The LSI53C860E is a PCI to Fast SCSI-2 host adapter IC manufactured by LSI Computer Systems. This chip provides a bridge between a PCI bus and a SCSI bus, allowing computers with PCI slots to interface with SCSI devices such as hard drives, tape drives, and scanners. It is designed for systems requiring high-speed data transfer rates.

Applications

• High-performance servers: Connecting SCSI hard drives for data storage.
• Workstations: Supporting SCSI peripherals such as scanners and tape drives.
• Industrial control systems: interfacing with SCSI-based data acquisition equipment.
• Legacy computer systems: Adding or replacing SCSI controllers in older systems.
• RAID controllers: Implementing basic RAID functionalities.

Features

• PCI Bus Interface: Compliant with PCI specifications for seamless integration.
• Fast SCSI-2 Support: Supports data transfer rates up to 10 MB/s.
• DMA (Direct Memory Access): Enables efficient data transfer between SCSI devices and system memory without CPU intervention.
• Single-ended SCSI interface: Compatible with standard single-ended SCSI devices.
• SCSI bus arbitration: Handles SCSI bus arbitration to prevent conflicts between devices.

Benefits

• Enables SCSI connectivity: Allows the use of SCSI devices in PCI-based systems.
• High data transfer rates: Improves performance in data-intensive applications.
• Reduced CPU overhead: DMA functionality minimizes CPU utilization during data transfers.
• Backward compatibility: Supports older SCSI devices.
• Simplified system integration: Easy to install and configure.

Additional Details

The LSI53C860E typically requires a driver to function correctly within an operating system. Ensure proper SCSI termination for reliable operation. Consult the LSI Computer Systems datasheet for detailed specifications, including supported SCSI command sets, power requirements, and operating temperature range. This is a legacy component, so driver support for modern operating systems may be limited. Proper grounding and shielding are important for signal integrity.