Not enough analog output pins on NI device (Matlab, LED lamp)

[danschw]

Hello,

we have the problem that we have only four analog output pins on our USB-6363-NI device for our project but need one more to control a LED lamp.

With the four analog output pins some neuronal recording devices are controlled. Now I need to activate a LED lamp (cool LED pE-100) with the NI device. This lamp needs TTL pulses to get turned on. When I plug the lamp to one of the analog output pins and send continuosly 5V through it, the camera turns on, as I want it to. When I send 0V through it, the lamp turns off. However, I can't control the camera like this because I need all four analog outputs to control my experiment. Thus, I need another way to turn on the camera with my NI device.

What I already tried:

• I plugged the lamp to PFI line and sent a digital trigger - but the lamp did not turn on (or it turned on too quick to be seen)

My question:

• is there any way, that I can use another pin on the NI board as an analog output and send 5V through it?
• could I use a trigger to turn the camera on and off instead?
• and if I can use a trigger - how can I trigger two devices separately with my NI board? I tried to make two trigger in matlab but this didn't work

[Bob_Schor]

Turning "on" or "off" is a "digital" thing, 0 or 1.  The PXIe-6363 has, I believe, 48 Digital I/O lines.  Figure how to make a simple circuit (it may take no more than a single resistor) to get a TTL line to turn an LED On or Off.

Bob Schor

[crossrulz]

Does the lamp have a threshold to turn on?  And how much current does the lamp require?  I ask because it looks like the DIO will range from 2V to 5V depending on temperature and current draw.