The 5394 offers significant improvements over the 5294, with increased data speeds and intelligent workstation operation for PCs. The 5394 incorporates V.35 capability, which supports transmission speeds up to 64 Kbps, compared with the 56-Kbps maximum speed of the 5294. What's more, the 5394 can operate in either a 5394 native mode or a 5294-emulation mode.

In addition, your users benefit from enhanced keyboard functions, such as type ahead and key toggle. The 5394 also supports a special character keyboard set. 
 

The 5394 communicates at speeds up to 19.2 Kbps through an EIA RS232D interface and at speeds up to 64 Kbps through a CCITT V.35 interface. V.35 support, incorporated into the 5394, means data moves faster, increasing productivity across your network. You choose the physical interface that best suits your application needs-point-to-point or multipoint, leased or circuit-switched line, or X.25 packet-switched network.

For even more advanced networking environments, the 5394 can be coupled with an IBM 2210 router. This allows access to frame-relay networks and provides access to local area networks (LANs) for its attached devices. 
 

Furthermore, microcode updated to the 5394 is provided on 3.5-inch diskettes. Microcode corrections are applied to your central computer system and downloaded to all your 5394 controllers when they begin communicating with the centralized system.

If you purchased an older model that supports the attachment of four devices, investment protection is ensured, because upgrades are available to allow support for as many as 16 devices. 
 

One 5250 display station should be located within 20 feet of the 5394 to facilitate installation and problem determination. 
 

• Three twinaxial ports, capable of supporting up to 16 workstations, let you tailor control unit configurations to suit the diverse requirements of remote sites. The 5394 supports a maximum of seven devices per port using the IBM Cabling System, Cable-Thru with twinaxial cables, or the IBM 6299/TTPA with telephone twisted-pair cables.
• Microcode design provides for easy installation of engineering changes, functional enhancements, and maintenance.
• A small footprint makes it easy to place the lightweight 5394 anywhere in your office.
• Standard printer and intelligent printer data stream (IPDS) allow for attachment of the IBM 5250 printer line, increasing the range of printers available to remote users.
• Save/Restore compression permits faster processing at the AS/400, System/36, and System/38 levels, and it improves response time by removing blanks and duplicate characters from transmitted data.
• Personal-computer-to-5250 file transfer facilitates transfer of remote personal computing files to and from the IBM AS/400, System/36, and System/38. And, it gives you maximum productivity in personal computing and central computer system processing.
• Remote support for selector light-pen workstations enables remote users to run applications using selector light-pen processing.
• Type ahead makes it possible to continue keying even if the keyboard becomes locked due to processing within the central computer system. Keys pressed while the keyboard state is locked are saved in a workstation controller buffer, which holds up to 32 keystrokes.
• True monocasting, when selected with the Caps lock key, causes all alpha characters to be capitalized-regardless of the keyboard shift position.
• Support for extended graphics character set lets you easily enter special graphics characters using an IBM enhanced keyboard.
• Local copy can be sent directly to printers attached to the 5394 Remote Control Unit. This means screen contents do not need to be transmitted to the central computer system and then retransmitted to an attached printer.
• Support for the IBM 6299 Terminal Multiconnector allows for terminal attachment through telephone twisted-pair cables and helps reduce cabling costs for 5394 users.
• An IBM 5308 can be placed on a twinaxial port and provides dial-in access for users at other sites to connect to a remote central computer using the existing communication facility. The IBM 5308 connects ASCII terminals or PCs to the 5394 through dial-in or leased phonelines.
• The 5394 can be used in multiple network configurations through an IBM 2210 router, including TCP/IP networks, LAN networks, frame-relay networks and multiprotocol networks. (When connecting the 5394 to a 2210 router, the 8Q0775 microcode diskette is required. This microcode allows the 5394 to participate in an APPN network as a low-entry node, and allows the 5394 to interface with a 2210 router or other APPN/SNA network component or equivalent.)
• Text support from the 5394 provides editing functions-tab stops, shadow cursors, row and column indicators, and word wrap-to users interacting with office applications. By delivering text editing and other word processing capabilities to remote users, the control unit helps increase productivity and efficiency.

• IBM Application System/400: IBM Operating System/400, 5728-SS1 Release 1.0, or higher
• IBM System/36: 5360/5362 System Unit-System Support Program 5727-SS1, Release 5.1, or higher; 5363/5364 System Unit-System Support Program 5727-SS6, Release 5.1, or higher
• IBM System/38: Control Program Facility 5714/SS1, Release 8.0, or higher

• Models 01A and 02A support up to 4 workstation devices
• Models 01B and 02B support up to 16 workstation devices for AS/400
• Models 01B and 02B support up to 8 workstation devices for System/36 or System/38

• Models 01A and 01B support ANSI EIA 232D (CCITT V.24, CCITT V.28) and CCITT V.35 for connection to an external modem or DCE, or for attachment to an X.21 or X.25 network through an X.21 bis DCE. 
• Models 02A and 02B support CCITT X.21 for connection to an X.21 Public Data Network or an X.25 Packet Switching Network through an X.21 DCE.