National Instruments Network Card NI PCI 5911 User Manual

Modular  
Instrumentation  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
High-Speed Digitizer with Flex ADC  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
March 2003 Edition  
Part Number 322150E-01  
 
 
Important Information  
Warranty  
The NI 5911 is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by  
receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the  
warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.  
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions, due to defects  
in materials and workmanship, for a period of 90 days from date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National  
Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives  
notice of such defects during the warranty period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be  
uninterrupted or error free.  
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before  
any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are  
covered by warranty.  
National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical  
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent  
editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected.  
In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.  
EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF  
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DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY  
THEREOF. This limitation of the liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action, whether in contract or tort, including  
negligence. Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues. National Instruments  
shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty provided herein does not cover  
damages, defects, malfunctions, or service failures caused by owner’s failure to follow the National Instruments installation, operation, or  
maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product; owner’s abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or surges, fire,  
flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside reasonable control.  
Copyright  
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,  
recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National  
Instruments Corporation.  
Trademarks  
CVI, DAQPad, Flex ADC, LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, ni.com, NI-DAQ, RTSI, and SCXIare trademarks of  
National Instruments Corporation.  
Product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.  
Patents  
For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txtfile  
on your CD, or ni.com/patents.  
WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS  
(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF  
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NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE. TO AVOID  
DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO  
PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK-UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS.  
BECAUSE EACH END-USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS' TESTING  
PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN  
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INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN,  
PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.  
 
Compliance  
FCC/Canada Radio Frequency Interference Compliance  
Determining FCC Class  
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rules to protect wireless communications from interference. The FCC  
places digital electronics into two classes. These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only)  
or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products.  
Depending on where it is operated, this Class A product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the  
Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital  
electronics emit weak signals during normal operation that can affect radio, television, or other wireless products.  
All Class A products display a simple warning statement of one paragraph in length regarding interference and undesired  
operation. The FCC rules have restrictions regarding the locations where FCC Class A products can be operated.  
Consult the FCC Web site at www.fcc.govfor more information.  
FCC/DOC Warnings  
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions  
in this manual and the CE marking Declaration of Conformity*, may cause interference to radio and television reception.  
Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Canadian Department of  
Communications (DOC).  
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by NI could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under the FCC  
Rules.  
Class A  
Federal Communications Commission  
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC  
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated  
in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and  
used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this  
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user is required to correct the interference  
at their own expense.  
Canadian Department of Communications  
This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.  
Cet appareil numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.  
Compliance to EU Directives  
Readers in the European Union (EU) must refer to the manufacturer’s Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for information*  
pertaining to the CE marking compliance scheme. The manufacturer includes a DoC for most hardware products except for those  
bought from OEMs. In addition, DoCs are usually not provided if compliance is not required, for example electrically benign  
apparatus or cables.  
To obtain the DoC for this product, click Declaration of Conformity at ni.com/hardref.nsf/. This Web site lists the DoCs  
by product family. Select the appropriate product family, followed by your product, and a link to the DoC appears in Adobe  
Acrobat format. Click the Acrobat icon to download or read the DoC.  
*
The CE marking Declaration of Conformity contains important supplementary information and instructions for the user or  
installer.  
 
About This Manual  
Conventions ...................................................................................................................vii  
Chapter 1  
Installing the NI 5911 ....................................................................................................1-1  
Acquiring Data with the NI 5911 ..................................................................................1-3  
Chapter 2  
What Self-Calibration Does ............................................................................2-7  
Why Warnings Occur During Acquisition........................................2-8  
External Calibration.........................................................................................2-8  
Triggering and Arming ..................................................................................................2-8  
Analog Trigger Circuit ....................................................................................2-9  
Trigger Holdoff ...............................................................................................2-10  
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Contents  
Multi-Record Acquisitions............................................................................................ 2-11  
RTSI Bus and Clock PFI............................................................................................... 2-11  
PFI Lines as Inputs ........................................................................... 2-12  
PFI Lines as Outputs......................................................................... 2-12  
Synchronization .............................................................................................. 2-12  
Appendix A  
Technical Support and Professional Services  
Glossary  
Index  
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About This Manual  
The NI 5911 User Manual provides information on installing, connecting  
signals to, and acquiring data from your NI 5911 high-speed digitizer. This  
manual includes an overview of the NI 5911 and explains the operation of  
each functional unit of the NI 5911.  
Conventions  
The following conventions appear in this manual:  
<>  
Angle brackets that contain numbers separated by an ellipsis represent a  
range of values associated with a bit or signal name—for example,  
DIO<3..0>.  
»
The » symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options  
to a final action. The sequence File»Page Setup»Options directs you to  
pull down the File menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options  
from the last dialog box.  
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.  
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take to  
avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.  
bold  
Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such  
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter  
names.  
italic  
Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction  
to a key concept. This font also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word  
or value that you must supply.  
monospace  
Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the  
keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and syntax examples.  
This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,  
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,  
variables, filenames and extensions, and code excerpts.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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About This Manual  
Related Documentation  
The following documents contain information that you might find helpful  
as you read this manual:  
Where to Start with Your NI Digitizer  
NI-SCOPE Software User Manual  
NI-SCOPE Instrument Driver Quick Reference Guide  
You can download these documents from ni.com/manuals.  
Safety Information  
This section contains important safety information that you must follow  
when installing and using the device.  
Do not operate the device in a manner not specified in this document.  
Misuse of the device can result in a hazard. You can compromise the safety  
protection built into the device if the device is damaged in any way. If the  
device is damaged, return it to National Instruments (NI) for repair.  
Do not substitute parts or modify the device except as described in this  
document. Use the device only with the chassis, devices, accessories, and  
cables specified in the installation instructions. You must have all covers  
and filler panels installed during operation of the device.  
Do not operate the device in an explosive atmosphere or where there may  
be flammable gases or fumes. If you must operate the device in such an  
environment, it must be in a suitably rated enclosure.  
If you need to clean the device, use a soft, nonmetallic brush. Make sure  
that the device is completely dry and free from contaminants before  
returning it to service.  
Operate the device only at or below Pollution Degree 2. Pollution is foreign  
matter in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state that can reduce dielectric strength  
or surface resistivity. The following is a description of pollution degrees:  
Pollution Degree 1 means no pollution or only dry, nonconductive  
pollution occurs. The pollution has no influence.  
Pollution Degree 2 means that only nonconductive pollution occurs in  
most cases. Occasionally, however, a temporary conductivity caused  
by condensation must be expected.  
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About This Manual  
Pollution Degree 3 means that conductive pollution occurs, or dry,  
nonconductive pollution occurs that becomes conductive due to  
condensation.  
You must insulate signal connections for the maximum voltage for which  
the device is rated. Do not exceed the maximum ratings for the device. Do  
not install wiring while the device is live with electrical signals. Do not  
remove or add connector blocks when power is connected to the system.  
Avoid contact between your body and the connector block signal when hot  
swapping devices. Remove power from signal lines before connecting them  
to or disconnecting them from the device.  
Operate the device at or below the installation category1 marked on the  
hardware label. Measurement circuits are subjected to working voltages2  
and transient stresses (overvoltage) from the circuit to which they are  
connected during measurement or test. Installation categories establish  
standard impulse withstand voltage levels that commonly occur in  
electrical distribution systems. The following is a description of installation  
categories:  
Installation Category I is for measurements performed on circuits not  
directly connected to the electrical distribution system referred to as  
MAINS3 voltage. This category is for measurements of voltages from  
specially protected secondary circuits. Such voltage measurements  
include signal levels, special equipment, limited-energy parts of  
equipment, circuits powered by regulated low-voltage sources, and  
electronics.  
