Keithley KPCI-3101 Series User manual

User’s Manual
KPCI-3101, -3102, -3103, -3104 Series
PCI Bus DataAcquisition Boards
98150 Rev. A / 10-99

WARRANTY
Hardware
Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants that, for a period of three (3) years from the date of shipment, the Keithley Hardware product will be free from defects
in materials or workmanship. This warranty will be honored provided the defect has not been caused by use of the Keithley Hardware not in accordance
with the instructions for the product. This warranty shall be null and void upon: (1) any modification of Keithley Hardware that is made by other than
Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley or (2) operation of the Keithley Hardware outside of the environmental specifications therefore.
Upon receiving notification of a defect in the Keithley Hardware during the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option, either repair or replace such
Keithley Hardware. During the first ninety days of the warranty period, Keithley will, at its option, supply the necessary on site labor to return the product
to the condition prior to the notification of a defect. Failure to notify Keithley of a defect during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and
liabilities under this warranty.
Other Hardware
The portion of the product that is not manufactured by Keithley (Other Hardware) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall have no duty of
obligation to enforce any manufacturers' warranties on behalf of the customer. On those other manufacturers’ products that Keithley purchases for resale,
Keithley shall have no duty of obligation to enforce any manufacturers’warranties on behalf of the customer.
Software
Keithley warrants that for a period of one (1) year from date of shipment, the Keithley produced portion of the software or firmware (Keithley Software) will
conform in all material respects with the published specifications provided such Keithley Software is used on the product for which it is intended and other-
wise in accordance with the instructions therefore. Keithley does not warrant that operation of the Keithley Software will be uninterrupted or error-free and/
or that the Keithley Software will be adequate for the customer's intended application and/or use. This warranty shall be null and void upon any modification
of the Keithley Software that is made by other than Keithley and not approved in writing by Keithley.
If Keithley receives notification of a Keithley Software nonconformity that is covered by this warranty during the warranty period, Keithley will review the
conditions described in such notice. Such notice must state the published specification(s) to which the Keithley Software fails to conform and the manner
in which the Keithley Software fails to conform to such published specification(s) with sufficient specificity to permit Keithley to correct such nonconfor-
mity. If Keithley determines that the Keithley Software does not conform with the published specifications, Keithley will, at its option, provide either the
programming services necessary to correct such nonconformity or develop a program change to bypass such nonconformity in the Keithley Software.
Failure to notify Keithley of a nonconformity during the warranty shall relieve Keithley of its obligations and liabilities under this warranty.
Other Software
OEM software that is not produced by Keithley (Other Software) shall not be covered by this warranty, and Keithley shall have no duty or obligation to
enforce any OEM's warranties on behalf of the customer.
Other Items
Keithley warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables, rechargeable batteries, diskettes, and documentation.
Items not Covered under Warranty
This warranty does not apply to fuses, non-rechargeable batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from normal wear or failure to follow
instructions.
Limitation of Warranty
This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modification made by Purchaser without Keithley's express written consent, or by misuse
of any product or part.
Disclaimer of Warranties
EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS WARRANTIES ABOVE KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. KEITHLEY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER HARDWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE.
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KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS SHALL IN NO EVENT, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR OR BE LIABLE FOR: (1)
ECONOMICAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, WHETHER CLAIMED
UNDER CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, (2) LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE CUSTOMER'S DATA OR PROGRAM-
MING, OR (3) PENALTIES OR PENALTY CLAUSES OF ANY DESCRIPTION OR INDEMNIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMER OR OTHERS FOR
COSTS, DAMAGES, OR EXPENSES RELATED TO THE GOODS OR SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY.
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6/99

KPCI-3101, -3102, -3103, -3104 Series
PCI Bus DataAcquisition Board
User’s Manual
©1999, Keithley Instruments, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
First Printing, October 1999
Document Number: 98150 Rev. A
DriverLINX, SSTNET, and LabOBJX are registered trademarks and DriverLINX/VB are trademarks of Scientific Software Tools, Inc.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks and Visual C++ and Visual Basic are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Borland is a registered trademark and Borland C++, Delphi, and Turbo Pascal are trademarks of Borland International, Inc.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
Acrobat is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated.
All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Copyright © Keithley Instruments, Inc., 1999.
All rights reserved. Reproduction or adaptation of any part of this documentation beyond that permitted by Section 117
of the 1979 United States Copyright Act without permission of the Copyright owner is unlawful.

