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BLUE CHIP APEX II User Manual

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APEX II
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(SBC)
User Manual

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  • Page 1 APEX II Single Board Computer (SBC) User Manual...
  • Page 2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the prior permission, in writing, from the publisher. For permission in the UK contact Blue Chip Technology.

  • Page 3: Amendment History

    Amendment History Issue Issue Author Amendment Details Level Date 12/07/95 First Issue 14/12/95 CPU fitment, EMC statement & version 1.5 LCD tables included 07/06/96 Revised for PCB Issue 3.x. 386 option removed. 3v3 option added. Clock synth options added. -5 & -12 V connectios added.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    ..................2 OARD ATTERY 1.5 R ................3 ELATED UBLICATIONS 1.6 T ....................3 RADEMARKS 2. THE APEX II PRODUCT RANGE ............5 2.1 G ..................5 ENERAL VERVIEW 2.2 APEX II S ................6 PECIFICATION 2.3 P ................. 7...
  • Page 5 ............... 106 ECURITY CREEN 6.11 D BIOS S .............. 107 EFAULT CREEN 6.12 S AMI BIOS............108 AVING AND XITING THE 6.13 APEX II BIOS E ..............108 XTENSIONS 6.14 E²PROM C ................114 ONTROL 6.15 M ..................114 EMORY...
  • Page 6 ..................115 HANNELS 6.18 I ..............115 NTERRUPTS SSIGNMENTS 6.19 APEX II S ..............115 OFTWARE TILITIES 7. APPENDIX A : CONNECTOR PINOUTS..........117 8. APPENDIX B : PCB LAYOUT DIAGRAM ......... 126 9. APPENDIX C : CONFIGURATION JUMPERS ........127 10.
  • Page 7 ........176 OWER EQUENCING AND GENERATION 19.5 F .............. 176 ANEL NTERFACE ABLES 20. APPENDIX N : APEX II MEMORY MAP .......... 192 21. APPENDIX O : ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY..... 193 22. APPENDIX P : APEX II SUPPORTED CPUS ........195...
  • Page 8 This extensive range of products, coupled with our experience and expertise, enables Blue Chip Technology to offer an industrial processing solution for any application. APEX II is the latest addition to our portfolio, providing a cost effective product development and volume production tool for OEMs.
  • Page 9 The PC as an Embedded Control Solution As today's OEMs battle to develop leading edge products as fast as possible and with minimal cost, the APEX II SBC provides a innovative solution. Designed to provide a high performance, compact hardware solution, with maximum configuration, compatibility and flexibility, APEX II is a complete PC on a single card.
  • Page 10 The PC has become the control solution for many current applications, some of these include : • Food and Drink Processing • Water/Gas/Oil and Electricity control • Retailing (EPOS etc.) • Marine • Medical Equipment • Security Systems • Mobile Data Terminals •...

  • Page 11: Introduction

    We strongly recommend that you study this manual carefully before attempting to interface with APEX II or change the standard configurations. Whilst all the necessary information is available in this manual we would recommend that unless you are confident, you contact your supplier for guidance.

  • Page 12: Limitations Of Liability

    Introduction 1.2 Limitations of Liability In no event shall Blue Chip Technology be held liable for any loss, expenses or damages of any kind whatsoever, whether direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, arising from the design or use of this product or the support materials supplied with this product.

  • Page 13: Related Publications

    • The Winn L. Rosch Hardware Bible, Brady • PC104 Consortium Technical Specification For more information on the major integrated circuits used in APEX II please refer to the following technical manuals : • UMC UM8498 and UM8496 Applications Data Book •...
  • Page 14 Page 4 Introduction 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 15: The Apex Ii Product Range

    APEX 104 range of PC/104 compatible stacking modules. All the normal PC functions are present on APEX II. It can be used as a standalone development tool simply by adding a keyboard, monitor and disk drives (IDE or floppy).

  • Page 16: Apex Ii Specification

    • On-board "Power Good" signal generation. • On-board 3.6 Volt battery for SRAM and RTC. • +5 Volt only operation. Additional cards connected directly to the APEX II may require ±12 and/or -5 Volts for correct operation. These must be provided by the user.

  • Page 17: Power Requirements

    However, we offer the following list as a guide to typical current requirements: Standard APEX II with a 486SX25 + 4MB DRAM = 2.10 Amps Standard APEX II with a 486SX25 + 8MB DRAM = 2.30 Amps Standard APEX II with a DX4/100 + 4MB DRAM = 2.50 Amps Standard APEX II with a DX4/100 + 8MB DRAM = 2.60 Amps...

  • Page 18: Standard Pc At I/Ocards

    APEX II Product Range 2.5 Standard PC AT I/O cards As APEX II has a single ISA slot fitted as standard, it is possible to insert any of the currently available standard PC/AT cards. This enables your final design to incorporate functions not found on the standard range of PC/104 cards.

  • Page 19: User Guide

    3.1.1 Initial Inspection Before you begin to install or connect to your APEX II unit, please make sure that the following materials have been shipped : • 1 x APEX II unit to your order specification (CPU/Memory where ordered).

  • Page 20: Getting Started

    • To prevent damage from static discharge to the CPU and APEX II, touch the metal chassis of the computer to ground yourself. • Check that the CPU you intend to fit is supported by the APEX II hardware and BIOS. A list of supported CPUs is provided in Appendix P. Ensure that if the CPU you intend to fit is not a 5 Volt device, that you set the correct jumpers on header J13.
  • Page 21 CPU, see section 3.2.1 for further details. • Finally, once the SBC is powered on check the setup options in the BIOS to ensure that any frequency dependant parameters are set before attempting to boot an operating system. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 22 Page 12 User Guide Fitting a CPU into APEX II CPU with blunt edge or spot aligned with PGA socket PGA Socket Blunt Edge or distinctive pin arrangement 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 23 User Guide Page 13 If you have not ordered the APEX II with a complete set of cables or want to build your own, the following pages will show you how to connect to ALL of the output connectors found on the unit.
  • Page 24 2 - 3 P24T Selects Processor Voltage 1 2 3 4 Processor Dependent 4 pairs of pins adajcent to J2 A A A A 3V3 CPU (Pin 1 at top) P P P P 5V CPU 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 25: Connecting To The I/Oheaders

