TS-9500
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| Schematic |
Introduction
The Technologic Systems TS-9500 is a valuable tool when developing for any Technologic Systems Single Board Computer (SBC). It features a Compact Flash interface, standard VGA video connector, and standard connectors for a PS/2 Keyboard and Mouse. The TS-9500 daughter board allows for a developer to write source code, compile, run, and debug right on the target SBC using a typical PC compatible development suite (such as Borland's Turbo C). By simply moving your development tools onto the Compact Flash card, and plugging in monitor and keyboard, one can develop and debug directly on the target platform.
PC/104 Bus Interface
The TS-9500 features a 16-bit PC/104 Bus that is compatible with Technologic Systems 3000 and 5000 series of SBC. These products use a standard PC/104 bus except that pin A1 is used for the IRQ1 function (instead of the NMI function). The TS-9500 keyboard controller uses this interrupt for keyboard input (as per a standard PC). This is a non-standard usage for this PC/104 Bus pin, but there is little chance of a conflict, since the standard function of this pin is "Parity Error" for extended memory daughter boards, which should never be needed with our products.
I/O locations 198h through 019Fh are used by the TS-9500. When installing other PC/104 daughter boards, the user must ensure that there is no conflict with these I/O locations.
Although the TS-9500 uses the full 16-bit bus, it can support SBC products with only an 8-bit bus (such as the TS-3100). All resources except the Compact Flash can function with a restricted 8-bit bus. When using an SBC with an 8-bit bus, the Compact Flash will be non-functional.
VGA Video, Keyboard, and Mouse
No special cables are needed to use the VGA, keyboard, and mouse interfaces. Simply plug in your monitor into the TS-9500 VGA connector as you would for any other typical PC computer. A PS/2 keyboard plugs into the connector labeled KeyBoard (farthest from the VGA connector). A PS/2 mouse plugs into the connector between the VGA connector and the Keyboard connector. The TS-9500 uses a Chips and Technology 65545 chip for the VGA video generation and it uses an Intel 82C42PC chip with Phoenix Technologies Ltd. firmware for the keyboard and mouse controller.
The mouse interface requires IRQ12 support. The TS-5300 uses IRQ12 for the Ethernet port and therefore will not support a PS/2 mouse. The 3000 series of products have no BIOS support for a PS/2 mouse. If you wish to use a mouse on these products, a serial mouse will work fine (using a COM port).
The other TS-5xxx series of SBC products do support a PS/2 mouse using the TS-9500.
Compact Flash
A Compact Flash card allows for efficient, reliable, and easy transfer of files from a Host PC to the TS-9500. A SanDisk USB Compact Flash reader/writer (which can be purchased from Technologic Systems) is recommended for the host PC for reliable file transfers. This results in the ability to quickly move files from a host PC to the TS-9500 using a Compact Flash Card as the removable media.
The TS-9500 is shipped with DIP Switch #5 in the "ON" position setting the Compact Flash as the Primary IDE device. If the main SBC has a Compact Flash Card installed, then the TS-9500 Dip Switch #5 must be put into the "OFF" position to make the Compact Flash on the TS-9500 the secondary IDE device to avoid conflicts. The Compact Flash Card on the SBC (if installed) is always the Primary IDE device.
While a USB Compact Flash reader allows for hot swapping of the Compact Flash card on the host PC, the Compact Flash interface for the TS-9500 is not hot swappable, the target SBC must be rebooted after removing or installing a Compact Flash Card.
The Compact Flash requires a 16-bit bus interface. When using an SBC with an 8-bit bus, the Compact Flash will be non-functional.
Using the SanDisk USB Compact Flash Reader
This device allows for a very fast and reliable method of moving files between the host PC and target SBC. For best results, we have noticed that it is best to boot the host PC with a Compact Flash Card installed in the SanDisk USB Reader. The Compact Flash Card can then be hot swapped (inserted or removed without rebooting the host PC).
For some OSes (Windows ME), it may work better to remove the USB cable form the USB port and reinstall it after hot swapping CF cards. There is typically no need to reboot the PC.
