 Overview
The FarSync OEM T1U and T2U cards and software are designed
to provide high performance hardware communications solutions for companies
who wish to quickly develop their own communications products without
incurring the cost of having to develop and approve hardware. The
Developers Toolkit is included with the product.
The products include support for the standard Windows
SDCI API. This provides applications with direct access to the card's
communications ports for bit synchronous (HDLC) framing and also transparent
bitstream operation for video and voice. Full documentation and a sample
application demonstrating both modes of operation is provided.
Support is included for the Linux Raw Sockets API
that allows HDLC frames and transparent bitstreaming data to be
sent and received. Full documentation, source code for the driver and
a sample application demonstrating both modes of operation is provided.
The transparent bitstream option available with the
APIs is suitable for video and voice such as T-DMB (Digital Multimedia
Broadcasting), DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) ETI (Ensemble Transport
Interface - ETSI 300799).
For embedded development royalty free source code
is provided for the executive and synchronous line drivers together
with a sample embedded application, test programs and utilities that
allow you to get the card working straight out of the box.
Typical Applications
The FarSync OEM T-Series adapters are suitable for a
very wide variety of applications, including for example:
- High speed multi-port HDLC framing support for
non standard or specialist protocols
- Interfacing Audio or DAB bit streams to Servers
- Interfacing high speed MPEG Video bit streams
to Servers
- Watchdog systems
- Data generators for test systems
- Engineering monitoring and control systems
FarSync OEM T1U
and T2U Hardware
The cards comprise a 50 MHz AMD Am186CH processor
with 1 Mbyte of on board no wait state 15ns SRAM. The whole memory
space may be mapped via the PCI / PCI-X interface to the PC/Server.
The Am186CH contains a dual embedded HDLC / transparent controller
with SDMA access (128 buffers per port), an asynchronous controller
and a full range of timers.
Network Interfaces
The T1U supports a single synchronous port
which can run to speeds of up to 10 Mbits/s full duplex, soft selectable
asynchronous operation up to 115 Kbits/s is also supported. Total
bandwidth supported by the adapter 20 Mbits/s.
The T2U supports two synchronous ports which
can run to speeds of up to 10 Mbits/s full duplex, soft selectable
asynchronous operation up to 115 Kbits/s is also supported on one
of the ports. Total bandwidth supported by the adapter 40 Mbits/s.
The multi function line drivers available on both
cards support RS232C
(V.24),
X.21 (RS422, V.11), V.35,
RS530
and RS449
network interfaces, all soft configurable and protected from static
charges by ESD protection devices.
The T2U supports accurate internal clock generation
at a wide range of standard frequencies from 9,600 baud to 8.192 Mbits/s,
dual clocks can be generated in V.11 mode if required. The clocking
speed of both ports are individually selectable. The T1U supports
clock generation at speeds of 9600, 19200, 38400 and 76800 baud. Internal
clocking on both cards is selectable for the RS232C, X.21 and RS449
network interfaces.
PC / Server PCI and PCI-X Compatibility
The FarSync OEM T1U and T2U cards are suitable
for systems with a PCI or PCI-X bus, covering single processor systems,
all multiprocessor systems and processors featuring HyperThreading
technology, including Pentium 4, Xeon and Xeon-MP CPUs. The cards
are PCI revision 2.2 compliant with support for both 3.3 and 5 volt
signaling, the power for the card is taken from the 3.3 volt supply
rail. The adapters may be fitted in either 32-bit PCI bus slots or
64-bit PCI-X bus slots as these Universal PCI cards will work perfectly
well in both.
The PCI / PCI-X bus access is controlled by a PLX
bus mastering PCI9054 PCI DMA enabled, universal signaling controller.
Interrupts generated by the card can be reset by either the PC or
the card to simplify card driver design.
Windows SDCI API
The FarSync OEM T-Series cards and software provides
support for an enhanced SDCI (Synchronous Dumb Card Interface) API.
The API allows applications to exactly control the type of data sent
and received in both bit synchronous (HDLC framed) data and transparent
bitstream formats. The SDCI SDK contains everything a user
needs to rapidly develop and test applications for such requirements
as supporting specialist synchronous protocols or transparent bitstream
data requirements such as Audio, MPEG Video T-DMB and DAB ETI.
