What does 14 bit resolution mean

[Ronayn]

Hello,

Does the "14 bit resolution" refer to the input given to the PXI-5412 (via niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFileI16 and/or niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFileF64), the output of the PXI-5412 through channel 0, or both?  To clarify a bit, I know that niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFileI16 reads values from a 16 bit data source, but do the values contained in those 16 bits have to be inside a 14-bit range?

Some background info...  I am using a system containing a PXI-5412.  I am executing the example C code and modifying it for some arbitrary waveforms.  I have a spectrum analyzer connected to the output of the PXI-5412 and am trying to understand the the results.  I am using a data file that contains a chirp waveform.

I generate the chirp data via Matlab.  I can save it out in various formats, but started saving it off as 16-bit.  In my application, I load this data using niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFileI16 and initiate generation.  The output is being fed to a spectrum analyzer, but the result does not look like a chirp.  However, if I save the same data out as a double, and use the SAME code (NOT changing the function  niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFileI16), I see a chirp.  This result lead me to my question.

[Kimchi-Taco]

Hello, 

These two questions are not related to one another if I understand your question correctly.  The 14-bit resolution is just the digital to analog conversion, 2^14 bits of information that is outputted.  The niFgen_CreateWaveformFromFile16 is a form of data representation that consists of 16 bits waveform that you are 'creating' programmatically.

Thanks, 

[Kimchi-Taco · Accepted solution]

By the way, this is in the wrong forum discussion talk page.  You need to go to the site below next time:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Signal-Generators/bd-p/310

Thanks,

[Ronayn]

Thanks.  Will do.