Chapter 4 Analog Input
© National Instruments Corporation 4-5 NI USB-621x User Manual
Configuring AI Ground-Reference Settings in Software
You can program channels on an USB-621x device to acquire with 
different ground references.
To enable multimode scanning in LabVIEW, use 
NI-DAQmx Create 
Virtual Channel.vi
 of the NI-DAQmx API. You must use a new VI for 
each channel or group of channels configured in a different input mode. In 
Figure 4-3, channel 0 is configured in differential mode, and channel 1 is 
configured in referenced single-ended mode.
Figure 4-3.  Enabling Multimode Scanning in LabVIEW
To configure the input mode of your voltage measurement using the DAQ 
Assistant, use the Terminal Configuration drop-down list. Refer to the 
DAQ Assistant Help for more information about the DAQ Assistant.
To configure the input mode of your voltage measurement using the 
NI-DAQmx C API, set the terminalConfig property. Refer to the 
NI-DAQmx C Reference Help for more information.
Multichannel Scanning Considerations
USB-621x devices can scan multiple channels at high rates and digitize the 
signals accurately. However, you should consider several issues when 
designing your measurement system to ensure the high accuracy of your 
measurements.
In multichannel scanning applications, accuracy is affected by settling 
time. When your USB-621x device switches from one AI channel to 
another AI channel, the device configures the NI-PGIA with the input range 
of the new channel. The NI-PGIA then amplifies the input signal with the 
gain for the new input range. Settling time refers to the time it takes the 
NI-PGIA to amplify the input signal to the desired accuracy before it is 
sampled by the ADC. The NI USB-621x Specifications lists settling time.
USB-621x devices are designed to have fast settling times. However, 
several factors can increase the settling time which decreases the accuracy