Overview
The FarSync T4Ee card and software is designed to provide high performance hardware communications solutions for business, government and military requirements who require a PCI express high capability synchronous communications card to support a range of different line signalling interfaces and highly adaptable control of line clocks. The product includes a low level driver that allows access to the communications features available in the hardware. The comms processing is handled by a FarSite Communications Controller that can be customisable for special use.
The card can use the host’s standard TCP/IP protocol stack to allow access to IP based networks such as the Internet. The FarSync SDK provides a Developers Toolkit for the product.
The T4Ee is a PCI express communications card with four independently configurable sync/async serial ports. Sync operation supports transparent bitstream and bitsync (HDLC) of up to 10 Mbits/s per line with a total card bandwidth of 64 Mbits/s. The highly flexible universal network connector supports RS232, X.21, RS530 (RS422 signalling), RS485 (2 and 4 wire), RS449 (RS422 signalling) and V.35 network interfaces.
Line signalling modes: NRZ, NRZI, Manchester encoding, FM0, FM1 and Conditioned Diphase (Differential Manchester) up to 10Mbits/s are handled as well as soft selectable line termination resistance.
One of the unique features of the T4Ee is the variety of clock source options, clocks can be:
- Internally generated using local clock synthesizers, independently on each line
- External from the WAN communications line
- Sourced on one port then routed to the others
- Multiplied or divided per port to obtain the required rate
The transparent bitstream option available with the APIs is suitable for VoIP (as a subsystem), video and voice such as T-DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) ETI (Ensemble Transport Interface – ETSI EN 300 799).
Typical Applications
The FarSync T4Ee suits a very wide number of different applications these include:
- High speed multi-port HDLC framing.
- Use of bitstreaming for the implementation of non standard or specialist protocols
- Network clock synchronisation
- Multi purpose multi port communication card supplying a wide range of card generated clock speeds
- Line connection card for LabVIEW applications
- Manchester Encoding or Conditioned Diphase for long, reliable, high speed self clocking lines
- Interfacing DAB ETI (Ensemble Transport Interface – ETSI EN 300 799) transparent bit streams to Servers
- Interfacing high speed MPEG Video bit streams T-DMB ETI to Servers
Features under Windows:
The FarSync T4Ee supports a Windows based API, common to the entire range of FarSync cards/devices, it is referred to as the FarSync Windows API (FsWinAPI). This is an extension of the MS COMM API and enables, for example, applications developed to support COM ports, to be easily ported to use FarSync support in synchronous or asynchronous modes. This standardization enables the API to also be readily accessible from higher level environments such as .NET, C#, VB etc. The special clocking features are all accessible though the FsWinAPI.
Async operation support is also provided by the Win32 COMM interface as well as FsWinAPI.
The FsWinAPI provides applications with direct access to the card’s communications port/s for bit sync (HDLC) framing and also transparent bitstream operation for video and voice type applications.
The FarSync T4Ee can also be installed to appear as a NDIS (LAN) interface so it can simply use the TCP/IP stack over PPP to allow access to IP based networks.
LabVIEW applications can access this card.
The product is supplied with a comprehensive configuration utility, a typical screen is shown. The lines can be reconfigured and restarted without reloading the software. There is context sensitive help and an on-line manual should it be required. An advanced tab permits users to further specify the configuration of the line if necessary.
Example Configuration Utility Screens
The product is supplied with its own Line Monitor that allows the user to record, display and store line traffic with WAN protocol decoding for fast debugging.
Features under Linux:
The Char I/O API provides a programming language independent, high-level interface to the FarSync base driver it supports access to bit synchronous (HDLC) framed, transparent bitstream and asynchronous data. The cards can also use the TCP/IP stack to allow access to IP based networks such as the Internet. It also allows selection of the full range of clock modes.
The link level protocol can be PPP, Cisco HDLC or Frame Relay with optional authentication by CHAP, MSCHAP or PAP (RFC 1334) providing a standard point-to-point network interface.
The card installs seamlessly as a plug and play device. The driver supports Linux kernel version 2.6 onwards, including the leading distributions supplied by Redhat,
SuSE, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Slackware and more. Multi-processor
systems are supported. The driver is dynamically loadable so a kernel rebuild is not required for the driver to be installed.
