National Instruments NI 5401 User manual

July 2004
373313D-01
GETTING STARTED GUIDE
NI Signal Generators
This document explains how to install, configure, and test
National Instruments signal generators to generate various waveforms. This
document applies to the NI 5401, NI 5404, NI 5411, NI 5421, NI 5422,
NI 5431, and NI 5441.
For more information about the device, such as features and programming,
refer to the NI Signal Generators Help at Start»Programs»
National Instruments»NI-FGEN»Documentation»NI Signal Generators
Help. For the NI signal generator specifications, refer to the specifications
document included with the device.
For free downloads of the most current versions of documentation,
visit ni.com/manuals. For the most current example programs, visit
ni.com/modularinstruments. For the latest version of NI-FGEN,
visit ni.com/idnet.
Contents
Conventions ...............................................................................................2
1. Verifying System Requirements ............................................................3
Minimum System Requirements .......................................................3
Recommended System Requirements ...............................................4
Application Development Environments...........................................4
2. Unpacking ..............................................................................................4
3. Verifying the Kit Contents.....................................................................5
Other Required Items.........................................................................5
4. Installing the Software ...........................................................................6
5. Installing the Hardware..........................................................................6
Installing PXI Devices .......................................................................7
NI PXI-5421/5422/5441 Cooling Considerations .....................7
Uninstalling PXI Devices ..........................................................8
Installing PCI Devices .......................................................................8
NI PCI-5421/5422 Cooling Considerations...............................10
6. Configuring and Testing in MAX..........................................................11
Synchronizing NI-DAQmx Devices in MAX ...................................13

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 2 ni.com
7. Generating Waveforms ..........................................................................14
Generating Waveforms Programmatically ........................................14
Generating Waveforms Interactively
with the FGEN Soft Front Panel....................................................14
Generating a Standard Waveform......................................................14
Generating an Arbitrary Waveform ...................................................16
Generating a Video Signal (NI 5431 only) ........................................17
Appendix A: Front Panels..........................................................................19
NI PXI/PCI-5401 ...............................................................................19
NI PXI-5404 ......................................................................................22
NI PXI-5411/5431 .............................................................................24
NI PCI-5411/5431..............................................................................26
NI PXI/PCI-5421/5422/5441.............................................................28
Technical Support Resources.....................................................................29
NI Web Support .................................................................................29
Worldwide Support............................................................................30
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
»The »symbol leads you through nested menu items
and dialog box options to a final action. The sequence
File»Page Setup»Options directs you to pull down the File
menu, select the Page Setup item, and select Options from
the last dialog box.
♦The ♦symbol indicates that the following text applies only
to a specific product, a specific operating system, or a
specific software version.
This icon denotes a tip, which alerts you to advisory
information.
This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important
information.
This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of
precautions to take to avoid injury, data loss, or a
system crash. When this symbol is marked on the hardware
product, refer to the Read Me First: Safety and
Radio-Frequency Interference, included with the device,
for precautions to take.
bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the
software, such as menu items and dialog box options.

© National Instruments Corporation 3 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
device Refers to an NI PXI/PCI-5401, NI PXI-5404,
NI PXI/PCI-5411, NI PXI/PCI-5421, NI PXI/PCI-5422,
NI PXI/PCI-5431, or NI PXI-5441.
italic Italic text denotes emphasis or a cross reference.
monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should
enter from the keyboard, sections of code, programming
examples, and syntax examples. This font is also used for
disk drives, paths, directories, fuctions, filenames, and
extensions.
monospace Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a
italic word or value that you must supply.
NI signal Refers to an NI PXI/PCI-5401, NI PXI-5404,
generator(s) NI PXI/PCI-5411, NI PXI/PCI-5421, NI PXI/PCI-5422,
NI PXI/PCI-5431, or NI PXI-5441.
1. Verifying System Requirements
To use your NI signal generator and NI-FGEN, your system must meet the
listed Minimum System Requirements and must haveone of the listed
operating systems installed. For optimal performance, your system should
meet the Recommended System Requirements. If you are developing
applications, you need one of the listed Application Development
Environments (ADEs) along with its documentation.
Minimum System Requirements
• Processor—Pentium III 600 MHz or equivalent
• RAM—128 MB
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later
• A screen resolution of 800 × 600 with 256 colors
• One of the following operating systems:
– Windows 2000
– Windows NT
– Windows XP
Recommended System Requirements
• Processor—Pentium 4 or equivalent
• RAM—256 MB
• A screen resolution of 1024 × 768

