PXI system configuration using GPIB interface

[Tony_EE]

Being new to PXI systems, I'm trying to determine if there is a need to have a PXI-GPIB controller if I am configuring a PC(PCIe) controlled MXI Express kit???

[devchander]

MXI express kit essentially enables controlling of the PXI cards in a PXI chassis from a PCI (express in this case) slot on your desktop computer.

So you do not need for a GPIB controller for configuring a PCI-PXI MXI express Kit 

why did you feel you need one?? any particular observation of yours??

This link should help you understand MXI kits

Message Edited by devchander on 07-31-2006 06:36 AM

[Tony_EE]

Thanks for the info...

part of my concept is to control some of my non-PXI rack equipment, during certain tests, via the PXI chasis/ctrl... so, I was assuming I would need a GPIB interface...

however, I was leaning in the same direction as you pointed-out... I'll take a look at the link you provided...

thanks again for the help...

[Tony_EE]

So, I'm also assuming, I will need to utilize the existing PC-GPIB interface rather than adding redundant PXI-GPIB interfaces to the PXI-chassis????

[wildcat_600]

If you want to control external equipment through GPIB then you would need a GPIB card to communicate with the equipment. If you already have a PCI-GPIB card in your computer you can use it. However if you want a PXI-GPIB card in your PXI unit you can use it as well. You would have 2 GPIB cards but sometimes there is a need to have more than one GPIB card. It's up to you where you want the GPIB card to be located. When you install both cards they will both appear in Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).

Brian

[Tony_EE]

Thanks Wildcat,

Quick question about the multi-GPIB set-up:

Will this create any hazards... how is the separate GPIB-interfaces prioritized? Is this managed via MAX?

(e.g., PC-talks to AWG-unit and test requires resource for x-amount of time... meanwhile, PXI-talks to AWG-unit before resource released... not sure if this is a realistic concern.)

Any other issues that come to mind?

[wildcat_600]

Sorry if I wasn't clear before but you probably will not want to connect both a PCI-GPIB card and your PXI-GPIB card to your instrument.  You will probably only want to use one or the other.  I was just saying that you could have 2 different cards in your system to connect to different instruments if you wanted.  MAX recognizes that there are 2 different GPIB cards and you choose which card to use before you communicate with an instrument.  So if you are just wanting to communicate with a single instrument there is no need to have 2 GPIB cards unless you just want your GPIB card to be in your PXI chassis.

Brian Platt