National Instruments IMAQ PCI-1424 User manual

PCI-1424

Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424
The NI PCI-1424 (NI 1424) is a high-quality monochrome and color digital image acquisition device.
This document describes how to install and configure the necessary hardware and software components
to begin using the NI 1424.
What You Need to Get Started
You need the following items to set up and use the NI 1424:
❑NI 1424 image acquisition device
❑Video camera or other video source
❑D100 series camera cables, depending on your camera
❑Computer running Microsoft Windows Vista/XP/2000 with at least one available PCI slot
Note Visit ni.com/info and enter rdvisionvista for more information about National
Instruments image acquisition device compatibility with Windows Vista.
❑NI Vision Acquisition Software 8.0 or later, which includes the NI-IMAQ driver software
❑Optional software for developing applications:
– NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection
– NI Vision Development Module
–LabVIEW
– LabWindows™/CVI™
– Microsoft Visual Basic
Optional Equipment
National Instruments offers a variety of products for use with your NI 1424, including the following:
• D2504 camera cable, a four-pod BNC cable to route trigger signals to a BNC connector block
• Memory modules to increase NI 1424 onboard memory
Refer to the National Instruments catalog, visit ni.com, or call the National Instruments office nearest
you for more specific information about these products.
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful:
•NI PCI-1424 User Manual—Contains information about programming options, hardware
functionality, and signal connections.
•NI Vision Acquisition Software Release Notes—Contains information about new functionality,
minimum system requirements, and installation instructions for the NI-IMAQ driver software.

Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424 2 ni.com
• Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-IMAQ—Describes how to configure the
NI-IMAQ driver software, NI image acquisition devices, and cameras using Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX).
•NI-IMAQ Help—Contains fundamental programming concepts for the NI-IMAQ driver software
and terminology for using NI image acquisition devices.
Safety Information
Caution The following paragraphs contain important safety information you must follow when
installing and operating the device.
Do not operate the device in a manner not specified in the documentation. Misuse of the device may
result in a hazard and may compromise the safety protection built into the device. If the device is
damaged, turn it off and do not use it until service-trained personnel can check its safety. If necessary,
return the device to National Instruments for repair.
Keep away from live circuits. Do not remove equipment covers or shields unless you are trained to do
so. If signal wires are connected to the device, hazardous voltages can exist even when the equipment is
turned off. To avoid a shock hazard, do not perform procedures involving cover or shield removal unless
you are qualified to do so. Disconnect all field power prior to removing covers or shields.
If the device is rated for use with hazardous voltages (>30 Vrms, 42.4 Vpk, or 60 Vdc), it may require a
safety earth-ground connection wire. Refer to the device specifications for maximum voltage ratings.
Because of the danger of introducing additional hazards, do not install unauthorized parts or modify
the device. Use the device only with the chassis, modules, accessories, and cables specified in the
installation instructions. All covers and filler panels must be installed while operating the device.
Do not operate the device in an explosive atmosphere or where flammable gases or fumes may be
present. Operate the device only at or below the pollution degree stated in the specifications. Pollution
consists of any foreign matter—solid, liquid, or gas—that may reduce dielectric strength or surface
resistivity. The following is a description of pollution degrees.
• Pollution Degree 1—No pollution or only dry, nonconductive pollution occurs. The pollution has
no effect.
• Pollution Degree 2—Normally only nonconductive pollution occurs. Occasionally, nonconductive
pollution becomes conductive because of condensation.
• Pollution Degree 3—Conductive pollution or dry, nonconductive pollution occurs. Nonconductive
pollution becomes conductive because of condensation.
Clean the device and accessories by brushing off light dust with a soft, nonmetallic brush. Remove
other contaminants with a stiff, nonmetallic brush. The unit must be completely dry and free from
contaminants before returning it to service.
Yo u must insulate signal connections for the maximum voltage for which the device is rated. Do not
exceed the maximum ratings for the device. Remove power from signal lines before connection to or
disconnection from the device.
Caution National Instruments measurement products may be classified as either Measurement
Category I or II. Operate products at or below the Measurement Category level specified in the
hardware specifications.

