Chapter 1
DAQ System Overview
Analog Output Series User Manual
1-2
ni.com
DAQ Hardware
DAQ hardware digitizes signals, performs D/A conversions to generate
analog output signals, and measures and controls digital I/O signals.
Figure 1-2 shows the components common to all AO Series devices. The
following sections contain more information about specific components of
the DAQ hardware.
Figure 1-2.
Analog Output Block Diagram
DAQ-STC
Analog output devices use the National Instruments DAQ system timing
controller (DAQ-STC) for time-related functions. The DAQ-STC consists
of the following three timing groups:
•
AI—two 24-bit, two 16-bit counters (not used on AO Series devices)
•
AO—three 24-bit, one 16-bit counter
•
General-purpose counter/timer functions—two 24-bit counters
You can independently configure the groups for timing resolutions of 50 ns
or 10
μ
s. With the DAQ-STC, you can interconnect a wide variety of
internal timing signals to other internal blocks. The interconnection scheme
is flexible and completely software-configurable.
The DAQ-STC offers PFI lines to import external timing and trigger signals
or to export internally generated clocks and triggers. The DAQ-STC also
supports buffered operations, such as buffered waveform acquisition,
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I/O Connector