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 4 ni.com
Application Development Environments
• NI LabVIEW 6.1 or later
• NI LabVIEW Real-Time Module 7.1 (NI 5404/5421/5422/5441 only)
• LabWindows™/CVI™5.5 or later
• Measurement Studio 6.0 or later
• Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC) 6.0 or later
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0
• Borland-compliant C compilers
2. Unpacking
NI signal generators ship in an antistatic envelope to prevent electrostatic
damage. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage several components
on the device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
To avoid damage in handling the device, take the following precautions:
• Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by touching a grounded
object.
• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of your computer chassis
before removing the device from the package.
Remove the device from the envelope and inspect it for loose components or
any sign of damage. Notify NI if the device appears damaged in any way.
Do not install a damaged device into your computer.
Store the device in the antistatic envelope when not in use.

© National Instruments Corporation 5 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
3. Verifying the Kit Contents
The following items are included in your NI signal generator kit:
❑NI signal generator
❑BNC cable (for use with PXI devices only)
❑NI-FGEN instrument driver DVD case, which contains the following
items:
– NI-FGEN CDs
–NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
– NI-FGEN Quick Reference Guide
❑Other included documents:
– The specifications document for the NI signal generator
–Read Me First: Safety and Radio-Frequency Interference
– NI 5421/5422/5441—Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users
Note NI 5431 users also receive the NI Composite Video Generator
CD in their kit.
Other Required Items
In addition to the items contained in the kit, you need the following items:
❑1/8 in. flathead screwdriver
❑Cables appropriate for use with your device
❑One of the following items:
– For PXI devices—A PXI chassis, a PXI/SCXI combination chassis,
or a PXI/CompactPCI chassis, controller, and chassis documentation
Note If your application uses NI-TClk synchronization, you must
use a PXI chassis. You cannot use a CompactPCI chassis that is not
also a PXI chassis. Refer to NI Signal Generators Help»
Programming»NI-TClk Synchronization Help for more
information.
– For PCI devices—A desktop computer with its documentation

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 6 ni.com
4. Installing the Software
The NI-FGEN CD, included with your device, installs the instrument driver
for all NI signal generators. Also included on the NI-FGEN CD is the FGEN
Soft Front Panel (SFP), which is an easy interactive tool that helps you begin
working with the NI signal generator quickly.
To install NI-FGEN, complete the following steps:
1. (Optional) Install an ADE, such as NI LabVIEW or LabWindows/CVI,
if you are developing an application for the NI signal generator.
2. Insert the NI-FGEN CD into the CD drive, and follow the instructions in
the installation window.
Note If the installation window does not appear, navigate to the
CD drive, double-click the drive, and double-click setup.exe.
3. When the installer completes, a dialog box appears that asks if you want
to restart, shut down, or exit.
4. If you are using a system running the LabVIEW Real-Time Module,
restart. Download NI-FGEN to the target using Measurement &
Automation Explorer (MAX). Refer to the Measurement & Automation
Explorer Remote Systems Help by selecting Help»Help Topics»Remote
Systems in MAX.
• If you are using an NI 5421/5422/5441, select standard NI-FGEN
when downloading to the target.
• If you are using an NI 5404, select NI-FGEN (NI 5404 version) when
downloading to the target.
5. For NI 5431 devices only, complete the following steps:
a. Insert the NI Composite Video Generator CD into the CD drive.
b. Click Install in the installation window that appears, and follow the
instructions in the dialog boxes.
5. Installing the Hardware
To prevent damage to the device caused by ESD or contamination, handle
the device using the edges or the metal bracket. Refer to the Read Me First:
Safety and Radio-Frequency Interference for more information.
♦NI 5421/5422/5441—To ensure optimal forced-air cooling, refer to the
guidelines in the Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users included
in the NI signal generator kit.

