Dueling standards?

This month's Test Report devotes ample space to examination of the LXI and PXI standards. In preparing this issue, I've learned about some healthy rivalries among PXI Alliance and LXI Consortium members.

Naturally, competition for users and their applications can cast a harsh light on the differences between the systems, especially when the proponent has business at stake. Yet, I came to see many complementary opportunities for engineering test users.

Both standards organizations list the DoD's push for "synthetic instruments" as a primary motivator for their systems. While both groups have produced a modular solution, each has a different delivery technology that enables universal test access coupled with the ability to evolve alongside applications.

PXI, already widely used in military and automotive applications, relies on modular instrumentation with communications achieved via familiar PC-based technologies. It combines the high-speed PCI bus with integrated triggering and timing for enhanced performance.

LXI, currently under development, promises communication through LAN extensions. While it should often even faster communication, it is still in the formative stages without an extensive infrastructure.

These standards are the result of many companies pushing the limits of test and measurement capabilities for automotive and aerospace applications. Visit www.pxisa.org or www.lxistandard.orgfor more information.

Contact Greg Reed at editor@aatr.net .