* n
1 Brown NC No connec
3 Blue t.
5 Gray
2 White AI- Negative a
nalog inpu
t sound an
d vibration
signal
and TEDS r
eturn.
4 Black AI+ Positive an
alog input
sound and
vibration si
gnal
and TEDS
data.
*Wire color pertains to SHM125M I/O cables sol
d through NI. Other manufacturers' cable
wire colors may vary.

FD-11637

© National Instruments 621

 NI-DAQmx

Pin Number Signal

1 EX+
2 T+
3 T-
4 AI-
5 RS+
6 AI+
7 RS-
8 EX-

TS-15050 DIO P0

622 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TS-15100

© National Instruments 623

 NI-DAQmx

TS-15110

624 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TS-15120

© National Instruments 625

 NI-DAQmx

TS-15130

626 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TS-15200

© National Instruments 627

 NI-DAQmx

USB-4431

Front Panel

628 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Back Panel

USB-4432

Front Panel

© National Instruments 629

 NI-DAQmx

Back Panel

NI 4461/4462

1 Top Module Mounting

Screw
2 PFI
3 Chassis Ground
4 AI+
5 AI-
6 AO+
7 AO-
8 Bottom Module Mounti
ng Screw

630 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 4463

1 PFI
2 Chassis Ground
3 AO+
4 AO-

NI 447x

© National Instruments 631

 NI-DAQmx

NI 449x
This topic covers the NI 4492, NI 4495, NI 4496, NI 4497, NI 4498, and NI 4499.

Note The NI 4492 has analog inputs (AI) 0-7

only.

Front Connector Pin Connector AI 0–7 Connector AI 8–15

Diagram

632 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

S1 AI 7 + AI 15 +
S2 AI 7 – AI 15 –
S3 AI 6 + AI 14 +
S4 AI 6 – AI 14 –
S5 AI 5 + AI 13 +
S6 AI 5 – AI 13 –
S7 AI 4 + AI 12 +
S8 AI 4 – AI 12 –
S9 AI 3 + AI 11 +
S10 AI 3 – AI 11 –
S11 AI 2 + AI 10 +
S12 AI 2 – AI 10 –
S13 AI 1 + AI 9 +
S14 AI 1 – AI 9 –
S15 AI 0 + AI 8 +
S16 AI 0 – AI 8 –
GND 1–9 Ground Ground
Shield Ground Ground

PXIe-4610

© National Instruments 633

 NI-DAQmx

USB-6000

634 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-6001

© National Instruments 635

 NI-DAQmx

USB-6002

636 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-6003

© National Instruments 637

 NI-DAQmx

USB-6008

638 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-6009

NI 6020E

© National Instruments 639

 NI-DAQmx

50-Pin MIO I/O Connector Pinout

This figure shows the 50-pin I/O connector that is available when you use the R6850
or SH6850 cable assemblies with 68-pin DAQ devices.

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 NI-DAQmx

No connects appear on pins 20 through 23 of devices that do not support AO or use

an external reference.

DAQPad-6020E (BNC)

DAQPad-6052E (BNC)

© National Instruments 641

 NI-DAQmx

DAQCard-6062E

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 NI-DAQmx

50-Pin MIO I/O Connector Pinout

This figure shows the 50-pin I/O connector that is available when you use the R6850
or SH6850 cable assemblies with 68-pin DAQ devices.

© National Instruments 643

 NI-DAQmx

No connects appear on pins 20 through 23 of devices that do not support AO or use

an external reference.

PCI-6010

644 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Terminal Counter/Timer Signal Signal Name
13 CTR 0 SRC PFI 0
32 CTR 0 GATE PFI 1
33 CTR 0 AUX PFI 2
17 CTR 0 OUT PFI 6
15 CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
34 CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
35 CTR 1 AUX PFI 5
36 CTR 1 OUT PFI 7
37 FREQ OUT PFI 8

NI 6110

© National Instruments 645

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6111

646 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6115

© National Instruments 647

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6120

648 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6122

© National Instruments 649

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6123

650 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6124

© National Instruments 651

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9

652 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

NI 6132

© National Instruments 653

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6133

654 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6143

© National Instruments 655

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6154

656 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-6210

© National Instruments 657

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 OUT 6 PFI 4
CTR 0 A 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 2

658 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 5
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 B 3 PFI 2
FREQ OUT 8 PFI 6

USB-6211

© National Instruments 659

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 OUT 6 PFI 4
CTR 0 A 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 2
CTR 0 B 2 PFI 1

660 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 5
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 B 3 PFI 2
FREQ OUT 8 PFI 6

USB-6212 (BNC)

© National Instruments 661

 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Default Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12

662 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6212 Mass Termination

© National Instruments 663

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9

664 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6212 (Screw Terminal)

© National Instruments 665

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 33 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 34 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 35 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 38 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 33 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 34 PFI 9

666 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 35 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 6 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 36 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 39 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 6 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 36 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 40 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6215

© National Instruments 667

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 OUT 6 PFI 4
CTR 0 A 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 2

668 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 5
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 B 3 PFI 2
FREQ OUT 8 PFI 6

USB-6216 (BNC)

© National Instruments 669

 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Default Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12

670 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6216 (Mass Termination)

© National Instruments 671

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9

672 ni.com
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CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6216 (Screw Terminal)

© National Instruments 673

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 33 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 34 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 35 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 38 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 33 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 34 PFI 9

674 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 35 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 6 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 36 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 39 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 6 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 36 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 40 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6218

© National Instruments 675

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 34 PFI 9
CTR 0 OUT 6 PFI 4
CTR 0 A 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 2 PFI 1

676 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 34 PFI 9
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 35 PFI 10
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 5
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 B 35 PFI 10
FREQ OUT 8 PFI 6

USB-6218 BNC

© National Instruments 677

 NI-DAQmx

NI-DAQmx Default Terminal Functions

PFI Pin Number Counter Function
0 P0.0 CTR 0 SOURCE (CTR 0 A)
1 P0.1 CTR 0 GATE (CTR 0 Z)
2 P0.2 CTR 1 GATE (CTR 1 Z)
3 P0.3 CTR 1 SOURCE (CTR 1 A)

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8 P0.4 —
9 P0.5 CTR 0 AUX (CTR 0 B)
10 P0.6 CTR 1 AUX (CTR 1 B)
11 P0.7 —
4 P1.0 CTR 0 OUT
5 P1.1 CTR 1 OUT
6 P1.2 FREQ OUT
7 P1.3 —
12 P1.4 —
13 P1.5 —
14 P1.6 —
15 P1.7 —

PCI/PXI-6220

© National Instruments 679

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9

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CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI-6221 (37-Pin)

