Tektronix IBIN-A, IBIN-LP PC Interfaces Rev. D User manual
IBIN-A, IBIN-LP PC Interfaces
The IBIN-Ainterface plugs into any slot in an IBM I’C/XT/AT/386/486 Personal System/2 Models 25,
30, or compatible, and serves as an interface between the computer and the Series 500. In addition, the
interface card hosts other functions ccmmon to the Series 500 system: the programmable interval timer,
and the switch selectable wait state generator.
The IBIN-LP is a low-power version of the standard IBIN-A interface which was designed for use in
lap-tops or other computers which cannot supply enough current in their expansion slots to power the
standard IBIN-A. The IBIN-Ll’ achieves its reduced power requirement through the use of low-power
components. Physically, the IBIN-A and IBJN-Ll’ are identical, and share the same component layout
and designations. Instructions for installation and use are also the same for both cards.
The programmable interval timer can be used to time events, create software delays, and generate periodic interrupts in the PC. The timer consists of three independent 16-bit counters with a resolution of
one microsecond. The three counters can be cascaded to create longer timing intervals.
The wait state generator provides compatibility with many computers which use non-standard bus
timing or processor speeds.
Configuring the IBIN-A Interface Card
User configurable features of the IBIN-A interface include an address mapping switch, a PC bus wait
state generator switch, and a removable cable for connecting the interface card to the Series 500 system.
In addition, there are several jumpers that can be used in special applications to achieve additional flexibility
Switch Sl selects the address range of the interface in the system memory map. This switch is normally
set for a starting location of hex CFFSO (the factory default), but can be configured over the full one
megabyte addressing range of the PC. The switch setting determines the most significant 8 bits of the
Series 500’s address region, which is 4K in size. The upper 128 bytes of memory in this 4K area contain
the active memory locations used to communicate with the Series 500.
Functionally, switch set Sl consists of two groups of four switches. Switches l-4 control which 64K segment of memory the IBIN-A resides in. For any 64K segment, the second address digit can be set from
0 through F (hex). The last three digits of the address are hard-wired to “F80”. This permits the interface
address to be set to the top 127 bytes of consecutive 4K blocks of memory within any 64K segment.
Document Number: 501-910-01 Rev. D
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Table 1. IBIN-A Address Switch Setting Information
64K
Segment 1 2
Fxxxx off off off off xFF80
Exxxx off off
Dxxxx off off on
cxxxx off
BXXXX
Axxxx off on
9xxxx off on on off x9F80 off on on
8xxxx off on on on
As an example, to set the interface to respond at address CFF80 you would set the switches 1 through
8 as follows:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
off off on on
An address range which is almost universally available regardless of computer is CAF80 through
CFFSO. Note that many of the possible addresses will conflict with other hardware, RAM, or ROM al-
ready in the computer, so the practical range of addresses is fewer than the switches provided for. However, there will normally be many more addresses available than are actually needed.
off on off off xBF80 off on
off on on XCFSO off off on on
3
off on xEF80 off off off on
off on XAFSO off on off on
4
off xDF80 off off on off
off off off off
4K
Region 5 6 7
off off off off
off off
XSFSO off on on on
8
off
Hardware options for the PC or AT, such as fixed disks, enhanced graphics adapters, and expanded
memory occupy portions of the PC memory map, and preclude using the same addresses for the
IBIN-Ainterface. Memory conflicts occur when the computer attempts to read an address occupied by
more than one piece of hardware. These problems can be manifest as error messages at boot-up, or failure of the computer or data acquisition system to operate properly. If this occurs, examine the memory
usage of all hardware in your computer, and make changes where necessary. Usually, changing the address of the IBIN-A interface is all that is required.
The following is a map of common memory usage in a standard AT or 386:
FOOOO-FF’FFI? Universally used for ROM BI05. Interface should generally not be addressed to this
block.
EOOOO-EFFFF: Used by some 16 bit VGA cards. May be used by Lotus-Intel-Microsoft “EMS” expansion
memory. Also reserved for system use in AT-class computers. If no functions or hardware use all these
addresses, area may be used for IBIN-A interface.
DOOOO-DFFFF: May be used by Lotus-Intel-Microsoft “EMS” expansion memory. This page is often the
location of a LAN card. If no functions or hardware use all these addresses, area may be used for
IBIN-A interface.
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COOOO-CFFFF: Lower portion of this page typically occupied by Fixed disk ROM B105 and Video BI05
ROM. Interface can be set to use CAFSO through CFFSO for most systems.
