Kontron PCI-COM-8ULP User manual

PCI-COM-8ULP
User’s Guide
May 2006

page 2 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Customer Service
Mailing Address: Kontron - United States
14118 Stowe Drive
Poway, CA 92064 USA
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Technical Support: U.S. and Canadian Customers - 24 hours a day
Tel: [phone], option 1
Fax: [phone]
International Customers - 9am to 4pm local time
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Visit our site at: www.kontron.com
© 2006 Kontron, an International Corporation. All rights reserved.
The information in this user’s guide is provided for reference only. Kontron does not
assume any liability arising out of the application or use of the information or products
described herein. This user’s guide may contain or reference information and products
protected by copyrights or patents and does not convey any license under the patent
rights of Kontron, nor the rights of others.
Kontron is a registered trademark of Kontron. All trademarks, registered trademarks,
and trade names used in this user’s guide are the property of their respective owners.
All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America and Canada. This user’s
guide contains information proprietary to Kontron. Customers may reprint and use this
user’s guide in other publications. Customers may alter this user’s guide and publish it
only after they remove the Kontron name, cover, and logo.
Kontron reserves the right to make changes without notice in product or component
design as warranted by evolution in user needs or progress in engineering or
manufacturing technology. Changes which affect the operation of the unit will be
documented in the next revision of this user’s guide.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 3
Table Of Contents
Safety Instructions........................................................................................................5
Before You Begin......................................................................................................................5
When Working Inside a Computer............................................................................................6
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge...........................................................................................7
Preface...........................................................................................................................9
How to Use This Guide.............................................................................................................9
Customer Comments................................................................................................................9
Advisory Conventions .............................................................................................................10
Unpacking...............................................................................................................................11
Guarantee and Warranty Policy..............................................................................................12
Guarantee...........................................................................................................................................12
Limited Warranty ................................................................................................................................12
Return Procedure...............................................................................................................................13
Limitation of Liability...........................................................................................................................13
Chapter 1: Introduction...............................................................................................15
Functional Description ............................................................................................................15
RS422 Balanced Mode Operation......................................................................................................15
RS485 Balanced Mode Operation......................................................................................................15
COM Port Compatibility......................................................................................................................16
Communication Mode ........................................................................................................................16
Baud Rate Ranges.............................................................................................................................16
Auto-RTS Transceiver Control...........................................................................................................16
Block Diagram.........................................................................................................................17
Specifications..........................................................................................................................18
Communications Interface..................................................................................................................18
Environmental.....................................................................................................................................18
Chapter 2: Installation.................................................................................................19
Overview.................................................................................................................................19
Software Installation................................................................................................................20
CD Installation....................................................................................................................................20
Configure Card Options via Jumper Selection........................................................................20
Option Selection......................................................................................................................21
Terminations.......................................................................................................................................21
Data Cable Wiring ..............................................................................................................................22
Baud Rate Ranges.............................................................................................................................22
Interrupts ............................................................................................................................................22
Address Selection...................................................................................................................25
Installing the Hardware ...........................................................................................................26
Chapter 3: Programming............................................................................................27
Sample Programs ...................................................................................................................27
Windows Programming...........................................................................................................27
Address Map...........................................................................................................................27
Baud Rate Divisor Values.......................................................................................................28

page 4 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Application Considerations .....................................................................................................29
Introduction.........................................................................................................................................29
Balanced Differential Signals .............................................................................................................29
RS485 Data Transmission .................................................................................................................30
RS485 Four-Wire Multidrop Network .................................................................................................31
Appendix A: Connector Pin Assignments ................................................................33
Connector Pin Assignments:..............................................................................................................33
HVDCI D-Connector Pinout Reference...................................................................................34
HVDCI D-Connector Pin Assignments:..............................................................................................34
Appendix B: Troubleshooting....................................................................................35
General Guidelines .................................................................................................................35
Troubleshooting Procedures...................................................................................................36
Common Problems .................................................................................................................37
List of Figures
Figure 1: Simplified Termination Schematic ...............................................................................21
Figure 2: Option Selection Map ..................................................................................................23
Figure 3: Typical RS485 Two-Wire Multidrop Network ...............................................................31