    Connector pin 1 +12 V pin 1 -5 V pin 2 pin 2 pin 3 pin 3 -12 V pin 4 +5 V DO NOT SWITCH ON THE POWER SUPPLY YET. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 26 Socket Note All LED drive outputs have a 220Ω serial resistor connected to the +5 Volt supply rail, and the +5 Volt supply to the keyboard is fused (by an SMD fuse) at 2 Amp. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 27 CRT displays. Please insure that you follow the above wiring diagram carefully. We would also recommend the use of crimp style subminiature D connectors for the CRT end of the cable. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 28 Power Input FPVee LCD Power Sequence and Bias voltage Generation PWR_BIAS PWR_LOGIC PWR_INV +12 V LCD_res AC Power LCD_res Note A cable is not supplied for this connector due to the wide variety of displays available. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 29 Alternatively, wire the disk drive as per the details in section 3.3.5.1. You can attach 1 or 2 disk drives to the APEX II. The jumpers on the disk drives should be set to drive 1 not drive 0. To connect only 1 drive, use a cable with a twist in it (between pins 10 and 16) at the disk drive end.
  • Page 30 The above wiring is for a single disk drive which is terminated and set to drive 1, not drive 0. Also note that the cable is just a point to point IDC ribbon cable with a twist, starting at wire 10 and going to 16. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 31 Alternatively, wire the disk drive as per the details below: Hard Disk Unit + 5 Volts 0V (GND) 0V (GND) + 12 Volts Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 32 25 Way D Type 36 Way Male Connector Female Note The Centronics connector shown is a IDC ribbon type and when assembled, wire 4 (pin 15 of 25 way D) MUST BE CUT for correct operation 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 33 Page 23 3.3.8 Connecting an External Battery As the APEX II unit comes complete with its own on-board battery you should not need to worry about this section. However, if your application needs an external battery, then please follow the procedures as detailed below:...
  • Page 34 Serial 1 and Serial 2 to these connectors. Alternatively, wire the connectors as per the details below: Rear View of 9 Way D Type P10 or P11 Male Rear View of 25 Way D Type Female 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 35 IDC type connectors. RS485 Port Configuration To retain continuity, and for ease of support, APEX II units supplied with the 485 port option, should have the ribbon cable connecting the 10-way IDC Header to the 9-way D-Type Female connector configured as : Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 36 Pin 5 is GND A 9-way Loop-Back Connector for testing purposes should be wired as follows: Pin 1 ---------------- Pin 3 Pin 2 ---------------- Pin 4 Pin 7 ---------------- Pin 9 Pin 8 ---------------- Pin 6 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 37 All outputs can be pulled up to the Vcc rail or down to GND via the optional on-board 10K SIL resistor packs. Rear View of 25 Way D Type Female Not Used But is connected to 0V (GND) Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 38 3.3.12 Connecting to the APEX II POST Display Header If you have the APEX II POST Deader Display unit. Locate connector P6 on the PCB and connect the POST Display unit to it. When fitted the display will show the progress of the single board PC through the Power On Self Test which is executed on start-up.
  • Page 39 The APEX II unit allows you to connect via the standard PC/104 stack through PC/104 connectors, up to a maximum of three PC/104 Support Modules. As the APEX II unit has both the XT and AT (16 bit) connectors, any of the currently available PC/104 units will work with this unit.
  • Page 40 User Guide 3.3.14 Connecting a Standard PC ISA Card APEX II allows you to connect via the standard ISA slot (AT 16 bit), 1 or more PC XT/AT expansion cards. WARNING Before connecting any external devices or cards to the APEX unit make sure that the power is disconnected.

  • Page 41: Adding Memory

    3.4 Adding Memory 3.4.1 Adding DRAM SIMM Modules The APEX II unit can accommodate up to two 72 pin SIMM modules using its two SIMM sockets: SIMM1 and SIMM2. These sockets are located on the edge of the PCB near the microprocessor. If you have ordered the APEX II with DRAM memory then one or both of the sockets will be occupied.
  • Page 42 User Guide 3.4.2 Adding Flash The APEX II unit can accommodate up to 1 additional 32 pin DIL integrated circuit (IC) via its on-board DIL socket (IC32). This socket is located next to the EPROM IC near the battery. If you have ordered this unit with extra Flash (The standard build is 1MByte on-board via a surface mount device) then this socket will be in use.
  • Page 43 These cards are similar to PCMCIA cards but have a different pinout and interface. Blue Chip Technology has designed a remote card socket PCB which will allow up to 1 card to be accessed by the standard on-board 32 pin Flash DIL socket.
  • Page 44 Please call Blue Chip Technology for more detailed information and pricing. 3.4.6 Adding SRAM The APEX II unit can accommodate up to one 32 pin DIL integrated circuit (IC) using its on-board SRAM DIL socket (IC34). This socket is located near to the EPROM IC and the battery. If you have ordered this unit with SRAM memory then this socket will be in use.

  • Page 45: Final Wiring Checks

    Header Port Note The diagram is intended to show the total flexibility of the APEX II unit NOT the actual connector positions. Please see Appendix B for a PCB plot which will indicate the actual positions. Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 46: Connecting The Power And Switching On

    DOS or any other application you have instructed the AUTOEXEC.BAT file to run (e.g. Windows). If for any reason this does not happen please refer to the Trouble Shooting section which follows. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 47: Troubleshooting Guide

    4.1.1 Resetting the APEX II Unit to a Known State Firstly, make sure that ALL of the jumper links are as detailed in section 3.2.1. Then reset the CMOS RAM that defines the configuration of the APEX II by using jumper J9. Change the link to position 2-3.

  • Page 48: Bios Start Up Problems

    Is the power supply capable of supplying the current required to operate not only the APEX II unit but any other connected items ? Are all of the power connections of the other items connected to the APEX II unit wired correctly ? Is the voltage supplied between 4.9 Volts and 5.1 Volts ?

  • Page 49: Crt Screen Problems

    4.3.2 APEX II Unit Beeps at you at power on If the APEX II unit beeps at you when you are in a power on reset state, then consult the BIOS Beep codes Appendix G section 13.1 to determine the possible cause.

