National Instruments NI ELVIS User manual

Where to Start with NI ELVIS
The National Instruments Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation
Suite (NI ELVIS) is a LabVIEW-based design and prototyping
environment for university science and engineering laboratories.
NI ELVIS reduces the cost of lab equipment while reinforcing theory
through hands-on learning. This document explains how to set up and
configure NI ELVIS.
NI ELVIS has the following features:
• Open platform combining the NI ELVIS workstation, industry
standard LabVIEW software, and NI data acquisition devices (DAQ).
• A digital multimeter (DMM), oscilloscope, function generator,
variable power supply, Bode analyzer, digital signal analyzer, arbitrary
waveform generator, digital reader, digital writer, impedance analyzer,
two-wire current-voltage analyzer, and three-wire current-voltage
analyzer.
• Flexibility to implement a system at a variety of curricula levels.
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this document:
»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.
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.
bold Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software, such
as menu items and dialog box options. Bold text also denotes parameter
names and hardware labels.
™

Where to Start with NI ELVIS 2 ni.com
italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross-reference, or an introduction
to a key concept. Italic text also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word
or value that you must supply.
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 the proper names of disk drives, paths, directories,
programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names, functions, operations,
variables, filenames, and extensions.
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use NI ELVIS, you need the following items:
❑Hardware
– NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation
– NI ELVIS Prototyping Board
– 68-pin E/M Series data acquisition device
– 68-pin E/M Series cable
– NI ELVIS AC-DC power supply
– USB cable (if using a USB device)
– Computer
Note Refer to the NI Educational Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS) Hardware
User Manual for a complete list of supported devices.
❑Software
– LabVIEW 7.1 or later
– NI-DAQmx 8.1 or later
– NI ELVIS Traditional software, download the latest version from
ni.com/downloads.
❑Documentation
–Where to Start with NI ELVIS
–NI Educational Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS)
Hardware User Manual
–NI-DAQmx for USB Devices Getting Started Guide
–DAQ Getting Started Guide
– E/M Series DAQ device documentation
You can download NI documents from ni.com/manuals.

©National Instruments Corporation 3 Where to Start with NI ELVIS
Unpacking
The NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation and the NI ELVIS Prototyping
Board ship in antistatic packages to prevent electrostatic damage.
Electrostatic discharge can damage several components on the NI ELVIS
hardware.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors.
To avoid such damage in handling the workstation and prototyping board,
take the following precautions:
• Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded
object.
• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer chassis
before removing the workstation or prototyping board from the
package.
Remove the hardware from the package and inspect it for loose components
or any sign of damage. Contact NI if the hardware appears damaged in any
way.
Store the benchtop workstation and the prototyping board in the antistatic
envelopes when not in use.
Installing NI ELVIS
This section describes how to install LabVIEW and NI-DAQmx, and the
NI ELVIS Traditional software and NI ELVIS hardware.
Installing LabVIEW and NI-DAQmx
Note If you have NI-DAQmx 8.1 or later, LabVIEW 7.1 or later, and an E/M Series DAQ
device installed, proceed to Installing the NI ELVIS Traditional Software and NI ELVIS
Hardware.
Complete the following steps:
1. Install LabVIEW 7.1 or later according to the instructions on the CD
and the LabVIEW Release Notes.
Caution It is important to install NI-DAQmx before installing the DAQ device to ensure
that the device is properly detected.
2. Install NI-DAQmx version 8.1 or later according to the instructions on
the CD, which is included with the DAQ device. You can also install
NI-DAQmx from ni.com/downloads.

Where to Start with NI ELVIS 4 ni.com
3. When prompted to reboot, power off the computer.
4. Install the DAQ device according to the instructions in the NI-DAQmx
for USB Devices Getting Started Guide or DAQ Getting Started Guide
depending on your application.
5. Power on the computer.
6. Use Measurement and Automation Explorer (MAX) to verify and
configure the DAQ device. To configure the device in MAX, refer to
the NI-DAQmx for USB Devices Getting Started Guide or DAQ
Getting Started Guide, available at ni.com/manuals, or the
Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx, available
by selecting Help»Help Topics»NI-DAQmx»MAX Help for
NI-DAQmx. For operating system-specific installation and
troubleshooting instructions, refer to the Hardware Installation/
Configuration Troubleshooter page at ni.com/support/daq.
Figure 1. Parts Locator Diagram for NI ELVIS Desktop Systems
1 Desktop Computer
2 68-Pin M Series DAQ Device
3 Shielded Cable to M Series Device
4 NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation
12
4
3

