Black Box RS-232 HS User manual

CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
INFORMATION
Order toll-free in the U.S. 24 hours, 7 A.M. Monday to midnight Friday: 877-877-BBOX
FREE technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax [phone]
Mail order: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Drive, Lawrence, PA 15055-1018
Web site: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: [email protected]
MARCH 2000
IC130C
IC177C
RS-232 HS

2
RS-232 HS
TRADEMARKS USED IN THIS MANUAL
IBM, PAL, and PS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business
Machines Corporation.
UL is a registered trademark of Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
All applied-for and registered trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.

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RS-232 HS
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
and CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS
RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT
Class B Digital Device. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B computing device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy, and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
telephone reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and
on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one of the following
measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.
• Consult an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Caution:
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
To meet FCC requirements, shielded cables and power cords are required to
connect this device to a personal computer or other Class B certified device.
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emission from digital
apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulation of the Canadian Department of
Communications.
Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites
applicables aux appareils numériques de classe B prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage
radioélectrique publié par le ministère des Communications du Canada.

4
RS-232 HS
NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS (NOM)
ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT
INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD
1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas
antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado.
2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas
para referencia futura.
3. Todas las advertencias en el aparato eléctrico y en sus instrucciones de
operación deben ser respetadas.
4. Todas las instrucciones de operación y uso deben ser seguidas.
5. El aparato eléctrico no deberá ser usado cerca del agua—por ejemplo,
cerca de la tina de baño, lavabo, sótano mojado o cerca de una alberca,
etc..
6. El aparato eléctrico debe ser usado únicamente con carritos o
pedestales que sean recomendados por el fabricante.
7. El aparato eléctrico debe ser montado a la pared o al techo sólo como
sea recomendado por el fabricante.
8. Servicio—El usuario no debe intentar dar servicio al equipo eléctrico
más allá a lo descrito en las instrucciones de operación. Todo otro
servicio deberá ser referido a personal de servicio calificado.
9. El aparato eléctrico debe ser situado de tal manera que su posición no
interfiera su uso. La colocación del aparato eléctrico sobre una cama,
sofá, alfombra o superficie similar puede bloquea la ventilación, no se
debe colocar en libreros o gabinetes que impidan el flujo de aire por los
orificios de ventilación.
10. El equipo eléctrico deber ser situado fuera del alcance de fuentes de
calor como radiadores, registros de calor, estufas u otros aparatos
(incluyendo amplificadores) que producen calor .

5
RS-232 HS
11. El aparato eléctrico deberá ser connectado a una fuente de poder sólo
del tipo descrito en el instructivo de operación, o como se indique en el
aparato.
12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la
polarización del equipo no sea eliminada.
13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que
no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra
ellos, poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde
salen del aparato.
14. El equipo eléctrico debe ser limpiado únicamente de acuerdo a las
recomendaciones del fabricante.
15. En caso de existir, una antena externa deberá ser localizada lejos de las
lineas de energia.
16. El cable de corriente deberá ser desconectado del cuando el equipo no
sea usado por un largo periodo de tiempo.
17. Cuidado debe ser tomado de tal manera que objectos liquidos no sean
derramados sobre la cubierta u orificios de ventilación.
18. Servicio por personal calificado deberá ser provisto cuando:
A: El cable de poder o el contacto ha sido dañado; u
B: Objectos han caído o líquido ha sido derramado dentro del
aparato; o
C: El aparato ha sido expuesto a la lluvia; o
D: El aparato parece no operar normalmente o muestra un cambio en
su desempeño; o
E: El aparato ha sido tirado o su cubierta ha sido dañada.

6
RS-232 HS
EMC DIRECTIVE STATEMENT
Products bearing the CE label fulfill the requirements of the
EMC directive (89/336/EWG) and of the low-voltage directive
(73/23/EWG) issued by the European Commission.
To obey these directives, the following European standards must be met:
• EN55022 Class B — “Limits and methods of measurement of radio
interference characteristics of information technology equipment.”
• EN50082-1 — “Electromagnetic compatibility—Generic immunity
standard.”
• Part 1: Residential, commercial and light industry.
• EN60950 (IEC950) — “Safety of information technology equipment,
including electrical business equipment.”
Always use cabling provided with this product, if possible. If no cable is
provided or if an alternate cable is required, use high-quality shielded
cabling to maintain compliance with FCC/EMC directives.

