VME, VPX, and VXI Controllers and Processors Specifications

Help with VME, VPX, and VXI Controllers and Processors specifications:

Controller Type Controllers are special computers that are used to control the VME / VXI network. They are used to control the data transfer between devices in the network, the status of interrupts, IRQs, registers, triggers, etc. Also they are used to control instruments in the network for testing and analysis. Controllers are the most important single element in a VME / VXI system.


	Controller Type:		The most important type of controllers are: PC-based controllers or Remote controllers. Embedded controllers. Real-Time Embedded Controllers
	Your choices are...
	PC Controller (Remote)		PC Controllers (or Remote Controllers) make use of a personal computer connected through a link to control, and manage the system.
	Embedded Controller		Embedded controllers are computer boards integrated with the VME / VXI system. The controller is packaged to fit in a VME / VXI chassis. Embedding the controller in the VME / VXI chassis allows the controller easy access to system devices and resources (memory, triggers, DMAs, IRQs, etc.) without the need of an external command module.
	Real-time Controller (Embedded)		These controllers are embedded controllers using a preinstalled real-time operating system, rather than general-purpose, not real-time operating systems like DOS or Windows®.
	Other		Other, not listed, controller types.
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System / Form Factor

Technology:

(Please, see table at the end of this help module.)

Your choices are...

VMEbus

The original VMEbus specification (IEEE-1014-1987). Some features:

Asynchronous transfer
Addressing range between 16 and 32-bits
Data path widths: between 8 and 32-bits
Bandwidth: 40 MBps

VME64

VME64 is a mechanical and electrical superset of the original VMEbus specification (IEEE-1014-1987). Some new features:

Asynchronous transfer
Addressing range between 16 and 40-bits
Data path widths: between 8 and 64-bits
Bandwidth: 80 MBps

VME64x

The VME64 Extensions (VME64x) specifications were adopted in 1997 by the VITA (VMEbus International Trade Association) Standards Organization (VSO). This new standard adds new capabilities to the VME64 bus:

A new 160-pin connector family
3.3 V power supply pins
Bandwidth: up to 160 MBps
Injector / ejector locking handles
Live insertion (hot-swap capability)

VME160

VME160 is a version of the VME320 standard. The VME320 can transfer data from 320 MBps to over 500 MBps. The VME160 is the 160 MBps version.

VME320

VME320, a new modified VMEbus architecture, was developed in 1997 by Arizona Digital, Inc. Some features:

Allows synchronous data transmission
Bandwidth range: from 320 MBps to over 500 MBps
Also comes in 160 MBps version

VPX

VPX (aka VITA 46) is an ANSI standard based on the VME bus with support for switched fabric using a high speed connector.

VXI^TMCompliant

VXIT^M (VMEbus eXtensions for Instrumentation) is a platform trademarked by National Instruments and a Consortium of other companies in order to define a multivendor instrument-on-a-card standard for industrial applications. The VXIbus specifications combine the VMEbus with the popular GPIB to create a modular instrumentation platform to meet the needs of instrumentation applications.

Other

Other unlisted technology types.

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Form Factor:

Card format is given in terms of (height x length). The height is expressed in units of 'U', and the length in mm (millimeters). The most popular heights are:

3U = 100mm
6U = 233mm
9U = 360mm (Not part of the VMEbus specifications)

The VMEbus specifications recognize two types of cards: A single height board, also known simply as a 3U card, is 100mm x 160mm with one 96 pin DIN connector (the P1 connector) on the rear that plugs into the backplane. A double height board, also known as a 6U card, is 233mm x 160mm and may have a second 96 pin DIN connector (the P2 connector). There are 9U boards in existence but they are not part of the VMEbus specification. For VXI systems the cards are referenced by assigning a letter to the card: Size A, Size B, Size C, etc. VME systems reference the card by naming the height and the length: 3U x 160mm, 6U x 340mm, etc. The front edge (width) of a typical board is 20mm wide and may incorporate connectors, indicator lights and switches. (See table at the end of this help module.)

Your choices are...

3U x 160 mm (Size A)

Size A cards have a height of 100 mm (3U) and a length of 160 mm.

6U x 160 mm (Size B)

Size B cards have a height of 233 mm (6U) and a length of 160 mm.

6U x 340 mm (Size C)

Size C cards have a height of 233 mm (6U) and a length of 340 mm.

9U x 340 mm (Size D)

Size D cards have a height of 360 mm (9U) and a length of 340 mm.