Installation Category II is for measurements performed on circuits  
directly connected to the electrical distribution system. This category  
refers to local-level electrical distribution, such as that provided by a  
standard wall outlet (for example, 115 AC voltage for U.S. or 230 AC  
voltage for Europe). Examples of Installation Category II are  
measurements performed on household appliances, portable tools, and  
similar devices.  
Installation Category III is for measurements performed in the building  
installation at the distribution level. This category refers to  
measurements on hard-wired equipment such as equipment in fixed  
installations, distribution boards, and circuit breakers. Other examples  
are wiring, including cables, bus bars, junction boxes, switches, socket  
1
2
3
Installation categories, also referred to as measurement categories, are defined in electrical safety standard IEC 61010-1.  
Working voltage is the highest rms value of an AC or DC voltage that can occur across any particular insulation.  
MAINS is defined as a hazardous live electrical supply system that powers equipment. Suitably rated measuring circuits may  
be connected to the MAINS for measuring purposes.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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About This Manual  
outlets in the fixed installation, and stationary motors with permanent  
connections to fixed installations.  
Installation Category IV is for measurements performed at the primary  
electrical supply installation (<1,000 V). Examples include electricity  
meters and measurements on primary overcurrent protection devices  
and on ripple control units.  
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1
Introduction  
Thank you for buying an NI PCI-5911 digitizer, featuring the Flex ADC for  
variable speed and resolution. This chapter contains information on  
installing, connecting signals to, and acquiring data from the NI 5911  
Installing the NI 5911  
Installation involves the following main steps:  
1. Install the NI-SCOPE driver software. You use this driver to write  
programs to control the NI 5911 in different application development  
environments (ADEs). Installing NI-SCOPE also allows you to  
interactively control the NI 5911 with the Scope Soft Front Panel.  
2. Install the NI 5911.  
For step-by-step instructions for installing both NI-SCOPE and the  
NI 5911, refer to the Where to Start with Your NI Digitizer document.  
For multiple-device considerations, refer to the Operating Environment  
section of Appendix A, Specifications.  
Connecting Signals  
Figure 1-1 shows the front panel of the NI 5911. The front panel contains  
three connectors—a BNC connector, an SMB connector, and a 9-pin  
mini-circular DIN connector. Figure 1-2 shows the 9-pin mini-circular DIN  
connector.  
The BNC connector is for attaching the analog input signal you want to  
measure. The BNC connector is analog input channel 0. To minimize noise,  
do not allow the shell of the BNC cable to touch or lie near the metal of the  
computer chassis. The SMB connector is used for external triggers and for  
generating a probe compensation signal. The SMB connector is labeled  
PFI 1. The DIN connector provides access to an additional external trigger  
line. The DIN connector can be used to access PFI 2.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
Note The +5 V signal is fused at 1.1 A. However, NI recommends limiting the current  
from this pin to 30 mA. The fuse is self-resetting.  
CH 0  
PFI 1  
PFI 2  
(DIN)  
Figure 1-1. NI 5911 Connectors  
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9
8
7
6
5
2
4
1
3
1
2
3
+5 V (Fused)  
GND  
Reserved  
4
5
6
Reserved  
Reserved  
PFI 2  
7
8
9
Reserved  
Reserved  
Reserved  
Figure 1-2. 9-Pin Mini-Circular DIN Connector  
Acquiring Data with the NI 5911  
You can acquire data either programmatically—by writing an application  
for the NI 5911—or interactively with the Scope Soft Front Panel.  
Programmatically Controlling the NI 5911  
To help you get started programming the NI 5911, NI-SCOPE includes  
examples that you can use or modify.  
You can find examples for the following ADEs in these locations:  
LabVIEW—Go to Program Files\National Instruments\  
LabVIEW\Examples\Instr\niScopeExamples\.  
LabWindows/CVI, C, and Visual Basic with  
Windows 2000/NT—Go to vxipnp\winnt\Niscope\Examples\.  
LabWindows/CVI, C, and Visual Basic with Windows 98/95—Go to  
vxipnp\win95\Niscope\Examples\c\.  
For information on using NI-SCOPE to programmatically control your  
digitizer, refer to the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual. Another resource  
is the NI-SCOPE Instrument Driver Quick Reference Guide, which  
contains abbreviated information on the most commonly used functions  
and LabVIEW VIs. For more detailed function reference help, refer to the  
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Chapter 1  
Introduction  
NI-SCOPE Function Reference Help, located at Start»Programs»  
National Instruments»NI-SCOPE. For more detailed VI help,  
use LabVIEW context-sensitive help (Help»Show Context Help) or the  
NI-SCOPE VI Reference Help, located at Start»Programs»National  
Instruments»NI-SCOPE.  
Interactively Controlling the NI 5911 with the Scope Soft Front Panel  
The Scope Soft Front Panel allows you to interactively control the NI 5911  
as you would a desktop oscilloscope. To launch the Scope Soft Front Panel,  
select Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI-SCOPE»  
NI-SCOPE Soft Front Panel. Refer to the Scope Soft Front Panel Help  
for instructions on configuring the Scope Soft Front Panel for your specific  
application.  
Note Press <F1> while the Scope Soft Front Panel is running to access the Scope Soft  
Front Panel Help.  
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2
Hardware Overview  
This chapter includes an overview of the NI 5911, explains the operation of  
each functional unit making up the NI 5911, and describes the signal  
connections. Figure 2-1 shows a block diagram of the NI 5911.  
Analog Input  
Connector  
AC/DC Coupling  
Protect/  
Calibration  
Mux  
PGIA  
A/D Converter  
100 MHz, 8-Bit  
Noise  
Shaper  
Calibration  
Generator  
Timing I/O,  
Memory Control  
Reference  
Clock  
Digital I/O  
Connector  
Digital Signal  
Processor  
Capture  
Memory  
Data  
Figure 2-1. NI 5911 Block Diagram  
Differential Programmable Gain Input Amplifier (PGIA)  
The analog input of the NI 5911 is equipped with a differential  
programmable gain input amplifier. The PGIA accurately interfaces to and  
scales the signal presented to the ADC regardless of source impedance,  
source amplitude, DC biasing, or common-mode noise voltages.  
Differential Input  
When measuring high dynamic range signals, ground noise is often a  
problem. The PGIA of the NI 5911 allows you to make noise-free signal  
measurements. The PGIA differential amplifier efficiently rejects any  
noise present on the ground signal. Internal to the PGIA, the signal  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
presented at the negative input is subtracted from the signal presented at the  
positive input. As shown in Figure 2-2, this subtraction removes ground  
noise from the signal. The inner conductor of the BNC is V+. The outer  
shell is V–.  
Input Signal  
V+  
+
Vout  
PGIA  
V–  
Ground Noise  
Figure 2-2. Signal Noise-Free Measurements  
Grounding Considerations  
The path for the positive signal has been optimized for speed and linearity.  
You should always apply signals to the positive input and ground to the  
negative input. Reversing the inputs results in higher distortion and lower  
bandwidth.  