Using LCD, Matrix Keypad with TS-9500
If a TS-9500 VGA video board is installed on the PC/104 bus, the video BIOS on the graphics card will automatically replace the standard video routines (INT10h) in the BIOS, disabling both the LCD display and the console redirection to COM2, regardless of the state of jumper JP2. If a TS-9500 is present, all console input is disabled and the SBC will only accept input from a standard PC keyboard.
If an LCD and/or Matrix keypad is enabled, the console must be directed to standard I/O. If a TS-9500 is present, with video/keyboard enabled the standard output will be directed to video, even if the LCD is enabled, if the Matrix keypad is enabled the PC keyboard and the Matrix keypad will work at the same time.
Contact Technologic Systems for more information on using the LCD and Matrix Keypad with Keyboard and VGA on a TS-9500.
Booting from TS-9500
The BIOS in the TS-9500 can be used to boot the attached SBC. Setting Dip Switch #1 "ON" will cause the BIOS in the TS-9500 to be executed instead of the BIOS firmware on the SBC. This can be useful if the main SBC flash chip has been corrupted. Setting the Dip Switch #1 to the "OFF" position will cause the boot process to revert to the normal method using the BIOS in the SBC Flash chip.
When DIP Switch #1 is "ON", then DIP Switches 2 and 3 must be selecting the correct SBC BIOS. (See Section 11 - DIP Switch Settings)
Using the TS-9500 with a TS-3100
Current versions of the TS-3100 do not support IRQ1 on the PC/104 Bus pin A1. This function is required for proper operation of the TS-9500 keyboard controller since the PC standard uses IRQ1 for keyboard input. These products must have a jumper soldered on the SBC from DIO1 port pin 14 (IRQ1) to the PC/104 Bus pin A1. Future "Revision B" TS-3100 boards will not need this jumper added.
For development with a TS-3100, we suggest using a TS-3200 SBC.
Using the TS-9500 with a TS-2100, TS-2200, TS-2800
Although these products were not originally designed for use with the TS-9500, it is possible to get some functionality. DIP Switch #1 must be in the "OFF" position. This will cause the SBC to boot using the its own BIOS firmware. The VGA video will function as expected. But none of the other functions on the TS-9500 (Keyboard, Mouse, Compact Flash, Flash drive) will function due to BIOS limitations of these products.
Jumper and Dip Switch Settings
| JP | Setting |
|---|---|
| 1 | Write Enable for the Top 512K bytes of Flash chip. Note: This region contains critical firmware and normally should not be changed. See section Error! Reference source not found. for more information. |
| 2 | User Jumper |
| Dip Switch | Setting | Shipping Default |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boot From TS-9500 | Off |
| 2 |
|
Off |
| 3 | Reserved | Off |
| 4 | User | Off |
| 5 | Compact Flash IDE device setting. Dip 5 = On
Dip 5 = Off
|
On |
| 6 | Mouse IRQ - connect to IRQ 6 | Off |
| 7 | Reserved | Off |
| 8 | Enable VGA Video BIOS extension and Enable Keyboard controller | On |
I/O Memory Map
| Hex Address | Resource |
|---|---|
| 19D | Board ID = 05Fh |
| 19B | Bits 0 - 7 = Dip Switches 1- 8 |
| 19A |
|
Product Notes
FCC Advisory
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly (that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions), may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device in accordance with the specifications in Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference, in which case the owner will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
If this equipment does cause interference, which can be determined by turning the unit on and off, the user is encouraged to try the following measures to correct the interference:
Reorient the receiving antenna. Relocate the unit with respect to the receiver. Plug the unit into a different outlet so that the unit and receiver are on different branch circuits. Ensure that mounting screws and connector attachment screws are tightly secured. Ensure that good quality, shielded, and grounded cables are used for all data communications. If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The following booklets prepared by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may also prove helpful:
How to Identify and Resolve Radio-TV Interference Problems (Stock No. 004-000-000345-4) Interface Handbook (Stock No. 004-000-004505-7) These booklets may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Limited Warranty
See our Terms and Conditions for more details.
Usage with 3rd party devices
Please note that while efforts are made to follow the PC/104 specification this peripheral is not tested with third party SBCs or connected peripherals. This card is not guaranteed to operate as intended when third party PC104 peripherals or SBCs are connected.