VXIpc™ 800 Series
User Manual
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
September 1997 Edition
Part Number 321744A-01
© Copyright 1997 National Instruments Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Important Information
Warranty
The National Instruments VXIpc 800 Series embedded computers and accessories are warranted against defects in
materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other
documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during
the warranty period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming
instructions, due to defects in materials and workm anship, f or a period of 90 days fr om date of ship ment, as evid enced
by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option, repair or replace software media that do
not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects during the warranty
period. National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside
of the package before any equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will pay the shipping
costs of returning to the owner p arts whic h are co vered by w arran ty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this manual is accurate. The document has been carefully
reviewed for technical accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National Instruments reserves
the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The
reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event shall National Instrum ents be liable for
any damages arising out of or related to this document or the information contained in it.
XCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN
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National Instruments installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner’s modification of the product;
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or other events outside reasonable control.
ATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND
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CVI™, LabVIEW™, MANTIS™, MITE™, NI-488.2™, NI-VISA™, NI-VXI™, TNT™, and VXIpc™ are trademarks of
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Product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
WARNING REGARDING MEDICAL AND CLINICAL USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS
National Instruments products are not designed with components and testing intended to ensure a level of reliability
suitable for use in treatment and diagnosis of humans. Applications of National Instruments products involving
medical or clinical treatment can create a potential for accidental injury caused by product failure, or by errors on the
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FCC/DOC Radio Frequency Interference
Class A Compliance
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in strict
accordance with the instructions in this manual, may cause interference to radio and television
reception. Classification requirements are the same for the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and the Canadian Department of Communications (DOC). This equipment has been tested and
found to comply with the following two regulatory agencies:
Federal Communications Commission
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Notices to User: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by National Instruments could void
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About This Manual
Organization of This Manual........................................................................................ix
Conventions Used in This Manual................................................................................x
How to Use This Documentation Set ...........................................................................xi
Related Documentation........................................... .................................. ....................xii
Customer Communication............................................................... .............................xii
Chapter 1
Introduction
Overview.......................................................................................................................1-1
Optional Equipment.................................................................................. ....................1-3
Optional Software.............................................................. .................................. .........1-3
Hardware Description...................................................................................................1-4
Slot 0 Functionality ........................................................................................1-4
Custom Application-Specific Interface Chips................................................1-5
Front Panel Features..................................................... ................................. .1-6
Peripheral Expansion......................................................................................1-7
Table
of
Contents
Chapter 2
Functional Overview
VXIpc 800 Functional Description ...............................................................................2-1
Chapter 3
VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
Default Settings.............................................................................................................3-1
Configuring the VXIpc 800 Series ...............................................................................3-4
How to Remove the Metal Enclosure............................................................. 3-4
VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0..............................................................................3-4
VXIbus CLK10 Routing.................................................................................3-5
Trigger Input Termination..............................................................................3-8
EEPROM........................................................................................................3-8
How to Fix an Invalid EEPROM Configuration..............................3-9
Installed System RAM ............................................................ .......................3-10
© National Instruments Corporation v VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Table of Contents
Configuring the PC....................................................................................................... 3-10
SCSI Termination ....................... .................................. .................................3-11
GPIB Interrupt Level .....................................................................................3-11
System CMOS................................................................................................3-12
Parallel Port DMA Level ...............................................................................3-12
Ethernet Power-On Defaults.......................................................................... 3-13
Installing the VXIpc 800 Series ...................................................................................3-13
