Superloops / Controllers
The image right is a NT8D01BC Controller-4 card.
It is installed in each IPE shelf between slots 7 and 8.
There are two Network shelf Cards:
- QPC414 - ENET Network Card (two loops per card, used for Meridan Mail)
- NT8D04 - XNET Superloop Network Card (four loops, grouped as one Superloop)
The Superloop Network card combines four regular network loops to make 120 timeslots available to peripheral equipment (PE) cards housed in Intelligent Peripheral Equipment (IPE) Modules. Faceplate connector J2 is used for shelf 0.
An IPE Shelf has four card segments. A Superloop can be used for each segment (zero blocking), or shared between 1 to 8 segments (two shelves). The back-plane wiring configuration (J1, J2 - SL0/SL1/SL2/SL3) must match the software configuration.
- The NT8D01BC Controller-4 card interfaces with up to four superloop network cards, eg. one superloop per segment.
- The NT8D01BD Controller-2 card interfaces with up to two superloop network cards, eg. one superloop per 2 segments.
Superloop / Controller configurations are programmed and printed in LD 97.
Note: Do not enable the switch on NT8D04 or QPC414 Network cards until after the network loop cables are installed.
Note: This page was written before the days of IP, but it's still applicable! With MGC or MGX cards, the SUPT (superloop type) is IPMG. You will need to know the Zone before hand. At IPR0, enter the Shelf 0 IP address. At IPMG_TYP0 (IPMG type) enter MGC (default), MGX, or MGS. Shelf 1 is IPR1, enter through if not present. |
Superloops:
Prompt | Response | Description |
---|---|---|
REQ: | chg | LD 97, data is either printed or changed |
TYPE: | supl | Superloop (multiples of 4) |
SUPL: | x | x - Superloop number, X to OUT |
SLOT: | L or R | L = left slot, R = right slot |
SUPT: | std | |
XPE0: | x y z | Shelf 0 (J2) x = Controller number y = Starting segment number z = Ending segemnt number |
XPE1: | x y z | Shelf 1 (J1) x = Controller number y = Starting segment number z = Ending segemnt number |
Controllers:
Prompt | Response | Description |
---|---|---|
REQ: | chg | LD 97, data is either printed or changed |
TYPE: | xpe | XPE (Extended Peripheral Equipment shelves) |
XPEC: | x | x = controller number, 0 = Auto assign next available controller number, X to OUT a controller |
Diagnostic commands:
Occasionally, loops STAT as enabled/responding, but the IPE shelf is dead. Bouncing the controller in LD 32 should restore service (eg, DSXP x
/ENXP x
).
LD 30:
DISL loop | Disable loop / superloop |
ENLL loop | Enable loop / superloop |
LENL | List enabled loops |
LDIS | List disabled loops |
LOOP loop | ALL | Test network memory on one or all loops, will also enable any disabled digital sets |
SHLF l s | Test loop l, shelf s |
END | Abort current test |
STAT | Get status of all network loops |
STAT loop | Get status of specified network loop |
LD 32:
DISL sl | Disable superloop |
DSXP x | Disable controller x and associated peripheral cards |
ENLL sl | Enable superloop |
ENXP x | Enable controller x and associated peripheral cards |
IDCS x | Print card ID for all cards on shelf controlled by Controller x |
STAT sl | Get status of specified superloop |
SUPL (sl) | Print data for one or all superloops |
XPEC (x) | Print data for one or all controllers |
XNTT sl | Do self-test of Network card for specified superloop |
XPCT x | Do self-test on Controller x |