GPIB Expanders and GPIB Isolators

GPIB expanders allow the system to interface with more than the maximum number of devices specified in the IEEE 488.1 Standard. According to this Standard, a GPIB system cannot interface with more than 14 electrical devices or peripherals. GPIB bus expanders have two ports. When these ports are connected to two GPIB systems, the expander buffers the signals and allows them to repeat back and forth between the buses. At each port the expander can control up to 14 devices, so the maximum number of devices or peripherals that may be connected to the system is effectively doubled to 28.