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 5
Safety Instructions
Before You Begin
Before handling your PCI-COM-8ULP, read the instructions and safety guidelines on the
following pages to prevent damage to the product and to ensure your own personal
safety. Refer to the “Advisories” section in the Preface for advisory conventions used in
this user’s guide, including the distinction between Warnings, Cautions, Important Notes,
and Notes.
Always use caution when handling/operating a computer. Only qualified,
experienced, authorized electronics service personnel should access the interior
of a computer. The power supplies produce high voltages and energy hazards,
which can cause bodily harm.
If you have any problems or questions about the unit, please contact Kontron
Post-Sales Technical Support.
WARNING
High voltages are present inside a computer chassis when the
unit’s power cord is plugged into an electrical outlet. Turn off
system power, turn off the power supply, and then disconnect
the power cord from its source before removing the chassis
cover. Turning off the system power switch does not remove
power to components.

page 6 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
When Working Inside a Computer
Before taking covers off a computer, perform the following steps:
1) Turn off the computer and any peripherals.
2) Disconnect the computer and peripherals from their power sources or
subsystems to prevent electric shock or system board damage. This does not
apply when hot swapping parts.
3) Follow the guidelines provided in “Preventing Electrostatic Discharge” on the
following page.
4) Disconnect any telephone or telecommunications lines from the computer.
In addition, take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:
To help avoid possible damage to system boards, wait five seconds after turning
off the computer before removing a component, removing a system board, or
disconnecting a peripheral device from the computer.
When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its strain-relief loop, not
on the cable itself. Some cables have a connector with locking tabs. If you are
disconnecting this type of cable, press in on the locking tabs before
disconnecting the cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned
to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before connecting a cable, make sure
both connectors are correctly oriented and aligned
CAUTION
Do not attempt to service the system yourself. Follow installation
and troubleshooting instructions closely.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 7
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge
Static electricity can harm system boards. Perform service at an ESD workstation and
follow proper ESD procedure to reduce the risk of damage to components. Kontron
strongly encourages you to follow proper ESD procedure, which can include wrist straps
and smocks, when servicing equipment.
You can also take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge
(ESD):
When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping carton, do not
remove the component’s antistatic packing material until you are ready to install
the component in a computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging,
be sure you are at an ESD workstation or grounded. This will discharge any
static electricity that may have built up in your body.
When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an antistatic container
or packaging.
Handle all sensitive components at an ESD workstation. If possible, use antistatic
floor pads and workbench pads.
Handle components and boards with care. Don’t touch the components or
contacts on a board. Hold a board by its edges or by its metal mounting bracket.
Do not handle or store system boards near strong electrostatic, electromagnetic,
magnetic, or radioactive fields.

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PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 9
Preface
How to Use This Guide
This guide is designed to be used as step-by-step instructions for installation, and as a
reference for operation, troubleshooting, and upgrades.
Note: Additional technical information, BIOS updates, and drivers are
available on our web site, www.kontron.com, under Technical Support.
The following is a summary of the chapter contents:
Chapter 1, Introduction, provides an overview of the PCI-COM-8ULP.
Chapter 2, Installation, provides instructions for installing the unit and installing
the software.
Chapter 3, Programming, has sample programs and information on control
registers and addressing.
Appendix A, Connector Pin Assignments, provides information on connectors
and signals.
Appendix B, Troubleshooting, provides general troubleshooting guidelines and
steps to fix some common problems.
Customer Comments
If you have any difficulties using this user’s guide, discover an error, or just want to
provide some feedback, please send us a message using the online form under
“Contact Us” on our web site (www.kontron.com) under “Technical Support.” Detail any
errors you find. We will correct the errors or problems as soon as possible and post the
revised user’s guide in our online Support Library. Thank you.
Note: You may also use the online form on our web site to submit comments or
concerns about our products, or request technical support.

