Technical hardware description
Page 8 Description
3 Technical hardware description
3.1 General information
To slow down the time for comfortable testing of PCI-cards we developed the PCI-
Extender card. A master switch, on one side of the extender card, switches all PCI-
Bus conductors via relays and power supply, over the MOS-FET, to the upper slot.
Because of this, it is possible to plug and unplug the PCI cards while the PC is in
operation. All operating voltages are protected by easy exchangeable fuses. The
PCI-slot-connector can be configured with a DIP switch. Here you can configure, for
example, that only the voltage and not the Data signal will be switched on the upper
slot. This is necessary when, for example, there is a short circuit on the Data bus.
Which signals are currently switched on are indicated on a LED-Bar.
All operating voltages and eight more Control signals are existent on a 37-pol D-Sub
connector. A temperature sensor which is located on the card enables a control of
automated test procedures.
An additional button produces a RESET-Signal on the upper slot. The RESET will
further on be produced when the PC is turned on or off, as well as from the CPU.
The adjustments, assigned by the CPU in the cards configuration header when the
PC is booted are lost when a card is exchanged. For this reason, the software
“PCISETIO” is included in the scope of supply. This software enables the I/O-
Address to be set after the PC is turned on again. Existing software routines can be
utilised again with out trouble.
The Extender consists of 2 cards, first, the Extender card and second, an
attachment, which consists of an adapter and the PCI slot only.
If the contact on the PCI slot isn’t mechanically clean, due to inserting and taking
them out too often, then the economically priced adapter card can easily be replaced.
The accessible points for GND, +5V and +12V on the top edge of the card, provide
further flexibility
3.2 Other Products
A comparable card is available for an ISA-Bus. It supports the same functions. If you
would like to have product information about this card, please contact us.