AOOOO-BFFFF: Universally used by VGA, EGA, or CGA. Interface cannot be set to this block. This area
not normally available for interface.
00000-9FFlP RAM space from OK to 640K. This area should not be used for interface.
You should have no technical difficulty finding usable addresses, although you may have to do some
research to find out what addresses are free in your computer. Normally, CFFSO will be compatible with
any computer and installed hardware.
Memory Conflicts
In very rare cases, a system may be loaded with options which use addresses in the COOO, DOOO, and
EOOO address blocks. Increasingly, hardware and software options such as EMS memory, “shadowed
ROM BIOS”, and VGA cards are being added by computer manufacturers or end users. These options
can monopolize the one or two complete pages of memory. If the COOO, DOOO, and EOOO pages are all
used, the process of integrating the computer and IBIN-A becomes much more complex. Finding a free
address in such computers can require trial and error testing, a search through the computer documentation, or a call to the computer manufacturer. The IBIN-A installation may ultimately result in a sacrifice of some of the computer’s speed, enhancements, or overall performance. Examples include:
1. I6-BIT VGA VIDEO ADAPTERS -Some VGA adapters feature 16-bit addressing, and use addresses up to E000:O. These cards can be identified by the presence of a second AT-type card edge
connector behind the main card-edge connector. Memory usage will vary as the adapter enters and
leaves its various display modes. When the card permits, the solution is to reconfigure the VGAfor
&bit operation by setting switches or running utility software. This may cause a reduction in video
update speed or loss of some unique resolution modes or enhancements designed in by the VGA
manufacturer.
2. EMS MEMORY - Expanded memory is also called “paged” memory. EMS was originally designed to provide PC/XT computers with up to eight or more megabytes of RAM, even though the
8088kP can address only 1 Mbyte of memory. EMS can also be used in 286- and 386.based computers. Most EMS boards require a free, contiguous 64k address space which acts as a window into all
the EMS memory. The solution is to install the EMS software to specifically exclude the space that
the IBIN-A requires. Instructions for excluding a particular range of segment addresses for an EMS
page are given below for three popular 386 expanded memory manager packages. Add the exclude
statement to the CONFIG.SYS declaration which corresponds to the memory manager you are using.
IBIN-
386 Expanded
MeIlKlly Minimum
Manager Exclude Statement CONFIGSYS Declaration Exclusion
DOS 5.0’s X = CFOO-WOO
EMM386
Qualita’s
386 MAX
Quarterdeck’s EXCLUDE = CFOO-CFFF DEVICE = QEMMSYS 4K
EXCLUDE = CCOO-DO00 DEVICE = 386MAX.SYS 16K
DEVICE = EMM386.EXE
4K
QEW
Each of the above examples assumed that the IBIN-A address switch is set to the default CFFS hex.
Note: an exclude statement is required because the IBIN-A cannot be detected by a memory manager. A memory manager is likely to take all unexcluded memory blocks for its own use.
3. “SHADOWING” -This technique copies system ROM BIOS or VGA BIOS information stored in
relatively slow system ROM chips to faster-reading RAM, usually in the DO00 or EOOO pages. Once
in RAM, the information can be read more quickly by the computer’s pP, resulting in a faster system. By itself, shadowing does not necessarily consume all the available high memory addresses.
However; a system which combines shadowing, 16-bit VGA, and EMS memory may leave no ad-
dresses vacant for the IBIN-A. Consult your computer documentation for instructions on disabling
the shadow RAM.
Any of these problems require a careful study of the documentation for the affected hardware to determine how memory is allocated in a specific computer, and what steps may be available to solve the
problem. Keithley can offer specific suggestions on setting up the IBIN interface, but users may have to
contact vendors of the other equipment to find a complete solution.
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Figure 1. IBIN-A Interface
See Table 2 for user-configured components on the interface card. See Figure 1 for an illustration of the
PC interface.
Table 2. User-Configured Components on the IBIN-A
NiXme Designation
Cable 1 CBl
Switch set Sl Sl
Switch set 52 S2
Jumper Wl Wl
Jumper W2 W2
EXT lNT
TPl
Function
Cable between IBIN-A and Series 500.
Memory Address Range Switch
Wait State Selector Switch
External Interrupt Enable/Disable
Series 500 Interrupt Enable/Disable
External Interrupt Connect
(used with Wl)
Default
CFFSO
disabled
installed
removed
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Installing the IBIN-A Interface Card
CAUTION: Turn off the power before installing or removing the interface card in the computer.
The IBIN-Ainterface is installed into expansion slots inside the PC system unit. It may be installed into
any vacant slot of the computer.
