National Instruments NI PXI-8186 User Manual
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National Instruments NI PXI-8186 User Manual

National Instruments NI PXI-8186 User Manual

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  • Page 1 PXI-8221...
  • Page 2 NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual February 2005 370747C-01...
  • Page 3 For further support information, refer to the Technical Support and Professional Services appendix. To comment on National Instruments documentation, refer to the National Instruments Web site at ni.com/info and enter the info code feedback. © 2003–2005 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved.
  • Page 4 The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.
  • Page 5 These classes are known as Class A (for use in industrial-commercial locations only) or Class B (for use in residential or commercial locations). All National Instruments (NI) products are FCC Class A products. Depending on where it is operated, this Class A product could be subject to restrictions in the FCC rules. (In Canada, the Department of Communications (DOC), of Industry Canada, regulates wireless interference in much the same way.) Digital...

  • Page 6: Table Of Contents

    Description ......................1-2 Functional Overview ..................1-2 National Instruments Software ..................1-4 Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration Installing the NI PXI-8186/8187 ...................2-1 How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis ........2-4 BIOS Setup ........................2-4 Entering BIOS Setup ..................2-4 Main Setup Menu ....................2-5 Advanced Setup Menu ..................2-6...
  • Page 7 Software Driver Installation ..................4-3 Chassis Configuration ....................4-4 Basic PXI System Configuration ..............4-5 Upgrade Information ..................... 4-6 PXI Configuration ......................4-8 Chapter 5 Troubleshooting Appendix A Specifications Appendix B Technical Support and Professional Services Glossary Index NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...

  • Page 8: About This Manual

    This manual contains detailed instructions for installing and configuring your National Instruments NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer kit. How to Use the Documentation Set Begin by reading the NI PXI-8186/8187 Installation Guide, a brief quick-start guide that describes how to install and get started with your controller.

  • Page 9: Related Documentation

    PCI Local Bus Specification, Revision 2.2, PCI Special Interest Group • PXI Hardware Specification, Revision 2.1, PXI Systems Alliance • PXI Software Specification, Revision 2.1, PXI Systems Alliance • Serialized IRQ Support for PCI Systems Specification, Revision 6.0, Compaq Computer et al. NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual viii ni.com...

  • Page 10: Introduction

    Additionally, PXI meets the more specific needs of instrumentation users by adding an integrated trigger bus and reference clock for multiple-board synchronization, a star trigger bus for very precise timing, and local buses for side-band communication between adjacent peripherals. © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 11: Ni Pxi-8186/8187

    PXI trigger, and a PCI-based GPIB controller. The NI PXI-8186 has a 2.2 GHz processor, all the standard I/O, and a 30 GB (or larger) hard drive. The NI PXI-8187 has a 2.5 GHz processor, all the standard I/O, and a 30 GB (or larger) hard drive.
  • Page 12 PCI Bus Controller Connectors Triggers 10/100BaseT Ethernet Flash LPC Bus SMB to PXI Trigger LPT 1 Super I/O Watchdog COM 1 COM 2 PS/2 Keyboard/ Mouse Figure 1-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Block Diagram © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 13: National Instruments Software

    Chapter 1 Introduction The NI PXI-8186/8187 consists of the following logic blocks on the CPU module and the I/O (daughter card) module. The CPU module has the following logic blocks: • Socket 478 CPU is the socket definition for the Intel Pentium 4 processor families.
  • Page 14 For information on writing your own PXI instrument driver with NI-VISA, refer to the NI-VISA Getting Started manual and the file in readme.txt directory. NI-VISA You also can use the National Instruments LabVIEW, Measurement Studio, ™ ™ and LabWindows /CVI application programs and instrument drivers to ease your programming task.

  • Page 15: Installation And Configuration

    NI PXI-8186/8187 controller. Installing the NI PXI-8186/8187 This section contains general installation instructions for the NI PXI-8186/8187. Consult your PXI chassis user manual for specific instructions and warnings. Plug in your chassis before installing the NI PXI-8186/8187. The power cord grounds the chassis and protects it from electrical damage while you install the module.
  • Page 16 1 Protective Screw Cap (4X) Figure 2-1. Removing Protective Screw Caps Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position. Align the NI PXI-8186/8187 with the card guides on the top and bottom of the system controller slot. Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI PXI-8186/8187.
  • Page 17 What if the NI PXI-8186/8187 does not boot? section of Chapter 5, Troubleshooting. Figure 2-2 shows an NI PXI-8186 installed in the system controller slot of a National Instruments PXI-1042 chassis. You can place PXI devices in any other slot.

  • Page 18: How To Remove The Controller From The Pxi Chassis

    Chapter 2 Installation and Configuration How to Remove the Controller from the PXI Chassis The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller is designed for easy handling. To remove the unit from the PXI chassis, complete the following steps: Power off the chassis. Remove the bracket-retaining screws in the front panel.

