PCLTA-10 PC L
ON
T
ALK
®
A
DAPTER
M
ODELS
73401, 73402, 73403
F
EATURES
•
Half-length, 16-bit ISA adapter card for L
ON
W
ORKS
®
networks
•
Plug-and-play capability with Microsoft
®
Windows
®
95; a Windows NT driver is also available
•
Downloadable firmware allows updates without accessing or changing hardware
•
Integral FTT-10A, TPT/XF-78, or TPT/XF-1250 transceiver
•
Supports network services interface (NSI) functionality for use with LNS-compliant applications
•
Supports network interface functionality for use with LonManager
®
API-based applications
•
CE Mark, UL, cUL, TÜV
D
ESCRIPTION
The PCLTA-10 PC LonTalk Adapter is a high-performance LonWorks interface for laptop, desktop, and embedded
personal computers equipped with a 16-bit Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) interface and a compatible operating
system. Designed for use in LonWorks control networks that require a PC to monitor, manage, or diagnose the
network, the PCLTA-10 adapter is ideal for industrial control, building automation, and process control applications.
The PCLTA-10 adapter features an integral twisted pair transceiver, downloadable memory, a network management
interface, and plug-and-play capability with Microsoft Windows 95. A Windows NT driver is also available.
The three versions of the PCLTA-10 adapter support the TP/FT-10, TP/XF-78, and TP/XF-1250 channels.
The PCLTA-10 adapter provides both network services interface (NSI) functionality for use with LNS-compliant
applications, and network interface functionality for use with legacy LonManager® API-based applications.
The PCLTA-10 adapter provides any host processor equipped with a 16-bit ISA interface and compatible operating
system with access to a LonWorks network. The adapter is a half-length ISA card, allowing it to fit into laptop and
embedded PCs that will not accommodate a full-length ISA card.
Installation software for the PCLTA-10 adapter is provided in the Connectivity Starter Kit, and includes a software-
based control panel and software drivers for Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT operating systems. The control
panel provides a convenient means of setting and modifying installation parameters, as well as displaying error
messages. The adapter supports Windows 95 plug-and-play operation, simplifying installation.
The PCLTA-10 adapter operates at 10MHz and includes an integral twisted pair transceiver. The network wiring is
polarity-insensitive, and is connected to a removable screw terminal block.
The LonWorks Network Services (LNS) architecture allows over 32,000 installation, maintenance, monitoring, and
control devices to exist in a system and to adapt to network configuration changes automatically. Users can
reconfigure the system from user interface devices anywhere on the network and ensure that all monitoring and
control stations are always up-to-date with respect to the system’s configuration. When used with the appropriate
software, the network services interface (NSI) functionality of the PCLTA-10 adapter allows the attached host to tap
into the LNS infrastructure as a client or server application.
The adapter also permits the host PC to act as an application node, running application-specific programs while the
adapter handles lower layer functions such as media access control, collision avoidance, message validation,
authentication, and priority processing. The host application, including its network variables, can be changed at any
time without modifying the adapter. The PLCTA-10 adapter combined with the host PC can also be used with nodes
that require more processing power, memory, input/output capability, or network variable connections than are
provided by the Neuron® Chip alone.
Firmware for the adapter is downloaded from the host PC. This allows the adapter to be updated as new versions of
the software and firmware are released, without modifying or physically accessing the PCLTA-10 adapter. This feature