  • Page 50: Flat Panel Display Problems

    4.7 Memory Problems The APEX II unit can employ three types of memory fitted by the user. These are DRAM, FLASH and SRAM. Each type of memory has its own set of potential problems which are now dealt with below.

  • Page 51: Floppy Disk Drive Problems

    4.7.3 SRAM Memory Problems SRAM on the APEX II unit is supported by a 32 pin DIL socket. When using the 32 pin DIL socket please make sure that the device is inserted the correct way round. If you are having problems reading or writing to this form of memory please consult both the Software Technical section and the Memory Map Appendix N for more in-depth information.

  • Page 52: Ide Hard Disk Problems

    This is a BIOS error and not a hardware fault and we are currently awaiting a fix from AMI. 4.10 Serial Problems The serial ports on the APEX II unit can be set for either RS232 or RS485. Please make sure that the BIOS settings are correct for your application needs. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 53: Parallel Problems

    Almost all of the problems encountered when trying to access another card connected either via the PC/104 bus or the ISA slot are related to configuration of the host system, in this case the APEX II unit or the setup of the card being attached.
  • Page 54 Page 44 Troubleshooting Guide correct. Please refer to the Hardware Technical section for a more in-depth look at using these connectors. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 55: Using The Apex Ii Unit With A Host Pc

    Page 45 4.14 Using the APEX II unit with a Host PC The APEX II unit can be operated in conjunction with a host PC. Please refer to Appendix I section 15.2 for a more in-depth information. Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 56: Hardware Technical Section

    Hardware Technical Section 5. HARDWARE TECHNICAL SECTION 5.1 Introduction This section of the manual cover all aspects of the APEX II hardware specifications and should be read fully before attempting to alter or interface with any of the on-board electronics.
  • Page 57 '-I/O Read' instructs an I/O device to drive its data onto the data bus. It may be driven by the system microprocessor or DMA controller, or by a microprocessor or DMA controller resident on the I/O channel. This signal is active low. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 58 Read or Write command. If this signal is held low for more than 15 microseconds, system memory may be lost because of a lack of refresh. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 59 I/O channel. 5.2.18 Reset Drive (O) 'Reset drive' is used to reset or initialise system logic at power up time or when the power supply drops below its minimum level. This signal is active high. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 60 I/O channel wishes to drive '- MEMR', it must have the address lines valid on the bus for one system clock period before driving '- MEMR' active. Both signals are active low. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 61: Ieee P996 Specification Information

    The APEX II unit offers dual output video drive capability. By using the CIRRUS LOGIC CL-GD6235 video controller the APEX II unit is capable of driving both CRT and LCD displays in various modes. Connected to the video controller is 512KBytes of video memory in the form of a single 256K x 16 bit memory IC, (IC8).
  • Page 62 Dual Scan STN LCD Monochrome EL Panels (With custom Blue Chip Video BIOS) * (An optional custom Blue Chip Video BIOS is available for 18-bit panels) Greyscale mapping is provided by AutoMap™ which maps 256 colours into a monochrome image; the colours then appear either in 16 shades of grey with greyscale enhancement, or 64 shades of grey in 256-colour mode.
  • Page 63 LCD flat panel and CRT when not being used. The device offers both hardware methods (using device pins) and software methods (using programmable timers and on chip registers) to control the LCD panel and or CRT display. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 64 • CPU can access and modify the video memory • When standby mode is terminated the previous state is restored More information on power management and power sequencing is given later in this section. Please call our Technical Support department for further information. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 65 If you need to control an EL panel then the pins to use are not obvious. Please consult the Panel Interface Connection Appendix M at the rear of this manual. LCD Signal Descriptions 5.4.6 B[5:0] BLUE BITS [5:0]. These bits contain the BLUE colour data for TFT colour flat panel displays. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 66 This signal is also designated as LP or CP by some panel manufacturers. 5.4.13 MODULATION. This output provides AC inversion. It should be connected to the MOD, FR or DF inputs of the panel, and is appropriate. Some panel manufacturers provide this function in the panel circuitry. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 67 When the panel is on and this input is driven high, the power down sequence will start to put the system into Standby Mode. Standby Mode terminates when this pin goes low, as long as CR20[4] =' 0 ' and the standby timer has been reset. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 68 VEE power input pin. If you are using the LCD-PSU controller boards the power sequencing function of this output is taken care of. Please see Appendix M for more details. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 69 Blue Chip Technology can supply suitable boards, at extra cost, to provide all power sequencing and bias voltage generation. LCD-PSU is a small daughter board providing simple positive and negative LCD bias voltage generation and all power sequencing.

  • Page 70: Serial Ports Rs232 And Rs485

    Cirrus Logic Dealer to obtain a copy of the Applications Book. 5.5 Serial Ports RS232 and RS485 Two asynchronous 16C550 compatible interfaces are provided by APEX II and are part of the 37C663 Peripheral Controller IC18. This IC also handles the parallel port, and both disk drive outputs.

  • Page 71: Parallel Port (Printer Port)

    DTR is used for direction control and is selected by the correct use of jumper links J10 (output 1) and J11 (output 2). As the APEX II unit generates its own RS232 levels on-board, this allows for a convenient +5 Volt only operation.

  • Page 72: Channel Digital Programmable I/O

    For full details on programming and using this device see Appendix H at the rear of the manual. 5.8 Disk Drives 5.8.1 Floppy Disk Drives The APEX II unit has built in support for two floppy disk drives. These drives can be any permutation of the following : Capacity Drive Size 360KB 5¼"...
  • Page 73 The on-board IDE interface allows for the connection of up to two hard disk drives. These connect to the APEX II unit via P3 which is a 40 way IDC header. The maximum length of ribbon cable to be used for reliable operation is 450mm.
  • Page 74 5.8.3 Custom Type 47 Disk Drive Selection Using the AUTO HARD DISK SELECTION part of the BIOS, any modern IDE hard disk connected to the APEX II unit will be automatically detected and its form loaded into the BIOS. This can be invaluable in providing an efficient way of establishing the type of drive connected without the need to refer to the drive manuals.

  • Page 75: Battery (Internal And External)

    The external battery should have an output of 6 Volts, capacity of 1.8AH and be fitted with a 10K series resistor for safety. Please note that the APEX II unit has two series protection diodes fitted to the external battery positive input pin.

