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DAQ
DAQCard™-1200
User Manual
Multifunction I/O Card for
the PCMCIA Bus
DAQCard-1200 User Manual

October 1999 Edition

Part Number 320936B-01

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Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information
www.natinst.com

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11500 North Mopac Expressway Austin, Texas 78759-3504 USA Tel: 512 794 0100

Worldwide Offices
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For further support information, see the Technical Support Resources appendix. To comment on the
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Important Information

Warranty
The DAQ-Card-1200 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 MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMER’S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR
NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER. NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR 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™, DAQCard ™, DAQPad™, LabVIEW™, natinst.com™, National Instruments™ , NI-DAQ™, and RTSI™ are trademarks
of National Instruments Corporation.
Product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS

(1) NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL
OF RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL
COMPONENTS IN ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE
EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO A HUMAN.
(2) IN ANY APPLICATION, INCLUDING THE ABOVE, RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS
CAN BE IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL
POWER SUPPLY, COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS, COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE
FITNESS, FITNESS OF COMPILERS AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION,
INSTALLATION ERRORS, SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONS OR
FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL DEVICES, TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC
SYSTEMS (HARDWARE AND/OR SOFTWARE), UNANTICIPATED USES OR MISUSES, OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF
THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER (ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE HEREAFTER
COLLECTIVELY TERMED “SYSTEM FAILURES”). ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD
CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS (INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH)
SHOULD 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 COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT
EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS, THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS
ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE INCORPORATED IN A
SYSTEM OR APPLICATION, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN, PROCESS AND
SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION.

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Contents

About This Manual

Organization of This Manual .........................................................................................ix
Conventions Used in This Manual.................................................................................x
National Instruments Documentation ............................................................................xi
Related Documentation..................................................................................................xii

Chapter 1
Introduction
About the DAQCard-1200.............................................................................................1-1
What You Need to Get Started ......................................................................................1-2
Software Programming Choices ....................................................................................1-2
LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI Application Software................................1-3
NI-DAQ Driver Software ................................................................................1-3
Register-Level Programming ..........................................................................1-4
Optional Equipment .......................................................................................................1-5
Unpacking ......................................................................................................................1-5

Chapter 2
Installation and Configuration
Installation .....................................................................................................................2-1
Configuration .................................................................................................................2-2
Analog Input Configuration ............................................................................2-3
Analog Input Polarity........................................................................2-3
Analog Input Mode ...........................................................................2-4
RSE Input (Eight Channels, Default Setting) .....................2-4
NRSE Input (Eight Channels) ............................................2-5
DIFF Input (Four Channels) ...............................................2-5
Analog Output Configuration..........................................................................2-5
Analog Output Polarity .....................................................................2-6
Digital I/O Configuration ................................................................................2-6
Counter Configuration.....................................................................................2-6

Chapter 3
Signal Connections
I/O Connector ................................................................................................................3-1
Signal Connection Descriptions.....................................................................................3-3
Analog Input Signal Connections....................................................................3-4

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Contents

Types of Signal Sources ................................................................... 3-6

Floating Signal Sources...................................................... 3-6
Ground-Referenced Signal Sources ................................... 3-6
Input Configurations......................................................................... 3-7
Differential Connection Considerations
(DIFF Configuration) ...................................................... 3-7
Differential Connections for Grounded Signal Sources..... 3-8
Differential Connections for Floating Signal Sources ....... 3-9
Single-Ended Connection Considerations.......................... 3-11
Single-Ended Connections for Floating Signal Sources
(RSE Configuration)........................................................ 3-11
Single-Ended Connections for Grounded Signal
Sources (NRSE Configuration) ....................................... 3-12
Common-Mode Signal Rejection Considerations.............. 3-13
Analog Output Signal Connections................................................................. 3-14
Digital I/O Signal Connections......................................................... 3-15
Port C Pin Connections..................................................................... 3-17
Timing Specifications....................................................................... 3-18
Mode 1 Input Timing ......................................................... 3-19
Mode 1 Output Timing....................................................... 3-20
Mode 2 Bidirectional Timing............................................. 3-20
DAQ and General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections ................................ 3-22
DAQ Timing Connections................................................................ 3-22
General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections .................................. 3-26
Power Connections ......................................................................................... 3-31

Chapter 4
Theory of Operation
Functional Overview ..................................................................................................... 4-1
PC Card I/O Channel Interface Circuitry ...................................................................... 4-2
Timing ........................................................................................................................... 4-3
Analog Input.................................................................................................................. 4-5
Analog Input Circuitry .................................................................................... 4-6
Data Acquisition Timing................................................................................. 4-8
Data Acquisition Operation .............................................................. 4-8
Continuous Data Acquisition............................................................ 4-8
Interval Data Acquisition.................................................................. 4-9
Data Acquisition Rates.................................................................................... 4-9

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 Contents

Analog Output................................................................................................................4-11
Analog Output Circuitry..................................................................................4-11
Power-On State................................................................................................4-12
DAC Timing....................................................................................................4-12
Digital I/O ......................................................................................................................4-13

Chapter 5
Calibration
Calibration at Higher Gains ...........................................................................................5-2
Calibration Equipment Requirements............................................................................5-2
Using the Calibration Function......................................................................................5-2

Appendix A
Specifications

Appendix B
Differences among the Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200,
and the DAQCard-1200

Appendix C
Power-Management Modes

Appendix D
PC Card Questions and Answers

Appendix E
Technical Support Resources

Glossary

Index

Figures
Figure 1-1. The Relationship between the Programming Environment,
NI-DAQ, and Your Hardware ...............................................................1-4

Figure 2-1. A Typical Configuration for the DAQCard-1200 .................................2-2

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Contents

Figure 3-1. DAQCard-1200 I/O Connector Pin Assignments................................. 3-2

Figure 3-2. DAQCard-1200 Instrumentation Amplifier.......................................... 3-5
Figure 3-3. Differential Input Connections for Grounded Signal Sources .............. 3-9
Figure 3-4. Differential Input Connections for Floating Sources............................ 3-10
Figure 3-5. Single-Ended Input Connections for Floating Signal Sources ............. 3-12
Figure 3-6. Single-Ended Input Connections for Grounded Signal Sources........... 3-13
Figure 3-7. Analog Output Signal Connections ...................................................... 3-14
Figure 3-8. Digital I/O Connections ........................................................................ 3-16
Figure 3-9. Mode 1 Timing Specifications for Input Transfers............................... 3-19
Figure 3-10. Mode 1 Timing Specifications for Output Transfers ............................ 3-20
Figure 3-11. Mode 2 Timing Specifications for Bidirectional Transfers .................. 3-21
Figure 3-12. EXTCONV* Signal Timing ................................................................. 3-22
Figure 3-13. Posttrigger DAQ Timing....................................................................... 3-23
Figure 3-14. Pretrigger DAQ Timing ........................................................................ 3-24
Figure 3-15. Interval-Scanning Signal Timing .......................................................... 3-25
Figure 3-16. EXTUPDATE* Signal Timing for Updating DAC Output .................. 3-26
Figure 3-17. Event-Counting Application with External Switch Gating .................. 3-27
Figure 3-18. Frequency Measurement Application ................................................... 3-29
Figure 3-19. General-Purpose Timing Signals .......................................................... 3-30

Figure 4-1. DAQCard-1200 Block Diagram ........................................................... 4-1

Figure 4-2. PC Card I/O Interface Circuitry Block Diagram .................................. 4-2
Figure 4-3. Timing Circuitry ................................................................................... 4-4
Figure 4-4. Analog Input Circuitry .......................................................................... 4-6
Figure 4-5. Analog Output Circuitry ....................................................................... 4-11
Figure 4-6. Digital I/O Circuitry.............................................................................. 4-13

Tables
Table 2-1. Analog I/O Settings............................................................................... 2-3
Table 2-2. Analog Input Modes for the DAQCard-1200 ....................................... 2-4

Table 3-1. Bipolar and Unipolar Analog Input Signal Range Versus Gain ........... 3-5
Table 3-2. Recommended Input Configurations for Ground-Referenced
and Floating Signal Sources.................................................................. 3-7
Table 3-3. Port C Signal Assignments ................................................................... 3-17

Table 4-1. Analog Input Settling Time Versus Gain.............................................. 4-10

Table 4-2. DAQCard-1200 Maximum Recommended Data Acquisition Rates .... 4-10

Table C-1. DAQCard-1200 Power-Management Modes ....................................... C-1

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About This Manual

This manual describes the mechanical and electrical aspects of the

DAQCard-1200 and contains information concerning its installation and
operation. The DAQCard-1200 is a compact, low-cost, low-power analog
input, analog output, digital, and timing I/O card for IBM PC/XT, PC AT,
and compatible computers that are equipped with a Type II PC Card socket.

Organization of This Manual

The DAQCard-1200 User Manual is organized as follows:
• Chapter 1, Introduction, describes the DAQCard-1200; lists what you
need to get started, the optional software, and optional equipment; and
explains how to unpack the DAQCard-1200.
• Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration, describes how to install and
software configure the DAQCard-1200.
• Chapter 3, Signal Connections, describes the signals on the
DAQCard-1200 I/O connector.
• Chapter 4, Theory of Operation, explains the operation of each
functional unit of the DAQCard-1200.
• Chapter 5, Calibration, discusses the calibration procedures for the
DAQCard-1200 analog I/O circuitry.
• Appendix A, Specifications, lists the specifications of the
DAQCard-1200.
• Appendix B, Differences among the Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200,
and the DAQCard-1200, contains a summary of the functional
differences among the Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200, and the
DAQCard-1200.
• Appendix C, Power-Management Modes, describes the
power-management modes of the DAQCard-1200.
• Appendix D, PC Card Questions and Answers, contains a list of
common questions and answers relating to PC Card operation.
• Appendix E, Technical Support Resources, contains forms you can use
to request help from National Instruments or to comment on our
products and manuals.

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About This Manual

• The Glossary contains an alphabetical list and description of terms

used in this manual, including abbreviations, acronyms, metric
prefixes, mnemonics, and symbols.
• The Index contains an alphabetical list of key terms and topics in this
manual, including the page where you can find each one.

Conventions Used in This Manual

The following conventions are used in this manual:

<> Angle brackets enclose the name of a key on the keyboard—for example,
<shift>. Angle brackets containing numbers separated by an ellipsis
represent a range of values associated with a bit or signal name—for
example, DBIO<3..0>.

This icon to the left of bold italicized text denotes a note, which alerts you
to important information.

This icon to the left of bold italicized text denotes a caution, which advises
! you of precautions to take to avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.

This icon to the left of bold italicized text denotes a warning, which advises
you of precautions to take to avoid being electrically shocked.

bold italic Bold italic text denotes an activity objective, note, caution, or warning.

italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction

to a key concept. This font also denotes text from which you supply the
appropriate word or value, as in NI-DAQ 6.x.

monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should literally 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, file names and extensions, and for statements and
comments taken from programs.

NI-DAQ NI-DAQ is used in this manual to refer to the NI-DAQ software for PC
compatibles unless otherwise stated.

PC PC refers to the IBM PC/XT, PC AT, Personal System/2, and laptop

compatible computers which are equipped with a Type II, 5 V-capable slot
and a PCMCIA standard version 2.0 or later bus interface.

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 About This Manual

National Instruments Documentation

The DAQCard-1200 User Manual is one piece of the documentation set
for your data acquisition system. You could have any of several types of
manuals, depending on the hardware and software in your system. Use the
manuals you have as follows:
• Getting Started with SCXI—If you are using SCXI, this is the first
manual you should read. It gives an overview of the SCXI system and
contains the most commonly needed information for the modules,
chassis, and software.
• Your SCXI user manuals—If you are using SCXI, read these manuals
next for detailed information about signal connections and module
configuration. They also explain in greater detail how the module
works and contain application hints.
• Your DAQ board user manuals—These manuals have detailed
information about the DAQ hardware that plugs into or is connected
to your computer. Use these manuals for hardware installation and
configuration instructions, specification information about your DAQ
hardware, and application hints.
• Software manuals—Examples of software manuals you may have are
the LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI manual sets and the NI-DAQ
manuals. After you set up your hardware system, use either the
application software (LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI) manuals or the
NI-DAQ manuals to help you write your application. If you have a
large and complicated system, it is worthwhile to look through the
software manuals before you configure your hardware.
• Accessory manuals—If you are using accessory products, read the
terminal block and cable assembly installation guides. They explain
how to physically connect the relevant pieces of the system. Consult
these guides when you are making your connections.
• SCXI chassis manuals—If you are using SCXI, read these manuals for
maintenance information on the chassis and installation instructions.

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About This Manual

Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful as
you read this manual:
• Your NI-DAQ or LabVIEW software manuals for PC compatibles
• Your computer operating manual, which explains how to insert cards
into the PC Card slot
• “Dither in Digital Audio” by John Vanderkooy and Stanley P. Lipshitz,
Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, Vol. 35, No. 12, Dec. 1987

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Introduction
1
This chapter describes the DAQCard-1200; lists what you need to get
started, the optional software, and optional equipment; and explains how to
unpack the DAQCard-1200.

About the DAQCard-1200

Thank you for your purchase of the National Instruments DAQCard-1200.
The DAQCard-1200 is a low-cost, low-power analog input, analog output,
digital I/O, and timing I/O card for PCs equipped with a Type II PC Card
slot. The card contains a 12-bit, successive-approximation ADC with
eight inputs, which you can configure as eight single-ended or four
differential channels. The DAQCard-1200 also has two 12-bit DACs
with voltage outputs, 24 lines of TTL-compatible digital I/O and
three 16-bit counter/timer channels for timing I/O. The specially designed
standard 50-pin I/O connector for the DAQCard-1200 enables you to
connect all your analog, digital, and timing signals directly to the card.
The DAQCard-1200 is fully software-configurable and calibrated so that
you can easily install the card and begin your acquisition.

The small size and weight of the DAQCard-1200 coupled with its low
power consumption make this card ideal for use in portable computers,
making portable data acquisition practical. The card requires very little
power when operating, thus extending the life of your computer batteries.

In addition, the low cost and multifunctional nature of a system based on

the DAQCard-1200 makes it ideal for laboratory work in industrial and
academic environments. The multichannel analog input is useful in signal
analysis and data logging. The 12-bit ADC is useful in high-resolution
applications such as chromatography, temperature measurement, and
DC voltage measurement. You can use the analog output channels to
generate experimental stimuli or for machine and process control and
analog function generation. You can use the 24 TTL-compatible digital I/O
line for switching external devices such as transistors and solid-state relays,
for reading the status of external digital logic, and for generating interrupts.
You can use the counter/timers to synchronize events, generate pulses, and
measure frequency and time. The DAQCard-1200, used in conjunction

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Chapter 1 Introduction

with the PC, is a versatile, cost-effective and portable platform for

laboratory test, measurement, and control.

The DAQCard-1200 is shipped with NI-DAQ, a National Instruments

complete DAQ driver that handles every function listed on the data sheet for
our DAQ hardware. Using NI-DAQ, you can start your application quickly
and easily without having to program the card at the register level. Utilities
shipped with NI-DAQ also can help you conserve additional power by
configuring the DAQCard-1200 in the power-down mode. See Appendix C,
Power-Management Modes, for a description of the power-management
modes.

Detailed specifications of the DAQCard-1200 are in Appendix A,

Specifications.

