VME hardware

 

VME crate structure

 

The VME hardware consists of 2 VME crates that are connected using SBS Technologies Model 412-1 VMEbus interconnects.  These have the effect of making the 2 VME crates appear as one to the Motorola MVME 243x processor.  There is a 412-1 module in each VME crate. These modules are identical but are configured as a Master and Slave by onboard jumper settings. The modules are clearly labelled as Master (M) and Slave (S). The Master module must occupy the same VME crate as the VME processor. The Master module is configured to pass all VME accesses to A24/A32 addresses in the range 0x0 => 0x02000000 (but not including 0x020000000) to the Slave VME crate.

 

VME address assignments.

 

Silena Acquisition Control (SAC) module  -   assigned A16 address 0x0400

 

Silena S9418 ADC  -  These modules are labelled 0 => 15. Module 0 is assigned A32 address 0x02000000; module 1 is assigned A32 address 0x02010000 and module 15 is assigned address 0x020f0000 etc.

 

CAEN V767 TDC  -  These modules are labelled 0 => 3. Module 0 is assigned A32 address 0x01800000; module 1 is assigned A32 address 0x01810000 and module 3 is assigned address 0x01830000 etc.

 

CAEN V560 scalers  -  These modules are labelled 0 and 1. Module 0 is assigned A32 address 0x01000000 and module 1 is assigned A32 address 0x01100000.

 

VME crate layout

 

In the normal (2 crate) configuration the MVME243x; SAC and Silena S9418 ADCs are in the master crate and the CAEN V767 TDCs and the CAEN V560 Scalers are in the slave crate.

 

The MVME243x must be located in slot 1 of the Master Crate and the Slave SBS 412-1 must be located in slot 1 of the Slave Crate.  Apart from that the VME modules may be installed in any slot compatible with their assigned VME address.

 

Module locations (July 2003)

 

Master Crate

 

Module type

Module name

slot

VME address

 

 

 

 

MVME243x

 

1

 

412-1 Master

 

2

 

SAC

SAC

4

0x0400 (A16)

Silena 9418

s9418#16

5

0x020f0000

Silena 9418

s9418#15

6

0x020e0000

Silena 9418

s9418#14

7

0x020d0000

Silena 9418

s9418#13

8

0x020c0000

Silena 9418

s9418#12

9

0x020b0000

Silena 9418

s9418#11

10

0x020a0000

Silena 9418

s9418#10

11

0x02090000

Silena 9418

s9418#9

12

0x02080000

Silena 9418

s9418#8

13

0x02070000

Silena 9418

s9418#7

14

0x02060000

Silena 9418

s9418#6

15

0x02050000

Silena 9418

s9418#5

16

0x02040000

Silena 9418

s9418#4

17

0x02030000

Silena 9418

s9418#3

18

0x02020000

Silena 9418

s9418#2

19

0x02010000

Silena 9418

s9418#1

20

0x02000000

 

 

Slave Crate

 

Module type

Module name

slot

VME address

 

 

 

 

412-1 Slave

 

1

 

CAEN V767

v767#1

4

0x01800000

CAEN V767

v767#2

5

0x01810000

CAEN V767

v767#3

6

0x01820000

CAEN V767

v767#4

7

0x01830000

CAEN V560

v560#1

11

0x01100000

CAEN V560

v560#2

12

0x01000000

 

 

There is a cable connecting the SAC to the Silena S9418 ADC command bus.  One end of this cable MUST be connected to the SAC and the other end MUST be connected to a Silena S9418 ADC that has the terminator resistors installed. All other S9418 ADCs are connected to intermediate positions on the cable and MUST have the terminator resistors removed.

 

 

As of July 2003 the two crate system consisting of 16 S9418 ADCs and 4 CAEN V767 TDCs gives 512 channels of energy + time.

 

If needed it is possible to reduce the system to 384 channels of energy + time in which case only 1 VME crate is required.

 

  1. Save the existing (2 crate) VME configuration.  From the MIDAS Main Menu select VME Module Control => Control. Click on Save/Restore Configuration. In the Saving and Restoring VME Module Configurations window click on Save.  Now select the file created or updated which is named latest and type a suitable name into the window labelled Filename:  (such as 512channels) and press return.
  2. Switch off both VME crates and rearrange the hardware into 1 of the crates.  The MVME243x processor MUST go into slot 1. You will need to install the SAC module; Silena S9418 ADCs labelled 0 => 11; CAEN TDCs labelled 0180 and 0181 and the CAEN scalers.  There will be 3 unused slots.
  3. Switch back on the VME crate and allow the CPU to boot and the data acquisition system to start.
  4. From the MIDAS Main Menu select VME Module Control => Control. Select each of the Silena 9418 entries for modules s9418#13 => s9418#16 and click on delete. Select each of the CAEN V767 entries for modules v767#3 and v767#4 and click on delete. Now click on the button Load Configuration into Register Server. If you get an error at this point then check that the hardware is correctly installed. The probable cause is a bus error attempting to initialise one of the VME modules.
  5. At this point it may be a good idea to restart your tuda-session in order that all components are forced to rediscover the (new) hardware configuration.
  6. Adjust the parameter settings for any of the VME modules as required.
  7. Click on the button Save/Restore Setup. In the Saving and Restoring VME Module Setups window click on Save.
  8. Finally from the Data Acquisition Experiment Control window click on the SETUP button in the normal way and then you are ready to GO.

 

Rather than steps 6 and 7 you can select a file (in the Saving and Restoring VME Module Setups window) containing the parameter settings for the 384 channel configuration and click on the button Restore.

 

In order to revert to the 512 channel (2 crate) system.

 

  1. Reassemble the hardware into the original configuration.
  2. From the MIDAS Main Menu select VME Module Control => Control. Click on Save/Restore Configuration. In the Saving and Restoring VME Module Configurations window select the file in which you saved the 512 channel configuration (for example 512channels) and click on restore. In the VME Configuration & Control Frame click on the button Load Configuration into Register Server.
  3. At this point it may be a good idea to restart your tuda-session in order that all components are forced to rediscover the (new) hardware configuration.
  4. Click on the button Save/Restore Setup. In the Saving and Restoring VME Module Setups window select a file that contains the parameter settings for the 512 channel configuration and click on the button Restore.
  5. Finally from the Data Acquisition Experiment Control window click on the SETUP button in the normal way and then you are ready to GO.