  • Page 76: Peripheral (Utilities) Connector Items

    Please note that there is no on-board in-line fuse connected to the +5 Volt rail. Therefore it is your responsibility to incorporate an in-line fuse to protect the unit. If you have any concerns about the powering of the APEX II unit please call Blue Chip Technology’s Technical Support department. 5.11...
  • Page 77 5.11.3 Keyboard Pins 15, 16 ,19, 20 and 7 The keyboard input to the APEX II unit will accept all standard IBM XT/AT and PS/2 type data and the diagram in the Users Guide shows how to wire them to a standard 5 pin DIN type socket.

  • Page 78: Post (Power On Self Test) Information

    220R resistor to Vcc. Pin 14 is GND. 5.12 POST (Power On Self Test) Information The APEX II unit via the AMI BIOS provides POST information as the unit carries out the various power on tests This information is presented in two ways: by sending a code to I/O address 80H which can be read by the use of the POST display board via P6 or by sending Audible POST information to the speaker.

  • Page 79: Passive Backplane Driving

    It should be noted that although the PC/104 specification allows a relaxed bus drive of 6mA, the APEX II unit will supply 16mA drive of the standard ISA bus. The PC/104 specification calls for the unique self stacking bus type connectors which allow the user to add PC/104 add on boards to both the top and bottom planes of the main CPU board.

  • Page 80: Watchdog And Reset Control

    5.14.3 Watchdog Control Mode In this mode the chip is used to monitor the APEX II for a software or hardware processor failure and it can be enabled or disabled via the BIOS software. This allows the user to decide whether their application requires protection against such a potential processor failure.

  • Page 81: E²Prom Access And Control

    Please see the Software Technical section for programming information. 5.15 E²PROM Access and Control The E²PROM on the APEX II unit is a 9348 serially programmed device which is accessed through a single register at port 100 Hex. Unlike the Flash device, E²PROM does not require to be completely erased before a single location is written to.

  • Page 82: Memory Maps

    Please see Appendix D at the rear of this manual for this information. 5.20 Physical and Environmental Considerations The APEX II unit has been designed with the greatest of care and can be used in many environments. More detailed information follows overleaf.

  • Page 83: Unit Reliability

    We recommend that for 486SX33 CPU’s and above a CPU heatsink is fitted to prevent the processor from overheating. 5.20.3 Storage Temperatures The APEX II unit can be stored from -20ºC to + 100ºC. Please note that the unit would need to reach the operating temperatures before being switched on. 5.20.4 Relative Humidity This should be in the range of 0 to 95% non-condensing.

  • Page 84: Adding Memory

    5.22.1 Adding DRAM SIMM Modules The APEX II unit can accommodate up to two 72 pin SIMM modules in the two SIMM sockets (SIMM1 and SIMM2). These sockets are located on the edge of the PCB near the microprocessor. If you have ordered this unit with DRAM memory then one or both of the sockets will be in use.
  • Page 85 Auto configuration of memory allows either SIMM socket to be used 5.22.2 Adding Flash The APEX II unit can accommodate one 32-pin DIL integrated circuit (IC) via its on board DIL socket IC32. This socket is located next to the EPROM IC, near the battery. If you have ordered this unit with extra Flash (The standard build is 1MByte on-board) then this socket will be in use.
  • Page 86 The PCB has two sets of mounting holes. One set fits the standard 3½" floppy disk drive mounting holes and the other the standard PC104 mounting holes. This allows the PCB to be used in many various ways. Please call Blue Chip Technology for more information and pricing.

  • Page 87: Using Apex Ii With A Host Pc

    Page 77 5.22.6 Adding SRAM The APEX II unit can accommodate one 32 pin DIL integrated circuit (IC) via its on-board SRAM DIL socket IC34. This socket is located near to the EPROM IC, near the battery. If you have ordered this unit with SRAM memory then is socket will be in use.
  • Page 88 Page 78 Hardware Technical Section A basic block diagram is shown below indicating the various links to the APEX II unit: PC runs Server Program Desk Top which lets the APEX unit access the PC's A: drive I/O Res Turbo Simple 3 wire RS232 Serial Link.
  • Page 89 Hardware Technical Section Page 79 This page is intentionally left blank. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 90: Software Technical Section

    6. SOFTWARE TECHNICAL SECTION 6.1 Introduction This section covers all aspects of the APEX II's software systems and should be read fully before attempting to alter any of the System BIOS used to control the workings of this unit. It is possible to alter the state of the System BIOS so that a start boot is not possible and although this is not a catastrophic problem it can be very frustrating and time consuming to remedy.
  • Page 91 The Video BIOS provides a relatively high level of access to the hardware. APEX II provides an on-board video interface and is based on the Cirrus Logic™ CL-GD6235 IC. This device offers proven VGA compatibility in a single device and is supported by 512KB of on board video memory (DRAM).
  • Page 92 Page 82 Software Technical Section Technology Ltd or your supplier to ensure that your display is supported by the BIOS. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 93: Ami Winbios System Bios User Features

    Green power saving features. 6.2.4 Expansion Bus ROMs APEX II and conventional PC hardware allow add-on cards to be inserted on the AT expansion bus. If software is required to control the electronics on these cards the supplier may choose to provide this software in the form of an expansion ROM or adapter ROM.
  • Page 94 P6). Appendix G gives a complete list and a detailed description of all of the POST error codes. To view these error codes you will need the APEX II POST display adapter. 6.3.3 POST Error Messages and Beep Codes If the BIOS cannot configure the video display controller it will communicate the identification of fatal errors (except error code 8) via a series of beeps.

  • Page 95: Enter Key

    PC also running suitable software. In this mode the APEX II unit can be completely configured remotely and thus removes the need to have access to the APEX II board at all. This will allow encapsulated or very remote applications to be configured with great ease.

  • Page 96: Ami Bios Main Set-Up Screen

    Colour Set SECURITY DEFAULTS Password Anti-Virus Original Optimal Fail-Safe Alt + H : Help These four main sections are sub-divided into several smaller groups which are now dealt with in more detail in the following sections. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 97: Set-Up Section

    24 hour mode; that means for a p.m. time add 12 to the hour e.g. enter 6:35 PM as 18:35:00. Floppy A and Floppy B Disk Configuration The APEX II unit via the BIOS will support 2 floppy disk drives A: and B:. The configuration list is as follows : Not Installed 360KB 5¼"...

