CoolGear USB-8COMi-M Series User manual

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USB-8COMi-M USB to Serial Adapter - 8 Ports
USB-8COMi-M 8-Port USB to RS-422 / 485 Optical Isolation Serial Adapter Manual
The USB-8COMi-M USB to industrial Octal RS-422/485 Adapter is
designed to make serial port expansion quick and simple. Connecting
to a USB port on your computer or USB hub, the USB Serial Adapter
instantly adds 8 RS-422/485 multi-electrical interface serial
communication ports to your system. By taking advantage of the USB
bus, the USB-8COMi-M Adapter makes it easier than ever to add 8
RS-422/485 ports and serial devices to your system with easy plug-
and-play and hot plug features. Adapting the new technology, the
serial port expansion now takes the new bus with easy and
convenient connectivity.
Plugging the USB 8-Port RS-422/485 Adapter to the USB port, the
adapter is automatically detected and installed. There are no IRQ & COM port conflicts, since the port doesn't require
any additional IRQ, DMA, memory as resources on the system. The RS-422/485 port functions as native Windows COM
port, and it is compatible with Windows serial communication applications. Each port is individually configurable. The
adapter is designed with external DIP switches to set the RS-422 or RS-485 ports and different operation modes
conveniently. There is no need to open the chassis to set the ports.
The USB Serial Adapter provides instant connectivity to RS-422 or RS-485 communication devices for factory automation
equipment, multi-drop data collection devices, barcode readers, time clocks, scales, data entry terminals, ATMs and
serial communication in harsh environment. The USB to Serial Adapter is suitable for remote access, retail and industrial
application, data collection and other applications requiring high speed RS-422/485, communication ports.
Specifications and Features
•Adds eight high speed RS-422 / 485 serial ports via USB connection.
•384 byte receive buffer.
•128 byte transmit buffer for high speed data throughput.
•Requires no IRQ, DMA, I/O port.
•Data rates: 300 bps to 921.6K bps.
•Serial Connector: one DB-9 male connector.
•Auto transmitting of buffer control for 2-wire RS-485 half-duplex operation.
•Termination resistors installed on-board.
•RS-422 data signals: Tx-, Tx+, Rx+, Rx-, GND, RTS-, RTS+, CTS+, CTS-.
•RS-485 data signals: Tx-, Tx+, Rx+, Rx-(4 wire) and data-, data+ (2 wire).
•Monitor LEDs of TxD, RxD indicating port status.
•Power Supply: provides an external DC12V power adapter
•Virtual COM port drivers available for Windows 7, Vista, 2003, XP, 2000.

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Hardware Installation
Outside the unit, there are eight 3-pin DIP switches which are set to select the mode of operation. You will need to set
the switch settings to RS-422 or RS-485 mode as per the requirements of your application.
You need to install driver first, prior to hardware installation. After the setting of DIP switches and connecting power
cord to the adapter, you then plug the adapter to USB port to start driver installation.
The Mode Block Configuration Settings are listed as follows:
SW1 (Port-1), SW2 (Port-2), SW3 (Port-3), SW4 (Port-4)
SW5 (Port-5), SW6 (Port-6), SW7 (Port-7), SW8 (Port-8)
Operation Mode
S1
S2
S3
RS-422
4 wire with Handshaking
ON
ON
ON
RS-485
Full Duplex (4 wire)
OFF
ON
ON
Half Duplex (2 wire)
-With Echo
OFF
OFF
ON
Half Duplex (2 wire)
-Without Echo
OFF
OFF
OFF
JP3 (Port-1), JP4 (Port-2), JP5 (Port-3), JP6 (Port-4)
JP7 (Port-5), JP8 (Port-6), JP9 (Port-7), JP10 (Port-8)
for Termination and Biasing Option Configuration
Inside the unit, there are eight 2 x 7 (14 pin) header blocks which are jumpered to enable Tx, Rx, CTS 120 Ohm
termination resistors and Tx, Rx 750 Ohm BIASing resistor.
You will need to open up the metal case and set the jumper setting for RS-422 mode or RS-485 mode as per the
requirements of your application.
Settings are listed as follows:
Jumper
Function
1-2
Tx Termination of 120 Ohm.
This jumper should always be populated for RS-485 mode.
3-4
Pull-up Tx+ to VCC by 750 Ohm Bias resistor.
This jumper should be populated for pull-up Tx+.
5-6
Pull-down Tx- to GND by 750 Ohm Bias resistor.
This jumper should be populated for pull-down Tx- .
7-8
Rx Termination of 120 Ohm.
This jumper should always be populated for RS-422 mode.
9-10
Pull-up Rx+ to VCC by 750 Ohm Bias resistor.