  • Page 19: Main Setup Menu

    However, if an IDE/ATA device is not autodetected properly, you can specify it manually by pressing <Enter> on an item. • System Information—This setting displays a screen containing important system information about the NI PXI-8186/8187 controller. © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 20: Advanced Setup Menu

    Yes to force the BIOS to recreate the ESCD on the next reboot. This is rarely necessary. • Integrated Peripherals—Use this setting to bring up the Integrated Peripherals submenu. (Refer to the Integrated Peripherals Submenu section.) NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 21 Integrated Peripherals Submenu Use this submenu to apply nondefault configurations to the front panel peripherals of an NI PXI-8186/8187 controller. Normally, you do not need to modify these settings, as the factory default settings provide the most compatible and optimal configuration possible.
  • Page 22 Reset IP Address—If the controller is deployed to a different subnet from which it was originally configured, or if the current IP address is invalid, use this switch to reset the IP address to 0.0.0.0 during LabVIEW RT startup. The default is Use Hardware Switch. NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...

  • Page 23: Pxi Setup Menu

    The Exit setup menu includes all available options for exiting, saving, and loading the BIOS default configuration. As an alternative to this screen, press <F9> to load BIOS default settings and <F10> to save changes and exit setup. © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 24: System Cmos

    System CMOS. The setup program remains active, allowing further changes. System CMOS The NI PXI-8186/8187 contains a backed-up memory used to store BIOS configuration information. Complete the following steps to clear the CMOS contents: Power off the chassis.

  • Page 25: Labview Rt Configuration Switches

    OFF position. The controller reads these switches only after a system reset. You must reboot the controller for any changes to take place. The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller includes the following LabVIEW RT configuration switches: •...
  • Page 26 The switches are shown in the OFF position. 1 Switch 1—Boot LabVIEW RT 3 Switch 3—Disable Startup VI 2 Switch 2—Boot Safe Mode 4 Switch 4—Reset IP Address Figure 2-4. LabVIEW RT Configuration Switches NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual 2-12 ni.com...

  • Page 27: Drivers And Software

    National Instruments software manuals, all in Adobe Acrobat format. To access any manual, change your directory to and list the contents of that directory.

  • Page 28: Pxi Features

    Upgrading RAM You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8186/8187 by upgrading the SO-DIMM. To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8186/8187 from the PXI chassis. Remove the old SO-DIMM module and install the new SO-DIMM in the socket as shown in Figure 2-5.

  • Page 29: Hard Drive Recovery

    Installation and Configuration 1 DDR SO-DIMM Module 2 DDR SO-DIMM Socket Figure 2-5. Installing a DDR SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8186/8187 Controller Hard Drive Recovery NI PXI-8186/8187 controllers include Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Firstware tools, either Recover or Vault, or both. These tools allow you to recover the original factory condition of the hard disk from a small protected area of your hard drive.

  • Page 30: Installing An Os

    OS or install a different OS. When doing so, consider the following guidelines. Installing from a CD-ROM The NI PXI-8186/8187 supports the installation of Windows XP from a USB CD-ROM. However, many other operating systems do not support installation from a USB CD-ROM. For example, Windows 2000 aborts during the install process because it does not have drivers for the CD-ROM device.

  • Page 31: Front Panel Connectors

    I/O Information Front Panel Connectors Table 3-1 lists various peripherals and their corresponding NI PXI-8186/8187 external connectors, bus interfaces, and functions. Table 3-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Peripherals Overview Peripheral External Connector Description Video VGA (15-pin DSUB) Intel Extreme Graphics controller Serial...

  • Page 32: Front Panel

    NI PXI-8186/8187. Dimensions are in inches [millimeters]. 3.93 [99.8] 3.69 [93.7] 3.46 [87.9] 2.79 [70.9] 2.10 [53.3] 1.83 [46.5] 0.89 [22.6] NI PXI-8186 Embedded Controller 0.00 [0] Figure 3-1. NI PXI-8186/8187 Front Panel Layout and Dimensions NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...

  • Page 33: Vga

    Chapter 3 I/O Information Figure 3-2 shows the location and pinouts for the VGA connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-2 lists and describes the VGA connector signals. AMP manufactures a mating connector with part numbers 748364-1 (housing) and 748333-2 (pin contact).

  • Page 34: Com1 And Com2

    COM1 and COM2 Figure 3-3 shows the location and pinouts for the COM1 and COM2 connectors on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-3 lists and describes the COM1 and COM2 connector signal. AMP manufactures a serial port mating connector, part number 745491-5.

  • Page 35: Ethernet

    Clear to Send Ring Indicator Ethernet Figure 3-4 shows the location and pinouts for the Ethernet connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-4 lists and describes the Ethernet connector signals. AMP manufactures a mating connector, part number 554739-1. Ethernet NI PXI-8186 Embedded Controller Figure 3-4.