  • Page 98: Advanced (Cmos) Set-Up

    Typematic Rate is the frequency of the key generation once in auto repeat. 6.6.2 System Keyboard The APEX II keyboard interface is AT and PS/2 compatible, and can be connected to either AT or PS/2 keyboards. The default setting is Enabled. If your system is to operate without a keyboard then select Disabled.
  • Page 99 6.6.4 Mouse Support This enables or disables the mouse support option. The mouse control is effected by the 8742 keyboard controller on the APEX II unit and is PS/2 compatible. 6.6.5 Above 1MB Memory Test By enabling this test any RAM above 1MB will be exercised by the POST diagnostics thereby taking longer to boot.
  • Page 100 A: is not ready then the boot occurs from drive C:. The alternative is to boot from drive C: and if C: is not ready then drive A. Hence the settings are either: “A:, C:” or “C:, A:”. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 101 This option enables the externally mounted hardware Turbo switch. The settings are Enabled or Disabled. The default is Disabled. WARNING Do not set to “Enabled”. APEX II does not support a Turbo switch. 6.6.18 Password Checking This option enables a password check every time the systems boots or Set-up is executed.
  • Page 102 The contents of memory cannot be shadowed from ROM to RAM and cannot be written to or read from cache memory. Enabled The contents of memory are shadowed from ROM to RAM but cannot be written to or read from cache memory. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 103 The available options are: Enabled LBA mode support on( for drives greater than 540MB) Disabled LBA mode support off 6.6.24 Primary Slave IDE LBA Mode This option is as above but for the Primary Slave IDE drive. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 104 Software Technical Section 6.6.25 Secondary IDE Drives present As standard the APEX II is fitted with a primary IDE controller. If an additional controller is added via the ISA slot or the PC/104 connector, this option should be set accordingly.

  • Page 105: Advanced Chipset Set-Up

    The settings are Enabled or Disabled. If this option is set to Enabled, the following ADVANCED CHIPSET SET-UP options are automatically configured to optimal settings by AMI BIOS based on the APEX II and CPU frequency: DRAM Wait State Select...
  • Page 106 6.7.7 LDEV# Sample Time This option is used for VL-Bus devices operating above 33MHz. This option should always be set for T3 The BIOS options are: in T2 in T3 (default) in T4 in T5 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 107 15µS e.g.30µS, 60µS etc. Whilst this option can improve system performance, if not used correctly it can make the system unreliable. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 108 Page 98 Software Technical Section Blue Chip Technology strongly advise that this option be left set to its default setting of 15µS (1/1). The settings are : Refresh cycle performed every 15 µS (Default) Refresh cycle performed every 30 µS Refresh cycle performed every 60 µS...

  • Page 109: Peripheral Set-Up

    Enabled Disabled 6.8 Peripheral Set-up The Peripheral Set-up Menu allows control of the APEX II's on-board peripheral devices. These devices include the disk drive controllers, serial and parallel outputs, digital I/O and Solid State Memory. All of the peripheral outputs are now discussed in more detail.
  • Page 110 Enabled or Disabled. The default is Disabled. 6.8.4 Serial Port 1 (Address) This option allows the first serial port address on the APEX II unit to be configured as either 03F8h (COM1), 03E8h (COM3), or Disabled The interrupt selection will be made automatically to IRQ4.
  • Page 111 The default is RS232. 6.8.6 Serial Port 2 (Address) This option allows the second serial port address on the APEX II unit to be configured as either 02F8h (Com2), 02E8h (Com4) or Disabled. The interrupt selection will be made automatically to IRQ3.
  • Page 112 Extended. 6.8.10 Digital I/O Port The APEX II unit employs a 70155 (8255) PIO which has 24 lines of digital I/O. Its base address can be set to on of the following : 200H, 300H, or Disabled The default setting is Disabled.
  • Page 113 6.8.13 Flash Socket APEX II has one 32-pin byte-wide DIL Flash socket (IC32) capable of holding up to 2MBytes of memory. This socket can be configured in exactly the same way as the on-board Flash memory above and can be set to one of the following:...
  • Page 114 6.8.14 SRAM Socket APEX II has one 32 pin byte-wide DIL SRAM socket (IC34) capable of holding up to 512KBytes of memory. This socket can be configured in exactly the same way as the on-board Flash memory above. It can be set to one of the following:...

  • Page 115: Utilities Set-Up Screen

    6.9.3 Colour Set The screen colours that are used when the AMI BIOS is running can be chosen from a short list of 4 variants: ARMY PASTEL Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 116: Security Set-Up Screen

    If the password information is incorrect, an error message appears. If the new password confirmation is entered without error, the end user presses <Esc> to return to the Main Set-up Menu. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 117: Default Bios Set-Up Screen

    CMOS RAM. This is achieved on the APEX II unit by setting J9 to position 2 - 3 for approximately 5 minutes.

  • Page 118: Saving And Exiting The Ami Bios

    This will automatically configure the BIOS with a Fail-Safe set of BIOS settings and will be dependant upon the APEX II system components. This option will always ensure that the APEX II unit starts up. To select this option select FAIL- SAFE and answer either Yes or No as prompted.
  • Page 119 Address 0x31 contains %x\n",regs.x.dx); 6.13.2 System Identification In order to detect what BIOS software is running on an APEX II unit a function has been provided which returns a BIOS identification and revision number. Calling Registers: AH = 08H...
  • Page 120 6.13.3 Flash Memory Functions The standard APEX II has on-board 1024KBytes of Flash memory. It also contains an SRAM DIL socket which can accommodate up to 512K of SRAM and a Flash DIL socket which can accommodate up to a further 2048KBytes.
  • Page 121 This function erases the entire contents of the Flash. DL is loaded with 1 and a changing character pattern is shown at the current cursor position. Note Depending on the age of the Flash this can take up to 10 seconds to complete. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 122 6.13.8 Watchdog Control Mode In this mode the chip is used to monitor the APEX II unit for a software or hardware failure. The AMI BIOS Setup Menu does not give access to this function but instead two in-built BIOS control codes are available which allows the user to decide whether their application requires protection against such a potential processor failure.
  • Page 123 6.13.11 E²PROM Access and Control The E²PROM on the APEX II unit is a 9348 serially programmed device which is accessed through a single register at port 100 Hex. Unlike the Flash device, E²PROM does not require to be completely erased before a single location is written to.