What You Need to Get Started

To set up and use your DAQCard-1200, you will need the following items:

❑ DAQCard-1200
❑ DAQCard-1200 I/O cable
❑ DAQCard-1200 User Manual
❑ One of the following software packages and documentation:
– LabVIEW for Macintosh
– LabVIEW for Windows
– LabWindows/CVI for Windows
– NI-DAQ for Macintosh
– NI-DAQ for PC compatibles

❑ Your computer

Software Programming Choices

There are several options to choose from when programming your National
Instruments plug-in DAQ and SCXI hardware. You can use LabVIEW,
LabWindows/CVI, or NI-DAQ.

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 Chapter 1 Introduction

LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI Application Software

LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are innovative program development
software packages for data acquisition and control applications. LabVIEW
uses graphical programming, whereas LabWindows/CVI enhances
traditional programming languages. Both packages include extensive
libraries for data acquisition, instrument control, data analysis, and
graphical data presentation.

LabVIEW features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface,

and a powerful graphical programming language. The LabVIEW Data
Acquisition VI Library, a series of VIs for using LabVIEW with National
Instruments boards, is included with LabVIEW. The LabVIEW Data
Acquisition VI Libraries are functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ
software.

LabWindows/CVI features interactive graphics and a state-of-the-art user

interface and uses the ANSI standard C programming language. The
LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition Library, a series of functions for using
LabWindows/CVI with National Instruments boards, is included with your
NI-DAQ software kit. The LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition libraries are
functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

Using LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI software will greatly reduce the

development time for your data acquisition and control application.

NI-DAQ Driver Software

The NI-DAQ driver software is included at no charge with all National
Instruments DAQ hardware. NI-DAQ has an extensive library of functions
that you can call from your application programming environment. These
functions include routines for analog input (A/D conversion), buffered data
acquisition (high-speed A/D conversion), analog output (D/A conversion),
waveform generation, digital I/O, counter/timer operations, SCXI, RTSI,
self-calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory.

NI-DAQ also internally addresses many of the complex issues between the
computer and the plug-in board, such as programming interrupts and
DMA controllers. NI-DAQ maintains a consistent software interface
among its different versions so that you can change platforms with minimal
modifications to your code. Figure 1-1 illustrates the relationship between
NI-DAQ and LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI. You can see that the data
acquisition parts of LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are functionally
equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

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Chapter 1 Introduction

Conventional
Programming LabVIEW LabWindows/CVI
Environment (PC, Macintosh, or (PC or
(PC, Macintosh, or Sun SPARCstation) Sun SPARCstation)
Sun SPARCstation)

NI-DAQ
Driver Software

Personal
DAQ or Computer
SCXI Hardware or
Workstation

Figure 1-1. The Relationship between the Programming Environment,

NI-DAQ, and Your Hardware

Register-Level Programming
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.

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 as easy and as flexible as register-level
programming and can save weeks of development time.

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 Chapter 1 Introduction

Optional Equipment
You can use the following National Instruments products with your
DAQCard-1200:
• BNC-2081
• CB-50 or CB-50LP I/O connector block with a 0.5 or 1.0 m cable
• ER-8, ER-16 electromechanical relays
• PR50-50F or PR50-50M cables
• SC-2042, SC-2043 strain gauge and RTD accessories
• SCXI products

For more information about optional equipment available from National

Instruments, refer to your National Instruments catalog or call the office
nearest you.

Unpacking
The DAQCard-1200 is shipped in an antistatic vinyl envelope; when you
are not using the DAQCard-1200, store it in this envelope.

Because the DAQCard-1200 is enclosed in a fully shielded case, no

additional electrostatic precautions are necessary. However, for your own
safety and to protect the DAQCard-1200, never attempt to touch the pins of
the connectors.

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Installation and Configuration
2
This chapter describes how to install and software configure the
DAQCard-1200.

Installation
There are two basic steps to installing the DAQCard-1200.
1. You must have Card & Socket Services 2.0 (or a later version) on your
computer.
2. Insert the DAQCard-1200 and attach the I/O cable.

The DAQCard-1200 has two connectors—a 68-pin PCMCIA bus

connector on one end and a 50-pin I/O connector on the other end. Insert
the PCMCIA bus connector into any available Type II PC Card slot until
the connector is seated firmly. Notice that the card is keyed so that it can be
inserted only one way. If your computer supports hot insertion, you may
insert or remove the DAQCard-1200 at any time, whether your computer is
powered on or off.

You can use either a 50-pin female or a 50-pin male cable to plug into the
DAQCard-1200. For more information on these products, see the Optional
Equipment section in Chapter 1, Introduction. Notice that the cable is
keyed so that you can insert it only one way. Be careful not to put strain
on the I/O cable when inserting it into and removing it from the
DAQCard-1200. Always grasp the cable by the connector you are plugging
or unplugging. Never pull directly on the I/O cable to unplug it from the
DAQCard-1200.

The DAQCard-1200 is now installed. You are ready to make the appropriate
connections to the I/O connector cable as described in Chapter 3, Signal
Connections, and to install and configure your software.

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Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

Figure 2-1 shows an example of a typical configuration.

Portable
Computer

PCMCIA Socket

I/O Cable
CB-50

I/O Signals

®
AL T

ent
rum
Inst
ION MEN

the
is
NATTRU

e
war
Soft
INS

The

Figure 2-1. A Typical Configuration for the DAQCard-1200

Configuration
The DAQCard-1200 is completely software configurable; refer to your
software manuals to install and configure your software.

If you are using NI-DAQ, refer to your NI-DAQ user manual or function
reference manual. The software installation and configuration instructions
are in Chapter 1. Find the installation and system configuration section for
your operating system and follow the instructions given there.

If you are using LabVIEW, you do not need the NI-DAQ manuals; the
software installation instructions are in your LabVIEW release notes. After
you have installed LabVIEW, refer to the Data Acquisition, VXI, and GPIB
Installation Notes section of Chapter 1, Required Configuration,
Installation, and Upgrade Information of your LabVIEW Version 5.1
Addendum for software configuration instructions.

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 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

If you are using LabWindows/CVI, the software installation instructions

are in Part 1, Introduction to LabWindows/CVI, of the Getting Started with
LabWindows/CVI manual. After you have installed LabWindows/CVI,
refer to Chapter 1, Configuring LabWindows/CVI, of the LabWindows/CVI
User Manual for software configuration instructions. Then follow
DAQ configuration instructions in your NI-DAQ user manual.

Analog Input Configuration

At startup, the DAQCard-1200 defaults to the following configuration:
• Referenced single-ended input mode
• ±5 V analog input range

Table 2-1 lists the available analog I/O configurations for the
DAQCard-1200 and shows the default settings.

Table 2-1. Analog I/O Settings

Parameter Configuration
Analog Input Bipolar—±5 V (default setting)
Polarity Unipolar—0–10 V
Analog Input Mode Referenced single-ended (RSE) (default setting)
Non-referenced single-ended (NRSE)
Differential (DIFF)

The analog input circuitry is software configurable.

Warning Connections, including power signals to ground and vice versa, that exceed any of
the maximum signal ratings on the DAQCard-1200 can damage your card and
computer. National Instruments is NOT liable for any damages or injuries resulting
from incorrect signal connections.

Analog Input Polarity

You can select the analog input on the DAQCard-1200 for either a unipolar
range (0 to 10 V) or a bipolar range (–5 to +5 V). If you select a bipolar
range, the two’s complement coding is selected. In this mode, –5 V input
corresponds to F800 hex (–2,048 decimal) and +5 V corresponds to
7FF hex (2,047 decimal). If you select a unipolar mode, the straight binary
coding is selected. In this mode, 0 V input corresponds to 0 hex, and +10 V
corresponds to FFF hex (4,095 decimal).

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Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

Analog Input Mode

The DAQCard-1200 has three different input modes—referenced
single-ended (RSE), non-referenced single-ended (NRSE), and differential
(DIFF). Single-ended configuration provides eight input channels. DIFF
configuration provides four input channels. Table 2-2 describes these
configurations.

Table 2-2. Analog Input Modes for the DAQCard-1200

Analog
Input Modes Description
RSE Referenced single-ended mode provides eight single-ended inputs with the
negative input of the instrumentation amplifier referenced to AISENSE/AIGND,
which is tied to ground through about 200 Ω resistance (default setting).
NRSE Non-referenced single-ended configuration provides eight single-ended inputs
with the negative input of the instrumentation amplifier tied to AISENSE/AIGND
and not connected to ground.
DIFF Differential mode provides four differential inputs with the positive input of the
instrumentation amplifier tied to channels 0, 2, 4, or 6 and the negative input tied
to channels 1, 3, 5, or 7, respectively, thus pairing channels (0, 1), (2,3), (4,5), (6,7).

While reading the following paragraphs, you may find it helpful to refer to
the Analog Input Signal Connections section of Chapter 3, Signal
Connections, which contains diagrams showing the signal paths for the
three configurations. These three modes are software selectable.

RSE Input (Eight Channels, Default Setting)

RSE input means that all input signals are referenced to a common ground
point that is also tied to the DAQCard-1200 analog input ground. The RSE
configuration is useful for measuring floating signal sources. See the Types
of Signal Sources section of Chapter 3, Signal Connections, for more
information. With the RSE configuration, the DAQCard-1200 can monitor
eight different analog input channels.

Considerations for using the RSE configuration are discussed in Chapter 3,

Signal Connections. Notice that in RSE mode, the return path of the
signal is through analog ground at the connector through the
AISENSE/AIGND pin.

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 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

NRSE Input (Eight Channels)

NRSE input means that all signals are referenced to the same common
mode voltage, which is allowed to float with respect to the analog ground
of the DAQCard-1200. This common mode voltage is subsequently
subtracted out by the instrumentation amplifier. NRSE configuration is
useful when measuring ground-referenced signal sources.

Considerations in using the NRSE configuration are discussed in

Chapter 3, Signal Connections. Notice that in this mode, the return path of
the signal is through the negative terminal of the amplifier, available at the
connector through the pin AISENSE/AIGND.

DIFF Input (Four Channels)

DIFF input means that each input signal has its own reference, and the
difference between each signal and its reference is measured. The signal
and its reference are each assigned an input channel. With DIFF input
configuration, the DAQCard-1200 can monitor four different analog input
signals.

Considerations for using the DIFF configuration are discussed in

Chapter 3, Signal Connections. Notice that the signal return path is through
the negative terminal of the instrumentation amplifier and through
channel 1, 3, 5, or 7 depending on which channel pair you select.

Analog Output Configuration

You can set the analog output on the DAQCard-1200 to either bipolar or
unipolar configurations.

Parameter Configuration
Analog Output CH0 Polarity Bipolar—±5 V (default setting)
Unipolar—0–10 V
Analog Output CH1 Polarity Bipolar—±5 V (default setting)
Unipolar—0–10 V

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Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration

Analog Output Polarity

The DAQCard-1200 has two channels of analog output voltage at the front
panel I/O connector. You can configure each analog output channel for
either unipolar or bipolar output. A unipolar configuration has a range of
0 to 10 V at the analog output. A bipolar configuration has a range of –5 to
+5 V at the analog output. If you select a bipolar range for a D/A conversion
(DAC), the two’s complement coding is selected. In this mode, data values
written to the analog output channel range from F800 hex (–2,048 decimal)
to 7FF hex (2,047 decimal). If you select a unipolar range for a DAC, you
are selecting the straight binary coding. In this mode, data values written to
the analog output channel range from 0 to FFF hex (4,095 decimal).

Digital I/O Configuration

The DAQCard-1200 uses the MSM82C55 programmable peripheral
interface (PPI). This chip provides 24 digital lines in the form of
three ports—A, B, and C. On power up, all three ports reset to high
impedance inputs. For information about configuring the MSM82C55,
see the DAQ Timing Connections section of Chapter 3, Signal
Connections.

Caution The DAQCard-1200 DIO lines are not pulled up or pulled down. If you are using
! these lines as digital outputs, add 10 kΩ resistors to +5 V or DGND (depending on
your application) to the DIO line(s) you are using.

Counter Configuration
You can use the MSM82C53A counter/timers for general-purpose timing
applications, such as pulse and square wave generation, event counting,
and pulse-width, time-lapse, and frequency measurement. For information
about configuring the MSM82C53A, see the DAQ Timing Connections
section of Chapter 3, Signal Connections.

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Signal Connections
3
This chapter describes the signals on the DAQCard-1200 I/O connector.

I/O Connector
Figure 3-1 shows the pin assignments for the DAQCard-1200 I/O
connector. This connector is attached to the ribbon cable that extends from
the PC Card slot when the card is installed and the cable connected.

Warning Connections, including power signals to ground and vice versa, that exceed any of
the maximum ratings of input or output signals on the DAQCard-1200 can
damage the DAQCard-1200 and the PC. National Instruments is NOT liable for any
damages resulting from any such signal connections.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

ACH0 1 2 ACH1
ACH2 3 4 ACH3
ACH4 5 6 ACH5
ACH6 7 8 ACH7
AISENSE/AIGND 9 10 DAC0OUT
AGND 11 12 DAC1OUT
DGND 13 14 PA0
PA1 15 16 PA2
PA3 17 18 PA4
PA5 19 20 PA6
PA7 21 22 PB0
PB1 23 24 PB2
PB3 25 26 PB4
PB5 27 28 PB6
PB7 29 30 PC0
PC1 31 32 PC2
PC3 33 34 PC4
PC5 35 36 PC6
PC7 37 38 EXTTRIG
EXTUPDATE* 39 40 EXTCONV*
OUTB0 41 42 GATB0
OUTB1 43 44 GATB1
CLKB1 45 46 OUTB2
GATB2 47 48 CLKB2
+5 V 49 50 DGND

Figure 3-1. DAQCard-1200 I/O Connector Pin Assignments

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Signal Connection Descriptions

The following table describes the connector pins on the DAQCard-1200
front I/O connector by pin number and gives the signal name and the
significance of each signal connector pin.

Pins Signal Name Direction Reference Description

1–8 ACH<0..7> AI AGND Analog Channel 0 through 7—Analog input channels 0

through 7.

9 AISENSE/AIGND AI AGND Analog Input Sense/Analog Input Ground—Connected to

AGND in RSE mode, analog input sense in NRSE mode.

10 DAC0OUT AO AGND DAC0 Output—Voltage output signal for analog output

channel 0.

11 AGND N/A N/A Analog Ground—Analog output ground reference for

analog output voltages. This signal is the bias current return
point for differential measurements.

12 DAC1OUT AO AGND DAC1 Output—Voltage output signal for analog output

channel 1.

13 DGND N/A N/A Digital Ground—Voltage ground reference for the digital
signals and the +5 V supply.

14–21 PA<0..7> DIO DGND Port A 0 through 7—Bidirectional data lines for port A.
PA7 is the MSB, and PA0 is the LSB.

22–29 PB<0..7> DIO DGND Port B 0 through 7—Bidirectional data lines for port B.
PB7 is the MSB, and PB0 is the LSB.

30–37 PC<0..7> DIO DGND Port C 0 through 7—Bidirectional data lines for port C.
PC7 is the MSB, and PC0 is the LSB.

38 EXTTRIG DI DGND External Trigger—External control signal to trigger a

DAQ operation.

39 EXTUPDATE* DI DGND External Update—External control signal to update

DAC outputs.

