National Instruments GPIB-140A User Manual

GPIB

GPIB-140A User Manual

GPIB-140A User Manual

February 2013
373124B-01

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The GPIB-140A and GPIB-140A/2 are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from
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Electromagnetic Compatibility Information

This hardware has been tested and found to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements and limits
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These requirements and limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the hardware is operated in the intended electromagnetic environment. In special cases, for example
when either highly sensitive or noisy hardware is being used in close proximity, additional mitigation
measures may have to be employed to minimize the potential for electromagnetic interference.

While this hardware is compliant with the applicable regulatory EMC requirements, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation. To minimize the potential for the hardware to
cause interference to radio and television reception or to experience unacceptable performance degradation,
install and use this hardware in strict accordance with the instructions in the hardware documentation and
the DoC

If this hardware does cause interference with licensed radio communications services or other nearby
electronics, which can be determined by turning the hardware off and on, you are encouraged to try to correct
the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient the antenna of the receiver (the device suffering interference).

• Relocate the transmitter (the device generating interference) with respect to the receiver.

• Plug the transmitter into a different outlet so that the transmitter and the receiver are on different branch

Some hardware may require the use of a metal, shielded enclosure (windowless version) to meet the EMC
requirements for special EMC environments such as, for marine use or in heavy industrial areas. Refer to

the hardware’s user documentation and the DoC

When the hardware is connected to a test object or to test leads, the system may become more sensitive to
disturbances or may cause interference in the local electromagnetic environment.

Operation of this hardware in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference. Users are required to
correct the interference at their own expense or cease operation of the hardware.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by National Instruments could void the user’s right to
operate the hardware under the local regulatory rules.

1

.

circuits.

1

for product installation requirements.

1

.

1

The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) contains important EMC compliance information and instructions
for the user or installer. To obtain the DoC for this product, visit
model number or product line, and click the appropriate link in the Certification column.

ni.com/certification, search by

Contents

About This Manual

Conventions ...................................................................................................................... ix

Related Documentation .................................................................................................... ix

Chapter 1
Introduction

What Your Kit Should Contain ........................................................................................ 1-1

Optional Equipment.......................................................................................................... 1-1

Hardware Overview.......................................................................................................... 1-2

Time-Saving Development Tools..................................................................................... 1-3

Chapter 2
Connecting Your Hardware

Step 1. Verify the DIP Switch Setting .............................................................................. 2-1

Step 2. Connect the Cables ............................................................................................... 2-2

Step 3. Switch On Your GPIB Extender .......................................................................... 2-2

Step 4. Verify the Connection .......................................................................................... 2-2

Chapter 3
Configuring and Using Your Hardware

Data Transfer Modes ........................................................................................................ 3-1

Selecting a Data Transfer Mode ............................................................................... 3-1

Unbuffered Mode ............................................................................................. 3-1

Buffered Mode.................................................................................................. 3-1

Setting the Data Transfer Mode................................................................................ 3-2

HS488 Mode..................................................................................................................... 3-2

Selecting an HS488 Mode ........................................................................................ 3-2

HS488 Disabled................................................................................................ 3-2

HS488 Enabled ................................................................................................. 3-2

Setting the HS488 Mode........................................................................................... 3-2

Parallel Poll Response Modes .......................................................................................... 3-3

Immediate PPR Mode............................................................................................... 3-3

Latched PPR Mode................................................................................................... 3-3

Selecting a PPR Mode .............................................................................................. 3-4

Setting the PPR Mode............................................................................................... 3-4

Using Your Extension System.......................................................................................... 3-5

© National Instruments | vii

Contents

Chapter 4
Theory of Operation

Message Interpreter Layer ................................................................................................4-2

Packet Translation Layer .................................................................................................. 4-2

Link Management Layer...................................................................................................4-2

Parallel-to-Serial Conversion Layer .................................................................................4-2

Physical Layer................................................................................................................... 4-2

Appendix A
GPIB Basics

Appendix B
Introduction to HS488

Appendix C
Multiline Interface Messages

Appendix D
Specifications

Appendix E
Technical Support and Professional Services

Glossary

viii | ni.com

About This Manual

This manual describes how to install, configure, and operate the National Instruments GPIB-140A
or GPIB-140A/2 bus extender.

Conventions

The following conventions appear in this manual:

This icon denotes a note, which alerts you to important information.

This icon denotes a caution, which advises you of precautions to take
to avoid injury, data loss, or a system crash.

bold Bold text denotes the names of LEDs.

GPIB-140A GPIB-140A refers to a National Instruments GPIB extender that

extends the GPIB to a maximum distance of 1 km.

GPIB-140A/2 GPIB-140A/2 refers to a National Instruments GPIB extender that

extends the GPIB to a maximum distance of 2 km.

GPIB extender GPIB extender refers to the GPIB-140A and the GPIB-140A/2.

IEEE 488 and IEEE 488 and IEEE 488.2 refer to the ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1-1987

IEEE 488.2 and the ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.2-1992, respectively, which define

the GPIB.

italic Italic text denotes variables, emphasis, a cross-reference, or an

introduction to a key concept. Italic text also denotes text that is a
placeholder for a word or value that you must supply.

monospace Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter 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, programs, subprograms, subroutines, device names,
functions, operations, variables, filenames and extensions, and code
excerpts.

Related Documentation

The following documents contain information that you might find helpful as you read this manual:

• ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1-1987, IEEE Standard Digital Interface for Programmable

Instrumentation

• ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.2-1992, IEEE Standard Codes, Formats, Protocols, and

Common Commands

© National Instruments | ix

1

Introduction

This chapter lists the kit contents and briefly describes the GPIB-140A bus extender.

What Your Kit Should Contain

Before you connect your GPIB-140A or GPIB-140A/2, make sure you have all of the following
items:

 One of the following GPIB-140A or GPIB-140A/2 bus extenders:

– U.S. 100-120 VAC

– Switzerland 220-240 VAC

– Australia 220-240 VAC

– Universal European 220-240 VAC

– North American 220-240 VAC

– U.K. 220-240 VAC

– Japan 100 VAC

 One of the following standard 3-wire power cables:

– 100-120 VAC

– 220-240 VAC

Optional Equipment

 One of the following transmission cables, which you can purchase from National

Instruments:

– Type T7 fiber-optic cable—up to 1 km (used with GPIB-140A)

– Type T8 fiber-optic cable—up to 2 km (used with GPIB-140A/2)

Caution To meet FCC emission limits for this device, you must use a shielded

GPIB cable. If you operate this equipment with a non-shielded cable, it may interfere
with radio and television reception.

 A Type X2 double-shielded cable (1, 2, or 4 m), which you can purchase from National

Instruments.

© National Instruments | 1-1

Chapter 1 Introduction

POWER

LINK

ERROR

GPIB-140

FUS

Printer

(Listener)

GPIB Cable

Computer

(System Controller,

Talker, and Listener)

GPIB Cable

Fiber-Optic Cable

Signal Generator

(Listener)

Unit Under Test

Multimeter

(Talker and Listener)

GPIB-140A or

GPIB-140A/2

GPIB-140A or

GPIB-140A/2

GPIB Cable

POWER

LINK

ERROR

GPIB-140

FUS

Computer

(System Controller,

Talker, and Listener)

Printer

(Listener)

GPIB

Multimeter

(Talker and Listener)

Signal Generator

(Listener)

Unit Under Test

Hardware Overview

Note You cannot use the GPIB-140A or GPIB-140A/2 bus extenders to

communicate with either a GPIB-140 or GPIB-140/2 bus extender. The GPIB-140A
and GPIB-140A/2 bus extenders use a different protocol to communicate with each
other across the fiber optic cable.

The GPIB-140A and GPIB-140A/2 are high-speed bus extenders that you can use in pairs with
fiber-optic cable to connect two separate GPIB systems in a functionally transparent manner.

Although the two bus systems are physically separate, as shown in Figure 1-1, devices logically
appear to be located on the same bus, as shown in Figure 1-2.

Figure 1-1. Typical Extension System (Physical Configuration)

1-2 | ni.com

Figure 1-2. Typical Extension System (Logical Configuration)

GPIB-140A User Manual

The GPIB-140A and GPIB-140A/2 bus extenders comply with the specifications of the
ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1-1987 and the ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.2-1992, including the Find
Listeners protocol. With the GPIB extenders, you can overcome the following two configuration
restrictions imposed by IEEE 488:

• A cable length limit of 20 m total per contiguous bus or 2 m per each device on the bus,

whichever is smaller

• An electrical loading limit of 15 devices per contiguous bus

Each GPIB-140A system extends the GPIB to a maximum distance of 1 km, and each
GPIB-140A/2 system extends the GPIB to a maximum distance of 2 km. Both systems extend
the loading limit to 28 devices (including the GPIB extenders), without sacrificing speed or
performance. You can connect these point-to-point extension systems in series for longer
distances or in star patterns for additional loading.

Using the HS488 protocol, the maximum data transfer rate over the extension is greater than

2.8 Mbytes/s. The GPIB extenders use a buffered transfer technique with a serial extension bus,

which maximizes performance and minimizes the cabling cost. Furthermore, the extender does
not affect the transfer rate between devices on the same side of the extension. The GPIB extender
can also check for errors to make sure that the data transmitted successfully over the fiber-optic
link.

Because the GPIB-140A and GPIB-140A/2 are functionally transparent extenders, the GPIB
communications and control programs that work with an unextended system also work with an
extended system. However, the Parallel Poll Response Modes section in Chapter 3, Configuring

and Using Your Hardware, describes one exception to this transparency in conducting parallel

polls.

Time-Saving Development Tools

Your kit includes the GPIB-140A or GPIB-140A/2 bus extender. In addition, you can order the
NI-488.2, LabWindows™/CVI™, or LabVIEW software from National Instruments to speed
your application development time and make it easier to communicate with your instruments.

The NI-488.2 software supports the concurrent use of multiple types of GPIB hardware. For
example, you can communicate with GPIB devices through a PCI-GPIB, a PCMCIA-GPIB, and
a GPIB-ENET/100 in the same system at the same time. The NI-488.2 software, along with the
GPIB hardware, transforms your computer into a GPIB Talker/Listener/Controller with
complete communications and bus management capability.

LabVIEW is an easy-to-use, graphical programming environment you can use to acquire data
from thousands of different instruments, including IEEE 488.2 devices, VXI devices, serial
devices, PLCs, and plug-in data acquisition boards. After you have acquired raw data, you can
convert it into meaningful results using the powerful data analysis routines in LabVIEW.
LabVIEW also comes with hundreds of instrument drivers, which dramatically reduce software
development time, because you do not have to spend time programming the low-level control of
each instrument.

© National Instruments | 1-3

Chapter 1 Introduction

LabWindows/CVI is similar to LabVIEW, except that it combines an interactive, easy-to-use
development approach with the programming power and flexibility of compiled ANSI C code.

The GPIB Analyzer is another optional tool available from National Instruments that is useful
in troubleshooting a variety of IEEE 488 hardware and software problems. With its built-in
time-stamping capability, you can easily determine the throughput and overhead of your GPIB
systems. The GPIB Analyzer software for Windows works with the AT-GPIB/TNT+,
PCI-GPIB+, and NI PCIe-GPIB+ products, which provide GPIB Analyzer support along with
the functionality of a high-performance GPIB Controller.

For ordering information, or to request free demonstration software, contact National
Instruments.

1-4 | ni.com

2

Connecting Your Hardware

This chapter describes how to connect your GPIB extender and verify that it is working properly.

