The NI 778959-30 is a 30-meter MXI-4 fiber optic cable that extends PXI system control from a host PC via PCI or PCI Express slots. It creates a software-transparent, high-bandwidth link between a computer and one or more PXI chassis using a 1.5 Gb/s serial connection, eliminating the need for custom programming.
Technical Specifications
• Cable Length: 30 meters
• Technology: MXI-4 (Multi-eXtension Interface)
• Interface: Fiber Optic
• Serial Data Rate: 1.5 Gbit/s
• Peak Transfer Rate: 132 Mbytes/s
• Sustained Transfer Rate: 78 Mbytes/s
• Connector Type: Rugged industrial-grade connectors
• Signaling Compatibility: 3.3 V and 5 V PCI environments
– Key Features
• PCI-to-PCI bridge architecture split across the serial link—no driver development required
• Allows remote PXI modules to function as locally installed PCI devices
• Electrical isolation between PXI measurement hardware and the host PC
• Error checking and automatic retransmission on the serial link
• Protocol-level data corruption detection and recovery for operation in electrically noisy environments
• Links multiple PXI chassis from a single host computer
– Typical Applications
• Remote instrument control and data acquisition systems
• Multi-chassis PXI expansion from desktop or rack-mounted computers
• Distributed test and measurement architectures requiring electrical isolation
• Industrial and laboratory environments demanding high reliability over extended distances
– Compatibility & Integration
Works with PCI Specification Revision 2.2 or later and PXI Hardware Specification Revision 1.0 or later. Compatible with MXI-4 interface kits including the NI PCI-8331, PXI-8331, PCI-8336, and PXI-8336.