Manual Print History
The print history shown below lists the printing dates of all Revisions and Addenda created for this manual. The Revision
Level letter increases alphabetically as the manual undergoes subsequent updates. Addenda, which are released between Revi-
sions, contain important change information that the user should incorporate immediately into the manual. Addenda are num-
bered sequentially. When a new Revision is created, all Addenda associated with the previous Revision of the manual are
incorporated into the new Revision of the manual. Each new Revision includes a revised copy of this print history page.
RevisionA (Document Number 98150) .............................................................................................October 1999
All Keithley product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Keithley Instruments, Inc.
Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Safety Precautions
The following safety precautions should be observed before using
this product and any associated instrumentation.Although some in-
struments and accessories would normally be used with non-haz-
ardous voltages, there are situations where hazardous conditions
may be present.
This product is intended for use by qualified personnel who recog-
nize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety precautions re-
quired to avoid possible injury. Read the operating information
carefully before using the product.
The types of product users are:
Responsible body is the individual or group responsible for the use
and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that the equipment is
operated within its specifications and operating limits, and for en-
suring that operators are adequately trained.
Operators use the product for its intended function. They must be
trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use of the instru-
ment. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with
hazardous live circuits.
Maintenancepersonnel perform routine procedures on the product
to keep it operating, for example, setting the line voltage or replac-
ing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in
the manual. The procedures explicitly state if the operator may per-
form them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service
personnel.
Service personnel are trained to work on live circuits, and perform
safe installations and repairs of products. Only properly trained ser-
vice personnel may perform installation and service procedures.
Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal
voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or test fixtures.The
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock
hazard exists when voltage levels greater than 30V RMS, 42.4V
peak, or 60VDC are present. A good safety practice is to expect
that hazardous voltage is present in any unknown circuit before
measuring.
Users of this product must be protected from electric shock at all
times. The responsible body must ensure that users are prevented
access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases,
connections must be exposed to potential human contact. Product
users in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves
from the risk of electric shock. If the circuit is capable of operating
at or above 1000 volts, no conductive part of the circuit may be
exposed.
As described in the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) Standard IEC 664, digital multimeter measuring circuits
(e.g., Keithley Models 175A, 199, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2010) are
Installation Category II. All other instruments’ signal terminals are
Installation Category I and must not be connected to mains.
Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits.
They are intended to be used with impedance limited sources.
NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When con-
necting sources to switching cards, install protective devices to lim-
it fault current and voltage to the card.
Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connect-
ed to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect the connecting
cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks
before each use.
For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any
other instruments while power is applied to the circuit under test.
ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge
any capacitors before: connecting or disconnecting cables or jump-
ers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal
changes, such as installing or removing jumpers.
Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the
common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth) ground.
Always make measurements with dry hands while standing on a
dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the voltage being
measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its
specifications and operating instructions or the safety of the equip-
ment may be impaired.
Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and ac-
cessories, as defined in the specifications and operating informa-
tion, and as shown on the instrument or test fixture panels, or
switching card.
When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating
for continued protection against fire hazard.
Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for
measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground connections.
If you are using a test fixture, keep the lid closed while power is ap-
plied to the device under test. Safe operation requires the use of a
lid interlock.
If a screw is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the
wire recommended in the user documentation.
The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should re-
fer to the operating instructions located in the manual.
The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or mea-
sure 1000 volts or more, including the combined effect of normal
and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to
avoid personal contact with these voltages.
The WARNING heading in a manual explains dangers that might
result in personal injury or death.Always read the associated infor-
mation very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.
The CAUTION heading in a manual explains hazards that could
damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate the warranty.
Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.
Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and
all test cables.
To maintain protection from electric shock and fire, replacement
components in mains circuits, including the power transformer, test
leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instru-
ments. Standard fuses, with applicable national safety approvals,
may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components
that are not safety related may be purchased from other suppliers as
long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that se-
lected parts should be purchased only through Keithley Instruments
to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you are
unsure about the applicability of a replacement component, call a
Keithley Instruments office for information.
To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based
cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do not apply
cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill
on the instrument. Products that consist of a circuit board with no
case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a
computer) should never require cleaning if handled according to in-
structions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is af-
fected, the board should be returned to the factory for proper
cleaning/servicing.
!
Rev. 2/99

