The National Instruments PXI-8156B is an advanced embedded controller designed for PXI and CompactPCI systems, offering robust performance with options for a 233 MHz Intel Pentium MMX or a 333 MHz AMD-K6-2 processor. Featuring a built-in SuperVGA graphics controller, this model comes standard with 32 MB of SDRAM, expandable up to 256 MB via two user-accessible SO-DIMM sockets, ensuring sufficient memory for complex applications. The PXI-8156B integrates a range of connectivity options, including one GPIB (IEEE 488.2) port, one Ultra DMA IDE hard drive, one Ethernet port, one USB port, a 1.44 MB floppy drive, one IEEE 1284 ECP/EPP parallel port, and two serial ports. It also supports standard PS/2 connections for keyboard and mouse input.

To maximize functionality, this controller incorporates the TNT4882C custom ASIC for comprehensive GPIB control and is compliant with the NI-488.2M driver and IEEE 488.2 standards. The system configuration requires one system slot and three controller expansion slots, thus maintaining the availability of adjacent PXI slots for additional instrument modules. It operates effectively within recommended temperature ranges of 0° to 50°C and storage ranges of -20° to 70°C, with humidity tolerances of 10% to 90% during operation and 5% to 95% during storage. The PXI-8156B has a compact footprint with physical dimensions of 3.2 x 5.1 x 8.5 inches and a weight of 2.4 pounds. While its obsolete status has been announced by National Instruments, the PXI-8156B remains available for purchase and repair through Apex Waves.