How Many Counters Does Each Type of Counter Task Require

Issue Details

I am trying to use a DAQmx Create Channel VI for a counter. How many counters are needed for my counter task?

Solution

The following table shows the number of counters required for each of the counter input and output tasks. For some measurements, the number of counters depends on another setting. In these cases, all the possible settings that affect the number of counters have also been included.

Note: These tables specifically cover the number of counters that are used with E Series and M Series DAQ devices. Several of the tasks that required two counters on M Series and E Series devices can be performed on X Series devices with only one counter. Such instances are noted in the notes of the table. For more information about counter tasks on X Series devices, see Chapter 7 of the X Series User Manual.

Counter Input

Counter Measurement	Polymorphic Instance	Number of Counters	Brief Description
CI Freq: Low Frequency with 1 Counter		1	Use one counter that uses a constant timebase to measure the input signal
CI Freq: High Frequency 2 Counters		2	Use two counters to count pulses of the signal to measure during measurement time
CI Period: Large Range with 2 Counters		2	Use one counter to divide the frequency of the input signal by divisor to create a lower-frequency signal that the second counter can more easily measure
CI Count Edges		1	You can create only one counter input channel at a time with this VI because a task can contain only one counter input channel. To read from multiple counters simultaneously, use a separate task for each counter
CI Pulse Width		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI Pulse Measurement (Freq/Time/Ticks)		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI Semiperiod		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI Angular Encoder		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI Linear Encoder		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI Two-Edge Separation		1	Same as CI Count Edges
CI GPS Timestamp		1	Same as CI Count Edges

Counter Output
There are three different counter pulse output task types: CO Pulse Freq, CO Pulse Time, CO Pulse Ticks. You specify the number of pulses to generate with the DAQmx Timing VI. Finite pulse generation requires two counters because one counter gates the other to produce the finite pulse train.
  *Can be performed with only one counter on X Series devices and cDAQ chassis with STC3 technology.

Note: Single or finite pulse generation can be retriggerable and do not change the number of counters used.
 

Additional Information

Note: The maximum a chassis or individual card can hold is four counters for the cDAQ product line. To add more counters, you would need a specific counter card such as the NI-9361 .