  • Page 124: E²Prom Control

    Chip Select / serial Data data 6.14 E²PROM Control The APEX II BIOS extension provides two functions to allow access to the E²PROM memory. These are : 6.14.1 Write to E²PROM (Single Location) Calling Registers: AH = 03 BL = Location to write to (0-63)

  • Page 125: Dma Channels

    Please see Appendix D at the rear of this manual for this information. 6.19 APEX II Software Utilities The APEX II unit is supplied with a Software Utilities disk which contains a number of test and application programs. This software is under copyright control and is not to be copied without the written permission of Blue Chip Technology.
  • Page 126 Page 116 Software Technical Section This page is intentionally left blank. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 127: Appendix A : Connector Pinouts

    R0 / SLD6 / UD2 B1 / SLD1 / LD1 G2 / SLD5 / UD1 B0 / SLD0 / LD0 G1 / SLD4 / UD0 VCC (APEX) G0 / SLD3 / LD3 +12 V B2 / SLD2 / LD2 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 128 Not used 0 Volts DC (Ground) IRQ14 IOCS16 Address 1 (HD) Ground/Float (via link) Address 0 (HD) Address 2 (HD) -Chip Select 0 (HD) -Chip Select 1 (HD) IDE LED Drive 0 Volts DC (Ground) 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 129 LA23 -IOCS16 LA22 IRQ10 LA21 IRQ11 LA20 IRQ12 LA19 IRQ15 LA18 IRQ14 LA17 -DACK0 -MEMR DREQ0 -MEMW -DACK5 DREQ5 -DACK6 SD10 DREQ6 SD11 -DACK7 SD12 DREQ7 SD13 +5 Volts SD14 -Master SD15 0 Volts (Ground) Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 130 0 Volts (Ground) -Write Data 0 Volts (Ground) -Write Gate 0 Volts (Ground) -Track 0 0 Volts (Ground) -Write Protect 0 Volts (Ground) -Read Data 0 Volts (Ground) +Head Select 0 Volts (Ground) +Disk Change 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 131 7.11 P11: Serial 2 RS232 (10 way header) Signal Signal Pin N° Pin N° -Data Carrier Detect -Data Set Ready Receive Data -Ready To Send Transmit Data -Clear To Send -Data Term Ready -Ringing Indicator 0 Volts (Ground) Not used Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 132 +5 Volts DC (Pin next to C17 ) See User Guide 0 Volts (Ground) See User Guide 0 Volts (Ground) See User Guide +12 Volts DC (Not required for APEX II operation. Only required for PC/104 or ISA cards that need +12V). 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 133 IOCHRDY 0 Volts (Ground) -SMEMW SA19 -SMEMR SA18 -IOW SA17 -IOR SA16 -DACK3 SA15 DREQ3 SA14 -DACK1 SA13 DREQ1 SA12 -REF SA11 SA10 IRQ7 IRQ6 IRQ5 IRQ4 IRQ3 -DACK2 BALE +5 Volts 0 Volts (Ground) Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 134 -DACK2 BALE +5 Volts 0 Volts (Ground) 0 Volts (Ground) 0 Volts (Ground) 7.16 P16: Battery Connector (4 way header) Pin N° Signal +3.6 Volts DC Not used (key) 0 Volts (Ground) 0 Volts (Ground) 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 135 0 Volts (Ground) See User Guide 0 Volts (Ground) See User Guide +12 Volts DC (Not used by APEX II) (Near PC104 mounting hole) 7.19 P19: Auxiliary Power Connector Signal Pin. N° -5 Volts DC (Not used by APEX II)

  • Page 136: Appendix B : Pcb Layout Diagram

    1 2 3 1 2 3 4 Socket Position 32 Pin 32 Pin 32 Pin BIOS FLASH SRAM EPROM Socket Socket P11 P12 - Denotes pin 1 of connector Note This drawing is not shown to scale. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 137: Appendix C : Configuration Jumpers

    Selects Processor Voltage 1 2 3 4 CPU Voltage 4 pairs of pins adajcent to J2 A A A A (Pin 1 at top) P P P P A = Link Absent P = Link Present Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 138: Appendix D : Interrupt Assignments

    Parallel Port 1 Real Time Clock Not Assignable Unassigned Unassigned PS/2 Mouse Unassigned Hard (Fixed) Disk Controller Unassigned Notes Y denotes the Interrupt is used by APEX II N denotes the Interrupt is free to be used. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 139: Appendix E : Dma Assignments

    Cascaded to 1st DMA controller 16 bit Available 16 bit Available 16 bit Available Notes Y denotes the DMA line is used by the APEX II unit N denotes the DMA line is available for use. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 140: Appendix F : I/O Assignments

    Serial Port 3 03F0 - 03F7 Floppy Diskette Controller 03F8 - 03FF Serial Port 1 Notes Y denotes the I/O assignment is used by APEX II as standard. N denotes the I/O assignment is free for use. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 141: Appendix G Post Information

    CMOS Shutdown Register The shutdown register in the CMOS Read/Write Error. RAM failed. Check access to CMOS. What to do if the APEX II gives the following beep codes If the system beeps..then..1,2 or 3 times Reseat the SIMMs. If the APEX II still beeps, replace the SIMMs checking the access time.

  • Page 142: Post Error Codes At The Post Header

    As the BIOS performs the Power On Self Test (POST) after a reset or reboot, the microprocessor indicates the status of the test by writing codes to the I/O port at address 80 Hex. The APEX II unit offers on-board decode of this information and can drive an optional POST display without modification. The following codes indicate the progress of the microprocessor during the test.
  • Page 143 About to give control for any set-up required before optional video ROM check. Processing before video ROM control is done. About to look for optional ROM and give control. Optional video control done. About to give control to do processing after video ROM returns control. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 144 Memory size adjusted for relocation/shadow. Going to clear Hit <DEL> message. Hit <DEL> message cleared. <WAIT..> message displayed. About to start DMA and interrupt controller test. DMA page register test passed. To do DMA#1 base register test. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 145 Required initialisation before coprocessor is over. Going to initialise the coprocessor next. Coprocessor initialised after coprocessor test. Initialisation after coprocessor test is complete. Going to check extd keyboard, keyboard ID and num-lock. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 146 Going to copu any code to specific area. Copying of code to specific area done. Going to give control to INT-19 boot loader. If you have any difficulty in using this information please call Blue Chip Technology and ask for the Technical Support department. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 147: Appendix H : Using The Digital Pi/O

    14. APPENDIX H : USING THE DIGITAL PI/O 14.1 Introduction This APEX II unit contains one µPD71055 (Intel i8255 look-alike) chip. The device has three, 8 bit ports which can be programmed as inputs or outputs by writing a control word to the control port. Ports A and B must be all input or all output, but Port C may be split into two 4 bit sections each of which may be either inputs or outputs.