page 10 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Advisory Conventions
Four types of advisories are used throughout this user’s guide to provide helpful
information or to alert you to the potential for hardware damage or personal injury. They
are Notes, Cautions, and Warnings. The following is an example of each type of
advisory. Use caution when servicing any electrical component
Note: A note is used to make helpful information stand out.
Important: An important note indicates information that is important for you to
know.
CAUTION
A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware and tells you
how to avoid the problem.
WARNING
A WARNING indicates the potential for bodily harm and tells you
how to avoid the problem.
Disclaimer: We have tried to identify all situations that may pose a warning or caution
condition in this user’s guide. However, Kontron does not claim to have covered all
situations that might require the use of a Caution or Warning.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 11
Unpacking
When unpacking, follow these steps:
1) After opening the box, save it and the packing material for possible future
shipment.
2) Remove all items from the box. If any items listed on the purchase order are
missing, notify Kontron customer service immediately.
3) Inspect the product for damage. If there is damage, notify Kontron customer
service immediately. Refer to “Guarantee and Warranty Policy” for the return
procedure.

page 12 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Guarantee and Warranty Policy
Guarantee
A thirty day money-back guarantee is provided on all standard products sold. Special
order products are covered by our Limited Warranty, however they may not be returned
for refund or credit. EPROMs, RAM, Flash EPROMs or other forms of solid electronic
media are not returnable for credit - but for replacement only. An extended warranty is
available. Consult the factory.
Refunds
In order to receive a refund on a product for the purchase price, the product must not
have been damaged by the customer or by the common carrier chosen by the customer
to return the goods and the product must be returned complete (meaning all user’s
guides, software, cables, etc.) within 30 days of receipt and in an as-new and resalable
condition. The “Return Procedure” must be followed to assure a prompt refund.
Restocking Charges
Product returned after 30 days, and before 60 days, of the purchase will be subject to a
minimum 20% restocking charge and charges for any damaged or missing parts.
Products not returned within 60 days of purchase, or products which are not in an as-
new and resalable condition, are not eligible for a credit return and will be returned to
the customer.
Limited Warranty
Effective April 1, 1998, all products carry a 2-year limited warranty. Within 2 years of
purchase, Kontron will repair or replace, at our option, any defective product. Kontron
will service the warranty for all standard catalog products for the first two years from the
date of shipment. Please note: The 2-year warranty may not apply to special promotion
items. Please consult the factory for warranty verification.
The limited warranty is void if the product has been subjected to alteration, neglect,
misuse, or abuse; if any repairs have been attempted by anyone other than Kontron or
its authorized agent; or if the failure is caused by accident, acts of God, or other causes
beyond the control of Kontron or the manufacturer. Neglect, misuse, and abuse shall
include any installation, operation, or maintenance of the product other than in
accordance with the user’s guide.
No agent, dealer, distributor, service company, or other party is authorized to change,
modify, or extend the terms of this Limited Warranty in any manner whatsoever. Kontron
reserves the right to make changes or improvements in any product without incurring
any obligation to similarly alter products previously purchased.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 13
Return Procedure
For any Guarantee or Limited Warranty return, please contact Kontron Customer
Service at 800-480-0044 or 858-677-0877 and obtain a Return Material Authorization
(RMA) Number. All product(s) returned to Kontron for service or credit must be
accompanied by a Return Material Authorization (RMA) Number. Freight on all returned
items must be prepaid by the customer who is responsible for any loss or damage
caused by common carrier in transit. Returns for Warranty must include a Failure
Report for each unit, by serial number(s), as well as a copy of the original invoice
showing the date of purchase.
To reduce risk of damage, returns of product must be in a Kontron shipping container. If
the original container has been lost or damaged, new shipping containers may be
obtained from Kontron Customer Service at a nominal cost.
Kontron owns all parts removed from repaired products. Kontron uses new and
reconditioned parts made by various manufacturers in performing warranty repairs and
building replacement products. If Kontron repairs or replaces a product, its warranty
term is not extended.
Kontron will normally return your replacement or repaired items via ground. Overnight
delivery or delivery via other carriers is available at an additional charge.
Shipments not in compliance with this Guarantee and Limited Warranty Return Policy
will not be accepted by Kontron.
Limitation of Liability
In no event shall Kontron be liable for any defect in hardware, software, loss, or
inadequacy of data of any kind, or for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential
damages in connection with or arising out of the performance or use of any product
furnished hereunder. Kontron’s liability shall in no event exceed the purchase price of
the product purchased hereunder. The foregoing limitation of liability shall be equally
applicable to any service provided by Kontron or its authorized agent.
Some sales items and customized systems are not subject to the guarantee and limited
warranty. However in these instances, any deviations will be disclosed prior to sales
and noted in the original invoice. Kontron reserves the right to refuse returns or
credits on software or special order items.

