Series Overview and Selection Positioning
In the field of industrial automation and testing measurement, isolated digital I/O cards are a key bridge connecting computers with on-site sensors, actuators, relays, and other equipment. The 723X series product line launched by ADLINK Technology has long held a stable market position due to its high isolation voltage, multi-channel configuration, and flexible interface form. This series covers four core models:
PCI-7230/cPCI-7230/LPCI-7230/LPCIe-7230: Provides 16 isolated digital inputs and 16 isolated digital outputs, suitable for general scenarios that require bidirectional isolated signal interaction.
PCI-7233: Designed specifically for pure input applications, it provides 32 isolated digital inputs and integrates a unique COS (Change of State) state change detection function, suitable for monitoring a large number of switch signals.
PCI-7234/7234P: Pure output model, providing 32 isolated digital outputs, of which 7234 is sink current type and 7234P is source current type, which can be flexibly selected according to external load requirements.
The interface forms cover traditional 32-bit 5V PCI bus (PCI-7230/7233/7234), 3U CompactPCI (cPCI-7230), low-voltage PCI (LPCI-7230, supporting 3.3V or 5V), and PCI Express x1 (LPCIe-7230), ensuring compatibility with various industrial control hosts. All models use ASIC PCI controllers, fully compliant with the PCI local bus specification Rev 2.1, and have plug and play (PnP) features. The BIOS automatically assigns base addresses and interrupt numbers, without the need for manual jumper settings, greatly reducing the difficulty of system integration.
Comparison and Selection Points of Core Electrical Specifications
2.1 Isolation input characteristics (applicable to the entire 7230/7233 series)
Number of channels: The 7230 series has 16 channels, while the 7233 series has 32 channels.
Input voltage range: DC 0~24V, logic low level 0~1.5V, logic high level 5~24V.
Input resistance: 1.2k Ω @ 0.5W, ensuring controllable power consumption at higher voltages.
Isolation voltage: PCI-7230 and cPCI-7230 provide 5000Vrms (between channels and between channels and computers), while LPCI-7230 and LPCIe-7230 provide 2500Vrms (excluding cables). The selection should be based on the on-site insulation withstand voltage level.
Maximum throughput rate: 10kHz, suitable for low-frequency switch signal acquisition, such as button, limit switch, relay status, etc.
2.2 Isolation output characteristics (applicable to 7230/7234 series)
Output type: Darlington transistor open collector (7230/7234 for sink current, 7234P for source current).
Output voltage: External power supply minimum 5VDC, maximum 35Vdc.
Driving ability: maximum single channel 500mA@100 %Duty cycle (for any one of the 8 transistors conducting); When multiple channels are conducting simultaneously, they need to be downgraded for use. For example, when PCI-7234 conducts all 32 channels simultaneously at a 10% duty cycle, the total current can reach 370mA (fill current), while the 7234P has a total source current of 260mA at a 10% duty cycle. In the design, the total power consumption needs to be calculated based on the load type (relay, LED, small solenoid valve) to avoid exceeding the limit of single channel or total current.
Isolation voltage: Same input side, 5000Vrms (7234/7234P).
2.3 Power consumption and environmental parameters
PCI-7230:+ 5V@150mA (Typical);
cPCI-7230:+ 5V@270mA ;
LPCI-7230:+ 5V@150mA ;
LPCIe-7230:+ 3.3V@279mA + + 12V@133mA ;
PCI-7233:+ 5V@300mA ;
PCI-7234:+ 5V@180mA (Built in DC-DC).
Working temperature: 0-60 ℃, storage: -20~80 ℃, humidity: 5%~95%, no condensation. The external dimensions vary, with PCI cards measuring 153mm × 107mm (7230) or 175mm × 107mm (7234), cPCI measuring 160mm × 100mm, and the low rise LPCI measuring only 120mm × 65mm, making it suitable for compact chassis.

Detailed explanation of hardware installation and connectors
3.1 Installation process
All 723X series cards are PCI plug and play devices, with standardized installation steps:
Turn off the power of the host and all peripherals, and unplug the power cord.
Open the chassis and select an available PCI/PCIe/cPCI slot (note that LPCI-7230 only supports 3.3V or 5V PCI, and LPCIe-7230 is x1 lane).
Touch the metal part of the chassis to release static electricity, grip the edge of the board and insert it into the slot to ensure firmness.
Secure the baffle with screws, close the chassis, and power on again.
After system startup, Windows (Vista/XP/2003/2000) or Linux will automatically detect new hardware and prompt for driver installation. ADLINK provides a new generation DAQPilot driver and SDK, while retaining traditional DASK drivers (such as PCIS-DASK), which users can choose according to their development environment. We strongly recommend new users to use DAQPilot, as its graphical interface and API encapsulation significantly shorten the development cycle.
3.2 Definition of connector pins (key differences)
PCI-7230: adopts a 37 pin D-type (DB-37) female socket, with pin definitions including IDI_1~IDI_15 (isolated input), IDO_2~IDO_15 (isolated output), EICOM (input common terminal, can be connected to common ground or common power supply), EOGND (output ground loop), VDD (output external power supply, 5-35V). Specifically, input channels 0 and 1 can serve as external interrupt sources.