40 EXTCONV* DIO DGND External Convert—External control signal to time

A/D conversions (DI) and drive SCANCLK when you use
SCXI (DO).

41 OUTB0 DO DGND Output B0—Voltage output signal of counter B0.

42 GATB0 DI DGND Gate B0—External control signal for gating counter B0.

43 OUTB1 DIO DGND Output B1—Voltage output signal of counter B1 when

selected as output (DO). This is the external control signal
for timing an interval cycle when selected as input (DI).

44 GATB1 DI DGND Gate B1—External control signal for gating counter B1.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Pins Signal Name Direction Reference Description

45 CLKB1 DI DGND Clock B1—External control clock signal for counter B1.

46 OUTB2 DO DGND Counter B2—Voltage output signal of counter B2.

47 GATB2 DI DGND Gate B2—External control signal for gating counter B2.

48 CLKB2 DI DGND Clock B2—External control clock signal for counter B2.

49 +5 V DO DGND +5 Volts—Fused for up to 1 A of +5 V supply, but limit

current to 250 mA.

50 DGND N/A N/A Digital Ground—Voltage ground reference for the digital
signals and the +5 V supply.

*Indicates that the signal is active low.

AI = Analog Input DI = Digital Input DIO = Digital Input/Output
AO = Analog Output DO = Digital Output N/A = Not Applicable

The connector pins are grouped into analog input signal pins, analog output
signal pins, digital I/O signal pins, timing I/O signal pins, and power
connections. Signal connection guidelines for each of these groups are
described in the following sections.

Analog Input Signal Connections

Pins 1 through 8 are analog input signal pins for the 12-bit ADC. Pin 9,
AISENSE/AIGND, is an analog common signal. You can use this pin as a
signal ground connection to the DAQCard-1200 in RSE mode, or as a
return path in NRSE mode. Pin 11, AGND, is the bias current return point
for differential measurements. Pins 1 through 8 are tied, through 4.7 kΩ
series resistances, to the eight single-ended analog input channels of the
input multiplexer. Pins 2, 4, 6, and 8 are also tied to an input multiplexer
for DIFF mode.

The signal ranges for inputs ACH<0..7> at all possible gains are shown in
Table 3-1. Exceeding the input signal range will not damage the input
circuitry as long as the maximum input voltage rating of ±35 V powered on
and ±25 V powered off is not exceeded. The DAQCard-1200 is guaranteed
to withstand inputs up to the maximum input voltage rating.

Warning Exceeding the input signal range distorts input signals. Exceeding the maximum
input voltage rating may damage the DAQCard-1200 and the computer. National
Instruments is NOT liable for any damages resulting from such signal connections.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Table 3-1. Bipolar and Unipolar Analog Input Signal Range Versus Gain

Input Signal Range

Gain Setting Bipolar Unipolar
1 ±5 V 0 to 10 V
2 ±2.5 V 0 to 5 V
5 ±1 V 0 to 2 V
10 ±500 mV 0 to 1 V
20 ±250 mV 0 to 500 mV
50 ±100 mV 0 to 200 mV
100 ±50 mV 0 to 100 mV

How you connect analog input signals to the DAQCard-1200 depends on

how you configure the card analog input circuitry and the type of input
signal source. With different DAQCard-1200 configurations, you can use
the instrumentation amplifier in different ways. Figure 3-2 shows a diagram
of the DAQCard-1200 instrumentation amplifier.

Instrumentation
Amplifier
V in + +

V in – – Vm Measured
Voltage

Vm = [Vin + – Vin –] GAIN

Figure 3-2. DAQCard-1200 Instrumentation Amplifier

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

The instrumentation amplifier applies gain, common-mode voltage

rejection, and high-input impedance to the analog input signals connected
to the DAQCard-1200. Signals are routed to the positive and negative
inputs of the instrumentation amplifier through input multiplexers on the
DAQCard-1200. The instrumentation amplifier converts two input signals
to a signal that is the difference between the two input signals multiplied by
the gain setting of the amplifier. The amplifier output voltage is referenced
to the DAQCard-1200 ground. The DAQCard-1200 ADC measures this
output voltage when it performs A/D conversions.

All signals must be referenced to ground, either at the source device or at

the DAQCard-1200. If you have a floating source, you must use a
ground-referenced input connection at the DAQCard-1200. If you have a
grounded source, you must use a nonreferenced input connection at the
DAQCard-1200.

Types of Signal Sources

When configuring the input mode of the DAQCard-1200 and making
signal connections, you must first determine whether the signal source is
floating or ground referenced. This section describes these two types of
signals.

Floating Signal Sources

A floating signal source is not connected in any way to the building ground
system but has an isolated ground-reference point. Some examples of
floating signal sources are outputs of transformers, thermocouples,
battery-powered devices, optical isolator outputs, and isolation amplifiers.
You must tie the ground reference of a floating signal to the
DAQCard-1200 analog input ground to establish a local or onboard
reference for the signal. Otherwise, the measured input signal varies or
appears to float. An instrument or device that supplies an isolated output
falls into the floating signal source category.

Ground-Referenced Signal Sources

A ground-referenced signal source is connected in some way to the
building system ground and is therefore already connected to a common
ground point with respect to the DAQCard-1200, assuming that the PC is
plugged into the same power system. Nonisolated outputs of instruments
and devices that plug into the building power system fall into this category.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

The difference in ground potential between two instruments connected to

the same building power system is typically between 1 mV and 100 mV but
can be much higher if power distribution circuits are not properly
connected. The connection instructions that follow for grounded signal
sources eliminate this ground potential difference from the measured
signal.

Note If you power both the DAQCard-1200 and your PC with a floating power source,
such as a battery, your system may be floating with respect to earth ground. In this
case, treat all of your signal sources as floating sources.

Input Configurations
You can configure the DAQCard-1200 for one of three input modes—RSE,
NRSE, or DIFF. The following sections discuss the use of single-ended and
differential measurements, and considerations for measuring both floating
and ground-referenced signal sources. Table 3-2 summarizes the
recommended input configurations for both types of signal sources.

Table 3-2. Recommended Input Configurations for Ground-Referenced

and Floating Signal Sources

Type of Signal Recommended Input Configuration

Ground-Referenced DIFF
(nonisolated outputs, plug-in instruments) NRSE
Floating DIFF with bias resistors
(batteries, thermocouples, isolated outputs) RSE

Differential Connection Considerations (DIFF Configuration)

Differential connections are those in which each DAQCard-1200 analog
input signal has its own reference signal or signal return path. These
connections are available when you configure the DAQCard-1200 in
the DIFF mode. Each input signal is tied to the positive input of the
instrumentation amplifier, and its reference signal, or return, is tied to
the negative input of the instrumentation amplifier.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

When you configure the DAQCard-1200 for DIFF input, each signal uses
two of the multiplexer inputs—one for the signal and one for its reference
signal. Therefore, only four analog input channels are available when using
the DIFF configuration. You should use the DIFF input configuration when
any of the following conditions is present:
• Input signals are low level (less than 1 V).
• Leads connecting the signals to the DAQCard-1200 are greater
than 15 ft.
• Any of the input signals requires a separate ground-reference point or
return signal.
• The signal leads travel through noisy environments.

Differential signal connections reduce picked-up noise and increase

common-mode signal and noise rejection. With these connections, input
signals can float within the common-mode limits of the input
instrumentation amplifier.

Differential Connections for Grounded Signal Sources

Figure 3-3 shows how to connect a ground-referenced signal source to a
DAQCard-1200 configured for DIFF input. Refer to the Analog Input
Configuration section in Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration, for
configuration instructions.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

1 ACH 0

3 ACH 2

5 ACH 4
Grounded +
Signal Vs ACH 6
7
Source +
–

+
2 ACH 1 Measured
– Vm
Voltage
Common-Mode 4 ACH 3 –
Noise,
Ground + 6 ACH 5
Potential Vcm
– 8 ACH 7

11 AGND

Front I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200 in DIFF Configuration

Figure 3-3. Differential Input Connections for Grounded Signal Sources

With this type of connection, the instrumentation amplifier rejects both the
common-mode noise in the signal and the ground-potential difference
between the signal source and the DAQCard-1200 ground, which is shown
as Vcm in Figure 3-3.

Differential Connections for Floating Signal Sources

Figure 3-4 shows how to connect a floating signal source to a
DAQCard-1200 that is configured for DIFF input. Configuration
instructions are included in the Analog Input Configuration section of
Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

1 ACH 0

3 ACH 2

5 ACH 4
Floating +
Signal Vs
7 ACH 6
Source +
–

+
2 ACH 1 Measured
– Vm
Voltage
4 ACH 3 –
100 kΩ
6 ACH 5
Bias
Current
8 ACH 7
Return
100 kΩ
Paths

11 AGND

Front I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200 in DIFF Configuration

Figure 3-4. Differential Input Connections for Floating Sources

The 100 kΩ resistors shown in Figure 3-4 create a return path to ground for
the bias currents of the instrumentation amplifier. If there is no return path,
the instrumentation amplifier bias currents charge stray capacitances,
resulting in uncontrollable drift and possible saturation in the amplifier.

A resistor from each input to ground, as shown in Figure 3-4, provides bias
current return paths for an AC-coupled input signal.

If the input signal is DC-coupled, you need only the resistor that connects
the negative signal input to ground. This connection does not lower the
input impedance of the analog input channel.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Single-Ended Connection Considerations

Single-ended connections are those in which all DAQCard-1200 analog
input signals are referenced to one common ground. The input signals are
tied to the positive input of the instrumentation amplifier, and their
common ground point is tied to the negative input of the instrumentation
amplifier.

When the DAQCard-1200 is configured for single-ended input (NRSE or

RSE), eight analog input channels are available. You can use single-ended
input connections when the following criteria are met by all input signals:
• Input signals are high level (greater than 1 V).
• Leads connecting the signals to the DAQCard-1200 are less than 15 ft.
• All input signals share a common reference signal (at the source).

If any of the preceding criteria is not met, you should use DIFF input
configuration.

You can software configure the DAQCard-1200 for two different types of
single-ended connections, RSE configuration and NRSE configuration.
Use the RSE configuration for floating signal sources; in this case, the
DAQCard-1200 provides the reference ground point for the external signal.
Use the NRSE configuration for ground-referenced signal sources; in this
case, the external signal supplies its own reference ground point and the
DAQCard-1200 should not supply one.

Single-Ended Connections for Floating Signal Sources

(RSE Configuration)
Figure 3-5 shows how to connect a floating signal source to a
DAQCard-1200 configured for single-ended input. You must configure the
DAQCard-1200 analog input circuitry for RSE input to make these types
of connections. For configuration instructions, refer to the Analog Input
Configuration section of Chapter 2, Installation and Configuration.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

1 ACH 0

2 ACH 1

3 ACH 2
Floating +
Signal +
Vs
Source 8 ACH 7

–
+
9 AISENSE/AIGND
– Vm Measured
Voltage
11 AGND –

Front I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200 in RSE Configuration

Figure 3-5. Single-Ended Input Connections for Floating Signal Sources

Single-Ended Connections for Grounded Signal Sources

(NRSE Configuration)
If you measure a grounded signal source with a single-ended configuration,
you must configure the DAQCard-1200 in the NRSE input configuration.
The signal is connected to the positive input of the DAQCard-1200
instrumentation amplifier and the signal local ground reference is
connected to the negative input of the DAQCard-1200 instrumentation
amplifier. Therefore, you must connect the ground point of the signal to the
AISENSE pin. Any potential difference between the DAQCard-1200
ground and the signal ground appears as a common-mode signal at both the
positive and negative inputs of the instrumentation amplifier and is
therefore rejected by the amplifier. On the other hand, if the input circuitry
of the DAQCard-1200 is referenced to ground, such as in the RSE
configuration, this difference in ground potentials appears as an error in the
measured voltage.

Figure 3-6 shows how to connect a grounded signal source to a

DAQCard-1200 configured in the NRSE configuration. For configuration
instructions, see the Analog Input Configuration section in Chapter 2,
Installation and Configuration.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

1 ACH 0

2 ACH 1

3 ACH 2
Ground- +
Referenced
Vs +
Signal
8 ACH 7
Source –
+
Common-Mode 9 Measured
– Vm
Noise + AISENSE/AIGND Voltage
Vcm 11 AGND –

Front I/O Connector DAQCard-1200 in NRSE Input Configuration

Figure 3-6. Single-Ended Input Connections for Grounded Signal Sources

Common-Mode Signal Rejection Considerations

Figures 3-3 and 3-6 show connections for signal sources that are already
referenced to some ground point with respect to the DAQCard-1200. In
these cases, the instrumentation amplifier can reject any voltage caused by
ground-potential differences between the signal source and the
DAQCard-1200. In addition, with differential input connections, the
instrumentation amplifier can reject common-mode noise pickup in the
leads connecting the signal sources to the DAQCard-1200.

The common-mode input range of the DAQCard-1200 instrumentation

amplifier is the magnitude of the greatest common-mode signal that can be
rejected.

The common-mode input range for the DAQCard-1200 depends on the size
of the differential input signal (Vdiff = Vin+ – Vin–) and the gain setting of the
instrumentation amplifier. In unipolar mode, the differential input range is
0 to 10 V. In bipolar mode, the differential input range is –5 to +5 V.
Vin– should remain within a range of –6 to 6 V in bipolar mode and –6 to

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

2 V in unipolar mode. Vin+ should remain within a range of –6 to +11 V in

either mode.

Analog Output Signal Connections

Pins 10 through 12 of the front connector are the analog output signals
DAC0OUT, AGND, and DAC1OUT.

DAC0OUT is the voltage output signal for analog output channel 0.

DAC1OUT is the voltage output signal for analog output channel 1. AGND
is the ground-reference point for both analog output channels and analog
input.

The following output ranges are available:

• Output signal range
– Bipolar output ±5 V*
– Unipolar output 0 to 10 V*

*Maximum load current ±1 mA for 12-bit linearity (per DAC)

Figure 3-7 shows how to make analog output signal connections.

10 DAC0OUT
Channel 0
+

Load VOUT 0

–
AGND
11

Load VOUT 1
+ 12 DAC1OUT
Channel 1

Analog Output Channels

Front I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200

Figure 3-7. Analog Output Signal Connections

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Digital I/O Signal Connections

Caution The DAQCard-1200 DIO lines are not pulled up or pulled down. If you are using
! these lines as digital outputs, add 10 kΩ resistors to +5 V or DGND (depending on
your application) to the DIO line(s) you are using.

Pins 13 through 37 of the front connector are digital I/O signal pins.
Digital I/O on the DAQCard-1200 uses the 82C55A integrated circuit.
The 82C55A is a general-purpose peripheral interface containing
24 programmable I/O pins. These pins represent the three 8-bit ports
(PA, PB, and PC) of the 82C55A.

Pins 14 through 21 are connected to the digital lines PA<0..7> for

digital I/O port A. Pins 22 through 29 are connected to the digital lines
PB<0..7> for digital I/O port B. Pins 30 through 37 are connected to the
digital lines PC<0..7> for digital I/O port C. Pin 13, DGND, is the digital
ground pin for all three digital I/O ports. Refer to Appendix A,
Specifications, for signal voltage and current specifications.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Figure 3-8 illustrates signal connections for three typical digital I/O
applications.