The negative input of the amplifier is grounded to PC ground through a  
10 kresistor. The PGIA is therefore referenced to ground, so it is not  
necessary to make any external ground connections. If the device you  
connect to the NI 5911 is already connected to ground, ground-loop noise  
voltages may be induced into your system. Notice that in most of these  
situations, the 10 kresistance to PC ground is normally much higher than  
the cable impedances you use. As a result, most of the noise voltage occurs  
at the negative input of the PGIA where it is rejected, rather than in the  
positive input, where it would be amplified.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Input Ranges  
To optimize the ADC resolution, you can select different gains for the  
PGIA so that you can scale your input signal to match the full input range  
of the converter. The NI 5911 PGIA offers seven input ranges, from 0.1 V  
to 10 V, as shown in Table 2-1.  
Table 2-1. Input Ranges for the NI 5911  
Range  
10 V  
5 V  
Input Protection Threshold  
10 V  
5 V  
5 V  
5 V  
5 V  
5 V  
5 V  
2 V  
1 V  
0.5 V  
0.2 V  
0.1 V  
Note If you try to acquire a signal below the set input range, the sensitive front-end  
components of the NI 5911 may become unstable and begin returning invalid data. To  
return the digitizer to a stable configuration, switch to the maximum input range setting and  
acquire an AC coupled or 0 V signal.  
The input stage of the NI 5911 requires a settling time that depends on  
which vertical range you are switching from and which vertical range you  
are switching to. However, allowing for a delay of 250 ms between  
configuring the input stage and starting the acquisition guarantees proper  
settling.  
Input Impedance  
The input impedance of the NI 5911 PGIA is 1 Mbetween the positive  
and negative input, 2% depending on input capacitance. The output  
impedance of the device connected to the NI 5911 and the input impedance  
of the NI 5911 form an impedance divider, which attenuates the input  
signal according to the following formula:  
VsRin  
Vm = -------------------  
Rs + Rin  
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Hardware Overview  
where Vm is the measured voltage, Vs is the source voltage, Rs is the external  
source impedance, and Rin is the input impedance.  
If the device you are measuring has a very large output impedance, your  
measurements will be affected by this impedance divider. For example,  
if the device has 1 Moutput impedance, your measured signal is one-half  
of the actual signal value.  
Input Bias  
The inputs of the PGIA typically draw an input bias current of 1 nA at  
25 °C. Attaching a device with a very high source impedance can cause  
an offset voltage to be added to the signal measured, according to  
the formula Rs × 1 nA, where Rs is the external source impedance. For  
example, if the device you have attached to the NI 5911 has an output  
impedance of 10 k, typically the offset voltage is 10 µV (10 k× 1 nA).  
Input Protection  
The NI 5911 features input-protection circuits that protect both the positive  
and negative analog inputs from damage from AC and DC signals up to  
42 V.  
If the voltage at one of these inputs exceeds a threshold voltage, Vtr, the  
input clamps to Vtr and a resistance of 100 kis inserted in the path to  
minimize input currents to a nonharmful level.  
The protection voltage, Vtr,is input range dependent, as shown in Table 2-1.  
AC Coupling  
When you measure a small AC signal on top of a large DC component, you  
can use AC coupling. AC coupling rejects any DC component in your  
signal before it enters into the PGIA. Activating AC coupling inserts a  
capacitor in series with the input impedance. You can select input coupling  
through software.  
When changing the coupling on the digitizer, the input stage takes a finite  
amount of time to settle. When switching from AC to DC coupling, the  
settling time is approximately 0.5 ms. When switching from DC to  
AC coupling, the returned data is accurate several time constants after  
switching to AC. The NI 5911 has a time constant value of 68 ms. The  
equation 1 – e–t/T, where T is the time constant, gives the percentage that the  
original signal has settled after time t. Generally, six time constants is  
enough time between switching to AC coupling and starting the acquisition  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
to allow an 8-bit digitizer to acquire accurate data. However, the NI 5911 in  
flexible resolution mode is much more precise and thus requires a greater  
number of time constants of settling time to achieve the desired precision.  
Refer to Appendix A, Digitizer Basics, of the NI-SCOPE Software User  
Manual, for more information on input coupling.  
Conventional and Flexible Resolution Modes  
In conventional mode, the NI 5911 works as a conventional desktop  
oscilloscope, acquiring data at 100 MS/s with a vertical resolution of 8 bits.  
This mode is useful for displaying waveforms and for deriving waveform  
parameters such as slew rate, rise time, and settling time.  
Flexible resolution mode differs from conventional mode in two ways: it  
has higher resolution (sampling rate dependent), and the signal bandwidth  
is limited to provide antialiasing protection. Flexible resolution mode is  
useful for spectral analysis, distortion analysis, and other measurements for  
which high resolution is crucial.  
Conventional Mode  
The ADC converts at a constant rate of 100 MS/s, but you can choose to  
store only a fraction of these samples into memory at a lower rate. This  
lower rate allows you to store waveforms using fewer data points and  
decreases the burden of storing, analyzing, and displaying the waveforms.  
If you need faster sampling rates, you can use Random Interleaved  
Sampling (RIS) to effectively increase the sampling rate to 1 GS/s for  
repetitive waveforms.  
In conventional mode, all signals up to 100 MHz are passed to the ADC.  
You must ensure that your signal is band-limited to prevent aliasing.  
Aliasing and other sampling terms are described more thoroughly in the  
NI-SCOPE Software User Manual.  
Sampling Methods  
Two sampling methods are available in conventional mode: real-time  
sampling and random interleaved sampling (RIS). Using real-time  
sampling, you can acquire data at a rate of 100/n MS/s, where n is a number  
from 1 to 224. RIS sampling can be used on repetitive signals to effectively  
extend the sampling rate above 100 MS/s. In RIS mode, you can sample at  
rates of 100 × n MS/s, where n is a number from 2 to 10.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Flexible Resolution Mode  
Table 2-2 shows the relationship between the available sampling rates,  
resolution, and the corresponding bandwidth for flexible resolution mode.  
Table 2-2. Available Sampling Rates and Corresponding Bandwidth  
in Flexible Resolution Mode  
Sampling Rate  
12.5 MS/s  
5 MS/s  
Resolution  
11 bits  
Bandwidth  
3.75 MHz  
2 MHz  
14 bits  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MS/s  
15.5 bits  
17.5 bits  
18 bits  
1 MHz  
400 kHz  
200 kHz  
80 kHz  
40 kHz  
20 kHz  
8 kHz  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
100 kS/s  
50 kS/s  
18.5 bits  
19 bits  
19.5 bits  
20.5 bits  
21 bits  
20 kS/s  
10 kS/s  
4 kHz  
Like any other type of converter that uses noise shaping to enhance  
resolution, the frequency response of the converter is only flat to its  
maximum useful bandwidth. The NI 5911 has a bandwidth of 4 MHz.  
Beyond this frequency, there is a span where the converter acts resonant  
and where a signal is amplified before being converted. These signals are  
attenuated in the subsequent digital filter to prevent aliasing. However,  
if the applied signal contains major signal components in this frequency  
range, such as harmonics or noise, the converter may overload and signal  
data will be invalid. In this case, you receive an overload warning. You must  
then either select a higher input range or attenuate the signal.  