© National Instruments Corporation 7 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
Installing PXI Devices
To install the device in either a PXI chassis, a PXI/SCXI combination chassis,
or a PXI/CompactPCI chassis, complete the following steps:
1. Power off and unplug the PXI chassis.
2. Refer to Figure 1 to insert the device into an available PXI slot until the
ejector handle locks in the up position, and tighten the captive screw(s).
Figure 1. PXI Installation
3. Verify that the PXI chassis fans are operable and free of dust and other
contaminants restricting airflow.
4. Plug in and power on the PXI chassis.
NI PXI-5421/5422/5441 Cooling Considerations
Caution When installing the NI PXI-5421/5422/5441, follow the
guidelines in the Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users
included in the NI 5421/5422/5441 kit to ensure that the device is
cooled effectively.
1 PXI Chassis
2 NI PXI Device
3 Captive Screws
4 Ejector Handle
NI PXI-1042
1
2
3
4

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 8 ni.com
If the device temperature rises above the maximum operating temperature,
the device shuts down and MAX or NI-FGEN notifies you with an error
message. To re-enable the device after thermal shutdown, perform a hard
reset, using one of the following methods:
• Power off the chassis that contains the device.
•Call
niFgen_resetDevice (niFgen Reset Device VI) or perform a
device reset in MAX. For more information on resetting a device in
MAX, go to Help»Help Topics»NI-DAQmx»Measurement
& Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx, which is available
within MAX.
Review the guidelines in the Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users
and make any necessary adjustments. The thermal shutdown error is reported
until the device is successfully reset.
Uninstalling PXI Devices
When removing PXI devices from the chassis, ensure that you are grounded
with a grounding strap or are touching a grounded metal surface. To avoid
ESD, do not touch the exposed connector pins or any exposed circuitry on the
device. When not in use, PXI devices should be stored in the original
antistatic envelope to avoid damage.
Caution During operation, the metal surfaces of PXI devices may
become hot. Be careful when removing the device from the chassis
or when moving it to a different peripheral slot. When removing the
device, hold it by the ejector handle and front panel only.
Installing PCI Devices
To install the PCI device, complete the following steps:
1. Power off and unplug the PC.
2. Remove the PC cover.

© National Instruments Corporation 9 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
3. Insert the device into an open PCI slot as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. PCI Installation
Tip To maximize airflow and extend the life of the device, leave
any adjacent PCI slots empty.
4. Secure the device with a screw.
Caution It is important to completely screw the device into the PCI
slot both for mechanical stability and to create a solid ground
connection, which will reduce electrical noise. Improperly secured
devices may affect the accuracy of device specifications.
(NI PCI-5421/5422 only) Some computer manufacturers use a
securing lever made of plastic to secure PCI devices; such a lever is
unacceptable and must be removed. Use the screw provided in the kit
to screw down the NI PCI-5421/5422. Otherwise, you must use a
different computer chassis.
1 NI PCI Device 2PCISlot 3 Personal Computer
1
2
3

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 10 ni.com
5. Replace the PC cover.
6. Plug in and power on the PC.
7. (NI PCI-5421/5422 only) If available, verify that spread-spectrum
clocking is enabled in the PC BIOS. Refer to the PC user documentation
for information about how to verify this setting.
Caution Spread-spectrum clocking varies the clock signal to
spread the timing clock signal over a small frequency range.
Disabling spread-spectrum clocking may affect the accuracy
of the NI PCI-5421/5422 specifications.
NI PCI-5421/5422 Cooling Considerations
Caution When installing the NI PCI-5421/5422, follow the
guidelines in the Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users
included in the NI 5421/5422 kit to ensure that the device is cooled
effectively.
If the device temperature rises above the maximum operating temperature,
the device shuts down and MAX or NI-FGEN notifies you with an error
message. To re-enable the device after thermal shutdown, you must perform
a hard reset, using one of the following methods:
• Power off the chassis that contains the device.
•Call
niFgen_resetDevice (niFgen Reset Device VI) or perform
a device reset in MAX. For more information on resetting a device
in MAX, go to Help»Help Topics»NI-DAQmx»Measurement &
Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx, which is available
within MAX.
Review the guidelines in the Maintain Forced-Air Cooling Note to Users
and make any necessary adjustments. The thermal shutdown error is reported
until the device is successfully reset.

