FarSync T4Ue and T4U
4 port synchronous cards

The FarSync T4Ue card and software is designed to provide high performance hardware communications solutions for business, government and the military who need a PCIe synchronous communications card. The product includes a low level driver that allows access to the communications features available in the hardware. The FarSync SDK provides a Developers Toolkit for the product.

The card will support a synchronous line at speeds of up to 10Mbits/s continuous. The highly flexible universal network connector supports RS232, X.21, RS530 (RS422 signalling), RS449 and V.35 network interfaces.

The card is also available in a PCI version of the adapter, the FarSync T4U.

The products are supplied with a 5 year warranty.

The FarSync adapters install easily under Windows 11, 10, 8.1, Windows Server 2022, 2019, on single or multi-core 32 and 64 bit systems. The FarSync drivers are signed by Microsoft for easy installation. For use on earlier Windows versions contact FarSite.

This adapter can be accessed from customers’ native Windows applications as well as those using third-party frameworks such as LabVIEW.

All FarSync cards/devices are supported by a set of Windows FarSync drivers that support FsWinAPI, an API that provides a consistent interface across all classes of FarSync cards/adapters. LabVIEW applications can also run over FsWinAPI thereby enabling VIs to utilise the FarSync ports.

FsWinAPI allows applications developed using the FarSync SDK to exactly control the type of data sent and received in bit synchronous (HDLC framed) data and transparent bitstream formats.

The FsWinAPI is an extension of the MS COMM API and enables, for example, applications developed to support COM ports, to be easily ported to use FarSync support in synchronous or asynchronous modes. This standardization enables the API to also be readily accessible from higher level environments such as .NET, C#, VB etc. The API provides applications with access to the card/device’s communications port/s for bit sync HDLC-framing or transparent bitstream operation (video and voice type applications). In addition asynchronous lines are supported by FarSync adapters that support async operation (FarSync Flex/Flex+ and FarSync T4E).

The product is supplied with a comprehensive configuration utility and its own Line Monitor that allows the user to record, display and store line traffic with WAN protocol decoding for fast debugging.

FarSync adapters support Linux kernel versions from 2.6.12 onwards, in 32 and 64 bit formats, including the leading distributions supplied by Red Hat, SuSE, CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Slackware and more.
FarSite is committed to supporting FarSync adapters on new versions of Linux and Linux kernels as they are released.

Installation is simple, the driver is dynamically loadable so a kernel rebuild is not required for the driver to be installed. The driver acts as a dynamically loadable module. The driver is supplied with source code. The driver supports both big-endian and little-endian memory storage formats.

This adapter can be accessed from customers’ native Linux applications as well as those using third-party frameworks such as LabVIEW.

The char-based FarSync API provides a programming language independent, high-level interface to the FarSync base driver. This provides access to bit synchronous lines that are using HDLC-framed or transparent bitstreams. In addition asynchronous lines are supported by FarSync adapters that support async operation (FarSync Flex/Flex+ and FarSync T4E).

A configuration utility is provided to set each port’s line speed, interface type etc. Alternatively the port configuration can optionally be managed by a user application developed using the FarSync API.

If the host TCP/IP stack is required to be used over the FarSync adapter to allow access to IP-based networks, such as the Internet, then please just contact us for more information.

The FarSync SDK provides a Developers Toolkit with full documentation, useful utilities, such as a line monitor, and many sample applications for Linux and Windows. Free support from FarSite’s Engineering department is provided to customers purchasing the FarSync SDK who have technical questions using the API.

The SDK includes support for writing applications on both Linux and Windows and contains documentation, working sample applications, development and test utility applications. There is everything a user needs to rapidly develop and test a wide variety of applications such as specialist synchronous (HDLC framed) protocols or transparent bitstream data requirements including Audio, MPEG Video T-DMB and DAB ETI with bitstream encoder and decoder.

The FarSync SDK is ordered separately from the FarSync adapter.

Our Engineering department provides free email and telephone assistance to application developers using the API as part of the package provided when the FarSync SDK is purchased.

See details on the FarSync SDK Developers Toolkit and the APIs supported.

The FarSync cards are suitable for a very wide range of uses; some typical applications include:

• High speed multi-port HDLC framing support for non standard or specialist protocols
• Interfacing DAB ETI (Ensemble Transport Interface – ETSI EN 300 799) transparent bit streams to Servers
• Interfacing MPEG Video bit streams T-DMB ETI to Servers
• Interfacing high speed MPEG Video bit streams to Servers
• Watchdog systems
• Data generators for test systems
• Engineering monitoring and control systems
• Line connection card for LabVIEW applications
• Use of bitstreaming for the implementation of non standard or specialist protocols
• Multi purpose multi port communication card supplying a wide range of card generated clock speeds, FarSync T4Ee especially recommended for this function
• Manchester Encoding or Conditioned Diphase for long, reliable, high speed self clocking lines, FarSync Flex, FarSync K2Ee or FarSync T4Ee recommended for this requirement

Both PCIe and PCI 4 port cards comprise an AMD processor with SRAM. The whole memory space may be mapped via the PCIe interface to the PC/Server. The card has a quad embedded HDLC / transparent controller with SDMA access (128 buffers per port) and a full range of timers. Total bandwidth supported by the card is 64 Mbits/s.

Network Interfaces

The multi function line drivers available on all the ports support X.21 (V.11), V.35, RS232 (V.24, X.21bis), RS530 (EIA530, RS422) and RS449 network interfaces, all soft configurable and ESD protected from static charges.

The maximum supported line speed is 10 Mbits/s full duplex.

Clock Generation

As well as external clocking the adapter support card generated clocks at a wide range of standard frequencies from 9,600 baud to 8.192 Mbits/s and dual clocks can be generated in V.11 mode if required. The clocking speed of all ports is individually selectable.

Multiple Cards

The drivers supplied with Windows and Linux allow large numbers of ports to be supported by the installation of multiple FarSync cards in a Server. Typically 12 or more cards (24+ ports) can be supported; the card limit is only dependent on the resources available in the host Server and the total bandwidth of the PCIe/PCI/PMC bus.

PCI Express Bus Specification

FarSync PCIe cards are suitable for systems with a PCIe bus, covering single and multi-processor systems. These cards are compliant with PCI Express Base specification revision 1.0a and above. The FarSync adapters are bus mastering, 1x (single lane) cards.

FarSync PCI cards comply with the Universal PCI (PCI-X compatible, PCI v2.2 compliant) specification. These bus mastering cards are suitable for systems with a PCI bus, covering single and multi-processor systems.

For Windows, configuration is by a GUI application. A typical screen is shown below.

The port can be reconfigured and restarted without reloading the software.

There is context sensitive help and an on-line manual should it be required. An advanced tab permits users to further specify the configuration of the port if necessary.

For Linux, a configuration utility is provided; alternatively text files can be used.

The software firmware, drivers, utilities are included with the FarSync adapter. Cables are ordered separately.

The software and documentation is downloaded from this website using a code supplied with the FarSync adapter, it includes:

• Drivers for Linux and Windows
• Source code for Linux drivers
• Network monitor and various useful utility programs

New releases of the software with enhancements and fixes are made available for free download from the Download page in the Support section of this web site.

The Developer’s Toolkit is ordered separately and supplied as a download