Hardware options for PCInt

Pentek

Model 4285

VMEbus DSP board with eight C40 DSPs.

Model 4290

VME	4 x C

Model 9156	C40 Comm port interface	providing 8 bidirectional C40 comm ports

Blue Wave Systems

MZ7772

VMEbus DSP board with up to eight C40 DSPs. The board provides a full 64 bit VME master/slave interface as well as local and global memory and expansion module interfaces for custom I/O or memory. A maximum of 18 Mbytes on board local and global SRAM is possible.

VME/C6450

VME	4 x C6701	PMC	array processing

DBV44	VME	4 x TIM40

Search actions for PCI specification

Using TechOnLine several suppliers for DSP boards and development tools are found.

Hardware suppliers for VME-based DSP boards:

Pentek

http://www.pentek.com

Model 4285	VME	8 x C40	MIX/PMC

Model 4958	FTL File Transfer Language

Model 4270	VME	4 x C40	MIX

Model 4290	VME	4 x C6201

Perimos

http://www.perimos.de/

Only SHARC based dsp-boards, VME and cPCI

Transtech Parallel Systems

http://www.transtech.co.uk/

TDMB424	VME	4 x TIM40 with Industry Packs

TDMB428	VME	4 x TIM40

Traquair Data Systems

http://www.traquair.com/

Available is a TIM based (4 slots) VME board, no on board memory.

HEV40-4	4 x TIM40	VME slave

TIM40 processor modules

TIM40 SCSI module (including harddisk)

DNA Enterprise Inc.

http://www.dnaent.com/

Quad C6201 VME board

Kane Computing

http://www.azure.com/kanecomputing/

No VME-based DSP boards, only TIM modules

Coreco Inc.

http://www.coreco.com/

PCI and compactPCI C6201 boards

Communication Automation & Control Inc.

Blue Wave Systems

http://www.bluews.com/

VME/C6400	VME	telecom

VME/C6420	VME	telecom

VME/C6450	VME	4 x C6701	PMC	array processing

DBV44	VME	4 x TIM40

MZ7772	VME	8 x C40

Alacron

http://www.alacron.com/

VME SHARC boards

ASPI digital

http://www.aspi.com/

vortex	AT board

DSP Research

http://www.dspr.com/

No VME boards

hema ELEKTRONIC Gmbh

http://www.hema.de/

Only LINKBUS and Compact PCI C40, C60 DSP boards

Hunt Engineering

http://www.hunteng.co.uk/

HEV40-4	VME	4 x TIM40 carrier board

Sonitech

No further information available.

SPIRIT-40

Sundance

http://www.sundance.com/

SMT328	VME	TIM carrier board

SMT311	TIM	FFT

SMT307	TIM	SCSI2

SMT330	TIM	C6201 with 4 C40 Comm ports

SMT311	TIM	C44 with Sharp LH9124 Vector DSP

Spectrum Signal Processing

http://www.spectrumsignal.com/

SHARC and C6x, C4x boards.

Maranello	VME	TIM C40

Morocco	VME	SHARC 2106x

Melbourne	VME	SHARCPAC 2106x

Ariel Corporation

Ariel Corporation seems out of the DSP business

Innovative Integration

http://www.innovative-dsp.com/

CompactPCI boards and TIM modules

TIM44	Ultra-Performance TIM40 Coprocessor Module

Development tools suppliers

Momentum Data Systems

Spectrum Digital Incorporated

Spectrum Signal Processing

White Mountain DSP

http://www.wmdsp.com/

Wind River Systems

Go DSP Corporation

For DSP boards for the PCI the following conditions are used:

VME board

TI based (C40 or C60)

Multiple serial links on Front panel

possibilities for extension using mezzanine busses.

Concurrent Technologies (found with search on PMC specification)

http://www.gocct.com/

SC PMC/875 - Ultra-SCSI II PMC Module

CL PMC/100 Specification - Fast Ethernet PMC Module

The MAXDAT3 can store 12GB of uncompressed data (up to 24GB with compression) on a single cartridge, eliminating the need to swap tapes during backup and paving the way for unattended backups. With a 1.2Mbps (2.4Mbps compressed) data transfer rate, a 24GB server can be completely backed up in about three hours.

Tecmar designed the Automation LD8 Autoloader utilizing DDS-3 technology and the increased capacity ranges of an autoloader. At an MSRP of $3079, the LD8 autoloader is one of the largest capacity autoloaders available, offering 200GB's of compressed capacity in a 5.25" form factor. With the incorporation of the Tecmar 3900 DDS-3 tape drive, the LD8 autoloader provides one of the industry's fastest sustained data transfer rates of 2.4 MB/sec compressed (1.2 MB/sec native). The ProLine LCD panel integrates more user functionality by providing additional information on write protect, service, error and tape cartridge number indicators.

