National Instruments PC-DIO-24 Optional Equipment

Introduction Chapter 1

PC-DIO-24 User Manual 1-4 © National Instruments Corporation

The final option for programming any National Instruments DAQ hardware is to write register-

level software. Writing register-level programming software can be very time-consuming and

inefficient, and is not recommended for most users.

Even if you are an experienced register-level programmer, consider using NI-DAQ, LabVIEW,

or LabWindows/CVI to program your National Instruments DAQ hardware. Using the NI-DAQ,

LabVIEW, or LabWindows/CVI software is easier than, and as flexible as, register-level

programming, and can save weeks of development time.

Optional Equipment

National Instruments offers a variety of products to use with your PC-DIO-24 board, including

cables, connector blocks, and other accessories, as follows:

• Cables and cable assemblies, shielded and ribbon

• Connector blocks, shielded and unshielded 50-pin screw terminals

• Signal conditioning eXtensions for Instrumentation (SCXI) modules and accessories for

isolating, amplifying, exciting, and multiplexing signals for relays and analog output. With

SCXI you can condition and acquire up to 3,072 channels.

• Low channel count signal conditioning modules, boards, and accessories, including

conditioning for strain gauges and RTDs, simultaneous sample and hole, and relays.

For more specific information about these products, refer to your National Instruments catalog or

call the office nearest you.

National Instruments offers cables and accessories for you to prototype your application or to use

if you frequently change board interconnections.

If you want to develop your own cable, however, the following guidelines may be useful:

The PC-DIO-24 I/O connector is a 50-pin male ribbon-cable header. The manufacturer part

numbers used by National Instruments for this header are as follows:

• Electronic Products Division/3M (part number 3596-5002)

• T&B/Ansley Corporation (part number 609-5007)

The mating connector for the PC-DIO-24 is a 50-position, polarized, ribbon socket connector

with strain relief. National Instruments uses a polarized (keyed) connector to prevent inadvertent

upside-down connection to the PC-DIO-24. Recommended manufacturer part numbers for this

mating connector are as follows: