Equinox Systems MEGAPLEX Quick user guide

Hardware
Reference
Manual
e
MEGAPLEX
Serial I/O Subsystems
for
ISA/EISA BUS SYSTEMS:
MEGAPLEX MCC 24x4 Host Controller
MEGAPLEX CMX-24 Cluster Multiplexer
MEGAPLEX CMX-24D Cluster Multiplexer
MICRO CHANNEL BUS SYSTEMS:
MEGAPLEX/2 MCC 24x4 Host Controller
MEGAPLEX CMX-24 Cluster Multiplexer
MEGAPLEX CMX-24D Cluster Multiplexer
RS/6000 SYSTEMS:
MEGAPLEX/RS MCC 24x4 Host Controller
MEGAPLEX CMX-24 Cluster Multiplexer
MEGAPLEX CMX-24D Cluster Multiplexer

ii MEGAPLEX Hardware Reference Manual
Copyright Notice
© 1991, 1992, 1993 Equinox Systems Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
without permission prohibited.
Trademarks
Equinox is a registered trademark of Equinox Systems, Inc. MEGAPORT and
MEGAPLEX are trademarks of Equinox Systems, Inc. XENIX is a registered
trademark of Microsoft Corp. UNIX is a registered trademark of AT&T.
Disclaimer
Equinox makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents
hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or
fitness for any particular purpose. Information is subject to change without
notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Equinox Systems
Inc.
FCC Notice
NOTE: The equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for Class A digital devices, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equip-
ment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in
a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the
user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
NOTE: This unit was tested with shielded cables on the peripheral devices.
Shielded cables must be used with the unit to insure compliance.
NOTE: The manufacturer is not responsible for any radio or TV interference
caused by unauthorized modifications to this equipment. Such modifications
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Document Reference Information
Document Title: MEGAPLEX Hardware Reference Manual
Part Number: 560050/B
Date: March, 1993
Control: Equinox Systems Inc., One Equinox Way
Sunrise, FL 33351, 954-746-9000, Fax: [phone]

Table of Contents iii
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION ............................................ 1
Applicability...................................................................... 2
About This Manual........................................................... 2
Equipment Check List...................................................... 3
Software Support ............................................................. 5
References ...................................................................... 5
CHAPTER 2 - INSTALLING MEGAPLEX HARDWARE ....... 7
EISAInstallations.............................................................7
Installing a Single MEGAPLEX Board.............................. 8
Installing Additional MEGAPLEX Boards ......................... 10
Intermixing MEGAPLEX & MEGAPORT Boards.............. 12
PS/2-Type Hardware Configuration ................................. 12
RS/6000 Hardware Configuration ....................................14
CHAPTER 3 - MEGAPLEX CABLING .................................. 15
Cluster Multiplexer Link Wiring ........................................ 15
Wiring CMX-24 to Peripheral Devices.............................. 18
Device Wiring......................................................... 19
Modular Cables...................................................... 22
Modular Adaptors...................................................23
Wiring CMX-24D to Peripheral Devices ........................... 26
CMX-24D Connector Pinouts................................. 27
Device Wiring......................................................... 27
APPENDIX A - DOCUMENT CHANGE REQUEST............... 29
APPENDIX B - TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROCEDURES ..... 31
Index ..................................................................................... 33

MEGAPLEX
MEGAPLEX/2
MEGAPLEX/RS
Serial I/O Subsystems
e
PN 560050/B
Hardware
Reference
Manual

Table of Contents iv

Introduction 1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The Equinox MEGAPLEX, MEGAPLEX/2 and MEGAPLEX/RS family
of multi-user boards provides high performance serial I/O subsystem
solutions for UNIX and XENIX applications in ISA, EISA and Micro
Channel bus systems.
Except for the computer bus interface and an additional step in the
hardware configuration process, MEGAPLEX/2 and MEGAPLEX/RS
products are identical to their MEGAPLEX counterparts. Throughout
this manual, the term MEGAPLEX refers to all products.
MEGAPLEX boards provide:
●High Performance. All 96 ports are capable of running
38.4 Kbps on all ports simultaneously.
●High Density. Up to 8 MEGAPLEX MCC 24x4 host
controller boards may be placed in a computer for a total of
768 ports.
●Flexible Cabling. CMX-24 and CMX-24D cluster multi-
plexers may be placed up to 2500 feet away from the host
computer using two-twisted-pair cable.
●Easy Installation. With Equinox's soft configuration
technology, simply plug in the host controller, wire up the
cluster multiplexers and run the installation software.
Answer two simple questions (how many MEGAPLEX
boards and where to memory map them) and the installa-
tion is completed.
●Expansion. Up to 4 CMX-24 or CMX-24D units (or combi-
nation of both) may be added to a system. This provides
from 24 to 96 ports per single slot (24 ports per cluster).
●Reliability. Transformer coupled link eliminates DC
ground shift potential that can cause errors in data trans-
mission or board damage.