Table of Contents
i
1 Overview
Features............................................................................................................................................................... 1-2
DriverLINX software.......................................................................................................................................... 1-3
Viewing the KPCI-3101–4 series documentation online.................................................................................... 1-4
System requirements........................................................................................................................................... 1-5
Software .............................................................................................................................................................. 1-5
Accessories.......................................................................................................................................................... 1-6
2 Principles of Operation
Analog input features.......................................................................................................................................... 2-2
Input resolution ........................................................................................................................................... 2-3
Analog input channels................................................................................................................................. 2-3
Input ranges and gains................................................................................................................................. 2-4
A/D sample clock sources........................................................................................................................... 2-6
Analog input conversion modes.................................................................................................................. 2-7
Triggers..................................................................................................................................................... 2-10
Data format ............................................................................................................................................... 2-14
Data transfer.............................................................................................................................................. 2-14
Error conditions......................................................................................................................................... 2-15
Analog output features...................................................................................................................................... 2-16
Output resolution....................................................................................................................................... 2-16
Analog output channels............................................................................................................................. 2-16
Output ranges and gains............................................................................................................................ 2-16
Analog output conversion modes.............................................................................................................. 2-17
Data format ............................................................................................................................................... 2-17
Digital I/O features............................................................................................................................................ 2-17
Digital I/O lines......................................................................................................................................... 2-17
Combining or splitting logical channels ................................................................................................... 2-18
Using single value and continuous digital input....................................................................................... 2-18
Counter/Timer features ..................................................................................................................................... 2-19
Counter/Timer channels............................................................................................................................ 2-19
C/T Clock sources..................................................................................................................................... 2-19
Gate types.................................................................................................................................................. 2-21
Pulse outputs ............................................................................................................................................. 2-22
Counter/Timer operation modes ............................................................................................................... 2-22

ii
3 Installation and Configuration
Unpacking............................................................................................................................................................ 3-2
Installing the software ......................................................................................................................................... 3-2
Software options.......................................................................................................................................... 3-2
Installing DriverLINX................................................................................................................................. 3-4
Installing application software and drivers.................................................................................................. 3-4
Installing the board.............................................................................................................................................. 3-5
Setting up the computer............................................................................................................................... 3-5
Selecting an expansion slot ......................................................................................................................... 3-5
Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer ........................................................................... 3-6
Configuring the board to work with DriverLINX............................................................................................... 3-7
Checking the combined board and DriverLINX installations..................................................................... 3-7
Attaching the STA-300 screw terminal panel ..................................................................................................... 3-8
Jumper W1................................................................................................................................................. 3-10
Resistors .................................................................................................................................................... 3-11
Screw terminal assignments ...................................................................................................................... 3-11
Power......................................................................................................................................................... 3-14
Wiring signals.................................................................................................................................................... 3-14
Connecting analog input signals................................................................................................................ 3-15
Connecting analog output signals.............................................................................................................. 3-19
Connecting digital I/O signals................................................................................................................... 3-20
Connecting counter/timer signals.............................................................................................................. 3-21
Attaching the STP-68 screw terminal panel...................................................................................................... 3-25
4 Testing the Board
DriverLINX analog I/O panel ............................................................................................................................. 4-2
5 Calibration
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 5-2
Objectives.................................................................................................................................................... 5-2
Calibration summary................................................................................................................................... 5-2
Equipment.................................................................................................................................................... 5-2
Calibration procedure.................................................................................................................................. 5-3
Preparing for the calibrations ...................................................................................................................... 5-3
Calibrating the analog inputs....................................................................................................................... 5-3
Calibrating the analog outputs..................................................................................................................... 5-3
6 Troubleshooting
General checklist ................................................................................................................................................. 6-2
Using the DriverLINX event viewer................................................................................................................... 6-2
Device initialization error messages............................................................................................................ 6-2
Problem isolation................................................................................................................................................. 6-3
Troubleshooting table.......................................................................................................................................... 6-4
Testing the board and host computer................................................................................................................... 6-5
Testing the accessory slot and I/O connections................................................................................................... 6-5
Technical support ................................................................................................................................................ 6-6
Returning equipment to Keithley ........................................................................................................................ 6-7

