synchronize PCI- 5421 and PCI-6602

[Kiebach]

I am using a PCI 6602 to generate four pulse trains. I am also generating a signal with a PCI 5421 AWG. All signals are started at the same time by using a common start trigger. The problem I am having is that after they run for a while the 6602 and 5421 signal start drifting. I know in the past I had sync clocks in a PXI chassis but I am unsure how to syncronize the clocks using PCI card. I do have an RTSI cable linking the cards together so could someone please give me an example of how to sycronize these cards in Labview (8.2)

[Raajit_Lall]

Hello,

You will need to setup the RTSI cable in Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) (Create new device > RTSI Cable).  Once you have done that, right click on the RTSI cable in MAX and add your devices. 

Now you can do something like a DAQmx Connect Terminals to export your clock from one device to another.  You can then use the RTSI line as your clock source for your 5421.  There are examples located in the Example Finder (Help > Find Examples) under Hardware Input and Output > Modular Instruments > NI-FGEN > Synchronization.

Regards,

[Kiebach]

I tried routing the 6602 clock to the 5421 (see attachment, I have my attempt disabled) thanx in advance for any assistance you can offer....

[Matt_A]

Hello Kiebach,

I tried looking at your VIs, but I wasn't sure which one you were referring to. The VI entitled "Bit Test - Clk Setup.vi" seems to call the VI called "Clock Control - Set.vi", but this VI does not seem to actually do anything. For some more information about exporting signals to share clocks, I would recommend that you examine this document entitled "Timing and Synchronization Features of NI-DAQmx". Specifically, you may want to look at the section called "Signal Routing Options". I hope this information helps. Good luck.

[Kiebach]

Sorry for the confusion. The Vi of interest is actually the second sub vi call "Bit Test - Pulse Train Gen.vi". 

[Matt_A]

Hello Kiebach,

You seem to be connecting the signal correctly in your NI-DAQmx program. However, I do not see any NI-FGEN code where you import the signal to be used as an external clock. Have you added this code? I think you would benefit from examining the example program entitled "niFgen_DAQmx_Synchronization_Example.vi". This program shows how to synchronize an NI-DAQmx device and an SMC Arb device. You can find the example by opening the NI Example Finder utility; you can open this utility from LabVIEW by going to the Help menu and selecting Find Examples... Once you have opened the NI Example Finder, you can navigate to this example by selecting the Browse tab and going to Hardware Input and Output>>Modular Instruments>>NI-FGEN (Signal Generators)>>Synchronization. You will notice that this example uses the Export Signals VI rather than the Connect Terminals VI. To help understand the difference between these two, you may want to examine this document.