  • Page 148: Digital I/O Connector Pin Details (P9)

    Port C Base + 3 Command Port The BASE Address of the port on the APEX II unit is fixed at 0300 Hex. 14.4.2 Control Bit Operations The control word controls the way the 71055 is used and programmed. The table below shows how each bit of the word is used.
  • Page 149 Input Input Input Input Output Output Output Input Output Output Input Input Input Output Output Input Input Output Input Input Output Input Output Input Output Input Input Input Input Input Output Input Input Input Input Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 150: Programming Guide

    The state of the input lines may be determined by using either of the following methods : (a) Microsoft BASIC A or GW BASIC X = INP (P) Returns the byte from port P and assigns this value to the variable, X. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 151: Example Program

    PIO if a loop back connector is fitted. The loop back connector should loop all bits of port A to all bits of port B and the bottom four bits of port C to the top four bits of port C. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 152 IF (INP(BASEADDR + 2) / 16) <> outval THEN PRINT "PORT C Failed" outval = 15 errnum = 1 ELSE outval = outval + 1 END IF LOOP UNTIL outval = 15 IF errnum = 0 THEN PRINT "PORT C Passed" 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 153: Application Notes For Interfacing To The 71055 I/O Port

    TTL is a standard for on-board interfacing primarily and is too susceptible to interference and noise to be used with long cable runs. 14.7.1 General TTL Requirement HIGH Input 0.5 - 0.8V 2.0 - Vcc (VDD) Output 0 - 0.45V 2.4 - Vcc (VDD) Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 154 VOL Low level output voltage - the maximum voltage that will be presented at the output as a low at a given maximum current load. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 155: Appendix I : Flash Programming

    Flash Programming with the APEX II Development Kit. Using the APEX II Development Unit (APX-DEV) (which is a complete PC based around the APEX II CPU card) is the most convenient way to test the operation of the Flash device.

  • Page 156: Remote Disk Connection And Operation

    Connect the RX line from the serial port on the host computer to the TX line on the serial port on the APEX II , and the RX line from the APEX II to the TX 127-171.doc...
  • Page 157 The GND line from each connector should also be connected. The following diagram shows this in more detail. 15.2.2 APEX II to HOST PC Connection Diagram PC runs Server Program Desk Top which lets the APEX unit...
  • Page 158 CONFIG.SYS file. 15.2.4 Using the Remote Disk Connect the APEX II to the host computer and reboot the APEX II unit with the host running the SERVER.EXE program. If all is well the APEX II unit should display:...

  • Page 159: Development Kit Programming

    APPENDIX I Flash Programming Page 149 15.3 Development Kit Programming An APEX II Development Kit is a complete standalone PC using an APEX II SBC as the main processing element. It would comprise the following peripheral hardware: The APEX II board One 3.5"...
  • Page 160 Bootable Floppy Disk for Flash section) and will contain your application programs. Procedure 1. Reset the APEX II unit (Ctrl, Alt, Del / reset switch or power cycle) and at the prompt. "Hit DEL to Enter the BIOS SETUP program"...
  • Page 161 Drive A Save and exit the BIOS Setup screen. 6. If all is well, the APEX II unit inside the Development kit should now boot from the FLASH device and do what ever you have told it to do. Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 162: Read/Writeable Disk Drive

    Change / confirm the following options, dependant on whether you are using the onboard flash or the plug in DIL module: On-board flash: Disabled, CTRICK A, CTRICK B. Flash socket: Disabled, CTRICK A, CTRICK B. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 163 DOS drive. When the system is rebooted and if the drive is bootable then the system will boot from the flash drive. NOTE: Any accesses made to the selected drive will go to the flash disk and not to the physical floppy drive. Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 164: Remote Serial Link Programming With Keyboard & Display

    Connect the APEX II CPU to the host PC. This is carried out by using a simple 3 wire twisted link cable i.e. TX on host to RX on APEX II and RX on host to TX on APEX II and the GND pin of each computer linked.
  • Page 165 Note when using the remote server program “REMSVR.SYS” ensure that no other communication programs try to connect to the port. In order for the Host PC to operate as a server, two files are required from the APEX II utilities diskette. These are: REMSVR.SYS - A Device driver SERVER.EXE -...
  • Page 166 Host PCs drive A: If this does not work, please re-check the cable link between the host and APEX II and try again. If it still does not work edit your CONFIG.SYS file only to contain the DEVICE=C:\Dirname\REMSVR.SYS /X line (where X is either 1 or 2).
  • Page 167 Connect the APEX II CPU to the host PC. This is carried out by using a simple 3 wire twisted link cable i.e. TX on host to RX on APEX II and RX on host to TX on APEX II and the GND pin of each computer linked.
  • Page 168 The cable should connect to an RS232 Com port (normally COM1 of the APEX II board and normally to the COM1 port of the host). You can connect to COM2 of the host but make sure that this is reflected in the CONFIG.SYS file entry.
  • Page 169 B: whilst the remote floppy will appear as drive A: 3. Restart the APEX II unit and it should boot from the HOST PC's drive A: If this does not work please re-check the cable link between the host and APEX and try again.
  • Page 170 Page 160 APPENDIX I Flash Programming 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 171 This will copy all of your application programs into the Flash drive. This will take a long time. Assume about 1 minute per 150 KBytes of data. 7. Reset the APEX II unit and at the prompt: "Hit DEL to Enter the BIOS SETUP program"...

  • Page 172: Remote Serial Link Programming Without Keyboard Or Display

    APEX II unit directly. As the APEX II unit will only be able to access the floppy disk drive of the host PC, all information that is to be sent to the APEX II board must be via this format.

