AT-MXI

National Instruments AT-MXI MXIbus ISA Interface Card
Features

• Supports 32-Bit (A32), 24-Bit (A24) and 16-Bit (A16) Addressing
• Supports Both 16-Bit (D16) and 8-Bit (D08) Data Transfers
• Conforms to ISA Specification
• Conforms to the MXIbus Specification

The National Instruments AT-MXI is a high-performance communication link that interconnects devices. MXI operates like modern backplane computer buses, but is a cabled communication link for very high-speed communication between physically separate devices. MXIbus interfaces can be used in a variety of platforms including: the VXIbus and VMEbus backplane systems and the IBM PC AT, EISA, PS/2, Sun SPARCstation, DECstation 5000, RISC System/6000, and Macintosh computer systems. These interfaces directly and transparently couple these industry-standard computers to the VXIbus and the VMEbus backplanes. Also, they transparently extend VXI/VME across multiple mainframes and seamlessly integrate external devices that cannot physically fit on a plug-in module into a VXI/VME system.

The AT-MXI can function as both a MXIbus slave and a MXIbus master. As a MXIbus slave, the AT-MXI supports 24-bit (A24) addressing to PC AT memory and 16-bit (A16) addressing to the AT-MXI communication registers and to the PC AT I/O space. As a MXIbus master, the AT-MXI supports 32-bit (A32), 24-bit (A24), and 16-bit (A16) addressing. Both functions support 16-bit (D16) and 8-bit (D08) data transfers. Also, under both functions, the AT-MXI supports MXIbus block-mode transfers.

Since the AT-MXI uses the same communication register set that is used by VXIbus Message-Based devices, other MXIbus devices can view the AT-MXI as a VXIbus device. In addition, this interface is able to function as the MXIbus System Controller and can terminate the MXIbus signals directly on the AT-MXI interface board. The AT-MXI supports the MXIbus arbitration lock and fairness options.