National Instruments GPIB-PRL User manual

GPIB-PRL
User Manual
MicroGPIB®
IEEE 488 to Parallel Interface
November 1993 Edition
Part Number 320090-01
© Copyright 1990, 1993 National Instruments Corporation
All Rights Reserved

National Instruments Corporate Headquarters
6504 Bridge Point Parkway
Austin, TX 78730-5039
[phone]
(800) IEEE-488 (toll-free U.S. and Canada)
Technical support fax: [phone]
Branch Offices:
Australia 03 879 9422, Austria 0662 435986, Belgium 02 757 00 20,
Canada (Ontario) 519 622 9310, Canada (Québec) 514 694 8521,
Denmark 45 76 26 00, Finland 90 527 2321, France 1 48 65 33 70,
Germany 089 714 50 93, Italy 02 48301892, Japan 03 3788 1921,
Netherlands 01720 45761, Norway 03 846866, Spain 91 640 0085,
Sweden 08 730 49 70, Switzerland 056 27 00 20, U.K. 0635 523545

Limited Warranty
The GPIB-PRL is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship
for a period of two years from the date of shipment, as evidenced by
receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its option,
repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty
period. This warranty includes parts and labor.
A Return Material Authorization (RMA) number must be obtained from the
factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before any
equipment will be accepted for warranty work. National Instruments will
pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by
warranty.
National Instruments believes that the information in this manual is
accurate. The document has been carefully reviewed for technical
accuracy. In the event that technical or typographical errors exist, National
Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of
this document without prior notice to holders of this edition. The reader
should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected. In no event
shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or
related to this document or the information contained in it.
EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN, NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS
ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMER'S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES
CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL
INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE
PAID BY THE CUSTOMER. NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS,
USE OF PRODUCTS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES,
EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF. This limitation of the
liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action,
whether in contract or tort, including negligence. Any action against
National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of
action accrues. National Instruments shall not be liable for any delay in
performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control. The warranty
provided herein does not cover damages, defects, malfunctions, or service
failures caused by owner's failure to follow the National Instruments
installation, operation, or maintenance instructions; owner's modification of
the product; owner's abuse, misuse, or negligent acts; and power failure or
surges, fire, flood, accident, actions of third parties, or other events outside
reasonable control.

Copyright
Under the copyright laws, this publication may not be reproduced or
transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in
whole or in part, without the prior written consent of National Instruments
Corporation.
Trademarks
MicroGPIB®is a trademark of National Instruments Corporation.
Product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their
respective companies.
Warning Regarding Medical and Clinical Use
of National Instruments Products
National Instruments products are not designed with components and testing
intended to ensure a level of reliability suitable for use in treatment and
diagnosis of humans. Applications of National Instruments products
involving medical or clinical treatment can create a potential for accidental
injury caused by product failure, or by errors on the part of the user or
application designer. Any use or application of National Instruments
products for or involving medical or clinical treatment must be performed
by properly trained and qualified medical personnel, and all traditional
medical safeguards, equipment, and procedures that are appropriate in the
particular situation to prevent serious injury or death should always continue
to be used when National Instruments products are being used. National
Instruments products are NOT intended to be a substitute for any form of
established process, procedure, or equipment used to monitor or safeguard
human health and safety in medical or clinical treatment.

FCC/DOC Radio Frequency
Interference Compliance
This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in strict accordance with the instructions in this manual,
may cause interference to radio and television reception. This equipment
has been tested and found to comply with the following two regulatory
agencies:
Federal Communications Commission
This device complies with Part 15 of the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules for a Class A digital device. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference in commercial
environments.
2. This device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired operation.
Canadian Department of Communications
This device complies with the limits for radio noise emissions from digital
apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications (DOC).
Le présent appareil numérique n’émiet pas de bruits radioélectriques
dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de classe A
prescrites dans le réglement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le
ministére des communications du Canada.
Instructions to Users
These regulations are designed to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference from the equipment to radio reception in commercial
areas. 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.

There is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. However, the chances of interference are much less if the
equipment is installed and used according to this instruction manual.
If the equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception,
which can be determined by turning the equipment on and off, one or more
of the following suggestions may reduce or eliminate the problem.
• Operate the equipment and the receiver on different branches of your
AC electrical system.
• Move the equipment away from the receiver with which it is interfering.
• Reorient or relocate the receiver’s antenna.
• Be sure that the equipment is plugged into a grounded outlet and that
the grounding has not been defeated with a cheater plug.
Notice to user: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by
National Instruments could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment under the FCC Rules.
If necessary, consult National Instruments or an experienced radio/television
technician for additional suggestions. The following booklet prepared by
the FCC may also be helpful: How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV
Interference Problems. This booklet is available from the U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock Number 004-000-00345-4.

