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Xilinx Programmable key: (In)compatiblity information from key vendor


Record #408

Problem Title:
Xilinx Programmable key: (In)compatiblity information from key vendor


Problem Description:



Solution 1:




Sentinel Superpro General Problems/Incompatibility List 
as of January 25, 1994 
 
The purpose of this document is to list the devices that have been
tested at Rainbow, and which have been shown to cause a malfunction in
either the device-under-test or the Rainbow Security Key.  This list
will be revised from time to time, as more information becomes
available.  This list should not be considered complete or final, nor
does it include any devices that have been rumored to cause problems,
but have not been confirmed by Rainbow Engineering.  If you believe
you have a possible incompatibility not covered by this list, please
contact Rainbow Technologies Technical Support at 1-800-959-9954. 
 
1.  Computers 
Tandy T-1000:  Some models of this computer use a version of a 24-pin
Centronics port that has unusual characteristics such as auto-strobe
being always on.  If you are using a model with this type of port, and
wish to use a Sentinel key, it will be necessary to install and
additional port that uses the 25-pin Centronics conventions. 
 
II.P Vectra:  Models of this computer that use the Western Digital
4-function controller with bi-directional communication can not access
any of our keys IF the bi-directional feature cannot be disabled. 
 
Toshiba Machines:  Toshiba laptops typically have slow parallel ports
(unusually large capacitance values).  Upgrading to the latest version
of our hardware key and software can help, but it is not guaranteed to
solve the problem with these nonstandard machines.  (The T1200XE and
T3100SX are two Toshiba machines that are known to exhibit this
behavior...) 
 
2.  Ports & IO Cards 
Winbond Parallel I\O chipset:  Winbond manufactures a cheap,
nonstandard parallel io chip (W83757F) that is implemented in many low
end multifunction "super" io cards.  This chip toggles the unused
lines on the port and can occasionally interfere with our key.	Often,
if a printer or even a cable Is connected, the key can then be seen
because the added capacitance prevents the lines from toggling. 
 
Some known I\O card manufacturers that use Winbond: 
DTK Super I\O Card (older models)--DTK knows about this issue and will
replace their cards 
Quadram models prior to 1983 
STB Graphics Plus with parallel port 
TI945 mono display card with parallel port 
Tsung 
3.  External Parallel Port Devices 
Xircom PR-III:	XIRCOM manufactures an externally mounted ethernet LAN
adapter that attaches to the parallel port of a PC.  Like all parallel
port ethernet adapters, this device is known to make nonstandard use
of the port (both electrically and via XIRCOM's driver software)
Rainbow has engineered its latest hardware keys and software drivers
to be compatible with Xircom PEIII.  Note:  Compatibility claim
applies only to the PE-III device, not Xircom's other adapters,
multiplexers, etc... 
 
Rainbow does not claim to be compatible with any other external LAN
adapters, parallel port data transfer schemes, scanners, sound
devices, parallel cable extenders, or any other such devices.  If a
specific device is in question, please feel free to contact Rainbow
Technologies Technical Support to see if any internal testing or
customer cases have been documented. 
 
4.  Printers 
Okidata & Fujitsu:  Some Okidata and Fujitsu printers ground pin 14. 
(This is nonstandard.)	Certain Rainbow keys manufactured near the end
of 1992 are incompatible with these printers. 
 
Micronics Motherboards:  The parallel ports on certain Micronics
Motherboards (commonly used in Gateway and Dell machines) can be
incompatible with older model Sentinel Superpro keys.  Assume the
latest Sentinel Superpro software has been implemented, a hardware
upgrade to fix this issue is available.  Contact technical support. 
 
Epson printer & low power ports: 
A certain hardware revision of the Sentinel Superpro may cause
problems printing to various Epson printers if it is attached to a
machine with a very low power output parallel port.  A hardware
upgrade to fix this issue is available.  Contact technical support.




End of Record #408