Chapter 4
BIOS
Entering BIOS Setup.......................................................... .................................. ........ 4-1
Appendix A
Specifications
Appendix B
VXIpc 800 Series System Resources
Appendix C
LED Indicators
Appendix D
Front Panel and Connectors
Appendix E
Modifying and Installing I/O Expansion Boards
Appendix F
Common Questions
Appendix G
Customer Communication
Glossary
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual vi © National Instruments Corporation
Index
Figures
Table of Contents
Figure 1-1. VXIpc-850 Embedded Computer..........................................................1-1
Figure 1-2. VXIpc-860 Embedded Computer..........................................................1-2
Figure 2-1. VXIpc 800 Series Block Diagram.........................................................2-2
Figure 3-1. VXIpc 800 Series Parts Locator Diagram .............................................3-2
Figure 3-2. VXIbus Slot Configuration....................................................................3-5
Figure 3-3. VXIbus CLK10 Routing........................................................................3-6
Figure 3-4. SMB CLK10 Direction..........................................................................3-6
Figure 3-5. SMB CLK10 Termination.....................................................................3-7
Figure 3-6. SMB CLK10 Polarity ............................................................................3-7
Figure 3-7. SMB Trigger Input Termination............................................................3-8
Figure 3-8. Power-On Self Configuration Status .....................................................3-8
Figure 3-9. EEPROM Configuration......................................................... ...............3-9
Figure 3-10. SCSI Termination................................................................... ...............3-11
Figure 3-11. GPIB Interrupt Level.............................................................................3-11
Figure 3-12. System CMOS .......................................................................................3-12
Figure 3-13. Parallel Port DMA Channel...................................................................3-12
Figure 3-14. Ethernet Power-On Defaults..................................................................3-13
Figure D-1. VXIpc-800 Front Panel Layout and Dimensions ..................................D-2
Figure D-2. Keyboard and Mouse Connectors Location and Pinout ........................D-3
Figure D-3. VGA Connector Location and Pinout....................................................D-4
Figure D-4. Ethernet Connector Location and Pinout...............................................D-5
Figure D-5. COM1 and COM2 Connectors Location and Pinout.............................D-7
Figure D-6. Parallel Port Connector Location and Pinout ........................................D-8
Figure D-7. SCSI Connector Location and Pinout (SCSI II)....................................D-10
Figure D-8. GPIB Connector Location and Pinout ...................................................D-12
Figure D-9. SMB Connectors Location and Pinout ..................................................D-14
Figure D-10. Speaker Connection Location................................................................D-15
Figure D-11. VXIbus Connectors Location and Pinout..............................................D-17
Figure E-1. I/O Board Dimensions for VXIpc-850 Expansion Slot.........................E-1
Figure E-2. Component Height Restrictions for PCI Plug-In Boards Used with the VXIpc-850
E-2
Figure E-3. Length Restrictions for ISA Plug-In Boards Used with the
VXIpc-850 when SIMMs Taller than 0.85 in. are Used........................E-3
Figure E-4. I/O Board Dimensions for VXIpc-860 Expansion Slot.........................E-4
© National Instruments Corporation vii VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Table of Contents
Figure E-5. Length Restrictions for PCI Plug-In Boards Used wit h the
Figure E-6. Length Restrictions for ISA Plug-In Boards Used with the
Figure E-7. PCI Board and ISA Board Installed in a VXIpc-800............................E-8
Figure E-8. Side View of PCI Board with Expansion Bracket ................................ E-8
Figure E-9. Front View of PCI Board Expansion Bracket....................................... E-9
Figure E-10. Side View of ISA Board with Expansion Bracket................................E-10
Figure E-11. Front View of ISA Board Expansion Bracket....................................... E-11
Tables
Table 1-1. VXIpc 800 Series Peripherals Overview............................................... 1-8
Table 3-1. VXIpc 800 Series Hardware Default Settings.......................................3-3
Table B-1. VXIpc 800 Series ISA Interrupt Resource Allocations.........................B-1
Table B-2. VXIpc 800 Series DMA Channel Resource Allocations ...................... B-2
Table B-3. VXIpc 800 Series I/O Address Map......................................................B-3
Table C-1. LEDs and System Startup Status........................................................... C-2
VXIpc-860.............................................................................................E-5
VXIpc-860 when SIMMs Taller than 0.85 in. are Used....................... E-6
Table D-1. Keyboard and Mouse Connector Signals..............................................D-3
Table D-2. VGA Connector Signals........................................................................D-4
Table D-3. Ethernet Connector Signals...................................................................D-6
Table D-4. COM1 and COM2 Connector Signals................................................... D-7
Table D-5. Parallel Port Connector Signals.............................................................D-9
Table D-6. SCSI Connector Signals........................................................................D-11
Table D-7. GPIB Connector Signals ....................................................................... D-13
Table D-8. SMB Connector Signals........................................................................ D-14
Table D-9. Signal Characteristics for SMB and Speaker Connections................... D-16
Table D-10. VXIbus P2 Connector Signals............................................................... D-17
Table D-11. VXIbus P1 Connector Signals............................................................... D-19
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual viii © National Instruments Corporation
This manual contains instructions for installing and configuring the
National Instruments VXIpc 800 Series embedded computer kit. The
VXIpc 800 Series includes all the models of the VXIpc-800 embedded
computers.
Organization of This Manual
This manual is organized as follows:
• Chapter 1,
embedded VXI computers, lists what you need to get started,
describes the hardware, and lists optional equipment and software.
• Chapt er 2,
of each major logic block on the VXIpc 800 Series embedded
computers.