  • Page 173: Creating A Bootable Floppy Disk For Flash Programming

    Programming. This need only be carried out if you are to use the Flash as a ROM type device using the Blue Chip Technology software. The program PROGFLAS copies the disk sector by sector from the start of the disk.
  • Page 174 Previously Formatted Disks You MUST re-format the disk using the following command: FORMAT A:/U /S From here follow steps 2 and 3 under “Unformatted Disks” above. If in doubt, format the disk as for unformatted disks. 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 175: Appendix J : Software Utilities Disks

    16. APPENDIX J : SOFTWARE UTILITIES DISKS 16.1 Introduction The Software Utilities Disks suppled with the APEX II unit contain all of the software needed to make use of all of the functions contained within the APEX II unit. You should have 3 disks labled as follows:...

  • Page 176: Apex Ii Software Utilities Disk

    Page 166 APPENDIXJ Software Utilities 16.2 APEX II Software Utilities Disk The APEX II software utilities disk contains the following files in the following directories : FLASH\ CLRFLASH.EXE PROGFLAS.EXE SSDDRV.SYS PFREMOTE.EXE PIO\ PIO.BAS REMOTE\ SERVER.EXE REMSVR.SYS 16.3 APEX II Screen Drivers These two disks contain software drivers for the Cirrus Logic 6235 video controller device found on the APEX II unit.

  • Page 177: Appendix K : Peripheral Hardware

    Page 167 17. APPENDIX K : PERIPHERAL HARDWARE 17.1 Introduction The following appendix lists suitable items of hardware that can be connected to the APEX II board. These include items such as connectors, screws and spacer types. 17.1.1 Main I/O Connectors All of the main input and output connectors used on this board are of an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector) type.
  • Page 178 Page 168 APPENDIX K Peripheral Hardware The connector used on APEX II is a 40 way Female IDC type. We chose a female type so as not to confuse this output with that of the IDE interface which is also a 40 way IDC type. You can purchase suitable IDC male plugs from the following suppliers: Farnell Electronic Components, R.S Components and Electrospeed...
  • Page 179 17.1.9 Jumper links APEX II uses several jumper link blocks to adjust the operation of the board (see Jumper Appendix). We have included a small number of spares with each unit. If you need a replacement please contact our Technical Support department.

  • Page 180: Appendix L : Documentation And Technical Support

    If you would like further copies of this manual you can follow one of the three steps listed below: Order them from Blue Chip Technology at a cost of £25.00 per copy, which includes postage and packing. The part number and revision number for this manual is shown on the inside front page.

  • Page 181: Technical Support

    APPENDIX L Documentation and Technical Support Page 171 18.3 Technical Support Blue Chip Technology provides full technical support for all of its products with full time technical support engineers. Often your suggestions/problems lead to product enhancements as well as solutions for individual problems.

  • Page 182: Copying Blue Chip Technology Software

    OEM customers and it is free with the first order for that particular product. If you would like to make copies of Blue Chip Technology software, you can obtain copyright permission from us by asking in writing. We will charge £35.00 for this and issue you with a certificate to state that you can copy the...

  • Page 183: Faulty Product Returns Procedure

    18.7.2 Repairs outside Warranty For repairs of a Blue Chip Technology product outside the warranty period please contact the Customer Support department. They will follow the same procedure as detailed above. We can offer free estimates for the cost of the repair, if required, and we will also indicate how long the repair is likely to take.

  • Page 184: Appendix M : Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide

    Sequenced" to give correct operation of the display. Please read section 19.4 of this Appendix to find out more about the various boards Blue Chip Technology can offer to provide not only the power sequencing, but also the LCD BIAS voltage requirements.

  • Page 185: Panel Class Definitions

    Monochrome, 2 Shade, Dual Panel, Dual Scan, 4 bit 19.3 Panel Jumper Selection The APEX II unit has a jumper selection block to select which type of display the APEX II is to control. The following table gives the full information needed.

  • Page 186: Lcd Power Sequencing And Bias Generation

    APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 19.4 LCD Power Sequencing and BIAS generation. Blue Chip Technology has produced an LCD Bias controller board, LCD-PSU. This board provides the basic Power Sequencing functions needed for all types of LCD display. It provides an LCD BIAS generation circuitproducing up to ±50 volt, and separate positive and negative contrast voltages.
  • Page 187 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 177 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 188 Page 178 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 189 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 179 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 190 Page 180 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 191 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 181 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 192 Page 182 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 193 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 183 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 194 Page 184 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 195 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 185 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 196 Page 186 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 197 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 187 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 198 Page 188 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 199 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 189 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...
  • Page 200 Page 190 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.
  • Page 201 APPENDIX M Flat Panel Interface Connection Guide Page 191 Blue Chip Technology Ltd. 127-171.doc...

  • Page 202: Appendix N : Apex Ii Memory Map

    Page 192 Appendix N : APEX II Memory Map 20. APPENDIX N : APEX II MEMORY MAP Below is a typical memory map for an APEX II unit fitted with 1MByte of DRAM. FFFFF EC000 EBFFF BIOS/Shadow BIOS SRAM 32 Pin...

  • Page 203: Appendix O : Electromagnetic Compatibility

    This product meets the requirements of the European EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and is eligible to bear the CE mark. It has been assessed in a Blue Chip Technology Axis chassis as a representative enclosure for an embedded industrial application. However, because the board is designed to be installed in a variety of enclosures, certain conditions have to be applied to ensure that the compatibility is maintained.
  • Page 204 Radiated Class A Conducted Class A & B Immunity EN 50082-2:1995 incorporating: Electrostatic Discharge IEC 801-2:1991 Performance Criteria A Radio Frequency Susceptibility ENV 50140:1993 Performance Criteria A Fast Burst Transients IEC 801-4:1988 Performance Criteria A 127-171.doc Blue Chip Technology Ltd.

  • Page 205: Appendix P : Apex Ii Supported Cpus

    486DX33 486DX2/66 NOTE: APEX II can provide 3.3 or 5 volts to the CPU. If 5 volts is applied to a 3.3 volt CPU then the device, and possibly the APEX II board, could be destroyed. Always check that the jumpers are set correctly.

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