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PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 15
Chapter 1: Introduction
Functional Description
The Serial Interface Card was designed for effective multipoint transmission in any one
of three modes on each channel. These modes are RS232, RS422 and RS485
(EIA485) protocol. The RS485 mode may be run in three manners. It may be run as a
standard RTS controlled channel, an “Auto RTS (referred to by some as Auto RS485)”
mode or as a “4 wire RS485 mode channel.
The card is 6.60 inches long and may be installed in 5-volt PCI-bus slots of IBM PC or
compatible computers. The card features eight independent, asynchronous serial ports,
type 16788 buffered UARTs.
RS422 Balanced Mode Operation
The card supports RS422 communications and uses differential balanced drivers for
long range and noise immunity. The card also has the capability to add load resistors to
terminate the communications lines. RS422 communications requires that a transmitter
supply a bias voltage to ensure a known "zero" state. Also, receiver inputs at each end
of the network should be terminated to eliminate "ringing". The card supports biasing by
default and supports termination by jumpers on the card. If your application requires the
transmitter to be un-biased, please contact the factory.
RS485 Balanced Mode Operation
The card supports RS485 communications and uses differential balanced drivers for
long range and noise immunity. RS485 operation involves switchable transceivers and
the ability to support multiple devices on a single "party line". The RS485 specification
defines a maximum of 32 devices on a single line. The number of devices served on a
single line can be expanded by use of "repeaters".
The card also has the capability to add load resistors to terminate the communications
lines. RS485 communications requires that one transmitter supply a bias voltage to
ensure a known "zero" state when all transmitters are off. Also, receiver inputs at each
end of the network should be terminated to eliminate "ringing". The card supports
biasing by default and supports termination by jumpers on the card. If your application
requires the transmitter to be un-biased, please contact the factory.

page 16 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
COM Port Compatibility
Eight Type 16550 compatible UARTs incorporated within a single octal UART are used
as Asynchronous Communication Elements (ACE). These include 64-byte transmit &
receive buffers to protect against lost data in multitasking operating systems, while
maintaining 100 percent compatibility with the original IBM serial port. The system
assigns the address(es).
A crystal oscillator is located on the card. This oscillator permits precise selection of
baud rate up to 115,200 or, by changing a jumper, up to 921,600 with the standard
crystal oscillator.
The driver/receiver used, the SP841 in non-RS232 modes, is capable of driving
extremely long communication lines at high baud rates. It can drive up to +60 mA on
balanced lines and receive inputs as low as 200 mV differential signal superimposed on
common mode noise of +12 V or -7 V. In case of communication conflict, the
driver/receivers feature thermal shutdown.
The driver/receiver used in RS232 mode is the SP211.
Communication Mode
The card supports Half-Duplex communications with a 2-wire cable connection. Half-
Duplex allows traffic to travel in both directions, but only one way at a time. RS485
communications commonly use the Half-Duplex mode since they share only a single
pair of wires.
Baud Rate Ranges
The card has capability for two baud rate ranges and you can select which you wish to
use for all ports on the card. One range is up to 115,200 baud and the other is up to
921,600 baud.
Note: Refer to the Baud Rate Divisor Values table in chapter 3 of this manual.
Auto-RTS Transceiver Control
In RS485 communications, the driver must be enabled and disabled as needed,
allowing all cards to share a two wire cable. The card controls the driver automatically.
With automatic control, the driver is enabled when data is ready to be transmitted.
With this card, the driver remains enabled for an adjustable period. It may be disabled at
the completion of the transmission of the character (default), or can be set to wait up to
one additional character's transmission time after data transfer is complete and then
disabled.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 17
The receiver is, therefore, normally enabled, then disabled during RS485 transmissions,
and then re-enabled after transmission is completed (adjustable from zero to plus one
character transmission time). The card automatically adjusts it's timing to the baud rate
of the data. (NOTE: Thanks to the automatic control feature, the card is ideal for use in
Windows applications)
Block Diagram
PCI BUS
VHDCI 68 PIN CONNECTOR
WITH
AUTO-RTS
CIRCUITRY
(Only one serial channel shown)

