User Guide

© National Instruments Corporation vii NI 5911 User Manual
Contents
Chapter 1
Taking Measurements with the NI 5911
Installing the NI 5911 ....................................................................................................1-1
Connecting Signals ........................................................................................................1-1
Acquiring Data with Your NI 5911 ...............................................................................1-3
Programmatically Controlling Your NI 5911..................................................1-3
Interactively Controlling Your NI 5911 with the Scope Soft Front Panel ......1-3
Chapter 2
Hardware Overview
Differential Programmable Gain Input Amplifier (PGIA) ............................................2-1
Differential Input .............................................................................................2-2
Grounding Considerations ................................................................2-2
Input Ranges....................................................................................................2-3
Input Impedance ..............................................................................................2-3
Input Bias ..........................................................................................2-4
Input Protection ...............................................................................................2-4
AC Coupling....................................................................................................2-4
Oscilloscope and Flexible Resolution Modes................................................................2-4
Oscilloscope Mode ..........................................................................................2-5
Sampling Methods—Real-Time and RIS........................................................2-5
Flexible Resolution Mode ...............................................................................2-5
How Flexible Resolution Works.......................................................2-6
Calibration .....................................................................................................................2-7
Internally Calibrating the NI 5911 ..................................................................2-7
When Internal Calibration Is Needed..............................................................2-7
What Internal Calibration Does.......................................................................2-7
Why Errors Occur During Acquisition .............................................2-8
External Calibration.........................................................................................2-8
Triggering and Arming ..................................................................................................2-8
Analog Trigger Circuit ....................................................................................2-9
Trigger Hold-Off .............................................................................................2-10
Memory..........................................................................................................................2-10
Triggering and Memory Usage .......................................................................2-10
Multiple-Record Acquisitions........................................................................................2-11