FarSite is committed to supporting the cards on new versions of Linux and Linux kernels as they are released. The
source code for the driver is supplied
with the product allowing rebuilding by the end user for use with
almost any of the current or future Linux variants. The driver supports both big-endian and little-endian memory storage formats.
A configuration utility is provided to set the line speed, interface type and protocol, after which the ports may be configured with standard networking tools.
FarSync SDK – The Developers Toolkit
The FarSync SDK includes support for writing applications on both Linux and Windows and contains documentation, working sample applications, development and test utility applications. There is everything a user needs to rapidly develop and test a wide variety of applications such as specialist synchronous (HDLC framed) protocols or transparent bitstream data requirements including Audio, MPEG Video T-DMB and DAB ETI with bitstream encoder and decoder. The FarSync SDK is ordered separately from the FarSync T4Ee.
Our Engineering department provides free email and telephone assistance to application developers using the API as part of the package provided when the FarSync SDK is purchased.
See details on the FarSync SDK Developers Toolkit and the APIs supported.
FarSync T4Ee Product Details
The card is supplied with software drivers for Windows and Linux. This includes a low level driver that allows access to the communications features available in the hardware and an optionally installable driver that connects with the standard TCP/IP protocol stack to allow access to IP based networks.
The drivers supplied with Windows and Linux allow large numbers of ports to be supported by the installation of multiple FarSync T4Ee cards in a Server. Typically 12 or more cards (48+ ports) can be supported; the card limit is only dependent on the resources available in the host Server and the total bandwidth of PCIe buses available.
Card Hardware
The card comprises an AMD processor with no wait state SRAM. The whole memory space may be mapped via the PCIe interface to the PC/Server. The card has a FarSite communications controller (customisable) and the AMD processor contains a quad embedded HDLC / transparent controller with SDMA access (128 buffers per port) and a full range of timers.
The T4Ee supports four synchronous ports which can run to speeds of up to 10 Mbits/s full duplex internally clocked and 10 Mbits/s externally clocked. Total bandwidth supported by the card is 53 Mbits/s. A quad port UART (async controller) is included. Async or Sync operation is dynamically selectable on each port.
Network Interfaces
The multi function line drivers available on all the ports support RS232 (V.24), X.21 (V.11), V.35, RS530 (EIA530, RS422) RS485 (2 and 4 wire) and RS449 (RS422 signalling) network interfaces, all soft configurable and protected from static charges by ESD protection devices.
Clock Generation and Selection
Five on-board frequency synthesisers are configurable for generating clocks to the four serial ports.
Internally sourced clocks
Internally generated clocks to drive a serial communications port are derived from either an on-board 8.192MHz clock (32ppm) and can be set to hundreds of different frequencies between 300 baud and 10 Mbits/s, some of pre-programmed list is in the table below. Many other frequencies can be synthesized using the custom frequency tool (supplied), contact us to discuss your requirements.
Some of the internally generated clock rates supported by the T4Ee
100, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 7200, 8000, 9600, 12000, 14400, 16000, 16800, 19200, 21600, 24000, 26400, 28800, 31200, 32000, 33000, 33333, 33600, 36000, 38400, 40000, 40800, 43200, 48000, 56000, 64000, 80000, 96000, 112000, 128000, 160000, 192000, 224000, 256000, 320000, 384000, 448000, 512000, 576000, 640000, 704000, 768000, 832000, 896000, 960000, 1000000, 1024000, 1088000, 1152000, 1216000, 1280000, 1344000, 1408000, 1472000, 1536000, 1600000, 1664000, 1728000, 1792000, 1856000, 1920000, 1984000, 2000000, 2048000, 2112000, 2176000, 2240000, 2304000, 2368000, 2432000, 2496000, 2560000, 2624000, 2688000, 2752000, 2816000, 2880000, 2944000, 3000000, 3008000, 3072000, 3136000, 3200000, 3264000, 3328000, 3392000, 3456000, 3520000, 3584000, 3648000, 3712000, 3776000, 3840000, 3904000, 3968000, 4000000, 4032000, 4096000, 4160000, 4224000, 4288000, 4352000, 4416000, 4480000, 4544000, 4608000, 4672000, 4736000, 4800000, 4864000, 4928000, 4992000, 5000000, 5056000, 5120000, 5184000, 5248000, 5312000, 5376000, 5440000, 5504000, 5568000, 5632000, 5696000, 5760000, 5824000, 5888000, 5952000, 6000000, 6016000, 6080000, 6144000, 6208000, 6272000, 6336000, 6400000, 6464000, 6528000, 6553600, 6592000, 6656000, 6720000, 6784000, 6848000, 6912000, 6976000, 7000000, 7040000, 7104000, 7168000, 7232000, 7296000, 7360000, 7424000, 7488000, 7552000, 7616000, 7680000, 7744000, 7808000, 7872000, 7936000, 8000000, 8064000, 8128000, 8192000, 9000000, 10000000.
