Important Information
Warranty
The NI PCIe-836x and NI PXI-8360 are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of
shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to
be defective during the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects in
materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments
will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects
during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before any
equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by
warranty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical accuracy. In
the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document
without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National
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failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the
product; owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire, flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside
reasonable control.
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Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
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Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partner Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have no agency,
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For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file
on your CD, or ni.com/patents.
WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS
(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF
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Compliance with FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference
Regulations
Determining FCC Class
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC
places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only)
or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products.
Depending on where it is operated, this Class A product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the
Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital
electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products.
All Class A products display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired
operation. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A products can be operated.
FCC/DOC Warnings
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions
in this manual and the CE marking Declaration of Conformity*, may cause interference to radio and television reception.
Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department
of Communications (DOC).
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by NI could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under the
FCC Rules.
Class A
Federal Communications Commission
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated
in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user is required to correct the interference
at their own expense.
Canadian Department of Communications
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.
Compliance with EU Directives
Users in the European Union (EU) should refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information* pertaining to the
CE marking. Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional regulatory compliance
information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line,
and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.
*
The CE marking Declaration of Conformity contains important supplementary information and instructions for the user or
installer.
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About This Manual
Chapter 1
About the MXI-Express Series......................................................................................1-1
Description and Features.................................................................................1-1
Larger MXI-Express Systems .........................................................................1-3
Unpacking......................................................................................................................1-4
Chapter 2
Hardware Installation.....................................................................................................2-1
Installing an NI PCIe-836x..............................................................................2-1
Cabling ............................................................................................................2-4
Chapter 3
Functional Unit Descriptions.........................................................................................3-3
PCI Express x1 Card Edge Connector.............................................................3-3
PCI Express x1 Switch....................................................................................3-3
Cabled PCI Express Connector .......................................................................3-3
PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge .............................................................................3-3
LED Indicators...............................................................................................................3-3
MXI-Express Cable Options..........................................................................................3-4
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Contents
Appendix A
Specifications
Appendix B
Technical Support and Professional Services
Glossary
Index
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About This Manual
This manual describes the features, functions, and operation of the
MXI-Express series of products. The products in this series are the
NI PCIe-8361, NI PCIe-8362, and NI PXI-8360.
Conventions
The following conventions appear in this manual:
»
The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options
to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options
from the last dialog box.
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to
avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash. When this symbol is marked on a
product, refer to the Safety section in Appendix A, Specifications, for
information about precautions to take.
bold
Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names.
italic
Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross-reference, or an introduction
to a key concept. Italic text also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
monospace
Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames, and extensions.
MXI-Express card
MXI-Express card refers to any of the following cards, unless otherwise
noted: NI PCIe-836x and NI PXI-8360.
NI PCIe-836x
NI PCIe-836x refers to the NI PCIe-8361 and NI PCIe-8362.
Note In this manual, whenever a PXI chassis is referenced, a CompactPCI chassis could
be used instead.
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About This Manual
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you might find helpful
as you read this manual:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Set Up Your MXI-Express System
Your computer or chassis documentation
PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 2.1
PXI Software Specification, Revision 2.1
PCI Specification, Revision 2.3
PCI-PCI Bridge Architecture Specification, Revision 1.1
PICMG CompactPCI 2.0 R3.0 specification
PCI Express Specification, Revision 1.0a
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1
Introduction
This chapter describes the MXI-Express series of products, lists what you
need to get started, and explains how to unpack and set up your hardware.
The products in this series are the NI PCIe-836x and NI PXI-8360. For the
remainder of this manual the term MXI-Express card refers to any product
in the MXI-Express series.
About the MXI-Express Series
Description and Features
MXI-Express functions as a cabled PCI Express link of up to 7 m and a
PCI Express-to-PCI bridge. With MXI-Express, you can do the following:
•
•
Control a PXI/CompactPCI backplane with a PCI Express-based PC
Physically separate the measurement or automation system from
a host PC
•
Combine PCI Express, CompactPCI, and PXI devices in the same
system
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Chapter 1
Introduction
Basic MXI-Express System
The simplest MXI-Express system consists of an NI PCIe-836x in a PC
connected to an NI PXI-8360 in the controller slot of a PXI/CompactPCI
chassis, as shown in Figure 1-1.