How Flexible Resolution Works  
The ADC can be sourced through a noise shaping circuit that moves  
quantization noise on the output of the ADC from lower frequencies to  
higher frequencies. A digital lowpass filter applied to the data removes all  
but a fraction of the original shaped quantization noise. The signal is then  
resampled to a lower sampling frequency and a higher resolution. Flexible  
resolution provides antialiasing protection due to the digital lowpass filter.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Calibration  
The NI 5911 can be calibrated for high accuracy and resolution because of  
an advanced calibration scheme. There are two different types of  
calibration: internal, or self-calibration, and external calibration. A third  
option, internal restore, restores factory settings and should be used only in  
the event of a self-calibration failure.  
Self-calibration is performed using a software command that compensates  
for drifts caused by environmental temperature changes. You can  
self-calibrate the NI 5911 without any external equipment connected.  
External calibration requires you to connect an external precision voltage  
reference to the device. External calibration recalibrates the device when  
the specified calibration interval has expired. Refer to Appendix A,  
Specifications, for the calibration interval.  
Self-Calibrating the NI 5911  
You can self-calibrate the NI 5911 with a software function or a  
LabVIEW VI. Refer to Chapter 3, Common Functions and Examples, of  
the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual, for step-by-step instructions for  
self-calibrating the NI 5911.  
When Self-Calibration Is Needed  
To provide the maximum accuracy independent of temperature changes,  
the NI 5911 contains a heater that stabilizes the temperature of the most  
sensitive circuitries on the board. However, the heater can accommodate  
for temperature changes over a fixed range of 5 °C. When temperatures  
exceed this range, the heater cannot stabilize the temperature, and signal  
data becomes inaccurate. When the temperature range has been exceeded,  
you receive a warning, and you must perform an internal calibration.  
What Self-Calibration Does  
Self-calibration performs the following operations:  
The heater is set to regulate over a range of temperatures centered at  
the current environmental temperature. The circuit components require  
time to stabilize at the new temperature. This temperature stabilization  
accounts for the majority of the calibration time. Refer to the  
Calibration section of Appendix A, Specifications, for more  
information.  
Gain and offset are calibrated for each individual input range.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
The linearity of the ADC is calibrated using an internal sine wave  
generator as reference.  
The time-to-digital converter used for RIS measurements is calibrated.  
Caution Do not apply high-amplitude or high-frequency signals to the NI 5911 during  
self-calibration. For optimal calibration performance, disconnect the input signal from the  
NI 5911.  
Why Warnings Occur During Acquisition  
The NI 5911 uses a heater circuit to maintain constant temperature on the  
critical circuitry used in flexible resolution mode. If this circuit cannot  
maintain the temperature within specification, a warning is generated. This  
warning indicates that the temperature of the ADC is out of range and  
should be recalibrated with a self-calibration. During acquisition in flexible  
resolution mode, a warning is generated if the input to the ADC goes out of  
range for the converter. The fact that this condition has occurred may not  
be obvious from inspecting the data because of the digital filtering that  
takes place on the acquired data. Therefore, a warning occurs to notify you  
that the data includes some samples that were out of the range of the  
converter and may be inaccurate.  
External Calibration  
External calibration calibrates the internal reference on the NI 5911.  
The NI 5911 is already calibrated when it is shipped from the factory.  
Periodically, the NI 5911 needs external calibration to remain within  
the specified accuracy. For more information on calibration, contact NI, or  
visit ni.com/calibration. For actual intervals and accuracy, refer to  
the Calibration section of Appendix A, Specifications.  
Triggering and Arming  
There are several triggering methods for the NI 5911. The trigger can be an  
analog level that is compared to the input or any of several digital inputs.  
You also can call a software function to trigger the digitizer. Figure 2-3  
shows the different trigger sources. When you use a digital signal, that  
signal must be at a high TTL level for at least 40 ns before any triggers are  
accepted.  
Note The NI 5911 does not support delayed triggering.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Analog  
Input  
High  
Level  
+
COMP  
Gain  
Analog  
Trigger  
Circuit  
ATC_OUT  
COMP  
Low  
Level  
a. Analog Trigger Circuit  
Software  
ATC_OUT  
RTSI<0..6>  
Trigger  
Arm  
7
2
PFI 1, PFI 2  
b. Trigger and Arm Sources  
Figure 2-3. Trigger Sources  
Analog Trigger Circuit  
The analog trigger on the NI 5911 operates by comparing the current  
analog input to an onboard threshold voltage. This threshold voltage is the  
trigger value, and can be set within the current input range in 170 steps.  
Therefore, for a 10 V input range, the trigger can be set in increments of  
20 V/170 = 118 mV. A hysteresis value may also be associated with the  
trigger that can be set in the same size increments. The hysteresis value  
creates a trigger window the signal must pass through before the trigger is  
accepted. You can generate triggers on a rising or falling edge condition.  
For more information on triggering, refer to Chapter 3, Common Functions  
and Examples, of the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Trigger Holdoff  
Trigger holdoff is the minimum length of time (in seconds) from an  
accepted trigger to the start of the next record. In other words, when a  
trigger is accepted, the trigger counter is loaded with the desired holdoff  
time. After completing its current record, the digitizer records no data and  
accepts no triggers until the holdoff counter runs out. When the counter  
runs out, the next record begins and a trigger may be accepted. Setting a  
holdoff time shorter than posttrigger acquisition time has no effect, as  
triggers are always rejected during an acquisition.  
Note Time to acquire posttrigger samples is calculated by the following formula:  
(posttrigger samples)/(sample rate).  
Trigger holdoff is provided in hardware using a 32-bit counter clocked by a  
25 MHz internal timebase. With this configuration, you can select  
a hardware holdoff value of 5 µs to 171.79 s in increments of 40 ns. For  
more information on trigger holdoff, refer to Chapter 3, Common Functions  
and Examples, of the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual.  
Memory  
The NI 5911 allocates at least 4 kB of onboard memory for each record in  
a single multi-record acquisition. Samples are stored in this buffer before  
transfer to the host computer. Thus the minimum size for a buffer in the  
onboard memory is approximately 4,000 8-bit conventional mode samples  
or 1,000 32-bit flexible resolution mode samples. Software allows you to  
specify buffers of less than these minimum buffer sizes because only the  
specified number of points is transferred from onboard memory into the  
memory of the host computer.  
The total number of samples that can be stored depends on the size of the  
acquisition memory module installed on the NI 5911 and the size of each  
acquired sample. The maximum number of records in a single multi-record  
acquisition is equal to the size of the memory module divided by 4 kB.  
Triggering and Memory Usage  
During the acquisition, samples are stored in a circular buffer that is  
continually rewritten until a trigger is received. After the trigger is  
received, the NI 5911 continues to acquire posttrigger samples if you have  
specified a posttrigger sample count. The acquired samples are placed into  
onboard memory. The number of posttrigger or pretrigger samples is only  
limited by the amount of onboard memory.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
Multi-Record Acquisitions  
After the trigger has been received and the posttrigger samples have been  
stored, the NI 5911 can be configured to begin another acquisition that is  
stored in another onboard memory record. This operation is a multi-record  
acquisition. To perform multi-record acquisitions, configure the NI 5911 to  
the number of records you want to acquire before starting the acquisition.  
The NI 5911 acquires an additional record each time a trigger is accepted  
until all the requested records are stored in memory. You may acquire up  
to 1,024 records if your NI 5911 is equipped with 4 MB of onboard  
memory, or 4,096 records with 16 MB of onboard memory. Software  
intervention after the initial setup is not required.  
