National Instruments PCI-8361 User Manual page 108

Appendix C Common Questions
Can I connect a MXI-3 or MXI-4 board to a MXI-Express x1 board?
No. MXI-3, MXI-4, and MXI-Express x1 boards use different cable connectors and protocols in
most cases and cannot be mixed. This is because the board-to-board communication protocols
differ.
For example, a PCI-8336, which is a MXI-4 product, will not work with a PXI-8368 even though
the connectors are the same. Refer to Table 1-2 in Chapter 1, Introduction, for more information
on connectivity support.
Can I use a MXI-3, MXI-4, and MXI-Express x1 kit in the same multichassis PXI system?
Yes. Different MXI kits can be intermixed to connect multiple chassis together. A kit is defined
as a host and target board that both support the same link type like MXI-3, MXI-4, or
MXI-Express x1. As mentioned previously, an individual MXI-3 or MXI-4 board will not link
correctly to a MXI-Express x1 board.
MXI-3 and MXI-4 systems required the use of a specific boot ordering. Is this a
requirement with MXI-Express x1?
Yes. The requirements of the PCI bus still mandate that you must power on secondary PXI
chassis before powering on the host PC when using MXI-Express x1.
With MXI-3 and several chassis connected in series (daisy-chain configuration), you were
required to power on the chassis in order starting with the chassis at the end of the chain and
move towards the host controller. Now with MXI-Express x1, multiple chassis may be
connected in parallel and can be powered on in any order, except that you need to ensure that the
last component powered on is the host PC.
For more details, refer to the Powering On the MXI-Express x1 System section of Chapter 3,
Installation and Configuration.
MXI-3 required optimization software. Does MXI-Express x1 require the same?
No. The necessary optimization is now done automatically by the MXI-Express x1 hardware.
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