Many other frequencies can be synthesized to order, contact us to discuss your requirements.
Externally sourced clocks
FarSync T4Ee Line Status Utility
External clocks received from a serial port and used to a drive serial communications port can be any frequency up to 10,000,000Hz.
Terminal Timing
Terminal Timing is supported to enable system-wide clock synchronisation.
Clock Routing
Clocks sourced from one port can be routed to drive the other ports.
Clock Speed Detection
A 16-bit timer enables differentiation between the clock frequencies, enabling auto-configuration of clock synthesisers when cables are connected.
PCIe Compatibility
The FarSync T4Ee card is suitable for systems with a PCIe bus, covering single and multi-processor systems. The card is compliant with PCI Express Base specification revision 1.0a and above. The FarSync T4Ee is a bus mastering, 1x (single lane) card.
If you are not sure about your particular system, contact us and we can provide advice on the card that is most suitable for you.
Line Signalling Modes
NRZ plus the self clocking (clock for the data is decoded from the incoming data line) line signalling modes NRZI, Manchester Encoding, Conditioned Diphase (also known as Differential Manchester), FM0 and FM1 at speeds of up to 10 MBits/s. This means separate clock lines are not required, these line signalling modes, are a soft configurable alternative to NRZ and a reliable way of handling long high speed cable runs.
Line termination is supported on all the balanced pair signals for X.21 (V.11), V.35, RS485 (2 and 4 wire), RS530 (EIA530, RS422) and RS449 (RS422 signalling) operation. The line termination resistors may be soft selected to be selected on a port by port basis. The addition of line termination resistors can be helpful in improving signal quality on long high speed lines.
Cables
This four port card uses a single large high density 100 pin HIPPI type connector, all four lines are available though this connector. The quad port cable HCR4 attaches to the card and splits out the four network interfaces into separate network connectors to provide support for EIA-530 (RS422) and RS232. X.21, V.35 and RS449 are available through transition connectors. Details of the cables and converters available are listed in the cables section of the order information table. Crossover cables, sometimes referred to as null modem cables, or DTE to DCE conversion cables are available, they are also detailed in the table below.
| Linux | |
|---|---|
| Distribution Support | Distributions by Red Hat, SuSE, CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Slackware and more. Drivers for kernel series 2.6 and onwards on both single and multi-core 32 and 64 bit systems |
| Kernel Support | All sub versions of kernel releases from 2.6.12 onwards Big Endian and Little Endian memory storage format drivers supplied. |
| Protocol Supported | TCP/IP, PPP, Cisco HDLC, LAPB, Frame Relay, CHAP, MSCHAP, PAP (RFCs 1661, 1332, 1334). Bitstream. ETI (NI, V.11) with the FarSync SDK. |
| API and Interfaces | Char I/O API, hdlcX |
| Windows | |
| O/S Types | Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, Windows Server 2016, 2012 and 2008, LabVIEW running on a Windows O/S. 32 and 64 bit (single and multi-core systems) |
| Protocol Supported | TCP/IP, PPP, LAPB, V.120, CHAP, PAP (RFCs 1661, 1332, 1334), ETI (NI, V.11), Bitstream. |
| API and Interfaces | FsWinAPI, NDIS (LAN) where the line appears as a LAN interface |
| Utilities | Line Monitor to record, display and store line traffic included |
| Hardware Technical Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Card type and size | AMD Processor with embedded communications controller, FarSite extended communications controller (customisable), PCIe bus compliant with PCI Express Base Specification Revision 1.0a, x1 (single lane) bus mastering card. |
| Physical characteristics | Short card (height 107mm, length 167mm) |
| Network connections supported | 4 synchronous or asynchronous ports, soft switchable line termination RS232 (V.24, X.21bis) – DTE DB25M type connector, X.21 (V.11) – DTE DB15M type connector, V.35 – DTE M34M type connector, RS530 (EIA530, RS422 ) – DTE DB25M type connector, RS449 (RS422) – DTE DB37M type connector, RS485 (2 and 4 wire).DCE type cables also available. |
