Keysight / Agilent / HP E1497A Embedded Controller

The Keysight E1497A is a C-size, 1-slot VXI embedded controller built on PA-RISC technology for real-time instrument control, data acquisition, and automated measurement applications. Configurable with either a 64 MHz or 100 MHz PA 7100LC processor, it delivers 77.7/121.6 MIPS and 24.3/37.8 MFLOPS performance paired with ECC SIMM RAM scaling from 16 MB to 128 MB depending on configuration. The controller integrates a 1-MB dual-ported memory buffer for high-speed data acquisition and 256 KB external cache, supported by HP-UX 9.05 and later operating systems.

– Technical Specifications

Processor & Performance
• PA 7100LC PA-RISC processor
• Clock speeds: 64 MHz or 100 MHz
• Performance: 77.7 MIPS (64 MHz) / 121.6 MIPS (100 MHz)
• Floating-point: 24.3 MFLOPS (64 MHz) / 37.8 MFLOPS (100 MHz)
• SPEC int92: 66.6 (64 MHz) / 100.1 (100 MHz)

Memory Architecture
• 1-MB dual-ported memory buffer
• ECC SIMM main memory: 16–64 MB (V743/64) or 32–128 MB (V743/100)
• External cache: 256 KB merged

VXI & Interfaces
• Message-based C-size, 1-slot module
• VXI addressing: A16, A24, A32 modes
• Single-channel DMA for extended memory devices
• Direct VXI backplane support with programmable interrupt handler
• GPIB, dual RS-232, SCSI-2, LAN, AUI
• Keyboard/mouse, speaker output, trigger I/O, clock I/O
• External storage: up to 14 GB optional disk

Software Environment
• HP-UX 9.05 or later required
• VXIplug&play-compatible with HP-UX drivers
• SICL and VISA included with HP-UX enhancements
• C-SCPI and HP VEE support

– Key Features

• Dual-port memory buffer optimized for sustained data acquisition rates
• Configurable RAM up to 128 MB for large measurement datasets
• Integrated GPIB and LAN connectivity for network instrument control
• Single-channel DMA for efficient VXI extended memory access
• ECC protection on all main memory

– Typical Applications

Automated test systems, real-time data acquisition, VXI instrument control, industrial process monitoring, and distributed measurement platforms leveraging HP-UX computing power.

– Compatibility & Integration

Compatible with HP 9000 Series 700 workstations and controllers. Operates within the HP-UX VXIplug&play framework, supporting standard VISA and SICL programming interfaces for multi-instrument test environments.