PCI-DIO-32HS: Product OverviewThe National Instruments PCI-DIO-32HS is a high-speed parallel digital input/output board designed for PCI-based computer systems requiring precise timing and high-throughput digital data transfer. This device functions as a pattern generator and acquirer, enabling applications such as automated test equipment, digital protocol simulation, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. The board serves as an interface between a host computer and external digital systems, capable of both stimulating digital devices with predefined patterns and capturing their responses with nanosecond accuracy.Installed in a standard PCI slot, the board operates with 32 fully bidirectional digital lines that can be configured in 8-bit ports for flexible data width configuration. The architecture incorporates a 512-sample deep FIFO buffer that allows for sustained high-speed data streaming without requiring continuous host processor intervention. This is critical for applications requiring long pattern sequences or continuous data acquisition. The onboard timing engine supports clock rates up to 20 MHz, providing precise control over digital signal timing for both input and output operations.A key differentiator of this digital I/O solution is its software-programmable voltage levels, supporting both 3.3V and 5V TTL logic families. This flexibility allows the same hardware to interface with different generations of digital electronics without requiring physical hardware changes. The board supports multiple data transfer methods including DMA, interrupt, and programmed I/O, enabling optimization for different application requirements ranging from low-latency response to high-throughput streaming.
NI PCI-DIO-32HS
PCI-DIO-32HS: Technical Specifications
• Model Number: PCI-DIO-32HS
• Manufacturer: National Instruments
• Product Type: PCI High-Speed Digital I/O Board
• Digital Channels: 32 bidirectional lines (configurable as four 8-bit ports)
• Maximum Clock Rate: 20 MHz
• FIFO Buffer: 512 samples
• I/O Voltage Levels: Software-selectable 3.3V or 5V TTL
• Data Transfer Modes: Bus mastering DMA, interrupt, programmed I/O
• Timing Resolution: 50 ns minimum
• Input Logic Levels: VIH: 2.0V min (5V), 1.7V min (3.3V); VIL: 0.8V max
• Output Drive Capability: 24 mA sink/source per line
• Connector: Two 68-pin high-density VHDCI connectors
• Bus Interface: 32-bit PCI
• Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C
• Power Consumption: 5W typical (from PCI bus)
• Compatibility: 3.3V and 5V PCI slots
NI PCI-DIO-32HS
Core Features & Customer ValueHigh-Speed Pattern Generation and Acquisition: The 20 MHz maximum clock rate enables precise digital waveform generation and acquisition with timing resolution down to 50 nanoseconds. This performance is essential for characterizing digital devices, simulating communication protocols, and testing digital systems where signal timing integrity is critical. The deep FIFO buffer ensures continuous operation during extended pattern sequences, preventing data gaps that could compromise test results.Programmable Voltage Level Compatibility: The software-selectable 3.3V/5V interface capability provides significant flexibility for laboratories and test facilities working with mixed-voltage digital systems. This eliminates the need for external level shifters or multiple digital I/O boards when testing devices from different technology generations. The feature reduces hardware costs and simplifies test system configuration when validating interface compatibility between components.Advanced Timing and Synchronization: The onboard timing engine supports complex triggering scenarios including hardware triggers, pattern matching, and external clock synchronization. This enables precise coordination with other instruments in automated test systems and ensures accurate timing relationships between stimulus and response measurements. The flexible triggering capabilities are particularly valuable in validation systems where digital events must be correlated with analog measurements or external system events.Typical ApplicationsIn semiconductor test systems, the board generates complex address and data patterns to exercise memory devices and digital ICs while capturing their responses for parametric analysis. The high-speed capability enables at-speed testing of devices operating at clock frequencies up to 20 MHz, ensuring compliance with timing specifications.For communications protocol testing, the device simulates interface standards such as parallel digital video, custom bus protocols, and industrial automation networks. The bidirectional capability allows the same hardware to act as both bus master and slave during protocol compliance testing, validating both transmission and reception functionality.In hardware-in-the-loop simulation, the digital I/O interfaces with embedded system prototypes, providing simulated sensor inputs and capturing actuator outputs in real-time. The deterministic timing ensures accurate simulation of system behavior, enabling validation of control algorithms before hardware implementation.
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