©National Instruments Corporation 3 Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424
Measurement Category1: Measurement circuits are subjected to working voltages2and transient
stresses (overvoltage) from the circuit to which they are connected during measurement or test.
Measurement Category establishes standardized impulse withstand voltage levels that commonly
occur in electrical distribution systems. The following is a description of Measurement (Installation3)
Categories:
• Measurement Category I is for measurements performed on circuits not directly connected to the
electrical distribution system referred to as MAINS4voltage. This category is for measurements of
voltages from specially protected secondary circuits. Such voltage measurements include signal
levels, special equipment, limited-energy parts of equipment, circuits powered by regulated
low-voltage sources, and electronics.
• Measurement Category II is for measurements performed on circuits directly connected to the
electrical distribution system. This category refers to local-level electrical distribution, such as
that provided by a standard wall outlet (e.g., 115 V for U.S. or 230 V for Europe). Examples of
Measurement Category II are measurements performed on household appliances, portable tools,
and similar products.
• Measurement Category III is for measurements performed in the building installation at the
distribution level. This category refers to measurements on hard-wired equipment such as
equipment in fixed installations, distribution boards, and circuit breakers. Other examples are
wiring, including cables, bus-bars, junction boxes, switches, socket-outlets in the fixed installation,
and stationary motors with permanent connections to fixed installations.
Unpacking
The NI 1424 ships in an antistatic package to prevent electrostatic discharge from damaging device
components. To avoid such damage in handling your device, take the following precautions:
1. Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by touching a grounded object, such as the computer
chassis.
2. Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer chassis before removing the device
from the package.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
3. Remove the device from the package and inspect it for loose components or any other signs of
damage. Notify National Instruments if the device appears damaged in any way. Do not install
a damaged device in the computer.
Store the NI 1424 in the antistatic package when not in use.
1 Measurement Categories as defined in electrical safety standard IEC 61010-1.
2 Working voltage is the highest rms value of an AC or DC voltage that can occur across any particular insulation.
3 Measurement Category is also referred to as Installation Category.
4 MAINS is defined as the (hazardous live) electrical supply system to which equipment is designed to be connected for the
purpose of powering the equipment. Suitably rated measuring circuits may be connected to the MAINS for measuring
purposes.

Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424 4 ni.com
Installation
The following instructions are for general installation. Refer to the documentation provided by your
computer manufacturer from specific instructions and warnings. Refer to the Specifications section for
typical power requirements for the NI 1424.
1. Install the NI Vision Acquisition Software before installing the NI 1424. Refer to the NI Vision
Acquisition Software Release Notes for specific installation instructions.
2. Power off and unplug your computer.
Caution To protect both yourself and the computer from electrical hazards, the computer must
remain unplugged until the installation is complete.
3. Remove the computer cover to expose the expansion slots.
4. Touch the metal part of the computer to discharge any static electricity that might be on your
clothes or body. Static electricity can damage the device.
5. Choose an unused PCI slot, and remove the corresponding expansion slot cover on the pack panel
of the computer.
6. Remove your device from the antistatic package and gently rock the device into the slot. The
connection may be tight, but do not force the device into place.
You can install the NI 1424 in any available PCI expansion slot in the computer. However, to
achieve the best noise performance, leave as much room as possible between the NI 1424 and other
devices or hardware.
Note Check that the bracket of your device aligns with the hole in the back panel rail of the
computer chassis.
7. Secure the device mounting bracket to the back panel rail of the computer.
8. Replace the computer cover.
9. Connect the camera cable to the camera. Refer to your camera manufacturer documentation from
specific instructions about how to connect the cable to your camera.
10. Connect the camera cable to the connector on the NI 1424 front panel.
11. Plug in and power on the computer.
The NI 1424 is now installed and the camera is connected.
Specifications
The following specifications apply to the NI 1424 image acquisition device. These specifications are
typical at 25 °C, unless otherwise stated.
External Connections
Number of external trigger I/O lines......................4
Trigger input
Voltage range .................................................0 V to 5 V (TTL)
Input high voltage ..................................2.0 V
Input low voltage ...................................0.8 V
Polarity...........................................................Programmable, active high or active low

