FarSync T4Ee

The FarSync T4Ee PCIe card is the top of the range intelligent 4 port transparent synchronous / bitstream / asynchronous card with many line signalling and multiple clock sourcing options. A PCI version is also available.

FarSync T4Ee 4 port synchronous communications card with shadow

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 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 53 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).

The product is supplied with a free 5 year warranty.

There is also a PCI version of this card, the FarSync T4E+ with similar features except async operation is not supported.



Product details

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 both ports support X.21 (V.11), V.35, RS232 (V.24, X.21bis), RS530 (EIA530, RS422), RS449 and RS485 2 and 4 wire network interfaces, all soft configurable and ESD protected from static charges.

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

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

FarSync PCIe cards are suitable for systems with a PCIe bus, covering single and multi-processor systems. These cards are compliant with PCI Express Base specification revision 1.0a and above. The FarSync adapters are bus mastering, 1x (single lane) cards.

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, Conditioned Diphase, Manchester Encoding, 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.

Multiple cards

The drivers supplied with Windows and Linux allow large numbers of ports to be supported by the installation of multiple FarSync cards in a Server. Typically 12 or more cards (24+ ports) can be supported; the card limit is only dependent on the resources available in the host Server and the total bandwidth of the PCIe/PCI/PMC bus.

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

FarSync T4E+ PCI card

The FarSync T4E+ has a similar set of features to the FarSync T4Ee except that asynchronous operation is not supported. For full details see the  FARSYNC T4E+ DATASHEET FarSync T4E+
FarSync T4E+ 4 port adapter


Order Information

The software firmware, drivers, utilities are included with the FarSync adapter. Cables are ordered separately.

The software and documentation is downloaded from this website using a code supplied with the FarSync adapter, it includes:

  • Drivers for Linux and Windows
  • Source code for Linux drivers
  • Network monitor and various useful utility programs

New releases of the software with enhancements and fixes are made available for free download from the Download page in the Support section of this web site.

The Developer’s Toolkit is ordered separately and supplied as a download