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This jumper should be populated for pull-up Rx+
11-12
Pull-down Rx- to GND by 750 Ohm Bias resistor.
This jumper should be populated for pull-down Rx- .
13-14
CTS Termination of 120 Ohm.
This jumper should always be populated for RS-422 mode.
Note: Sometimes, when operating in RS-422 or RS-485, it is necessary to configure termination and biasing of the data
transmission lines. Generally this must be done in the cabling, since this depends on the installation of connections.
Before applying the option, check your cable specification for proper impedance matching.
Windows 7 / Vista / 2003 / XP / 2000 Driver Installation
You need to have administrator privileges to install any new drivers under Windows 7/ Vista / 2003 / XP / 2000. To
install the driver or update the configuration please log onto Windows as "Administrator" or ask your system
administrator to install the USB-COM driver.
You need to install driver first, prior to hardware installation. Do not connect the USB-to-Serial Adapter to the
USB port of your computer, before you finish driver installation.
Please proceed with the following steps to install the driver:
1. Insert the “USB COM Series Driver and Utility” CD into your CD-ROM.
2. The “USB COM Series Driver and Utility CD” dialog box appears.
3. Under “Driver Installation”, double click “Windows 7, Vista, 2003, XP, 2000 driver” to install the
device driver.
4. The USB COM install program will auto-detect the OS type and install the driver automatically.
(Note: in Windows 7 or Vista OS you will find another dialog box, please click on “OK” to confirm
the drivers install program).
5. After the message “FTDI CDM Driver installation process completed” appears, press “Enter” to complete the
driver installation.
6. Plug in the USB to Serial Adapter to the USB port of your computer. Windows will finish installing the driver files.

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Check Installation
You can now verify the installation has been completed successfully by looking under Device Manager of the System
Properties screen. (Go there by Start-Setting- Control Panel-System Properties-Hardware-Device Manager.
The device should have installed as a "USB Serial Port (COMx)" attached to "USB Serial Converter A/B/C/D".
Change COM Port Properties and COM Port Number
This feature is particularly useful for programs, such as HyperTerminal, which only work with COM1 through COM4.
Please ensure that you do not change the COM Port Number already in use.
To change the virtual COM port properties:
•Select the "USB Serial Port"
•Click “Properties”.
•Select "Port Setting" and “Advanced”.
•Click the drop down arrow on COM Port Number and scroll to the required COM port. Select "OK".
•Return to the Device Manager Screen. You will see that the USB Serial Port installation has been changed to the
new COM Port Number.
Uninstalling Windows 2003 / XP / 2000 Drivers
Please proceed with the following steps to uninstall the 2003/XP/2000 driver:
1. Insert the “USB COM Series Driver and Utility” CD into your CD-ROM.
2. The “USB COM Series Driver and Utility CD” dialog box appears.
3. Under “Driver Uninstalling”, double click “Windows 2003, XP, 2000 driver uninstall” to uninstall the device
driver.
4. When following dialog box appears, double click “Clean System” to uninstall the 2003/XP/2000 drivers.
5. You need to disconnect all USB to serial Adapters from your PC, when the message below appears. Double click
“OK” to start uninstalling Windows 2003/XP/2000 USB to Serial drivers.

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6. Double click “Yes” to confirm it.
7. Click “No” to proceed.
8. When the message “Status: System clean completed” appears, double click “Exit” to complete the USB to serial
drivers uninstall.
9. Press “Start” button and select “Control Panel”.
10. Open the Add or Remove program.

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11. Remove the first “Windows Driver Package – FTDI CDM Driver Package (…)”.
12. Click “Change/Remove” and “Yes” to remove the first Windows Driver Package.
13. Remove the second “Windows Driver Package – FTDI CDM Driver Package (…)”.
14. Click “Change/Remove” and “Yes” to remove the second Windows Driver Package.
15. Reboot the computer to complete the driver uninstall.
Uninstalling Windows 7 or Vista Drivers
Windows 7 and Vista have many new security features. You need to proceed with the following steps to uninstall the
Vista driver:
1. The USB to serial devices must connect to the PC.
2. Press “Start” button and select “Control Panel”.
3. Select “Classic View” from the top left hand corner and then “System” from the list.
4. Select “Device Manager” from the top left hand corner.

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5. Locate your device under the ports (COM & LPT) section and right click on it to bring up the menu shown.
6. Select uninstall and be sure to click the box for “Delete the driver software for this device” in the next window
and press “OK”.
Note: if you have more than one USB Serial Port (COMx) installed in your PC, you need to repeat from step 5 to step 6
to delete the driver software for each port.
7. Locate your Device under the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section, and right click on it to bring up the menu
shown.

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8. Select uninstall and be sure to click the box for “Delete the driver software for this device” in the next window
and press “OK”.
Note: if you have more than one USB Serial Converter installed in your PC, you need to repeat step 7 and step 8 to
delete the driver software for all devices.

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RS-422 Signal Pin-outs of DB-9 Male
Pin 1
TxD- (A)
Pin 2
TxD+ (B)
Pin 3
RxD+ (B)
Pin 4
RxD – (A)
Pin 5
GND
Pin 6
RTS- (A)
Pin 7
RTS- (B)
Pin 8
CTS+ (B)
Pin 9
CTS- (A)
RS-422 Signal Wiring
•Point-to-Point 4 Wire Full Duplex
•RS-422 with Handshaking

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RS-485 4-Wire (Full duplex) Signal Pin-outs of DB-9 Male
Pin 1
Tx- (A)
Pin 2
Tx+ (B)
Pin 3
Rx+ (B)
Pin 4
Rx– (A)
Pin 5
GND
RS-485 2-Wire (Half duplex) Signal Pin-outs of DB-9 Male
Pin 1
Data- (A)
Pin 2
Data+ (B)
Pin 5
GND
RS-485 Signal Wiring
•Point-to-Point 4-Wire Full Duplex
•Multi-drop RS-485 2-Wire Half-duplex