National Instruments devices raise bar for PXI platform performance

According to NI, engineers can use the new products to create high performance PXI Express systems with tight synchronisation and high system data throughput. The NI PXIe-6674T timing module is designed to generate and route clocks and triggers between devices in a PXI Express chassis. It can also externally route signals to other PXI and PXI Express chassis or third party instrumentation. It can generate two types of clock signals; a 10MHz clock based on an onboard precision OCXO reference with a 50ppb accuracy; and a clock up to 1GHz with µHz resolution from the direct digital synthesis clock generation circuit. It features advanced trigger and timing routing with PXIe_DSTAR differential star trigger lines that offer less than 500ps skews and 10ns of delays. The NI PXIe-PCIe8388 kit uses a x16 Gen 2 PCI Express link that has been designed to provide up to 8GB/s/direction of sustained throughput. The remote controller can control PXI Express systems from a x16 Gen 2 PCI Express slot in an NI rack-mount controller. It features a downstream port to create high performance, multichassis systems by connecting to other PXI Express chassis as well as to other enclosures with general purpose graphical processing units. "NI worked with the PXI Systems Alliance to introduce PXI in 1997 and continues to be a leader in pushing the platform's performance with the introduction of these new PXI Express products," said Eric Starkloff, NI's vice president of Product Marketing. "The new timing module is the first in the market to provide access to the advanced PXI Express timing and synchronisation features for best in class clock and trigger routing for synchronising PXI. The new remote controller interfaces PXI Express systems using the fastest cabled PCI Express link to double the throughput for high-speed data streaming applications." Both new products work with NI software.