National Instruments SC-2043-SG User Manual

One of the following:

SH6850 cable or R6850 cable assembly kit (MIO E Series DAQ board)
NB-1 cable (MIO Series, Lab-PC+, or DAQPad-1200 board)
PR50-50F cable (DAQCard-1200)

Detailed specifications of the SC-2043-SG are in Appendix A, Specifications.

There are several options to choose from when programming your National Instruments DAQ
and SCXI hardware.  You can use LabVIEW, LabWindows/CVI, NI-DAQ, or register-level
programming.

LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI are innovative program development software packages for
data acquisition and control applications.  LabVIEW uses graphical programming, whereas
LabWindows/CVI enhances traditional programming languages.  Both packages include
extensive libraries for data acquisition, instrument control, data analysis, and graphical data
presentation.

LabVIEW features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface, and a powerful graphical
programming language.  The LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Library, a series of VIs for using
LabVIEW with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is included with LabVIEW.  The
LabVIEW Data Acquisition VI Libraries are functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

LabWindows/CVI features interactive graphics, a state-of-the-art user interface, and uses the
ANSI standard C programming language.  The LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition Library, a
series of functions for using LabWindows/CVI with National Instruments DAQ hardware, is
included with LabWindows/CVI.  The LabWindows/CVI Data Acquisition libraries are
functionally equivalent to the NI-DAQ software.

Using LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI software will greatly reduce the development time for
your data acquisition and control application.

The NI-DAQ driver software is included at no charge with all National Instruments DAQ
hardware.  NI-DAQ is not packaged with SCXI or accessory products, except for the
SCXI-1200.  NI-DAQ has an extensive library of functions that you can call from your
application programming environment.  These functions include routines for analog input
(A/D conversion), buffered data acquisition (high-speed A/D conversion), analog output
(D/A conversion), waveform generation, digital I/O, counter/timer operations, SCXI, RTSI,
self calibration, messaging, and acquiring data to extended memory.

NI-DAQ has both high-level DAQ I/O functions for maximum ease of use and low-level DAQ
I/O functions for maximum flexibility and performance. Examples of high-level functions are
streaming data to disk or acquiring a certain number of data points. An example of a low-level
function is writing directly to registers on the DAQ device.  NI-DAQ does not sacrifice the
performance of National Instruments DAQ devices because it lets multiple devices operate at
their peak performance.

NI-DAQ also internally addresses many of the complex issues between the computer and the
DAQ hardware such as programming the PC interrupt and DMA controllers.  NI-DAQ maintains
a consistent software interface among its different versions so that you can change platforms with