| Link speed range Synchronous | X21, RS530, RS449, V.35: up to 10 Mbits/s internally or externally clocked, RS232: up to 128 Kbits/s. |
| Link speed range Asynchronous | RS232, X.21, RS530, V.35: 50, 75, 110, 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38.4K, 57.6K & 115.2 Kbits/s |
| Maximum total bandwidth | 53 Mbits/s |
| Line signal modes | NRZ, NRZI, Manchester Encoding, Conditioned Diphase (Differential Manchester), FM0, FM1 |
| Multiple cards | 12 or more; only dependant of the number of PCIe busses available on the server |
| Line indicators | 4 LEDs one per port showing line connection status |
| ESD Protection | Yes, Littelfuse high speed ESD and over-voltage protection |
| MTBF | 165,256 hours calculated using Bellcore Method 1 Case 3, 40 deg.C ambient, 15 deg.C case temperature rise above ambient |
| Approvals | EN55022 class B, CE, FCC class B, RoHS2 compliant |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0–50°C ambient air temperature. An industrial temperature range version is available on special order, contact us for details. |
| Humidity | Operating humidity 10 to 85% non condensing. |
| Power requirements | < 2.32 A @ +3.3v, < 1mA @ +12v (for ESD suppression) < 7.7 watts. |
| Line clocking – internal | Internal clock range: over 160 different frequencies between 300 baud and 10 Mbits/s. See the complete list. No special cables are required to use internal clocks. Internal clocking is supported on RS530, RS232, X.21, V.35 and RS449 connections |
| Line clocking – external | External clocks received from a serial port and used to a drive serial communications port can be any frequency up to 10MHz. |
| Line Termination | Line termination resistors can be configured in or out. |
| Terminal timing | Terminal Timing is supported to enable system-wide clock synchronisation. |
| Cables | Cables are ordered separately, see the Cables section for details |
| Warranty | Free 5 year warranty |
| Order Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Name | Description | Product Code | |
| FarSync T4Ee |  |
PCI express Synchronous and Asynchronous 4 port bus mastering card (X.21 / V.35 / RS232 / EIA530 / RS485 / RS422 / RS449), bitstream and HDLC run-time support for custom applications plus TCP/IP operation on Linux and Windows. NRZ, NRZI, Manchester encoding, Conditioned Diphase, FM1 or FM0 selectable, other encoding can be developed to order. FsWinAPI for Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, Server 2016, 2012 and 2008, Char I/O and hdlcX API for Linux, To develop applications to use the API the FarSync SDK should also be ordered. Cables are ordered separately. |
FS4456 |
| FarSync SDK | Linux and Windows Developers Toolkit for the FarSync T4Ee and other FarSync cards – order this if you want to write software to use the card’s API | FS9610 | |
| Cables for the FarSync T4Ee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HCR4 |  |
HCR4, Quad port RS530 and RS232 DTE cable DB25M connectors, 2.0 metres for use with FarSync T4Ee cards, see pinouts. Also supports X.21, V.35 and RS449 interfaces with addition of conversion cables TCX1, TCV1 and TC449 respectively, |
FS6076 |
| TCX1 |  |
TCX1, X.21 DTE (V.11) DB15M 1 port HCR4 cable to X.21 transition connector, see pinouts | FS6052 |
| TCV1 |  |
TCV1, V.35 DTE M34M 1 port HCR4 cable to V.35 transition connector, see pinouts | FS6053 |
| TC449 | TC449, RS449 DTE DB37M 1 port HCR4 cable to RS449 transition connector, see pinouts | FS6054 | |
| Special Purpose Cables for all T-Series cards | |||
| Null-MX |  |
X.21 double shielded crossover cable, DB15F connector to DB15F connector, 0.5 metres. Converts DTE presentation to DCE. Suitable for FarSync T-Series cards, see pinouts |
FS6090 |
| X21-EXT |  |
X.21 double shielded 15 metre extension cable, DB15F connector to DB15M connector. |
FS6091 |
| Null-MR4 |  |
Combined RS530 (RS422, EIA 530) and RS232 (V.24) double shielded crossover cable, DB25F connector to DB25F connector,, 0.5 metres. Converts DTE presentation to DCE. Suitable for FarSync T-Series cards. |
FS6097 |