page 18 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Specifications
Communications Interface
I/O Connection: 68 Pin HVDCI SCSI style -Connector
Serial Ports: Eight cable terminated shielded male D-sub 9-pin
connectors with standard IBM AT connectors
compatible with RS485 specifications
Character length: 5, 6, 7, or 8 bits.
Parity: Even, odd or none.
Stop Interval: 1, 1.5, or 2 bits.
Serial Data Rates: Up to 115,200 baud, Asynchronous, A faster range of
rates, up to 921,600, is achieved by jumper selection
on the card. Type 16788 buffered UART.
Address: Continuously mappable within 0000 to FFFF (hex)
range of PCI bus addresses.
Receiver Input Sensitivity: +200 mV, differential input.
Common Mode Rejection: +12V to -7V
Transmitter Output Drive Capability: 60 mA, with thermal shutdown.
Environmental
Operating Temperature Range: 0 °C. to +60 °C.
Storage temperature Range: -50 °C. to +120 °C.
Humidity: 5% to 95%, non-condensing.
Power Required: +5VDC at 125 mA typical total power
consumption.
Size: 6.6 inches long (167.6 mm) by 2.2 inches high
(55.8mm).
Note: The 16750 compatible UART uses 64-byte first-in-first-out buffers which are
programmed through commands sent to the FIFO control register.

PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide page 19
Chapter 2: Installation
Overview
This chapter contains mounting and software installation instructions for the MLPCI-
COM-8MS.
Only qualified, experienced, authorized electronics service personnel should access the
interior of a computer. Any attempt to remove the cover and expose the computers’
components must be exercised with extreme caution.
WARNING
High voltages are present inside a computer chassis when the unit’s
power cord is plugged into an electrical outlet. Turn off system
power, turn off the power supply switch, and disconnect the power
cord from its source before removing the chassis cover. Simply
turning the system power off at the system power on/off switch does
not remove power to components. High voltage is still present.
CAUTION
Before touching any circuit boards inside the chassis, move to an
ESD station and follow proper ESD procedures. Failure to do so
may result in electrostatic discharge damaging the computer or its
components. For more information, see “Protecting Against
Electrostatic Discharge.
Important:
Before attempting to remove a computer chassis cover, follow the
instructions “When Working Inside a Computer” contained in the
Safety Instruction portion of this manual.

page 20 PCI-COM-8ULP User’s Guide
Software Installation
The software provided with this board is contained on a CD and must be installed onto
your hard disk prior to use. To do this, perform the following steps as appropriate for
your software format and operating system. Substitute the appropriate drive letter for
your CD-ROM where you see G: in the examples below.
CD Installation
DOS
1. Place the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. Type Gx to change the active drive to the CD-ROM drive.
3. Type LQVWDOOx to run the install program.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the software for this card.
WINDOWS
1. Place the CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. The CD should automatically run the install program. If the install program does
not run promptly, click START | RUN and type GLQVWDOO, click OK or
press x.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the software for this card.
LINUX
1. Please refer to linux.htm on the CD-ROM for information on installing under linux.
Configure Card Options via Jumper Selection
Before installing the card into your computer, carefully read Option Selection section of
this manual, then configure the card according to your requirements and protocol (RS-
232, RS-422, RS-485, 4-wire 485, etc.). Our Windows based setup program can be
used in conjunction with the Option Selection section to assist in configuring jumpers on
the card, as well as provide additional descriptions for usage of the various card options
(such as termination, bias, baud rate range, RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, etc.).