• Created by Unknown User (iyerv), last modified on Dec 07, 2008

Three types of connections between/among DAQ Boards and the external hardware they interface with are required:

  1. Clock Synchronization is required anytime 2 (or more) boards are used by ScanImage.
  2. Terminal Block Connections are required to connect trigger input terminals and digital trigger lines to BNC connectors
  3. BNC Connections are required between the boards themselves and between them and the external hardware

Typical Terminal Block Connections

As described in Triggering Simplification and External Triggering, ScanImage allows a primary and optional external trigger terminal (triggerInputTerminal and externalTriggerInputTerminal in the INI file) to be specified. These terminal choices apply to all boards used by ScanImage.

By default, the terminals PFI0 and PFI1 are used for the triggerInputTerminal and externalTriggerInputTerminal, respectively, as described in Triggering Simplification and External Triggering.

Then, the typical board wiring is as depicted in the panel below:

Typical Terminal Block Wiring
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In the photo above, 4 connections are shown on the spring terminal blocks:

  • On the first board ('Dev 1'), the digital output line P0.0 is connected to USER1. ScanImage generates a trigger output signal at the start of each acquisition, on the terminal specified by triggerBoardIndex and triggerLineIndex in the INI file. By default this connection is on line 0 of the first board (often 'Dev1'). This connection makes the trigger output signal available on a BNC connector. See Triggering Simplification for background.
  • On both boards, a connection between PFI1 and USER2 is seen. This allows the default externalTriggerInputTerminal (PFI 1) to be input to on a BNC terminal. See External Triggering for background.
  • On the second board ('Dev 2'), the digital output line DI0 0 is connected to USER1. ScanImage allows the shutter output signal to appear on the desired board and desired digital line (shutterBoardIndex and shutterLineIndex in the INI file). Placing it on the second board allows the final remaining user-defined BNC connector to be used.

(tick) Note that the names P0.0 (on the newer BNC-2090A) and DIO 0 (on the older BNC-2090) breakout boxes are equivalent. The non-rack-mounted BNC-2110 connector block also employs the newer PO.<#> naming convention.

Typical BNC Connections

With the terminal blocks wired as above, two typical wirings of the BNC connectors are shown here:

Typical BNC Connector Wiring

Typical Wiring Scenario 1
This scenario applies where the second board ('Dev 2') is a multifunction DAQ board from either the M or E series (e.g. PCI-6251, PCI-6259, or the PCI-6040E)

  • [Cyan] USER1 on the first board ('Dev 1') is connected to PFI 0 on both boards. Thus all boards (and their subsystems) receive their primary trigger input signal from the same trigger signal (generated by ScanImage on P0.0 of 'Dev 1').
  • [Green] USER2 is connected on both boards to the external trigger source (if desired). Thus all boards (and their subsystems) can respond to the same external trigger signal.
  • 'Dev 2' is used for both the PMT outputs and the photodiode inputs

(tick) If 3 'beams' (Pockels Cells) are used, the NI 6259 has 2 additional AO channels which can be connected via an additional (third) breakout box, without requiring an additional board. (The NI 6259 has 2 connectors, allowing connection to 2 breakout boxes). The connections to PFI0 and USER2 (PFI 1) would not be required on the additional breakout box.

Typical Wiring Scenario 2
This scenario applies where the second board ('Dev 2') is an Analog Output (AO) board (e.g. PCI-6711 or PCI-6713 )

  • Connections are the same as in Scenario 1, except that the photodiode inputs are connected to 'Dev 1'

(tick) This scenario applies when the number of PMT inputs and calibrated 'beams' (i.e. photodiode inputs) totals less than 4 – which is the number of AI inputs available on the S Series boards used for 'Dev 1'
(info) If 3 'beams' are required, a third Pockels Cell output can be connected at the ACH7 connector. However, there are typically not enough AI channels on 'Dev 1' to account for the number of PMT and photodiode inputs. Then, either the use of a third board, or Scenario 1 (with the NI 6259) is recommended.

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