iii
A Specifications
Supported capabilities........................................................................................................................................ A-9
B Connector Pin Assignments
C Systematic Problem Isolation
Problem isolation Scheme A: basic system ............................................................................................... C-3
Problem isolation Scheme B: installation.................................................................................................. C-5
Problem isolation Scheme C: application software ................................................................................. C-10
Problem isolation Scheme D: expansion slot connectors ........................................................................ C-12
Problem isolation Scheme E: user wiring................................................................................................ C-13
Problem isolation Scheme F: the board ................................................................................................... C-13
Problem isolation Scheme G: verification of problem solution............................................................... C-13
Specified hardware I/O tests ............................................................................................................................ C-14
Analog input hardware test ...................................................................................................................... C-14
Analog output hardware test .................................................................................................................... C-17
General-purpose digital I/O hardware test............................................................................................... C-20
Specified software I/O tests ............................................................................................................................. C-20
Analog input software test ....................................................................................................................... C-20
Analog output software test ..................................................................................................................... C-22
General-purpose digital I/O software test................................................................................................ C-25

iv

List of Illustrations
v
2 Principles of Operation
Figure 2-1 Block diagram of the KPCI-3101–4 series boards...................................................................................... 2-2
Figure 2-2 Continuous post-trigger mode without triggered scan.............................................................................. 2-11
Figure 2-3 Continuous post-trigger mode with triggered scan................................................................................... 2-11
Figure 2-4 Continuous pre-trigger mode .................................................................................................................... 2-12
Figure 2-5 Continuous pre-trigger mode with triggered scan..................................................................................... 2-12
Figure 2-6 Continuous about-trigger mode ................................................................................................................ 2-13
Figure 2-7 Continuous about-trigger mode with triggered scan................................................................................ 2-14
Figure 2-8 Counter/Timer channel ............................................................................................................................ 2-19
Figure 2-9 Example of a Low-to-High pulse output type........................................................................................... 2-22
Figure 2-10 Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)................................... 2-23
Figure 2-11 Example of event counting ....................................................................................................................... 2-24
Figure 2-12 Connecting frequency measurement signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0) .. 2-24
Figure 2-13 Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0).................... 2-25
Figure 2-14 Example of frequency measurement......................................................................................................... 2-26
Figure 2-15 Connecting rate generation sIgnals (shown for counter 0; a software gate is used)................................. 2-27
Figure 2-16 Example of rate generation mode with a 75% duty cycle........................................................................ 2-28
Figure 2-17 Example of rate generation mode with a 25% duty cycle......................................................................... 2-28
Figure 2-18 Connecting one-shot signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0)..................................................... 2-29
Figure 2-19 Example of one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle............................................................................ 2-30
Figure 2-20 Example of one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle................................................................................. 2-30
Figure 2-21 Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 99.99% duty cycle............................................................ 2-31
Figure 2-22 Example of repetitive one-shot mode using a 50% duty cycle................................................................. 2-32

vi
3 Installation and Configuration
Figure 3-1 Inserting the KPCI-3101–4 series board in the computer........................................................................... 3-6
Figure 3-2 Attaching the STA-300 screw terminal panel to a KPCI-3101–4 series board........................................... 3-8
Figure 3-3 Layout of the STA-300 screw terminal panel ............................................................................................. 3-9
Figure 3-4 Removal of jumper W1 for remote ground sensing.................................................................................. 3-10
Figure 3-5 Connecting single-ended voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8)............................................... 3-15
Figure 3-6 Connecting pseudo-differential voltage inputs (shown for channels 0, 1, and 8)..................................... 3-16
Figure 3-7 Connecting differential voltage inputs (shown for channel 0).................................................................. 3-17
Figure 3-8 Connecting differential voltage inputs from a grounded signal source (shown for channel 0) ................ 3-18
Figure 3-9 Connecting current inputs (shown for channel 0) ..................................................................................... 3-18
Figure 3-10 Connecting analog output voltages using an external +10V reference (shown for channel 0)................. 3-19
Figure 3-11 Connecting analog output voltages using the board’s internal +10V reference (shown for channel 0) ... 3-19
Figure 3-12 Connecting digital inputs (shown for channels 0 and 1, port A)............................................................... 3-20
Figure 3-13 Connecting digital outputs (shown for channel 0, port B) ........................................................................ 3-20
Figure 3-14 Connecting event counting signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0)................................... 3-21
Figure 3-15 Connecting event counting signals without an external gate input (shown for clock input 0) ................. 3-22
Figure 3-16 Cascading counters (shown for event counting using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)................... 3-22
Figure 3-17 Connecting frequency measurement signals (shown for clock input 0 and external gate 0) .................... 3-23
Figure 3-18 Connecting pulse output signals (shown for counter output 0 and gate 0) ............................................... 3-23
Figure 3-19 Cascading counters (shown for rate generation using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 0)................... 3-24
Figure 3-20 Cascading counters (shown for one-shot using counters 0 and 1 and external gate 1)............................. 3-24

