National Instruments PXIe-7903 High-Speed Serial Instrument

The PXIe-7903 (part number: 788917-01) is a versatile High-Speed Serial Instrument from National Instruments. Capable of high-performance coprocessing via a reconfigurable XCVU11P FPGA, this device is an excellent choice for testing applications that require enhanced protocol validation and interfacing. The NI PXIe-7903 boasts a wide variety of useful features, and it is able to effortlessly implement a range of high-speed serial protocols. The design of this serial instrument is truly versatile- the LabVIEW FPGA module can be used to program it based on the specific needs of the user. 

Designed with connectivity in mind, the front panel of the NI PXIe-7903 is equipped with a wide array of connector types. 12 mini-SAS HD connectors facilitate an incredibly high-speed serial interface with a data rate ranging from 500 Mb/s to 28.2 Gb/s. These connector ports are labeled 0-11 to differentiate the PXIe-7903’s cable compatibility- ports 0 through 7 are only compatible with passive copper cables, while ports 8 through 11 can be used with both passive cables and powered optical cables. 

The front panel of the NI PXIe-7903 Serial Instrument also features two SMA female connector types, labeled CLK IN and CLK OUT. The CLK IN port provides input for the reference clock of the PXIe-7903, boasting AC input coupling and a frequency range of 10 MHz to 300 MHz. The CLK OUT port it the reference clock’s output terminal. It features a nominal output impedance of 50 Ω and an output voltage range of 0.61 V to 1.04 V peak-to-peak. 

The final connector on the front panel of the NI PXIe-7903 is a Mini-HDMI, which provides secure connections to the 8 Digital I/O channels of the device. These single-ended signals have a maximum frequency of 60 MHz, enabling signal direction control per channel.

Designed with the dimensions of a 2 slot PXIe module, the NI PXIe-7903 measures 21.6 cm × 4.1 cm × 13.0 cm (8.5 in. × 1.6 in. × 5.1 in.) when not including the connectors. The serial instrument weighs 1134 g (40.0 oz), and it has a maximum total power of 164 W.