© National Instruments Corporation 11 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
6. Configuring and Testing in MAX
To configure and test your device, complete the following steps:
1. Launch MAX. MAX automatically detects the installed device.
2. Expand Devices and Interfaces.
If you are using a NI 5421/5422/5441 with the LabVIEW Real-Time
Module, expand Remote Systems. Find your target IP address or name,
expand it, and then expand Devices and Interfaces.
Note Only NI-DAQmx devices are listed under Remote Systems»
Devices and Interfaces.
♦NI 5404 in the LabVIEW Real-Time Module—In the LabVIEW
Real-Time Module, an NI 5404 does not appear in the configuration tree.
Instead, in MAX select Tools»Traditional NI-DAQ Configuration»
Remote DAQ Configuration, and enter the IP address or name of the
target.
3. Check that your signal generator appears under Devices and Interfaces.
Figure 3. MAX Configuration Tree

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 12 ni.com
Note If you do not see the device listed, press <F5> to refresh. If
the device is still not listed, repeat the steps in the 5. Installing the
Hardware section. For more information about using MAX, refer
to the available help files within MAX.
4. Right-click your NI signal generator in the list, and select Properties to
launch the Configuring Device window.
5. Record the device number or device name assigned to the device. You
need this number when programming the device.
♦Traditional NI-DAQ (NI 5401/5404/5411/5431)—Select the
device to see its properties in the configuration view. The
device number appears in the Value column. When developing
your application, the resource name for your device is DAQ::n,
where nis the device number MAX assigned to your device.
♦NI-DAQmx (NI 5421/5422/5441)—The assigned device name is
appended to the device in its configuration tree label. For example,
after installing the NI 5421, the device configuration tree label may
appear as NI PXI-5421: "Dev1", where Dev1 is the device name.
When developing your application, the resource name for your
device is the device name MAX assigned to the device.
Note To avoid modifying existing applications that use a
Traditional NI-DAQ device number, change the assigned
NI-DAQmx device name. To change an NI-DAQmx device name,
right-click the device, select Rename, and enter the Traditional
NI-DAQ device number used in your application. For more
information about device naming conventions, refer to the
NI-FGEN Initiate VI at NI Signal Generators Help»
Programming»NI-FGEN Help»NI-FGEN LabVIEW VI
Reference Help or to the niFgen_init function at NI Signal
Generators Help»Programming»NI-FGEN Help»NI-FGEN
C Function Reference Help.
6. Perform a device self-test to verify installation.
♦Traditional NI-DAQ—Right-click the device, select Properties,
and click Tes t Resou rces .
♦NI-DAQmx—Right-click the device and select Self-Test.
A dialog box appears and indicates whether the device passed the test.
Note If the device does not pass the test, repeat the steps in the
5. Installing the Hardware section. If the device still does not pass
the test, visit NI Technical Support at ni.com/support.

© National Instruments Corporation 13 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
Note If you are using the MXI-3 interface to control a PXI chassis,
the MXI-3 Optimization Application must be run prior to using the
NI signal generator. By default, this application runs automatically
when Windows starts. If you have an initialization or performance
issue with your module, or if you are not certain that the application
ran, select Start»Programs»National Instruments MXI-3»MXI-3
Optimization to run the application. If you continue to have
initialization or performance issues, refer to the MXI-3
documentation at Start»Programs»National Instruments MXI-3,
or visit NI Technical Support at ni.com/support.
7. Click Close when you have finished testing the device.
8. Click OK in the Configuring Device window.
9. Exit MAX.
Synchronizing NI-DAQmx Devices in MAX
Note The following step is required for any type of
synchronization involving an NI-DAQmx device, including
NI-TClk synchronization. For information about NI-TClk
synchronization, refer to NI Signal Generators Help»
Programming»NI-TClk Synchronization Help.
If you plan to share triggers or clocks for the purpose of synchronizing
NI-DAQmx devices (for example, the NI 5421/5422/5441), you must
identify or configure certain components in MAX.
♦For PXI devices, you must identify the PXI system controller by
completing the following steps:
1. In the MAX configuration tree under Devices and Interfaces,
right-click PXI System»Identify As and select your controller from
the list. For example, select External PC if you are using a MXI-3
controller in an external PC.
2. Expand the PXI System tree and select the name of the chassis to
identify the chassis you are using.
♦For PCI devices, you must configure the RTSI cable by completing the
following steps:
1. Connect a RTSI cable between the PCI devices to physically share
triggers or clocks.
2. In the MAX configuration tree under Devices and Interfaces,
right-click NI-DAQmx Devices.
3. Select Create New NI-DAQmx Device»RTSI Cable.