Install the IBIN-A into an expansion slot as follows: Make sure the PC is turned off, and unplug the
power cord. Consult the computer manufacturer’s documentation for instructions on opening the computer. Remove the outer case and any other covers to gain access to the computer’s expansion slots.
A rear panel opening is provided at the end of each expansion slot for mounting I/O connectors. If a
slot is unused, then this opening will be covered by a metal plate held in place by a screw on top of the
plate. Remove the retaining screw and cover plate from the desired expansion slot. Be very careful not
to drop the retaining screw into the computer, it may be difficult to retrieve.
Carefully insert the IBlN-A into the expansion slot, fitting the DB25 connector through the rear panel
operating so that the mounting bracket is in the correct position to be fastened securely by the retaining
screw removed earlier. Insert the card edge into the mother board card edge receptacle. With the board
firmly in place, install and tighten the retaining screw. Finally, attach the interfacing cable to the connector (JZ) on the interface card at the rear of the computer. The cable connecting the PC to the Series 500
is a shielded 23-contact cable. The cable should be attached to the baseboard of the Series 500 unit. Never strain the connection between cable and connector. The outer end of the cable should be plugged into
the connector (Jll7) on the rear panel of the Series 500 base unit. This connection should be made with
power to the Series 500 turned off. Avoid entangling the interface cable in 60 cycle AC power lines.
Software Installation and Wait States
Switch SW2 enables and disables the wait state generator. For most computers, this feature can be left
disabled (all wait state switches set to OFF). The need to change the wait state switches will become evident for a given computer if certain problems arise during installation or operation of software. For instance, some PC compatibles running at rates higher than 8MHz will not work properly with the Series
500. One indication would be if the INSTALL program supplied with KDAC500 aborts or issues error
messages such as “Interface not found” or “Can’t trigger interrupts”. Another indication would be if
KDAC500 installs correctly, but later yields incorrect data during acquisition.
If you are running a compatible computer which uses non-standard bus or processor speeds, you
should try installing KDAC500 even if you are planning to use a software package other than
KDAC500. If any timing problems exist, you may then add wait states to see if the problem can be COTrected.
To change the number of wait states, see Figure 1 to locate switch 52. There are seven switches on the
52 switch set. In order to add one wait state to the bus you would set switch 1 to on. Reinstall the
Keithley software, and then re-run your test. If the system still does not function, try setting both 1 and
2 on. Continue in this manner until all switches are on. Run the INSTALL software supplied with the
Keithley software each time you make a change.
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If you are using a third-party software package, consult its documentation for installation details.
Interrupt Selection
The interrupt levels, in order of priority, are shown in the following chart. Interrupt usage is controlled
through software;
PC or XT (8088 or 8086)
CLOCK CLOCK
LEV2
LEV3 LEV3
LEV5
See the installation section of the KDACSOO software manual for complete instructions on running INSTALL with command modifiers which select other interrupts.
Jumper Settings for Selection of Interrupt Source
Method of Interrupt
Generation
On board timer 8254 (Default)
External interrupt applied to
TPl
Interrupt generated by a Series
500 option module
AT (80286) or 80386
LEV9
LEV5
Jumper Wl Jumper W?. Note:
Installed
Removed Removed Allows synchronization to an
Removed
Removed
Installed 500.TRGl is currently the only
Default
external time base.
module which can generate an
interrupt.
Hardware installation is completed, Reassemble the computer in reverse order of disassembly, being
careful that no screws or other hardware have dropped into the system. Plug the computer’s power
cord back in.
Interrupt Conflicts
The IBIN-A interface can use the NM1 (Non-Maskable Interrupt), CLOCK, INT2, INT3, or lNT5 for interrupt-driven data acquisition under Keithley’s KDAC500 software. The selection is made during the
installation of the software, with NM1 being the default. The interrupts are activated by the CALL INTON command. Third-party software packages can have their own interrupt strategies, but quite often
use CLOCK.
Keithley recommends using the NM1 because the NM1 takes priority over all other system interrupts
and events, and gives the most precisely-timed acquisition. The NM1 was originally designed for use
with memory parity checking. However, some hardware accessories also use the NM1 for other tasks.
Among these are “auto-switching” EGA cards and the dynamic RAM refresh of some Zenith comput-
IBIN-
em Such systems will operate properly until the user runs a data acquisition program including a
CALL INTON command, at which point a “Parity Check” or other error results.
There are two solutions to making the IBIN-A work in systems which use the NM1 for other functions.
