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Chapter 4
Hardware Overview
4-2
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National Instruments Corporation
VXIbus Interface Circuitry
An onboard switch setting determines the VXI-AO-48XDC logical
address. The address decoder, which is part of the interface circuitry,
monitors the VXIbus address. If the VXIbus address matches the module’s
selected I/O logical address, the module is enabled and the corresponding
register on the VXI-AO-48XDC is accessed.
In addition, the VXIbus interface circuitry monitors and transmits the
VXIbus interface circuitry signals.
I/O Connector
All I/O is transmitted through two standard, 96-pin header connectors.
See Chapter 2,
Configuration and Installation
, for additional information.
nvRAM/DAC Control
The VXI-AO-48XDC has one 18-bit DAC that is time-division
multiplexed to create the 48 voltage and 48 current output channels. Each
voltage and current channel has a track and hold circuit to maintain the
channel value between DAC updates.
Data is stored in an nvRAM (nonvolatile RAM). The nvRAM/DAC control
reads the DAC channel data stored in the nvRAM and updates the DAC
periodically. The nvRAM/DAC control also controls the analog
demultiplexing circuits to route the DAC output to the correct analog output
channel.
You can save nvRAM data, thus allowing power-on values on all analog
channels.
Digital I/O Control
The VXI-AO-48XDC has 32 digital I/O lines configured as four 8-bit
ports. You can configure each line independently as an input or output. The
DIO lines have 12 mA of sink capability and 8 mA of source capability. All
digital lines are TTL compatible. At power up all digital lines are
configured as inputs.