As the latest DAT standard, DDS-3 takes the technology to an entirely new level of performance and capacity with the ability to store up to 24 Gbytes of data in compressed mode (12 Gbytes native) compared to the 8 Gbytes maximum in compressed mode previously offered by DDS-2. DDS-3 data-transfer rates are up to twice as fast as DDS-2 with speeds up to 2.2 Mbytes per second

Removable storage devices

An internet search revealed several options for fast data storage to removable devices. The most common is DAT-tapes with a restricted capacity of 24 GB per tape and a data transfer of 2.4 MB/s (compressed). A tape system used for more demanding applications is the DLT-tape. With a slightly larger capacity and transfer rate than DAT-tape. (Quantum DLT 7000; 10 MB/s and 70 GB compressed). For the most demanding applications the AMPEX DST tape system can be used. With storage capacities of 50 GB, 150 GB and 330 GB per tape and a sustained transfer rate of 15 MB/s is the AMPEX DST tape system offering the most performance.

Media	transfer rate (MB/s)	capacity (GB)

DAT (DDS3)	2.4	24

DLT	10	70

DST*	15	330

* without data compression

In order to increase the performance of the storage media it is possible to use an array of drives. There are several arrays (or libraries) on the market, ranging from arrays of 7 to 10 drives with a capacity of several Terrabytes to arrays with only two drives. With a storage unit with two drives it is possible to increase the data transfer rate by using the drives in parallel (data striping) or increase the capacity by continuing on the second drive when the first tape is full (cascading).

PMC - The New Super Mezzanine Standard

The Multibus, VME and Futurebus+ suppliers have joined forces to agree on a common standard for mezzanine boards. The result is PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card) - a mezzanine bus based on the well established high performance PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) specification. PCI is now used by most high performance PC system suppliers and add-in card vendors. Hence, it is very well supported, low cost and readily available.

What is PCI

PCI was developed by Intel as a very high performance local bus to provide a means of inter-connecting components together on a board but with no external access. Its purpose was to provide a simple low-cost way to add high performance peripheral components like graphic controllers and I/O devices to a CPU.

Following the initial release of this interface, a modified definition was derived which provided an external interface - this became known as the PCI bus. This bus allows for PCI boards to be plugged into the PCI bus connector. PCI provides many features including data transfer rates of 132Mbytes/s (264Mbytes/s for 64-bits), support for a system similar to Multibus II's Interconnect and 3.3V interfaces.

Mezzanine Problems ... and Solutions

Mezzanine cards have long been a popular method of adding additional or specialized I/O to processor boards. In the Multibus II market, there already exists standards such as iSBX and MIX from Intel, but these interfaces are relatively low performance and do not have a wide multi-vendor support. Concurrent Technologies overcame the performance problem by adding high performance I/O directly onto the board therefore achieving very high data transfer rates and low latency between the CPU, Memory and I/O. This is much better than using either of the existing mezzanine standards because the processor does not have to sit idle (waitstates inserted) waiting for these slow expansion interfaces to respond. With new CPUs, like the Pentium a lot of CPU time can be wasted with these slow interfaces. However, if a very fast expansion interface was available, that did not force the CPU to sit idle, then high performance mezzanine systems could be built using this expansion interface. PCI provides such an expansion interface and with its wealth of support from any different processor and peripheral component manufacturers as well as PC vendors, the bus is an ideal choice for use as a low cost mezzanine system.

The PMC Standard

PCI boards have a form-factor very similar to that of the conventional AT (ISA) boards so that they remain compatible with existing PC packaging. In a PC system, PCI boards (like ISA boards) are mounted at a 90 to the board - as this would occupy about 5 (Multibus II or VME) slots! However, by mounting the PCI card in a plane parallel to the Multibus II or VME board and using different low profile connectors, a PCI board can be fitted onto Multibus II or VME boards - and within a single slot. This connection system together with PCI interface is called PMC.

The group of companies defining the PMC specification wanted to use as many existing standards as possible. Therefore the PCI (Version 2.0) electrical and logical specification was selected together with the IEEE's proposed CMC (Common Mezzanine Card) standard. CMC defines the size of the slave mezzanine cards, the type of connector to be used and the position of the connectors on the master board

and on the slave board. Multiple 64-pin low profile connectors are utilized. The PMC standard defines which connector pins are used for which PCI signals; in addition it defines 64 of the connector pins for use

I/O signals. The PMC standard is known as the IEEE P1386.1.

A single size PMC module measures 74mm x 149mm. Two such modules could therefore fit side by side on a Multibus II or VME motherboard. Depending upon the specific implementation of a slave PMC board, the user I/O can be accessed either through the P2 connector or directly through the front panel of the motherboard.

Benefits

As an IEEE standard, PMC assures users that any host or module complying with the standard will function with any other module or host designed to the standard. This offers users flexibility to mix and match different host cards and modules. PMC is an open standard. It brings to Multibus II and VME a wealth of I/O products and capabilities which have not been readily available before.

For high performance Multibus II users, it offers an extremely high performance I/O interface for their specialized I/O requirements. More graphics options will be available. And yet, since the boards will essentially have originated from the large volume word of PCs, the price of these modules should be relatively low.

Mezzanine cards will continue to provide a method of customizing and optimizing the use of Multibus II and VME motherboards. PMC brings mezzanine technology up to date.