9U x 400 mm

Cards have a height of 360 mm and a length of 400 mm.

Other

Other unlisted form factor.

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Tables:

VMEbus Data transfer Speeds

VMEbus Data Transfer Speeds
Bus	Maximum Speed
VMEbus	40 MBps
VME64	80 MBps
VME64x	160 MBps
VME160	160 MBps
VME320	320 to over 500 MBps

Card Form Factors (Sizes):

VME / VXI Card Form Factors (sizes)
Height	Length (mm)	VXI Name	VME Name
3U	160	Size A or 3U x 160mm	3U (Eurocard)
6U	160	Size B or 6U x 160mm	6U (Eurocard)
6U	340	Size C or 6U x 340mm	6U x 340mm
9U	340	Size D or 9U x340mm	9U x 340mm
9U	400	9U x 400mm	9U x 400mm

Processor


	Processor Type (CPU):
	Your choices are...
	Intel386^TM Family		General Specs of the Intel386^TM family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 32-bit Memory Address Bus Width: 24-bit and 32-bit (DX series) Maximum Memory: 16MB and 4GB (DX Series)
	Intel486^TM Family		General Specs of the Intel486^TM family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 32-bit Memory Address Bus Width: 32-bit Maximum Memory: 4GB
	Intel® Pentium®		General Specs of the Intel® Pentium® family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 64-bit Maximum Addressable Memory: 4GB CPU Clock Speed from 60 or 66MHz scalable up to 200MHz
	Intel® Pentium® II		General Specs of the Intel® Pentium® II family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 64-bit Memory Address Bus Width: 36-bit Maximum Memory: 64GB
	Intel® Pentium® III		General Specs of the Intel® Pentium® III family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 64-bit Memory Address Bus Width: 36-bit Maximum Memory: 64GB Utilizes Intel's 0.18 micron manufacturing process High clock speed: over 1GHz
	Intel® Pentium® 4		The Intel® Pentium® 4 processor is based on the Intel NetBurst micro-architecture. It is a powerful processor that can deliver speeds over 2 GHz.
	Intel® Celeron®		General Specs of the Intel® Celeron® family: Internal Register Size: 32-bit Data I/O Bus Width: 64-bit Memory Address Bus Width: 36-bit Maximum Memory: 64GB
	DSP		Digital signal processor (DSP).
	Other		Other unlisted processor type.
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	Clock Speed:		Clock speed or clock rate is the speed at which the microprocessor executes instructions.
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Operating System Support


	Operating System Support:
	Your choices are...
	DOS		Disk operating system (DOS®) is a command-line operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.
	Windows® 95/98		Operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.
	Windows® NT		Operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.
	Windows® 2000		Operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.
	Windows® XP		Operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.
	Linux®		An open-source implementation of UNIX used on many platforms, including Intel-based PCs, Macintosh, SPARC^TM workstations, etc. Linux® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.
	Solaris^TM		Solaris^TMis a Unix-based operating environment that includes the SunOS^TMoperating system. Solaris and SunOS are trademarks of Sun Microsystems.
	QNX®		QNX® is a microcomputer operating system which is especially useful for controlling real-time operations. This includes things like assembly lines, position monitors, chemical plants, and industrial robots.
	VxWorks®		A real time operating system (RTOS) from Wind River Systems.
	LynxOS®		LynxOS® is a real-time operating system (RTOS) based on the open source Linux OS. Developed by LynuxWorks, it is used extensively in embedded systems.
	None		The device comes without any operating system support.
	Other		Other unlisted operating system such as MAC OS, RTX, Embedded NT, Embedded Linux, pSOS+, etc.
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Ports and Interfaces