List of Tables
vii
1Overview
Table 1-1 Differences among KPCI-3101–4 Series boards........................................................................................ 1-2
Table 1-2 System requirements................................................................................................................................... 1-5
2Principles of Operation
Table 2-1 Supported analog input resolutions............................................................................................................. 2-3
Table 2-2 Gains and effective ranges.......................................................................................................................... 2-5
Table 2-3 Maximum frequency supported.................................................................................................................. 2-6
Table 2-4 Maximum retrigger frequency.................................................................................................................... 2-8
Table 2-5 Supported analog output resolutions...................................................................................................... 2-16
Table 2-6 Extended channel addressing of digital I/O channels using DriverLINX................................................. 2-18
3Installation and Configuration
Table 3-1 Analog input screw terminal assignments on the STA-300...................................................................... 3-12
Table 3-2 Analog output and power screw terminal assignments on the STA-300.................................................. 3-13
Table 3-3 Counter/Timer and digital I/O screw terminal assignments on the STA-300........................................... 3-13
6Troubleshooting
Table 6-1 Troubleshooting problems.......................................................................................................................... 6-4
ASpecifications
Table A-1 A/D subsystem specifications.................................................................................................................... A-2
Table A-2 D/A subsystem specifications.................................................................................................................... A-4
Table A-3 DIN/DOUT subsystem specifications........................................................................................................ A-5
Table A-4 C/T subsystem specifications..................................................................................................................... A-6
Table A-5 Power, physical, and environmental specifications................................................................................... A-7
Table A-6 Connector specifications............................................................................................................................ A-7
Table A-7 STA-300 specifications.............................................................................................................................. A-8
Table A-8 CAB-305 cable specifications.................................................................................................................... A-8
Table A-9 KPCI-3101–4 series supported options...................................................................................................... A-9

viii
B Connector Pin Assignments
Table B-1 Pin assignments for connector J1 on the KPCI-3101–4 series boards....................................................... B-2
Table B-2 Pin assignments for connector J1 on the STA-300 .................................................................................... B-3
Table B-3 Pin assignments for connector J2 on the STA-300 .................................................................................... B-4
C Systematic Problem Isolation
Table C-1 Wiring for analog input hardware test using an STA-300 screw terminal accessory connected
to the Analog I/O connections ........................................................................................................... C-15
Table C-2 Terminals on STA-300 screw terminal accessory to which DVM/DMM will be connected
during analog output hardware test.................................................................................................... C-17
Table C-3 Test connections and correct readings for zero-voltage analog output, using an STA-300 screw
terminal accessory connected to J1.................................................................................................... C-19
Table C-4 Test connections and correct readings for mid-range analog output, using an STA-300 screw
terminal accessory connected to the upper “Analog” I/O connector................................................. C-19
Table C-5 Wiring for analog input hardware test using an STA-300 screw terminal accessory connected
to the Analog I/O connections ...........................................................................................................C-21
Table C-6 Terminals on STA-300 screw terminal accessory to which DVM/DMM will be connected
during analog output hardware test.................................................................................................... C-23
Table C-7 Test connections and correct readings for zero-voltage analog output, using an STA-300 screw
terminal accessory connected to J1.................................................................................................... C-24
Table C-8 Test connections and correct readings for mid-range analog output, using an STA-300 screw
terminal accessory connected to the KPCI-3101–4 board................................................................. C-24