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name

© National Instruments 681

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0

CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 35 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 35 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 35 PFI 5

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6221 (68-Pin)

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 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9

© National Instruments 683

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6221 (BNC)

684 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8

© National Instruments 685

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6221 (Screw Terminal)

686 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

© National Instruments 687

 NI-DAQmx

PCI/PXI-6224

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

688 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13

CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6225

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8

© National Instruments 689

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

USB-6225 (Mass Termination)

690 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3

© National Instruments 691

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6225 Screw Terminal

692 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 113 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 115 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 117 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 121 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 113 PFI 8

© National Instruments 693

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 115 PFI 9

CTR 0 B 117 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 108 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 109 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 119 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 123 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 108 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 109 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 119 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 125 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6229

694 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13

© National Instruments 695

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6229 BNC

696 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8

© National Instruments 697

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6229 Screw Terminal

698 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8

© National Instruments 699

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

PCI/PXI-6230

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0

700 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1

CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 35 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 35 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 37 PFI 8

PCI/PXI-6232

© National Instruments 701

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 16 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4

702 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 B 16 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 18 PFI 8

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6233

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0

© National Instruments 703

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 16 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 16 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 18 PFI 8

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6236

704 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 35 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 34 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 35 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 37 PFI 8

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6238

© National Instruments 705

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 16 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4

706 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 B 16 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 18 PFI 8

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6239

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 13 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 33 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 17 PFI 6
CTR 0 A 13 PFI 0

© National Instruments 707

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 32 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 33 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 16 PFI 5
CTR 1 OUT 36 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 15 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 34 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 16 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 18 PFI 8

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6250

708 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

© National Instruments 709

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PCIe/PXI/PXIe-6251

710 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6251 BNC

© National Instruments 711

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8

712 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6251 Mass Termination

© National Instruments 713

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

714 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

USB-6251 Screw Terminal

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10

© National Instruments 715

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

PCI/PXI-6254

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8

716 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6255

© National Instruments 717

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3

718 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

USB-6255 Mass Termination

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12

© National Instruments 719

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6255 Screw Terminal

720 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 113 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 115 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 117 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 121 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 113 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 115 PFI 9

© National Instruments 721

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 117 PFI 10

CTR 1 SRC 108 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 109 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 119 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 123 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 108 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 109 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 119 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 125 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PCIe/PXI/PXIe-6259

722 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6259 BNC

© National Instruments 723

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8

724 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE PFI 9

CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
FREQ OUT PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6259 Mass Termination

© National Instruments 725

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

726 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6259 Screw Terminal

© National Instruments 727

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9

728 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6280

© National Instruments 729

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

730 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6281

© National Instruments 731

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6281 Mass Termination

732 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

© National Instruments 733

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6281 Screw Terminal

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12

734 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6284

© National Instruments 735

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3

736 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCI/PXI-6289

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals (Connector 0)

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10

© National Instruments 737

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12

CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6289 Mass Termination

738 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 45 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 2 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 37 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 3 PFI 9
CTR 0 B 45 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 41 PFI 4

© National Instruments 739

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 PFI 11

CTR 1 OUT 40 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 42 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 41 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 46 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

USB-6289 Screw Terminal

740 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE 83 PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX 85 PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT 89 PFI 12
CTR 0 A 81 PFI 8
CTR 0 Z 83 PFI 9

© National Instruments 741

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 85 PFI 10
CTR 1 SRC 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 87 PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT 91 PFI 13
CTR 1 A 76 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 77 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 87 PFI 11
FREQ OUT 93 PFI 14

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.

PCIe-6320

742 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)

© National Instruments 743

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6321

744 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)

© National Instruments 745

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6323

746 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)

© National Instruments 747

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)

CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe/PXIe-6341

748 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)

© National Instruments 749

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6341

750 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)

© National Instruments 751

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)

CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6341 (BNC)

752 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 753

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

PCIe-6343

754 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)

© National Instruments 755

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)

CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6343

756 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)

© National Instruments 757

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)

CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6343 (BNC)

758 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 759

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

PXIe-6345

760 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)

© National Instruments 761

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6346

762 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)

© National Instruments 763

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)

CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6346 (BNC)

764 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 765

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6346 (Screw Terminal)

766 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 113 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 115 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 117 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 121 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 113 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 115 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 117 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 108 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 109 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 119 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 123 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 108 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 767

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 109 (PFI 4)

CTR 1 B 119 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 105 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 106 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 107 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 125 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 105 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 106 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 107 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 110 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 111 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 112 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 127 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 110 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 111 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 112 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 125 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6349

768 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)

© National Instruments 769

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)

CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6349 (Screw Terminal)

770 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 113 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 115 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 117 (PFI 10)

© National Instruments 771

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 OUT 121 (PFI 12)

CTR 0 A 113 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 115 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 117 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 108 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 109 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 119 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 123 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 108 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 109 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 119 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 105 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 106 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 107 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 125 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 105 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 106 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 107 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 110 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 111 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 112 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 127 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 110 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 111 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 112 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 125 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6351

772 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 773

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6351

774 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)

© National Instruments 775

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)

CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6353

776 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)

© National Instruments 777

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)

CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6353

778 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)

© National Instruments 779

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)

CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6355

780 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)

© National Instruments 781

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6356

782 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 783

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6356

784 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 785

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6356 (BNC)

786 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 787

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

PXIe-6358

788 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)

© National Instruments 789

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)

CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe/PXIe-6361

790 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 791

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6361 (BNC)

792 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 793

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6361 Screw Terminal

794 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)

© National Instruments 795

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)

CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6361 Mass Termination

796 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)

© National Instruments 797

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)

CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe/PXIe-6363

798 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)

© National Instruments 799

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)

CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6363 (BNC)

800 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 801

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6363 Screw Terminal

802 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)

© National Instruments 803

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)

CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6363 Mass Termination

804 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)

© National Instruments 805

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)

CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6365

806 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 807

 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6366

808 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 809

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6366 (BNC)

810 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Terminal Name
CTR 0 SRC PFI 8
CTR 0 GATE PFI 9
CTR 0 AUX PFI 10
CTR 0 OUT PFI 12
CTR 0 A PFI 8
CTR 0 Z PFI 9
CTR 0 B PFI 10

© National Instruments 811

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 SRC PFI 3

CTR 1 GATE PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX PFI 11
CTR 1 OUT PFI 13
CTR 1 A PFI 3
CTR 1 Z PFI 4
CTR 1 B PFI 11
CTR 2 SRC PFI 0
CTR 2 GATE PFI 1
CTR 2 AUX PFI 2
CTR 2 OUT PFI 14
CTR 2 A PFI 0
CTR 2 Z PFI 1
CTR 2 B PFI 2
CTR 3 SRC PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX PFI 7
CTR 3 OUT PFI 15
CTR 3 A PFI 5
CTR 3 Z PFI 6
CTR 3 B PFI 7
FREQ OUT PFI 14