• Chapter 3,
contains the instructions to configure and install the VXIpc 800
Series embedded computer.
• Chapter 4,
interface between the hardware and PC software that configures
and tests your hardware at boot up.
• Appendix A,
electrical, and mechanical specifications of the VXIpc 800 Series
embedded computer.
• Appendix B,
system resources are available on the VXIpc 800 Series and where
they are allocated.
• Appendix C,
the front panel to interpret the status of the VXIpc 800 Series.
• Appendix D,
panel and connectors on the VXIpc 800 Series.
Introduction
Functional Overview
VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
BIOS
, contains information on BIOS, the low-level
Specifications
VXIpc 800 Series System Resources
LED Indicators
Front Panel and Connectors
About
This
Manual
, describes the VXIpc 800 Series of
, contains functional descriptions
,
, describes the environmental,
, describes what
, describes how to read the LEDs on
, describes the front
© National Instruments Corporation ix VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
About This Manual
• Appendix E,
explains how to modify and install an I/O board in the VXIpc 800
Series.
• Appendix F,
may have when using the VXIpc 800 Series.
• Appendix G,
use to request help from National Instruments or to comment on our
products and manuals.
•The
•The
Glossary
used in this manual, including abbreviations, acronyms, metric
prefixes, mnemonics, and symbols.
Index
in this manual, including the page where you can find each one.
Modifying and Installing I/O Expansion Boards
Common Questions
Customer Communication
contains an alphabetical list and description of terms
contains an alphabetical li st of key terms and to pics used
, answers common questions you
, contains forms you can
,
Conventions Used in This Manual
The following conventions are used in this manual:
< > Angle brackets enclose the name of a key on the keyboard (for example,
<Option>.
- A hyphen between two or more key names enclosed in angle brackets
denotes that you should simultaneously press the named keys—for
example, <Control-Alt-Delete>.
♦ The ♦ symbol indicates that the text following it applies only to a
specific product, a specific operating system, or a specific software
version.
This icon to the left of bold italiciz ed text de notes a n ote, which alerts
you to important information.
!
bold Bold text denotes the names of menus, menu items, dialog box buttons
bold italic Bold italic text denotes a note, caution, or warning.
bold monospace Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the
This icon to the left of bold italiciz ed text de notes a ca ution, wh ich
advises you of precautions to take to avoid injury, data los s, or a
system crash.
This icon to the left of bold italiciz ed text de notes a w arning, wh ich
advises you of precautions to take to avoid being elec trically shocked.
or options, or LEDs.
computer automatically prints to the screen.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual x © National Instruments Corporation
About This Manual
italic
monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that are to be literally input
VXIpc 800 Series The terms
Italic text denotes emphasis, a cross reference, or an introduction to a
key concept. This font also denotes text from which you supply the
appropriate word or value, as in Windows 3.x.
from the keyboard, sections of code, programming examples, and
syntax examples. This font is also used for the proper names of disk
drives, paths, directories, device names, functions, variables, filenames,
and extensions.
VXIpc 800 Series
dual-slot VXI controllers. Currently, this series consists of the
VXIpc-850 and VXIpc-860, with various processors and in different
speeds.
Abbreviations, acronyms, metric prefixes, mnemonics, symbols, and
terms are listed in the
Glossary
and
.
VXIpc-800
refer to a series of C-size,
How to Use This Documentation Set
Begin by reading the
manual for basic instructions for setting up the hardware and software.
This is a brief quick start manual that describes how to get started with
your kit using the default hardware and software settings, and how to
configure and use the NI-VXI software. Refer to the following manuals
for more information about the hardware or software.
Getting Started with Your VXIpc 800/700 Series
This manual, the
about changing the installation or configuration from the defaults, and
using the hardware.
When you are familiar with the material in these manuals, you can begin
to use the
VXI and prepares you for detailed explanations of the NI-VXI
functions. Study the descriptions of each function given in the
Programmer Reference Manual
syntax of each function. These two manuals are available in the
c:\NIVXI\Manuals directory under the names
NI-VXIUsersMan.pdf and NI-VXIProgrammerMan.pdf,
respectively. Use the Acrobat Reader 3.0 program to open and
view these files. You can also access the NI-VXI online help for
Windows 95/NT/3.1 in the NIVXI folder.
© National Instruments Corporation xi VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
NI-VXI User Manual
. This manual presents the concepts of
to fully understand the purpose and
, contains more details
NI-VXI
About This Manual
Refer to the
it in your system. The NI-VISA online help describes the attributes,
events, and operations you can use in NI-VISA. The user manual is
available in the
is either
the Acrobat Reader program, Version 3 or later, to open this file.