2 MEGAPLEX Hardware Reference Manual
Applicability
This manual is applicable to the following Equinox products:
●MEGAPLEX MCC 24x4 Host Controller (ISA/EISA)
●MEGAPLEX/2 MCC/2 24x4 Host Controller (Micro Channel)
●MEGAPLEX/RS MCC/RS 24x4 Host Controller
●MEGAPLEX CMX-24 Cluster Multiplexer (& accessories)
●MEGAPLEX CMX-24D Cluster Multiplexer (& accessories)
AboutThis Manual
This manual is a technical reference to the hardware installation and
operation of the MEGAPLEX family. It should be used in conjunction
with one of the MEGAPORT/MEGAPLEX device drivers discussed
below.
There is a considerable similarity in the installation and operation of
all MEGAPLEX products. Throughout this manual, the term
MEGAPLEX applies to all members of the family. Specific product
names, such as CMX-24 and CMX-24D, refer to issues which are
specific to that product. MEGAPLEX is essentially the same as the
MEGAPORT product as far as software and drivers are concerned.
Therefore, when the term MEGAPORT is used in this manual it
applies to both MEGAPORT and MEGAPLEX.
This manual is organized as follows:
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Introduces the MEGAPLEX family and lists the hardware and
software provided with a MEGAPLEX subsystem.
Chapter 2 - Installing MEGAPLEX Hardware
Chapter 2 describes how to install one or more MEGAPLEX,
MEGAPLEX/2 or MEGAPLEX/RS host controller boards in a
computer system.
Chapter 3 - MEGAPLEX Cabling
Chapter 3 describes the various cabling accessories used to
connect devices to CMX-24 and CMX-24D boards. Included are
wiring diagrams for building adaptors and cables.

Introduction 3
Equipment Check List
A MEGAPLEX 24-Port Kit contains a host controller board, one or
more cluster multiplexers and all applicable accessories (hardware,
software and documentation) required by the user's system.
●MEGAPLEX MCC 24x4 Host Controller Board
Installs in an 80386- or 80486-based computer.
or
●MEGAPLEX/2 MCC 24x4 Host Controller Board
Installs in a Micro Channel-based computer.
or
●MEGAPLEX/RS MCC 24x4 Host Controller Board
Installs in a Micro Channel-based computer.
●1" Interconnect cable (MEGAPLEX only)
Used to connect several MEGAPLEX host controllers
together.
●EISA Jumper (MEGAPLEX only)
For EISA bus computers.
●UNIX/XENIX Device Driver Kit
Contains the software and supporting manual required to
install MEGAPLEX subsystems in systems running the
UNIX System V 3.2/386 operating system, the 286 or 386
SCO XENIX operating system and compatible variants.
●SVR4 STREAMS Device Driver Diskette
Contains the software and supporting manual required to
install MEGAPLEX subsystems in systems running the
UNIX System V Release 4 operating system and compatible
variants.
●AIX-2 Device Driver Kit (MEGAPLEX/2 only)
Contains the software and supporting manual required to
install MEGAPLEX/2 boards in systems running IBM AIX
Version 2.
●AIX-3 Device Driver Kit (MEGAPLEX/RS only)
Contains the software and supporting manual required to
install MEGAPLEX/RS boards in systems running IBM AIX
Version 3.

4 MEGAPLEX Hardware Reference Manual
●1 to 4 CMX-24 (and/or CMX-24D) Cluster Multiplexers
Used to connect peripheral devices. Each CMX-24 and
CMX-24D cluster multiplexer is packaged with a wall
mounting kit, a 10' 4-wire modular link cable, 2 modular
wire adapters (for cable extension) and a wall-mounted
power transformer. The CMX-24D can be either wall or
rack mounted.
Different device driver kits with different part numbers are
provided with MEGAPLEX, MEGAPLEX/2 and
MEGAPLEX/RS (slight differences in the installation
process necessitate this for ease of installation). With
MEGAPLEX/2 host controller boards a PS/2 Option Diskette
is also included.