TMS320C6X Multichannel Buffered Serial Port

The multichannel buffered serial port (McBSP) is based on the standard serial port interface found on the TMS320C2x, 'C2xx, 'C5x, and 'C54x devices. The McBSP provides:

•	Full-duplex communication

•	Double-buffered data registers, which allow a continuous data stream

•	Independent framing and clocking for receive and transmit

•	Direct interface to industry-standard codecs, analog interface chips (AICs), and other serially connected A/D and D/A devices

•	External shift clock or an internal, programmable frequency shift clock for data transfer

•	Autobuffering capability through the five channel DMA controller.

In addition, the McBSP has the following capabilities:

•	Direct interface to:

□	T1/E1 framers

□	MVIP switching compatible and ST-BUS compliant devices including:

□	MVIP framers

□	H.100 framers

□	SCSA framers

□	IOM-2 compliant devices

□	AC97 compliant devices. The necessary multi-phase frame synchro-
nization capability is provided

□	IIS compliant devices

□	SPI devices

•	Multichannel transmit and receive of up to 128 channels

•	A wide selection of data sizes including 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 32 bits

•	m-Law and A-Law companding

•	8-bit data transfers with option of LSB or MSB first

•	Programmable polarity for both frame synchronization and data clocks

•	Highly programmable internal clock and frame generation

According to this specification, no direct interface to C40 Comm ports is available.

PMC Mass Storage Modules

Artesyn Technologies / Tel: (608) 831-5500

SCSI-2, internal 536-byte SCSI buffer, SCSI I/O processor, support for 10BaseT and 100BaseTx Ethernet, DMA and buffer mgmnt, std single-width 32-bit

PMC module, VxWorks, pSOS support, Model No. PM/SE

CETIA / Tel: (33) 4 94 16 34 00 - (617) 494-0987

Fast/Wide SCSI-2 Adapter, 20Mb/s, differential and single ended. Up to 30 devices from a single slot. 64K on-board EPROM, Model No. CPCI-SI2

Concurrent Technologies Inc. / Tel: +44 1206 752626, (513) 791-0073

SCSI Controller, uses 53C825 controller, async/sync operation, narrow (8bit) or wide (16bit) interface supported, single-ended interface, active termination and

signal negation. Model No. SC PMC/825

Ultra-SCSI Controller, uses 53C875 controller, async/sync operation, narrow (8-bit) or wide (16-bit) interface supported, single-ended interface, active termination

and signal negation. Model No. SC PMC/875

DY 4 Systems / Tel: (613) 599-9191

Fibre Channel network host bus adapter provides up to 1.062Gb/s baud rates and data throughput up to 100MB/s. Ideal for mass storage and data intensive

applications. SCSI drives, light weight protocol. Air-cooled commercial. Model No. PMC-640

General Micro Systems / Tel: (909) 980-4863

SCSI, support for Ultra SCSI drives. 5, 10, 20 and 40MB/sec support, on-board SCSI BIOS for plug-n-play, Symbios 53C875 SCSI device, on-board Active

Auto Termination and I Ref support. Model No. PMC SCSI Newton

Interphase Corporation / Tel: (214) 919-9000

SCSI-2 Adapter, Fast and wide SCSI-2 connectivity for systems equipped with embedded PMC slots, Model No. 4520 PMC

Motorola Computer Group / Tel: (800) 759-1107 ext. VITA

SCSI-2, Symbios 53C825, async/sync operation, narrow (8 bit) or wide (16 bit) interface supported, single-ended interface, Model No. MPMC101

SCSI-2, Symbios 53C825, async/sync operation, narrow (8 bit) or wide (16 bit) interface supported, differential interface, Model No. MPMC102

Omnibyte Corporation / Tel: (800) 638-5022

SCSI Fast/Wide Ultra Interface, Uses Symbios 53C895 to provide the PCI to SCSI (8 or 16-bit) interface that supports (32-bit) burst transfer rates on the PCI

bus in exess of 110MB/sec. VxWorks Drivers available. Model No. OB/PMC-SCSI

Technobox, Inc. / Tel: (609) 778-5512

SCSI Narrow Single-Ended, Symbios 53C810A SCSI controller. Supports rear and front panel I/O. Part No. 1889

SCSI Fast/Wide Differential, Symbios 53C875 SCSI controller. Rear and front panel I/O. Selectable on-board termination. Part No. 2043

SCSI Fast/Wide Single-Ended, Symbios 53C875 SCSI controller. Rear and front panel I/O. Part No. 2044

SCSI/Ethernet/RS-232, combo PMC. 21152 PCI/PCI bridge, 53C810 Narrow single-ended SCSI, 21142 10Mb/s Ethernet controller. Two RS-232 ports.

10Base5 and 10Base2 interfaces. Part No. 2305

VMETRO / Tel: (281) 584-0728, +47 22 10 60 90

Fibre Channel Host Adapter for FC/DA Direct Attach SCSI protocol to Fibre Channel compatible disk drives and RAIDs. VxWorks driver for VMETRO

MIDAS i960RP VME/RACEway boards. Model No. VMFC