1
Overview

1-2 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual
Features
The KPCI-3101–4 Series is a family of low-cost, multifunction data acquisition boards for the
PCI bus. The KPCI-3101–4 Series consists of the following boards: KPCI-3101, KPCI-3102,
KPCI-3103, and KPCI-3104. These board types differ in analog I/O resolution, analog input
sample frequency, analog input ranges, and the number of analog output channels, as shown in
Table 1-1.
All KPCI-3101–4 Series boards share the following major features:
• PCI bus mastering capability for analog inputs
• 16 single-ended or pseudo-differential analog input channels, or 8 differential analog input
channels (for information on pseudo-differential analog input channels, see “Connecting
pseudo-differential voltage inputs” in Section 3)
• Signal conditioning through connections to 5B Series backplanes
• Input gains of 1, 2, 4, and 8
• Continuously-paced and triggered scan capability
• A 1024-location channel-gain list that supports sampling analog input channels at the same
or different gains in sequential or random order
• Up to 256 scans per trigger for a total of 262,144 samples per trigger in triggered scan mode
• Internal and external clock sources for the analog input subsystem
• Digital TTL triggering for the analog input subsystem
• Software calibration of the analog I/O circuitry
• Two 8-bit digital ports programmable as inputs or outputs on a per-port basis; digital input
lines from these lines can be included as part of the analog input channel-gain list to corre-
late the timing of analog and digital events; digital outputs can drive external solid-state
relays
• One 7-bit digital I/O port programmable as a general-purpose (non-clocked) input or output
port
• Four user counter/timers programmable for event counting, frequency measurement, rate
generation (continuous pulse output), one-shot pulse output, and repetitive one-shot pulse
output
• Programmable gate types
• Programmable pulse output polarities (output types) and duty cycles
For a discussion of these features in detail, refer to Section 2.
Table 1-1
Differences among KPCI-3101–4 Series boards
Board Type Analog I/O Resolution Analog Input Sample Frequency Analog Input Ranges
1
1
Assumes a gain of 1. Using these ranges with gains of 2, 4, or 8 yields a number of effective input ranges; refer to
page 2-4
for more information.
Analog Output
Channels
KPCI-3101 12 bit 225kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 0
KPCI-3102 12 bit 225kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 2
KPCI-3103 12 bit 400kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 0
KPCI-3104 12 bit 400kHz ±10V, 0 to 10V 2

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Overview 1-3
DriverLINX software
The following software is available for use with the KPCI-3101–4 Series board:
• KPCI-3101–4 Series standard software package — Shipped with KPCI-3101–4 Series
boards. Includes DriverLINX for Microsoft Windows and function libraries for writing
application programs under Windows in a high-level language such as C/C++, Visual Basic,
Delphi, and Test Point; LabVIEW support files; utility programs; and language-specific
example programs.
• DriverLINX — the high-performance real-time data-acquisition device drivers for Windows
application development includes:
• DriverLINX API DLLs and drivers supporting the KPCI-3101–4 Series hardware
• Analog I/O Test Panel — a DriverLINX program that verifies the installation and opera-
tion of your KPCI-3101–4 Series board and demonstrates several virtual bench-top
instruments
• Learn DriverLINX — an interactive learning and demonstration program for DriverLINX
that includes a Digital Storage Oscilloscope
• Source Code — for the sample programs
• DriverLINX Application Programming Interface files — for the KPCI-3101–4 Series
interfaces
• DriverLINX Calibration Utility — used to calibrate the ADC and DAC functions of the
KPCI-3101–4 Series board
• DriverLINX On-line Help System — provides immediate help as you operate Driver-
LINX
• Supplemental Documentation — on DriverLINX installation and configuration; analog
and digital I/O programming; counter/timer programming; technical reference; and infor-
mation specific to the KPCI-3101–4 Series hardware.

