MC/Xi Boards

@6FE9.ADF 4/8 ports, RS-232, 128K memory
@6FEA.ADF 4/8 ports, RS-422, 128K memory
@6FEB.ADF 16 ports, RS-232, 128K memory
@6FEB.ADF 16 ports, RS-232, 128K memory (different name & text)
@7F99.ADF 4/8 ports, RS-232, 32K memory
@7F9A.ADF 4/8 ports, RS-422, 32K memory
@7F9B.ADF 16 ports, RS-232, 32K memory

Drivers For Legacy Digi Boards AIX, OS/2, Win, Unix (not Linux) (archived)
90029100B.pdf Installation Guide (old 64K, Xe, MC/Xi, and COM/Xi).
92000161C.pdf Software manual for OS/2 & Win3.x for PC/X and MC/X.
92000220C.pdf Software manual for Win3.1x,95,NT for COM/Xi, Xe(MC),Xi(MC), Xem(MC),C/X(MC),EPC/X(MC)
4000312U.exe MCA ADFs for Digi MC Products.

MC/Xi Processor Board with part number 30001224.

MC/8i Adapter
J1 - Dual Ported Memory Window Size
J5-J6 (J3-J4 on RS-422/485 Boards)
   EPROM Size Jumpers (RS-232)
   EPROM Size Jumpers (RS-422, RS-422/RS-485)
Synchronous Serial Interface - MC/Xi+
MC/Xi+ (RS-232) Synchronous Port Pin Assignments


MC/8i Adapter (optional synchronous port shown)

Processor Card

J1 Dual Ported Memory Window
P1,3
U1 80C186-12
U2 25.000000 MHz osc
U18,31 MT4C1664Z-8
Daughter Card

J1-4 synchronous port function
J5,6 EPROM Size Jumpers
P5 DB78 Output
RJ-45 Xi+ synchronous port
U1 7.372800 MHz osc
U2-6 Zilog Z0853008VSC SCC
U7,19 BIOS

This is board does not employ a daughtercard that makes a "sandwich" when installed. The Processor Card ("Motherboard") contains the CPU, memory and the MCA edgecard. The I/O Mate ("Daughtercard") has the BIOS, output header, and the I/O controllers. It is the only card I've ever picked up that "flexes". Odd...

MC/Xi refers to MC (Microchannel) and the number of ports, "X". So a MC/8i would be an 8 port model.

J1 - Dual Ported Memory Window Size

Jumper J1 determines whether the MC/Xi board's dual-ported memory window size will be 32K or 128K. In most cases, if the board is in a  DOS machine, systems with 16MB or more of RAM, or systems with a memory cache, the 32K window is recommended (factory default). This permits the board to be installed with its memory window mapped into a 32K byte range between 0C0000h and 0DFFFFh (below the 1MB boundary).
   Installing the MC/Xi board below 1MB protects it from interference from cache controllers on some MCA machines, and enables the board to be installed in systems with 16MB of memory. If your system has 12 MB or less of RAM, and the cache controller (if present) can be disabled in the 13th through 16th megabyte, you can use the 128K setting, thus freeing 32K of the 0C0000h-0DFFFFh address space for other expansion boards which may not be addressable above 1MB.

J1 Settings

128K 32K
1-2 23

J5-J6 (J3-J4 on RS-422/485 Boards)

The MC/Xi I/O Mates have two jumpers, located near the EPROMs, which identify the size of the EPROMs on the board. These jumpers are set at the factory, and should only be changed if you are installing custom EPROMs. On RS-232 versions of the MC/Xi, the jumpers are labeled J5 and J6. On RS-422 and RS-422/RS-485 versions, they are J3 and J4.

MC/Xi EPROM Size Jumpers (RS-232)

EPROM Size J5 Pins J6 Pins
*16K 1-2 1-2
32K 1-2 1-2
64K 1-2 2-3
128K 2-3 2-3
* The default EPROM size is 16K.

MC/Xi EPROM Size Jumpers (RS-422, RS-422/RS-485)

EPROM Size J5 Pins J6 Pins
*16K 1-2 1-2
32K 1-2 1-2
64K 1-2 2-3
128K 2-3 2-3
* The default EPROM size is 16K.

Synchronous Serial Interface - MC/Xi+

A special version of the MC/Xi board, called the MC/Xi+ is available in four and eight-port configurations. The MC/Xi+ board has a synchronous port in addition to the standard asynchronous ports. 
   The MC/Xi+ synchronous port uses a 10-pin RJ-45 jack located above the DB-78 connector. Three of the ten pins are dual function pins, set with jumpers J1-J4 . The table below shows the pin assignments for the RJ-45 jack. Dual function pins also show the jumper settings required for each function. Signals ending with "A" connect to the "A" port of the 8530  communications controller, and signals ending with "B" connect to the "B" port of the 8530.

MC/Xi+ (RS-232) Synchronous Port Pin Assignments

RJ-45 Signal Name Jumpers
1 TRxCA Transmit/Receive Clock J2 Pins 1-2
SYNB Synchronization B (RI) J2 Pins 2-3
2 DSRA Data Set Ready A (Input) J3 Pins 1-2; J4 Pins 1-2
SYNA Synchronization A (Output) J3 Pins 2-3; J4 Pins 2-3
3 RTSA Request To Send A
4 GND Chassis Ground
5 TxDA Transmitted Data A
6 RxDA Received Data A
7 SG Signal Ground
8 CTSA Clear To Send A
9 DTRB Data Terminal Ready B
10 RTxCA Receive/Transmit Clocks A J1 Pins 1-2
DCDA Data Carrier Detect A J1 Pins 2-3

Content created and/or collected by:
Louis F. Ohland, Peter H. Wendt, David L. Beem, William R. Walsh, Tatsuo Sunagawa, Tomáš Slavotínek, Jim Shorney, Tim N. Clarke, Kevin Bowling, and many others.

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Last update: 07 Dec 2024 - Changelog | About | Legal & Contact