  • Page 36: Parallel Port

    Differential Receive Parallel Port Figure 3-5 shows the location and pinouts for the IEEE 1284 (parallel) connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-5 lists and describes the IEEE 1284 connector signals. Parallel port adapter cables are available from National Instruments, part number 777169-01.
  • Page 37 Data Bit 3 Data Bit 4 Data Bit 5 Data Bit 6 Data Bit 7 INIT* Initialize Printer STROBE* Strobe SLCTIN* Select Input AUTOFD* Auto Line Feed +5 V 19–35 Ground Not Connected © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 38: Universal Serial Bus

    I/O Information Universal Serial Bus Figure 3-6 shows the location and pinouts for the Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-6 lists and describes the USB connector signals. AMP manufactures a USB mating connector, part number 787633.
  • Page 39 Figure 3-7 shows the location and pinouts for the PS/2 connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-7 lists and describes the PS/2 connector signals. To connect both a PS/2 keyboard and PS/2 mouse to the NI PXI-8186/8187, use the Y-splitter adapter cable included with your controller (refer to Figure 4-1, Y-Splitter Cable).

  • Page 40: Trigger

    The TRG connector is the software-controlled trigger connection for routing PXI triggers to or from the backplane trigger bus. Figure 3-8 shows the TRG connector location on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-8 lists and describes the trigger connector signals. NI PXI-8186 Embedded Controller Figure 3-8.

  • Page 41: Gpib (Ieee 488.2)

    Chapter 3 I/O Information GPIB (IEEE 488.2) Figure 3-9 shows the location and pinouts for the GPIB connector on the NI PXI-8186/8187. Table 3-9 lists and describes the GPIB connector signals. ITT Canon manufactures a GPIB mating connector, part number MDSM-25SC-Z11-V51.

  • Page 42: Front Panel Features

    – The DRIVE LED indicates when an access to the internal hard disk is occurring. Data Storage The NI PXI-8186/8187 has the following data storage features: • Internal IDE hard drive – 2.5 in. notebook hard drive –...

  • Page 43: Common Configuration Questions

    NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded controller. General Questions What do the LEDs on the NI PXI-8186/8187 front panel mean? The green LED indicates the power supplies to/on the NI PXI-8186/8187 are within spec. The supplies monitored are 3.3 V, 5 V, +12 V.

  • Page 44: Cables And Connections

    There are some limitations when booting from a USB device. Windows XP can be installed from a USB CD-ROM, but earlier versions of Windows cannot. The NI PXI-8186/8187 BIOS configures the USB devices so that they will work in a DOS environment.

  • Page 45: Software Driver Installation

    How do I connect a standard 25-pin LPT cable to the NI PXI-8186/8187? The NI PXI-8186/8187 uses a type C LPT connector. Most parallel port devices use a type A connector. To use a device with a standard type A LPT connector, you need to use a type C-to-type A LPT adapter.

  • Page 46: Chassis Configuration

    Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions How do I install software from a CD? The compact size of the NI PXI-8186/8187 does not allow for an integrated CD-ROM drive. If you are using Windows XP, you have the following options: •...

  • Page 47: Basic Pxi System Configuration

    Identify As submenu. Further expanding the PXI System branch shows all devices in the system that can be recognized by NI-VISA. When your controller and all your chassis are identified, the required file is complete. pxisys.ini © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 48: Upgrade Information

    Upgrade Information How do I upgrade system memory? You can change the amount of installed RAM on the NI PXI-8186/8187 by upgrading the DDR SO-DIMM. To upgrade the RAM, remove the NI PXI-8186/8187 from the PXI chassis. Remove the old SO-DIMM module and install the new SO-DIMM in the socket as shown in Figure 4-3.
  • Page 49 Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions 1 DDR SO-DIMM Module 2 DDR SO-DIMM Socket Figure 4-3. Installing a DDR SO-DIMM in an NI PXI-8186/8187 Controller How do I flash a new BIOS? You need to download the new BIOS from ni.com/support/ .