© National Instruments Corp. vii GPIB-PRL User Manual
Contents
About This Manual............................................................................ix
Organization of This Manual.......................................................ix
Conventions Used in This Manual...............................................x
Related Documentation................................................................x
Customer Communication ...........................................................x
Chapter 1
Description of the GPIB-PRL .......................................................1-1
Introduction..................................................................................1-1
What Your Kit Contains ..............................................................1-2
Optional Equipment.....................................................................1-3
GPIB-PRL Specifications ............................................................1-3
The GPIB-PRL Front Panel.........................................................1-4
The GPIB-PRL Rear Panel ..........................................................1-6
The Parallel Connector ................................................................1-7
The GPIB Connector....................................................................1-8
Chapter 2
Installation and Operation .............................................................2-1
Installation....................................................................................2-2
Step 1. Inspection ........................................................2-2
Step 2. Verify the Voltage Requirement.....................2-2
Step 3. Configure the Operating Parameters...............2-3
Set Configuration Switches.............................2-4
Default Settings...............................................2-4
Step 4. Connect the Cables..........................................2-7
Step 5. Power on the Unit............................................2-7
Operation......................................................................................2-7
Chapter 3
Technical Information......................................................................3-1
G Mode Operation .......................................................................3-1
G Mode Parallel Interface ............................................................3-3
P Mode Operation ........................................................................3-4
P Mode Parallel Interface.............................................................3-6

Contents
GPIB-PRL User Manual viii © National Instruments Corp.
Appendix
Customer Communication.............................................................. A-1
Glossary.................................................................................................. G-1
Figures
Figure 1-1.The GPIB-PRL...................................................................... 1-1
Figure 1-2.The GPIB-PRL Front Panel.................................................. 1-4
Figure 1-3.The GPIB-PRL Rear Panel...................................................1-6
Figure 1-4.The Parallel Connector and Signal Designations..................1-7
Figure 1-5.The GPIB Connector and Signal Designations....................1-8
Figure 2-1.Example of P Mode System Setup........................................ 2-1
Figure 2-2.Example of G Mode System Setup.......................................2-1
Figure 2-3.Factory Default Settings .......................................................2-4
Figure 3-1.G Mode Parallel Interface Timing........................................ 3-4
Figure 3-2.P Mode Parallel Interface Timing.........................................3-7
Tables
Table 1-1. Electrical Characteristics...................................................... 1-3
Table 1-2. Environmental Characteristics.............................................. 1-4
Table 1-3. Physical Characteristics........................................................ 1-4
Table 1-4. LED Descriptions.................................................................. 1-5
Table 2-1. Configuration Parameters for Switch 1................................ 2-4
Table 2-2. Configuration Parameters for Switches 2 and 3...................2-5
Table 2-3. Configuration Parameters for Switches 4 through 8.............2-6

© National Instruments Corp. ix GPIB-PRL User Manual
About This Manual
Introduction to the GPIB-PRL
The GPIB-PRL is one of National Instruments family of MicroGPIB
products. These products are high performance, low cost IEEE 488 support
items, packaged in small all-metal cases, capable of being rack mounted.
Organization of This Manual
This manual is organized as follows:
• Chapter 1, Description of the GPIB-PRL, contains general information
about the National Instruments GPIB-PRL and lists components and
accessories. Environmental, electrical, and physical specifications are
also provided.
• Chapter 2, Installation and Operation, describes the procedures for
configuring and operating the GPIB-PRL.
• Chapter 3, Technical Information, contains a more detailed description
of the operation of the GPIB-PRL. The timing characteristics of the
parallel port are provided in this section.
• The appendix, Customer Communication, contains forms you can use
to request help from National Instruments or to comment on our
products and manuals.
• The Glossary contains an alphabetical list and a description of terms
used in this manual, including abbreviations, acronyms, metric
prefixes, mnemonics, and symbols.

About This Manual
GPIB-PRL User Manual x © National Instruments Corp.
Conventions Used in This Manual
The following conventions are used in this manual.
italic Italic text denotes emphasis, a cross reference,
or an introduction to a key concept.
bold italic Bold italic text denotes a note, caution, or
warning.
Abbreviations, acronyms, metric prefixes, mnemonics, symbols, and terms
are listed in the Glossary.
Related Documentation
The following document contains information that you may find helpful as
you read this manual.
• ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1-1987, IEEE Standard Digital Interface for
Programmable Instrumentation
Customer Communication
National Instruments wants to receive your comments on our products and
manuals. We are interested in the applications you develop with our
products, and we want to help if you have problems with them. To make it
easy for you to contact us, this manual contains comment and configuration
forms for you to complete. These forms are in the appendix, Customer
Communication, at the end of this manual.