Multi-record acquisitions can quickly acquire numerous triggered  
waveforms because they allow hardware rearming of the digitizer before  
the data is fetched. Therefore the dead time, or the time when the digitizer  
is not ready for a trigger, is extremely small.  
For more information on multi-record acquisitions and dead time, refer to  
Chapter 5, Tasks and Examples, of the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual.  
RTSI Bus and Clock PFI  
The Real-Time System Integration (RTSI) bus allows NI digitizers to  
synchronize timing and triggering on multiple devices. The RTSI bus has  
seven bidirectional trigger lines and one bidirectional clock signal.  
You can program any of the seven trigger lines to provide or accept a  
synchronous trigger signal. You can also use any of the RTSI trigger lines  
to provide a synchronization pulse from a master device if you are  
synchronizing multiple NI 5911 devices.  
You can use the RTSI bus clock line to provide or accept a 10 MHz  
reference clock to synchronize multiple NI 5911 devices.  
PFI Lines  
The NI 5911 has two digital lines that can accept a trigger, accept or  
generate a reference clock, or output a 1 kHz square wave. The function of  
each PFI line is independent. However, only one trigger source can be  
accepted during acquisition.  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
PFI Lines as Inputs  
You can select PFI 1 or PFI 2 as inputs for a trigger or a reference clock.  
Refer to the Synchronization section for more information about the use of  
reference clocks in the NI 5911.  
PFI Lines as Outputs  
You can select PFI 1 or PFI 2 to output several digital signals.  
Reference Clock is a 10 MHz clock that is synchronous to the 100 MHz  
sample clock on the NI 5911. You can use the Reference Clock to  
synchronize to another NI 5911 configured as a slave device or to other  
equipment that can accept a 10 MHz reference.  
Frequency Output is a 1 kHz digital pulse train signal with a 50% duty  
cycle. The most common application of Frequency Output for the NI 5911  
is to provide a signal for compensating a passive probe.  
Synchronization  
The NI 5911 uses a digital phase-locked loop to synchronize the 100 MHz  
sample clock to a 10 MHz reference. This reference frequency can be  
supplied by an internal crystal oscillator or through an external frequency  
input through the RTSI bus clock line or a PFI input.  
The NI 5911 can also output its 10 MHz reference on the RTSI bus clock  
line or a PFI line so that additional NI 5911 devices or other equipment can  
be synchronized to the same reference.  
While the reference clock input is sufficient to synchronize the 100 MHz  
sample clocks, it is also necessary to synchronize clock dividers on each  
NI 5911 so that internal clock divisors are synchronized on each device.  
These lower frequencies are important because they are used to determine  
trigger times and sample position.  
To synchronize the NI 5911 clock dividers, you must connect the digitizers  
with an RTSI bus cable. One of the RTSI bus triggers must be designated  
as a synchronization line. This line is an output from the master device and  
an input on the slave device. To synchronize the digitizers, a single pulse is  
sent from the master NI 5911 to the slaves. This pulse supplies the slave  
devices with a reference time to clear their clock dividers. Hardware arming  
cannot be used during an acquisition using multiple devices.  
To synchronize the triggers of multiple NI 5911 devices, one digitizer must  
receive a trigger as described in the Triggering and Arming section and then  
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Chapter 2  
Hardware Overview  
route that trigger over the RTSI bus to trigger the other digitizer(s).  
However, the trigger that is routed to the other digitizer(s) is sent  
synchronously to an internal 25 MHz clock. For more information about  
synchronization, refer to the NI-SCOPE Software User Manual.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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A
Specifications  
This appendix lists the specifications of the NI 5911. These specifications  
are typical at 25 °C unless otherwise stated.  
Acquisition System  
Bandwidth .............................................. 100 MHz maximum;  
refer to Table 2-2, Available  
Sampling Rates and  
Corresponding Bandwidth in  
Flexible Resolution Mode  
Number of channels ............................... 1  
Number of flexible resolution ADC....... 1  
Max RIS sample rate.............................. 1 GS/s  
Max real-time sample rate...................... 100 MS/s  
Resolution  
Sample Rate  
100/n* MS/s  
12.5 MS/s  
5 MS/s  
Mode  
Effective Resolution  
8 bits  
Conventional  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
11 bits  
14 bits  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MS/s  
15.5 bits  
17.5 bits  
18 bits  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
18.5 bits  
19 bits  
100 kS/s  
50 kS/s  
19.5 bits  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Sample Rate  
20 kS/s  
10 kS/s  
Mode  
Effective Resolution  
20.5 bits  
Flexible Resolution  
Flexible Resolution  
21 bits  
* 1 n 224 in conventional mode  
Sample onboard memory........................4 MB or 16 MB  
Memory Sample Depth  
Sampling  
Frequency  
Sample Depth  
(4 MB)  
Sample Depth  
(16 MB)  
Mode  
100/n* MS/s  
Conventional  
4 MS  
1 MS  
16 MS  
4 MS  
12.5 MS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
5 MS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
1 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
4 MS  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
100 kS/s  
50 kS/s  
20 kS/s  
10 kS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
* 1 n 224 in conventional mode  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Vertical Sensitivity (Input Ranges)  
Input Range  
10 V  
Noise Referred to Input  
–174 dBfs/ Hz  
–168 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–154 dBfs/ Hz  
–148 dBfs/ Hz  
–140 dBfs/ Hz  
–128 dBfs/ Hz  
5 V  
2 V  
1 V  
0.5 V  
0.2 V  
0.1 V  
Acquisition Characteristics  
Accuracy  
DC gain accuracy................................... 0.05% signal 0.0001% fs  
for all input ranges at 1 MS/s  
in flexible resolution mode  
DC offset accuracy................................. 0.1 mV 0.01% fs  
for all input ranges at 1 MS/s  
in flexible resolution mode  
Input coupling ........................................ DC and AC, software selectable  
AC coupling cut-off frequency  
(–3 dB) ................................................... 2.5 Hz 0.5 Hz  
Input impedance..................................... 1 M2%  
Max measurable input voltage ............... 10 V (DC + peak AC)  
Input protection...................................... 42 VDC (DC + peak AC)  
Input bias current ................................... 1 nA, typical at 25 °C  
Common-Mode Characteristics  
Impedance to chassis ground ................. 10 kΩ  
Common-mode rejection ratio ............... CMRR > –70 dB, (Fin < 1 kHz)  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Filtering  
Sampling Frequency  
100/n* MS/s  
Filter Mode  
Bandwidth  
100 MHz  
Ripple  
3 dB  
Alias Attenuation  
N/A  
Conventional  
12.5 MS/s  
Flexible  
3.75 MHz  
0.2 dB  
–60 dB  
Resolution  
5 MS/s  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
2 MHz  
1 MHz  
400 kHz  
200 kHz  
80 kHz  
40 kHz  
20 kHz  
8 kHz  
0.1 dB  
–70 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
–80 dB  
Flexible  
Resolution  
0.05 dB  
Flexible  
Resolution  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
0.005 dB  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
100 kS/s  
50 kS/s  
20 kS/s  
10 kS/s  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
Resolution  
Flexible  
4 kHz  
Resolution  
* 1 n 224 in conventional mode  
Dynamic Range  
Noise (excluding input-referred noise)  
Sampling Frequency  
100/n* MS/s  
12.5 MS/s  
Bandwidth  
100 MHz  
3.75 MHz  
2 MHz  
Noise Density  
