Keysight / Agilent / HP E2078A PCI GPIB Interface for HP-UX 10.20 Workstations

The E2078A is a PCI GPIB interface card designed for HP-UX 10.20 workstations, providing IEEE-488.1 and IEEE-488.2 connectivity for instrument control and data acquisition. The card installs into 5-volt PCI slots and delivers data transfer rates up to 750 KB/s with built-in buffering that exceeds traditional DMA performance. Auto-configurable via PCI standards, it requires no manual switch settings for installation. The E2078A supports SICL/VISA software libraries and programming in Agilent VEE, C/C++, and BASIC/UX, making it suitable for both standalone workstation applications and VXI mainframe integration via GPIB connection to Slot 0 command modules.

Technical Specifications

Standard: IEEE-488.1 and IEEE-488.2

Interface: 5-volt PCI slot

Connector: Standard 24-pin IEEE-488 (GPIB)

Maximum Data Transfer Rate: 750 KB/s

Buffering: Built-in

Operating System: HP-UX 10.20

Key Features

Auto-configurable PCI architecture eliminates manual switch configuration

Built-in buffering architecture provides superior I/O performance versus DMA implementations

Single GPIB connector for instrument connections

VXI mainframe compatibility through GPIB cable connection to command module

Software Support

I/O Libraries: SICL/VISA

Programming Languages: Agilent VEE, C/C++, BASIC/UX

Typical Applications

Automated test equipment (ATE) control on HP-UX workstations

Multi-instrument data acquisition systems

VXI mainframe command and control

Laboratory instrument interfacing and automation

Compatibility & Integration The E2078A integrates directly into HP-UX 10.20 workstation PCI slots without requiring external power supplies or configuration jumpers. VXI users can connect the card to mainframe command modules in Slot 0 using standard GPIB cabling, enabling unified control across mixed instrument architectures.