Chapter1 Introduction
©NationalInstruments Corporation 1-3 SerialHardware and Software for Windows
Optional Equipment
For more information about ordering the following optional equipment,
contactNational Instruments:
•DB-9 RS-485 termination connector (PCI-485, PCMCIA-485,
PXI-8421, PXI-8423, and AT-485only)
•10-position modular jack to DB-9 cable (PCI, PXI, and ATfour-port
boards only)
•10-positionmodul arjack toDB-25 cable (PCI, PXI, and AT four-port
boards only)
•68-pint o DB-9 adapter cable (PCI and PXI eight-port boards only)
•RS-2329-pin to 9-pin null modem cable
•RS-232 9-pin to 25-pin null modem cable
•RS-4859-pin to 9-pin null modem cable
•Breakoutb ox (PCI/PXI-232 16-port board only)
Serial Hardware Overview

PCI Kits

The serialhardware gives you a variety of solutions for serial
communication.The PCI-232 boards work with the RS-232 protocols, and
thePCI-485 boards w ork with the RS-422 and RS-485 protocols. You can
use the PCI-232 boards for serial communication up to distances of 50 ft.
Youcan connect the PCI-485 boards to up to 31 devices using serial cable
lengths up to 4,000 ft.
Additionally,the PCI serial boards are available in a two-port version
(PCI-232/2 and PCI-485/2), a four-port version(PC I-232/4 and
PCI-485/4), an eight-port version (PCI-232/8 and PCI-485/8), and a
sixteen-port version (PCI-232/16). The two-port versions use DB-9
connectors. The four-port versionsuse 10-posit ion modular jacks to
provideall four con nections on a single back panel. Optional cable
accessoriesconvert the 10-position modular jacks to either DB-9 or DB-25
connectors with standard pinouts. The eight-port versions use adapter
cables to convertthe 68-pin connector on the board to eight DB-9
connectors.The 16-port version uses a breakout box to convert the 100-pin
connector on the board to sixteen DB-9 connectors. Throughout this
manual, PCI serial boards refers to all versions of the PCI serial boards.