NI 5421/5441 Memory Options

NI 5421/5441 modules are available with four onboard waveform memory size options: 8 MB (NI 5421 only), 32 MB, 256 MB, and 512 MB.

Onboard waveform memory size dictates the maximum time duration for which arbitrary waveforms can be generated without repeating the same waveform data. If your application requires arbitrary waveform playback over long time durations without looping, choose a larger AWG module onboard waveform memory option. For example, 256 MB of onboard memory can store approximately 1.28 s of waveform data at the default IQ rate of 100 MS/s.

If phase continuity is desired, large AWG onboard memory sizes allow finer frequency tolerances in repetitive playback. Frequency tolerance for arbitrary waveforms is limited by available memory size when phase continuity is enabled. When phase continuity is disabled, this limitation on frequency tolerance does not apply.

The following table lists maximum playback times for each memory option using the default IQ rate of 100 MS/s.

Memory Size (MB)	Playback Time Without Looping (ms)
8	40
32	160
256	1,280
≥ 512	≤ 2,560

Note  Not all onboard memory can be used for waveform storage. A portion of Onboard memory stores instructions that specify how the waveforms are generated. These instructions typically require less than 1 KB of onboard memory.