©National Instruments Corporation 5 Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424
Trigger output
Voltage range .................................................0 V to 5 V (TTL)
Output high voltage................................2.4 V at 15 mA source
Output low voltage.................................0.55 V at 10 mA sink
Polarity...........................................................Programmable, active high or active low
Power-on state........................................................Input (high-impedance) 10 KΩpull-up to 5 V
RS-422/TTL
Pixel clock
Signaling type ................................................RS-422 or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Rising or falling edge
Enable
Signal type .....................................................RS-422 or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Active high or active low
Control
Signal type .....................................................RS-422 or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Active high or active low
Minimum control signal pulse width .....................20 ns
Video data signal type............................................RS-422 or TTL
LVDS/TTL
Pixel clock
Signaling type ................................................LVDS or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Rising or falling edge
Enable
Signal type .....................................................LVDS or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Active high or active low
Control
Signal type .....................................................LVDS or TTL
Polarity...........................................................Active high or active low
Minimum control signal pulse width .....................20 ns
Video data signal type............................................LVDS or TTL
Memory
Onboard memory ...................................................16 MB SDRAM
LUTs ......................................................................Four 8-bit; two 10-bit to 16-bit
Note SO-DIMM memory upgrades are available in 64 MB and 128 MB densities.

Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424 6 ni.com
Clocks
Pixel clock frequency range...................................20 KHz to 50 MHz
PCI Interface
Theoretical max PCI bandwidth ............................133 MB/s
Serial Interface
Signaling standard..................................................RS-232
Baud rates supported..............................................300, 600, 1200, 1800, 2000, 2400, 3600, 4800, 7200,
or 9600 bps; 19.2, 38.4, or 56 kbps
Data bits .................................................................5, 6, 7, or 8 bits
Parity......................................................................Odd, even, or disabled
Stop bit...................................................................Enabled or disabled
Data transmit ready polarity ..................................Active high or active low
Ready-to-send polarity...........................................Active high or active low
Power Requirements
Voltage ...................................................................+ 5 V (2.135 A)
+12 V (250 mA)
–12 V (100 mA)
Physical
Dimensions ............................................................106.68 cm ×312 cm (4.2 in. ×12.283 in.)
Weight ....................................................................1.1 kg (0.5 lb)
Environment
The NI 1424 device is intended for indoor use only.
Operating temperature ...........................................0 °C to 55 °C
Storage temperature ...............................................–20 °C to 70 °C
Relative humidity...................................................5% to 90%, noncondensing
Pollution Degree ....................................................2
Approved at altitudes up to 2,000 m.
Safety
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following standards of safety for electrical
equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use:
• IEC 61010-1, EN-61010-1
• UL 61010-1, CSA 61010-1
Note For UL and other safety certifications, refer to the product label or visit ni.com/
certification, search by model number or product line, and click the appropriate link
in the Certification column.

©National Instruments Corporation 7 Getting Started with the NI PCI-1424
Electromagnetic Compatibility
This product is designed to meet the requirements of the following standards of EMC for electrical
equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use:
• EN 61326 EMC requirements; Minimum Immunity
• EN 55011 Emissions; Group 1, Class A
• CE, C-Tick, ICES, and FCC Part 15 Emissions; Class A
Note For EMC compliance, operate this device to product documentation.
CE Compliance
This product meets the essential requirements of applicable European Directives, as amended for
CE marking, as follows:
• 73/23/EEC; Low-Voltage Directive (safety)
• 89/336/EEC; Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (EMC)
Note Refer to the Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this product for any additional regulatory
compliance information. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit ni.com/certification,
search by model number or product line, and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
EU Customers At the end of their life cycle, all products must be sent to a WEEE recycling center.
For more information about WEEE recycling centers and National Instruments WEEE initiatives,
visit ni.com/environment/weee.htm.

National Instruments, NI, ni.com, and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation.
Refer to the Terms of Use section on ni.com/legal for more information about National
Instruments trademarks. Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade
names of their respective companies. For patents covering National Instruments products, refer to the
appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your CD, or
ni.com/patents.
© 2007 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. 374553A-01 Feb07
Where to Go for Support
The National Instruments Web site is your complete resource for technical support. At ni.com/
support you have access to everything from troubleshooting and application development self-help
resources to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.
A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is our claim of compliance with the Council of the European
Communities using the manufacturer’s declaration of conformity. This system affords the user
protection for electronic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You can obtain the DoC for your
product by visiting ni.com/certification. If your product supports calibration, you can obtain the
calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration.
National Instruments corporate headquarters is located at 11500 North Mopac Expressway, Austin,
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