PC to PXI/CompactPCI
Figure 1-1. Basic MXI-Express Configuration
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Chapter 1
Introduction
Larger MXI-Express Systems
may be connected to two different NwI PXI-8360 cards in separate
PXI/CompactPCI chassis. If multiple PCI Express slots are available in
the host PC, additional PXI chassis can be connected by installing an
NI PCIe-836x in any available PCI Express slot.
Figure 1-2 shows how you can use MXI-Express cards to connect multiple
expansion chassis to a PC in a star topology. The star topology is the only
supported topology due to the point-to-point nature of PCI Express.
Figure 1-2. Star Topology MXI-Express Configuration
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Chapter 1
Introduction
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use your MXI-Express cards, you need the following:
❑ One NI PCIe-836x and one NI PXI-8360
❑ A MXI-Express cable
❑ A host PC with an available x1 (or wider) PCI Express slot
❑ An expansion chassis—the PXI/CompactPCI chassis that you control
with MXI-Express
Note Your PXI MXI-Express card will work in any standard CompactPCI chassis
adhering to the PICMG CompactPCI 2.0 R3.0 specification, or in PXI chassis that are
compatible with the PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 1.0 or later. Your PCI Express
MXI-Express card will work in systems compliant with the PCI Express Specification,
Revision 1.0a or later.
Unpacking
Your MXI-Express cards are shipped in antistatic packages to prevent
electrostatic damage (ESD) to the devices. ESD can damage several
components on the device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors. Doing so may damage the device.
To avoid such damage in handling the device, take the following
precautions:
•
Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded
object.
•
Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer chassis
before removing the device from the package.
Remove the device from the package and inspect the device for loose
components or any sign of damage. Notify NI if the device appears
damaged in any way. Do not install a damaged device into the computer
or PXI/CompactPCI chassis.
Store the device in the antistatic envelope when not in use.
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2
Hardware Installation
This chapter explains how to install the MXI-Express hardware.
Hardware Installation
The following are general instructions for installing the MXI-Express
cards. Consult your computer user manual or technical reference manual
for specific instructions and warnings.
Note The software for your MXI-Express kit is included with the current NI driver CD,
and is installed with the PXI platform software included as part of NI-VISA and other
NI driver software products.
Installing an NI PCIe-836x
1. Power off your computer, but leave it plugged in while installing the
NI PCIe-836x. The power cord grounds the chassis and protects it from
electrical damage while you install the card.
Caution To protect both yourself and the computer from electrical hazards, your computer
should remain off until you finish installing the NI PCIe-836x.
Note If you are installing a low-profile PCIe-8361 into a low-profile slot, you must
replace the bracket with the low-profile bracket included in your kit. First, remove the
two hexagonal jack screws on either side of the connector. Then remove the two screws
mounting the bracket to the card. Exchange the brackets, replace the two mounting screws,
and replace the two hexagonal jack screws.
2. Remove the top cover or access port to the PCI Express bus.
3. Select any available PCI Express expansion slot (x1 or wider).
Note The BIOS or motherboard may not support the NI PCIe-836x in a slot intended for
a graphics card.
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Chapter 2
Hardware Installation
4. Locate the metal bracket that covers the cut-out in the back panel of the
computer for the slot you have selected. Remove and save the
bracket-retaining screw and the bracket cover.
5. Touch the metal part of the power supply case inside the computer to
discharge any static electricity that might be on your clothes or body.
6. Line up the NI PCIe-836x with the slot on the back panel. Slowly push
down on the top of the NI PCIe-836x until its card-edge connector is
resting on the expansion slot receptacle. Using slow, evenly distributed
pressure, press the NI PCIe-836x straight down until it seats in the
expansion slot.
7. Reinstall the bracket-retaining screw to secure the NI PCIe-836x to the
back panel rail.
8. Replace the computer cover.
3
2
1
1
2
NI PCIe-836x
PCI Express x1 Card-Edge Connector
3
PCI Express Slot
Figure 2-1. Installing the NI PCIe-836x
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Chapter 2
Hardware Installation
Installing an NI PXI-8360
Complete the following steps to install the NI PXI-8360 in your PXI or
CompactPCI chassis.
1. Power off your PXI or CompactPCI chassis, but leave it plugged in
while installing the NI PXI-8360. The power cord grounds the chassis
and protects it from electrical damage while you install the module.
2. Select a slot for the NI PXI-8360. The NI PXI-8360 must be installed
in the controller slot (slot 1 in PXI).
Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards, leave the chassis
off until you finish installing the NI PXI-8360.