	Ports and Interfaces		Ports and interfaces are used to link to devices within the system, to other systems, or to PCs that are used to control the system or instruments.
	Your choices are...
	Serial Interface (RS232, RS422, RS485)		Serial interfaces transmit data one bit at a time. Common standards include RS232, RS422, and RS485. The RS232 standard is approved by the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) for connecting serial devices. The device that connects to the interface is called data communication equipment (DCE). The device to which the interface is connected (the computer) is called data terminal equipment (DTE). The RS422 standard is a balanced serial interface for the transmission of digital data that is designed to replace the older RS232 standard. RS422 supports greater distances, higher baud rates, and greater immunity to electrical interference than RS232. Like RS232, however, RS422 is intended for point-to-point communications. The RS485 standard is similar to RS422, but used for multipoint communications.
	Parallel Port		A channel capable of transferring more than one bit simultaneously.
	SCSI		Small computer systems interface (SCSI) is an intelligent I/O parallel peripheral bus with a standard, device-independent protocol that allows many peripheral devices to be connected to the SCSI port. A single SCSI bus can drive up to eight devices or units: the host adapter or controller, and seven other devices. Each device is assigned a different SCSI ID, ranging from 0 to 7. SCSI formats include SCSI-1, SCSI-2, SCSI-3, Wide SCSI, Fast SCSI, Wide Fast SCSI, Ultra SCSI, Ultra2 SCSI, Ultra3 SCI (Ultra160), Ultra 320 SCSI, and Ultra640 SCSI.
	PCMCIA		PCMCIA devices or PC cards are credit card-sized peripherals used mainly in laptop and notebook computers. They plug into a 68-pin host socket that is connected either to the motherboard or an expansion bus. An adapter takes the place of a COM port and translates the PCMCIA signals into a format that is usable by the computer’s bus. PC cards adhere to standards developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). Originally, these standards were designed for adding memory to portable computers; however, standards now apply to many types of devices. There are three types of PC cards: Type I, Type II, and Type III. All types have the same width (54 mm) and length (85.6 mm), but vary in thickness.
	USB		Universal serial bus (USB) is a 4-wire, 12-Mbps serial bus for low-to-medium speed peripheral device connections to personal computers (PC), including keyboards, mice, modems, printers, joysticks, audio functions, monitor controls, etc. The USB design is standardized by the USB Implementers Forum (USBIF), an organization that includes leading companies from the computer and electronics industries. The current USB specification is USB 2.0, which supports data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps.
	GPIB Interface		The general-purpose interface bus (GPIB) is designed to connect computers, peripherals and laboratory instruments so that data and control information can pass between them. It was originally developed by Hewlett Packard (HP) and called the HPIB bus. GPIB is also know as the IEEE 488 bus, and is electrically equivalent to the IEC 625 bus.
	Ethernet		Ethernet is a local-area network (LAN) protocol developed by Xerox Corporation in cooperation with DEC and Intel in 1976. It uses a bus or star topology and supports data transfer rates of 10 Mbps. The Ethernet specification served as the basis for the IEEE 802.3 standard, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Ethernet uses the CSMA/CD access method to handle simultaneous demands. It is one of the most widely implemented LAN standards.
	Other		Unlisted, specialized, or proprietary configuration.
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Memory and Storage


	Main Memory (RAM)		Random access memory (RAM) can be read from or written to in a nonlinear manner. RAM derives its name from the fact that any byte of memory can be accessed randomly instead of sequentially. RAM does not retain data in memory when power is removed.
	Search Logic:		All matching products will have a value greater than or equal to the specified value.

	Hard Drive Capacity:		Storage capacity of the hard drive, if the card is a hard drive.
	Search Logic:		All matching products will have a value greater than or equal to the specified value.

	Other Storage:
	Your choices are...
	Floppy Drive		Floppy drive support.
	CD ROM		CD-ROM support.
	Other		Other type of storage.
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Additional Specs


	On-board Flash Memory?		Memory chip that can be erased and reprogrammed directly in the circuit board in which it is installed. It is also known by the name EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM).
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Hot swappable?		The board can be inserted into a running system without disturbing the performance of the system.
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Watchdog Timer?		A Watchdog Timer is a device that will restart an out of control processor by providing a reset signal to the processor
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Mouse Connector?		A connector to connect a mouse.
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Keyboard Connector?		A connector to connect a keyboard.
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Support for Video?		Support for video adapter or port.
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

	Card is CE / FCC Certified?		The card conforms with the U.S. requirements of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and with the European CE Marking (Conformite Europeene or European Conformity) system, which is helpful for exports to the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA).
	Search Logic:		"Required" and "Must Not Have" criteria limit returned matches as specified. Products with optional attributes will be returned for either choice.

VME, VPX, and VXI Controllers and Processors Specifications

Controller Type:

Technology:

Form Factor:

Processor Type (CPU):

Clock Speed:

Operating System Support:

Ports and Interfaces:

Main Memory (RAM):

Hard Drive Capacity:

On-board Flash Memory?

Watchdog Timer?

Support for Video?

Card is CE / FCC Certified?

Help with VME, VPX, and VXI Controllers and Processors specifications: