National Instruments DAQCard-1200 Introduction

© National Instruments Corporation 1-1 DAQCard-1200 User Manual

1

Introduction

This chapter describes the DAQCard-1200; lists what you need to get

started, the optional software, and optional equipment; and explains how to

unpack the DAQCard-1200.

About the DAQCard-1200

Thank you for your purchase of the National Instruments DAQCard-1200.

The DAQCard-1200 is a low-cost, low-power analog input, analog output,

digital I/O, and timing I/O card for PCs equipped with a Type II PC Card

slot. The card contains a 12-bit, successive-approximation ADC with

eight inputs, which you can configure as eight single-ended or four

differential channels. The DAQCard-1200 also has two 12-bit DACs

with voltage outputs, 24 lin es of TTL-comp atible digital I/O and

three 16-bit counter/timer channels for timing I/O. The specially designed

standard 50-pin I/O connector for the DAQCard-1200 enables you to

connect all your analog, digital, and timing signals directly to the card.

The DAQCard-120 0 is fully software-configurable and calibrated so that

you can easily install the card and begin your acquisition.

The small size and weight of the DAQCard-1200 coupled with its low

power consumption make this card ideal for use in portable computers,

making portable data acquisition practical. The card requires very little

power when operating, thus extending the life of your computer batteries.

In addition, the low cost and multifunctional nature of a system based on

the DAQCard-1200 makes it ideal for laboratory work in industrial and

academic environments. The multichannel analog input is useful in signal

analysis and data logging. The 12-bit ADC is useful in high-resolution

applications such as chromatography, temperature measurement, and

DC voltage measurement. You can use the analog output channels to

generate experimental stimuli or for machine and process control and

analog function generation. You can use the 24 TTL-compatible digital I/O

line for switching external devices such as transistors and solid-state relays,

for reading the status of external digital logic, and for generating interrupts.

You can use the counter/timers to synchronize events, generate pulses, and

measure frequency and time. The DAQCard-1200, used in conjunction

Contents

Main Page Important Information Warranty Copyright Trademarks WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS Contents Chapter 4 Theory of Operation Page Tables About This Manual Organization of This Manual Conventions Used in This Manual National Instruments Documentation Related Documentation Introduction About the DAQCard-1200 What You Need to Get Started Software Programming Choices LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI Application Software NI-DAQ Driver Software Register-Level Programming Optional Equipment Unpacking Installation and Configuration Installation Configuration Analog Input Configuration Analog Input Polarity Analog Input Mode RSE Input (Eight Channels, Default Setting) NRSE Input (Eight Channels) DIFF Input (Four Channels) Analog Output Configuration Analog Output Polarity Digital I/O Configuration Counter Configuration Signal Connections I/O Connector Figure 3-1. DAQCard-1200 I/O Connector Pin Assignments Signal Connection Descriptions Analog Input Signal Connections + Types of Signal Sources Floating Signal Sources Ground-Referenced Signal Sources Input Configurations Differential Connection Considerations (DIFF Configuration) Differential Connections for Grounded Signal Sources Figure 3-3. Differential Input Connections for Grounded Signal Sources Differential Connections for Floating Signal Sources Figure 3-4. Differential Input Connections for Floating Sources Single-Ended Connection Considerations Single-Ended Connections for Floating Signal Sources (RSE Configuration) Single-Ended Connections for Grounded Signal Sources (NRSE Configuration) Common-Mode Signal Rejection Considerations Analog Output Signal Connections Digital I/O Signal Connections Page Port C Pin Connections Timing Specifications Mode 1 Input Timing Mode 1 Output Timing Mode 2 Bidirectional Timing Page DAQ and General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections DAQ Timing Connections Page Page Page General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections Page Page Figure 3-18. Frequency Measurement Application Chapter 3 Signal Connections DAQCard-1200 User Manual 3-30 National Instruments Corporation Figure 3-19. General-Purpose Timing Signals The GATE and OUT signals in Figure3-19 are referenced to the rising edge of the CLK signal. Power Connections National Instruments Corporation 4-1 DAQCard-1200 User Manual Theory of Operation This chapter explains the operation of each functional unit of the DAQCard-1200. Figure 4-1. DAQCard-1200 Block Diagram Functional Overview The block diagram in Figure 4-1 shows a functional overview of the DAQCard-1200. PC Card I/O Channel Interface Circuitry Timing Chapter 4 Theory of Operation Figure 4-3. Timing Circuitry DAQCard-1200 User Manual 4-4 National Instruments Corporation Analog Input Analog Input Circuitry Page Data Acquisition Timing Data Acquisition Operation Continuous Data Acquisition Interval Data Acquisition Data Acquisition Rates Page Analog Output Analog Output Circuitry Power-On State DAC Timing Digital I/O Calibration Calibration at Higher Gains Calibration Equipment Requirements Using the Calibration Function Page A Specifications Analog Input Input Characteristics Transfer Characteristics Amplifier Characteristics Dynamic Characteristics Stability Analog Output Output Characteristics Transfer Characteristics Page Timing I/O Digital Trigger Bus Interface Power Requirement Physical Page B Differences among the Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200, and the DAQCard-1200 Page C Power-Management Modes Page D PC Card Questions and Answers Configuration Operation Resources Page Page E Technical Support Resources NI Web Support Online Problem-Solving and Diagnostic Resources Software-Related Resources Worldwide Support Glossary Numbers/Symbols A B C D E F G Page Page V Index Numbers A B C D E F G I L M N O R S T U V W