HL8.AUG–National Instruments–wy
Full GPIB interface comes on a single chip
High-speed mode, as well as talker/listener function, are incorporated
The TNT4882 is the first single-chip IEEE-488 talker/listener interface.
Developed by National Instruments, it combines the company's NAT4882
IEEE-488.2 controller and Turbo 488 performance-enhancing
application-specific IC with GPIB transceivers in one small chip. The new
interface implements the HS488 mode of operation for theoretical
synchronous GPIB transfers up to 8 Mbytes/s. The TNT4882 comes in a
100-pin plastic quad flatpack surface-mount package. It retains complete
register compatibility with the TNT4882/Turbo 488 combination. Because the
TNT4882 contains a complete NAT4882 register set, which in turn has a
complete NEC microprocessorsD7210 and Texas Instruments TMS9914 register
set, developers using any of these chips can port existing code directly
to the TNT4882. Furthermore, with only a few modifications, an interface
using older chips can implement all of the improved features of the
IEEE-488.2 standard and take advantage of the HS488 mode for improved
performance and speed. Besides improved performance, the single-chip
TNT4882 has numerous other advantages. For example, the TNT4882 replaces
four separate components, saving a great deal of board real estate.
Furthermore, the TNT4882 draws less than 400 mA and the components it
replaces draw 450 mA. Moreover, hardware development time and
manufacturing costs should be reduced, and reliability improved, when a
single chip replaces four separate chips performing the same function.
(TNT4882, $40 ea/500–samples from stock; development kit, $495–available
in September.) National Instruments, Inc. Austin, TX Jerry Rodriguez
512-794-0100
CAPTION:
The TNT4882 combines all GPIB circuitry, including the HS488 high-speed
mode, on a single chip.