USB-6366 Screw Terminal

812 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 89 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 81 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 83 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 85 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 76 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 91 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 76 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 813

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 Z 77 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 87 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 93 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 73 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 74 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 75 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 80 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 95 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 78 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 79 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 80 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 93 (PFI 14)

USB-6366 Mass Termination

814 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)

© National Instruments 815

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)

CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6368

816 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)

© National Instruments 817

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)

CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe-6374

818 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 819

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6375

820 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 821

 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe/PXIe-6376

822 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 823

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PCIe/PXIe-6376

824 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 825

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6378

826 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Connector 0 Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)

© National Instruments 827

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)

CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6386

828 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 829

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

PXIe-6396

830 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)

CTR 0 SRC 37 (PFI 8)
CTR 0 GATE 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 AUX 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 0 OUT 2 (PFI 12)
CTR 0 A 37 (PFI 8)

© National Instruments 831

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 3 (PFI 9)
CTR 0 B 45 (PFI 10)
CTR 1 SRC 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 GATE 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 AUX 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 1 OUT 40 (PFI 13)
CTR 1 A 42 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 Z 41 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 B 46 (PFI 11)
CTR 2 SRC 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 GATE 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 AUX 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 2 OUT 1 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 A 11 (PFI 0)
CTR 2 Z 10 (PFI 1)
CTR 2 B 43 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 SRC 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 GATE 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 AUX 38 (PFI 7)
CTR 3 OUT 39 (PFI 15)
CTR 3 A 6 (PFI 5)
CTR 3 Z 5 (PFI 6)
CTR 3 B 38 (PFI 7)
FREQ OUT 1 (PFI 14)

USB-6501

832 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6503

© National Instruments 833

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6508

834 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 835

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6509

836 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6509 with the SH100-100-F Cable

© National Instruments 837

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6509 with the R1005050 Cable

NI 6510

838 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6511

© National Instruments 839

 NI-DAQmx

840 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6512

© National Instruments 841

 NI-DAQmx

842 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6513

© National Instruments 843

 NI-DAQmx

844 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6514

© National Instruments 845

 NI-DAQmx

846 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6515

© National Instruments 847

 NI-DAQmx

848 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6516

NI 6517

© National Instruments 849

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6518

NI 6519

850 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6520

NI 6521

© National Instruments 851

 NI-DAQmx

USB-6525
Module Terminal Signal Module Terminal Signal
1 P0.0A 17 P1.0+
2 P0.0B 18 P1.0–
3 P0.1A 19 P1.1+
4 P0.1B 20 P1.1–
5 P0.2A 21 P1.2+
6 P0.2B 22 P1.2–
7 P0.3A 23 P1.3+
8 P0.3B 24 P1.3–
9 P0.4A 25 P1.4+
10 P0.4B 26 P1.4–
11 P0.5A 27 P1.5+
12 P0.5B 28 P1.5–
13 P0.6A 29 P1.6+
14 P0.6B 30 P1.6–

852 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

15 P0.7A 31 P1.7+/PFI 0+
16 P0.7B 32 P1.7–/PFI 0–

NI 6527

(Pins 1–50) Direction input—Ports 0, 1, and 2 (Pins 51–100) Direction output with readback—
Ports 3, 4, and 5

© National Instruments 853

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6528

(Pins 1–50) Direction input—Ports 0, 1, and 2 (Pins 51–100) Direction output with readback—
Ports 3, 4, and 5

NI 6529

854 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

(Pins 1-100) Direction Input—Ports 0 through 5

NI 6533
68-Pin Connector 50-Pin Connector

© National Instruments 855

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6534
68-Pin Connector 50-Pin Connector

856 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6535

© National Instruments 857

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6536

858 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6537

© National Instruments 859

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6601
The NI 6601 uses counters <0..3> only.

860 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 861

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6601 with the SH68-68-D1 Cable

862 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6601 with the R6868 Cable

NI 6602

© National Instruments 863

 NI-DAQmx

864 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6602 with the SH68-68-D1 Cable

© National Instruments 865

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6602 with the R6868 Cable

NI 6608

866 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 867

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6608 with the SH68-68-D1 Cable

868 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6608 with the R6868 Cable

NI 6612

© National Instruments 869

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6614

870 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6624

© National Instruments 871

 NI-DAQmx

872 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6703

No Connect when using the SH68-68-D1 cable.

NI 6704

© National Instruments 873

 NI-DAQmx

V = Voltage I = Current
NC = No Connect

874 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6704 with the SH68-68-D1 Cable

V = Voltage I = Current
NC = No Connect

NI 6711

© National Instruments 875

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6713

876 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

DAQCard-6715

© National Instruments 877

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6722

878 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6723 (Extended AO Connector)

The NI 6723 has two 68-pin I/O connectors. The following figures show the pin
assignments for both connectors on the NI 6723.

© National Instruments 879

 NI-DAQmx

NI 6731

880 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 6733

© National Instruments 881

 NI-DAQmx

PCIe/PXIe-6738

882 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 7 (PFI 5)
CTR 0 GATE 8 (PFI 6)
CTR 0 AUX 40 (PFI 4)
CTR 0 OUT 9 (PFI 7)
CTR 0 A 7 (PFI 5)

© National Instruments 883

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 Z 8 (PFI 6)
CTR 0 B 40 (PFI 4)
CTR 1 SRC 4 (PFI 0)
CTR 1 GATE 38 (PFI 1)
CTR 1 AUX 6 (PFI 3)
CTR 1 OUT 5 (PFI 2)
CTR 1 A 4 (PFI 0)
CTR 1 Z 38 (PFI 1)
CTR 1 B 6 (PFI 3)
CTR 2 SRC 7 (PFI 5)
CTR 2 GATE 8 (PFI 6)
CTR 2 AUX 40 (PFI 4)
CTR 2 OUT 9 (PFI 7)
CTR 2 A 7 (PFI 5)
CTR 2 Z 8 (PFI 6)
CTR 2 B 40 (PFI 4)
CTR 3 SRC 4 (PFI 0)
CTR 3 GATE 38 (PFI 1)
CTR 3 AUX 6 (PFI 3)
CTR 3 OUT 5 (PFI 2)
CTR 3 A 4 (PFI 0)
CTR 3 Z 38 (PFI 1)
CTR 3 B 6 (PFI 3)