3. Remove or open any doors or covers blocking access to the slot in
which you intend to install the NI PXI-8360.
4. Touch the metal part of the case to discharge any static electricity that
might be on your clothes or body.
5. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position.
retaining screws on the module. Align the NI PXI-8360 with the card
guides on the top and bottom of the system controller slot.
Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI PXI-8360. It will not
insert properly unless the handle is in its downward position so that it does not interfere
with the injector/ejector rail on the chassis, as shown in Figure 2-2.
6. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until
the handle catches on the injector/ejector rail.
7. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the
backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the NI PXI-8360
should be even with the front panel of the chassis.
8. Tighten the bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the front
panel to secure the NI PXI-8360 to the chassis.
9. Replace or close any doors or covers to the chassis.
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Chapter 2
Hardware Installation
Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXI-8360 just before installation in the system
controller slot of a National Instruments chassis.
1
2
4
3
1
2
PXI/Compact PCI Chassis
NI PXI-8360
3
4
Ejector Handle in Down Position
PXI/Compact PCI Slot 1
Figure 2-2. NI PXI-8360 Card Before Installation
Cabling
1. Connect the appropriate MXI-Express cable to both MXI-Express
cards. The cables have no polarity, so either end may be connected to
either card.
Caution Do not remove the cable after the system is powered on. Doing so can hang
or cause errors in applications communicating with devices behind MXI-Express. If a
cable becomes unplugged, plug it back into the system.
Note For more information about cables, refer to the MXI-Express Cable Options section
of Chapter 3, Hardware Overview.
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Chapter 2
Hardware Installation
Powering Up the MXI-Express System
1. Power on all of the expansion chassis in any order you choose.
2. Power on the host.
Typical PCI-PCI bridges are used to add PCI devices to a PCI hierarchy in
which all the bridges and devices are contained within a single chassis.
Because of this, BIOSes and operating systems make the assumption that
all PCI devices in the entire hierarchy will be available as soon as code
execution begins at power-up time. This assumption means that all of the
expansion chassis must be turned on before the host PC for the BIOS and
OS to correctly configure a MXI-Express system.
Note There are no requirements on how MXI-Express expansion chassis are powered up
relative to each other, as long as they are all on before the computer is powered on.
Powering Down the MXI-Express System
Because operating systems and drivers commonly make the assumption
that PCI devices will be present in the system from power-up to
power-down, it is important not to power off the expansion chassis until
after the host PC is powered off. Powering off the expansion chassis while
the host is still on can cause crashes or hangs. The order in which expansion
chassis are powered off, relative to each other, is not important.
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3
Hardware Overview
This chapter presents an overview of MXI-Express hardware functionality
and explains the operation of each functional unit.
Functional Overview
MXI-Express is based on PCI Express technology. A MXI-Express kit uses
a PCI Express switch and PCI Express-to-PCI bridge to enable control of a
PXI or CompactPCI chassis from a PC with an available PCI Express slot.
The PCI Express-to-PCI bridge architecture is transparent to device
drivers, so no additional software is needed to support using PXI and
CompactPCI devices in a chassis connected using MXI-Express.
The link between the PC and the chassis is a x1 cabled PCI Express link.
This link is a dual-simplex communication channel comprised of a
low-voltage, differentially driven signal pair. The link can transmit at a rate
of 2.5 Gbps in each direction simultaneously.
Figure 3-1 shows the basic architecture of MXI-Express. The
NI PCIe-8362 consists of a PCI Express x1 card edge connector, a PCI
Express switch, and two cabled PCI Express connectors. The NI PXI-8360
consists of one cabled PCI Express connector, a PCI Express-to-PCI
bridge, and a PXI connector.
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Chapter 3
Hardware Overview
NI PCIe-8362
PXI-8360
Cabled
PCI Express
Connector
PCI
Express
Switch
Cabled
PCI Express
Connector
Cabled
PCI Express
Connector
PCI Express
to PCI Bridge
Figure 3-1. MXI-Express Block Diagram with NI PCIe-8362
Figure 3-2 shows the architecture for the NI PCIe-8361 and MXI-Express.
The NI PCIe-8361 consists of a PCI Express repeater and cabled PCI
Express connector. The PXI-8360 architecture is the same as in Figure 3-1.