–120 dBfs/ Hz  
–135 dBfs/ Hz  
–143 dBfs/ Hz  
–152 dBfs/ Hz  
Total Noise  
–43 dBfs  
–64 dBfs  
–83 dBfs  
–91 dBfs  
5 MS/s  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MHz  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Sampling Frequency  
Bandwidth  
400 kHz  
200 kHz  
80 kHz  
Noise Density  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
–160 dBfs/ Hz  
Total Noise  
1 MS/s  
–104 dBfs  
–107 dBfs  
–111 dBfs  
–114 dBfs  
–117 dBfs  
–121 dBfs  
–124 dBfs  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
100 kS/s  
40 kHz  
50 kS/s  
20 kS/s  
20 kHz  
8 kHz  
10 kS/s  
4 kHz  
* 1 n 224 in conventional mode  
Distortion  
Sampling  
SFDR for Input  
SFDR for Input  
SFDR for Input  
Frequency  
0 dBfs  
50 dBfs  
65 dBfs  
70 dBfs  
75 dBfs  
85 dBfs  
90 dBfs  
100 dBfs  
100 dBfs  
100 dBfs  
100 dBfs  
100 dBfs  
–20 dBfs  
–60 dBfs (typical)  
100 MS/s  
12.5 MS/s  
5 MS/s  
50 dBfs  
N/A  
85 dBfs  
125 dBfs  
130 dBfs  
135 dBfs  
145 dBfs  
150 dBv  
160 dBfs  
160 dBfs  
160 dBfs  
160 dBfs  
160 dBfs  
90 dBfs  
2.5 MS/s  
1 MS/s  
95 dBfs  
105 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
110 dBfs  
500 kS/s  
200 kS/s  
100 kS/s  
50 kS/s  
20 kS/s  
10 kS/s  
Timebase System  
Reference clock...................................... 10 MHz  
Clock accuracy (as master) .................... 10 MHz 50 ppm  
Clock input tolerance (as slave)............. 10 MHz 100 ppm  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Clock jitter ..............................................<75 pSrms, independent of  
reference clock source  
Clock compatibility ................................TTL for both input and output  
Sampling clock frequencies  
Conventional mode....................... 100/n MHz, where 1 n 224  
Flexible resolution mode.................12.5 MHz, 5 MHz, 2.5 MHz,  
1 MHz, 500 kHz, 200 kHz,  
100 kHz, 50 kHz, 20 kHz, 10 kHz  
Reference clock sources .........................PFI lines, RTSI clock, or onboard  
Triggering Systems  
Modes .....................................................Edge, hysteresis, window, digital  
Source .....................................................CH0, RTSI<0..6>, PFI 1, 2  
Slope .......................................................Rising/falling  
Hysteresis................................................Full-scale voltage/n, where n is  
between 1 and 170  
Coupling .................................................AC/DC  
Pretrigger depth ......................................Up to 4 MS or 16 MS, depending  
on memory option purchased and  
sampling mode  
Posttrigger depth.....................................Up to 4 MS or 16 MS, depending  
on memory option purchased and  
sampling mode  
Holdoff time ...........................................5 µs to 171.79 s in increments  
of 40 ns  
Trigger resolution ...................................170 steps in full-scale voltage  
range  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Sampling Methods  
Random interleaved sampling................ 1 GS/s down to 200 MS/s  
effective sample rate, repetitive  
signals only  
Real-time sampling ................................ Up to 100 MS/s sample rate for  
transient and repetitive signals  
Power Requirements  
+5 VDC.................................................. 4 A  
+12 VDC................................................ 100 mA  
–12 VDC ................................................ 100 mA  
Physical  
Dimensions............................................. 33.8 by 9.9 cm (13.3 by 3.9 in.)  
I/O connectors  
Analog input CH0........................... BNC female  
Digital triggers ................................ SMB female, 9-pin mini DIN  
Operating Environment  
Note Multiple NI 5911 devices in the same computer may raise operating temperatures  
beyond specification and give rise to imprecise data. NI strongly recommends leaving an  
empty PCI slot between multiple NI 5911 devices or adding a fan.  
Ambient temperature.............................. 5 °C to 40 °C  
Relative humidity................................... 10% to 90%, noncondensing  
Storage Environment  
Ambient temperature.............................. –20 °C to 65 °C  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
Calibration  
Self-calibration (internal calibration) .....Self-calibration is done using a  
software command. The  
calibration involves gain, offset  
and linearity correction for all  
input ranges and input modes.  
Interval.............................................1 week, or any time temperature  
changes beyond 5 °C. Hardware  
detects temperature variations  
beyond calibration limits, which  
can also be queried by software.  
External calibration.................................Internal reference requires  
recalibration  
Interval.............................................1 year  
Warm-up time.........................................15 minutes  
Safety  
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following  
standards of safety for electrical equipment for measurement, control and  
laboratory use:  
IEC 61010-1, EN 61010-1  
UL 3111-1, UL 61010B-1  
CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 1010.1  
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or to ni.com.  
Electromagnetic Compatibility  
Emissions................................................EN 55011 Class A at 10 m  
FCC Part 15A above 1 GHz  
Immunity ................................................EN 61326:1997 + A2:2001,  
Table 1  
EMC/EMI ...............................................CE, C-Tick and FCC Part 15  
(Class A) Compliant  
Note For EMC compliance, operate this device with shielded cabling.  
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Appendix A  
Specifications  
CE Compliance  
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European  
Directives, as amended for CE Marking, as follows:  
Low-Voltage Directive (safety):73/23/EEC  
Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC):89/336/EEC  
Note Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional  
regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, click Declarations  
of Conformity Information at ni.com/hardref.nsf/.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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B
Technical Support and  
Professional Services  
Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at  
ni.comfor technical support and professional services:  
Support—Online technical support resources include the following:  
Self-Help Resources—For immediate answers and solutions,  
visit our extensive library of technical support resources available  
in English, Japanese, and Spanish at ni.com/support. These  
resources are available for most products at no cost to registered  
users and include software drivers and updates, a KnowledgeBase,  
product manuals, step-by-step troubleshooting wizards,  
conformity documentation, example code, tutorials and  
application notes, instrument drivers, discussion forums,  
a measurement glossary, and so on.  
Assisted Support Options—Contact NI engineers and other  
measurement and automation professionals by visiting ni.com/  
support. Our online system helps you define your question and  
connects you to the experts by phone, discussion forum, or email.  
Training—Visit ni.com/custedfor self-paced tutorials, videos, and  
interactive CDs. You also can register for instructor-led, hands-on  
courses at locations around the world.  
System Integration—If you have time constraints, limited in-house  
technical resources, or other project challenges, NI Alliance Program  
members can help. To learn more, call your local NI office or visit  
ni.com/alliance.  
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)—A DoC is our claim of  
compliance with the Council of the European Communities using the  
manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords the user  
protection for electronic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You  
can obtain the DoC for your product by visiting ni.com/  
hardref.nsf.  