PXIe-6739

884 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Connector 0 Connector 1
Pin Number (Name) Pin Number (Name)
CTR 0 SRC 7 (PFI 5) —
CTR 0 GATE 8 (PFI 6) —
CTR 0 AUX 40 (PFI 4) —
CTR 0 OUT 9 (PFI 7) —
CTR 0 A 7 (PFI 5) —
CTR 0 Z 8 (PFI 6) —

© National Instruments 885

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 B 40 (PFI 4) —
CTR 1 SRC 4 (PFI 0) —
CTR 1 GATE 38 (PFI 1) —
CTR 1 AUX 6 (PFI 3) —
CTR 1 OUT 5 (PFI 2) —
CTR 1 A 4 (PFI 0) —
CTR 1 Z 38 (PFI 1) —
CTR 1 B 6 (PFI 3) —
CTR 2 SRC — 7 (PFI 13)
CTR 2 GATE — 8 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 AUX — 40 (PFI 12)
CTR 2 OUT — 9 (PFI 15)
CTR 2 A — 7 (PFI 13)
CTR 2 Z — 8 (PFI 14)
CTR 2 B — 40 (PFI 12)
CTR 3 SRC — 4 (PFI 8)
CTR 3 GATE — 38 (PFI 9)
CTR 3 AUX — 6 (PFI 11)
CTR 3 OUT — 5 (PFI 10)
CTR 3 A — 4 (PFI 8)
CTR 3 Z — 38 (PFI 9)
CTR 3 B — 6 (PFI 11)

NI 9201

886 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC = No connect.

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9201

NC = No connect.

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

© National Instruments 887

 NI-DAQmx

USB-9201

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9201 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9202

888 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC = No Connect
The NI 9202 with spring terminal shown on the left. The NI 9202 with DSUB shown
on the right.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9202

© National Instruments 889

 NI-DAQmx

NC = No Connect
The NI 9202 with spring terminal shown on the left. The NI 9202 with DSUB shown
on the right.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9203

890 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9205

NI 9205 NI 9205 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 891

 NI-DAQmx

Note DO0 is not supported when the NI 9205 or

NI 9205 (DSUB) is in NI CompactDAQ systems.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9205

NI 9205 NI 9205 (DSUB)

Note DO0 is not supported when the NI 9205 or

NI 9205 (DSUB) is in NI CompactDAQ systems.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9206

892 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Note DO0 is not supported when the NI 9206 is

in NI CompactDAQ systems.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9207
NI 9207 Spring Terminal NI 9207 DSUB

© National Instruments 893

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9207
NI 9207 Spring Terminal NI 9207 DSUB

894 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9208
NI 9208 Spring Terminal NI 9208 DSUB

© National Instruments 895

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9208
NI 9208 Spring Terminal NI 9208 DSUB

896 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9209
NI 9209 Spring Terminal NI 9209 DSUB

© National Instruments 897

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9209
NI 9209 Spring Terminal NI 9209 DSUB

898 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9210
NI 9210 (Mini TC) NI 9210 Spring Terminal

© National Instruments 899

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9210 Spring Terminal
NI 9210 (Mini TC) NI 9210 Spring Terminal

900 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9211

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9211A

© National Instruments 901

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9212 (Mini TC)

TB-9212
The NI TB-9212 provides connections for 8 thermocouple channels on the NI 9212.

902 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9212 (Mini TC)

© National Instruments 903

 NI-DAQmx

TB-9212
The NI TB-9212 provides connections for 8 thermocouple channels on the NI 9212.

904 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9213

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9213

© National Instruments 905

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
TB-9214
The NI TB-9214 provides connections for 16 thermocouple channels on the NI 9214.

906 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9215

NC = No Connect.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9215A

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9215A (BNC)

© National Instruments 907

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9216
NI 9216 NI 9216 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9216
NI 9216 NI 9216 (DSUB)

908 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9217

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9218

© National Instruments 909

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9218 Pin Assignments by Mode

Pin Bridge Voltage IEPE TEDS TEDS
±22 mV/V ±60 mV ±16 V ±5 V Class 1 Class 2
1 EX+ EX+ EX+ — — —
2 — — — AI+, EX+ TEDS+ —
3 EX- EX- AI-, EX- AI-, EX- TEDS- TEDS-
4 RS+ — — — — —
5 RS- — — — — —
6 AI+ AI+ AI+ — —
7 AI- AI- — — — —
8 SC — — — — —
9 SC — — — — —
10 — — — — — TEDS+
Optional sensor excitation.
In ±60 mV mode, you must tie pin 7 (AI-) to pin 3 (EX-).

910 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9218 (DSUB)

NI 9218 (DSUB) Pin Assignments by Mode

Pin Module Supported Modes 60 V Dongle Current
Mode Dongle
Mode
Bridge Voltage IEPE TEDS Voltage Current
±22 mV/V ±65 mV ±16 V ±5 V Class 1 ±60 V ±20 mA
1 EX+ EX+ EX+ — — — EX+
2 — — — AI+, EX+ TEDS+ — —
3 EX- EX- AI-, EX- AI-, EX- TEDS- AI- EX-
4 RS+ — — — — — —
5 RS- — — — — — —
6 AI+ AI+ AI+ — — AI+ AI+
7 AI- AI- — — — — AI-
8 SC+ — — — — — —
9 SC- — — — — — —

© National Instruments 911

 NI-DAQmx

Optional sensor excitation.

In ±65 mV and ±20 mA mode, you must tie pin 7 (AI-) to pin 3 (EX-).
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9218

NI 9218 Pin Assignments by Mode

Pin Bridge Voltage IEPE TEDS TEDS
±22 mV/V ±60 mV ±16 V ±5 V Class 1 Class 2
1 EX+ EX+ EX+ — — —
2 — — — AI+, EX+ TEDS+ —
3 EX- EX- AI-, EX- AI-, EX- TEDS- TEDS-
4 RS+ — — — — —
5 RS- — — — — —
6 AI+ AI+ AI+ — —
7 AI- AI- — — — —

912 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

8 SC — — — — —
9 SC — — — — —
10 — — — — — TEDS+
Optional sensor excitation.
In ±60 mV mode, you must tie pin 7 (AI-) to pin 3 (EX-).