Port C
PC <0..7>

22 PB0

Port B
TTL Signal
PB <0..7>
29 PB7
+5 V

13

+5 V
LED
DGND
Port A
PA <0..7>

30 PA0

I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200

Figure 3-8. Digital I/O Connections

In Figure 3-8, port A is configured for digital output, and ports B and C are
configured for digital input. Digital input applications include receiving
TTL signals and sensing external device states such as the switch in
Figure 3-8. Digital output applications include sending TTL signals and
driving external devices such as the LED shown in Figure 3-8.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Port C Pin Connections

The signals assigned to port C depend on how the 82C55A is configured.
In mode 0 or no handshaking configuration, port C is configured as
two 4-bit I/O ports. In modes 1 and 2, or handshaking configuration, port C
is used for status and handshaking signals with zero, two, or three lines
available for general-purpose I/O. Table 3-3 summarizes the port C signal
assignments for each configuration.

Note Table 3-3 shows both the port C signal assignments and the terminology
correlation between different documentation sources. The 82C55A terminology
refers to the different 82C55A configurations as modes, whereas NI-DAQ and
LabVIEW documentation refers to them as handshaking and no handshaking.
These signal assignments are the same for all four 82C55A PPIs.

Table 3-3. Port C Signal Assignments

Configuration Terminology Signal Assignments

82C55A/
DAQCard-1200 NI-DAQ/
User Manual LabVIEW PC7 PC6 PC5 PC4 PC3 PC2 PC1 PC0

Mode 0 No I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O

(Basic I/O) Handshaking

Mode 1 Handshaking I/O I/O IBFA STBA* INTRA STBB* IBFBB INTRB
(Strobed Input)

Mode 1 Handshaking OBFA* ACKA* I/O I/O INTRA ACKB* OBFB* INTRB
(Strobed Output)

Mode 2 Handshaking OBFA* ACKA* IBFA STBA* INTRA I/O I/O I/O
(Bidirectional Bus)

*Indicates that the signal is active low.

Subscripts A and B denote port A or port B handshaking signals.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Timing Specifications
Use the handshaking lines STB* and IBF to synchronize input transfers.
Use the handshaking lines OBF* and ACK* to synchronize output
transfers.

The following signals are used in the timing diagrams shown later in this
chapter:

Name Type Description

STB* Input Strobe Input—A low signal on this handshaking line loads data into the
input latch.
IBF Output Input Buffer Full—A high signal on this handshaking line indicates that
data has been loaded into the input latch. This is primarily an input
acknowledge signal.
ACK* Input Acknowledge Input—A low signal on this handshaking line indicates
that the data written from the specified port has been accepted. This
signal is primarily a response from the external device that it has
received the data from the DAQCard-1200.
OBF* Output Output Buffer Full—A low signal on this handshaking line indicates
that data has been written from the specified port.
INTR Output Interrupt Request—This signal becomes high when the 82C55A
requests service during a data transfer. Set the appropriate interrupt
enable signals to generate this signal.
RD* Internal Read—This signal is the read signal generated from the parallel port
interface circuitry.
WRT* Internal Write—This signal is the write signal generated from the parallel port
interface circuitry.
DATA Bidirectional Data Lines at the Specified Port—This signal indicates when the data
on the data lines at a specified port is or should be available.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Mode 1 Input Timing

Figure 3-9 shows the timing specifications for an input transfer in mode 1.

T1

T2 T4

STB *
T7

IBF T6

INTR

RD *
T3 T5

DATA

Name Description Minimum Maximum

T1 STB* pulse width 100 —
T2 STB* = 0 to IBF = 1 — 150
T3 Data before STB* = 1 20 —
T4 STB* = 1 to INTR = 1 — 150
T5 Data after STB* = 1 50 —
T6 RD* = 0 to INTR = 0 — 200
T7 RD* = 1 to IBF = 0 — 150
All timing values are in nanoseconds.

Figure 3-9. Mode 1 Timing Specifications for Input Transfers

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Mode 1 Output Timing

Figure 3-10 shows the timing specifications for an output transfer in
mode 1.

T3

WRT*
T4

OBF*
T1

INTR T6

ACK* T5

DATA

T2

Name Description Minimum Maximum

T1 WRT* = 0 to INTR = 0 — 250
T2 WRT* = 1 to output — 200
T3 WRT* = 1 to OBF* = 0 — 150
T4 ACK* = 0 to OBF* = 1 — 150
T5 ACK* pulse width 100 —
T6 ACK* = 1 to INTR = 1 — 150
All timing values are in nanoseconds.

Figure 3-10. Mode 1 Timing Specifications for Output Transfers

Mode 2 Bidirectional Timing

Figure 3-11 shows the timing specifications for bidirectional transfers in
mode 2.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

T1

WRT *
T6
OBF *

INTR
T7

ACK *
T3

STB *
T10

T4
IBF

RD *
T2 T5 T8 T9

DATA

Name Description Minimum Maximum

T1 WRT* = 1 to OBF* = 0 — 150
T2 Data before STB* = 1 20 —
T3 STB* pulse width 100 —
T4 STB* = 0 to IBF = 1 — 150
T5 Data after STB* = 1 50 —
T6 ACK* = 0 to OBF = 1 — 150
T7 ACK* pulse width 100 —
T8 ACK* = 0 to output — 150
T9 ACK* = 1 to output float 20 250
T10 RD* = 1 to IBF = 0 — 150
All timing values are in nanoseconds.

Figure 3-11. Mode 2 Timing Specifications for Bidirectional Transfers

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

DAQ and General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections

Pins 38 through 48 of the front connector are connections for timing
I/O signals. The DAQCard-1200 timing I/O uses two 82C53 counter/timer
integrated circuits. One circuit, designated 82C53(A), is used exclusively
for DAQ timing, and the other, 82C53(B), is available for general use.
You can use pins 38 through 40 and pin 43 to carry external signals for
DAQ timing in place of the dedicated 82C53(A). These signals are
explained in the next section, DAQ Timing Connections. Pins 41 through
48 carry general-purpose timing signals from 82C53(B). These signals are
explained in the General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections section later
in this chapter.

DAQ Timing Connections

Each 82C53 counter/timer circuit contains three counters. Counter 0 on the
82C53(A) counter/timer, referred to as A0, is a sample-interval counter in
timed A/D conversions. Counter 1 on the 82C53(A) counter/timer, referred
to as A1, is a sample counter in controlled A/D conversions. Therefore,
counter A1 stops data acquisition after a predefined number of samples.
These counters are not available for general use.

Instead of counter A0, you can use EXTCONV* to externally time

conversions. Figure 3-12 shows the timing requirements for the
EXTCONV* input. A falling edge on the EXTCONV* initiates an
A/D conversion.

tw
VIH
EXTCONV*
tw
tw 250 ns minimum
VIL

A/D Conversion starts within

125 ns from this point.

Figure 3-12. EXTCONV* Signal Timing

The external control signal EXTTRIG can either start a data acquisition
sequence or terminate an ongoing data acquisition sequence depending on
the mode—posttrigger or pretrigger. These modes are software selectable.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

In the posttrigger mode, EXTTRIG serves as an external trigger that

initiates a data acquisition sequence. When you use counter A0 to time
sample intervals, a rising edge on EXTTRIG starts counter A0 and the data
acquisition sequence. When you use EXTCONV* to time sample intervals,
data acquisition is enabled on a rising edge of EXTTRIG followed by a
rising edge on EXTCONV*. The first conversion occurs on the next falling
edge of EXTCONV*. Further transitions on the EXTTRIG line have no
effect until a new data acquisition sequence is established.

Figure 3-13 shows a possible controlled data acquisition sequence using

EXTCONV* and EXTTRIG. The rising edge of EXTCONV* that enables
external conversions must occur a minimum of 50 ns after the rising edge
of EXTTRIG. The first conversion occurs on the next falling edge of
EXTCONV*.

tw
tw 50 ns minimum
VIH
EXTTRIG tw td 50 ns minimum

VIL

td

EXTCONV*

CONVERT

Figure 3-13. Posttrigger DAQ Timing

In the pretrigger mode, EXTTRIG serves as a stop-trigger signal. Data is

acquired both before and after the stop trigger occurs. A/D conversions are
software enabled, which initiates the data acquisition operation. However,
the sample counter is not started until a rising edge is sensed on the
EXTTRIG input. Conversions remain enabled until the sample counter
counts to zero. The maximum number of samples acquired after the stop
trigger is limited to 65,535. The number of samples acquired before the
trigger is limited only by the size of the memory buffer available for data
acquisition.

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Figure 3-14 shows a pretrigger data acquisition timing sequence using

EXTTRIG and EXTCONV*. The data acquisition operation has been
initiated through software. Notice that the sample counter has been
programmed to allow five conversions after the rising edge on the
EXTTRIG signal. Additional transitions on the EXTTRIG line have no
effect until you initiate a new data acquisition sequence.

tw
VIH
EXTTRIG tw tw 50 ns minimum

VIL

EXTCONV*

CONVERT

Figure 3-14. Pretrigger DAQ Timing

Because both pretrigger and posttrigger modes use EXTTRIG input, you
can only use one mode at a time.

For interval scanning data acquisition, counter B1 determines the scan

interval. Instead of using counter B1, you can externally time the scan
interval through OUTB1. If you externally time the sample interval, you
should also externally time the scan interval.

Figure 3-15 shows an example of a multiple-channel interval-scanning data

acquisition operation. The scan interval and the sample interval are being
timed externally through OUTB1 and EXTCONV*. Channels 1 and 0 of
the input multiplexers are being scanned once during each scan interval.
The first rising edge of EXTCONV* must occur a minimum of 50 ns after
the rising edge on OUTB1. The first rising edge of EXTCONV* after the
rising edge of OUTB1 enables an internal GATE signal that allows
conversions to occur. The first conversion then occurs on the following
falling edge of EXTCONV*.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

OUTB1
tw = 50 ns

td = 50 ns
EXTCONV*

CONVERT

GATE

ADC CH CH1 CH0 CH1 CH0

Figure 3-15. Interval-Scanning Signal Timing

Use the final external control signal, EXTUPDATE*, to externally control

updating the output voltage of the 12-bit DACs and/or to generate an
externally timed interrupt. There are two update modes—immediate update
and delayed update. In immediate update mode the analog output is
updated as soon as a value is written to the DAC. If you select the delayed
update mode, a value is written to the DAC; however, the corresponding
DAC voltage is not updated until a low level on the EXTUPDATE* signal
is sensed. Furthermore, an interrupt is generated whenever a rising edge is
detected on the EXTUPDATE* bit. The interrupt service routine can write
the next value to the DAC. When the EXTUPDATE* signal goes low, the
DAC will subsequently be updated. Therefore, you can perform externally
timed interrupt-driven waveform generation on the DAQCard-1200.

Notice that the EXTUPDATE* signal is level sensitive; that is, if you
perform writes to the DAC when EXTUPDATE* is low, the DAC is
updated immediately. Also notice that when EXTUPDATE* is low, the
signal is susceptible to noise caused by switching of other lines. Because
the signal is TTL-compatible, the lower noise margin for logical 0 can
result in transitions to a logical 1 due to noise and thereby generate false
interrupts. Therefore, the width of EXTUPDATE* pulse should be as short
as possible and greater than 50 ns.

Figure 3-16 illustrates a waveform generation timing sequence using the

EXTUPDATE* signal and the delayed update mode. The DACs are
updated by a high level on the DAC OUTPUT UPDATE signal, which in

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

this case is triggered by a low level on the EXTUPDATE* line. The

counter-interrupt signal interrupts the PC. This interrupt is generated on the
rising edge of EXTUPDATE*. The DACWRT signal writes a new value to
the DAC.

EXTUPDATE*
tw 50 ns min

DAC OUTPUT
UPDATE

Counter Interrupt

DACWRT

Figure 3-16. EXTUPDATE* Signal Timing for Updating DAC Output

The following rating applies to the EXTCONV*, EXTTRIG, OUTB1, and

EXTUPDATE* signals.
• Absolute maximum voltage input rating –0.5 to 5.5 V with respect
to DGND

For more information concerning the various modes of data acquisition and
analog output, refer to your NI-DAQ manual or to Chapter 4, Theory of
Operation.

Note You should configure both DACs in either immediate update mode or in later
update mode, but not in a combination of the two modes. Although you can
configure the DACs in a combination of modes, doing so can result in glitches on
the immediate update DAC if the update rate on the waveform DAC is high. Please
refer to the Analog Output section in Chapter 4, Theory of Operation, for details
on this behavior.

General-Purpose Timing Signal Connections

General-purpose timing signals include the GATE, CLK, and OUT signals
for the three 82C53(B) counters. The 82C53 counter/timers can be used for
general-purpose applications such as pulse and square wave generation;
event counting; and pulsewidth, time-lapse, and frequency measurement.
For these applications, the CLK and GATE signals at the front
I/O connector control the counters. The single exception is counter B0,

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

which has an internal 2 MHz clock. Refer to the DAQCard-1200

Register-Level Programmer Manual for programming information.

The GATE, CLK, and OUT signals for counters B1 and B2 are available at
the I/O front connector. The GATE and CLK pins are internally pulled up
to +5 V through a 100 kΩ resistor. Refer to Appendix A, Specifications, for
signal voltage and current specifications.

You perform pulse and square wave generation by programming a counter

to generate a timing signal at its OUT output pin. Perform event counting
by programming a counter to count rising or falling edges applied to any of
the 82C53 CLK inputs. You can then read the counter value to determine
the number of edges that have occurred. You can gate counter operations on
and off during event counting. Figure 3-17 shows connections for a typical
event-counting operation in which a switch is used to gate the counter on
and off.

+5 V

10 kΩ

CLK

OUT

GATE
Switch
Signal Counter (from Group B)
Source

13 DGND

I/O Connector
DAQCard-1200

Figure 3-17. Event-Counting Application with External Switch Gating

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Pulsewidth measurement is performed by level gating. The pulse you want

to measure is applied to the counter GATE input. The counter is loaded with
the known count and is programmed to count down while the signal at the
GATE input is high. The pulse width equals the counter difference (loaded
value minus read value) multiplied by the CLK period.

Perform time-lapse measurement by programming a counter to be edge

gated. An edge is applied to the counter GATE input to start the counter.
You can program the counter to start counting after receiving a low-to-high
edge. The time lapse since receiving the edge equals the counter value
difference (loaded value minus read value) multiplied by the CLK period.

To perform frequency measurement, program a counter to be level gated

and count the number of falling edges in a signal applied to a CLK input.
The gate signal applied to the counter GATE input is of known duration. In
this case, you program the counter to count falling edges at the CLK input
while the gate is applied. The frequency of the input signal then equals the
count value divided by the gate period. Figure 3-18 shows the connections
for a frequency measurement application. You can also use a second
counter to generate the gate signal in this application. In this case, program
the second counter for a one-slot mode. This configuration requires an
external inverter to make the output pulse of the second counter active high.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

+5 V

10 kΩ

CLK

OUT

GATE

Signal Gate
Source Source Counter

13 DGND

I/O Connector

DAQCard-1200

Figure 3-18. Frequency Measurement Application

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Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Figure 3-19 shows the timing requirements for the GATE and CLK input
signals and the timing specifications for the OUT output signals of
the 82C53.

tsc tpwh tpwl

VIH
CLK
VIL

tgsu tgh
VIH
GATE
VIL
tgwh tgwl

toutg toutc
VOH
OUT
VOL

tsc clock period 380 ns min

tpwh clock high level 230 ns min
tpwl clock low level 150 ns min
tgsu gate setup time 100 ns min
tgh gate hold time 50 ns min
tgwh gate high level 150 ns min
tgwl gate low level 100 ns min
toutg output delay from clock 300 ns max
toutc output delay from gate 400 ns max

Figure 3-19. General-Purpose Timing Signals

The GATE and OUT signals in Figure 3-19 are referenced to the rising edge
of the CLK signal.

