APPENDIX B: Electrical Interfaces
B.3 RS-485
RS-485 is backward-compatible with RS-422; however, it is optimized for partyline or multidrop applications. The output of the RS-422/485 driver is capable of being Active (enabled) or Tristate (disabled). This capability allows multiple ports to be connected in a multidrop bus and selectively polled.
RS-485 allows cable lengths up to 4000 feet (1219.2 m) and data rates up to 10 Mbps. The signal levels for RS-485 are the same as those defined by RS-422.
RS-485 has electrical characteristics that allow for 32 drivers and 32 receivers to be connected to one line. This interface is ideal for multidrop or network environments. RS-485’s tristate (not dual-state) driver will allow the electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the line. Only one driver may be active at a time, and the other driver(s) must be tristated.
RS-485 can be cabled in two ways: two-wire and four-wire mode. Two-wire mode does not allow for full-duplex communication, so data can be transferred in only one direction at a time. For half-duplex operation, the two transmit pins should be connected to the two receive pins (Tx+ to Rx+ and Tx to Rx). Four-wire mode allows full-duplex data transfers.
RS-485 does not define a connector pinout, a physical connector, or a set of modem control signals.