NI 9218 (DSUB)

NI 9218 (DSUB) Pin Assignments by Mode

Pin Module Supported Modes 60 V Dongle Current
Mode Dongle
Mode
Bridge Voltage IEPE TEDS Voltage Current
±22 mV/V ±65 mV ±16 V ±5 V Class 1 ±60 V ±20 mA
1 EX+ EX+ EX+ — — — EX+
2 — — — AI+, EX+ TEDS+ — —
3 EX- EX- AI-, EX- AI-, EX- TEDS- AI- EX-
4 RS+ — — — — — —

© National Instruments 913

 NI-DAQmx

5 RS- — — — — — —
6 AI+ AI+ AI+ — — AI+ AI+
7 AI- AI- — — — — AI-
8 SC+ — — — — — —
9 SC- — — — — — —
Optional sensor excitation.
In ±65 mV and ±20 mA mode, you must tie pin 7 (AI-) to pin 3 (EX-).
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9219
Module Terminal Signal Name Signal Descriptions
1 T+ TEDS Data
2 T- TEDS COM
3 EX+/HI Positive excitation or in
put signal
4 HI Positive input signal
5 EX-/LO Negative excitation or i
nput signal
6 LO Negative input signal

Depending on the mode, terminals 3 and 5 are either the excitation or input signals.

Terminal Assignments
Mode Terminal
1 2 3 4 5 6
Voltage T+ T- — HI LO —
Current T+ T- HI — LO —
4-Wire Resist T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
ance

914 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

2-Wire Resist T+ T- HI — LO —
ance
Thermocoup T+ T- — HI LO —
le
4-Wire RTD T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
3-Wire RTD T+ T- EX+ — EX- LO
Quarter-Brid T+ T- HI — LO —
ge
Half-Bridge T+ T- EX+ HI EX- —
Full-Bridge T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
Digital In T+ T- — HI LO —
Contact T+ T- HI — LO —
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9219
Module Terminal Signal Name Signal Descriptions
1 T+ TEDS Data
2 T- TEDS COM
3 EX+/H Positive excitation or in
put signal
4 HI Positive input signal
5 EX-/LO Negative excitation or i
nput signal
6 LO Negative input signal

Depending on the mode, terminals 3 and 5 are either the excitation or input signals.

Terminal Assignments
Mode Terminal

© National Instruments 915

 NI-DAQmx

1 2 3 4 5 6
Voltage T+ T- — HI LO —
Current T+ T- HI — LO —
4-Wire Resist T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
ance
2-Wire Resist T+ T- HI — LO —
ance
Thermocoup T+ T- — HI LO —
le
4-Wire RTD T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
3-Wire RTD T+ T- EX+ — EX- LO
Quarter-Brid T+ T- HI — LO —
ge
Half-Bridge T+ T- EX+ HI EX- —
Full-Bridge T+ T- EX+ HI EX- LO
Digital In T+ T- — HI LO —
Contact T+ T- HI — LO —
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9220

916 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

The NI 9220 with spring terminal, shown on the left, has a 36-terminal detachable
spring-terminal connector. The NI 9220 with DSUB, shown on the right, has a 37-pin
DSUB connector.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9221

© National Instruments 917

 NI-DAQmx

NC = No connect.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9221

NC = No connect.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

918 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-9221

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9221 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9222
NI 9222 NI 9222 (BNC)

© National Instruments 919

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9222
NI 9222 NI 9222 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9223
NI 9223 NI 9223 (BNC)

920 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9223
NI 9223 NI 9223 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9224

© National Instruments 921

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9225

Terminal Assignments
Module Channel Terminal Signal

922 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9226
NI 9226 NI 9226 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

© National Instruments 923

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9226
NI 9226 NI 9226 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9227

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

924 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9228

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9229

© National Instruments 925

 NI-DAQmx

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-

USB-9229 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9229

926 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-

USB-9229 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

© National Instruments 927

 NI-DAQmx

USB-9229

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9229 (BNC)

928 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9230
NI 9230 NI 9230 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9230

© National Instruments 929

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9230 NI 9230 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9231

930 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9232
NI 9232 NI 9232 (BNC)

© National Instruments 931

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9232
NI 9232 NI 9232 (BNC)

932 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9233

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9234

© National Instruments 933

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9234

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9235

934 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9236

© National Instruments 935

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9237
The following pin assignments appear on Channel 0-3.

936 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9237 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9237
The following pin assignments appear on Channel 0-3.

© National Instruments 937

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9237 (DSUB)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

938 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

USB-9237
The following pin assignments appear on Channel 0-3.

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9238

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9239

© National Instruments 939

 NI-DAQmx

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-

NI 9239 (BNC)

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

940 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9239

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-

NI 9239 (BNC)

© National Instruments 941

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9239

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AI 0+
0- AI 0-
1 1+ AI 1+
1- AI 1-
2 2+ AI 2+
2- AI 2-
3 3+ AI 3+
3- AI 3-
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9242

942 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9244

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9246

© National Instruments 943

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9247

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9250 (BNC)

944 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9251 (Mini XLR)

© National Instruments 945

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9252

NC = No Connect
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

946 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9252

NC = No Connect
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9253

© National Instruments 947

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9260
NI 9260 (Mini XLR) NI 9260 (BNC)

948 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9260
NI 9260 (Mini XLR) NI 9260 (BNC)

© National Instruments 949

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9262

950 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC = No Connect
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9263

© National Instruments 951

 NI-DAQmx

NC = No Connect.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9263

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9264
NI 9264 NI 9264 (DSUB)

952 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9264
NI 9264 NI 9264 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 953

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9264

954 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9265

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

© National Instruments 955

 NI-DAQmx

USB-9265

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9266

NC = No Connect

956 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9269

Terminal Assignments
Channel Terminal Signal
0 0+ AO 0+
0- AO 0-
1 1+ AO 1+
1- AO 1-
2 2+ AO 2+
2- AO 2-
3 3+ AO 3+
3- AO 3-
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9326

© National Instruments 957

 NI-DAQmx

There are 6 PFI lines, from PFI0 to PFI5. Each counter can use any of the input PFI
lines to perform measurements. Two counters can use the same PFI line as inputs
for their measurements, as long as the input configurations are the same for both
counters.
The following table shows the terminal defaults for edge counting measurements
for the 9326.

Counter Input Terminal Reset Direction Gate

ctr0 PFI0 PFI3 PFI5 PFI4
ctr1 PFI1 PFI4 PFI2 PFI5
ctr2 PFI2 PFI5 PFI4 PFI1
ctr3 PFI3 PFI0 PFI1 PFI2

958 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

ctr4 PFI4 PFI1 PFI3 PFI0

ctr5 PFI5 PFI2 PFI0 PFI3
The following table shows the terminal defaults for frequency and period
measurements for the 9326.