NI PCIe-8361
PXI-8360
PCI
Express
Repeater
Cabled
PCI Express
Connector
Cabled
PCI Express
Connector
PCI Express
to PCI Bridge
Figure 3-2. MXI-Express Block Diagram with NI PCIe-8361
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Hardware Overview
Functional Unit Descriptions
PCI Express x1 Card Edge Connector
The card edge connector allows you to use the NI PCIe-836x in a x1 or
wider PCI Express slot in a PC. The PCI Express Card Electromechanical
Specification defines this connector.
PCI Express x1 Switch
The PCI Express Base Specification defines a PCI Express switch as a
logical collection of PCI Express-to-PCI Express bridge devices. On the
NI PCIe-8362, the upstream port of the switch is connected to the
PCI Express x1 card edge connector, and the two downstream ports are
connected to the two cabled PCI Express connectors.
Cabled PCI Express Connector
The cabled PCI Express connector provides all necessary signals to connect
an NI PCIe-836x and an NI PXI-8360. These signals include the
PCI Express transmit and receive pair, the system clock, and a presence
detect signal.
PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge
The PCI Express Base Specification defines a PCI Express-to-PCI bridge
as a device that connects a PCI Express fabric and a PCI hierarchy. On the
NI PXI-8360, the PCI Express-to-PCI bridge connects the x1 PCI Express
link and the PCI bus in a PXI or CompactPCI chassis.
LED Indicators
The LEDs on MXI-Express give status information about power supplies
and link state. The NI PCIe-8362 has two tri-color LEDs, one for each port
on the panel. The NI PXI-8360 has two LEDs, one for power supply status
and one for link state.
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The LEDs on the NI PCIe-8362 indicate the following:
Color
Off
Meaning
Power is off
Red
Power is out of spec
Amber
Green
Power is within spec; no link to chassis
Power is within spec; link established
The LEDs on the NI PXI-8360 indicate the following:
LED
Color
Off
Meaning
No power
PWR
Red
Power is out of spec
Power is within spec
Link not established
Link established
Green
Off
LINK
Green
MXI-Express Cable Options
MXI-Express is available with cables of various lengths. Table 3-1 shows
the cables available from National Instruments.
Table 3-1. National Instruments MXI-Express Cables
Cable Length (Meters)
Description
Part Number
1 m
MXI-Express
copper cable
779500-01
3 m
7 m
MXI-Express
copper cable
779500-03
779500-07
MXI-Express
copper cable
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A
Specifications
This appendix lists the system specifications for the NI PCIe-836x and
NI PXI-8360 cards. These specifications are typical at 25 °C, unless
otherwise stated.
Physical
Dimensions
NI PXI-8360 ................................... 10.0 × 16.0 cm (3.9 × 6.3 in.)
NI PCIe-8361.................................. 6.9 × 8.9 cm (2.7 × 3.5 in.)
NI PCIe-8362.................................. 10.7 × 17.5 cm (4.4 × 6.9 in.)
Maximum cable length........................... 7 m
Slot requirements
NI PXI-8360 ................................... One system slot
NI PCIe-8361.................................. One slot (PCI Express, standard
height or low profile)
NI PCIe-8362.................................. One slot (PCI Express, standard
height)
Compatibility ......................................... Fully compatible with the
PXI Hardware Specification,
Revision 2.1 and the
PCI Express Specification,
Revision 1.0a
Weight
NI PXI-8360 ................................... 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) typical
NI PCIe-8361.................................. 0.04 kg (0.08 lb) typical
NI PCIe-8362.................................. 0.19 kg (0.42 lb) typical
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Appendix A
Specifications
Power requirements
NI PXI-8360
Power Rail
+3.3 V
+5 V
Typical Current
1.500 A
5 mA
Maximum Current
1.750 A
20 mA
+12 V
5 mA
20 mA
–12 V
0 mA
0 mA
NI PCIe-8361
Power Rail
+3.3 V
Typical Current
200 mA
Maximum Current
400 mA
50 mA
0 A
+3.3 V Aux
+12 V
10 mA
0 A
NI PCIe-8362
Power Rail
+3.3 V
Typical Current
Maximum Current
1.800 A
0 A
2.000 A
0 A
+3.3 V Aux
+12 V
0 A
0 A
Environment
NI PXI-8360
Maximum altitude...................................2,000 m
Pollution Degree.....................................2
Indoor use only
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Operating Environment
Ambient temperature range.................... 0 to 55 °C (tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Operating relative humidity ................... 10 to 90%, noncondensing
(tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56)
Storage Environment
Ambient temperature range.................... –20 to 70 °C (tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Storage relative humidity....................... 5 to 95%, noncondensing
(tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56)
Shock and Vibration
Operational shock .................................. 30 g peak, half-sine, 11 ms pulse
(Tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-27. Test profile
developed in accordance with
MIL-PRF-28800F.)
