Chapter 4 Analog Input
NI USB-621x User Manual 4-20 ni.com
AI Start Trigger Signal
Use the AI Start Trigger (ai/StartTrigger) signal to begin a measurement 
acquisition. A measurement acquisition consists of one or more samples. 
If you do not use triggers, begin a measurement with a software command. 
After the acquisition begins, configure the acquisition to stop:
• When a certain number of points are sampled (in finite mode)
• After a hardware reference trigger (in finite mode)
• With a software command (in continuous mode)
An acquisition that uses a start trigger (but not a reference trigger) is 
sometimes referred to as a posttriggered acquisition.
Using a Digital Source
To use AI Start Trigger with a digital source, specify a source and an edge. 
The source can be any of the following signals:
•
(USB-6210/6211/6215 Devices) PFI <0..3>
•
(USB-6212/6216 Devices) PFI <0..15>
•
(USB-6218 Devices) PFI <0..3>, PFI <8..11>
•Counter n Internal Output
The source also can be one of several other internal signals on your DAQ 
device. Refer to Device Routing in MAX in the NI-DAQmx Help or the 
LabVIEW Help in version 8.0 or later for more information.
You also can specify whether the measurement acquisition begins on the 
rising edge or falling edge of AI Start Trigger.
Routing AI Start Trigger to an Output Terminal
You can route AI Start Trigger out to any output PFI terminal.
The output is an active high pulse.
The device also uses AI Start Trigger to initiate pretriggered DAQ 
operations. In most pretriggered applications, a software trigger generates 
AI Start Trigger. Refer to the AI Reference Trigger Signal section for a 
complete description of the use of AI Start Trigger and AI Reference 
Trigger in a pretriggered DAQ operation.