NI-VISA User Manual
c:\VXIpnp\os\NIvisa\Manuals directory (where
Win95 or WinNT) under the name NI-VISAUsersMan.pdf. Use
Related Documentation
The following documents contain information that you may find helpful
as you read this manual:
• ANSI/IEEE Standard 1014-1987,
Backplane Bus: VMEbus
• ANSI/IEEE Standard 1155-1993,
Instrumentation: VXIbus
• ANSI/VITA 1-1994,
• VXI-6,
VXIbus Mainframe Extender Specification
VXIbus Consortium
Customer Communication
National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products
and manuals. We are interested in the applications you develop with our
products, and we want to help if you have prob lems with them. To make
it easy for you to contact us, this manual contains comment and
configuration forms for you to complete. These forms are in
Appendix G,
Customer Communication
VME64
to learn about VISA and how to use
os
IEEE Standard for a Versatile
IEEE VMEbus Extensions for
, Rev. 1.0,
, at the end of this manual.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual xii © National Instruments Corporation
Chapter
Introduction
This chapter describes the VXIpc 800 Series of embedded VXI
computers, lists what you need to get started, describes the hardware,
and lists optional equipment and software.
Overview
Figure 1-1 shows a VXIpc-850 model with its cover removed.
1
Figure 1-1.
© National Instruments Corporation 1-1 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
VXIpc-850 Embedded Computer
Chapter 1 Introduction
Figure 1-2 shows a VXIpc-860 model with its cover removed.
TM
VXIpc-860
Figure 1-2. VXIpc-860 Embedded Computer
The VXIpc 800 Series controllers are C-size, embedded computers
based on the Peripheral Component Interface (PCI) bus and Industry
Standard Architecture (ISA). These computers are high-performance,
easy-to-use platforms for controlling VXIbus systems, featuring
complete VXI functionality through interactive utilities and C function
calls. In addition, the VXIpc 800 Series has Ethernet capability plus an
IEEE 488.2 interface that is compatible with the NI-488.2 architecture.
The VXIpc 800 Series is a custom computer that you install directly in
two C-size slots of your VXIbus mainframe. An embedded computer
can take full advantage of the VXI high-performance backplane
capabilities and give you direct control of VXI registers, memory,
interrupts, and triggers.
All models in the VXIpc 800 Series are fully VXI
plug&play
compliant
and are compatible with PC-compatible software tools, the National
Instruments LabVIEW and LabWindows
™
/CVI application software,
and the NI-VXI, NI-VISA, and NI-488.2 bus interface software.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 1-2 © National Instruments Corporation
Optional Equipment
You can contact National Instruments to order any of the following
optional equipment:
• COM1/2 adapter cable
• Enhanced parallel port adapter cable
• Single-shielded 2 m GPIB cable
• Upgrades for the VXIpc 800 Series modular CPU card
Optional Software
National Instruments has developed several software kits that you can
use with the VXIpc 800 Series. The NI-VXI bus interface software for
the VXIpc 800 includes a Resource Manager, an interactive VXI
resource editor program, a comprehensive library of software routines
for VXI/VME programming, and an interactive control program for
interacting with VXI/VME. You can use this software to seamlessly
program multiple-mainframe configurations and have software
compatibility across a variety of VXI/VME controller platforms.
Chapter 1 Introduction
The NI-488.2 software kit gives you accessibility to the
industry-standard NI-488.2 software for controlling external GPIB
instruments through the GPIB port on the front panel of your VXIpc 800
Series. The GPIB interface on your VXIpc controller is fully compatible
with the NI-488.2 driver for a variety of operating systems. Any
software using NI-488.2 will run on the VXIpc 800.
You can also use the National Instruments LabVIEW and
LabWindows/CVI application programs and instrument drivers to ease
your programming task. These standardized programs match the
modular virtual instrument capability of VXI and can reduce your
VXI/VMEbus software development time. These programs are fully
plug&play
VXI
instrument drivers written to take full advantage of direct VXI control.
LabVIEW is a complete programming environment that departs from
the sequential nature of traditional programming languages and features
a graphical programming environment.
© National Instruments Corporation 1-3 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
compliant and feature extensive libraries of VXI
Chapter 1 Introduction
LabWindows/CVI is an interactive C development environment for
building test and measurement and instrument control systems. It
includes interactive code-generation tools and a graphical editor for
building custom user interfaces.
