PCI-7811R: Product OverviewThe National Instruments PCI-7811R is a reconfigurable I/O device designed for PCI-based computer systems requiring high-performance data acquisition with onboard processing capabilities. This multifunction board combines analog input, analog output, and digital I/O functionality with a user-programmable FPGA, providing a versatile platform for custom measurement and control applications. The device serves as the computational engine in automated test systems, delivering hardware-timed performance for demanding acquisition and generation tasks.Installed in a standard PCI slot, this R Series module features a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA that enables users to implement custom timing, triggering, and processing algorithms directly in hardware. The analog input section provides 16 channels with 16-bit resolution, supporting both single-ended and differential measurements with software-selectable input ranges. The board also includes two analog output channels and 32 lines of digital I/O, all controllable through the programmable FPGA fabric. This architecture allows engineers to create application-specific instruments with deterministic performance characteristics unmatched by software-timed alternatives.The module operates as part of National Instruments’ R Series platform, which provides a consistent programming interface across multiple form factors including PXI, PCI, and PCI Express. This platform approach enables code portability and system scalability while maintaining hardware-level performance optimization. The combination of analog and digital capabilities with FPGA programmability makes this device suitable for applications requiring synchronized multichannel measurements and complex waveform generation.
NI PCI-7811R
PCI-7811R: Technical Specifications
• Model Number: PCI-7811R
• Manufacturer: National Instruments
• Product Type: PCI Reconfigurable I/O Device
• FPGA: Xilinx Virtex-5 LX30
• Analog Input Channels: 16 single-ended or 8 differential
Core Features & Customer ValueFPGA-Based Customization: The Virtex-5 FPGA provides a hardware-programmable platform for implementing custom measurement and control algorithms with deterministic timing. This enables users to create application-specific functionality that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with fixed-function data acquisition hardware. The FPGA can perform real-time processing tasks such as digital filtering, waveform analysis, and custom protocol implementation directly on the acquired data before it reaches the host computer, reducing CPU overhead and improving system responsiveness.High-Resolution Analog Capability: The 16-bit analog input subsystem delivers high-precision measurements across multiple voltage ranges, making it suitable for applications requiring accurate signal acquisition from various transducers and sensors. The software-selectable input ranges allow optimization of measurement resolution for different signal levels without hardware modifications. The simultaneous sampling capability ensures accurate phase relationship preservation between channels, which is critical for applications such as vibration analysis and power quality monitoring.Integrated Multifunction Architecture: By combining analog input, analog output, and digital I/O in a single device, this module reduces system complexity and cost compared to using multiple specialized boards. The integrated design ensures tight synchronization between different measurement and generation functions, eliminating timing uncertainties that can occur when using separate devices. This integration is particularly valuable in automated test systems where coordinated control and measurement operations are required.Typical ApplicationsIn power electronics testing, the module performs synchronized measurements of voltage and current waveforms while generating control signals for switching devices. The FPGA can implement custom PWM generation algorithms and perform real-time power calculations for inverter and converter characterization.For structural testing applications, the device acquires data from multiple accelerometers and strain gauges while generating excitation signals for shaker systems. The high-resolution analog inputs capture subtle vibration characteristics, while the digital I/O lines synchronize with external measurement equipment.In communications system prototyping, the board functions as a software-defined radio platform, with the FPGA implementing modulation/demodulation algorithms while the analog sections handle baseband signal generation and acquisition. The high-speed analog capabilities support various communication standards and custom protocols.
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