Computer resources such as SVGA cards or disk controllers can be installed in the expansion chassis but there are two exceptions:
- Some Super-VGA graphic cards cannot be installed in the expansion chassis because they use the Compressed Write Timing signal and propagation time though the two backplanes plus the cable is too long. Thus, those Super-VGA cards must be installed in the computer chassis.
- Bus Mastering from the expansion chassis is not supported. Thus, in any application where a "smart" device takes over the CPU bus, this device must be installed in the computer chassis.
Model PTRC-AT is fully compatible with Plug-and-Play (PnP) cards. Further, power at the expansion chassis can be cycled off/on. This provides means to test multiple cards without removing power from the computer and, thus, avoid the time required by the computer to boot up. However, cards that configure the computer's BIOS at power-up ("power-on system configuration") require a reboot when their power is cycled.
There are no restrictions on I/O bus address range and you do not need to set any configuration switches or run any initializing software. The PT3-AT card can be configured by a jumper to assert one or two wait states in hardware. However, the majority of personal computers will work acceptably without the wait state when communicating with an expansion chassis. If speed of communication is important in your application, place the wait-state jumper in the lower (inactive) position and determine empirically if that works in your application.
Operation is not CPU related, and is therefore compatible with 80286 through Pentium computers. ISA bus speed is specified at 8.33 MHz, but operation at faster bus rates may work in your specific application.
Cards types that can be installed in the expansion chassis include (but are not limited to):
- Analog and Digital data acquisition and control cards
- Video cards (except some Super VGA cards)
- Multi-port serial communication cards
- Network cards (non bus-mastering)
- DSP cards (non-bus mastering)
- Tape back-up controllers
- Modem and FAX cards
- Video capture cards
- Sound cards