LabVIEW and LabWindows/CVI include all the tools needed for
instrument control, data acquisition, analysis, and presentation. When
you order the LabVIEW Full Development System for Windows or the
LabWindows/CVI Full Development System for Windows, you also get
more than 500 complete instrument drivers, which are modular,
source-code programs that handle the communication with your
instrument to speed your application development.
Hardware Description
The VXIpc 800 Series controllers feature a modular, PCI-based local
bus design that makes it easy to use interchangeable daughterboards to
upgrade your controller to new microprocessors, without having to
replace the motherboard or enclosure.
The VXIpc 800 Series currently consists of two models—the
VXIpc-850 and the VXIpc-860—which vary in p rocessors and sp eeds.
The CPU module and its memory sockets are easily accessible for you
to install additional DRAM in the field:
• Up to 128 MB for the VXIpc-850
• Up to 256 MB for the VXIpc-860
The VXIpc 800 contains at least an 800 MB internal, enhanced IDE
hard disk. For information on adding RAM by installing SIMMs, refer
to Appendix A,
Specifications
.
Slot 0 Functionality
You can use the VXIpc 800 Series computers to achieve full VXI Slot 0
control of your VXI system. You can also install the VXIpc 800 in
another slot and use it in Non-Slot 0 mode. You do not have to change
any switches or jumpers when moving between these two modes, as the
VXIpc 800 can automatically detect whether it is installed in Slot 0 and
it will automatically enable or disable the Slot 0 onboard circuitry.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 1-4 © National Instruments Corporation
Custom Application-Specific Interface Chips
The VXIpc 800 Series uses the MITE and MANTIS custom ASICs to
deliver high VXI performance, and can achieve more than 20 MB/s
DMA block-mode data transfer rates across the VXI backplane.
The VXIpc 800 Series has the TNT4882C custom ASIC to give full
GPIB control of external instruments via a front-panel connector. GPIB
capability is fully compatible with IEEE 488.2 and the
industry-standard NI-488.2 driver for a variety of operating systems.
The MITE custom ASIC is a sophisticated dual-channel DMA
controller with standard interfaces for VXI and PCI. By using MITE
DMA to transfer data and commands to and from devices, the MITE
frees the computer’s microprocessor to perform other tasks such as data
analysis and presentation. In addition to DMA, the MITE incorporates
the new VME64 MBLT (8-byte block transfers in which both the
address bus and data bus are used to transfer data) directly into the
ASIC to perform the fastest transfer operation to instruments. With the
multiple windowing scheme of the MITE, you can easily access all of
VXI address space.
The VXI trigger interface on the VXIpc 800 is based on the MANTIS
custom ASIC. The VXIpc 800 front panel has two SMB trigger I/O
connectors, which you can use to route any of the TTL trigger lines
between the backplane and external devices. The MANTIS ASIC on the
VXIpc 800 provides the complete VXI interface to the backplane
connector in a single chip. The VXIpc 800 can respond to all
VXI-defined protocols on all P2 TTL and ECL trigger lines at the same
time. The MANTIS features an internal cross-matrix switching system
for routing between lines as well as to and from the front panel and
onboard clocks.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Note: The MANTIS ASIC contains the exact functionality of the TIC ASIC,
which appeared on the VXIpc-486 Model 500 Series controllers. Any
application that currently uses any of the TIC functionality, such as the
crosspoint switch and counter/timers, can run on a controller containing
the MANTIS ASIC without modification.
© National Instruments Corporation 1-5 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 1 Introduction
Front Panel Features
The VXIpc 800 has the following front-panel features:
• PCMCIA slots
• One full-size expansion slot (on the VXIpc-850 only) that accepts
• One half-length expansion slot (on the VXIpc-860 only) that
• Internal 3.5 in. floppy drive
• System reset push-button
• 13 front-panel connectors as listed below
• Six front-panel LEDs that show VXI and PC status
– The VXIpc 800 Series has one Type I/II and one Type I/II/III
slot.
either a PCI or a PC ISA (XT-height) plug-in board
accepts either a PCI or a PC ISA (XT-height) plug-in board
– Two RS-232 Serial
– Extended Capabilities Parallel (ECP)
– VGA Controller
– IEEE 488.2
– 10BaseT Ethernet
– SCSI-2
– External Clock
– Trigger Output
– Trigger Input
– Audio Output
– PS/2-Style Keyboard
– PS/2-Style Mouse
– SYSFAIL LED indicates that the VMEbus SYSFAIL line is
asserted.
