[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference 49.910::iet11

Title:IET11 TURBOchannel/IEEE488 Converter
Moderator:EICMFG::SYSTEM
Created:Thu Jul 30 1992
Last Modified:Thu Dec 07 1995
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:15
Total number of notes:25

9.0. "Status on IEEE 488 interface for Alpha AXP OpenVMS?" by TASTY::JEFFERY (The car behind is an ATOYOT) Thu Jan 07 1993 11:46

Hi,

We have a customer looking at a defence project, where he
requires an IEEE/488 interface for our current Alpha AXP
Workstations.

I'm looking at any way this can be achieved, both SCSI
& TurboCHANNEL.

Can anyone say if device drivers for Open VMS for Alpha
AXP are being written?

Can anyone give me an idea of the difficulty involved
porting the device drivers?

Thanks.

Mark Jeffery.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
9.1IEEE for ALPHA : plans and pending efforts...EICMFG::GILOJFri Jan 08 1993 16:2321
Hi,

the current plans are to not furher invest in any IEZ11 (SCSI/IEEE) upgrades
but only in the IET11 product (TURBOchannel/IEEE). There it is planned to write
an Alpha-VMS driver as well as an Alpha-OSF1 driver eventually. However efforts
are currently pending a better demand projection. As of today Product
management has forecasted only approx. a total of 100 leads, not justifying to
go for NRE funding yet. However PM stated that we are principally able and
willung to start immediately if the projects could be custom funded. Another
problem is that the driver interface for VMS will be changed with the next
alpha VMS version and therefore would then require a rewrite again if we
developed the driver for todays alpha VMS version.

For major leads and promissing lucrative request please contact Product
management or Marketing:

Erwin Helmer @UFC (DTN 865-3022) or Hans-Juergen Schoening @UFC (DTN 865-1435)

Stefan Giloj, Juergen Pfister
EIC/MI Munich
Engineering
9.3IET11 under OPEN VMS VAX / Open VMS AXPEICMFG::SCHOENINGIEEE-488 /SBC Marketing Digital PCS Systemtechnik MunichMon Oct 18 1993 17:38194
Source: EQUIcon Software GmbH Jena
	Leutragraben 2-4
	7743 Jena
	Tel: +49 3641 5999- 0
	FAX: +49 3641 5999-11



For ALPHA see Addendum point 3


With binary regards �

George


30. April 1993

Product Description


Product Name   TC488/VMS, Version 1.0
               TURBOchannel-IEEE-488-Interface for VMS


Description

The TC488/VMS is a low-cost, high-performance TURBOchannel
IEEE-488 converter for   OpenVMS. It allows the usage of the
IEEE-488 bus on such members of the VAXstation4000 family, which
have a TURBOchannel adapter (e.g. VAXstation 4000/60 and
VAXstation 4000/90). The TC488/VMS connect instruments and
measuring devices, communicating via the IEEE-488 bus to the
TURBOchannel.

The TC488/VMS consists of the TC-GPIB-Board and the corresponding
device driver for OpenVMS. The TC-GPIB is a TURBOchannel board
which allows a standardized, bi-directional communication between
the TURBOchannel interconnect and the widely used IEEE-488 bus,
also known as the GPIB. This board is also used for the devices
IET11 from Digital Equipment Corporation and GPIB-DEC5000 from
National Instruments. The IEEE-488 circuits NAT488 and Turbo488
from National instruments are used for this board. With them it
is possible to realize all major IEEE-488 interface functions as
described in the IEEE-488.1 and IEEE-488.2 standards and to
provide enhanced DMA transfer capabilities with data transfer
rates of 1 Mbyte/second for both read and write operations. The
board supports up to 14 IEEE-488 bus devices directly.

The loadable device driver for OpenVMS (at least version 5.5-2)
allows the usage of all features of the board. This contains the
full interface functions of the IEEE-488 specification, in
particular the full talker, listener and controller capabilities.
The driver provides a QIO interface which is compatible to the
IEZ11 SCSI-IEEE488 converter from Digital Equipment Corporation.
Therefore it is possible to port applications written for the
IEZ11 easily and with no problems to the TC488/VMS.