Drivers for the FarSync OEM T-Series range of cards
are provided for Windows XP, 2000, Server 2003 and NT4. An easy to follow
sample application with support for both modes of operation is provided
complete with source code to illustrate how the interface can be used,
see further information
on the SDCI API.
Easy installation and fast configuration are
features when using the SDCI Interface on Windows, On-line help, documentation
and GUI based test utilities are provided. T-Series cards are 'plug-and-play'
compatible supporting Windows XP, 2000 and Server 2003. Typically
12 or more cards (48+ ports) can be supported on a single Server; the
card limit is only dependent on the PCI slots resources available in
the Server.
Linux Raw Sockets
API
The Linux API allows applications to send and receive
HDLC format (bitsync) frames and also transparent bit streams with the
raw sockets based API. The sample application
demonstrates both modes of operation.
Data rates of up to 10 Mbits/s are supported, with all
the ports individually selectable for speed, clocking direction and
mode of operation (HDLC or Transparent). Frame sizes up to 32 Kbytes
are supported in HDLC mode to allow support for a wide variety of specialist
synchronous protocols. The transparent bitstream is suitable for
transparent data requirements such as Audio, MPEG Video T-DMB and
DAB ETI.
The source for the application and drivers is included,
with the Linux API manual provided in pdf format. The driver is supported
under kernel version 2.4 and 2.6 for both single CPU and SMP 32 and
64 bit machines. Typically 12 or more cards can be supported on
a single Server; the card limit is only dependent on the PCI slots resources
available in the Server, the maximum within Linux is 32. For further
information on the API see the
Linux HDLC / Transparent API Manual (pdf).
Embedded Development
The card is supplied with a comprehensive suite of software
to keep your development timescales and costs to a minimum. This includes
an executive, communications drivers, sample on board application, code
downloader for Windows and DOS, code relocator, event log viewer and
card test program utilities.
Executive
An executive is supplied with the card, it is written
in Assembler requiring no more than 4 Kbytes at run time. The executive
provides the following features: CPU initialisation, interrupt vector
control, memory allocation control, an event log (accessible from
the PC), illegal instruction notification, undefined interrupt handling,
PC controlled embedded application initiation and status notification.
For configurations using a small shared memory window an executive
provides an application bootstrap loader. The source code may be modified
or adapted for use on the FarSync adapters on a royalty free basis.
HDLC Drivers
Drivers for the HDLC controllers are provided. The
code which is written in C utilises the SDMA (Smart DMA) linked buffer
list system feature of the Am186CH. The source code may be modified
or adapted for use on the FarSync card on a royalty free basis.
Sample Application
A simple to follow sample embedded application written
in C is included. The application which can easily be modified uses
the HDLC drivers to transmit and receive frames between ports whilst
also driving the LEDs and providing status information to the event
log.
Application Loaders
Windows and DOS utilities are provided to download
the embedded executive and application from files on the PC. The application
code is automatically initiated on completion of the download operation.
Utilities
Utility programs are provided to relocate the embedded
code and view the Event Log.
Compilers
Code written for the FarSync card can be developed
using a number of different compilers, the Borland C compiler and
Assembler are recommended.
Test Program
A fully functional card test program is provided.
The software which runs on DOS verifies all the functions of the card.
The loopback connector supplied with the product is used to check
for correct operation of the communications ports.
Manuals
The card's technical specification and programming
guide is provided in a PDF format manual. Also included are the technical
and programming details of the major chips used on the FarSync card.
Cables
Cables are available for the T1U and T2U adapters with
X.21 (RS422, V.11 15 pin male D type), V.24 (RS232C 25 pin male D type),
V.35 (MRAC-34 male 'brick' type), EIA430 and RS449 network interfaces.
The FarSync
OEM T-Series Product Range and compatible Cables table lists the
cables available by card type. Crossover cables, sometimes referred
to as null modem cables are also detailed.
Product Packaging
The product includes:
Windows SDCI and Linux Raw Sockets drivers for the
card,
Documentation supplied on CD-ROM,
A quick start guide,
The communications card,
Loopback connector for test use,
Developers Toolkit for the SDCI API, Raw Sockets API and embedded
development.
Cables are ordered separately.
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