Press Releases July/August 2008

ME-9000 now available for PCI-Express

Isolated multi-port serial interface for PCI Express

There still are many applications for classic RS232 interfaces, for example in retail and kiosk systems, automatic cash dispensers, ticket vending machines or parking ticket machines (in other words POS/point-of-sales or point-of-information equipment). On the other hand RS232 interfaces are not very often used anymore for "pure" PC-to-PC data transmission. As these interfaces have thus been replaced with USB in many PCs, retrofitting with interface boards can be very interesting for applications as mentioned before.

With the ME-9000 Meilhaus Electronic has adapted another ME series board for the PCI Express bus. The interface boards with up to 1 Mbaud and 4 or 8 serial ports – RS232, RS422/485 or mixed – have only been available for PCI and 3 U CompactPCI/PXI until now. A special feature of the ME-9000 on all bus platform versions is its full opto-isolation of all ports up to 1000 V. Isolation is available with common ground (models "i") or with separate grounds per port (models "p"), the latter meaning a complete galvanic opto-isolation from channel to channel and from the PC. Examples where opto-isolated ports with separate grounds may be necessary: Electronic cash register systems at a point of sales with electrostatic discharges due to PVC floorings. Industrial datacom systems with a differing level of the electrical potential between transmitter and receiver. Industrial datacom systems with a noisy environment due to starting motors, switching or other transients influencing the data lines.

The PCI Express version, like the other bus platform versions, has 8 additional discrete TTL digital lines and a counter with 16 bit resolution.
There also is a new feature for the PCI and CompactPCI/PXI models: The new versions are designed for "universal PCI", i. e. for 3.3 V as well as for 5 V operation (until now the user had to decide between the 3.3 V or 5 V model before).

A 4x or 8x breakout cable from 78-pin D-sub female to 9-pin d-sub male connectors is included, depending on the model. As an optional accessory, 8x connectivity boards or boxes with 9-pin D-sub or RJ45 connectors are available. The ME-9000 can be used with Windows, Linux and QNX together with the popular programming environments.

ME-9000 PCIe

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ME-Synapse LAN – remote networking LAN DAQ station

LAN DAQ station now available with 6 slots

If you wanted to use DAQ and control boards remotely in an Ethernet system, you had to set up an additional complete PC until now. The ME-Synapse LAN offers an interesting new solution for this problem: It helps you to use all supported ME series boards easily at the Ethernet. The robust ME-Synapse LAN has slots for 2 or – new – 6 CompactPCI boards in 3 U size. The device has a robust metal housing, an industrial range for the supply power and mechanic characteristics like 19" installability. The ME-Synapse LAN can be stacked with the ME-Neuron, ME-Synapse USB and metal terminal blocks (available with BNC or pluggbale Phoenix connectors). The DAQ station's Ethernet module includes a CPU, so smaller realtime applications can run locally in the ME-Synapse LAN as an option. All ME series CompactPCI boards supported by the driver system ME-iDS can be used in the ME-Synapse LAN. The ME-iDS allows you to control hardware supported by the ME-iDS which is installed on a computer connected via TCP/IP network. When programming with the intelligent driver system ME-iDS, the user will see no difference, if he handles a PCI board in a local PC or a CompactPCI board in a remote system. This makes the combination of ME boards and ME-Synapse LAN or USB a ideal solution for "cross-platform-projects" with Ethernet/LAN – USB – PCI – PCI-Express – CompactPCI/PXI as well as Windows – Linux.

ME-Synapse LAN and ME-Synapse LAN XL

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