Random Vibration
Operating................................................ 5 to 500 Hz, 0.3 grms
Nonoperating.......................................... 5 to 500 Hz, 2.4 grms
(Tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-64.
Nonoperating test profile
exceeds the requirements of
MIL-PRF-28800F, Class 3.)
NI PCIe-836x
Maximum altitude.................................. 2,000 m
Pollution Degree .................................... 2
Indoor use only
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Appendix A
Specifications
Operating Environment
Ambient temperature range ....................0 to 40 °C (tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Operating relative humidity....................10 to 90%, noncondensing
(tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56)
Storage Environment
Ambient temperature range ....................–20 to 70 °C (tested in accordance
with IEC-60068-2-1 and
IEC-60068-2-2)
Storage relative humidity........................5 to 95%, noncondensing
(tested in accordance with
IEC-60068-2-56)
Note Clean the NI PXI-8360 and NI PCIe-836x with a soft nonmetallic brush. Make sure
that the device is completely dry and free from contaminants before returning it to service.
Caution For full EMC compliance, operate this device with shielded cabling. In addition,
all covers and filler panels must be installed.
Safety
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following
standards of safety for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use:
•
•
IEC 61010-1, EN 61010-1
UL 61010-1, CSA 61010-1
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or visit ni.com/
certification, search by model number or product line, and click the appropriate link
in the Certification column.
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Specifications
Electromagnetic Compatibility
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following
standards of EMC for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use:
•
•
•
EN 61326 EMC requirements; Minimum Immunity
EN 55011 Emissions; Group 1, Class A
CE, C-Tick, ICES, and FCC Part 15 Emissions; Class A
Note For EMC compliance, operate this device according to product documentation.
CE Compliance
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European
Directives, as amended for CE marking, as follows:
•
•
73/23/EEC; Low-Voltage Directive (safety)
89/336/EEC; Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)
Note Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional
regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit
ni.com/certification, search by model number or product line, and click the
appropriate link in the Certification column.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
EU Customers At the end of their life cycle, all products must be sent to a WEEE recycling
center. For more information about WEEE recycling centers and National Instruments
WEEE initiatives, visit ni.com/environment/weee.htm.
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B
Common Questions
This appendix lists common questions related to the use of the
MXI-Express controllers.
General Hardware
What are the board names of the MXI-Express remote controllers?
•
•
NI PCIe-836x: PCI Express MXI-Express board
NI PXI-8360: PXI MXI-Express module
How many PXI bus segments can I connect together with
MXI-Express?
The PCI specification allows up to 255 bus segments. MXI-Express does
not limit this number, but the maximum number of bus segments allowed
can be BIOS or operating system dependent. Also, a computer may already
have several PCI bus segments internally, and the MXI-Express link also
has multiple PCI buses internally.
Note Due to the point-to-point nature of PCI Express, MXI-Express supports only the star
configuration. You must use traditional MXI for the daisy chain configuration.
General Cabling
What is the maximum length of a MXI-Express copper cable?
The maximum length for a MXI-Express copper cable is 7 m. National
Instruments offers 1 m, 3 m, and 7 m copper cables.
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Appendix B
Common Questions
General Software
Under which operating systems will MXI-Express work?
MXI-Express is a PCI Express-to-PCI bridge that is recognized by the
majority of operating systems. It should automatically work with most
systems like Windows, Macintosh OS X, Linux, and Solaris, but only
Windows XP has been verified in the initial release of MXI-Express.
What software is required to use my MXI-Express kit?
For Windows and LabVIEW RT, the required software is included as part
of the latest version of NI-VISA included with your kit. The software for
your MXI-Express controller enhances the product, allowing you to
view information about the organization of your PXI system and
programmatically retrieve data about the chassis and modules you have
installed.
If the MXI-Express software does not support your operating system,
you can still use MXI-Express and the operating system will provide a
mechanism for you to ignore the MXI-Express configuration device that is
built into the MXI-Express hardware.
MXI-3 required optimization software. Does MXI-Express require
the same?
No. The necessary optimization is now done automatically by the
MXI-Express hardware.
How does my MXI-Express board show up in the Windows Device
Manager?
