National Instruments PXI-5124

The National Instruments PXI-5124 is a versatile 12-bit oscilloscope designed for high-speed signal acquisition in demanding applications. This module includes two simultaneously sampled input channels, each capable of achieving a real-time sampling rate of 200 MS/s and an analog bandwidth of 150 MHz, making it suitable for capturing fast transient signals with precision. The PXI-5124 offers four onboard memory configurations per channel, allowing users to select from 8 MB (4 MS per channel), 32 MB (16 MS per channel), 256 MB (128 MS per channel), and 512 MB (256 MS per channel), thus catering to various data storage needs.

Leveraging the Synchronization and Memory Core (SMC) architecture, the PXI-5124 enhances data transfer speeds via the PCI bus using scatter-gather DMA, which significantly reduces overall test times when compared to conventional instruments. To provide flexible sampling rates, the oscilloscope can apply decimation, facilitating adjustable sample rates of 200/n MS/s, where n ranges from 1 to 216 – 1, without altering the ADC clock frequency. This feature ensures that an appropriate sample clock for external synchronization is generated.

For ease of integration, the PXI-5124 is compatible with NI-SCOPE 2.7 driver software, which includes comprehensive programming interfaces, extensive documentation, and example support for various development environments including LabVIEW, LabWindows™/CVI™, Measurement Studio, Microsoft Visual C/C++, and .NET (C# and VB.NET). Front-panel connections comprise two BNC female connectors for analog input (CH 0 and CH 1), a BNC female connector for an external trigger (TRIG), two SMB connectors for clock input/output (CLK IN and CLK OUT), and a 9-pin mini-circular DIN connector for digital trigger I/O and probe compensation (AUX I/O).

The PXI-5124 requires a warm-up time of 15 minutes and an external calibration every two years, with the calibration settings retained in nonvolatile memory. Though it has entered the NI Maintenance phase as of December 30, 2022, Apex Waves continues to offer buy, sell, and repair services for this end-of-life (EOL) NI hardware. For pricing and further inquiries, please contact a sales representative for a quote.