General Mainframe Overview

Every System 10 mainframe contains all necessary power supplies, plus all hardware and software necessary for complete, fast, and independent management of ANALOG/DIGITAL DATABASE OPERATIONS.  As the Overview of Mainframes table indicates, mainframe models vary with respect to

• size
• analog and logic capacities
• the number of "A-," "B-," and "V-Card" slots available to the user
• local and remote data display ("video") capabilities, both standard and optional
• keyboard/keypad capabilities, both standard and optional

There are two basic mainframe types:

• "A-SIZED" mainframes—these mainframes contain a single rack of "A Slots" for installation of selected system "A Cards" (only)  
• "B-SIZED" mainframes—these mainframes contain a rack of "B Slots" for installation of selected system "B Cards."  Except for the Model 10KN3, every B-sized mainframe also contains one or more "A Card" racks, and, except for the Model 10KN9, has two internal Slot Connectors for installation of optional "V (Video) Cards"   

All mainframe functions are carried out at exceptionally high speed.  A 16-bit successive-approximation A/D converter yields a nominal internal "finished data" thruput from 2500 to 3000 channels per second.  No significant speed reduction is imposed by the system's internal data acquisition and control workload.  (A special BITS command lets you disable the reading of system logic bits, to increase the internal scan rate even further.)

Of course, the actual transfer of data to a host computer may be considerably slower, the overall thruput being determined by the computer's own speed capabilities.  You can, in fact, impose a fixed delay time between successive channel transmissions, to avoid overrunning the PC's input buffer when full handshake protocols are not observed.

For all System 10 mainframes, maximum data precision is one part in ±32768 (16 bits).  Any numeric character can be replaced by a decimal point.  A maximum of seven characters is allowed, in addition to a minus sign, if applicable.

Each mainframe's front-panel SYSTEM STATUS INDICATORS let you continuously monitor the validity of various system communication links, including the main RS232 Computer Interface and the plug-in keyboard, if present.  The E2P light tells you when the mainframe's CONFIGURATION WRITE PROTECT FUNCTION has been enabled.  The mainframe's "EEPROM Switch" can be turned ON and OFF by software command, if desired.

Overview of Mainframes