M series DIO Question

[vashht]

Hello,

    We are currently running a test fixture with 2 PCI DAQ cards attached to it. However, the number of inputs/outputs we are using does not warrant the use of all 3 of these cards, so we are looking into alternatives to cut down the numberof cards we are using. We are currently using a PCI-6071E, a PCI-DIO-32HS, and a PCI-6704. I was looking at usng a M series card to replace 2 of these boards, but I had a question about the digital IO on the M series. Right now we are using the PCI-DIO-32HS to generate and read digital waveforms. I read in the user manual for it that the whole port must be configured for output when generating a digital waveform. On the M series, it says you can use each DIO signal to generate a digital waveform. Would this mean that I would be able to configure individual lines for waveform generation on the M series, as opposed to the whole port?

    This would be a problem because the M series seem to have one large DIO port in general. As a follow up question to my other question, would it be possible to configure an M series to generate waveforms, read waveforms, and read and generate static DIO's at the same time? Also, would an M series be able to generate high speed waveforms that are possible on the PCI-DIO-32HS?

Thanks,

Steve 

[Kevin_Price]

On an M-series board I'm certain you can simultaneously create and run:

1. 1 (and only 1) hw-timed output task, containing 1 or more bits from port 0

2. 1 (and only 1) hw-timed input task, containing 1 or more bits from port 0 (excluding the ones used for output)

3. Multiple software-timed tasks on port 1 and/or port 2

I've personally run an app on a single 6259 that generated 8 hw-timed digital output bits and acquired 24 hw-timed digital input bits using the leading and trailing edges respectively of a shared sample clock.  I used the all the other DIO bits in several additional static DIO tasks for a variety of software-timed input and output.

I think the top speed of an M-series will fall a little short of the top speed of the DIO-32-HS.  The lower-cost M-series max out at 1 MHz while the next tier max out at 10 MHz.

-Kevin P.