scxi and drivers?

[hecmar.arreola]

Wow, really?  This is considered somewhat high end DAQ device and NI won't support 64-bit ever?  I find it very hard to believe that there is such a large incompatibility problem that cannot be overcome.  Very dissapointed in NI's response to this and it will definitly effect purchasing decisions in the future.

[Seth_B.]

Hello Nickerbocker,

Thank you for providing your feedback.  The vast majority of NI Hardware is supported on Windows Vista 64-bit and Windows Seven 64-bit, including USB options for controlling SCXI such as the M Series USB Mass Termination devices.  Additionally our full CompactDAQ product line, which offers many excellent signal conditioning solutions, is completely supported on 64-bit operating systems.

Of 470 different products in the NI-DAQmx driver, only 6 are not supported on 64-bit operating systems.  This is due to the fact that they are based on legacy USB or PCMCIA driver code that would require extensive work in order to make compatible with the architechture of a 64-bit system.  Each of these devices has an alternative that offers better performance for similar cost.  For instance, the USB-6251 Mass Termination device which offers 5x faster sampling with 7x better accuracy, USB 2.0 transfer speeds for more reliable data transfer, and is only about $300 more including the cable between the DAQ device and the SCXI chassis.

NI takes the decision not to support hardware on a newer OS very seriously and only made the decision not to add 64-bit support for the SCXI-1600 after careful consideration.  The SCXI-1600 is almost 10 years old and with better options available, the signifigant development cost of adding 64-bit support was simply not justified for this product.  This is not a decision we take lightly at all.

Please feel free to contact your local Field Engineer if you have any concerns about NI support for a product as we are always happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.

[hecmar.arreola]

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@Seth B. wrote:

Hello Nickerbocker,

Thank you for providing your feedback.  The vast majority of NI Hardware is supported on Windows Vista 64-bit and Windows Seven 64-bit, including USB options for controlling SCXI such as the M Series USB Mass Termination devices.  Additionally our full CompactDAQ product line, which offers many excellent signal conditioning solutions, is completely supported on 64-bit operating systems.

Of 470 different products in the NI-DAQmx driver, only 6 are not supported on 64-bit operating systems.  This is due to the fact that they are based on legacy USB or PCMCIA driver code that would require extensive work in order to make compatible with the architechture of a 64-bit system.  Each of these devices has an alternative that offers better performance for similar cost.  For instance, the USB-6251 Mass Termination device which offers 5x faster sampling with 7x better accuracy, USB 2.0 transfer speeds for more reliable data transfer, and is only about $300 more including the cable between the DAQ device and the SCXI chassis.

NI takes the decision not to support hardware on a newer OS very seriously and only made the decision not to add 64-bit support for the SCXI-1600 after careful consideration.  The SCXI-1600 is almost 10 years old and with better options available, the signifigant development cost of adding 64-bit support was simply not justified for this product.  This is not a decision we take lightly at all.

Please feel free to contact your local Field Engineer if you have any concerns about NI support for a product as we are always happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.

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You say the SCXI-1600 is almost 10 yeas old and better options are available, but why is it then that all of the SCXI advisors on the page recommend the SCXI-1600 as the card to use for DAQ?  My SCXI-1600 card is NOT 10 years old, it's 2 years old.  Can this be exchanged for a card that works with 64bit architectures? 🙂

It seems to me that the SCXI-1600 is the only real option for running a SCXI based chassis from any modern laptop... oh but wait, no 64bit support.  Scratch the "modern" from that sentence and be sure to ask MS for that 32bit disc after your purchase.  Don't bother with more than 3GB of RAM either....

[RUF2]

hej Seth B,

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I have the same problem (win 7 + 64bit) and can't get the SCXI 1600 running. What would you suggest to solve the problem? Replace the SCXI-1600 or "new" laptop? Although unfortunate for us I can understand NI's decision to not support 7 64bit if the additional work does not pay off, but please provide an alternative solutions that complies with NI's future strategy.

Thanks

RUF2

[SynME]

Seth,

I get that the USB design in the 1600 is old, and that implimenting 64-bit drivers for this can be problemmatic. However, this is the only device that allows modern use of the SCXI chassis. Now, unless NI has plans to actually obsolesce the SCXI system, then it would be very prudent of NI to consider upgrading the 1600 module. Update the USB communication circuitry to be 64-bit compatable. Call it SCXI-1601 and obsolesce the 1600.

There has to be a direct replacement for the 1600. Saying "For USB support of SCXI on a Windows 64-bit operating system, use a mass termination DAQ device such as the USB-6259 Mass Term or the USB-6251 Mass Term" is a cop-out. These are stand-alone DAQs themselves, not communication modules for an existing system.

I've been working with 64-bit systems ever since XP 64-bit. One of the biggest issues has always been getting device manufactuerers to stop avoiding the work and make the 64-bit leap. Most of the time it's just a matter of modifying the b32 drivers to get the b64 drivers out. As you've pointed out, the hardware has issues with the 64-bit USB communication (something which I'm not quite understanding, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt that this is the root cause.) I've seen nothing that says NI plans to obsolesce the SCXI platform, so it falls to you guys to create a practical solution to keep an existing modular solution up-to-date with minimal impact to customers.

So, either obsolesce the SCXI platform, of release an updated version of the SCXI-1600 compatable with 64-bit systems. Please don't leave it hanging.

Thanks,

-Syn

[dougm]

If you want the SCXI-1600 supported in 64-bit Windows 7, vote for it on the idea exchange:  Add support for SCXI-1600 in 64-bit Windows

[MBohnet]

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Seth_B. wrote:  For instance, the USB-6251 Mass Termination device which offers 5x faster sampling with 7x better accuracy, USB 2.0 transfer speeds for more reliable data transfer, and is only about $300 more including the cable between the DAQ device and the SCXI chassis.

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Is there any description /knowledgebase article /whatever about how this connection USB-6251 <--> SCXI-chassis works? in Hardware as well as in MAX? I'd need to know how much efford I'd need to invest into this - it's already not too nice to sell to my superiors that we'll have to buy new hardware to keep a function we already had, so at least I'd want to be able to say we don't have to completely rewrite the software....

[rebecca_walter2]

Help!  I have the same problem.  I just bought a PC laptop to work with my SCXI-1600 because MAC computers aren't supported.  Unfortunately the computer I bought is 64-bit.  Is ther anything I can do to make therm work together?  Please help!

[dougm]

Your only option is to install the 32-bit version of Windows.  The SCXI-1600 will not work with 64 bit.  If you want NI to add 64-bit support, please vote for Add support for SCXI-1600 in 64-bit Windows.

[SynME]

Rebecca,

Use a 32-bit Win7 ISO to reinstall the system. When you do this, be sure to wipe the hard drive first in the installation. After that, your Win7 key should be fine. It's a pain, I know, and greatly limits the systems able to use this.

@NI,

As there has been quite a bit of active complaining about this, perhaps hiring up a driver author to rework the SCXI-1600 driver for 64-bit might be a good thing. Either that, or make a SCXI-1600-64 that has compatable USB hardware. Impliment USB3. Not a bad idea, given the platform abilities.

-Syn