NI USB-6212
The NI USB-6212 is a bus-powered M Series USB DAQ with 16 single-ended or 8 differential inputs at 16 bits and 400 kS/s, two 250 kS/s analog outputs, up to 32 digital lines and two 32-bit counters. NI still sells the Mass Termination version; the screw-terminal, BNC and OEM versions are no longer available new.
Specifications
| Analog inputs | 1616 single-ended or 8 differential; only the Mass Termination version is still sold new |
| Resolution | 16-bit |
| Max sample rate | 400 kS/ssingle-channel and aggregate maximum; multiplexed |
| Input ranges | ±0.2 V, ±1 V, ±5 V, ±10 V |
| Input modes | single-ended, differential |
| Analog outputs | 2 × 16-bit |
| Digital I/O | 32 |
| Counters | 2 |
| Isolation | No |
| Interfaces | USB |
| List price | $1,903ni.com list price for USB-6212 Mass Termination (780169-01), the only version still sold new, Oct 2026 |
Vendor driver by OS
| Driver | NI-DAQmx (via DAQAtlas Bridge) |
| Windows | Yes |
| macOS | No |
| Linux | No |
Vendor software
| NI-DAQmx | WindowsFree. Driver plus NI MAX configuration utility and test panels; NI-DAQmx for Linux does not list this device |
| FlexLogger | WindowsLite edition free; professional paid. configuration-based logging for NI DAQ hardware |
| LabVIEW | WindowsPaid. Graphical programming with NI-DAQmx VIs; NI-DAQmx has no macOS version |
Which USB-6212 versions are still sold
NI lists five USB-6212 part numbers. The Mass Termination version (780169-01) is Active at a list price of $1,903 at the time of writing. The screw-terminal version (780107-01), the BNC version (781003-01) and both OEM board kits are in Standard Support: repairable and calibratable, no longer for sale. For those, NI names the USB-6451 mioDAQ as the replacement.
USB-6212 on Windows, Linux and macOS
NI-DAQmx supports the USB-6212 on Windows 11, Windows 10 LTSC and Windows Server 2022 and 2025. On desktop Linux, NI’s compatibility table lists it as “Not Supported.” NI-DAQmx has no macOS version, and NI-DAQmx Base, the old Mac driver, ended at version 15.0 with macOS 10.14 as its newest supported release. On Windows you have NI MAX, FlexLogger and the NI-DAQmx APIs for LabVIEW, C and Python. DAQAtlas, which is in development, reaches the USB-6212 through DAQAtlas Bridge on a Windows PC, as the NI DAQ on a Mac guide walks through.
Rates, ranges and the digital line count by version
NI specifies 400 kS/s for a single channel and 400 kS/s aggregate, so the rate divides across the scan list and eight channels run at 50 kS/s each. The four ranges are ±0.2 V, ±1 V, ±5 V and ±10 V, and the two 16-bit outputs update at 250 kS/s per channel on ±10 V. Digital I/O depends on the connector version. The screw-terminal model has 32 lines (16 on port 0 plus 16 PFI lines), while the BNC and Mass Termination models have 24 (8 on port 0 plus the 16 PFI lines). Both counters are 32-bit. As with the USB-6211, NI notes that a full-speed USB port limits throughput, so use a Hi-Speed port. Scanning many channels at the full rate leaves little time for multiplexer settling. The sample rate and aliasing guide covers how to choose a per-channel rate.
Questions
Is the NI USB-6212 discontinued?
Partly. The Mass Termination version is still sold; the screw-terminal, BNC and OEM versions are no longer available new, and NI recommends the USB-6451 in their place.
Does the USB-6212 work on a Mac?
Not with NI software, because NI-DAQmx has no macOS version. It needs a Windows PC.
How many digital lines does the USB-6212 have?
32 on the screw-terminal version and 24 on the BNC and Mass Termination versions.
Specifications and prices are taken from the vendor’s published pages at the time of writing and can change. Check the vendor before you buy. Sources: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5