Chapter 1
Introduction
©
National Instruments Corporation
1-3
PCI-Based MXI-2 Interface for Windows
Hardware Description
The PCI-MXI-2 and PCI-MXI-2 Universal are half-size, PCI-compatible
plug-in circuit boards that plug into one of the expansion slots in your
PCI-based computer. The PCI-MXI-2 is for 5 V PCI systems, whereas the
PCI-MXI-2 Universal is for 5 V or the newer 3.3 V PCI systems. The
PXI-8320 is a 3U-size, PXI/CompactPCI-compatible circuit board that
plugs into one of the peripheral slots in your PXI/CompactPCI chassis.
All three boards link your computer directly to the MXIbus and vice versa.
Because the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, and PXI-8320 use the
same communication register set that other VXIbus message-based devices
use, other MXIbus devices view the board as a VXIbus device. The
PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2 Universal, and PXI-8320 can also function as the
MXIbus System Controller and can terminate the MXIbus signals directly.
In addition, you can have up to 16 MB of onboard DRAM on your board
that can be shared with the MXIbus and VXI/VMEbus and used as a
dedicated data buffer.
The VXI-MXI-2 module is an extended-class, register-based VXIbus
device with optional VXIbus Slot 0 capability so that it can reside in
any slot in a C- or D-size chassis. Optionally, you can use the
VXI-MXI-2/B, which can reside in any B-size VXIbus slot.
Note
D-size VXI mainframes have connections for a P3 connector. The VXI-MXI-2,
however, does not have this connector and, if configured as a Slot 0 controller, cannot
provide the necessary control for VXI devices that need P3 support.
The VXI-MXI-2 uses address mapping to convert MXIbus cycles into
VXIbus cycles and vice versa. By connecting to the PCI-MXI-2,
PCI-MXI-2 Universal, or PXI-8320 board, the VXI-MXI-2 links the
PCI bus or the PXI/CompactPCI bus to the VXIbus. The VXI-MXI-2 can
automatically determine whether it is in VXI Slot 0 and/or if it is the
MXIbus System Controller.
The VME-MXI-2 module is a single-slot, double-height VMEbus device
with optional VMEbus System Controller functions. It uses address
mapping to convert MXIbus cycles into VMEbus cycles and vice versa,
just like the VXI-MXI-2. By connecting to the PCI-MXI-2, PCI-MXI-2
Universal, or PXI-8320 board, it links the PCI bus or the PXI/CompactPCI
bus to the VMEbus. The VME-MXI-2 can automatically determine
whether it is located in the first slot of a VMEbus chassis and if it is the
MXIbus System Controller.