Step 1. Verify the DIP Switch Setting

The 3-bit DIP switch sets the operation mode of the GPIB extender. The default switch setting
is for unbuffered transfer mode, latched parallel poll response (PPR), and HS488 disabled mode,
as shown in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1. Default DIP Switch Setting

OFF

PARALLEL POLL IMMEDIATE

HS488 ENABLE

BUFFERED TRANSFER

Verify that the DIP switches on your GPIB extender are in these default positions. If you need
to change these settings, refer to Chapter 3, Configuring and Using Your Hardware, for
instructions on how to set the operation mode for your application.

ON

© National Instruments | 2-1

Chapter 2 Connecting Your Hardware

Step 2. Connect the Cables

To connect the cables to both GPIB extenders, complete the following steps:

1. Make sure that each GPIB extender is powered off.

2. Connect the two connectors on each end of the fiber-optic cable to your GPIB extenders, as
follows:

a. As shown in Figure 2-2, align the connector marked T (transmit) with the connector

marked TRANS on the side panel of the GPIB extender. Align the connector marked
R (receive) with the connector marked RCVR on the side panel of the GPIB extender.

Figure 2-2. Connecting the Fiber-Optic Cable to Both GPIB Extenders

GPIB-140A or

GPIB-140A/2

T

R

RCVR

RCVRTRANS

Fiber-Optic Cable

R

GPIB-140A or

GPIB-140A/2

T

TRANS

b. Remove the caps on the connectors.

c. Align the notch on each cable connector to the slot of the fiber-optic connector on the

box.

d. Firmly push in the cable connector and rotate the sleeve clockwise until it locks on to

the side notch of the fiber-optic connector on the box.

3. Connect the end of the extender with the GPIB connector to your GPIB system. Make sure
that you follow all IEEE 488 cabling restrictions. For typical restrictions, refer to the

Configuration Requirements section in Appendix A, GPIB Basics.

4. Plug the utility power cord included with your GPIB extender into an AC outlet of the
correct voltage.

5. Plug the other end of the utility power cord into your GPIB extender.

Step 3. Switch On Your GPIB Extender

Power on each GPIB extender. The POWER LED should light immediately. If the POWER
LED does not light immediately, make sure that power is supplied to your GPIB extender.

The LINK LED lights only when both GPIB extenders are on and the fiber-optic cable is
properly connected between them.

2-2 | ni.com

GPIB-140A User Manual

GPIB-140A or

GPIB-140A/2

Fiber-Optic

Cable

TRANS

RCVR

R

R

T

T

Step 4. Verify the Connection

Each GPIB extender has a self test that determines whether the GPIB extender receivers,
transmitters, and packet transmission and reception circuitry are working properly.

To run the self test, complete the following steps:

1. Power off the GPIB extender.

2. Disconnect the fiber-optic cable from the GPIB extender.

3. Power on the GPIB extender.

The POWER LED lights, indicating that power is supplied to the extender. The LINK
LED remains off.

4. Connect the connector marked T (transmit) on one end of the fiber-optic cable to the
connector marked TRANS on the side panel of the GPIB extender.

5. Connect the connector marked R (receive) on the opposite end of the fiber-optic cable to
the connector marked RCVR on the side panel of the GPIB extender.

Figure 2-3. GPIB Extender Self-Test Configuration

The LINK LED lights, indicating that the cable is connected. The ERROR LED should
remain off, indicating that the GPIB extender is working properly.

6. If the ERROR LED does not remain off, complete the following steps to solve the problem:

a. Verify that the fiber-optic cable is connected to the GPIB extender, as described in

steps 4 and 5. If the problem persists, continue to the next step.

b. Repeat steps 4 and 5 using the unconnected ends of the fiber-optic cable. If switching

the fiber-optic cable connectors solves the problem, you need to replace your
fiber-optic cable. To order a new fiber-optic cable, contact National Instruments. If
switching the fiber-optic cable connectors does not solve the problem, continue to the
next step.

c. If possible, repeat steps 4 and 5 using a different fiber-optic cable. If the problem

persists, you might need to replace your GPIB extender. For more information, contact
National Instruments.

© National Instruments | 2-3