Product Description

These two–width crate controllers communicate via the SCSI–2 bus to a wide range of personal and other computers, workstations etc. They are well suitable for, but not limited to, Digital DECstations and VAXstations.

Both controllers have standard CAMAC Type “A” command sets, and can do block transfers in Q–repeat, Q–scan or Q–stop modes, software selected; blocks can be up to 16MBytes long.

Up to 7 of them can work on one SCSI bus. They respond to all mandatory messages in the SCSI–2 standard, as well as all required commands. A high speed RISC microprocessor executes the protocols very quickly, while use of a FIFO allows Dataway and SCSI transfers at the same time, with a maximum transfer rate of 2MBytes per sec. Transfers can be 16 or 24 bit, the latter being expanded to 32 bits. Status can be returned using the standard SCSI Status Byte, but there is also a more efficient private protocol available. LAMs can be handled using the AEN (Asynchronous Event Notification) or as a (faster) SCSI message.

The Type 73A–1 has all the above features, and in addition is a full ACB device (Master or Auxiliary, R/G or ACL). It also has a LAM mask and a Mailbox with associated LAM flag to facilitate communication between processors.

Software is supplied for both devices. In the case of their use with DECstations and VAXstations, a software routine which accepts CAMAC parameters and generates the necessary calls to the VMS GK driver or the Ultrix CAM driver is supplied free of charge.

Note that in the DEC case the link to the computer requires a slightly non–SCSI–standard connector; the price is the same as for the standard cable.