Appendix D
Common Questions
VXI-1394 Interface for Windows NT/98
D-2
www.ni.com
Connecting the third peripheral to either the PC or the digital camera would
create a maximum distance of three cable segments between any two nodes.
Use only a tree topology to build your system. A closed loop is illegal, and
will not work. For example, if you have a PCI-1394 and a VXI-1394 cabled
together and you add direct connections from both of them to the same
digital camera, you create a closed loop. A 1394 device should have only
one connection to the 1394 system.
Can I control the VXI chassis through the GPIB port on the
VXI-1394/G module?
You can control the VXI chassis only through the 1394 bus. The GPIB port
is used only for controlling other GPIB devices.
Can I have both a PCI-MXI-2 and a PCI-1394 interface in the same
computer?
Yes, but only one of them can be used. Depending on your version of the
software, the NI-VXI software will recognize only one of the boards as
your VXI interface.
Can I have both a PCI-GPIB and a VXI-1394/G in the same computer?
Yes. Just be sure to assign each board a unique name. For example, if the
PCI-GPIB is listed as GPIB0, assign some other name (such as GPIB1) to
the VXI-1394/G using the GPIB Configuration Utility.
Which 1394 adapters will work with the VXI-1394 and VXI-1394/G?
Windows 98 includes built-in support for 1394 based on the OHCI
specification. The National Instruments PCI-1394 works with both the
Windows 98 built-in support and provides an OHCI driver for Windows
NT 4.0. Contact National Instruments for more information if you
encounter compatibility issues with your host adapter.
I need more devices than can fit in one chassis. How can I expand my
VXI-1394 system?
Although it is physically possible to plug in another VXI-1394, software
does not currently support this option. The recommended strategy is to use
a VXI-MXI-2, which follows the VXI-6 specification for mainframe
extension. This extends full VXI functionality across multiple mainframes,
including a common device address space and interframe triggering,
interrupts, and bus mastering. Place a VXI-MXI-2 in the same frame as the