ECEN 2250 - Introduction to Circuits & Electronics

Peter Mathys, Fall 2011


Getting Started with NI myDAQ

The Instrument Launcher

Connect the NI myDAQ to one of the USB ports on your computer (it has to be a port that can deliver 500 mA or more at 5 V). This should automatically start the NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher.

NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher

If the launcher does not appear automatically, try to start it manually.

Manual Start of NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher

Signal Connections

The NI myDAQ has several sets of signal connectors, three banana plugs for the multimeter, two 3.5 mm jacks for audio connections, and a 20-pin connector for power supply, and analog and digital input/output signals, as shown in the picture below.

NI myDAQ Audio and 20-Position I/O Connectors

A table with the main signal descriptions is shown below.

SignalReferenceDirectionDescription
AUDIO
IN
- InputAudio Input - Left and right audio inputs, ±2 V, ac-coupled, 16 bits, 200 kS/s.
AUDIO
OUT
- OutputAudio Output - Stereo audio output, ±2 V, ac-coupled, 8 ohm min., 16 bits, 200 kS/s.
+15 VAGND Output+15 V Power Supply - Power for analog circuitry, +15 V, max. 32 mA, max. 470 uF.
-15 VAGND Output-15 V Power Supply - Power for analog circuitry, -15 V, max. 32 mA, max. 470 uF.
AGND- -Analog Ground - Reference for AO, AI, +15 V, and -15 V.
AO 0AGND OutputAnalog Output, Channel 0 - Analog signal, ±10 V, dc-coupled, max. 2 mA, 16 bits, 200 kS/s.
AO 1AGND OutputAnalog Output, Channel 1 - Analog signal, ±10 V, dc-coupled, max. 2 mA, 16 bits, 200 kS/s.
AGND- -Analog Ground - Reference for AO, AI, +15 V, and -15 V.
AI 0+AGND InputNon-Inverting (+) Analog Input, Channel 0 -
AI 0-AGND InputInverting (-) Analog Input, Channel 0 -
AI 1+AGND InputNon-Inverting (+) Analog Input, Channel 1 -
AI 1-AGND InputInverting (-) Analog Input, Channel 1 -
DIO
<0...7>
DGND Input/
Output
Digital I/O Signals - General purpose digital or counter/timer signals, 5 V compatible LVTTL input, 3.3 V LVTTL output, max. 4 mA.
DGND- -Digital Ground - Reference for DIO <0...7>, and +5 V
5VDGND Output+5 V Power Supply - Power for digital circuitry, +5 V, max. 100 mA, max. 33 uF.

NI myDAQ Multimeter Connectors

The Multimeter

NI ELVISmx Digital Multimeter
Measuring 9V Battery with NI myDAQ Multimeter

The Function Generator

NI ELVISmx Function Generator

The Oscilloscope

NI ELVISmx Oscilloscope