Introduction
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PC Cards cifX Compact PCI, Mini PCI, Mini PCIe, PCI-104 | Installation, Operation and Hardware Description
DOC120205UM53EN | Revision 53 | English | 2019-03 | Released | Public
© Hilscher, 2008-2019
1.2.3.4 EtherCAT
Master
Firmware Versions V3 and V4
The EtherCAT Master firmware has been revised and completed and is
available in version V4 since the first quarter of 2017.
Upgrading the EtherCAT Master firmware from V3 to V4 is recommended.
Use the EtherCAT Master firmware V4 for a new installation when creating
or developing your application program for the first time, as well as in
existing systems.
The reasons for upgrading are as follows:
•
The development of the EtherCAT Master firmware V3 will not be
continued. But this firmware version will be delivered furthermore.
•
Due to the software design, the EtherCAT Master firmware V3 has
considerable performance limitations on Hilscher products.
•
Compared to the EtherCAT Master firmware V3, the EtherCAT Master
firmware V4 has major improvements, while keeping the backward
compatibility to the firmware V3 as much as possible. Due to the
improvements, there are advantages in device certification.
Performance improvement and new functions with EtherCAT Master
firmware V4:
•
General performance improvement up to five times
•
Improvements in network and individual Slave control, Slave diagnostics
•
Support of CoE, SoE, EoE, FoE, ExtSync
•
Support of redundancy in different, even complex topologies, including
DC and DC resynchronization and hot-connect.
•
Troubleshooting improvement.
If you want to change in an existing system from the EtherCAT Master
firmware V3 to V4, you need to upgrade the EtherCAT Master firmware in
your device to V4.
With SYCON.net, you can configure both the EtherCAT Master firmware V3
as well as the EtherCAT Master firmware V4. When you upgrade to the
EtherCAT Master firmware V4, you can continue to use the existing
SYCON.net project.
On the Communication Solutions DVD, files and manuals referring to
firmware V3 and V4, are available as follows:
EtherCAT Master V3
Directory on the DVD \ File:
EtherCAT Master V4
Directory on the DVD \ File:
Firmware
Firmware\CIFX\Outdated versions\ECM V3\
cifxecm.nxf
Firmware\CIFX\cifxecm.nxf
Header
Examples and API\0. Header\Firmware\EtherCAT
Master V3
Examples and API\0. Header\Firmware\EtherCAT Master
V4
Protocol API
Documentation\7. Programming Manuals\EN\
3. Protocol API\EtherCAT Master V3\EtherCAT
Master V3 Protocol API 05 EN.pdf
Documentation\7. Programming Manuals\EN\3. Protocol
API\EtherCAT Master V4\EtherCAT Master V4 Protocol
API 05 EN.pdf
Table 9: EtherCAT Master Firmware V3 and V4 on the Product DVD