Counter Input Terminal

ctr0 PFI0
ctr1 PFI1
ctr2 PFI2
ctr3 PFI3
ctr4 PFI4
ctr5 PFI5
ctr6 PFI6
ctr7 PFI7
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9344

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9361

© National Instruments 959

 NI-DAQmx

There are 8 PFI lines, from PFI0 to PFI7. Each counter can use any of the input PFI
lines to perform measurements. Two counters can use the same PFI line as inputs
for their measurements, as long as the input configurations are the same for both
counters.
The following table shows the terminal defaults for edge counting measurements
for NI 9361 modules.

Counter Input terminal Reset Direction Gate

ctr0 PFI0 PFI4 PFI7 PFI3
ctr1 PFI1 PFI5 PFI6 PFI2
ctr2 PFI2 PFI6 PFI5 PFI1
ctr3 PFI3 PFI7 PFI4 PFI0
ctr4 PFI4 PFI0 PFI3 PFI7
ctr5 PFI5 PFI1 PFI2 PFI6
ctr6 PFI6 PFI2 PFI1 PFI5
ctr7 PFI7 PFI3 PFI0 PFI4

960 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

The following table shows the terminal defaults for position measurements for NI
9361 modules.

Counter A B Z
ctr0 PFI0 PFI4 PFI7
ctr1 PFI1 PFI5 PFI6
ctr2 PFI2 PFI6 PFI5
ctr3 PFI3 PFI7 PFI4
ctr4 PFI4 PFI0 PFI3
ctr5 PFI5 PFI1 PFI2
ctr6 PFI6 PFI2 PFI1
ctr7 PFI7 PFI3 PFI0
The following table shows the terminal defaults for frequency, period, duty cycle,
and pulse width measurements for NI 9361 modules.

Counter Input Terminal

ctr0 PFI0
ctr1 PFI1
ctr2 PFI2
ctr3 PFI3
ctr4 PFI4
ctr5 PFI5
ctr6 PFI6
ctr7 PFI7
Connections for PFI lines should be based on the terminal configuration property.
PFI + and PFI- should be connected in differential mode, and PFI + and COM should
be connected for RSE. The default terminal configuration for all counter input
terminals is RSE.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9375

© National Instruments 961

 NI-DAQmx

The NI 9375 provides connections for 16 digital output channels and 16 digital input
channels. The NI 9375 can have either a spring terminal or a DSUB connector.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9401

962 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 17 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 19 PFI 3
CTR 0 A 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 17 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 23 PFI 6
CTR 1 OUT 25 PFI 7
CTR 1 A 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 23 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 19 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 17 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 14 PFI 0
CTR 2 OUT 16 PFI 1
CTR 2 A 19 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 17 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 14 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 20 PFI 4
CTR 3 OUT 22 PFI 5
CTR 3 A 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 20 PFI 4
FREQ OUT 17 PFI 2

© National Instruments 963

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9402

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 2 PFI 2
CTR 0 OUT 0 PFI 0
CTR 1 SRC 3 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 2 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 1 PFI 1
CTR 1 OUT 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 SRC 1 PFI 1
CTR 2 GATE 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 SRC 2 PFI 2
CTR 3 GATE 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 AUX 3 PFI 3
CTR 3 OUT 2 PFI 2
FREQ OUT 1 PFI 1

964 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Note For more information about default NI-

DAQmx counter inputs, refer to the NI-DAQmx
Help.
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9403

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9411

© National Instruments 965

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 3 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 1 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 3 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 6 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 7 PFI 4
CTR 1 AUX 8 PFI 5
CTR 1 A 6 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 7 PFI 4
CTR 1 B 8 PFI 5
CTR 2 SRC 3 PFI 2
CTR 2 GATE 1 PFI 0
CTR 2 AUX 2 PFI 1

966 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 A 3 PFI 2
CTR 2 Z 1 PFI 0
CTR 2 B 2 PFI 1
CTR 3 SRC 8 PFI 5
CTR 3 GATE 6 PFI 3
CTR 3 AUX 7 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 8 PFI 5
CTR 3 Z 6 PFI 3
CTR 3 B 7 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9421

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0

© National Instruments 967

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 GATE 1 PFI 1

CTR 0 AUX 2 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 2 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 6 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 6 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 4 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 4 PFI 4

968 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9421 (DSUB)

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 17 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 17 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 23 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 23 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 19 PFI 3

© National Instruments 969

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 17 PFI 2

CTR 2 AUX 14 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 19 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 17 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 14 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 20 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 20 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9421

970 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 2 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 2 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 6 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 6 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 4 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 4 PFI 4

© National Instruments 971

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9421 (DSUB)

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 17 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 14 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 16 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 17 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 23 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 20 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 22 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 23 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 19 PFI 3

972 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 GATE 17 PFI 2

CTR 2 AUX 14 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 19 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 17 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 14 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 20 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 25 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 23 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 20 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9421

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9421 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 973

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9422

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name

974 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0

CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 4 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 4 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 8 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 10 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 12 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 8 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 10 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 12 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 4 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 4 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 14 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 12 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 8 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 14 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 12 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 8 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9423

© National Instruments 975

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 2 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 2 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 6 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 6 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0

976 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 2 A 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 4 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 4 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9425

NI 9425 DSUB NI 9425 Spring Terminal

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.

© National Instruments 977

 NI-DAQmx

NI 9426

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9435

978 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 4 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 4 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 6 PFI 3
CTR 1 GATE 4 PFI 2
CTR 1 AUX 2 PFI 1
CTR 1 A 6 PFI 3
CTR 1 Z 4 PFI 2
CTR 1 B 2 PFI 1
CTR 2 SRC 2 PFI 1
CTR 2 GATE 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 2 PFI 1
CTR 2 Z 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 4 PFI 2
CTR 3 GATE 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 AUX 6 PFI 3
CTR 3 A 4 PFI 2
CTR 3 Z 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 B 6 PFI 3
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9436

© National Instruments 979

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 4 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 2 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 4 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 8 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 10 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 12 PFI 6
CTR 1 A 8 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 10 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 12 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 4 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 6 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 4 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 14 PFI 7

980 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CTR 3 GATE 12 PFI 6

CTR 3 AUX 8 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 14 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 12 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 8 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9437

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 SRC 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 GATE 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 AUX 2 PFI 2
CTR 0 A 0 PFI 0
CTR 0 Z 1 PFI 1
CTR 0 B 2 PFI 2
CTR 1 SRC 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 GATE 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 AUX 6 PFI 6

© National Instruments 981

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 A 4 PFI 4
CTR 1 Z 5 PFI 5
CTR 1 B 6 PFI 6
CTR 2 SRC 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 GATE 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 AUX 0 PFI 0
CTR 2 A 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 Z 2 PFI 2
CTR 2 B 0 PFI 0
CTR 3 SRC 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 GATE 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 AUX 4 PFI 4
CTR 3 A 7 PFI 7
CTR 3 Z 6 PFI 6
CTR 3 B 4 PFI 4
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9469