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RS-232 HS
Contents
Chapter Page
1. Specifications............................................................................................8
2. Introduction ............................................................................................9
2.1 Overview ........................................................................................9
2.2 Package Contents............................................................................9
2.3 Factory-Default Settings ................................................................9
3. Connector Pin Assignments ..................................................................10
4. Card Setup ............................................................................................11
4.1 Address Selection..........................................................................11
4.2 Port Enable/Disable ......................................................................12
4.3 IRQ Selection................................................................................13
4.4 Interrupt Modes ..........................................................................14
4.5 Clock Modes ................................................................................15
5. Installation ............................................................................................16
5.1 Windows 3.x (Including Windows for
Workgroups 3.11) Installation ....................................................16
5.2 Windows 95 and Windows NT Installation ................................18
5.3 RS-232 HS Software Drivers ........................................................18
5.4 Hardware Installation....................................................................19
6. Troubleshooting ....................................................................................20
6.1 Solving Common Problems..........................................................20
6.2 Calling Your Supplier ..................................................................21
6.3 Shipping and Packaging ..............................................................21
Appendix A: RS-232 ..............................................................................22
Appendix B: Asynchronous Communications ......................................23
Appendix C: Board Layout ....................................................................25

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RS-232 HS
Communication Chip — IC130C: 16650 UART;
IC177C: 16950 UART
Connectors — (2) DB9 M, (1) PC-card edge, 16-bit
Diagnostics — (2) 3.5-inch asynchronous utility disks
Manufacturing — IPC 610-A Class-III standards are
adhered to with a 0.1 visual A.Q.L. and
100% functional testing. All boards are
built to UL®94V0 rating and are 100%
electrically tested. These printed circuit
boards are solder mask over bare copper
or solder mask over tin nickel.
MTBF — >150,000 hours
Operating Temperature — 32 to 122°F (0 to 50°C)
Storage Temperature — -4 to +158°F (-20 to +70°C)
Relative Humidity Tolerance — 10 to 90%, noncondensing
Power Consumption — +12 VDC @ 50 mA, -12 VDC @ 50 mA,
+5 VDC @ 195 mA
Size — 3.5"H x 5.4"L (8.9 x 13.7 cm)
1. Specifications

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RS-232 HS
2.1 Overview
The RS-232 HS provides the PC with 2 asynchronous serial ports. It also
provides a jumper to select clocking modes that allow much higher data
rates than those typically associated with RS-232. With its high-speed
drivers and receivers, the RS-232 HS can handle rates up to 460 Kbps. The
RS-232 HS can be configured as COM1: through COM4:, providing a
versatile interface for common RS-232 needs (such as a modem, mouse, or
plotter) as well as higher-speed applications (like ISDN, V.34 modems, etc.).
The IC130C uses the 16650 UART chip, which features programmable
baud rate, data format, interrupt control, and a 32-byte input and output
FIFO. The IC177C uses the 16950 UART, which features a 128-byte FIFO.
In addition, the RS-232 HS supports IRQs 2–5, 7, 10, 11, 12, and 15. And
shareable IRQs allow more than one port to share a single IRQ.
2.2 Package Contents
If any of the items listed below are missing or damaged, call Black Box at
724-746-5500.
• RS-232 HS
• (2) 3.5-inch serial utility diskettes
• This user’s manual
2.3 Factory-Default Settings
The RS-232 HS’s factory-default settings are listed below.
Port # Base Address IRQ
1 3F8 4
2 2F8 3
If you want to install the RS-232 HS using the factory-default settings, you
can skip the next two chapters. Turn to Chapter 5.
2. Introduction

10
RS-232 HS
NOTE
These assignments meet EIA/TIA/ANSI-574 DTE for DB9 connectors.
Signal Name Pin # Mode
TD Transmit Data 3 Output
RTS Request To Send 7 Output
DTR Data Terminal Ready 4 Output
GND Ground 5 —
RD Receive Data 2 Input
DCD Data Carrier Detect 1 Input
DSR Data Set Ready 6 Input
CTS Clear To Send 8 Input
RI Ring Indicator 9 Input
3. Connector Pin Assignments

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RS-232 HS
For your reference, record the installed RS-232 HS’s settings here.
Port # Base Address IRQ
1
2
The RS-232 HS contains several jumpers (straps) which must be set for
proper operation. The factory-default settings are shown in Section 2.3 ;if
you want to use the defaults, you can skip this chapter.
4.1 Address Selection
Each serial port on the RS-232 HS occupies eight consecutive I/O locations,
and looks to the PC as a standard serial port. A DIP switch (SW1) is used to
set the port address options for the RS-232 HS. Be careful when selecting
the port address—some selections conflict with existing PC ports. The table
on the next page shows the addressing options available with the standard
PAL. If you do not see an address option that suits your needs, contact your
supplier about a custom PAL option.
4. Card Setup

