Chapter 1 Introduction
PXI-PCI 8330 Series User Manual 1-2 www.natinst.com

Software Transparency

Because the MXI-3 system is a PCI-PCI bridge, all devices on the system
appear as local devices to the primary computer. You do not need to rewrite
your device drivers for operation on a MXI-3 system.

High Performance

MXI-3 supports write posting and read prefetching to enhance
performance, and provides clock distribution and bus arbitration for up to
seven slots on each secondary bus. MXI-3 buffers and retimes the signals
between the buses, maintaining the tight timing and high performance PCI
requires.
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use your MXI-3 system, you need the following:
❑Two PXI MXI-3 cards or a PXI MXI-3 card and a PCI MXI-3 card
❑Copper or fiber-optic MXI-3 cable
❑Documentation—Set Up Your MXI-3 System and Getting Started with
Your MXI-3 System
❑Primary bus—A computer with a PCI backplane, or a PXI embedded
controller on a PXI/CompactPCI chassis
❑Secondary bus—A PXI/CompactPCI chassis
❑Software—MXI-3 Software Installation Diskette for
Windows NT/98/95
Unpacking
Your MXI-3 cards are shipped in antistatic packages to prevent
electrostatic damage to the devices. Electrostatic discharge can damage
several components on the device. To avoid such damage in handling the
device, take the following precautions:
1. Ground yourself via a grounding strap or by holding a grounded object.
2. Before removing the device from the package, touch the antistatic
package to a metal part of your computer chassis.