[time-nuts] Help Identifying this surplus Timing Module

Bob kb8tq kb8tq at n1k.org
Sat May 12 14:39:01 UTC 2018


Hi

Ok, the gizmo on the front it an Altera CPLD. Not a lot of gates, so not a lot going 
on there. Whatever the real functions are, they are in the chip with no labeling. 

Even with the full information (let’s say): 

Takes in a 16 stream OC-blah blah and provides the following alarms on the status
channel. Hookup up the data stream and backup to pins X and Y. Status alarms also come
out on A, B, and C. Power is 12 V +/- 10% on pin M. Enable and control are on pins
E,F,G. 

Unless you happen to be building an OC-3 system in the basement and have all
the optical fiber stuff to do it …. not a lot of use. It is very similar to a lot of product
I designed over the years. It likely does a great job in it’s intended OEM application.
It’s pretty much useless for anything more general purpose as it is right now.

Without a schematic, the source code for the DSP and CPLD  and the proper tool 
sets, not much you can modify it to do. Even with all that stuff, probably the best you 
could do is a fairly basic 1 pps in. to  38.88 MHz) / M  out PLL. 

Indeed this *is* where timing has gone over the last few decades. TimeNuts normally may 
not look at telecom timing as an exciting thing. There is a vast amount of gear that 
has been built to distribute signals inside these networks. As far as Crazy Bob at
home is concerned, it’s all out of reach. It also is all designed for maintenance of 
data sync rather than time of day. It’s still very much time, just a different way of
looking at it. 

Bob

> On May 11, 2018, at 11:45 PM, CubeCentral <cubecentral at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Thank you bob and Gary for your investigations!  I appreciate it!  Here are a couple more views:
> 
> https://imgur.com/a/auWdXvq
> 
> "This is the picture with sticker removed.   The large IC at the back has its label scratched off.  ... that was intentional, but he has a note saying it is a member of Motorola DSP56300 family. It was likely purchased in 2010 based on an eBay invoice which has no date on it, but the scanned date was Feb 2011."
> 
> If anyone else has any more ideas, I would gladly hear them!  Thanks again!
> 
> 	-Randal   (at CubeCentral)
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: time-nuts [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of Gary Chatters
> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2018 19:07
> To: time-nuts at febo.com
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Help Identifying this surplus Timing Module
> 
> A little Googling found a two page datasheet.  It doesn't tell you much more than what you already found out, but does have specifications.
> 
> I can't figure out the correct link to include here, but a Google search with the string "ATiMe-s 38.88" (don't include the quotes) should bring up the link in the first couple of hits.  It is a PDF at the www.sbtron.co.kr website.
> 
> gc
> 
> On 05/11/2018 07:16 PM, CubeCentral wrote:
>> Hello All!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I would like to enlist your help in identifying this "surplus Timing
>> Module":  https://imgur.com/a/Psw8gP7
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> All the hints I've been given are:
>> 
>> - Purchased about a decade ago
>> 
>> - Might use a Motorola DSP as the processor
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> A quick google search lead me to a possible description:
>> 
>> "High speed, hitless, ultra low jitter timing module for OC-N line
>> interfaces:  The TF Systems / ATiMe-LC is a timing reference source for OC-N
>> and STM-N interfaces. It complements TeraSync's central timing modules to
>> provide a complete and redundant timing solution at the system level."
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ...but I'm unsure if that is 100% the same module.  If you would like to get
>> some different photos, please let me know and I will see what I can do.  Any
>> thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>                 -Randal   (at CubeCentral)
>> 
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