Eventide WPB-109 Intelligent Buffer GPIB IEEE-488 Expressway 4-Port 115/230V

Eventide WPB-109 Intelligent Buffer GPIB IEEE-488 Expressway 4-Port 115/230V

The Eventide WPB-109 is a 4-port IEEE-488/GPIB Intelligent Buffer from Eventide's Expressway line, designed to extend and isolate IEEE-488 instrument buses in test and measurement environments. It allows a controller to communicate with instruments across longer cable runs or larger device counts than the IEEE-488 standard permits natively, effectively boosting bus drive capability and reducing loading on the controller.

Specifications & What's Included

• Brand: Eventide Inc., Little Ferry, NJ — Made in USA
• Model: WPB-109 (also labeled WPB109)
• Series: Expressway
• Type: GPIB / IEEE-488 Intelligent Buffer
• Ports: 4 rear-panel ports (PORT 0 – PORT 3) with Centronics 24-pin IEEE-488 connectors
• Front panel: 3-zone LED status array (PORT 0, PORT 1, PORT 2) with green, yellow, and red indicators
• Power: 115/230 VAC switchable, IEC C14 inlet
• Voltage configured: 115V
• Fuse: ¼A @ 230V / ⅜A @ 115V
• Memory option installed: 2MB
• Front-panel power switch (rocker, I/O)
• Form factor: Desktop
• Unit only — no cables or accessories included

Applications

The IEEE-488 bus (also known as GPIB — General Purpose Interface Bus — or HP-IB) is the standard communication interface used to link test and measurement instruments to automated control systems and computers. The Eventide WPB-109 Expressway Intelligent Buffer is used in automated test equipment (ATE) setups where the physical limitations of a standard IEEE-488 bus — a maximum of 15 devices or roughly 20 meters of total cable — need to be exceeded. By buffering and regenerating the bus signals, it enables larger instrument configurations and longer cable runs without degrading signal integrity. The Expressway line was commonly found in military, aerospace, semiconductor, and telecommunications test environments where large racks of IEEE-488 instruments needed reliable, extended bus connectivity. The 2MB memory option suggests this unit supported data buffering between bus segments. This type of equipment remains relevant wherever legacy IEEE-488 instrument systems are still maintained and operated.