The driver realizes the following functionalities

-         read and write data over the IEEE-488 bus (data transfers)

-         control and monitor the other devices (works as system
          controller and Controller-In-Charge (CIC))

-         works as peripheral device (talker and listener only)

-         provides the possibility to poll the devices on the bus
          serial or parallel (serial and parallel polling)

-         detect the configuration of the IEEE-488 bus system
          (detect and recognize connected devices)

-         react to bus events (e.g. handle service requests)

-         provides the possibility to request service
 
Furthermore there is an interface library for C programs which
contains NI488.2 compatible calls (the NI488.2 is the interface
standard from National Instruments for the IET11 and
GPIB-DEC500). It is possible to port with this library calls UNIX
based solutions for the IET11 to the VMS platform with the
TC488/VMS.

The TC488/VMS should be supported by the LIO routines and DECrti
(DEC Realtime Integrator). All DECrti and LIO routine based
applications which work with the IEZ11 can be used even with the
TC488/VMS.

Part of the TC488/VMS is also the test and maintenance programm
ITADS.

A VAXstation 4000 workstation, equipped with the TC488/VMS, is
well suited for instrument control applications where low-cost
and high-performance requirements are important selection
criteria. These applications can be found in research and
development laboratories, service laboratories, research
institutes, education, and government. Applications include data
 acquisition systems, automated test equipment, and numerous
graphic applications.

For the installation of the TC488/VMS software  the standard
procedure VMSINSTAL is used.

Spezification

General:

System              VAXstation 4000/xx with OpenVMS 5.5-2 or
higher
Power from TURBOchannel  + 5V DC, 4A maximal, 2.1 A typical
Dimensions               single-wide standard TURBOchannel slot
(5.675 x 4.6 inches), use only one slot

Operating Environment:

Temperature              10 - 40  C
Data Transfer Rate       1 Mbyte/s for both read and write
operations
                    400 kbyte/s to write command sequences
 
IEEE-488-Interface:


Implementation      SH1, AH1, T5, TE5, L3, LE3, SR1, PP1, PP2,
PP0, RL1, E1, E2, IEEE-488.1-1978, IEEE-488.2-1978, TURBOchannel
hardware
Controller Subsets       C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
Connector           IEEE-488 standard 24-pin
Mounting Requirements    Mounts inside the VAXstation using scews
provided. No external power supply.

Documentation

The TC488/VMS contains the "Installation Guide" and the "Users
Guide" in german and english language. The documentation is
provided in printed and computer readable form.

Requirements

Hardware:
 
VAXstation 4000/60 or VAXstation 4000/90 or other DEC hardware
with VAX processor, which support the TURBOchannel interface.

Software:

OpenVMS version 5.5-2 or higher (the system must support the used
TURBOchannel adapter)


Licences

The TC488/VMS contains the licence to use the hard and software
on a single machine under VMS at one time.
 

Additional Informations


Product Name    TC488/VMS, Version 1.0
                        TURBOchannel-IEEE-488-Interface for VMS



Date                    27. May 1993


1.) Availability

Field test versions are available in the middle of June (25. week of the year).
The first final versions are available 2 or 4 weeks later.


2.) Price

The price is the same as the price for the Ultrix version from National
 Instruments : 2700,- DM (for the board and the software). It is possible to buy
the driver only. The price  for this case can be  obtained on request.


3.) Porting to Alpha (OpenVMS/AXP)

The TC488/VMS will be ported to OpenVMS/AXP and  be named TC488/AXP. The portin
starts with the delivery of the first VMS version. The AXP version shall be
available in the summer (in August, 32. - 35. week of the year)

4.) Support

We provide support to develop special driver versions (e.g. for very time
critical real-time applications) and to develop customer solutions. Any special
driver versions can have their own QIO interface wich is optimized for the
desired solution to get the best performance or to provide the required
features.