  • Page 50: Pxi Configuration

    Chapter 4 Common Configuration Questions My NI PXI-8186/8187 does not have an internal floppy drive. Is there a way to use an external drive? Yes. The NI PXI-8186/8187 controller supports and can boot from USB floppy drives. A USB floppy drive will not work with Windows NT4, but will work with Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

  • Page 51: Troubleshooting

    This chapter answers common troubleshooting questions you may have when using the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer. What if the NI PXI-8186/8187 does not boot? Several problems can cause a controller not to boot. Here are some things to look for and possible solutions.
  • Page 52 Remove the controller from the chassis. Move the jumper on W1 from pins 1-2 to pins 2-3 as shown in Figure 5-1. Wait one second. Move the jumper back to pins 1-2. Reinstall the controller in the chassis. NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 53 Do not leave the jumper on pins 2-3. Doing so decreases battery life. Also, the controller will not boot. 1 Normal Operation (Default) 2 Clear CMOS Contents 3 Pin 1 Figure 5-1. Clearing the CMOS Contents © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

  • Page 54: Appendix A Specifications

    Specifications This appendix lists the electrical, mechanical, and environmental specifications of the NI PXI-8186/8187 embedded computer. Electrical Current (A) Typical Maximum Voltage (V) NI PXI-8186 NI PXI-8187 NI PXI-8186 NI PXI-8187 +3.3 6.5 A 0.15 A 0.15 A 0.2 A 0.2 A...
  • Page 55 Storage Environment NI PXI-8186/8187 Ambient temperature range .....–20 to 65 °C (Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2.) NI PXI-8186/8187 Extended Temp. Option Ambient temperature range .....–40 to 85 °C (Tested in accordance with IEC-60068-2-1 and IEC-60068-2-2.) NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...
  • Page 56 Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or visit , search by model number or product line, and click the ni.com/certification appropriate link in the Certification column. © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...
  • Page 57 Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional regulatory compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit , search by model number or product line, and click the ni.com/certification appropriate link in the Certification column. NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 58 Technical Support and Professional Services Visit the following sections of the National Instruments Web site at for technical support and professional services: ni.com • Support—Online technical support resources at ni.com/support include the following: – Self-Help Resources—For answers and solutions, visit the...
  • Page 59 You also can visit the Worldwide Offices section of to access the branch ni.com/niglobal office Web sites, which provide up-to-date contact information, support phone numbers, email addresses, and current events. NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 60 Symbols ° Degrees Ω Ohms Percent Amperes Alternating Current ASIC Application-specific integrated circuit Bytes backplane An assembly, typically a printed circuit board, with connectors and signal paths that bus the connector pins © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...
  • Page 61 DRAM Dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory); storage that the computer must refresh at frequent intervals Extended Capabilities Parallel Extended Data Out EEPROM Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 62 Hertz; cycles per second Input/output; the techniques, media, and devices used to achieve communication between machines and users Integrated Drive Electronics; hard disk and built-in controller IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inches © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...
  • Page 63 A functional part of a PXI device that initiates data transfers on the PXI backplane. A transfer can be either a read or a write. Megabytes of memory MTBF Mean time between failure MTTR Mean time to repair NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 64 NI-DAQ The National Instruments software for data acquisition instruments NI-VISA The National Instruments implementation of the VISA standard; an interface-independent software that provides a unified programming interface for VXI, GPIB, and serial instruments Non-maskable interrupt; high-priority interrupt that cannot be disabled by another interrupt.
  • Page 65 This slot would be used for a module with ST functionality that can provide individual triggers to all other peripherals. Universal Serial Bus Volts Video Graphics Array; the minimum video display standard for all PCs Watts NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual ni.com...
  • Page 66 (figure), 2-11, 5-3 data storage, 3-12 setting back to default, 5-2 DDR SO-DIMMs COM1 and COM2 connectors from National Instruments (note), 2-14, 4-6 connector locations and pinout (figure), 3-4 installing, 2-14, 4-6 connector signals (table), 3-5 figure, 2-15, 4-7...
  • Page 67 MAX (figure), 4-5 examples (NI resources), B-1 injector/ejector handle position Exiting BIOS Setup menu, 2-9 (caution), 2-2 NI PXI-8186 installed in a PXI chassis (figure), 2-3 procedure, 2-1 files and directories installed on hard removing NI PXI-8186/8187 from PXI...
  • Page 68 RAM, 2-14, 4-6 NI PXI-8186/8187 using with chassis, 4-4 benefits of PXI, 1-1 NI support and services, B-1 BIOS setup, 2-4 NI-DAQ function library, 1-4 block diagram, 1-3 NI-VISA high-level programming API, 1-5 © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...
  • Page 69 PXI features, 2-14 switches PXI Setup menu, 2-9 LabVIEW RT configuration, 2-11 PXI trigger connectivity, 2-14 figure, 2-12 PXI-8220, using NI PXI-8186/8187 with, 4-8 system CMOS, 2-10 pxisys.ini file, 4-4 system reset pushbutton, 3-12 technical support, B-1 DDR SO-DIMMs from National...
  • Page 70 Y-splitter cable (figure), 3-8 figure, 4-2 connector signals (table), 3-8 obtaining replacement, 4-3 overview (table), 3-1 using mouse and keyboard without, 4-3 using with PS/2 mouse and keyboard, 2-3, 3-9 © National Instruments Corporation NI PXI-8186/8187 User Manual...

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