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9472

982 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NI 9472 NI 9472 (DSUB)

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 3 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 7
CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 5 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 2 PFI 2
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9472
NI 9472 NI 9472 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 983

 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 3 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 7
CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 5 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 2 PFI 2
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9472

984 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9472 (DSUB)

© National Instruments 985

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9474

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 3 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 7 PFI 7
CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 5 PFI 5
FREQ OUT 2 PFI 2
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9475

986 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9476
NI 9476 Spring Terminal NI 9476 DSUB

© National Instruments 987

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9476
NI 9476 Spring Terminal NI 9476 DSUB

988 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9477

© National Instruments 989

 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9478

990 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9481

NO=Normally Open

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 0 PFI 0

© National Instruments 991

 NI-DAQmx

CTR 1 OUT 3 PFI 3

CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 2 PFI 2
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9481

NO=Normally Open
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9482

NO=Normally Open

992 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 0 PFI 0
CTR 1 OUT 3 PFI 3
CTR 2 OUT 1 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 2 PFI 2
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
USB-9482

NO=Normally Open
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
NI 9485

© National Instruments 993

 NI-DAQmx

NO=Normally Open

Default NI-DAQmx Counter Terminals

Counter/Timer Signal Default Pin Number Signal Name
CTR 0 OUT 6 PFI 3
CTR 1 OUT 14 PFI 7
CTR 2 OUT 2 PFI 1
CTR 3 OUT 10 PFI 5
Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
sbRIO-9628

994 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

sbRIO AI 0-15

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

© National Instruments 995

 NI-DAQmx

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO AO 0-3

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 0-3

996 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO-9629

© National Instruments 997

 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

sbRIO AI 0-15

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

998 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO AO 0-3

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 0-3

© National Instruments 999

 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO-9638

1000 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

Connector 1 (DIO J1)

sbRIO AI 0-15

© National Instruments 1001

 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO AO 0-3

1002 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 0-3

© National Instruments 1003

 NI-DAQmx

Connector 0 (MIO J2)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9628, sbRIO-9629 and sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 4-11

1004 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 1 (DIO J1)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 12-19

© National Instruments 1005

 NI-DAQmx

Connector 1 (DIO J1)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9638.

sbRIO DIO 20-27

1006 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Connector 1 (DIO J1)

This connector is on the sbRIO-9638.

NI 9775

Pinouts may vary by connector variants. If your exact variant isn't listed here, refer
to the manual for your module. You can find manuals at ni.com/manuals.
DAQCard-DIO-24

© National Instruments 1007

 NI-DAQmx

myDAQ

1008 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

I/O Connectors

Note DIO pins can also be used as PFI pins.

NI myDAQ Counter/Timer Signal Assignments

NI myDAQ Signal Programmable Function Counter/Timer Quadrature Encoder
Interface (PFI) Signal Signal
DIO 0 PFI 0 CTR 0 SOURCE A
DIO 1 PFI 1 CTR 0 GATE Z
DIO 2 PFI 2 CTR 0 AUX B
DIO 3 PFI 3 CTR 0 OUT —
DIO 4 PFI 4 FREQ OUT —
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) pulse train measurements are generated through DIO 3

© National Instruments 1009

 NI-DAQmx

Connections for DMM Measurements

1 Connectors for Voltage/Resistance/Diode/ 2 Connectors for Current

Continuity

PCI-DIO-96

1010 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

© National Instruments 1011

 NI-DAQmx

SCC-68
Signals available on the SCC-68 vary depending on the DAQ device you are
connected to. Refer to the SCC-68 reference guide that corresponds to the DAQ
device you are using.

M Series 68-Pin Devices using Connector 0

1012 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

M Series 68-Pin Devices using Connector 1

E Series Devices

© National Instruments 1013

 NI-DAQmx

SensorDAQ
Vernier Digital Sensor Screw Terminal Signal Names Description
Channel
and 12-pin Screw
Terminal Connector
1 P0.0 Digital port 0, line 0
2 P0.1 Digital port 0, line 1
3 P0.2 Digital port 0, line 2
4 P0.3 Digital port 0, line 3
5, 8, 10 GND Ground (analog and dig
ital)
6 +5V +5 V power source
7 PFI 0 Digital trigger or counte
r signal
9 AO 0 Analog output channel
11, 12 AI 0, AI 1 Analog input channels

Vernier Analog Sensor Channels

USB-TC01

Signal Conditioning
This help file includes signal names for signal conditioning devices supported in NI-
DAQmx.

1014 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

RM-24999

RJ-50 (10p 10c) Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 QTR/SC Quarter bridge co
mpletion signal, S
hunt calibration si
gnal
2 AI+ Positive differenti
al analog input sig
nal
3 AI- Negative differenti
al analog input sig
nal
4 RS+ Positive remote se
nse signal
5 RS- Negative remote s
ense signal
6 EX+ Positive excitation
signal for bridge m
odes
7 EX- Negative excitatio
n signal for bridge
modes
8 T+ TEDS data
9 T- TEDS ground

© National Instruments 1015

 NI-DAQmx

10 — No connect

96-Pin DIN

TB-4300

1016 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TB-4300B

© National Instruments 1017

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4300C

1018 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

RM-4302

© National Instruments 1019

 NI-DAQmx

Status LED

PFI0 Pin Signal Name

1 PFI0
2 DGND

RJ-50 (10p 10c) Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 NC No connection
2 AI+ Positive input sign
al
3 AI- Negative input sig
nal
4 NC No connection
5 NC No connection
6 EXT PWR+ External power +
7 EXT PWR- External power -
8 NC No connection
9 AIGND Analog ground
10 NC No connection

1020 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Chassis ground

EXT PWR Pin Signal Name

1 EXT PWR- (GND)
2 EXT PWR+

RB1 and RB2 Pin Signal Name

1 CAL BIAS-
2 AIGND
3 AIGND
4 CAL BIAS+

CAL IN Pin Signal Name

1 CAL IN-
2 CAL IN+

96-Pin DIN

© National Instruments 1021

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4302

1022 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TB-4302C

RM-4304

© National Instruments 1023

 NI-DAQmx

Status LED

PFI0 Pin Signal Name

1 PFI0
2 DGND

RJ-50 (10p 10c) Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 NC No connection
2 AI+ Positive input sign
al
3 AI- Negative input sig
nal
4 NC No connection
5 NC No connection
6 EXT PWR+ External power +

1024 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

7 EXT PWR- External power -

8 NC No connection
9 AIGND Analog ground
10 NC No connection

Chassis ground

RB1 and RB2 Pin Signal Name

1 CAL BIAS-
2 AIGND
3 AIGND
4 CAL BIAS+

CAL IN Pin Signal Name

1 CAL IN-
2 CAL IN+

96-Pin DIN

© National Instruments 1025

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4304

CAL-4309

1026 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TB-4309 Mass Termination

© National Instruments 1027

 NI-DAQmx

1028 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC means no connection.