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 Chapter 3 Signal Connections

Power Connections
Pin 49 of the I/O connector supplies +5 V from the DAQCard-1200 power
supply. This pin is referenced to DGND. You can use the +5 V to power
external digital circuitry.
• Power rating 250 mA at +5 V maximum, fused to 1 A

Warning Do not directly connect this +5 V power pin to analog or digital ground or to any
other voltage source on the DAQCard-1200 or any other device. Doing so can
damage the DAQCard-1200 or your PC. National Instruments is NOT liable for any
damage due to incorrect power connections.

Pin 49 is fused for up to 1 A, but should be limited to 250 mA. The fuse is
a thermally resettable fuse which has an internal thermostat. This
thermostat opens when the current exceeds 1 A and the temperature rises.
After some time, the thermostat cools down, the switch closes, and the +5
V is available once more. Opening this fuse does not necessarily damage
the DAQCard-1200. If you do not receive +5 V, check for any shorts
between the +5 V power pin and ground.

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Theory of Operation
4
This chapter explains the operation of each functional unit of the
DAQCard-1200.

Functional Overview
The block diagram in Figure 4-1 shows a functional overview of the
DAQCard-1200.

Dither

data
2K 12-Bit Pgm Input
PCMCIA 8
8 8 FIFO A/D Gain Mux
I/O
Channel
Interface Decode
4
Circuitry,
Control Core
Signals Logic Calibration
3
PCMCIA I/O Channel

I/O Connector
4

8 12-Bit
82C53 82C55A
D/A 1
Ctr/Timer Digital
Group A Interface
Interrupt
Interface
8 12-Bit
D/A 1

+12 V 82C53
1MHz 8
+5 V DC-DC Ctr/Timer
–12 V Timebase
Converter Group B
Time 2 MHz
Divider Timebase
20 MHz
Oscillator

Figure 4-1. DAQCard-1200 Block Diagram

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

The major components of the DAQCard-1200 are as follows:

• PC Card I/O channel interface circuitry
• Analog input circuitry
• Analog output circuitry
• Digital I/O circuitry
• Timing circuitry
• Calibration circuitry

The internal data and control buses interconnect the components. The rest
of the chapter explains the theory of operation of each of the
DAQCard-1200 components.

PC Card I/O Channel Interface Circuitry

The PC Card I/O channel interface circuitry consists of an address bus, a
data bus, interrupt lines, and several control and support signals. Figure 4-2
shows the components making up the DAQCard-1200 PC Card I/O channel
interface circuitry.

Address Bus Address

Register Selects
Decoder

Timing
Interface
I/O Channel

Read and Write Signals

Control Lines
Card
Information
Channel

Structure
PCMCIA

Data Bus Data Internal Data Bus

Buffers
PC I/O

PCMCIA
Control
Registers

IRQ Interrupt Interrupt Requests

Control

Figure 4-2. PC Card I/O Interface Circuitry Block Diagram

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

When you first insert the card into your computer, the system examines
information stored in the DAQCard-1200 Card Information Structure
(CIS). This data is used to configure the card appropriately for the system
in which it is used. When the system has assigned the card to a section of
memory, it updates the PC Card control registers and initializes the card.

The rest of the circuitry consists of address decoders, data buffers,

I/O channel interface timing control circuitry, and interrupt control
circuitry.

Timing
The DAQCard-1200 uses two 82C53 counter/timer integrated circuits for
internal data acquisition and DAC timing and for general-purpose
I/O timing functions. Figure 4-3 shows a block diagram of both groups of
timing circuitry (counter groups A and B).

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

GATEB2
CLKB2
GATEB2 General-
Purpose
CLKB2 Counter
OUTB2
OUTB2
OUTB0
1 MHz Source
GATEB1 GATEB1
CLKB1

MUX Scan MUX

Interval/
General-
Purpose
CLKB1 Counter
0AKLC
OUTB1 OUTB1
CTR RD
OUTB0 OUTB0
CTR WRT
GATEB0 GATEB0
Data
Timebase 8
Extension/

Decode Circuitry
General-
Purpose
Counter
CLKA0
2 MHz
I/O Connector

Source CLKB0 GATEA0

82C53 Counter/Timer
Sample
Group B
Interval
Counter
OUTB1 OUTA0

EXTCONV* CLKA1

Sample
A/D Conversion Logic Counter

GATEA1
EXTTRIG OUTA1

+5 V CLKA2
GATEA2
EXTUPDATE* DAC
Timing

D/A Conversion Logic OUTA2

82C53 Counter/Timer
Group A

Figure 4-3. Timing Circuitry

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

Each 82C53 contains three independent 16-bit counter/timers and one 8-bit
Mode Register. Each counter has a CLK input pin, a GATE input pin, and
an OUT output pin. You can program all three counter/timers to operate in
several useful timing modes.

The first group of counter/timers is called Group A and includes A0, A1,
and A2. You can use these three counters for internal data acquisition and
DAC timing, or you can instead use the three external timing signals,
EXTCONV*, EXTTRIG and EXTUPDATE*, for data acquisition and
DAC timing.

The second group of counter/timers is called Group B and includes B0, B1,
and B2. You can use counters B0 and B1 for internal data acquisition and
DAC timing, or you can use the external timing signal CLKB1 for analog
input timing. If you are not using Counters B0 and B1 for internal timing,
you can use these counters as general purpose counter/timers. Counter B2
is reserved for external use as a general purpose counter/timer.

For a more detailed description of Counter Group A and Counters B0

and B1, refer to the following Analog Input and Analog Output sections.

Analog Input
The DAQCard-1200 has eight channels of analog input with
software-programmable gain and 12-bit A/D conversion. The
DAQCard-1200 also contains data acquisition timing circuitry for
automatic timing of multiple A/D conversions and includes advanced
options such as external triggering, gating, and clocking. Figure 4-4 shows
a block diagram of the analog input circuitry.

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

A/D Data
ACH0 Pro- Data 1k
Sample- 12-Bit Sample 12

Decode Circuitry
ACH1 grammable
ACH2 and-Hold ADC A/D
Gain Amp Amp 12
ACH3 FIFO
ACH4 Mux
ACH5
ACH6 CON Data
ACH7 V
GAIN0 Data

PCMCIA I/O Channel

AISENSE/ 8
AIGND GAIN1 8
I/O Connector

GAIN2 WRT/RD
Gain Select/
6 Mux Counter

Convert

PCMCIA Interface
Dither
Dither Circuitry Dither Enable
DAQ Counter/Timer
EXTTRIG External Trigger Timing Signals

External Convert
EXTCONV* Output B1
OUTB1

Figure 4-4. Analog Input Circuitry

Analog Input Circuitry

The analog input circuitry consists of two analog input multiplexers, mux
counter/gain select circuitry, a software-programmable gain amplifier, a
12-bit ADC, and a 12-bit FIFO memory that is sign-extended to 16 bits.

The two input multiplexers route the input channels to the instrumentation
amplifier in either RSE, NRSE, or DIFF mode. The input multiplexers
provide input overvoltage protection of ±35 V powered on and ±25 V
powered off.

The mux counters control the input multiplexers. The DAQCard-1200

can perform either single-channel data acquisition or multiple-channel
(scanned) data acquisition. These two modes are software selectable.
For single-channel data acquisition, you select the channel and gain before
initiating data acquisition. These gain and multiplexer settings remain
constant during the entire data acquisition process. For multiple-channel
data acquisition, you select the highest numbered channel and gain before
data acquisition is initiated. Then the mux counter decrements from the
highest numbered channel to channel 0 and repeats the process. Thus you

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

can scan any number of channels from eight to two. Notice that the same
gain setting is used for all channels in the scan sequence.

The programmable gain amplifier applies gain to the input signal, allowing
an analog input signal to be amplified before being sampled and converted,
thus increasing measurement resolution and accuracy. The instrumentation
amplifier gain is software selectable. The DAQCard-1200 provides gains of
1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100.

The dither circuitry, when enabled, adds approximately 0.5 LSB rms of
white Gaussian noise to the signal to be converted to the ADC. This
addition is useful for applications involving averaging to increase the
resolution of the DAQCard-1200 to more than 12 bits, as in calibration. In
such applications, which are often lower frequency in nature, noise
modulation is decreased and differential linearity is improved by the
addition of the dither. For high-speed 12-bit applications not involving
averaging, dither should be disabled because it only adds noise.

When taking DC measurements, such as when calibrating the board, enable

dither and average about 1,000 points to take a single reading. This process
removes the effects of 12-bit quantization and reduces measurement noise,
resulting in improved resolution. Dither, or additive white noise, has the
effect of forcing quantization noise to become a zero-mean random variable
rather than a deterministic function of input. For more information on the
effects of dither, see “Dither in Digital Audio,” Journal of the Audio
Engineering Society.

The DAQCard-1200 uses a 12-bit successive-approximation ADC. The

12-bit resolution of the converter allows the converter to resolve its input
range into 4,096 different steps. The ADC has an input range of ±5 V and
0 to 10 V.

When an A/D conversion is complete, the ADC clocks the result into the
A/D FIFO. This FIFO serves as a buffer to the ADC. The A/D FIFO can
collect up to 1,024 A/D conversion values before any information is lost,
thus allowing software some extra time to catch up with the hardware. If
you store more than 1,024 samples in the A/D FIFO before reading from
the A/D FIFO, an error condition called A/D FIFO overflow occurs and you
lose A/D conversion information.

The output from the ADC can be interpreted as either straight binary or
two’s complement, depending on which input mode you select (unipolar or
bipolar). In unipolar mode, the data from the ADC is interpreted as a
12-bit straight binary number with a range of 0 to +4,095. In bipolar mode,
the data from the ADC is interpreted as a 12-bit two’s complement number

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

with a range of –2,048 to +2,047. In this mode, the MSB of the ADC result
is modified to make it two’s complement. The output from the ADC is then
sign extended to 16 bits, causing either a leading 0 or a leading F (hex) to
be added, depending on the coding and the sign. Thus, data values read
from the FIFO are 16 bits wide.

Data Acquisition Timing

A data acquisition operation refers to the process of taking a sequence of
A/D conversions when the sample interval (the time between successive
A/D conversions) is carefully timed. A data acquisition operation can either
acquire a finite number of samples (controlled run) or an infinite number
of samples (freerun). The DAQCard-1200 unit can perform both
single-channel data acquisition and multiple-channel (scanned) data
acquisition in two modes—continuous and interval.

The data acquisition timing circuitry consists of various clocks and timing
signals that control the data acquisition operation. Data acquisition timing
consists of signals that initiate a data acquisition operation, time the
individual A/D conversions, gate the data acquisition operation, and
generate scanning clocks. The data acquisition operation can either be
timed by the timing circuitry or by externally generated signals. These
two modes are software configurable.

Data Acquisition Operation

Data acquisition operations are initiated either externally through
EXTTRIG or through software control. The data acquisition operation is
terminated either internally by counter A1 of the 82C53(A) counter/timer
circuitry, which counts the total number of samples taken during a
controlled operation, or through software control in a freerun operation.

Continuous Data Acquisition

In a continuous data acquisition operation, samples are taken at regular
sample intervals without any delays. Therefore, each sample is taken
with the same sample interval. This applies to both single-channel and
multiple-channel data acquisition in either freerun or controlled operation.
The sample interval is either controlled externally by EXTCONV* or
internally by counter A0 of the timing circuitry.

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

Interval Data Acquisition

In an interval data acquisition operation, a new period called the interval
cycle is defined. Within each interval cycle, a predefined number of
samples is taken at regular sample intervals and conversions are stopped for
the remainder of the interval cycle. A data acquisition operation consists of
back-to-back interval cycles. In single-channel interval data acquisition,
you select the number of samples you want in each interval cycle from a
single channel. In multiple-channel interval data acquisition, the channels
are scanned once during each interval cycle. The interval cycle timing can
be externally controlled through OUTB1 or controlled internally by
counter B1 of the timing circuitry.

For an example of a multiple-channel interval data acquisition operation,

refer to the description of interval scanning signal timing in the DAQ
Timing Connections section in Chapter 3, Signal Connections.

Data Acquisition Rates

Maximum data acquisition rates (number of samples per second) are
determined by the conversion period of the ADC plus the sample-and-hold
acquisition time. During multiple-channel scanning, the data acquisition
rates are further limited by the settling time of the input multiplexers and
programmable gain amplifier. After the input multiplexers are switched,
the amplifier must be allowed to settle to the new input signal value to
within 12-bit accuracy before you perform an A/D conversion, or 12-bit
accuracy will not be achieved. The settling time is a function of the gain
selected.

Table 4-1 shows the recommended settling time for each gain setting
during multiple-channel scanning. Table 4-2 shows the maximum
recommended data acquisition rates for both single-channel and
multiple-channel data acquisition. For single-channel scanning, this rate is
limited only by the ADC conversion period plus the sample-and-hold
acquisition time, which is specified at 10 µs (11 µs if EXTCONV* is used).

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

For multiple-channel data acquisition, observing the data acquisition rates

in Table 4-2 ensures 12-bit accuracy.

Table 4-1. Analog Input Settling Time Versus Gain

Gain Setting Settling Time Recommended

1, 2, 5, 10 10 µs max
20 12 µs typ, 15 µs max
50 25 µs typ, 30 µs max
100 60 µs typ, 80 µs max

Table 4-2. DAQCard-1200 Maximum Recommended Data Acquisition Rates

Sampling
Acquisition Mode Gain Setting Rate
Single channel 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 100.0 kS/s
Multiple channel 1, 2, 5, 10 100 kS/s
20 83.3 kS/s
50 40.0 kS/s
100 16.6 kS/s

The recommended data acquisition rates in Table 4-2 assume that voltage
levels on all the channels included in the scan sequence are within range for
the given gain and are driven by low-impedance sources.

Note If you use external conversions for single-channel acquisitions, the maximum
sampling rate is 90 kS/s.

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

Analog Output
The DAQCard-1200 has two channels of 12-bit D/A output. Each analog
output channel can provide unipolar or bipolar output. The DAQCard-1200
also contains timing circuitry for waveform generation timed either
externally or internally. Figure 4-5 shows the analog output circuitry.

Dat Two's Complement

DAC0WRT
Data DAC0 DAC0OUT
PCMCIA I/O Channel Interface

8
AGND
Decode Circuitry

I/O Connector
5 V Internal
Counter Reference External Update
EXTUPDATE*
A2

DAC1WRT
DAC1 DAC1OUT
PCMCIA Interface

Two's Complement

Control
Signal Dual DAC Chip

Figure 4-5. Analog Output Circuitry

Analog Output Circuitry

Each analog output channel contains a 12-bit DAC. The DAC in each
analog output channel generates a voltage proportional to the 5 V reference
(provided in the Dual DAC chip) multiplied by the 12-bit digital code
loaded into the DAC. The voltage output from the two DACs is available
at the DAQCard-1200 I/O connector DAC0OUT and DAC1OUT pins.

