07-20-2010 03:54 PM
I have an application where I need to drive external boards at a clock speed of between 5 MHz and 10MHz, and read back multi-channel 16-bit serial words synced to this clock. Is this possible using a PCIe-6353 X series card? In the parlance of the X-Series Manual, this 5-10MHz signal becomes by "Timebase" clock. I would need it to both clock the serial output of my devices to the PCIe-6353, and sync the digital acquisition of this serial data by the PCIe-6353. I am concerned because on page 6-8 of the manual it says the "DI Sample Clock Timebase is not available as an output on the I/O connector." (I don't believe generation of the necessary "Sample Clock" pulse is much of an issue as I believe I can get it by dividing down the Time Base clock.)
Is there a way to get a 5-10MHz clock signal out of the card to my devices?
07-21-2010 03:47 PM
Hey Rob,
Please read page 9-3 of X Series Manual:
http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/370784a.pdf
"The 10 MHz reference clock can be used to synchronize other devices to
your X Series device. The 10 MHz reference clock can be routed to the
RTSI <0..7> terminals. Other devices connected to the RTSI bus can use
this signal as a clock input."
07-21-2010 04:14 PM
Efrain,
Thanks for finding that reference for me. Accessing the clock off the RTSI bus solves half my problem insofar as I can use that to syncronize another card in the host computer. I don't know how far I could run that signal line to a benchtop device as a custom twisted pair. A meter would be ok.
Rob