Network Card User Manual

© National Instruments Corporation v NI PCI-5911 User Manual
Contents
About This Manual
Conventions ...................................................................................................................vii
Related Documentation..................................................................................................viii
Safety Information .........................................................................................................viii
Chapter 1
Introduction
Installing the NI 5911 ....................................................................................................1-1
Connecting Signals ........................................................................................................1-1
Acquiring Data with the NI 5911 ..................................................................................1-3
Programmatically Controlling the NI 5911.....................................................1-3
Interactively Controlling the NI 5911 with the Scope Soft Front Panel .........1-4
Chapter 2
Hardware Overview
Differential Programmable Gain Input Amplifier (PGIA) ............................................2-1
Differential Input .............................................................................................2-1
Grounding Considerations ................................................................2-2
Input Ranges....................................................................................................2-3
Input Impedance ..............................................................................................2-3
Input Bias ..........................................................................................2-4
Input Protection ...............................................................................................2-4
AC Coupling....................................................................................................2-4
Conventional and Flexible Resolution Modes...............................................................2-5
Conventional Mode .........................................................................................2-5
Sampling Methods...........................................................................................2-5
Flexible Resolution Mode ...............................................................................2-6
How Flexible Resolution Works.......................................................2-6
Calibration .....................................................................................................................2-7
Self-Calibrating the NI 5911 ...........................................................................2-7
When Self-Calibration Is Needed....................................................................2-7
What Self-Calibration Does ............................................................................2-7
Why Warnings Occur During Acquisition........................................2-8
External Calibration.........................................................................................2-8
Triggering and Arming ..................................................................................................2-8
Analog Trigger Circuit ....................................................................................2-9
Trigger Holdoff ...............................................................................................2-10