Solution
There is not a single MXI-Express kit that will allow you to control a PXI chassis through both ExpressCard on a laptop and PCIe card on a PC. Through the correct combination of components, it is possible to remotely control a PXI chassis using both a PC and a laptop without the need to buy both of the complete MXI-Express kits. An NI ExpressCard MXI system consists of an NI ExpressCard-8360 in a laptop PC connected to an NI PXI-8360 or NI PXIe-8360 in the controller slot of a PXI/cPCI or PXIe/cPCIe chassis respectively, as shown in follows：
The following are general instructions for installing the MXI-Express x1 cards. The same procedure applies for a PCI card and slot.
The following graph shows how to insert the NI ExpressCard-8360 into a laptop and connect the cable.
The following graph shows how to install the NI PXI board into your PXI or PXI Express chassis
Below is a list of the components which are common to both the laptop control kit (NI PXI-ExpressCard 8360) and the PC control kit (NI PXI-PCIe 8362 MXI) kit:
- NI PXI-8360, MXI-Express Interface (The interface card which slots into the PXI chassis)
- MXI-Express/ExpressCard MXI Cable
Below is a list of the components that are not common to both the NI PXI-ExpressCard 8360 and the NI PXI-PCIe 8362 MXI kits:
- NI PCIe 8361 (The interface card which slots into the PC)
- NI ExpressCard 8360 (The interface card which slots into the laptop)
In conclusion, by using a single PXI interface card and MXI cable in addition to two interface cards (one for ExpressCard and another for PCI Express), it is possible to remotely control a PXI chassis using both a PC and a laptop.
Exactly the same principles can be applied to MXI-Express control of a PXIe chassis.