– FAILED LED indicates that the VXIpc 800 is driving the
SYSFAIL signal.
– TEST LED indicates that the VXIpc 800 is performing its
self-tests or startup Resource Manager operations.
– ON LINE LED indicates that the VXIpc 800 is performing or
has completed its startup Resource Manager operations.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 1-6 © National Instruments Corporation
• Four front-panel LEDs that show Ethernet port status (VXIpc 800
Peripheral Expansion
The VXIpc 800 uses the PCI local bus and ISA bus for peripheral
expansion. The PCIbus is a 32-bit multimaster bus that achieves a top
throughput of 132 MB/s and can handle numerous peripherals. The ISA
bus is the legacy peripheral bus found on current and older PCs.
Chapter 1 Introduction
– ACCESS LED indicates when the VXIpc 800 MODID line is
asserted or the VXIbus registers or shared memory are
accessed by another bus master.
– DRIVE LED indicates when the internal hard drive is in use.
Series only)
– RX LED indicates that the VXIpc 800 Series is receiving data
through its Ethernet port.
– TX LED indicates that the VXIpc 800 Series is transmitting
data through its Ethernet port.
– DSEL LED indicates that the Ethernet circuitry is being
accessed.
– LINK LED reflects Ethernet link status.
For information on installing and configuring these peripherals for use
with the VXIpc 800, refer to the
drivers.txt file explains how to install support for each peripheral.
c:\images\manuals directory. The
This directory also contains manufacturer’s documentation for the
video, PCMCIA, and SCSI peripherals. Also refer to the
readme files
for the most up-to-date information.
Table 1-1 lists the various peripherals and describes the external
connector, its bus interface, and its function.
© National Instruments Corporation 1-7 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 1 Introduction
Table 1-1. VXIpc 800 Series Peripherals Overview
Peripheral External Connector
ISA
or PCI
Function
Video 15-pin DSUB
(standard VGA)
PCI High-resolution/ color support for a
Super VGA monitor
IDE None PCI Supports internal fast ATA-2 hard drive
Ethernet RJ-45 ISA 10BaseT Ethernet connection
PCMCIA Type I/II and Type I/II/III PCI Supports two independent PCMCIA slots
SCSI 36-pin SCSI-2 PCI External SCSI-2 connection for hard
drives, CD-ROM drives, and so on
GPIB 24-pin CHAMP ISA IEEE 488.2 interface compatible with the
National Instruments AT-GPIB/TNT
VXI Two 96-pin DIN
PCI High-performance VXIbus interface
(rear of board)
Serial Serial Port (Mini DSUB) ISA 16550 serial ports
Parallel Parallel Port (IEEE 1284) ISA Extended capabilities
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 1-8 © National Instruments Corporation
Chapter
Functional Overview
This chapter contains functional descriptions of each major logic block
on the VXIpc 800 Series embedded computer s.
VXIpc 800 Functional Description
The VXIpc 800 is a modular PC in a VXIbus C-size form factor.
It includes many high-performance peripherals that normally require
add-in cards on desktop PCs. In addition, it has a VXIbus interface that
is controlled from the PCI local bus, providing extremely high
performance and reliability.
Figure 2-1 is a functional block diagram of the VXIpc 800 Series.
Following the diagram is a description of each logic block shown.
2
© National Instruments Corporation 2-1 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 2 Functional Overview
Memory
PCI-Based CPU Card
Cache
Chipset
32-bit, 5 V PCI Local Bus
CPU
Video
SCSI
PCI Expansion Slot
System I/O
ISA Expansion Slot
Ethernet GPIB PC Peripherals
Miniature
RJ-45
Connector
Miniature
GPIB
Connector
SCSI
SCSI-2
SCSI-2
Connector
Connector
ECP
Parallel
Miniature
Serial (2)
Speaker
Keyboard
Mouse
Reset
IDE
(Internal)
RTC
PCMCIA
Type I/II/III Slot
Type I/II Slot
Floppy
Figure 2-1. VXIpc 800 Series Block Diagram
VXI
MITE
MANTIS
VXI BusISA Bus
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 2-2 © National Instruments Corporation
Chapter 2 Functional Overview
The VXIpc 800 consists of the following logic blocks:
Video The video circuitry is a plug-in PCI card that has
a 64-bit data path to up to 4 MB of EDO DRAM.
IDE This is dedicated PCI-IDE circuitry providing
fast ATA-2 transfers to the internal hard drive.