TB-4309 Screw Terminal

TB-4310 (10V)

© National Instruments 1029

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4310 (600V)

TB-4322

1030 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TB-4330

© National Instruments 1031

 NI-DAQmx

RM-4339

1032 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

RJ-50 (10p 10c) Pin Signal Name Signal Description

1 SCA Shunt calibration
2 AI+ Positive input sign
al
3 AI- Negative input sig
nal
4 RS+ Positive remote se
nse signal
5 QTR/RS- Quarter-bridge co
mpletion, Negativ
e remote sense
6 EX+ Positive excitation
signal
7 EX- Negative excitatio
n signal
8 T+ TEDS data
9 T- TEDS ground
10 SCA Shunt calibration
Pin 5 can select either quarter-bridge completion resistor or negative remote sense.

PFI0 Pin Signal Name

© National Instruments 1033

 NI-DAQmx

1 PFI0
2 DGND

AO0-7 Pin Signal Name

1 AO0+
2 AO1+
3 AO2+
4 AO3+
5 AO4+
6 AO5+
7 AO6+
8 AO7+
9 AOGND

External Shunt Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name

1 SCA0 14 SCA0
2 SCA1 15 SCA1
3 SCA2 16 SCA3
4 SCA3 17 SCA3
5 SCA4 18 SCA4
6 SCA5 19 SCA5
7 SCA6 20 SCA6
8 SCA7 21 SCA7
9 No Connect 22 No Connect
10 No Connect 23 No Connect
11 No Connect 24 No Connect
12 No Connect 25 No Connect
13 No Connect

1034 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Chassis ground

EXT PWR Pin Signal Name

1 EXT PWR- (GND)
2 EXT PWR+

RB1 and RB2 Pin Signal Name

1 CAL BIAS-
2 AIGND
3 AIGND
4 CAL BIAS+

CAL IN Pin Signal Name

1 CAL IN-
2 CAL IN+

96-Pin DIN

© National Instruments 1035

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4339

TB-4340

1036 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

CAL-4353

© National Instruments 1037

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4353

1038 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

TC-4353

© National Instruments 1039

 NI-DAQmx

TB-4357

SC-2345 Carrier
The following image shows the locations of the digital signals on the SC-2345 and
SC-2350 terminal block when using an E Series or M Series connector 0. Refer to the
M Series User Manual for specific pinout descriptions for M Series devices when
using connector 1.

1040 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC = No Connect

SC-2350 Carrier
Connector Diagram Signal Name Pin Number Pin Number Signal Name
for Socket J35

© National Instruments 1041

 NI-DAQmx

AI TEDS CHDATA(0 1 2 AI TEDS CHRTN(0)

)
AI TEDS CHDATA(8 3 4 AI TEDS CHRTN(8)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 5 6 AI TEDS CHRTN(1)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(9 7 8 AI TEDS CHRTN(9)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(2 9 10 AI TEDS CHRTN(2)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 11 12 AI TEDS CHRTN(10
0) )
AI TEDS CHDATA(3 13 14 AI TEDS CHRTN(3)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 15 16 AI TEDS CHRTN(11
1) )
AI TEDS CHDATA(4 17 18 AI TEDS CHRTN(4)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 19 20 AI TEDS CHRTN(12
2) )
AI TEDS CHDATA(5 21 22 AI TEDS CHRTN(5)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 23 24 AI TEDS CHRTN(13
3) )
AI TEDS CHDATA(6 25 26 AI TEDS CHRTN(6)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 27 28 AI TEDS CHRTN(14
4) )
AI TEDS CHDATA(7 29 30 AI TEDS CHRTN(7)
)
AI TEDS CHDATA(1 31 32 AI TEDS CHRTN(15
5) )
AO TEDS CHDATA( 33 34 AO TEDS CHRTN(0
0) )
AO TEDS CHDATA( 35 36 AO TEDS CHRTN(1
1) )
NC 37 38 NC

1042 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

NC 39 40 NC
NC 41 42 NC
NC 43 44 NC
NC 45 46 NC
NC 47 48 NC
NC = No Connect NC 49 50 NC

SCC-68
Signals available on the SCC-68 vary depending on the DAQ device you are
connected to. Refer to the SCC-68 reference guide that corresponds to the DAQ
device you are using.

M Series 68-Pin Devices using Connector 0

© National Instruments 1043

 NI-DAQmx

M Series 68-Pin Devices using Connector 1

E Series Devices

1044 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

Switch Modules
Refer to the NI Switches Help.

© National Instruments 1045

 NI-DAQmx

Related Documentation
Many manuals also are available as PDFs. You must have Adobe Reader with Search
and Accessibility 5.0.5 or later installed to view the PDFs. Refer to the Adobe Systems
Incorporated website to download Adobe Reader. Refer to the National Instruments
Product Manuals Library for updated documentation resources.
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful as you use
this help file. For additional details on these documents, along with their default
installation locations, refer to ni.com/kb.

■ DAQ Assistant Help

■ DAQ Getting Started Guide
■ Getting Started with LabVIEW
■ Getting Started with SignalExpress
■ LabVIEW Help
■ LabVIEW Real-Time User Manual
■ SignalExpress Help
■ LabWindows™/CVI™ Help
■ Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx
■ NI Measurement Studio Help
■ NI-DAQmx and DAQ Device Installation Guide
■ NI-DAQmx C Reference Help
■ NI-DAQmx Data Acquisition VIs
■ SCXI Quick Start Guide
■ PID Control Toolset Manual
■ Taking an NI-DAQmx Measurement in LabVIEW
■ Taking an NI-DAQmx Measurement in SignalExpress
■ Taking an NI-DAQmx Measurement in LabWindows/CVI
■ Using NI-DAQmx with LabVIEW Project
■ Device Documentation

1046 ni.com
 NI-DAQmx

The following web locations contain information that you might find helpful as you
use this help file:

■ Go to ni.com/support/daqmx.
■ Go to ni.com/support and enter your device name for information and
resources specific to your device.
■ Go to NI-DAQmx for Windows Documentation for a complete listing of the
NI-DAQmx documents and their locations.

© 2023 National Instruments Corporation. © National Instruments 1047