How does the NI-6581 Adapter Module differ from R-series intelligent DAQ devices?

[TomC_NGC]

How does the FlexRio + 6581 Adapter Module combination differ from say, the PXI-7813R or PXI-7842R? The latter two modules have rather weak LVTTL drive (4 or 5mA max).

(Is this the right place for this question, or should I post it on the normal message forum instead?)

[BrowningG]

Hello TomC_NGC,

Welcome to the FlexRIO community!  This is a great place to facilitate discussions about FlexRIO, its uses, and of course its components.  We hope that you will continue to use this space to learn about new innovations with FlexRIO as well.  The original idea behind the Developer Zone Community is to provide a space to share and collaborate on code and tutorials.  While this space is designed to facilitate discussion, we cannot ensure that every post is answered.  To answer your last question first, NI Applications Engineers strive to ensure that all of our forum posts are answered in a timely manner.  If your question if more of a technical support nature, please use the NI Discussion Forums.  For a quick comparison of the forums to this community and any other Developer Zone community, check out this link. 

R Series devices such as the PXI-7813R and the PXI-7842R use a bus switch architecture to convert the digital output signals of the FPGA into the TTL logic levels that can be used to read from or control external devices.  This gives you direct access to the FPGA IO lines from the FPGA in your LabVIEW FPGA code. 

The NI 6581 is designed to have similar specifications as the NI 6541.  Checking out the specifications for the 6541 should give you an idea of the capabilities we are aiming for with the NI 6581.  A big difference between the using the 6581 and the 6541 will be the API used.  Like the R Series boards from above, you will need to use LabVIEW FPGA to program a FlexRIO to use the 6581 for acquisition and output.  This is done using the power of socketed CLIP.  CLIP gives LabVIEW the ability to control the IO of the 6581, so the interface is going to be a little different than the interface you use to interact with the IO on an R Series board.  It is not required that you need to know VHDL to program your FlexRIO with 6581 since the socketed CLIP is designed for you by NI.  We are still currently finishing the specifications for the 6581 so if you would like, I can contact you offline and we can discuss specifications in more detail. 

Regards,
BrowningG

[TomC_NGC]

"We are still currently finishing the specifications for the 6581 so if you would like, I can contact you offline and we can discuss specifications in more detail."

BrowningG, please do contact me offline. I have some specific requirements I'd like to talk about.