Archived:Using NI ELVIS II Series and NI myDAQ Hardware

Installing the software

Install the following drivers before setting up the hardware:

• NI-DAQmx
• NI-ELVISmx

Installing the hardware

Complete the following steps to finish setting up your hardware.
 

NI ELVIS II Series

1. Ensure that the power switch on the back of the workstation is switched to the off position.
2. Use the USB cable to connect the workstation to the computer.
3. Connect the AC/DC power supply to the NI ELVIS II Series Workstation. Then, plug the power supply into a wall outlet and press the power switch on the back of the workstation to the on position.
4. Install the prototyping board by completing the following steps:

• Position the opening in the prototyping board over the prototyping board mounting bracket.
• Slide the edge connector of the prototyping board into the receptacle on the workstation.
• Gently rock the board to ease it into place. It may be a tight fit, but do not force the board into place. Slide the prototyping board into the prototyping board mounting bracket.

NI myDAQ

1. Plug the USB cable into a USB port on your PC. The computer should immediately detect your device. 
2. When the computer recognizes the device, the LED on the device blinks or lights up.

Confirm Device Recognition

Complete the following steps:

1. Double-click the Measurement & Automation icon on the desktop to open MAX.  
2. Expand Devices and Interfaces to confirm your device is detected. If your device is not listed, press <F5> to refresh MAX.
3. Right-click the device and select Self-Test. When the self-test finishes, a message indicates successful verification or if an error occurred.

Testing the hardware

The NI ELVISmx software includes a set of software instruments referred to as the NI ELVISmx soft front panel (SFP) instruments. Also included are LabVIEW Express VIs and SignalExpress steps to program NI ELVISmx in these environments, as well as NI ELVIS instruments integrated into NI Multisim.

Use the MAX test panel as follows.
1. In MAX, expand Devices and Interfaces.
2. Right-click the device to test, and select Test Panels to open a test panel for the selected device.
3. Click the tabs at the top and Start (or Update, for Analog Output) to test the device functions. For operating instructions, click Help to launch this information in the Measurement & Automation Explorer Help for NI-DAQmx.
5. Click Close to exit the test panel.
 

Testing the NI ELVIS II Series

To verify that the NI ELVIS II Series is properly configured, complete the following steps:

1. Connect a BNC cable between the FGEN and SCOPE CH 0 BNC connectors on the left side of the NI ELVIS II workstation.
2. Connect wires on the prototyping board between FGEN and AI 0+, and between AIGND and AI 0–.
3. Start the NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher by selecting Start»Programs»National Instruments»NI ELVISmx for NI ELVIS & NI myDAQ»NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher.
4. Select the Function Generator (FGEN) instrument.
5. Configure the FGEN to output as follows:
   • Function: Sine
   • Frequency: 100 Hz
   • Amplitude: 2.00 Vpp
   • Signal Route: FGEN BNC
6. Click Run to start the function generator.
7. Select the Scope instrument from the NI ELVISmx Instrument launcher.
8. Configure the Scope as follows:
   • Channel 0 Source: SCOPE CH 0
   • Channel 0 Enabled
   • Channel 0 Scale Volts/Div: 1 V
   • Timebase Time/Div: 5 ms
9. Click Run to start the oscilloscope. You should see a 100 Hz sine wave on the scope display.
10. On the NI ELVISmx Function Generator SFP, change the Signal Route from FGEN BNC to Prototyping Board.
11. On the NI ELVISmx Oscilloscope, change the Source from Scope CH 0 to AI 0.
12. You should see a 100 Hz sine wave on the scope display.

Testing NI myDAQ

Complete the following steps to measure a signal with the NI ELVISmx Scope SFP.
1. Connect the signal(s) you want to measure to the connector(s) on the side of the NI myDAQ device.
2. Launch the NI ELVISmx Scope SFP from the NI ELVISmx Instrument Launcher.
3. Click Run. You should see the signal in the display window.
4. If necessary, adjust the controls to stabilize the signal in the graph. Adjust the Time/Div, Vertical Position, Scale, and other controls as desired.
 

Troubleshooting

For hardware troubleshooting, go to ni.com/support and enter your device name, or go to ni.com/kb  to search for documentation addressing your problem.

NI ELVIS II Series

Refer to the NI ELVISmx Online Help and NI Educational Virtual Instrumentation Suite II Series (NI ELVIS II Series) Hardware User Manual for more information about using the NI ELVIS II Series instruments within LabVIEW, SignalExpress, or NI Multisim, or for more information about NI ELVIS II Series features.