November 1985
National Instruments
Section One Introduction
This section provides brief introductions to the GPIB-MAC and the
IEEE-488. It also describes the physical, electrical, and
environmental characteristics of the GPIB-MAC.
Introduction to the GPIB-MAC
The GPIB-MAC is a high performance GPIB-to-Macintosh
interface. The GPIB-MAC together with a Macintosh personal
computer provide a means of Controlling, Talking, and Listening on
the GPIB.
The GPIB-MAC has all the software and logic required to
implement the physical and electrical specifications of the IEEE-488.
It is capable of interpreting and executing high level commands that
you send to it over the Macintosh serial port.
Introduction to the IEEE-488 (GPIB)
The IEEE-488, also known as the General Purpose Interface Bus or
GPIB, is a high speed parallel bus structure originally designed by
Hewlett-Packard. It is generally used to connect and control
programmable instruments, but has gained popularity in other
applications, such as intercomputer communication and peripheral
control.
The specifications of the GPIB are too lengthy and comprehensive
to be explained in this manual. However, Appendix D, ‘Operation
of the GPIB,” contains a summary of pertinent IEEE-488
information you might find useful.
Description of the Model GPIB-MAC
Included here are the GPIB-MAC environmental, physical, and
electrical specifications.
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SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION
