FlexRIO (NI 5785) complex transmission

[UMASO]

Is it possible to get a deployment diagram of your currenct hardwares including USRP?  This way, I may be able to assess the possibility.  

[isoarsk4]

Here is a picture of the RF upconverter input ports that we would like to use. The "IF in" port would require a complex waveform in our case.

We also have another RF upconverter using a different frequency, which has two input ports -- one for I and one for Q. We now know that we can use this kind of upconverter for the FlexRIO transceiver. Would it be possible to use the former upconverter with our FlexRIO?

Here is a block diagram to visualize the setup. We would like to know if the ports "AI 0" and "AO 0" could be used in the same manner as the "Rx" and "Tx" ports on the USRP.

[UMASO]

Hello, I guess both case can be accomplished with PXIe-5785.  For the both cases, single input version (IF) as well as two input version (I and Q) have nominal voltage ranges for upconverters to function the best.  Leaving all the filter / amplifier / attenuator / etc, analog front-end stuffs for the external upconverters in your diagram, you can accomplish signal processing required for your modulation inside FPGA.  

If I were you, I would talk to NI sales representative, or trusted NI partner / consutant / systems integrator, before you purchase PXIe-5785.  As I said previously, PXIe-5785 is a fantastic device, but it requires users to have a certain amount of expertise in FPGA.  Honestly, there are many NI partners / systems integrators insisting "yes, we can do LV FPGA", but it is hard to tell how much better they "can do LV FPGA".  If I were you, I would talk to NI sales representative first, then, ask them who would be recommended.  Me, as a system integrator in Japan, made PXIe-5785 wow my customers for multiple times.  

Hope you can accomplish your goal with PXIe-5785 by finding someone or training yourself to pull out maximum performance from PXIe-5785 for your application.  

[isoarsk4]

Hi,

Thanks for all the help and advice! You have helped us move forward.