Calibration Certificate—If your product supports calibration, you  
can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/  
calibration.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
B-1  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
                           
Appendix B  
Technical Support and Professional Services  
If you searched ni.comand could not find the answers you need, contact  
your local office or NI corporate headquarters. Phone numbers for our  
worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual. You also can visit  
the Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobalto access the branch  
office Web sites, which provide up-to-date contact information, support  
phone numbers, email addresses, and current events.  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
B-2  
ni.com  
 
 
Glossary  
Symbol  
Prefix  
pico  
Value  
10–12  
10–9  
10– 6  
10–3  
103  
p
n
nano  
micro  
milli  
kilo  
µ
m
k
M
G
mega  
giga  
106  
109  
Symbols  
%
+
/
percent  
positive of, or plus  
negative of, or minus  
per  
°
degree  
plus or minus  
ohm  
A
A
amperes  
A/D  
AC  
analog to digital  
alternating current  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-1  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
 
Glossary  
AC coupled  
ADC  
the passing of a signal through a filter network that removes the  
DC component of the signal  
analog-to-digital converter—an electronic device, often an integrated  
circuit, that converts an analog voltage to a digital number  
ADC resolution  
the resolution of the ADC, which is measured in bits. An ADC with16 bits  
has a higher resolution, and thus a higher degree of accuracy, than a 12-bit  
ADC.  
alias  
a false lower frequency component that appears in sampled data acquired  
at too low a sampling rate  
amplification  
amplitude flatness  
attenuate  
a type of signal conditioning that improves accuracy in the resulting  
digitized signal and reduces noise  
a measure of how close to constant the gain of a circuit remains over a range  
of frequencies  
to reduce in magnitude  
B
b
bit—one binary digit, either 0 or 1  
B
byte—eight related bits of data, an eight-bit binary number. Also used  
to denote the amount of memory required to store one byte of data.  
bandwidth  
the range of frequencies present in a signal, or the range of frequencies to  
which a measuring device can respond  
buffer  
bus  
temporary storage for acquired or generated data (software)  
the group of conductors that interconnect individual circuitry in a computer.  
Typically, a bus is the expansion vehicle to which I/O or other devices are  
connected. Examples of PC buses are the PCI and ISA bus.  
C
C
Celsius  
channel  
pin or wire lead to which you apply or from which you read the analog or  
digital signal  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
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Glossary  
clock  
hardware component that controls timing for reading from or writing to  
groups  
CMRR  
common-mode rejection ratio—a measure of an instrument’s ability to  
reject interference from a common-mode signal, usually expressed in  
decibels (dB)  
counter/timer  
coupling  
a circuit that counts external pulses or clock pulses (timing)  
the manner in which a signal is connected from one location to another  
D
dB  
decibel—the unit for expressing a logarithmic measure of the ratio of  
two signal levels: dB = 20log10 V1/V2, for signals in volts  
DC  
direct current  
default setting  
a default parameter value recorded in the driver. In many cases, the default  
input of a control is a certain value (often 0) that means use the current  
default setting.  
device  
A plug-in data acquisition device, card, or pad that can contain multiple  
channels and conversion devices. Plug-in devices, PCMCIA cards, and  
devices such as the DAQPad-1200, which connects to your computer  
parallel port, are all examples of DAQ devices. SCXI modules are distinct  
from devices, with the exception of the SCXI-1200, which is a hybrid. The  
NI 5911 is an example of a device.  
differential input  
double insulated  
drivers  
an analog input consisting of two terminals, both of which are isolated from  
computer ground, whose difference is measured  
a device that contains the necessary insulating structures to provide electric  
shock protection without the requirement of a safety ground connection  
software that controls a specific hardware instrument  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-3  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
Glossary  
E
EEPROM  
electrically erasable programmable read-only memory—ROM that can be  
erased with an electrical signal and reprogrammed  
equivalent time  
sampling  
any method used to sample signals in such a way that the apparent sampling  
rate is higher than the real sampling rate  
event  
the condition or state of an analog or digital signal  
F
filtering  
a type of signal conditioning that allows you to filter unwanted signals from  
the signal you are trying to measure  
fs  
full-scale—total voltage in the input range. A 10 V input range is 20 V fs  
G
gain  
the factor by which a signal is amplified, sometimes expressed in decibels  
H
hardware  
the physical components of a computer system, such as the circuit boards,  
plug-in boards, chassis, enclosures, peripherals, cables, and so on  
harmonics  
Hz  
multiples of the fundamental frequency of a signal  
hertz—per second, as in cycles per second or samples per second  
I
I/O  
input/output—the transfer of data to/from a computer system involving  
communications channels, operator interface devices, and/or data  
acquisition and control interfaces  
inductance  
the relationship of induced voltage to current  
the current that flows into the inputs of a circuit  
input bias current  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
G-4  
ni.com  
 
Glossary  
input impedance  
instrument driver  
the measured resistance and capacitance between the input terminals of a  
circuit  
a set of high-level software functions that controls a specific plug-in DAQ  
board. Instrument drivers are available in several forms, ranging from a  
function callable language to a virtual instrument (VI) in LabVIEW.  
interrupt  
a computer signal indicating that the CPU should suspend its current task  
to service a designated activity  
interrupt level  
ISA  
the relative priority at which a device can interrupt  
industry standard architecture  
K
k
kilo—the standard metric prefix for 1,000, or 103, used with units of  
measure such as volts, hertz, and meters  
kS  
1,000 samples  
L
LabVIEW  
laboratory virtual instrument engineering workbench—a graphical  
programming ADE developed by National Instruments  
LSB  
least significant bit  
M
m
meters  
MB  
megabytes of memory  
See buffer.  
memory buffer  
MS  
million samples  
most significant bit  
MSB  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-5  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
Glossary  
N
noise  
an undesirable electrical signal—noise comes from external sources such  
as the AC power line, motors, generators, transformers, fluorescent lights,  
soldering irons, CRT displays, computers, electrical storms, welders, radio  
transmitters, and internal sources such as semiconductors, resistors, and  
capacitors. Noise corrupts signals you are trying to send or receive.  
Nyquist frequency  
a frequency that is one-half the sampling rate. See also Nyquist Sampling  
Theorem.  
Nyquist Sampling  
Theorem  
the theorem states that if a continuous bandwidth-limited analog signal  
contains no frequency components higher than half the frequency at which  
it is sampled, then the original signal can be recovered without distortion.  
O
Ohm’s Law  
(R = V/I)—the relationship of voltage to current in a resistance  
overrange  
a segment of the input range of an instrument outside of the normal  
measuring range. Measurements can still be made, usually with a  
degradation in specifications.  
oversampling  
sampling at a rate greater than the Nyquist frequency  
P
passband  
the frequency range that a filter passes without attenuation  
PCI  
Peripheral Component Interconnect—a high-performance expansion bus  
architecture originally developed by Intel to replace ISA and EISA; it is  
achieving widespread acceptance as a standard for PCs and workstations  
and offers a theoretical maximum transfer rate of 132 Mbytes/s  
peak value  
the absolute maximum or minimum amplitude of a signal (AC + DC)  
posttriggering  
the technique to acquire a programmed number of samples after trigger  
conditions are met  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
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ni.com  
 
Glossary  
pretriggering  
PXI  
the technique used on a device to keep a buffer filled with data, so that when  
the trigger conditions are met, the sample includes the data leading up  
to the trigger condition  
PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation. PXI is an open specification that  
builds off the CompactPCI specification by adding  
instrumentation-specific features.  