PCMCIA This is a dedicated PCI-PCMCIA interface that
supports two independent PCMCIA cards. One
socket can accommodate a Type I, II, or III card
while the other accommodates a Type I or II
card.
VXI This is the PCI-VXIbus interface circuitry.
The MITE is a National Instruments ASIC
developed to efficiently manage data transfers
between the VXIbus and the processor (via the
PCI bus). The MANTIS ASIC (also developed
by National Instruments) performs VXIbus
arbitration and manages interrupts and triggers.
Also part of the VXIbus interface a re the SMB
connectors, which you can use to route triggers
and the CLK10 signal to or from the VXIbus.
Ethernet This is an ISA-based Ethernet circuit on the
VXIpc 800 Series. It uses an RJ-45 connector
for access to an external Ethernet-based LAN.
GPIB This logic block represents the IEEE 488.2 port
on the VXIpc 800 Series. It uses the National
Instruments TNT4882 ASIC for maximum
performance as an ISA-based GPIB controller.
PC Peripherals These blocks represent the other peripherals
supplied by the VXIpc 800. The VXIpc 800
Series has PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports, two
miniature serial ports, and ECP/EPP parallel
port, speaker jack, reset button, and a 1.44 MB,
3.5 in. floppy drive.
© National Instruments Corporation 2-3 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 2 Functional Overview
CPU Card The modular architecture of the VXIpc 800
Series contains a plug-in CPU card that can
accommodate various Pentium/Pentium
Pro-class processors. This card includes the
CPU, chipset support that connects the CPU
subsystem to the PCI bus, and the system cache
and RAM.
System I/O This block has the bridge between the PCI bus
and the ISA bus. It also has PCI bus arbitration
logic and integrates PC-specific hardware such
as the DMA and interrupt controllers.
PCI Expansion Slot This is a general-purpose PCI slot. It can
accommodate any standard 5 V, 32-bit PCI card
with a modified mounting bracket.
ISA Expansion Slot This is a general-purpose ISA expansion slot.
The VXIpc-860 can accommodate a half-length
XT-size card, while the VXIpc-850 can
accommodate a full-length XT-size card.
However, the DRAM configuration may
mechanically interfere with a full-length card.
Refer to Appendix E,
I/O Expansion Boards
Modifying and Installing
, for more information.
SCSI The SCSI circuitry uses a PCI-SCSI bridge to
provide a flexible SCSI-2 connection on the
front panel, usable for such devices as external
hard disks and CD-ROM drives.
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 2-4 © National Instruments Corporation
VXIpc 800 Series
Configuration and
Chapter
Installation
This chapter contains the instructions to configure and install the
VXIpc 800 Series embedded computer. Unless otherwise noted, these
instructions apply to all models in the VXIpc 800 Series, which
currently consists of the VXIpc-850 and the VXIpc-860.
Caution:
!
Default Settings
Electrostatic discharge can damage several components on your
VXIpc-800 module. To avoid such damage in handling the module,
touch the antistatic plastic package to a metal part of your VXI chassis
before removing the module from the package.
This section summarizes the hardware default settings for the
VXIpc 800 Series for easy reference. The module is set at the factory
for the most commonly used configuration.
Figure 3-1 shows the location and factory-default settings of most of t he
configuration switches and jumpers on the VXIpc 800 Series.
3
© National Instruments Corporation 3-1 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 3 VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
7
8 9
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 Trigger In Termination (S7)
2 CLK10 Inversion (S4)
3 Ethernet EEPROM Config. (S1)
4 LPT DMA Channel (W4)
5 MITE EEPROM Config. (S9)
6 MITE Self Config. (S2)
7 Slot 0 Identification (W13)
8 CLK10 Source (S3)
9 Serial Number
10 Product Name
11 Assembly Number
12 CLK10 Direction (S5)
16
10
11
12
13
14
15
13 GPIB IRQ Level (S8)
14 CMOS (W2)
15 SCSI Termination (W1)
16 CLK10 Termination (S6)
Figure 3-1. VXIpc 800 Series Parts Locator Diagram
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 3-2 © National Instruments Corporation
Chapter 3 VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
Table 3-1 lists the factory-default settings and options for the onboard
jumpers and switches.