© National Instruments Corp. 1-1 GPIB-PRL User Manual
Chapter 1
Description of the GPIB-PRL
This chapter contains general information about the National Instruments
GPIB-PRL and lists components and accessories. Environmental,
electrical, and physical specifications are also provided.
Introduction
The GPIB-PRL, shown in Figure 1-1, provides a method of connecting a
device with a Centronics-type interface port to the IEEE 488 (GPIB) bus.
The GPIB-PRL allows transparent conversion of data between the two ports
so that control codes or special commands are not required. The GPIB-PRL
also increases the efficiency of the interface system by isolating the slower
device from the faster port with a 256 KB character buffer. This buffer is
used to offload the host computer during printer and plotter applications.
Figure 1-1. The GPIB-PRL

Description of the GPIB-PRL Chapter 1
GPIB-PRL User Manual 1-2 © National Instruments Corp.
The GPIB-PRL is capable of providing data conversion in either direction;
that is, it can be used to interface GPIB plotters and printers to a computer
with a Centronics-type output port or to add a standard Centronics-type
printer to a GPIB network.
Although the GPIB-PRL is designed to be used with a device which adheres
to the Centronics interface standard, it can also be used with other devices
which use a unidirectional parallel 8-bit bus similar in nature to the
Centronics specification. Since the GPIB is also a parallel bus, to avoid
confusion the Centronics-type interface port is referred to as the parallel
port and the GPIB port is referred to as the GPIB or IEEE 488 throughout
the manual.
What Your Kit Contains
Your kit should contain the following components:
Component Part Number
One of the following boxes:
• GPIB-PRL (256K RAM - 115 VAC) 776177-02
• GPIB-PRL (256K RAM - 230 VAC) 776177-32
GPIB-PRL User Manual 320090-01

Chapter 1 Description of the GPIB-PRL
© National Instruments Corp. 1-3 GPIB-PRL User Manual
Optional Equipment
Component Part Number
Rack Mount Kit:
Single (1 unit) 180480-01
Dual (2 units) 180480-02
Parallel (Centronics) Shielded Cables (2 meters):
Standard (36-pin male champ to 36-pin male champ) 180323-10
For IBM PC (25-pin D-sub to 36-pin male champ) 181073-20
Double Shielded GPIB Cables:
GPIB Type X2 Cable – 1 m 763061-01
GPIB Type X2 Cable – 2 m 763061-02
GPIB Type X2 Cable – 4 m 763061-03
GPIB-PRL Specifications
The following tables specify the electrical, environmental, and physical
characteristics of the GPIB-PRL.
Table 1-1. Electrical Characteristics
Characteristic Specification
Power Supply Unit Wall mount type, 115 VAC or 230 VAC,
50/60 Hz input, 9 VDC @ 1A max output
Voltage 9 VDC regulated
Current 640 mA typical; 1,500 mA max

Description of the GPIB-PRL Chapter 1
GPIB-PRL User Manual 1-4 © National Instruments Corp.
Table 1-2. Environmental Characteristics
Characteristic Specification
Operating Temperature 10°to 40°C
Storage Temperature 0°to 70°C
Relative Humidity 10% to 95% noncondensing conditions
Noise Emissions FCC Class A Verified
Table 1-3. Physical Characteristics
Characteristic Specification
Case Size 1.6 in. by 5.7 in. by 8.4 in.(40.6 mm by
144.8 mm by 213.4 mm)
Case Material All metal enclosure
Rack Mounting Single or dual kits available
Weight 28 oz. (without power supply unit)
The GPIB-PRL Front Panel
The front panel of the GPIB-PRL is shown in the following figure. The
power switch and six light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the
GPIB-PRL front panel.
GPIB-PRL
IEEE 488 PARALLEL
POWER READY TALK LISTEN BUSY FULL
Figure 1-2. The GPIB-PRL Front Panel

Chapter 1 Description of the GPIB-PRL
© National Instruments Corp. 1-5 GPIB-PRL User Manual
The LEDs show the current status of the GPIB-PRL at all times. Table 1-4
describes each LED.
Table 1-4. LED Descriptions
LED Indication
POWER Indicates that power to the unit has been applied and the
ON/OFF switch is in the ON position.
READY Indicates that the power-on self-test has passed successfully
and the unit is ready to operate.
TALK Indicates that the GPIB-PRL is configured as a GPIB
Talker.
LISTEN Indicates that the GPIB-PRL is configured as a GPIB
Listener.
BUSY Indicates the current status of the parallel bus signal BUSY.
FULL Indicates that the internal data buffer of the GPIB-PRL has
become full. This is not an error condition, but is merely
a signal that bus performance may be reduced to the speed
of the slower interface.