R
R
resistor  
RAM  
random-access memory  
sampling that occurs immediately  
real-time sampling  
random interleaved  
sampling (RIS)  
method of increasing the sample rate by repetitively sampling a repeated  
waveform  
resolution  
the smallest signal increment that can be detected by a measurement  
system. Resolution can be expressed in bits or in digits. The number of bits  
in a system is roughly equal to 3.3 times the number of digits.  
rms  
root mean square—a measure of signal amplitude; the square root of the  
average value of the square of the instantaneous signal amplitude  
ROM  
read-only memory  
RTSI bus  
real-time system integration bus—the National Instruments timing bus that  
connects devices directly, by means of connectors on top of the boards, for  
precise synchronization of functions  
S
s
seconds  
samples  
S
S/s  
samples per second—used to express the rate at which an instrument  
samples an analog signal. 100 MS/s would equal 100 million samples each  
second.  
© National Instruments Corporation  
G-7  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
Glossary  
sense  
in four-wire resistance the sense measures the voltage across the resistor  
being excited by the excitation current  
settling time  
source impedance  
the amount of time required for a voltage to reach its final value within  
specified limits  
a parameter of signal sources that reflects current-driving ability of voltage  
sources (lower is better) and the voltage-driving ability of current sources  
(higher is better)  
system noise  
a measure of the amount of noise seen by an analog circuit or an ADC when  
the analog inputs are grounded  
T
temperature  
coefficient  
the percentage that a measurement will vary according to temperature.  
See also thermal drift.  
thermal drift  
measurements that change as the temperature varies  
thermal EMFs  
thermal electromotive forces—voltages generated at the junctions of  
dissimilar metals that are functions of temperature. Also called  
thermoelectric potentials.  
thermoelectric  
potentials  
See thermal EMFs.  
transfer rate  
the rate, measured in bytes/s, at which data is moved from source to  
destination after software initialization and set up operations; the maximum  
rate at which the hardware can operate  
trigger  
any event that causes or starts some form of data capture  
U
undersampling  
sampling at a rate lower than the Nyquist frequency—can cause aliasing  
the number of output updates per second  
update rate  
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Glossary  
V
V
volts  
VAC  
VDC  
Verror  
VI  
volts alternating current  
volts direct current  
voltage error  
virtual instrument—(1) a combination of hardware and/or software  
elements, typically used with a PC, that has the functionality of a classic  
stand-alone instrument (2) a LabVIEW software module (VI), which  
consists of a front panel user interface and a block diagram program  
Vrms  
volts, root mean square value  
W
waveform shape  
the shape the magnitude of a signal creates over time  
working voltage  
the highest voltage that should be applied to a product in normal use,  
normally well under the breakdown voltage for safety margin  
© National Instruments Corporation  
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NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
Index  
location on front panel (figure), 1-2  
SMB connector, 1-1  
contacting National Instruments, B-2  
conventions used in the manual, vii  
A
AC coupling, 2-4  
accuracy characteristics, A-3  
acquisition  
multiple record, 2-11  
Scope Soft Front Panel, 1-4  
acquisition characteristics specifications  
accuracy, A-3  
common-mode characteristics, A-3  
distortion, A-5  
dynamic range, A-4  
dead time, in multiple record acquisition, 2-11  
Declaration of Conformity, B-1  
(PGIA)  
filtering, A-4  
acquisition modes specifications, A-7  
B
AC coupling, 2-4  
differential input, 2-1  
input bias, 2-4  
input impedance, 2-3  
bias, input, 2-4  
input protection, 2-4  
noise-free signal measurement (figure), 2-2  
DIN connector, 1-1  
distortion specifications, A-5  
documentation  
conventions used in manual, vii  
online library, B-1  
related documentation, viii  
drivers  
C
calibration  
errors occurring during acquisition, 2-8  
external calibration, 2-8  
internal calibration, 2-7  
specifications, A-8  
calibration certificate, B-1  
clock lines, 2-12  
common-mode characteristics, A-3  
connectors  
instrument, B-1  
software, B-1  
dynamic range specifications, A-4  
BNC connector, 1-1  
DIN connector, 1-1  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-1  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
 
Index  
RTSI bus trigger and clock lines, 2-11  
trigger holdoff, 2-10  
triggering and arming  
E
errors during acquisition, 2-8  
analog trigger circuit, 2-9  
trigger holdoff, 2-10  
trigger sources (figure), 2-9  
F
filtering specifications, A-4  
flexible resolution mode  
available sampling rates (table), 2-6  
definition, 2-6  
purpose and use, 2-6  
frequently asked questions, B-1  
I
impedance  
formula for impedance divider, 2-3  
input and output impedance, 2-3  
input bias, 2-4  
G
grounding considerations, 2-2  
input impedance, 2-3  
input protection circuits, 2-4  
input ranges, 2-3  
H
installation  
hardware overview  
category, ix  
See also specifications  
acquisition system  
installing NI 5911, 1-1  
instrument drivers, B-1  
calibration, 2-7  
amplifier (PGIA)  
AC coupling, 2-4  
differential input, 2-1  
memory  
description, 2-10  
noise-free signal measurement  
(figure), 2-2  
memory, 2-10  
multiple record acquisition, 2-11  
oscilloscope mode, 2-5  
N
National Instruments  
calibration certificate, B-1  
customer education, B-1  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
I-2  
 
ni.com  
Index  
Declaration of Conformity, B-1  
professional services, B-1  
system integration services, B-1  
technical support, B-1  
P
PFI lines  
as outputs, 2-12  
worldwide offices, B-2  
NI 5911  
input amplifier (PGIA)  
phone technical support, B-2  
professional services, B-1  
programmable gain input amplifier PGIA. See  
differential programmable gain input  
amplifier (PGIA)  
See also hardware overview  
block diagram, 2-1  
connectors  
BNC connector, 1-1  
DIN connector, 1-1  
location on front panel (figure), 1-2  
SMB connector, 1-1  
front panel (figure), 1-2  
installing, 1-1  
Scope Soft Front Panel, 1-4  
specifications  
acquisition characteristics, A-3  
acquisition modes, A-7  
triggering systems, A-6  
NI-SCOPE driver software  
installing, 1-1  
Random Interleaved Sampling (RIS), 2-5  
related documentation, viii  
RIS (Random Interleaved Sampling), 2-5  
RTSI bus trigger and clock lines  
PIF lines, 2-11  
noise-free measurements, 2-1  
synchronization, 2-12  
O
online technical support, B-1  
oscilloscope mode  
sampling methods—real-time and RIS, 2-5  
sampling rate, flexible resolution mode  
(table), 2-6  
definition, 2-5  
purpose and use, 2-5  
Real-Time and RIS sampling  
methods, 2-5  
Scope Soft Front Panel, 1-4  
SMB connector, 1-1  
software drivers, B-1  
output impedance, 2-3  
© National Instruments Corporation  
I-3  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
 
Index  
specifications  
acquisition characteristics  
telephone technical support, B-2  
timebase system specifications, A-5  
training  
accuracy, A-3  
common-mode characteristics, A-3  
distortion, A-5  
dynamic range, A-4  
filtering, A-4  
customer, B-1  
triggering and arming  
analog trigger circuit, 2-9  
memory usage, 2-10  
specifications, A-6  
trigger holdoff, 2-10  
acquisition modes, A-7  
acquisition system, A-1  
calibration, A-8  
operating environment, A-7  
physical, A-7  
power requirements, A-7  
storage environment, A-7  
timebase system, A-5  
triggering systems, A-6  
storage environment specifications, A-7  
support  
technical, B-1  
synchronization, 2-12  
system integration services, B-1  
Web  
professional services, B-1  
technical support, B-1  
worldwide technical support, B-2  
NI PCI-5911 User Manual  
I-4  
 
ni.com  

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