M4i Mixed Mode Digital Option

The mixed mode option adds another 8 multi-purpose channels to each M4i.44xx card. Each of the 8 channels can be individually programmed for different input functions. When used as digital synchronous input the standard multi-purpose lines X0 to X2 can't be used as synchrnous digital inputs any more. Thus the maximum of digital synchronous inputs is eight.

The main feature of this option is the feature to acquire syncronous digital data together with the analog data. Mounted for example on an M4i.4451-x8 digitizer-card, the combination can be operated with 4 analog channels in parallel with up to 8 synchronous digital channels.

Digital data is stored inside the analog samples by reducing the resolution. Software drivers allow customized setups that can generate perfectly matching mixed mode solutions. The option is fully supported by the complete software development kit (SDK) which includes programming using C++, C#, VB.NET, Python, JAVA, LabVIEW or MATLAB. The SDK is included as standard with every unit.

By software the storage mode can be selected:

• 14 bit or 16 bit analog data, no digital line stored
• 14 bit analog data, two digital lines stored in sample
• 12 bit analog data, four digital lines stored in sample

The digital option is a piggy-back module for the PCIe cards that occupies the panel of a second slot. It comes with 8 SMA connectors. The right hand picture shows the 4 channel digitizer with the digital option installed.

The option shares the internal connector with the star-hub. Thus it is either possible to mount the digital option or the star-hub on one card. Multiple cards can be synchronized using the star-hub. As a maximum all cards exect the card holding the star-hub can be equipped with the digital input option.

Available on these card families:

• Digitizer M4i.44xx  180 MS/s to 500 MS/s, 2 to 4 channels 14 or 16 bit