HP HP 8753E, User Manual, Page: 633 / 699

HP-IB Operation
The Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus (HP-IB) is Hewlett-Packard’s hardware, software,
documentation, and support for IEEE 488.2 and worldwide standards for interfacing
instruments. This interface allows you to operate the analyzer and peripherals in two methods:
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by an external system controller
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by the network analyzer in system-controller mode
The HP-IB employs a party-line bus structure in which up to 15 devices can be connected
on one contiguous bus The interface consists of 16 signal lines and 8 ground lines within a
shielded cable. With this cabling system, many different types of devices including instruments,
computers, power meters, plotters, printers, and disk drives can be connected in parallel.
Every HP-IB device must be capable of performing one or more of the following interface
functions:
A talker is a device capable of transmitting device-dependent data when addressed to talk.
There can be only one active talker at any given time. Examples of this type of device include:
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power meters
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disk drives
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voltmeters
counters
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tape readers
The network analyzer is a talker when it sends trace data or marker information over the bus
A listener is a device capable of receiving device-dependent data over the interface when
addressed to listen. There can be as many as 14 listeners connected to the interface at any
given time. Examples of this type of device include:
printers
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power supplies
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signal generators
The network analyzer is a listener when it is controlled over the bus by a system controller.
A controller is as a device capable of:
1. managing the operation of the bus
2. addressing talkers and listeners
There can be only one active controller on the interface at any time. Examples of controllers
include desktop computers, minicomputers, workstations, and the network analyzer. In a
multiple-controller system, active control can be passed between controllers, but there can
only be one controller connected to the interface. The system controller acts as the
master and can regain active control at any time. The analyzer is an active controller when it
plots, prints, or stores to an external disk drive in the pass-control mode. The analyzer is a
system controller when it is operating in the system-controller mode.