Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!xylogics!loverso From: loverso@Xylogics.COM (John Robert LoVerso) Newsgroups: comp.sys.encore Subject: Re: Annex eia hardware flow control and modem control simultaneously Message-ID: <9409@xenna.Xylogics.COM> Date: 2 Jul 90 02:21:46 GMT References: <90Jun29.163221edt.8176@neat.cs.toronto.edu> <1770@ns-mx.uiowa.edu> Reply-To: loverso@Xylogics.COM (John Robert LoVerso) Organization: Xylogics, Inc., Burlington MA Lines: 36 Rayan Zachariassen writes: > How is it done? My understanding of the manual is that the two are > mutually exclusive, so one cannot set up a modem to use hardware handshaking > on an Annex. I'd appreciate someone telling me I'm wrong, and what the > solution is... On Annex-Is and Annex-IIs, this is a limitation. Each serial port consists only of ground, Rx, Tx, and two additional control lines (one an input and one an output). These two additional lines can either be used for DTR/DCD *or* for bi-directional hardware flow control ala CTS/RTS. Jay Ford writes: > We also thought doing hardware flow control & carrier detection was a good > idea. Unfortunately, the Annexes don't do both simultaneously. We asked > Encore about it, and got a definite "no". We also thought it was a good idea, so Xylogics recently introduced the Annex-IIe ("e"=="enhanced" - yes, I know, I hate how it sounds, too). The IIe is completely compatible with the Annex-II except for two basic changes: the parallel port can also provide a Dataproducts interface and there are *four* additional control lines per port; i.e., two input and two output. On an Annex-IIe the "control_lines" parameter can be set to "both". The Annex-IIe is supported starting wirh R5.0. The additional control lines were added by a major redesign of the serial hardware; Z8530s are still used, but many discrete parts were replaced by ASICs. The end result is not only is the box better, but it also lists for $1000 LESS. BTW, for Annex related support issues and/or other questions (including info on how to get R5.0), mail to or call 617/272-8140 x256. -- John Robert LoVerso Xylogics, Inc. 617/272-8140 x284 loverso@Xylogics.COM Annex Terminal Server Development Group