National Instruments PXI-6683 Series - Chapter 1 Introduction; What You Need to Get Started

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Introduction
The NI PXI-6683 and NI PXI-6683H timing and synchronization modules synchronize PXI and
PXI Express systems using GPS, IEEE 1588, IRIG-B, or PPS. The NI PXI-6683 Series boards
also support synchronizing the system time of an RT system. The NI PXI-6683 Series boards
can generate triggers and clock signals at programmable future times and timestamp input events
with the synchronized system time. The NI PXI-6683 Series boards feature an on-board TCXO
that can be disciplined to GPS, IEEE 1588, IRIG-B, or PPS for long term stability. The
NI PXI-6683 Series boards also support routing of clock signals and triggers with low skew
within a PXI chassis or between multiple chassis, providing you a method for synchronizing
multiple devices in a PXI system.
The NI PXI-6683 has a full PXI connector, giving full PXI timing slot functionality. The
NI PXI-6683H is designed to allow installation in a hybrid slot in a PXI Express system;
this means some of the PXI Timing slot features are not available in the NI PXI-6683H. If
synchronized low-skew triggers (Star triggers) or a disciplined 10 MHz clock are required
in a PXI Express system, the NI PXI-6683H can be combined with an NI PXIe-667x timing
module to provide this functionality.
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use a NI PXI-6683 Series Timing and Synchronization Module, you need the
following items:
 NI PXI-6683 Series Timing and Synchronization Module
 NI PXI-6683 Series User Manual
 NI-Sync CD
 One of the following software packages and documentation:
–LabVIEW
– LabWindows
™
/CVI
™
– Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC)
 PXI or PXI Express chassis with an appropriate slot (full PXI slot for NI PXI-6683 and
NI PXI-6683H, or PXIe hybrid slot for NI PXI-6683H)
 PXI or PXI Express embedded controller or a desktop computer connected to the PXI or
PXI Express chassis using MXI hardware