12
RS-232 HS
Port 1 Port 2 SW1 SW1 SW1 SW1
J2 J3 1 2 3 4
3F8 2F8 On On On Off
3E8 2E8 On On Off On
2F8 2E8 On On Off Off
2F8 3E8 On Off On On
3220 3228 On Off On Off
4220 4228 On Off Off On
5220 5228 On Off Off Off
5220 4220 Off On On On
280 290 Off On On Off
300 308 Off On Off On
310 318 Off On Off Off
280 288 Off Off On On
290 298 Off Off On Off
300 280 Off Off Off On
Disabled Disabled Off Off Off Off
NOTE
Each COM: port in your system should have a unique address. Typically,
COM1: through COM4: addresses are 3F8, 2F8, 3E8, and 2E8 Hex. If a
COM1: and COM2: are already present, use the second addressing
option; this will provide the typical addresses for COM3: and COM4:.
Refer to Chapter 6 , Troubleshooting , for common address conflicts.
4.2 Port Enable/Disable
Port 2 on the RS-232 HS can be enabled or disabled with the jumper at E6
for applications requiring only one port. The port is enabled with the
jumper installed and disabled when removed. If Port 2 is disabled, be sure
to disable the interrupt request for that port by removing the IRQ jumper
at E2. When the port is disabled, only the Port-1 address from the selection
is valid. (See the table above.)

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RS-232 HS
4.3 IRQ Selection
Headers E1 and E2 select the interrupt request for each serial port (E1 for
Port 1 and E2 for Port 2). If COM1: is selected, the corresponding jumper
must be on the IRQ4 setting. If COM2: is selected, the corresponding
jumper must be on IRQ3.
NOTE
Most communications software applications default COM3: to IRQ4 and
COM4: to IRQ3. This requires the sharing of interrupts between COM1:
and COM3:, and between COM2: and COM4:. While this is the default, it
is not always the preferred setting. Check your software configuration
instructions to determine the most appropriate IRQ selection.
Figure 4-1. Header E1 and E2, IRQ Selection.
Any two or more ports can share a common IRQ by placing the jumpers on
the same IRQ setting and setting the appropriate selections at E3. Consult
your software for IRQ selection. If no interrupt is desired, remove the
jumper.
3
4
5 7
10 11
12
2/9
15
3
4
5 7
10 11
12
2/9
15
E1
E2

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RS-232 HS
4.4 Interrupt Modes
Header E3 selects the interrupt mode for each port. Each port must be set
in the correct mode to ensure proper installation.
N indicates the normal, single-interrupt-per-port mode. S indicates the
shared-interrupt mode, which allows more than one port to access a single
IRQ. Any two or more ports can share a common IRQ by placing the
jumpers on the same IRQ setting, and setting the appropriate selections at
E1. Consult your particular software for IRQ selection. If no interrupt is
desired, remove the jumper. R indicates the inclusion of a 1-Kohm pull-
down resistor required on one port when sharing interrupts.
Figure 4-2. Header E3, Normal IRQ Mode.
Set the jumpers to S for shared-interrupt mode on all blocks sharing an
IRQ except one. Set that port block for R . This provides the pull-down
resistor circuit that makes sharing of IRQs possible. If you are using more
than one RS-232 HS or a compatible adapter in a bus, only have one port
set to R . The following example shows both ports sharing a single IRQ.
Figure 4-3. Header E3, Shared IRQ Mode.
Set the jumper to S if you are using more than one RS-232 HS in a bus or if
you wish to completely remove the pull-down resistor for hardware
compatibility. Setting the adapter in this configuration when it is not accompanied
by a pull-down resistor will prevent the ports from triggering an interrupt.
N S R
1
2
E3
N S R
1
2
E3

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RS-232 HS
Figure 4-4. Header E3, Sharing IRQs with another adapter.
4.5 Clock Modes
The RS-232 HS employs a unique clocking option that allows the end user
to select from “divide by 4,” “divide by 2,” and “divide by 1” clocking
modes. These modes are selected at Headers E4 and E5. To select the baud
rates commonly associated with RS-232 (such as 2400, 4800, 9600,
19,200...115,200 bps) place the jumper in the “divide by 4” mode. To
double these rates up to a maximum rate for 230.4 Kbps, place the jumper
in the “divide by 2” position. To select the maximum data rate (460.8
Kbps), place the jumper in the “divide by 1” position. In the example
below, Port 1 (E4) is selected for the “divide by 4” rate to support a
common RS-232 application (for example, a serial mouse) and Port 2 (E5) is
selected to support a high-speed application in the “divide by 1” mode
(such as on ISDN or digital link).
Figure 4-5. Headers E4 and E5, Clocking Modes.
E4
4 2 1 4 2 1
E5
N S R
1
2
E3

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RS-232 HS
5.1 Windows®3.x (Including Windows for Workgroups 3.11) Installation
To configure the RS-232 HS under Windows 3.1, open the Control Panel,
which is typically found in the Main Program Group. Next, open the Ports
selection under the Control Panel.
Select the port you want to configure. Once you have selected the port, click
on the Settings button.
Cancel
Settings...
Help
Ports
COM 1:
COM 3:
COM 2:
COM 4:
Help
12
Data/Time Network
386 Enhanced
Drivers
Sound
Sound Mapper
PrintersKeyboard
DesktopMouse
Ports
FontsColor
International
MIDI Mapper ODBC
Fax
Specifies communications settings for serial ports
Settings
Control Panel
5. Installation