MXI-Express boards contain two types of PCI devices onboard and will
have several listings in the Windows Device Manager (WDM). The first
devices show up in the WDM listed under System devices as PCI standard
PCI-to-PCI bridges. The second device type shows up in the WDM as an
NI PXI-8360 when the correct MXI-Express driver is installed. This
second device provides configuration information for the software.
The NI PCIe-8362 includes three PCI standard PCI-to-PCI bridges. The
NI PXI-8360 includes additional bridges and one NI PXI-8360 device.
When using the NI PCIe-8361 Low Profile, no additional bridges are
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Common Questions
added, and the device does not show up in the Windows Device Manager.
The NI PXI-8360 will be present, along with its two bridges.
If the MXI-Express software is not installed, the PCI-to-PCI function will
still be detected and work correctly, but the MXI-Express configuration
device will be detected as an unknown device.
MXI-3 and MXI-4 to MXI-Express Upgrade Questions
What are some of the improvements from MXI-3 and MXI-4 to
MXI-Express?
MXI-Express incorporates the latest technology to include:
•
•
Support for PCI Express slots.
Improved error correction and handling for noisy or harsh
environments.
•
•
•
•
Improved mechanical connectivity.
Improved performance.
Support for two chassis from a single card in the host PC.
Lower cost.
Can a MXI-3, MXI-4, and MXI-Express board be used together
directly?
No. MXI-3, MXI-4, and MXI-Express boards use different cable
connectors and cannot be connected together. Additionally, the
board-to-board communication protocols differ.
Can I use a MXI-3, MXI-4, and MXI-Express kit in the same
multichassis PXI system?
Yes. Different MXI kits can be intermixed to connect multiple PXI chassis
together. As mentioned previously, an individual MXI-3 or MXI-4 board
will not cable directly to a MXI-Express board.
MXI-3 and MXI-4 systems required the use of a specific boot ordering.
Is this a requirement with MXI-Express?
Yes. The requirements of the PCI bus still mandate that you must power on
secondary PXI chassis before powering on the host PC when using
MXI-Express.
With MXI-3 and several chassis connected in series (daisy chain
configuration), you were required to power on the chassis in order starting
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Appendix B
Common Questions
with the chassis at the end of the chain and move towards the host
controller. Now with MXI-Express, multiple chassis are connected in
parallel and can be powered on in any order, except that you need to ensure
that the last component powered on is the host PC.
For more details, refer to the Powering Up the MXI-Express System section
of Chapter 2, Hardware Installation.
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C
Technical Support and
Professional Services
Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at
ni.com for technical support and professional services:
•
Support—Online technical support resources at ni.com/support
include the following:
–
Self-Help Resources—For answers and solutions, visit the
award-winning National Instruments Web site for software drivers
and updates, a searchable KnowledgeBase, product manuals,
step-by-step troubleshooting wizards, thousands of example
programs, tutorials, application notes, instrument drivers, and
so on.
–
Free Technical Support—All registered users receive free Basic
Service, which includes access to hundreds of Application
Engineers worldwide in the NI Discussion Forums at
ni.com/forums. National Instruments Application Engineers
make sure every question receives an answer.
For information about other technical support options in your
area, visit ni.com/services or contact your local office at
ni.com/contact.
•
•
•
Training and Certification—Visit ni.com/training for
self-paced training, eLearning virtual classrooms, interactive CDs,
and Certification program information. You also can register for
instructor-led, hands-on courses at locations around the world.
System Integration—If you have time constraints, limited in-house
technical resources, or other project challenges, National Instruments
Alliance Partner members can help. To learn more, call your local
NI office or visit ni.com/alliance.
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)—A DoC is our claim of
compliance with the Council of the European Communities using
the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords
the user protection for electronic compatibility (EMC) and product
safety. You can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting
ni.com/certification.
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Appendix C
Technical Support and Professional Services
•
Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration,
you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at
ni.com/calibration.
If you searched ni.com and could not find the answers you need, contact
your local office or NI corporate headquarters. Phone numbers for our
worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual. You also can visit
the Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobal to access the branch
office Web sites, which provide up-to-date contact information, support
phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.
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Glossary
Symbol
Prefix
nano
micro
milli
kilo
Value
10–9
10– 6
10–3
103
n
μ
m
k
M
mega
106
Symbols
°
Degrees
≥
≤
%
Equal or greater than
Equal or less than
Percent
B
bus
the group of conductors that interconnect individual circuitry in a computer.