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 14 ni.com
7. Generating Waveforms
You can control your signal generator programmatically with an ADE using
the supplied NI-FGEN Interchangeable Virtual Instrument (IVI) driver. You
can control your signal generator interactively using the FGEN SFP. NI 5431
users can use the NI Composite Video Generator in LabVIEW.
Generating Waveforms Programmatically
You can use NI-FGEN to program the signal generators in your ADE.
Programming examples for using NI-FGEN with LabVIEW, CVI, and C are
located at Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI-FGEN»Examples.
For more information about programming with NI-FGEN, refer to the
NI Signal Generators Help at Start»Programs»National Instruments»
NI-FGEN»Documentation.
Generating Waveforms Interactively
with the FGEN Soft Front Panel
To interactively generate waveforms, use the FGEN Soft Front Panel (SFP).
♦NI 5431—In addition to generating waveforms with the NI 5431, you can
also generate video signals using the NI Video Generator Wizard. To
generate a video signal with the NI 5431, complete the steps in the
Generating a Video Signal (NI 5431 only) section of this document.
Generating a Standard Waveform
♦To generate a standard waveform, complete the following steps:
1. Launch MAX.
2. Verify that the device you want to test appears under Devices and
Interfaces.
Note If the device is not in the Devices and Interfaces list, press
<F5> to refresh. If the device is still not in the list, repeat the steps
in the 6. Configuring and Testing in MAX section.
3. Launch the FGEN SFP by one of the following methods:
• Select Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI-FGEN»FGEN
Soft Front Panel.
• Select Tools»Soft Front Panels»NI-FGEN Soft Front Panel from
the menu bar in MAX.
4. Verify that the device appears on the FGEN SFP display, as shown in
Figure 4.

© National Instruments Corporation 15 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
Figure 4. FGEN SFP Display with the NI PXI-5411 Selected
Note If the device is not listed, or if you have more than one type
of NI signal generator installed, select Edit»Device Configuration.
In the Device Configuration dialog box, shown in Figure 5, click
the Device drop-down listbox arrow, and select the device from the
list. Click OK to close the Device Configuration dialog box.
Figure 5. Device Configuration Dialog Box
5. Verify that the Standard Function mode button is selected.
6. Select the frequency, amplitude, offset, and type of waveform that you
want to generate.
7. Click the run button to initiate waveform generation.

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 16 ni.com
The FGEN SFP default settings instruct the signal generator to generate a
continuous sine wave at a frequency of 1 MHz, with a peak-to-peak
amplitude of 1 V into a 50 Ωload, and no offset. Adjust the sine waveform
settings in the FGEN SFP to match your needs. For more information about
the FGEN SFP, select Help»FGEN SFP Help or Help»Show Context Help.
For device-specific help, select Help»Hardware-Specific Help.
Generating an Arbitrary Waveform
♦NI 5411/5421/5422/5431/5441—To generate an arbitrary waveform
with your device, complete the following steps:
1. Launch MAX.
2. Verify that the device you want to test appears under Devices and
Interfaces.
Note If the device is not listed under Devices and Interfaces,
press <F5> to refresh. If the device is still not listed, repeat
the steps in the 6. Configuring and Testing in MAX section.
3. Select Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI-FGEN»FGEN
Soft Front Panel.
4. Verify that the device you installed appears on the FGEN SFP display.
Select the single arbitrary waveform output button, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. FGEN SFP Display with NI PXI-5421 Selected
Note If the device is not listed, or if you have more than one type
of NI signal generator installed, select Edit»Device Configuration.
In the Device Configuration dialog box, shown in Figure 5, click

