[sci.electronics] programming the MC68230 PI/T chip

tac@sei.cmu.edu (Timothy Coddington) (09/23/88)

	I'm going to implement a 32 bit interface using two Motorola MC68230
	parallel Interface and Timer (PI/T) chips.  Since I've never
	programmed this chip before, I'd like to get some recommendations,
	and/or advice on how to initialize and interface it.

	The two PI/T chips are designed into a VME parallel interface board
	(Mizar MZ8305), so the external logic is already designed.  I just
	need to program, it and make the cables.

	Here is a run down on what I want to achieve:

		Use one of the programmable protocol modes, and not have to
		toggle lines through a register.

		Use one of the interlocking protocols, probably the 16 bit
		Unidirectional mode.

		Have the transmission and reception of the 4 bytes be done
		in an atomic operation.  Unfortunately, the registers are
		mapped to odd addresses on the VME bus and can't be access in
		16 or 32 bit chunks (I've seen this done on a few VME device
		modules, why?).

		Use the H1, H2, H3, H4 lines.

		Have a symmetric protocol on both sides of the interface.
		I'll have the same interface board on each end of the
		interface cable.

		One interrupt per 32 bit transmission/reception.

	
	I feel comfortable with what I've read, and have thought to
	implement initially, but I may have misunderstood something from
	the manual and I'd like to save some time.

	How do you recommend I initialize the various control registers,
	write and read the 32 bit values, and connect the different
	handshake signals, etc?

	What are some of the known/unknown gotcha's for this chip?  

	Additional info:  I'm using a 68020 single board computer to
	control the interface (Motorola MVME133A-20, 20MHz).


	I would appreciate any input. I'd to talk to someone who knows this
	chip well, because I have some questions.  Thanks in advance.

	Tim Coddington    Software Engineering Institute
			  Carnegie-Mellon University

	    (412)268-7712, or (412)244-8557       *ANY* time

	    Arpanet: tac@sei.cmu.edu