Table 3-1. VXIpc 800 Series Hardware Default Settings
Jumper/
Switch
W1 Supply SCSI termination
Default
Setting
Optional
Setting
Disable SCSI termination
power
W2 Normal CMOS operation Clear CMOS
W4 LPT1 uses DMA Channel 1 LPT uses DMA Channel 3
W13 Enable automatic Slot 0
detection
S1 Enable Ethernet EEPROM
configuration
Force Slot 0;
Force Non-Slot 0
Disable Ethernet EEPROM
configuration (uses default
power on values)
S2 Enable MITE
self-configuration
S3 Source CLK10 from
Disable MITE
self-configuration
Source CLK10 from SMB
onboard oscillator
S4 Non-inverted CLK10
Inverted CLK10 output
output
S5 Receive CLK10 input from
SMB
S6 No termination on CLK10
input
S7 No termination on external
trigger input
Source CLK10 output to
SMB
Terminate CLK10 input
to 50 Ω
Terminate external trigger
input to 50 Ω
S8 GPIB uses IRQ11 GPIB uses IRQ5
S9 MITE user configuration MITE factory configuration
© National Instruments Corporation 3-3 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 3 VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
Configuring the VXIpc 800 Series
This section describes how to configure the following options on the
VXIpc-800:
• VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0
• VXIbus CLK10 routing
• Trigger input termination
• EEPROM
• Installed system RAM
How to Remove the Metal Enclosure
The VXIpc-800 is housed in a metal enclosure comprised of a top and
bottom cover to improve EMC performance and to provide easy
handling. You must remove the top cover to change many of t he switch
and jumper settings. You must also remove the top cover to change the
amount of DRAM installed on the module.
Remove the top cover by removing the 12 screws that attach it to the
module.
VXIbus Slot 0/Non-Slot 0
The VXIpc-800 is configured at the factory to automatically detect if it
is installed in Slot 0 of a VXIbus mainframe. With automatic Slot 0
detection, you can install the module into any VXIbus slot.
You can manually configure the VXIpc-800 for either Slot 0 or
Non-Slot 0 operation by defeating the automatic-detection circuitry.
Use the three-position jumper W13 to select automatic Slot 0 detection,
Slot 0, or Non-Slot 0 operation. Figure 3-2 shows these three settings.
Caution: Do not install a device configured for Slot 0 into another slot without
!
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 3-4 © National Instruments Corporation
first reconfiguring it to either Non-Slot 0 or automatic configuration.
Neglecting to do this could result in damage to the device, the VXIbus
backplane, or both.
Chapter 3 VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
When the VXIpc-800 is installed in Slot 0, it becomes the VXIbus
System Controller. In this role, it has VXIbus Data Transfer Bus Arbiter
circuitry that accepts bus requests on all four VXIbus request levels,
prioritizes the requests, and grants the bus to the highest priority
requester. As VXIbus System Controller, the VXIpc-800 also drives the
16 MHz VXIbus system clock by an onboard 16 MHz oscillator.
As required by the VXIbus specification, the VXIpc-800 drives the
10 MHz signal CLK10 on a differential ECL output when installed in
Slot 0. When not installed in Slot 0, the VXIpc-800 only receives the
CLK10 signal.
VXIbus CLK10 Routing
When the VXIpc-800 is installed in Slot 0 of your mainframe, it
supplies the VXIbus CLK10 signal. The VXIpc-800 can use two
different sources to generate this signal: an onboard oscillator, or the
external CLK SMB connector. Use switch S3 to select these options, as
shown in Figure 3-3.
W13
a. Manual Non-Slot 0
Configuration
Figure 3-2. VXIbus Slot Configuration
W13 W13
b. Automatic Slot 0
Detection (Default)
c. Manual Slot 0
Configuration
© National Instruments Corporation 3-5 VXIpc 800 Series User Manual
Chapter 3 VXIpc 800 Series Configuration and Installation
Notice that Figure 3-3b also shows switch S5. You must configure these
switches as shown when using the corresponding CLK10 source setting
of S3.
a. CLK10 Generated from Onboard
Oscillator (Default)
The VXIpc-800 can also be configured to drive the external CLK SMB
signal from the VXIbus CLK10 signal. Switch S5 controls whether the
VXIpc-800 drives or receives the external CLK SMB signal. If you
change the S5 setting to drive CLK10 out the external CLK10 SMB
connector (Figure 3-4b), do not set S3 to source CLK10 to the
backplane from the SMB; instead use the setting shown in Figure 3-3a.
S3 S3
S5
b. CLK10 Generated from SMB
Figure 3-3. VXIbus CLK10 Routing
S5S5
a. CLK10 SMB Receives 10 MHz
Signal (Default)
b. CLK10 SMB Drives 10 MHz
Signal from VXIbus CLK10
Figure 3-4. SMB CLK10 Direction
VXIpc 800 Series User Manual 3-6 © National Instruments Corporation
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