Appendix B Common Questions
© National Instruments Corporation B-3 MXI-Express Series User Manual
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.
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
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.