One is to disable the other hardware’s use of the NMI. Some EGA cards have a switch or programmable
register to disable use of the NMI. This is not possible with all hardware, and the second solution is to
simply install the Keithley software to use another of the available IBIN-A interrupts.
Interrupt Usage in PCs and ATs
Keithley’s KDAC500 can be installed to use the NMI, CLOCK, INT2, INT3, or INT5 interrupts. The actual choice of interrupt depends on other hardware which may be in the system.
The following table summarizes inteirupt usage in XT-type computers:
INT
Application
0 Timer
1
Keyboard
2 Reserved
3
Secondary asynch adapter (COM2)
4
Primary asynch adapter (COMI)
5 1 Iard disk controller
6
Floppy disk controller
7
Printer (not used in most machines)
The following rules can be defined for XT computers:
1. Use NMl for the most precisely timed data acquisition.
2. If NM1 causes problems in the system, consider INT2, INT3, or lNT5 in that order.
3. If the XT contains a hard disk, lNT5 cannot be used.
4. If the system contains COMl and COM2, INT3 cannot be used. A serial mouse and an available
COM port probably eliminate lNT3. A bus mouse and one COM port may leave lNT3 available. A
LAN adapter probably uses INT3.
5. If there are no other adapter boards in the computer, lNT2 is probably available, although some
multi-function I/O boards may use INT2.
6. Use CLOCK as a last alternative.
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The following table summarizes interrupt usage in PC/AT computers:
INT Application
Timer
Keyboard
Orred summary of INTB-INT15
Secondary asynch adapter (COM2J
Primary asynch adapter (COMl)
Parallel port 2 (LPT2)
Floppy disk controller
Parallel port 1 (LPTl)
This table provides these guidelines for AT computers:
1. Use NMl for the most precisely timed data acquisition.
2. If using NM1 causes problems in the computer, consider INT2,lNT3, or INT5 in that order.
3. On a true AT compatible, INT2 is not available. However, many AT compatibles do not use INT2 as
the original IBM PC/AT did. In this case, INT2 may be usable.
4. If the computer contains COMl and COM2, INT3 cannot be used. A serial mouse and a COM port
probably make lNT3 unavailable. A bus mouse and a single COM port probably mean INT3 is
available. A LAN adapter probably uses INT3.
5. If the computer contains no other adapter boards, then INT5 is probably available.
6. While lNT5 is assigned for printer use, there seem to be few printer adapters that really use interrupts. In fact, the DOS print spooler does not support it. Therefore, lNT5 is usually a workable alternative (provided something else doesn’t use it).
7. Use CLOCK as a last alternative.
In summary, use NM1 if possible. To use INT2,lNT3, or INT5, first determine what other options may
be using these interrupts and choose accordingly. The ultimate confirmation of whether a given interrupt is suitable may require trying it. The usual symptoms of interrupt conflicts are POST error messages, bad data, or a locked-up computer. Since INT2,lNT3, and INT5 are used by various hardware
options, problems with serial ports, fixed disks, or printer ports may also occur, although they have
been rare. These symptoms will usually appear immediately when the system is turned on, or soon af-
terward. Use CLOCK as a last alternative.
Programmer Model for the Memory Map
A summary of memory locations used with the interface card is given in Table 3. These addresses correspond to the “Command A” and “Command I%” functions which are associated with each module in
the Series 500 module library. Note that some modules also use “Command C” and “Command D” ad-
IBIN-
dresses for special functions. Collectively, these addresses are labeled “CMDA”, “CMDB”, CMDC”,
and “CMDD”.
Table 3. Memory Map Locations and Functions
Function/Use Location
Slot 1
CMDA
CMDB
CMDC
CMDD
Slot 2
CMDA
CMDB
CMDC
Slot 3
CMDA
CMDB
CMDC
Slot 4
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 5
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 6
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 7
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 8
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 9
CMDA
CMDB
Slot 10
CMDA
CMDB
R/W COUNTER 0
R/W COUNTER 1
R/W COUNTER 2
COUNTER CONTROL
TIMER GLOBAL
TIMER STATUS
CLEAR INTERRUPT
SET IN-I’ LEVEL
xxx00
XXX01
XXXlA
xxxlB
xxx02
xxx03
XXX18
xxx04
xxx05
xxx19
xxx06
xxx07
XXX08
xxx09
xxxOA
xxxOB
xxxoc
xxxOD
xxxOE
xxxOF
xxx10
XXX11
XXX12
xxx13
xxx40
xxx41
xxx42
xxx43
xx60
xxx61
xxx62
xxx63
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(Presumes prior execution of a DEF SEG=CFT* command)
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