© National Instruments Corporation 17 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
the Device drop-down listbox arrow, and select the device from the
list. Click OK to close the Device Configuration dialog box.
5. To download a waveform to the device onboard memory, click the
Current Waveform Pattern button, select New Waveform, and click
Next. The File Load dialog box and Select File window both open.
The Select File window displays waveform example files.
Note You also can download a waveform by selecting File»Load
New Waveform and clicking Next. The default location for
example waveforms is \ProgramFiles\IVI\Drivers\niFgen\
Examples\Waveforms.
6. Select File and click Next.
7. Select arbMode-sine.lvm and click OK. A preview of the waveform
launches. You can close or minimize the Waveform Preview window.
8. In the File Load dialog box, select one of the following settings from the
Waveform drop-down listbox:
♦NI PXI-5411/5431—sine, 16 MHz @ 40 MS/s
♦NI PXI-5421/5422/5441—sine, 40 MHz @ 100 MS/s
9. Click OK.
10. Click the run button to initiate waveform generation. To optimize
the sine wave shape, select Edit»Device Configuration, and change the
filter settings.
The FGEN SFP default settings instruct the arbitrary waveform generator to
generate a continuous sine wave, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1 V into
a 50 Ωload, and no offset. Adjust the sine waveform settings in the FGEN
SFP to match your needs. For more information about the FGEN SFP, select
Help»FGEN SFP or Help»Show Context Help.
Generating a Video Signal (NI 5431 only)
To programmatically generate video signals, use the NI Composite Video
Generator in LabVIEW. For information about programmatically generating
video signals, refer to the NI 5431 Composite Video Generator Help. Access
this help file by selecting Help»NI 5431 from the LabVIEW VI menu bar.
To interactively generate a video signal using the NI Video Generator
Wizard, complete the following steps:
1. Launch MAX.
2. Verify that the device you want to test appears under Devices and
Interfaces.

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 18 ni.com
Note If the device is not listed under Devices and Interfaces, press
<F5> to refresh. If the device is still not listed, repeat the steps in
the 6. Configuring and Testing in MAX section.
3. Launch the NI Video Generator Wizard, shown in Figure 7, by selecting
Start»Programs»National Instruments Composite Video
Generator»Video Generator Wizard.
Figure 7. NI Video Generator Wizard
Note To use the NI Video Generator Wizard, the LabVIEW
Run-Time Engine version 5.1.1 must be installed. You can
download this software at ni.com/softlib.nsf.
4. Generate a video signal based on a bitmap image using the factory
settings. Refer to Figure 7 to complete the following steps:
a. Verify that the Device ID is set to the correct value—the device
number previously configured in MAX.
b. Select Load BMP file and compute video data.
c. Click Browse.

© National Instruments Corporation 19 NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide
d. Double-click the appropriate directory from the following choices:
• For NTSC users, double-click the 640x480 or the 1044x480
directory.
• For PAL and SECAM users, double-click the 768x576 or the
1040x576 directory.
Note For information about video data file formats, refer to the
NI Signal Generators Help.
e. Double-click any of the example .bmp files. The bitmap image file
path appears in the BMP Input File Path control box.
f. Select Use factory settings. This option applies the default video
parameters to the video signal you want to generate.
g. Select M-NTSC, Standard-PAL, or SECAM, depending on the
video format you want to generate.
h. Select Download video data file. This option downloads the binary
video data from your computer to the NI 5431 device.
Note To display the .bmp file on your computer monitor, enable
Display BMP.
i. Click Finish. The Processing dialog box appears displaying the
processing status.
Based on the .bmp file you selected, the NI Video Generator Wizard
calculates either NTSC, PAL, or SECAM video data, downloads the
calculated data to the NI 5431 device, and automatically starts generating
the video signal on the VIDEO OUT connector.
Appendix A: Front Panels
This section contains front panel connector figures and connector description
tables that describe the signal connection options for NI signal generators.
NI PXI/PCI-5401
The NI PXI-5401 is a 16 MHz function generator for the PXI platform.
The NI PXI-5401 has four connectors—two BNC connectors and two SMB
connectors, as shown in Figure 8. Signal descriptions are listed in Table 1.
The NI PCI-5401 is a 16 MHz function generator for the PCI bus. The
NI PCI-5401 has four connectors—three SMB connectors and one 50-pin
digital connector, as shown in Figure 8. Signal descriptions are listed in
Table 2.

NI Signal Generators Getting Started Guide 20 ni.com
Figure 8. NI PXI/PCI-5401 Front Panel Connectors
ARB OUT
SYNC OUT
EXT TRIG
PLL REF
LOCK ACCESS
NI PXI-5401
Arbitrary Function Generator
SYNC
PLL IN
ARB
PATTERN OUT