Glossary
PCI/PXI-1408 and NI-IMAQ for Win95/NT
G-4
©
National Instruments Corporation
conversion device
device that transforms a signal from one form to another; for
example, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for analog input
and digital-to-analog converters (DACs) for analog output
CPU
central processing unit
CSYNC
composite sync signal; a combination of the horizontal and
vertical sync pulses
CSYNCIN
composite sync in signal
CSYNCOUT
composite sync out signal
D
D/A
digital-to-analog
DAC
digital-to-analog converter; an electronic device, often an
integrated circuit, that converts a digital number into a
corresponding analog voltage or current
DAQ
data acquisition—(1) collecting and measuring electrical signals
from sensors, transducers, and test probes or fixtures and
inputting them to a computer for processing; (2) collecting and
measuring the same kinds of electrical signals with A/D or DIO
boards plugged into a computer, and possibly generating control
signals with D/A and/or DIO boards in the same computer
dB
decibel; the unit for expressing a logarithmic measure of the ratio
of two signal levels: dB=20log10 V1/V2, for signals in volts
DC
direct current
default setting
a default parameter value recorded in the driver; in many cases,
the default input of a control is a certain value (often 0) that means
use the current default setting.
DIN
Deutsche Industrie Norme
DLL
dynamic link library—a software module in Microsoft Windows
containing executable code and data that can be called or used by
Windows applications or other DLLs; functions and data in a DLL
are loaded and linked at run time when they are referenced by a
Windows application or other DLLs