Description of the GPIB-PRL Chapter 1
GPIB-PRL User Manual 1-6 © National Instruments Corp.
The GPIB-PRL Rear Panel
The rear panel of the GPIB-PRL is shown in the following figure. The
power cable, parallel cable, and GPIB cable are shown connected to the rear
panel of the GPIB-PRL.
Figure 1-3. The GPIB-PRL Rear Panel

Chapter 1 Description of the GPIB-PRL
© National Instruments Corp. 1-7 GPIB-PRL User Manual
The Parallel Connector
The parallel connector is a standard 36-pin shielded AMP Champ female
connector with bail-lock clips. The parallel connector will accept standard
36-pin Centronics-style male connectors. A diagram of the parallel
connector and the signals supported is shown below (a * suffix indicates
that the signal is active low).
N/C
N/C
GND
N/C
N/C
N/C
PE
BUSY
ACK*
DATA8
DATA7
DATA6
DATA5
DATA4
DATA3
DATA2
DMTA1
STROBE*
N/C
N/C
N/C
GND
ERROR*
INIT*
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
36
35
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Figure 1-4. The Parallel Connector and Signal Designations

Description of the GPIB-PRL Chapter 1
GPIB-PRL User Manual 1-8 © National Instruments Corp.
The GPIB Connector
The GPIB connector is a standard 24-pin shielded AMP Champ female
connector with metric screwlock hardware. A diagram of the GPIB
connector and the signals supported is shown below (a * suffix indicates
that the signal is active low).
DIO1*
DIO2*
DIO3*
DIO4*
EOI*
DAV*
NRFD*
NDAC*
IFC*
SRQ*
ATN*
SHIELD
DIO5*
DIO6*
DIO7*
DIO8*
REN*
GND (TW PAIR W/DAV*)
GND (TW PAIR W/NRFD*)
GND (TW PAIR W/NDAC*)
GND (TW PAIR W/IFC*)
GND (TW PAIR W/SRQ*)
GND (TW PAIR W/ATN*)
SIGNAL GROUND
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Figure 1-5. The GPIB Connector and Signal Designations

© National Instruments Corp 2-1 GPIB-PRL User Manual
Chapter 2
Installation and Operation
As mentioned in Chapter 1 the GPIB-PRL can transfer data either from the
GPIB port to the parallel port or from the parallel port to the GPIB port. The
parallel interface supports only unidirectional data transfers so the GPIB-PRL
must be configured to source data onto the parallel port or to receive data
from the parallel port.
If the parallel port is going to be the source of the data and a GPIB device will
be the end recipient of the data (as with a GPIB plotter connected via a
GPIB-PRL to the Centronics port on an IBM PC), you will be operating in
P (Parallel) mode.
Figure 2-1. Example of P Mode System Setup
If the GPIB port will be the source of the data and a parallel device will be
receiving the data (as with a Centronics printer interfaced to the IEEE 488 via
a GPIB-PRL), you will be operating in G (GPIB) mode.
Figure 2-2. Example of G Mode System Setup

Installation and Operations Chapter 2
GPIB-PRL User Manual 2-2 © National Instruments Corp.
Installation
There are five basic steps to installing the GPIB-PRL.
1. Inspect the GPIB-PRL for damage that may have been caused in
shipment.
2. Verify the voltage requirement.
3. Configure the operating parameters.
4. Connect the cables.
5. Power on the unit.
These steps are described in more detail in the following sections.
Step 1. Inspection
Before you install the GPIB-PRL, inspect the shipping container and its
contents for damage. If damage appears to have been caused in shipment, file
a claim with the carrier. Retain the packing material for possible inspection
and/or for reshipment.
If the equipment appears to be damaged, do not attempt to operate it. Contact
National Instruments for instructions.
Step 2. Verify the Voltage Requirement
The GPIB-PRL is shipped from the factory with either a 115 V or 230 V wall-
mount supply. Verify that the voltage on the supply matches the voltage that
is supplied in your area.
Caution: Operating the unit at any voltage other than the one specified
could damage the unit.