Configuration Requirements

To achieve the high data transfer rate that the GPIB was designed for, you must limit the number of devices on the bus and the physical distance between devices. The following restrictions are typical:

• A maximum separation of 4 m between any two devices and an average separation of 2 m over the entire bus.
• A maximum total cable length of 20 m.
• A maximum of 15 devices connected to each bus, with at least two-thirds powered on.

For high-speed operation, the following restrictions apply:

• All devices in the system must be powered on.
• Cable lengths must be as short as possible with up to a maximum of 15 m of cable for each system.
• There must be at least one equivalent device load per meter of cable.

If you want to exceed these limitations, you can use a bus extender to increase the cable length or a bus expander to increase the number of device loads. You can order bus extenders and expanders from National Instruments.