You can program each DAC channel for a unipolar voltage output or a
bipolar voltage output range. A unipolar output gives an output voltage
range of 0 to +10 V. A bipolar output gives an output voltage range of ±5 V.
For unipolar output, 0 V output corresponds to a digital code word of 0. For
bipolar output, –5 V output corresponds to a digital code word of F800 hex.
One LSB is the voltage increment corresponding to an LSB change in the
digital code word. For both outputs:

10 V
1 LSB = --------------
4,096

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Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

Power-On State
Both analog outputs reach 0 V approximately 110 ms after card insertion.
During this 110 ms period, the output voltage can swing from +2 to –5 V.

Warning Disconnect the analog outputs from the system before inserting the card in the
PC Card slot. This step ensures that you do not damage your system during the
110 ms before the output reaches 0 V.

DAC Timing
There are two ways you can update the DAC voltages. In the first mode,
the DAC output voltage is updated as soon as you write to the
corresponding DAC. This is called the immediate update mode. In the
second mode, the DAC output voltage does not change until a low level
is detected either from counter A2 of the timing circuitry or from
EXTUPDATE*. This mode is useful for waveform generation. These
two modes are software selectable.

Note Configure both the DACs in either immediate update mode or later update mode.
Do not configure the DACs in a combination of both modes because doing so can
result in premature updates on the waveform generation DAC (whenever the
immediate update DAC is updated). Also, if a waveform generation update occurs
between an LSB write and an MSB write of the DAC in the immediate update
mode, you will receive an incorrect value from that DAC until the MSB is written.
Both of these effects are minimal at high waveform update rates.

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 Chapter 4 Theory of Operation

Digital I/O
The digital I/O circuitry has an 82C55A integrated circuit. The 82C55A is
a general-purpose programmable peripheral interface (PPI) containing
24 programmable I/O pins. These pins represent the three 8-bit I/O ports
(A, B, and C) of the 82C55A, as well as PA<0..7>, PB<0..7>, and
PC<0..7> on the DAQCard-1200 I/O connector. Figure 4-6 shows the
digital I/O circuitry.

PA<0..7>
Dat DATA<0..7> 8
Decode
8 PB<0..7>
Circuitry
DIO RD/WRT 8
PCMCIAI /O Channel

2 82C55A PC<0..7>

I/O Connector
Programmable 8
Peripheral
Interface
PCMCIA Port

To PC0
Interrupt
Control
PC3

Figure 4-6. Digital I/O Circuitry

All three ports on the 82C55A are TTL-compatible. When enabled, the
digital output ports are capable of sinking 2.4 mA of current and sourcing
2.6 mA of current on each digital I/O line. When the ports are not enabled,
the digital I/O lines act as high-impedance inputs.

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Calibration
5
This chapter discusses the calibration procedures for the DAQCard-1200
analog I/O circuitry. However, the DAQCard-1200 is factory calibrated,
and National Instruments can recalibrate your card if necessary. To
maintain the 12-bit accuracy of the DAQCard-1200 analog input and
analog output circuitry, recalibrate at 6-month intervals.

There are two ways to perform calibrations.

• Use the NI-DAQ Calibrate_1200 function. This is the simpler
method.
• Use your own register-level writes to the calibration DACs and the
EEPROM.

The DAQCard-1200 is software calibrated, so there are no calibration

trimpots. The calibration process involves reading offset and gain errors
from the analog input and analog output sections and writing values to the
appropriate calibration DACs to null the errors. There are four calibration
DACs associated with the analog input section and four calibration DACs
associated with the analog output section, two for each output channel.
After the calibration process is complete, each calibration DAC is at a
known value. Because these values are lost when the card is powered down,
they are stored in the onboard EEPROM for future reference.

The factory information occupies one half of the EEPROM and is

write-protected. The lower half of the EEPROM contains user areas for
calibration data. There are four different user areas. When the
DAQCard-1200 is powered on, or when the conditions under which it is
operating change, you must load the calibration DACs with the appropriate
calibration constants.

If you use the DAQCard-1200 with NI-DAQ and LabVIEW or

LabWindows/CVI, the factory calibration constants are automatically
loaded into the calibration DAC the first time a function pertaining to
the DAQCard-1200 is called, and then each time you change your
configuration. You can, instead, choose to load the calibration DACs with
calibration constants from the user areas in the EEPROM, or you can
recalibrate the DAQCard-1200 and load these constants directly into the
calibration DACs.

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Chapter 5 Calibration

Calibration at Higher Gains

The DAQCard-1200 has a maximum gain error of 0.8%. This means that if
the card is calibrated at a gain of 1, and if the gain is switched to 100, a
maximum of 32 LSB error may result in the reading. Therefore, when you
are recalibrating the DAQCard-1200, you should perform gain calibration
at all other gains (2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100), and store the corresponding
values in the user gain calibration data area of the EEPROM, thus ensuring
a maximum error of 0.02% at all gains. The DAQCard-1200 is
factory-calibrated at all gains, and NI-DAQ automatically loads the correct
values into the calibration DACs whenever you switch gains.

Calibration Equipment Requirements

The equipment you use to calibrate the DAQCard-1200 should have a
±0.001% rated accuracy, which is 10 times as accurate as the
DAQCard-1200. However, calibration with only four times the accuracy as
the DAQCard-1200 and a ±0.003% rated accuracy is acceptable. The
inaccuracy of the calibration equipment results only in gain error; offset
error is unaffected.

Calibrate the DAQCard-1200 to a measurement accuracy of ±0.5 LSBs,

which is within ±0.012% of its input range.

For analog input calibration, use a precision DC voltage source, such as a

calibrator, with the following specifications.
• Voltage approximately 4 V (bipolar), 9 V (unipolar)
• Accuracy ±0.001% standard
±0.003% acceptable

Using the Calibration Function

NI-DAQ contains the Calibrate_1200 function, with which you can
either load the calibration DACs with the factory constants or the
user-defined constants stored in the EEPROM, or perform your own
calibration and directly load these constants into the calibration DACs.
To use the Calibrate_1200 function for analog input calibration, you
must ground an analog input channel at the front connector, for offset
calibration, and apply an accurate voltage reference to another input
channel, for gain calibration. For analog output calibration, the DAC0 and
DAC1 outputs must be wrapped back and applied to two other analog input
channels.

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 Chapter 5 Calibration

When you perform analog input calibration, you must first configure the
ADC for referenced single-ended (RSE) mode and for the correct polarity
at which you want to perform data acquisition. When you perform analog
output calibration, you must first configure the analog input circuitry for
RSE and for bipolar polarity, and you must configure the analog output
circuitry for the correct polarity at which you want to perform output
waveform generation. Refer to the NI-DAQ Function Reference Manual for
PC Compatibles for more details on the Calibrate_1200 function.

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Specifications
A
This appendix lists the specifications for the DAQCard-1200. These
specifications are typical at 25 °C unless otherwise noted.

Analog Input

Input Characteristics
Number of channels ............................... 8 single-ended,
8 pseudodifferential or
4 differential, software selectable

Resolution .............................................. 12 bits, 1 in 4,096

Max single-channel sampling rate ......... 100 kS/s

Input signal ranges

Board Range
Board Gain
(Software Selectable)
(Software
Selectable) Unipolar Bipolar
1 0 to 10 V ±5 V
2 0 to 5 V ±2.5 V
5 0 to 2 V ±1 V
10 0 to 1 V ±500 mV
20 0 to 500 mV ±250 mV
50 0 to 250 mV ±100 mV
100 0 to 100 mV ±50 mV

Input coupling ........................................ DC

Type of ADC.......................................... Successive approximation

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Appendix A Specifications

Maximum working voltage

(signal + common mode) ........................Negative input/AISENSE should
remain within ±6 V (bipolar) or
–6 to 2 V (unipolar) of AGND

Overvoltage protection ...........................±35 V powered on and ±25 V

powered off

Inputs protected ......................................<ACH0..ACH7>

FIFO buffer size......................................1,024 samples

Data transfers ..........................................Interrupts, programmed I/O

Dither ......................................................Available

Transfer Characteristics
Relative accuracy....................................±0.5 LSB typ dithered,
±1.5 LSB max undithered

DNL ........................................................±1 LSB max

No missing codes....................................12 bits, guaranteed

Offset error
Pre-gain error after calibration ........10 µV max
Pre-gain error before calibration .....±20 mV max
Post-gain error after calibration.......1 mV max
Post-gain error before calibration....±200 mV max

Gain error (relative to calibration reference)

After calibration...............................0.02% of reading max
Before calibration ............................±2% of reading max
Gain ≠ 1 with gain error
adjusted to 0 at gain = 1...................±0.8% of reading max

Amplifier Characteristics
Input impedance
Normal powered on .........................100 GΩ in parallel with 50 pF
Powered off .....................................4.7 k min
Overload ..........................................4.7 k min

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 Appendix A Specifications

Input bias current ................................... ±100 pA

Input offset current................................. ±100 pA

CMRR .................................................... 70 dB, DC to 60 Hz

Dynamic Characteristics
Bandwidth
Small signal (–3 dB)

Gain Bandwidth
1–10 250 kHz
20 150 kHz
50 60 kHz
100 30 kHz

Settling time to full scale step

Accuracy
Gain ±0.024% (±1 LSB)
1–10 10 µs max
20 12 µs typ, 15 µs max
50 25 µs typ, 30 µs max
100 60 µs typ, 80 µs max

System noise (not including quantization error)

Gain Dither Off Dither On

1–50 0.3 LSBrms 0.5 LSBrms
100 0.5 LSBrms 0.7 LSBrms

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Appendix A Specifications

Stability
Recommended warm up time .................15 minutes

Offset temperature coefficient

Pre-gain............................................±15 µV/°C
Post-gain ..........................................±100 µV/°C

Gain temperature coefficient ..................±40 ppm/°C

Analog Output

Output Characteristics
Number of Channels ...............................2 voltage

Resolution ...............................................12 bits, 1 in 4,096

Max update rate ......................................20 kS/s1

Type of DAC ..........................................Double buffered

Data transfers ..........................................Interrupts, programmed I/O

Transfer Characteristics
Relative accuracy (INL) .........................±0.5 LSB typ, ±1 LSB max

DNL ........................................................±0.5 LSB typ, ±0.9 LSB max

Monotonicity ..........................................12 bits, guaranteed

Offset error
After calibration...............................±0.5 mV max
Before calibration ............................±75 mV max

Gain error (relative to internal reference)

After calibration...............................±0.02% of reading max
Before calibration ............................±2% of reading max

1 If you perform simultaneous AI and AO, reliable continuous rates are limited to 0.5 to 1 kS/s and is configuration dependent.

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 Appendix A Specifications

Voltage Output
Ranges .................................................... 0–10 V, ±5 V software selectable

Output coupling...................................... DC

Output impedance .................................. 0.5 Ω typ

Current drive ......................................... 1 mA max per channel

Protection ............................................... 80 mA momentary short-circuit

protection to ground

Power on state
0 to 110 ms...................................... +2 V to –5 V
>110 ms........................................... 0 V (±mV)

Dynamic Characteristics
Settling time to full-scale step................ 20 µs to ±1 LSB accuracy

Noise ...................................................... 400 µVrms typ, DC to 1 MHz

Stability
Offset temperature coefficient ............... ±50 µV/°C

Gain temperature coefficient.................. ±30 ppm/°C

Digital I/O
Number of channels ............................... 24 I/O (three 8-bit ports; uses the
82C55A PPI)

Compatibility ......................................... TTL

Power-on state........................................ All ports high impedance inputs

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Appendix A Specifications

Digital logic levels

Level Min Max

Input low voltage –0.3 V 0.8 V
Input high voltage 2.2 V 5.3 V
Output low voltage
(Iout = 2.5 mA) — 0.4 V
Output high voltage
(Iout = –40 µA) 4.2 V —
(Iout = –2.5 mA) 3.7 V —
Output leakage current
0 ≤ Vout ≤ Vcc –10 µA 10 µA

Protection................................................–0.5 to 5.5 V powered on,

±0.5 V powered off

Handshaking ...........................................3 wire, 2 port

Data transfers ..........................................Interrupts, programmed I/O

Timing I/O
Number of channels................................3 counters/timers

Digital logic levels

Level Min Max

Input low voltage –0.3 V 0.8 V
Input high voltage 2.2 V 5.3 V
Output low voltage
(Iout = 4 mA) — 0.45 V
Output high voltage
(Iout = –1 mA) 3.7 V —

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 Appendix A Specifications

Protection ............................................... –0.5 to 5.5 V powered on,

±0.5 V powered off

Resolution
Counters/timers ............................... 16 bits

Compatibility ......................................... TTL

Base clocks available ............................. 2 MHz

Base clock accuracy ............................... ±50 ppm max

Max source frequency ............................ 8 MHz

Min source pulse duration...................... 125 ns

Min gate pulse duration.......................... 100 µs

Data transfers ......................................... Interrupts, programmed I/O

Digital Trigger
Compatibility ......................................... TTL

Response ................................................ Rising edge

Pulse width............................................. 50 ns min

Bus Interface
Slave

Power Requirement
+5 VDC (±5%)....................................... 150 mA operating,
50 mA power-down mode,
plus any current drawn through
the I/O connector +5 line.

Physical
Dimensions............................................. 8.56 by 5.40 cm (3.37 by 2.13 in.)

PC Card type .......................................... Type II

I/O connector.......................................... 50-pin male

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Appendix A Specifications

Environment
Operating temperature ............................0 to 50 °C

Storage temperature ................................–55 to 150 °C

Relative humidity ...................................5% to 90% noncondensing

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Differences among the
B
Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200,
and the DAQCard-1200
This appendix contains a summary of the functional differences among the
Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200, and the DAQCard-1200.

The Lab-PC+ is a plug-in DAQ board for PCs. It has jumpers for allocating
of bus resources such as base address, interrupt, and DMA channels, as well
as analog input/output resources such as input/output mode and polarity. It
also has potentiometers for calibration.

The DAQPad-1200 is a DAQ device that plugs into the parallel port of the
computer. It is functionally identical to the Lab-PC+. In addition, there are
no jumpers for bus resource allocation; this is done at configuration time
with software. It also has no potentiometers because it is software
calibrated. It is a jumperless and a potless unit. The DAQPad-1200 is
register-compatible with the Lab-PC+. It has a few additional registers for
calibration purposes.

The DAQCard-1200 is register-compatible with the DAQPad-1200 (and the

Lab-PC+) and functionally identical to it. Register-level software
developed for the Lab-PC+ works directly on a configured DAQCard-1200.
However, you calibrate the DAQCard-1200 with software instead of
potentiometers.

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Appendix B Differences among the Lab-PC+, the DAQPad-1200, and the DAQCard-1200

The following table summarizes the differences among the three products.