1-4 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual
Viewing the KPCI-3101–4 series documentation online
The DriverLINX Manuals and this manual have been provided in electronic form (in PDF file
format) on the KPCI-3101–4 Series CD-ROM. To view these documents, you need to install Rev
3.01 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader on your hard drive (refer to DriverLINX for installation
instructions).
View the KPCI-3101–4 Series documentation by clicking the manual title.
Here are a few helpful hints about using Adobe Acrobat Reader:
• To navigate to a specific section of the document, click a heading from the table of contents
on the left side of the document.
• Within the document, click the text shown in blue to jump to the appropriate reference (the
pointer changes from a hand to an index finger).
• To go back to the page from which the jump was made, click the right mouse button and Go
Back, or from the main menu, click View , then Go Back .
• To print the document, from the main menu, click File , then Print .
• To increase or decrease the size of the displayed document, from the main menu, click View ,
then Zoom .
• By default, text and monochrome images are smoothed in Acrobat Reader, resulting in
blurry images. If you wish, you can turn smoothing off by clicking File , then Preferences/
General , and unchecking Smooth Text and Monochrome Images .

KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual Overview 1-5
System requirements
The system capabilities required to run the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, and to use the Driver-
LINX software supplied with the board, are listed in Table 1-2.
Software
The user can select a fully integrated data acquisition software package such as TestPoint or
LabVIEW or write a custom program supported by DriverLINX.
DriverLINX is the basicApplication Programming Interface (API) for the KPCI-3101–4 Series
boards:
• It supports programmers who wish to create custom applications usingVisual C/C++, Visual
Basic, or Delphi.
• It accomplishes foreground and background tasks to perform data acquisition.
• It is the needed interface between TestPoint and LabVIEW and a KPCI-3101–4 Series board.
DriverLINX software and user’s documentation on a CD-ROM are included with your board.
TestPoint is an optional, fully featured, integrated application package with a graphical drag-
and-drop interface which can be used to create data acquisition applications without
programming.
LabVIEW is an optional, fully featured graphical programming language used to create virtual
instrumentation.
Refer to Section 3, “Installation and Configuration” for more information about DriverLINX,
TestPoint, and LabView.
Table 1-2
System requirements
CPU Type
Pentium or higher processor on motherboard with PCI bus version 2.1
Operating system
Windows 95 or 98
Windows NT version 4.0 or higher
Memory
16 MB or greater RAM when running Windows 95 or 98
32 MB or greater RAM when running Windows NT
Hard disk space
4 MB for minimum installation
50 MB for maximum installation
Other
A CD-ROM drive*
A free PCI-bus expansion slot capable of bus mastering
Enough reserve computer power supply capacity to power the
KPCI-3101–4 Series board, which draws 0.9A at 5VDC and 48mA at
+12VDC.
A VGA, or compatible, display (640 x 480 or higher, 256 colors
recommended)
*Any CD-ROM drive that came installed with the required computer should be satisfactory. However, if you have
post-installed an older CD-ROM drive or arrived at your present system by updating the microprocessor or replacing
the motherboard, some early CD-ROM drives may not support the long file names often used in 32 bit Windows files.

1-6 Overview KPCI-3101 — KPCI-3104 Series User’s Manual
Accessories
The following optional accessories are available for the KPCI-3101–4 Series board:
• STA-300 screw terminal panel — Screw terminal panel with two connectors. The STP-300
includes features such as jumpers for selecting AMP LO connections for use with “pseudo-
differential” input; convenient locations for addition of bias return resisters for use when
measuring floating inputs in differential mode; convenient locations for current sense shunt
resistors for sensing current loops. Connector J1 accommodates the analog and digital I/O
signals from the KPCI-3101–4 Series board, and connector J2 allows you to connect 5B sig-
nal conditioning backplanes. In addition, the STA-300, in conjunction with the CAB-305
cable, is the configuration in which KPCI-3101–4 was tested for CE emissions.
• STP-68 screw terminal panel — Screw terminal panel with one connector. The 68-pin con-
nector accommodates the analog and digital I/O signals from the KPCI-3101–4 Series board.
The screw terminals are wired so that when connected using a CAB-305 cable, the terminal
number corresponds to a terminal number on the attached plug-in board. The STP-68 is not
shielded and was not used in CE emission testing.
•CAB-305 cable —A 2-meter, twisted pair, shielded cable that connects the 68-pin connector
(J1) on the KPCI-3101–4 Series board to the J1 connector on the STA-300 screw terminal
panel or to the 68-pin connector on the STP-68 screw terminal panel.