9 Jan
2011
9 Jan
'11
10:48 a.m.
Has anyone come across, or more importantly does anyone have any
technicla data on, an HP interface called PCIB (Personal Computer
Instrument Bus, I think).
It was used to link some simple-ish measuring insturments to a personal
computer host (either an ISA sloted thing or an HP150).
I've read the apporpriate HP journal and the manuals for the insturments
nad host PCBs. I understnad it consisted of a high-ish speed parallel bus
and a serial link on the same connector, the latter being opto-isolated
at the instrument end.
I would love to have a pinout of the interface conenctor, signal
specifications, timing diagrams, etc. Does that exist anywhere?
-tony
10 Jan
10 Jan
2:55 a.m.
Tony,
At the hp computer museum you can find several documents regarding the PC
Instruments.
http://hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?hwdoc=972
-Rik
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org]
Namens Tony Duell
Verzonden: zondag 9 januari 2011 19:49
Aan: cctalk at classiccmp.org
Onderwerp: Talking of odd HP interfaces (PCIB)
Has anyone come across, or more importantly does anyone have any technicla
data on, an HP interface called PCIB (Personal Computer Instrument Bus, I
think).
It was used to link some simple-ish measuring insturments to a personal
computer host (either an ISA sloted thing or an HP150).
I've read the apporpriate HP journal and the manuals for the insturments nad
host PCBs. I understnad it consisted of a high-ish speed parallel bus and a
serial link on the same connector, the latter being opto-isolated at the
instrument end.
I would love to have a pinout of the interface conenctor, signal
specifications, timing diagrams, etc. Does that exist anywhere?
-tony
9:23 a.m.
On 1/10/11 2:55 AM, Rik Bos wrote:
At the hp computer museum you can find several
documents regarding the PC
Instruments.
It is a shame they orphaned these devices. I have a box of various PCIB instruments, and
discovered
when I tried to do something with them that the PC interface and software is unobtainium.
I think I mentioned a couple of years ago how the PC interfaced instruments are just a bad
idea
from a preservation standpoint. Take the Biomation CLAS
logic analyzer. Really nice device for
the time, had a SCSI interface to the host
for user interface, but the only supported computer
was the Macintosh II. They never released the communications protocol information.
10:57 a.m.
On 1/10/11 2:55 AM, Rik Bos wrote:
I think you can now get the softwate from the Australian museum site that Rik
mentioned. Of course this is no use at all ithout the interface
I've seen at least one HP150 PCIB interface on E-bay. Of ocurse this is
no use unless you have an HP150. From the photos of the PCB thatI've
seen, the interface contained a number of TTL drvies (amybe some PALs, I
couldn't read the numbers), a 40 pin microcontroller, and an HP 48 pin
ASIC linked ot the interface connector (this was mentioned in the HP
Journal article I read). So not easy to figure out.
And OI've not seen any of the insturments for sale at a sane price. I any
case youd need several to figure ito ut, the simpler/slower ones only
used the serial part of the PCIB, which is not a lot of help.
At the hp computer museum you can find several
documents regarding the PC
Instruments.
It is a shame they orphaned these devices. I have a box of various
PCIB instruments, and discovered
when I tried to do something with them that the PC interface and
software is unobtainium.
I think I mentioned a couple of years ago how the PC interfaced
instruments are just a bad idea
You don;t need ot convince me of that ;-)
from a preservation standpoint. Take the Biomation
CLAS logic
analyzer. Really nice device for
the time, had a SCSI interface to the host for user interface, but the
only supported computer
was the Macintosh II. They never released the communications protocol
information.
And yet people tell me how wonderful the USB-inerfaced 'scopes', logic
analusers and evne multimeters are. Every one I've looked at comes with
vinary-only softare for the currnet version of Windows. There may be a
documetned API to write your own high-level prgrams, but I've yet to see
one where the low-level protocol is documented. Which means I would be
stuck with a particular closed-source OS running on uncoducmented
hardawre. NO THANKS!
-tony
10:41 a.m.
Tony,
At the hp computer museum you can find several documents regarding the PC
Instruments.
http://hpmuseum.net/exhibit.php?hwdoc=972
Yes, I've read all of them. Not one contains a bus pinout, timing
diagram, schematic, or any similar techncial information :-(
I was hoping there was some more detailed information out there.
-tony
4876
days inactive
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participants (3)
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aek＠bitsavers.org -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
hp-fix＠xs4all.nl