2-PORT RS-232/422/485 PCI HOST ADAPTER
2. Introduction
2.1 Overview
The 2-Port RS-232/422/485 PCI Host Adapter is a two-channel PCI-bus serial I/O adapter for PCs and compatibles that supports data rates up to 460.8 kbps. It has two very versatile asynchronous serial ports: They are field-selectable as either RS-232 ports (suitable for communication with modems, printers and plotters) or RS-422/485 ports (suitable for industrial automation and control applications).
Configure both of the Adapter’s ports as RS-232 for standard serial COM-port requirements. Choose the RS-422 mode for long-distance device connections up to 4000 ft. (1219.2 m) where noise immunity and high data integrity are essential. Select RS-485 and capture data from multiple peripherals in a RS-485 multidrop network. Up to 31 RS-485 devices can be connected to each port to automate your data collection. You can even mix the ports in any of the interface combinations to provide maximum flexibility to your application.
In both RS-232 and RS-422 modes, the card works seamlessly with the standard operating-system serial driver. In RS-485 mode, our special auto-enable feature allows the RS-485 ports to be viewed by the operating system as a COM port. This allows the standard COM driver to be used for RS-485 communications. The on- board hardware automatically handles the RS-485 driver enable.
The IC133C-R2 adapter uses a 16550 UART. This chip features programmable baud rates, data format, interrupt control and a 16-byte input and output FIFO. You can replace the 16550 with a 16950 UART for even better performance. The IC187C comes with the 16950 UART already installed.
2.2 What’s Included
The Adapter is shipped with the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged, contact the supplier.
•(1) 2-Port RS-232/422/485 Serial Host Adapter
•(2) 3.5” Serial Utility Diskettes
•This User Manual
