NI 78xx Models: R Series Cable and Accessory Compatibility

Ideally you would use this guide sequentially and find the NI 78xx R series module you have or are interested in. Then you can find the recommended cable and accessory. If you have further questions regarding the cabling, more information is provided below in the cabling and connector block specific sections of this guide.

At that point you will want to check the Known Limitations and Issue List for any known limitations you may encounter.

Note: Using the page search functionality in your browser to locate your module may speed up this process, typically CTRL+F on Windows or ⌘+F on MacOS.

This guide is intended to give an overview of the current NI 78xx R Series Devices and recommended compatible cables and accessories. The most common and recommended configurations are listed for the devices below.

The guide is not intended to cover cable or accessory options for other NI hardware families such as CompactRIO, Digital Instruments, C Series, Switches, and Multifunction DAQ.

Some cables or accessories from other NI product families may share the same connector or visually appear the same, but typically come with limitations, incompatibilities, or safety concerns. For this reason, unless expressly mentioned in this guide, compatibility with other NI cables and accessories is not covered in this guide and is not recommended.

How to locate your model number on the physical device:

If your device is already installed it may be easier to locate the model number in software, below.

• PCI and PCI Express (PCIe) devices: Model numbers are typically found on the faceplate of the card near the connector.
• PXI and PXI Express (PXIe) modules: Model numbers are typically found at the top of the faceplate of the card.
• USB devices: Model numbers can be found on the enclosure.

How to locate your model number in software:

To confirm that your device is recognized, complete the following additional steps:

1. Select Start»All Programs»National Instruments»Measurement & Automation to open Measurement & Automation Explorer (MAX).
2. Select My System»Devices and Interfaces.
3. Verify that the device appears under Devices and Interfaces»RIO Devices.
4. Click on the RIO device and the model number should be listed under "Model" on the module. If your NI 78xx R Series module is within a PXI chassis the module will be listed under the devices for the Chassis, but still be marked with an FPGA symbol and have a slot number next to it.

*Unterminated cables do not require a connector block and can be used in place of the RDIO cable(s)

Note: USB R Series 78xx devices connect to your PC though a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable with USB type a and Type B connectors on opposite ends. This cable is included in the original shipping kit of your USB R Series 78xx device. 

Cabling Part Number (P/N), Link, and Pinout

Note: To purchase, order by part number by noting the part number above and adding it to your cart, or you can click a linked part number in the preceding table and add to cart directly from the link in the top right corner of the first search result. You can also contact NI Sales for assistance.

Here is more detailed information about the differences between the SHC68-C68-RDIO2 Cable vs SHC68-68-RDIO Cable for R Series Devices

For more information about the Benefits of Using the RMIO and RDIO Cables as opposed to other cables

Connector Block Part Number (P/N), User Guide/Specifications, and Dimensional Drawings

Note: To purchase, order by part number by noting the part number above and adding it to your cart, or you can click a linked part number in the preceding table and add to cart directly from the link in the top right corner of the first search result. You can also contact NI Sales for assistance.

*Important:
Note that the pinouts for the SCB-68 and SCB-68A are different if you are using these devices with an NI 78xx R series module, and even have differences between the specific NI 78xx R series models. You can find a quick reference guide linked below for both of these connector block. It is suggested that you print out the pinout appropriate for your NI 78xx R Series Device and attach it to the inside cover of your connector clock.

The SCB-68 HSDIO has the correct pinout for those NI 78xx R Series devices that utilize it.

The SCB-68 and SCB-68A are functionally equivalent, with some improvements and small changes to the SCB-68A. So any of the above devices that call out the SCB-68A could be replaced with the SCB-68 with no functional differences. For more information on the connector blocks please visit their product documentation pages in the DAQ Accessory Guide and Digital Instrument Accessory Guide.

Expansion System

The NI-9151 CompactRIO R Series Expansion Chassis connects directly to any digital connector on NI 78xx R Series devices and houses up to four C Series I/O modules for industrial signal conditioning, I/O channel expansion, and direct sensor connectivity. This expansion chassis is not compatible with all NI 78xx R series modules/connectors.

Listed here are the links to the NI 9151 Support Model Page & NI 9151 User Manual and Specifications

The Expansion System is compatible with the DIO connector on the following modules:

Cable and accessory testing results are derived from the modules with which they are compatible. For this reason, the cables and connector blocks listed above inherit the safety and environmental specifications of their compatible modules.

For example, say you plan to connect the SHC68-C68-RDIO2 Cable to the PXIe-7820. The specified temperature range for the PXIe-7820 is 0 ⁰C to 55 ⁰C, so the same spec should be applied to the SHC-C68-RDIO2 Cable.

When purchasing a NI 78xx:R Series device, for ease of use, the cables and accessories are listed on the product selection page. To begin browsing the NI 78xx R Series devices, visit the following pages for PXI and for PCI/USB devices. 

You may also purchase your cables and accessories separately. To see cables and terminal blocks for a specific NI 78xx device, first select an item the appropriate product page, then view the recommended accessories shown in the checkout process.

• NI R Series Multifunction RIO Devices
• Digital Reconfigurable I/O Device
• Multifunction Reconfigurable I/O Device
• PXI Digital Reconfigurable I/O Module
• PXI Multifunction Reconfigurable I/O Module
• Getting Started with R Series Multifunction RIO
• SCB-68 and SCB-68A : DAQ Multifunction I/O Accessory Guide
• NI R Series Multifunction RIO Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Getting Started With NI R Series for USB Part 1: Introduction