©National Instruments Corporation 5 Where to Start with NI ELVIS
Figure 2. Parts Locator Diagram for NI ELVIS Laptop System
1 Laptop Computer
2 USB Cable
3 NI USB M Series with Mass Termination Device
4 NI USB M Series Device Power Cord
5 Shielded Cable to M Series Device
6 NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation
1
3
6
4
5
2

Where to Start with NI ELVIS 6 ni.com
Figure 3. Back View of NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation
You are now ready to install the NI ELVIS Traditional software and
NI ELVIS hardware.
Installing the NI ELVIS Traditional Software and NI ELVIS Hardware
Refer to Figures 1 through 3 as you complete the installation process.
1. Download the latest version of NI ELVIS Traditional software from
ni.com/downloads.
2. Click the Install option in the installation window that appears. Follow
the setup instructions
3. When prompted to reboot, power off the computer.
4. Ensure that the power switch on the back of the benchtop workstation
is switched to the off position.
1 Benchtop Workstation Power Switch
2 AC-DC Power Supply Connector
3 68-Pin DAQ Device Connector
4 Prototyping Board Mounting Bracket
5 Kensington Security Slot
1
2
3
4
5

©National Instruments Corporation 7 Where to Start with NI ELVIS
5. Use the 68-pin cable to connect the DAQ device to the benchtop
workstation.
Note When using a two connector M Series DAQ device, you must connect the cable to
Connector 0 on the M Series DAQ device.
6. Install the prototyping board by completing the following steps:
a. Position the large opening in the prototyping board over the
prototyping board mounting bracket.
b. Slide the connector end of the prototyping board into the female
connector on the benchtop workstation.
c. Gently rock the board to ease it into place. It may be a tight fit, but
do not force the board into place. Slide the prototyping board into
the prototyping board mounting bracket.
7. Connect the AC-DC power supply to the NI ELVIS Benchtop
Workstation.
8. Connect the power cord to the AC-DC power supply connector.
9. Plug the power cord into the wall outlet.
10. Power on the NI ELVIS hardware by first placing the workstation
power switch in the On position and then placing the prototype board
power switch in the On position. The system LED and the prototyping
board power LEDs on the benchtop workstation should be lit, and all
three DC Power Supplies LEDs on the prototyping board should be lit.
Note If the LEDs are not lit, the device is not receiving power. Check that the power cord
is connected and that the power source is functioning properly.
NI ELVIS is now installed. You are ready to configure the NI ELVIS
Traditional software.
Configuring the NI ELVIS Traditional Software/NI ELVIS
Hardware
The NI ELVIS Traditional software includes a set of software instruments
referred to as the NI ELVIS Traditional soft front panel (SFP) instruments,
as well as LabVIEW Express VIs and SignalExpress steps to program
NI ELVIS in these environments.

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To use the SFP instruments, you must set up the DAQ device to
communicate with the benchtop workstation. To do this, complete the
following steps:
1. Ensure that the DAQ device is properly installed and configured in
MAX and that the benchtop workstation is powered on.
2. Launch the NI ELVIS Traditional Instrument Launcher by selecting
Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI ELVIS Traditional»
NI ELVIS Traditional.
3. Click the Configure button to launch the Configure Hardware dialog
box.
Note If there is an error, the Configure button is the only button enabled.
4. Select the DAQ device that is cabled to the NI ELVIS hardware from
the DAQ Device control. If only one DAQ device is detected inside the
computer, this device is selected by default.
5. Click the Check button in the Communications portion of the window
to verify communication with the NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation.
6. If the configuration attempt is successful, a message appears in the
Status window, indicating that the NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation
has been detected and configured. If the attempt fails, an error message
appears, and the message in the Status window indicates that the
configuration attempt has failed.
7. If the computer initializes the NI ELVIS hardware through the selected
DAQ device, the NI ELVIS Traditional software is now configured.
You can now begin to use NI ELVIS. If the configuration attempt fails,
follow the recommendation given in the error dialog or return to the
DAQ Device control and select a different device.
Tip You can click the Reset button available on this dialog box even after you have
completed configuring the DAQ device. Click this button when you want to reset the
NI ELVIS Benchtop Workstation using software. The DAQ device does not reset.
Refer to the NI ELVIS Online Traditional Help and NI Educational Virtual
Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS) Hardware User Manual for more
information about using the NI ELVIS Traditional instruments within
LabVIEW or SignalExpress, or for more information about NI ELVIS
features.