Typically, a bus is the expansion vehicle to which I/O or other devices are
connected. Examples of PC buses are the AT bus, NuBus, Micro Channel,
and EISA bus.
bus master
a type of a plug-in board or controller with the ability to read and write
devices on the computer bus
C
C
Celsius
clock
hardware component that controls timing for reading from or writing to
groups
counter/timer
a circuit that counts external pulses or clock pulses (timing)
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Glossary
D
device
a plug-in instrument card or pad that can contain multiple channels and
conversion devices. Plug-in boards and PCMCIA cards, which connect to
your computer parallel port, are examples of devices.
digital trigger
DMA
a TTL level signal having two discrete levels—a high and a low level
direct memory access—a method by which data can be transferred to/from
computer memory from/to a device or memory on the bus while the
processor does something else. DMA is the fastest method of transferring
data to/from computer memory.
F
FPGA
Field Programmable Gate Array—a logic device that has its functionality
defined after it is manufactured.
I
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
P
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect—a high-performance expansion bus
architecture originally developed by Intel to replace ISA and EISA. It is
achieving widespread acceptance as a standard for PCs and workstations;
it offers a theoretical maximum transfer rate of 132 Mbytes/s.
PCI Express
a scalable full-simplex serial bus standard that operates at 2.5 Gbps and
offers both asynchronous and isochronous data transfers
PCI-PCI bridge
a device that transparently expands the PCI bus on a computer motherboard
to another bus segment in the same machine. The bridge expands the
number of PCI expansion slots, but remains transparent to the end user.
PXI
PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation. PXI is an open specification
that builds off the CompactPCI specification by adding
instrumentation-specific features.
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Glossary
X
x1
a link or port with one physical lane
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Index
A
(figure), 1-3
Declaration of Conformity (NI resources), C-1
diagnostic tools (NI resources), C-1
documentation
B
basic MXI-Express configuration (figure), 1-2
basic MXI-Express system, 1-2
block diagram
drivers (NI resources), C-1
electromagnetic compatibility, A-5
environmental specifications, A-2
C
cable options (table), 3-4
NI PXI-8360, A-2
cabled PCI Express connector, 3-3
cabling common questions, B-1
calibration certificate (NI resources), C-2
card edge connector, 3-3
CE compliance specifications, A-5
common questions, B-1
examples (NI resources), C-1
functional unit descriptions, 3-3
general cabling, B-1
general hardware, B-1
general software, B-2
getting started, 1-4
MXI-3 to MXI-Express, B-3
configuration, additional
H
star (figure), 1-3
hardware common questions, B-1
help, technical support, C-1
configuration, basic (figure), 1-2
conventions used in the manual, ix
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Index
I
Installation
services, C-1
cabling, 2-4
hardware, 2-1
installation, 2-1
figure, 2-2
NI PXI-8360
installation, 2-3
figure, 2-4
NI support and services, C-1
of an NI PXI-8360, 2-3
powering down the MXI-Express
system, 2-5
powering up the MXI-Express
system, 2-5
instrument drivers (NI resources), C-1
K
operating environment specifications
NI PCIe-836x, A-4
NI PXI-8360, A-3
KnowledgeBase, C-1
overview
L
functional, 3-1
hardware, 3-1
LED indicators, 3-3
M
MXI-3 to MXI-Express common
questions, B-3
card edge connector, 3-3
switch, 3-3
MXI-Express
basic system, 1-2
block diagram
PCI Express-to-PCI bridge, 3-3
programming examples (NI resources), C-1
with NI PCIe-8361 (figure), 3-2
with NI PCIe-8362 (figure), 3-2
cable options (table), 3-4
hardware overview, 3-1
larger systems, 1-3
random vibration specifications
NI PXI-8360, A-3
specifications, A-1
MXI-Express system
description, 1-1
related documentation, x
getting started, 1-4
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Index
S
safety specifications, A-4
shock and vibration specifications
NI PXI-8360, A-3
training and certification (NI resources), C-1
troubleshooting (NI resources), C-1
software
common questions, B-2
installation, 2-1
NI resources, C-1
specifications, A-1
CE compliance, A-5
electromagnetic compatibility, A-5
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
compliance specifications, A-5
Web resources, C-1
NI PCIe-836x, A-3
safety, A-4
Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment compliance, A-5
storage environment specifications
NI PCIe-836x, A-4
NI PXI-8360, A-3
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