True USB Plug-and-Play Experience

This paper is an overview of the user experience with LabVIEW SignalExpress data logging software and data logging hardware. The screenshots below specifically highlight the three clicks needed to begin acquiring data with NI CompactDAQ and LabVIEW SignalExpress. See Section 5 for a list of NI USB devices offering this true plug-and-play experience.

Three Clicks to Data:

The following sequence begins once any (non-legacy) NI USB device is powered on and plugged into a PC on which NI-DAQmx has been installed.

Fig 1. First click from device detection screen

Once NI CompactDAQ is connected to the PC and powered on, the NI Device Monitor will launch (Fig 1.) giving you multiple options.   Click “OK”   to “Begin a Measurement with This Device Using NI LabVIEW SignalExpress”.  This will launch a graphical interface designed specifically for NI CompactDAQ to make setup easier.

 

Fig 2. NI CompactDAQ User Interface to LabVIEW SignalExpress with clicks 2 & 3

This user interface (Fig 2.) will dynamically load images of the specific modules you have installed in your CompactDAQ chassis. To begin taking a measurement, select one or more modulesand click on “OK”.

These three clicks will take you to the setup screen in LabVIEW SignalExpress (Fig 3.) where, based on the module type selected, the software has already configured your measurement and is taking data.  You can change this configuration while your data is running which makes it easier to setup sensors such as thermocouples, strain gages, and other transducers that require multiple settings.

 

Figure 3. LabVIEW SignalExpress Configuration Screen

Since the module selected in these screenshots is mainly for accelerometers (NI 9233), LabVIEW SignalExpress has setup the measurement for an accelerometer and started taking measurements.  You can see in the chart on the top of the window vibration data from the module.  Each color represents a different channel on the module.  From here, you can add or remove channels, modify the settings for your accelerometer, or continue on to logging your data to disk.  For more information and a free download of the software LabVIEW SignalExpress, go to www.ni.com/signalexpress.

See this in action in a one minute video: Log Data to Disk with a Few Mouse Clicks

Plug-and-Play defined

The term, “plug-and-play” has its origins in earlier computer components where internal boards moved from jumpered settings to jumper-less setup that required software on the backend to do the configuration.   This term then caught on with operating systems and, with the advent of the USB standard, was adopted and marketed with peripherals that were USB compliant due to the self configuration and overall ease of use. 

Nowadays it seems any instrumentation vendor can take an existing instrument or device, add a USB port and call it plug-and-play.  Though there is debate as to the exact definition of the “plug-and-play” phrase, there is little to debate when it comes to the resultant experiences.  An instrument that does little more than a self identification hardly lives up to the expectation that most users have when they think of USB devices.

The “True” Plug-and-Play Difference

National Instruments goes beyond not only the technical definition of “plug-and-play” but beyond other USB vendors as well.  In the screenshots below you can see what happens when you plug in a National Instruments USB device (Fig 4) vs. one from a competitor (Fig 5).  With NI USB, the device will be automatically detected and configured, and you will get several options to help you get started.  These options allow you to:

• Open the configuration utility, Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX) to view all devices connected to your system
• View a test panel for the USB device you just plugged in to see an instant measurement.  Use this to test/debug signal connections instantly.
• Begin development with the included data-logging software package LabVIEW SignalExpress or, if installed, begin development with a LabVIEW graphical programming environment.
• Do nothing.  As you would expect from any commercial USB device, you can select this option along with “always take this action” to avoid these prompts again.

By comparison, you can see that the USB popup for the competitors USB DAQ device only queries the device to ensure proper operation and falls short of integrating the hardware driver with data-logging software or development environments.

Fig 4. (left) NI USB Detection      Fig  5. (right) Competitors USB Detection

LabVIEW SignalExpress and CompactDAQ were designed with ease of use in mind.  The section below describes the seamless interaction of LabVIEW SignalExpress with NI CompactDAQ.  When a CompactDAQ chassis is plugged into a USB port, an image appears (Fig 6.) showing the specific type and location of all modules installed in the chassis.  The chassis in the image below contains a variety of modules.  You can select specific modules in the image, click on “OK” and immediately be taken to the LabVIEW SignalExpress setup screen with live data already running in the background.  This is another example of a true plug-and-play experience designed by NI.

Fig 6. CompactDAQ Device Detection

True plug-and-play benefits

The goal of true plug-and-play experience from National Instruments is for you to focus less on the hardware and software you are using, and more on the measurements and tests you are trying to perform.  For new users, this true plug-and-play experience will help guide you to where you need to be to view, analyze, and log data with less time spent reading help files, manuals, or datasheets.  New and experienced users alike will benefit from the reduced time to first measurement.  With a true plug-and-play experience from NI, you can be looking at actual data from your device in 3 mouse clicks, even less with the auto-launch feature.

What USB devices from NI offer this true plug-and-play experience?

All non-legacy USB devices from National Instruments use the same driver, NI-DAQmx, which provides the hardware/software integration as well as the true plug-and-play experience.  These USB devices range from the small, bus-powered MIO devices such as the USB-6008, all the way up to the rugged, portable, modular CompactDAQ system that offers signal streaming at over 5 MS/s and over 30 different measurement modules.

		Channels			bits	AI Rate	CTR	Features
		AI	DIO	AO
M Series	NI 6259	32	48	4	16	1.25 M	2	NI Signal Streaming for sustained high-speed data streams over USB
	NI 6259 BNC	16	48	4	16	1.25 M	2
	NI 6251	16	24	2	16	1.25 M	2
	NI 6251 BNC	8	24	2	16	1.25 M	2
	NI 6229	32	48	4	16	250 k	2
	NI 6229 BNC	16	48	4	16	250 k	2
	NI 6221	16	24	2	16	250 k	2
	NI 6221 BNC	8	24	2	16	250 k	2
	NI 6218	32	8DI/8DO	2	16	250 k	2
	NI 6216	16	32 DIO	2	16	400 k	2
	NI 6215	16	4DI/4DO	2	16	250 k	2
	NI 6212	16	32 DIO	2	16	400 k	2
	NI 6211	16	4DI/4DO	2	16	250 k	2
	NI 6210	16	4DI/4DO	0	16	250 k	2
Low-Cost	NI 6009	8	12	2	14	48 k	1
	NI 6008	8	12	2	12	10 k	1
	NI 6501		24				1
C Series	USB-9237	4			24			Bridge and Strain
	USB-9233	4			24	50 kS/s		Dynamic Signal Analyzer
	USB-9211	4			24			Thermocouple
	USB-9221	8			12	800 kS/s		+/- 60V
	USB-9201	8			12	500 kS/s
	USB-9215	4			16	100 kS/s		Simultaneous

More compatible devices can be found on the NI USB Data Acquisition Product Page.

Related Product Information and Pricing

Watch a collection of one minute videos at the NI CompactDAQ Video Demonstrations page.

See the software in action and learn more about Data Logging with NI LabVIEW SignalExpress.

Download the LabVIEW SignalExpress Evaluation Software for a 30-day trial period.

Configure and price your complete data logger with the CompactDAQ Advisor.

             

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