East Coast Datacom (ECD), Inc., a Florida-based data communications accessory specialist, announces the RDS-SB Satellite Buffer with Differential Frequency Discriminator.

The RDS-SB is intended to provide a unidirectional 2.097 Mbit elastic data buffering (FIFO memory) function between two systems having nominally equivalent clocking rates. The two systems may be either running asynchronously, or may be traceable to a common timing source while one or both systems may possess a high degree of clock jitter. An option switch on the front panel allows the RDS-SB internal buffer memory to utilize a Differential Frequency Discriminator to prevent the FIFO memory from re-centering after an underrun or overflow until the frequency difference between the two external clocks is within a set range.

The 2.097 Mb First-In, First-out (FIFO) memory is used to buffer data inand out of the unit. Receive data may be simultaneously written into the FIFO while transmit data is read out. Internal counters track the FIFO level and are used to indicate underrun and overflow conditions, as well as indicate when the FIFO is half-full (centered) after initialization. A Differential Frequency Discriminator (DFD) may be invoked to conditionally hold off accepting received data and re-centering the FIFO after a power-on cycle, or an underrun or overflow condition occurs, until the frequency difference between the two port clocks falls within a set range of approximately 400 Hz. The purpose of this function is to prevent an out of range clocking source from repeatedly producing frequent underrun or overflow conditions.

When this function is invoked, and only after an underrun or overflow condition occurs, the FIFO memory is held in an initial state of emptyif the DFD indicates that the absolute frequency differential is outside the range. If at any time within the sample window of the DFD (approx. 20mS), this differential should fall within the range, the FIFO will re-center normally and begin transferring data. (NOTE: It is possible in some cases that the average frequency differential will be outside the range, but may at times fall within the range due to clock jitter. This will be sufficient to trigger re-centering of the FIFO and transfer of data.)

The RDS-SB has a list price of $1195.00 US Dollars.

For further information please contact:
Mr. Richard Barger  
East Coast Datacom, Inc.
245 Gus Hipp Blvd., STE 3,
Rockledge,
FL 32955 Tel: (321) 637-9922