Functionality Lab-PC+ DAQPad-1200 DAQCard-1200

Bus resource allocation Jumpers Software Software (automatic)
Calibration Potentiometers Software Software
DMA Uses DMA Cannot use DMA Cannot use DMA
Waveform generation Can do waveform Can do waveform Should do either
generation on one generation on one immediate update on both
DAC and DAC and or waveform generation
immediate updates immediate on both but not a
on the other DAC updates on the combination. See
other Chapter 4, Theory of
Operation, for more
information.
FIFO size 512 samples 1,024 samples 1,024 samples
Maximum single-channel 83.3 K samples/s 100 K samples/s 100 K samples/s
acquisition rate
Power-management modes — — 150 mA operating, 50 mA
power-down mode
Fuse Regular 250 mA Regular 250 mA Thermal 1.0 A

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Power-Management Modes
C
This appendix describes the power-management modes of the
DAQCard-1200.
• Normal Mode—This is the normal operating mode of the
DAQCard-1200 in which all the circuits are fully functional. This
mode draws about 150 mA from the 5 V supply (about 750 mW).
• Power-Down Mode—In this mode, the digital circuitry is powered on
and is functional. The analog input and output circuits are powered
down by setting the PWRDOWN bit in the PCMCIA Card
Configuration and Status Register. You can set the PWRDOWN bit by
using the DAQPOWER utility that is shipped with NI-DAQ. Use
DAQPOWER-D to power down and DAQPOWER-U to power up the
DAQCard-1200. This utility is also available in Windows and is
installed whenever you install NI-DAQ. Typically, the analog supplies
are not reduced to zero; negligible power is supplied to the analog
circuits. This mode draws about 50 mA from the 5 V supply (about
250 mW).

Table C-1 shows the effects of different power-management modes on the

DAQCard-1200 circuits.

Table C-1. DAQCard-1200 Power-Management Modes

Normal Mode Power-Down Mode

Analog Functional. Defaults to bipolar (±5 V) Nonfunctional. Draws negligible power.
Input RSE. Protected to ±35 V. Protected to ±25 V. Impedance = 4.7 kΩ,
Impedance > 1 GΩ. which is the input protection resistance.
Analog Functional. Defaults to bipolar (±5 V) Nonfunctional. Draws negligible power.
Output RSE. Output of each DAC remains at 0 V Output of each DAC is ideally 0 V, but
(within 110 ms of card insertion) until may get some negligible value. Short
the first update is performed on that circuit protected to 80 mA. Assume
DAC. Short circuit protected to 80 mA. impedance = 0.5 Ω.
DC impedance = 0.5 Ω.

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Appendix C Power-Management Modes

Table C-1. DAQCard-1200 Power-Management Modes (Continued)

Normal Mode Power-Down Mode

Calibration Functional. Both analog input and Nonfunctional. Draws negligible power.
Circuitry analog output can be fully calibrated. 5 V supply is ideally zero, but gets
The CALDACs default to 0 V. negligible voltage. The CALDACs
default to 0 V. Calibration constants
(digital values) written into the
CALDAC are not preserved and must be
rewritten after entering normal mode.
Digital I/O Functional. Defaults to high impedance Functional. Defaults to high impedance
inputs for all ports. Protected from inputs for all ports (A, B, and C).
–0.5 to 5.5 V. Protected from –0.5 to 5.5 V.
Counters Functional. Initialize to undefined states. Functional. Initialize to undefined states.
Individual counters of the 82C53 must Individual counters of the 82C53 must
be fully programmed before use. be fully programmed before use.
Protected from –0.5 to 5.5 V. Protected from –0.5 to 5.5 V.

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PC Card Questions and Answers
D
This appendix contains a list of common questions and answers relating to
PC Card operation. The questions are grouped according to the type of
information requested. You may find this information useful if you are
having difficulty with the PC Card system software configuration.

Configuration
1. Do I need to use my PC Card configuration utility to configure the
National Instruments PC Cards?
No. We recommend that you do not configure our PC Cards using
PC Card Control or an equivalent PC Card configuration utility. Use
the configuration utilities included with the NI-DAQ driver software to
properly configure your card. The appropriate utilities are WDAQCONF
for Windows users or DAQCONF for DOS users

2. What should I do if my computer does not have Card and Socket

Services version 2.0 or later?
Contact the manufacturer of your computer or of your PC Card adapter
and request the latest Card and Socket PC Card driver. Our NI-DAQ
software will work with any Card and Socket Service driver that is
compliant to version 2.0 or higher.

Operation
1. My PC Card works when inserted before power-on time, but it
does not work when hot inserted. What is wrong?
You may have an interrupt conflict. If you have a utility such as
MSD.EXE, run it to determine the allocated interrupts, then refer to
question 5 in the Resources section. MSD.EXE is usually shipped with
Microsoft Windows.

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Appendix D PC Card Questions and Answers

2. My computer locks up when I use a PC Card. What should I do?

This usually happens because Card Services allocated an unusable
interrupt level to the PC Card. For example, on some computers,
interrupt level 11 is not routed to PC Cards. If Card Services is not
aware of this, it may assign interrupt 11 to a PC Card even though the
interrupt is not usable. When a call uses the interrupt, the interrupt
never occurs, and the computer locks up waiting for a response. For
information about how to locate an interrupt that is free to be used,
refer to question 4 in the Resources section.

3. Is there a way I can conserve power on my PC Card when it is not

in use?
Yes. If you are using NI-DAQ for PC compatibles version 4.8.0 or
later, a DOS utility called DAQPOWER_EXE will switch all National
Instruments PC Cards between normal mode and power-down mode.
Power-up and power-down icons are also installed for Windows users
to access either of these two power-management modes. Refer to
Appendix C, Power-Management Modes, for more information on
these modes.

Resources
1. How do I determine if I have a memory conflict?
If no PC Cards are working at all, it is probably because a memory
window is not usable. Card Services uses a 4 kB memory window for
its own internal use. If the memory cannot be used, then Card Services
cannot read the Card Information Structure (CIS) from the card’s
EPROM, which means it cannot identify cards.
There are two different methods you can use when Card Services has
a problem reading the CIS. First, you can determine which memory
window Card Services is using, and then exclude that window from use
by Card Services and/or the memory manager. Second, you can
attempt to determine all of the memory that Card Services can possibly
use and then exclude all but that memory from use by Card Services.

2. How do I determine all of the memory that Card Services can use?
One way to find out which memory addresses Card Services can use is
to run a utility such as MSD.EXE that scans the system and tells you
how the system memory is being used. For example, if you run such a
memory utility and it tells you that physical addresses C0000 to C9FFF

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 Appendix D PC Card Questions and Answers

are being used for ROM access, then you know that C8000–D3FFF is
an invalid range for Card Services and should be changed to
CA000–D3FFF.

3. How can I find usable I/O addresses?

Finding usable I/O addresses is done by trial and error. Of the
three resources used—memory, I/O, interrupts—I/O conflicts will be
low. You can use either DAQCONF.EXE in DOS or WDAQCONF in
Windows to diagnose I/O space conflicts. When you have configured
DAQCONF or WDAQCONF for a particular I/O space, save the
configuration. If there is a conflict, the configuration utility will
report an error describing the conflict.

4. How do I find usable interrupt levels?

Some utilities, such as MSD.EXE, will scan the system and display
information about what is using hardware interrupts. If you have such
a utility, you can run it to determine what interrupts Card Services can
use. Card Services needs an interrupt for itself as well as one interrupt
for each PC Card socket in the system. For example, in a system with
two PC Card sockets, at least three interrupts should be allocated for
use by Card Services.
Keep in mind that utilities such as MSD.EXE will sometimes report that
an interrupt is in use when it really is not. For example, if the computer
has one serial port, COM1, and one parallel port, LPT1, you know that
IRQs 4 and 7 are probably in use. In general, IRQ5 is used for LPT2,
but if the computer does not have two parallel ports, IRQ5 should be
usable. IRQ3 is used for COM2, but if the computer has only has one
serial port, IRQ3 should be usable.

5. I run a memory utility, and it appears there is no memory available

for Card Services. What should I do?
You should remove your memory manager by commenting it out of the
CONFIG.SYS file. Next, you can rerun the memory utility. Memory
managers often consume an enormous amount of memory, and you
will need to determine what memory is really usable by Card Services.
When you have determined what memory is available for Card
Services, reinstall your memory manager and make the necessary
changes to provide Card Services with the memory needed. We
suggest that you use the minimum amount of memory for Card
Services, namely 4 to 12 kB, which frees more memory for the
memory manager.

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Appendix D PC Card Questions and Answers

Resource Conflicts
1. How do I resolve conflicts between my memory manager and Card
Services?
Card Services can usually use memory space that is not being used for
real RAM on the system. Even when this is the case, you should still
exclude the memory addresses used by Card Services from use by any
memory manager that may be installed.

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Technical Support Resources
E
This appendix describes the comprehensive resources available to you in
the Technical Support section of the National Instruments Web site and
provides technical support telephone numbers for you to use if you have
trouble connecting to our Web site or if you do not have internet access.

NI Web Support
To provide you with immediate answers and solutions 24 hours a day,
365 days a year, National Instruments maintains extensive online technical
support resources. They are available to you at no cost, are updated daily,
and can be found in the Technical Support section of our Web site at
www.natinst.com/support.

Online Problem-Solving and Diagnostic Resources

• KnowledgeBase—A searchable database containing thousands of
frequently asked questions (FAQs) and their corresponding answers or
solutions, including special sections devoted to our newest products.
The database is updated daily in response to new customer experiences
and feedback.
• Troubleshooting Wizards—Step-by-step guides lead you through
common problems and answer questions about our entire product line.
Wizards include screen shots that illustrate the steps being described
and provide detailed information ranging from simple getting started
instructions to advanced topics.
• Product Manuals—A comprehensive, searchable library of the latest
editions of National Instruments hardware and software product
manuals.
• Hardware Reference Database—A searchable database containing
brief hardware descriptions, mechanical drawings, and helpful images
of jumper settings and connector pinouts.
• Application Notes—A library with more than 100 short papers
addressing specific topics such as creating and calling DLLs,
developing your own instrument driver software, and porting
applications between platforms and operating systems.

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Software-Related Resources
• Instrument Driver Network—A library with hundreds of instrument
drivers for control of standalone instruments via GPIB, VXI, or serial
interfaces. You also can submit a request for a particular instrument
driver if it does not already appear in the library.
• Example Programs Database—A database with numerous,
non-shipping example programs for National Instruments
programming environments. You can use them to complement the
example programs that are already included with National Instruments
products.
• Software Library—A library with updates and patches to application
software, links to the latest versions of driver software for National
Instruments hardware products, and utility routines.

Worldwide Support
National Instruments has offices located around the globe. Many branch
offices maintain a Web site to provide information on local services. You
can access these Web sites from www.natinst.com/worldwide.

If you have trouble connecting to our Web site, please contact your local
National Instruments office or the source from which you purchased your
National Instruments product(s) to obtain support.

For telephone support in the United States, dial 512 795 8248. For
telephone support outside the United States, contact your local branch
office:
Australia 03 9879 5166, Austria 0662 45 79 90 0, Belgium 02 757 00 20,
Brazil 011 284 5011, Canada (Calgary) 403 274 9391,
Canada (Ontario) 905 785 0085, Canada (Québec) 514 694 8521,
China 0755 3904939, Denmark 45 76 26 00, Finland 09 725 725 11,
France 01 48 14 24 24, Germany 089 741 31 30, Greece 30 1 42 96 427,
Hong Kong 2645 3186, India 91805275406, Israel 03 6120092,
Italy 02 413091, Japan 03 5472 2970, Korea 02 596 7456,
Mexico (D.F.) 5 280 7625, Mexico (Monterrey) 8 357 7695,
Netherlands 0348 433466, Norway 32 27 73 00, Singapore 2265886,
Spain (Barcelona) 93 582 0251, Spain (Madrid) 91 640 0085,
Sweden 08 587 895 00, Switzerland 056 200 51 51,
Taiwan 02 2377 1200, United Kingdom 01635 523545

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Glossary

Prefix Meanings Value

p- pico- 10 –12
n- nano- 10 –9
µ- micro- 10 – 6
m- milli- 10 –3
k- kilo- 10 3
M- mega- 10 6
G- giga- 10 9
t- tera- 10 12

Numbers/Symbols
° degrees

Ω ohms

% percent

A
A amperes

AC alternating current

ACH analog input channel signal

A/D analog-to-digital

ADC analog-to-digital converter—an electronic device, often an integrated

circuit, that converts an analog voltage to a digital number

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Glossary

AIGND analog input ground signal

AWG American Wire Gauge

B
BCD binary-coded decimal

C
C Celsius

CE card enable signal

CLK clock input signal

CMOS complementary metallic oxide semiconductor

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)

D
D/A digital-to-analog

DAQ data acquisition—(1) collecting and measuring electrical signals from

sensors, transducers, and test probes or fixtures and inputting them to a
computer for processing; (2) collecting and measuring the same kinds of
electrical signals with A/D and/or DIO boards plugged into a computer, and
possibly generating control signals with D/A and/or DIO boards in the
same computer

DC direct current

DGND digital ground signal

DIFF differential configuration

DIN digital input signal

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 Glossary

DMA direct memory access—a method by which data can be transferred to/from
computer memory from/to a device or memory on the bus while the
processor does something else. DMA is the fastest method of transferring
data to/from computer memory.

DNL differential nonlinearity—a measure in least significant bit of the

worst-case deviation of code widths from their ideal value of 1 LSB

DOUT digital output signal

E
EISA Extended Industry Standard Architecture

ESP Engineering Software Package

EXTCONV external control signal to trigger A/D conversions

EXTINT external interrupt signal

F
F farads

FIFO first-in first-out memory buffer—the first data stored is the first data sent to
the acceptor. FIFOs are often used on DAQ devices to temporarily store
incoming or outgoing data until that data can be retrieved or output. For
example, an analog input FIFO stores the results of A/D conversions until
the data can be retrieved into system memory, a process that requires the
servicing of interrupts and often the programming of the DMA controller.
This process can take several milliseconds in some cases. During this time,
data accumulates in the FIFO for future retrieval. With a larger FIFO,
longer latencies can be tolerated. In the case of analog output, a FIFO
permits faster update rates, because the waveform data can be stored on the
FIFO ahead of time. This again reduces the effect of latencies associated
with getting the data from system memory to the DAQ device.

G
GATE gate input signal

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Glossary

H
hex hexadecimal

Hz hertz—the number of scans read or updates written per second

I
in. inches

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

ISA Industry Standard Architecture

L
LED light-emitting diode

LSB least significant bit

M
MB megabytes of memory

MSB most significant bit

N
NC not connected (signal)

NRSE nonreferenced single-ended mode—all measurements are made with

respect to a common (NRSE) measurement system reference, but the
voltage at this reference can vary with respect to the measurement system
ground

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 Glossary

O
OUT output signal

P
PCMCIA an expansion bus architecture that has found widespread acceptance as a
de facto standard in notebook-size computers. It originated as a
specification for add-on memory cards written by the Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association.

PPI programmable peripheral interface

R
RAM random-access memory

RMA Return Material Authorization

rms root mean square

S
S samples

s seconds

SCXI Signal Conditioning eXtensions for Instrumentation—the National

Instruments product line for conditioning low-level signals within an
external chassis near sensors so only high-level signals are sent to DAQ
boards in the noisy PC environment

T
TTL transistor-transistor logic

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Glossary

V
V volts

VCC positive supply voltage from the PCMCIA bus (usually +5V)

VDC volts, direct current

VI 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

VIH volts, input high

VIL volts, input low

Vin volts in

VOH volts, output high

VOL volts, output low

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Index

Numbers polarity
configuration, 2-3
+5 V signal (table), 3-4
settings (table), 2-3
1200_Calibrate function, 5-2 to 5-3
power-management modes (table), C-1
specifications, A-1 to A-4
A amplifier characteristics, A-2 to A-3
ACH<0..7> signal dynamic characteristics, A-3
description (table), 3-3 input characteristics, A-1 to A-2
signal ranges, 3-4 stability, A-4
bipolar and unipolar analog input transfer characteristics, A-2
(table), 3-5 theory of operation, 4-5 to 4-8
ACK* signal (table), 3-18 analog input modes
AGND signal configurations
analog input signal connections, 3-4 differential connection
description (table), 3-3 considerations, 3-7 to 3-8
AISENSE/AIGND signal floating signal sources, 3-9 to 3-10
analog common signal, 3-4 ground-referenced signal
description (table), 3-3 sources, 3-8 to 3-9
amplifier characteristic specifications, recommended input configurations
A-2 to A-3 (table), 3-7
analog input. See also analog input modes; DIFF
analog input signal connections. definition (table), 2-4
circuitry, 4-6 to 4-8 purpose and use, 2-5
configuration NRSE
analog I/O settings (table), 2-3 definition (table), 2-4
default settings, 2-3 purpose and use, 2-5
input modes, 2-4 to 2-5 RSE
input polarity, 2-3 definition (table), 2-4
data acquisition rates, 4-9 to 4-10 purpose and use, 2-4
maximum recommended rates analog input signal connections
(table), 4-10 bipolar and unipolar signal range vs. gain
settling time vs. gain (table), 4-10 (table), 3-5
data acquisition timing, 4-8 to 4-9 common-mode signal rejection,
continuous data acquisition, 4-8 3-13 to 3-14
data acquisition operation, 4-8 differential connections
interval data acquisition, 4-9 description, 3-7 to 3-8
floating signal sources, 3-9 to 3-10

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Index

grounded signal sources, 3-8 to 3-9 B

single-ended connections, bus interface specifications, A-7
3-11 to 3-13
when to use, 3-8
exceeding maximum input voltage ratings C
(warning), 3-4 calibration, 5-1 to 5-3
floating signal sources, 3-6 EEPROM storage, 5-1
ground-referenced signal
equipment requirements, 5-2
sources, 3-6 to 3-7
higher gains, 5-2
input configurations, 3-7 to 3-14
overview, 5-1
instrumentation amplifier, 3-5 to 3-6
power-management modes (table), C-2
pins, 3-4
using the 1200_Calibrate
recommended input configurations function, 5-2 to 5-3
(table), 3-7
CLK signals
single-ended connections
general-purpose timing signal
floating signal sources (RSE
connections, 3-26 to 3-30
configuration), 3-11 to 3-12
timing requirements signals (figure), 3-30
grounded signal sources (NRSE
CLKB1 signal (table), 3-4
configuration), 3-12 to 3-13
CLKB2 signal (table), 3-4
purpose and use, 3-11
common mode signal rejection
when to use, 3-11
considerations, 3-13 to 3-14
types of signal sources, 3-6 to 3-7
configuration
analog output
analog input
circuitry, 4-11
analog I/O settings (table), 2-3
DAC timing, 4-12
default settings, 2-3
polarity
exceeding maximum ratings
configuration, 2-5 to 2-6
(warning), 2-3
settings (table), 2-5 input modes, 2-4 to 2-5
power-management modes (table), C-1
input polarity, 2-3
power-on state, 4-12
analog output polarity, 2-5 to 2-6
signal connections, 3-14
counter/timers, 2-6
specifications, A-4 to A-5
digital I/O, 2-6
dynamic characteristics, A-5
PC Card, D-1
output characteristics, A-4
typical configuration (figure), 2-2
stability, A-5
Counter 0 on 82C53(A) counter/timer, 3-22
transfer characteristics, A-4
Counter 1 on 82C53(A) counter/timer, 3-22
voltage output, A-5
counter/timers
theory of operation, 4-11 to 4-12
configuration, 2-6
power-management modes (table), C-2
theory of operation, 4-3 to 4-5

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 Index

D data acquisition operation, 4-8

interval data acquisition, 4-9
DAC OUTPUT UPDATE signal, 3-25 to 3-26
data acquisition timing connections,
DAC0OUT signal (table), 3-3
3-22 to 3-26. See also general-purpose
DAC1OUT signal (table), 3-3
timing signal connections.
DACWRT signal, 3-26
EXTCONV* signal, 3-22 to 3-24
DAQ and general-purpose timing signal
EXTTRIG signal, 3-22 to 3-24
connections
EXTUPDATE* signal, 3-25 to 3-26
DAQ timing connections, 3-22 to 3-26
interval scanning, 3-24
general-purpose timing connections,
multiple-channel interval scanning
3-26 to 3-30
(figure), 3-25
pins, 3-22
pins, 3-22
power connections, 3-31
posttrigger and pretrigger modes, 3-23
DAQ timing connections. See data acquisition
posttrigger timing (figure), 3-23
timing connections.
pretrigger timing (figure), 3-24
DAQCard-1200
sample counter, 3-22
block diagram, 4-1
sample-interval counter, 3-22
configuration. See configuration.
waveform generation timing
differences between Lab-PC+,
sequence, 3-25 to 3-26
DAQPad-1200, and DAQCard-1200,
B-1 to B-2 DATA signal (table), 3-18
installation, 2-1 DGND signal (table), 3-3, 3-4
optional equipment, 1-5 diagnostic resources, online, E-1
overview and features, 1-1 to 1-2 DIFF input
power-management modes, C-1 to C-2 configuration, 2-5
requirements for getting started, 1-2 definition (table), 2-4
software programming choices, 1-2 to 1-4 recommended input configurations
(table), 3-7
LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI
application software, 1-3 differential connections
NI-DAQ driver software, 1-3 to 1-4 description, 3-7 to 3-8
register-level programming, 1-4 DIFF configuration considerations,
3-7 to 3-8
theory of operation. See theory of
operation. floating signal sources, 3-9 to 3-10
unpacking, 1-5 ground-referenced signal sources,
3-8 to 3-9
DAQPad-1200, compared with Lab-PC+ and
DAQCard-1200, B-1 to B-2 when to use, 3-8
data acquisition rates, 4-9 to 4-10 digital I/O
maximum recommended rates circuitry, 4-13
(table), 4-10 configuration, 2-6
settling time vs. gain (table), 4-10 power-management modes (table), C-2
data acquisition timing circuitry, 4-8 to 4-9 specifications, A-5 to A-6
continuous data acquisition, 4-8

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Index

digital I/O signal connections F

illustration, 3-16
floating signal sources
pins, 3-15
differential connections, 3-9 to 3-10
Port C pin connections, 3-17
purpose and use, 3-6
timing specifications, 3-18 to 3-21
single-ended connections (RSE
mode 1 input timing, 3-19 configuration), 3-11 to 3-12
mode 1 output timing, 3-20 frequency measurement
mode 2 bidirectional general-purpose timing signal
timing, 3-20 to 3-21 connections, 3-28
documentation illustration, 3-29
conventions used in manual, x
National Instruments documentation, xi
organization of manual, ix-x G
related documentation, xii GATB0 signal (table), 3-3
dynamic characteristics GATB1 signal (table), 3-3
analog input specifications, A-3 GATB2 signal (table), 3-4
analog output specifications, A-5 GATE signals
general-purpose timing signal
connections, 3-26 to 3-30
E timing requirements signals (figure), 3-30
EEPROM storage of calibration data, 5-1 general-purpose timing signal connections.
environment specifications, A-8 See also data acquisition timing
equipment, optional, 1-5 connections.
event-counting application, 3-27 event-counting, 3-27
with external switch gating (figure), 3-27 frequency measurement, 3-28
EXTCONV* signal GATE, CLK, and OUT signals,
description (table), 3-3 3-26 to 3-30
interval scanning data acquisition, 3-24 pins, 3-22
maximum voltage input rating, 3-26 pulse generation, 3-27
timing connections, 3-22 to 3-24 pulsewidth measurement, 3-28
EXTTRIG signal square wave generation, 3-27
data acquisition timing, 3-22 to 3-24 time-lapse measurement, 3-28
description (table), 3-3 timing requirements for GATE, CLK, and
maximum voltage input rating, 3-26 OUT signals (figure), 3-30
EXTUPDATE* signal ground-referenced signal sources
data acquisition timing, 3-25 to 3-26 differential connections, 3-8 to 3-9
description (table), 3-3 purpose and use, 3-6 to 3-7
maximum voltage input rating, 3-26 recommended input configurations
updating DAC output (figure), 3-26 (table), 3-7
single-ended connections (NRSE
configuration), 3-12 to 3-13

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 Index

I N
IBF signal (table), 3-18 National Instruments Web support, E-1 to E-2
input configurations NI-DAQ driver software, 1-3 to 1-4
differential connection NRSE input
considerations, 3-7 to 3-8 configuration, 2-5
floating signal sources definition (table), 2-4
differential connections, 3-9 to 3-10 recommended input configurations
recommended input configurations (table), 3-7
(table), 3-7 single-ended connections for
ground-referenced signal sources ground-referenced signal sources,
differential connections, 3-8 to 3-9 3-12 to 3-13
recommended input configurations
(table), 3-7
installation O
DAQCard-1200, 2-1 OBF* signal (table), 3-18
unpacking the DAQCard-1200, 1-5 online problem-solving and diagnostic
instrumentation amplifier, 3-5 to 3-6 resources, E-1
interval scanning data acquisition operation of DAQCard-1200. See theory of
description, 3-24 operation.
multiple-channel interval scanning optional equipment, 1-5
(figure), 3-25 OUT signals
INTR signal (table), 3-18 general-purpose timing signal
I/O connector connections, 3-26 to 3-30
exceeding maximum ratings timing requirements signals (figure), 3-30
(warning), 3-1 OUTB0 signal (table), 3-3
pin assignments (figure), 3-2 OUTB1 signal
DAQ timing connections, 3-24
description (table), 3-3
L maximum voltage input rating, 3-26
Lab-PC+, compared with DAQPad-1200 and OUTB2 signal (table), 3-4
DAQCard-1200, B-1 to B-2
LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI application
software, 1-3 P
PA<0..7> signals
description (table), 3-3
M digital I/O signal connections, 3-15
manual. See documentation. PB<0..7> signals
mode 1 input timing, 3-19 description (table), 3-3
mode 1 output timing, 3-20 digital I/O signal connections, 3-15
mode 2 bidirectional timing, 3-20 to 3-21

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Index

PC Card R
configuration, D-1
RD* signal (table), 3-18
I/O channel interface circuitry
referenced single-ended mode. See RSE input.
block diagram, 4-2 register-level programming, 1-4
theory of operation, 4-2 to 4-3 requirements for getting started, 1-2
operation, D-1 to D-2
RSE input
resource conflicts, D-4 configuration, 2-4
resources, D-2 to D-3 definition (table), 2-4
PC<0..7> signals
recommended input configurations
description (table), 3-3 (table), 3-7
digital I/O signal connections, 3-15 single-ended connections for floating
physical specifications, A-7 signal sources, 3-11 to 3-12
pin assignments for I/O connector (figure), 3-2
polarity
analog input, 2-3 S
analog output, 2-6 sample counter, 3-22
bipolar and unipolar signal range vs. gain sample-interval counter, 3-22
(table), 3-5 sampling rate (note), 4-10
Port C signal assignments (table), 3-17 signal connections
posttrigger data acquisition timing analog input signal connections
(figure), 3-23 bipolar and unipolar signal range vs.
posttrigger mode, 3-23 gain (table), 3-5
power connections, 3-31 common-mode signal rejection,
power requirement specifications, A-7 3-13 to 3-14
power-management modes differential connections, 3-7 to 3-8
circuitry effects (table), C-1 to C-2 floating signal sources,
normal mode, C-1 3-9 to 3-10
power-down mode, C-1 grounded signal sources,
power-on state, 4-12 3-8 to 3-9
pretrigger data acquisition timing single-ended connections,
(figure), 3-24 3-11 to 3-13
pretrigger mode, 3-23 when to use, 3-8
problem-solving and diagnostic resources, exceeding maximum input voltage
online, E-1 ratings (warning), 3-4
pulse generation, 3-27 floating signal sources, 3-6
pulsewidth measurement, 3-28 ground-referenced signal sources,
3-6 to 3-7
input configurations, 3-7 to 3-14
instrumentation amplifier, 3-5 to 3-6

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 Index

pins, 3-4 software programming choices, 1-2 to 1-4

recommended input configurations LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI, 1-3
(table), 3-7 NI-DAQ driver software, 1-3 to 1-4
single-ended connections register-level programming, 1-4
floating signal sources (RSE software-related resources, E-2
configuration), 3-11 to 3-12 specifications
grounded signal sources (NRSE analog input, A-1 to A-4
configuration), 3-12 to 3-13 amplifier characteristics, A-2 to A-3
when to use, 3-11 dynamic characteristics, A-3
types of signal sources, 3-6 to 3-7 input characteristics, A-1 to A-2
analog output signal connections, 3-14 stability, A-4
DAQ and general-purpose timing signal transfer characteristics, A-2
connections analog output, A-4 to A-5
data acquisition timing dynamic characteristics, A-5
connections, 3-22 to 3-26 output characteristics, A-4
general-purpose timing stability, A-5
connections, 3-26 to 3-30
transfer characteristics, A-4
pins, 3-22
voltage output, A-5
power connections, 3-31
bus interface, A-7
digital I/O signal connections
digital I/O, A-5 to A-6
illustration, 3-16
environment, A-8
pins, 3-15
physical, A-7
Port C pin connections, 3-17
power requirements, A-7
timing specifications, 3-18 to 3-21
timing I/O, A-6 to A-7
mode 1 input timing, 3-19
square wave generation, 3-27
mode 1 output timing, 3-20
stability
mode 2 bidirectional
analog input specifications, A-4
timing, 3-20 to 3-21
analog output specifications, A-5
I/O connector
STB* signal (table), 3-18
exceeding maximum ratings
(warning), 3-1
pin assignments (figure), 3-2 T
signal descriptions (table), 3-3 to 3-4
technical support resources, E-1 to E-2
signal descriptions, 3-3 to 3-4
theory of operation
single-ended connections
analog input, 4-5 to 4-8
floating signal sources (RSE
circuitry, 4-6 to 4-8
configuration), 3-11 to 3-12
data acquisition rates, 4-9 to 4-10
ground-referenced signal sources (NRSE
configuration), 3-12 to 3-13 data acquisition timing, 4-8 to 4-9
when to use, 3-11

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Index

analog output, 4-11 to 4-12 transfer characteristics

circuitry, 4-11 analog input specifications, A-2
DAC timing, 4-12 analog output specifications, A-4
power-on state, 4-12
block diagram of DAQCard-1200, 4-1
digital I/O, 4-13 U
functional overview, 4-1 to 4-2 unpacking the DAQCard-1200, 1-5
PC card I/O channel interface
circuitry, 4-2 to 4-3
timing, 4-3 to 4-5
V
time-lapse measurement, 3-28 voltage output specifications, A-5
timing circuitry
illustration, 4-4
W
theory of operation, 4-3 to 4-5
Web support from National Instruments,
timing I/O specifications, A-6 to A-7
E-1 to E-2
timing signal connections. See data acquisition
timing connections; general-purpose timing online problem-solving and diagnostic
signal connections. resources, E-1
timing specifications, digital I/O, 3-18 to 3-21 software-related resources, E-2
Worldwide technical support, E-2
mode 1 input timing, 3-19
mode 1 output timing, 3-20 WRT* signal (table), 3-18
mode 2 bidirectional timing, 3-20 to 3-21

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