17
RS-232 HS
The next step is to select the appropriate Baud Rate, Data Bits, Parity, Stop
Bits, and Flow Control.
NOTE
The Baud Rates selected here will only be accurate if the RS-232 HS’s
clocking jumper is placed in the “divide by 4” mode. If the jumper is in
the “divide by 2” mode, these data rates will be doubled (for example,
19.2 Kbps would equal 38.4 Kbps). If the jumper is in the “divide by 1”
mode, these data rates will be multiplied by 4 (for example, 19.2 Kbps
would equal 76.8 Kbps).
If you want to select an IRQ or address different from the default, click on
the Advanced button.
Advanced Settings for COM 3:
Base I/O Port Address
Interupt Request Line (IRQ):
03E8
10
OK
Cancel
Help
Settings for COM3:
Baud Rate: 19200
Flow Control:
Stop Bits:
Parity:
Data Bits: 8
None
1
None
Advanced...
Help
OK
Cancel

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RS-232 HS
Select OK for all windows after you have made your selection. The
following message should appear:
If you want to configure another COM: Port setting, select the Don’t
Restart Now button and repeat this procedure until you have configured all
new ports. To make the changes take effect immediately, select the Restart
Now button.
5.2 Windows 95/98 and Windows NT Installation
If you are installing an ISA adapter in DOS, OS/2, or QNX, please refer to
the appropriate directory on the Serial Utilities Disk for instructions.
W INDOWS 95/98 U SERS
For the ISA card, run setup on the Serial Utilities Diskette before installing
the card. Make note of the resources that Windows assigns the adapter and
set the adapter to match those resources. Power down the computer and
install the adapter.
If you wish to change any resources assigned to the adapter, refer to the
help file installed in the Black Box folder in the Start, Programs menu.
W INDOWS NT
For the ISA card, run setup on disk two of the Serial Utilities Diskettes
before installing the card. After installing the software, refer to the help file
that automatically comes up for installation instructions.
5.3 RS-232 HS Software Drivers
Refer to the serial utility diskette for included drivers, installation, and
setup.
System Setting Change
Your COM Port settings have changed:
You will need to quit and restart Windows so that the
new setting(s) can take effect.
Don't Restart Now Restart Now

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RS-232 HS
5.4 Hardware Installation
The RS-232-HS can be installed in any of the PC expansion slots, but to
access the AT or (E)ISA IRQs (10, 11, 12, 15) it must be installed in one of
the 16-bit slots. The RS-232 HS has several jumpers (straps) for each port
which must be set for proper operation before you install the RS-232 HS in
the computer.
1. Turn off the PC’s power. Disconnect the power cord.
2. Remove the cover of the PC case.
3. Locate an available slot and remove the blank metal slot cover.
4. Gently insert the RS-232 HS into the slot. Make sure it’s seated
properly.
5. Replace the screw.
6. Replace the cover.
7. Connect the power cord.

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RS-232 HS
6.1 Solving Common Problems
A serial utility diskette, used for troubleshooting, is included with your
RS-232 HS. By using this diskette and following these simple steps, most
common problems can be eliminated.
1. Identify all I/O adapters currently installed in your system. This
includes your on-board serial ports, controller cards, sound cards, etc.
The I/O addresses used by these adapters, as well as the IRQ (if any)
should be identified.
2. Configure your RS-232 HS so that there is no conflict with currently
installed adapters. No two adapters can occupy the same I/O address.
3. Make sure the RS-232 HS is using a unique IRQ. While the RS-232 HS
does allow the sharing of IRQs, many other adapters (such as SCSI
adapters and on-board serial ports) do not. The IRQ is typically
selected via an on-board header block. Refer to Chapter 4 , Card Setup ,
for help in choosing an I/O address and IRQ.
4. Make sure the RS-232 HS is securely installed in a motherboard slot.
5. Use the supplied diskette and user manual to verify that the RS-232 HS
is configured correctly. The supplied diskette contains a diagnostic
program, “SSD,” that will verify if an adapter is configured properly.
Refer to the “README” file on the supplied diskette for detailed
instructions on using “SSD.”
6. The following are known I/O conflicts:
• The 278 and 378 settings may conflict with your printer I/O
adapter.
• 3B0 cannot be used if a monochrome adapter is installed.
• 3F8-3FF is typically reserved for COM1:.
• 2F8-2FF is typically reserved for COM2:.
• 3E8-3EF is typically reserved for COM3:.
• 2E8-2EF is typically reserved for COM4:.
7. Please refer to your included diskette for any post-production manual
updates and application-specific information.
6. Troubleshooting