SeaLevel COMM+16.PCIe User manual

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
COMM+16.PCIe
User Manual | 7161e

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
Contents
CONTENTS............................................................................................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED..............................................................................................................................................................................................4
SEACOM SOFTWARE INSTALLATION..............................................................................................................................................................................6
HARDWARE INSTALLATION...............................................................................................................................................................................................7
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION................................................................................................................................................................................................8
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS....................................................................................................................................................................................11
SPECIFICATIONS...............................................................................................................................................................................................................12
APPENDIX A –TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................................................................................................................................................13
APPENDIX B –HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE..................................................................................................................................................................14
APPENDIX C –ELECTRICAL INTERFACES....................................................................................................................................................................15
APPENDIX D –ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS.............................................................................................................................................16
APPENDIX E –SILK SCREEN –7161E PCB ..................................................................................................................................................................17
APPENDIX F –COMPLIANCE NOTICES.........................................................................................................................................................................18
WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................19

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Introduction
Overview
The COMM+16.PCIe provides sixteen RS-232 asynchronous serial ports capable of data rates to 460.8K
bps. Each RS-232 port implements all modem control signals for maximum compatibility with a wide range
of peripherals. The board is PCI Express X1 compliant and can be used in any x1, x2, x4, x8, or x16 PCI
Express slot. The board utilizes 16C854 UARTs to provide 128-byte Tx/Rx FIFOs for maximum reliability in
data intensive applications. Standard operating temperature range is 0°C to 70°C and extended
temperature range (-40°C to +85°C) versions are available.
The board ships with two 36" ‘spider’ cables that terminate to a total of sixteen DB-25M connectors (Item#
7161e) or sixteen DB-9M connectors (Item# 7161e-DB9). Additional ordering options allow the choice of
UARTs for custom baud rates and 9-bit protocols.
The COMM+16.PCIe is designed to be used with a variety of operating systems including Microsoft
Windows and Linux. Sealevel’s SeaCOM software uses the standard Windows WIN32 API and eliminates
proprietary DLL files. This allows Sealevel SeaCOM software to maintain 100% compatibility with Microsoft
Windows applications. SeaCOM software also includes sample code and utilities to simplify application
development.
Other Sealevel Serial I/O Products
Sealevel serial I/O products offer the widest choice of I/O connectivity available for RS-232, RS-422 and RS-
485 interfaces. In addition to PCI Express boards, Sealevel offers serial I/O solutions for multiple platforms
including PCI Bus, Low Profile & Universal Bus PCI, Ethernet, USB, PC/104, PCMCIA, Compact PCI, and serial
interface converters. Sealevel’s SeaCOM software and a variety of test/debug utilities are included to
simplify installation and application development. Product information can be found on the Sealevel
website at www.sealevel.com.

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Before You Get Started
What’s Included
Depending on cable option, the COMM+16.PCIe is shipped with the following items. If any of these items
is missing or damaged, please contact Sealevel for replacement.
•Item# 7161e –RS-232 Serial Interface with DB-25M Connectors
•COMM+16.PCIe –PCI Express 16-Port RS-232 Board
•(2) Item# CA202 –36” ‘Spider’ Cable with 8 DB-25M Connectors
•Item# 7161e-DB9 –RS-232 Serial Interface with DB-9M Connectors
•COMM+16.PCIe –PCI Express 16-Port RS-232 Board
•(2) Item# CA231 –36” ‘Spider’ Cable with 8 DB-9M Connectors
Advisory Conventions
Warning
The highest level of importance used to stress a condition where damage could result to the
product, or the user could suffer serious injury.
Important
The middle level of importance used to highlight information that might not seem obvious or a
situation that could cause the product to fail.
Note
The lowest level of importance used to provide background information, additional tips, or other
non-critical facts that will not affect the use of the product.

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Optional Items
Depending upon your application, you are likely to find one or more of the following items useful for
interfacing the COMM+16.PCIe to real-world signals. All items can be purchased from our website
(http://www.sealevel.com) or by calling [phone]
•DB25 Male to DB25 Female Extension Cable (Item# CA104)
A 72” serial extension cable with one DB25 male connector and one DB25 female connector, pinned
one-to-one.
•DB9 Male to DB9 Female Extension Cable (Item# CA127)
A 72” serial extension cable with one DB9 male connector and one DB9 female connector, pinned
one-to-one.
•DB9 Female to DB25 Male RS-232 Modem Cable (Item# CA177)
A 72” standard RS-232 modem cable that connects to a DB9 male serial port and provides a
convenient connection to serial peripherals with DB25 connectors.
•DB25 Female to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ25S8)
The RJ25S8 converts a standard DB25 connector to an RJ45 connection, which allows the use of
standard twisted pair cabling. The RJ25S8 ships unassembled and can be configured for virtually
any pin out.
•DB9 Female to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ9S8)
The RJ9S8 converts a standard DB9 connector to an RJ45 connection, which allows the use of
standard twisted pair cabling. The RJ9S8 ships unassembled and can be configured for virtually
any pin out.
•DB25 Female to DB9 Male RS-232 Converter (Item# CA140)
A small, molded adapter that converts an RS-232 DB25 male connector to an RS-232 DB9 male
connector.

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SeaCOM Software Installation
Do not install the board until the software has been fully installed.
Operating System Installation
For Windows Users (Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP Operating Systems)
Begin by locating, selecting, and installing the SeaCOM software from the Sealevel software driver database.
The SeaCOM software can also be downloaded from the 7161e - product webpage.
Other Operating Systems
Refer to the appropriate section of the Serial Utilities Software.
Linux Installation
Refer to Linux Archives - Sealevel. This link contains valuable information on installing your serial
adapter in the various Linux releases. Also included is a series of files explaining proper Linux syntax and
typical Linux serial implementations. The SeaCOM for Linux v7.3.2 can be downloaded from Sealevel’s
website (Software: SeaCOM - Linux - Sealevel).
For additional software support, please call Sealevel Systems’ Technical Support, [phone]. Our
technical support is free and available from 8:00AM-5PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. For
email support contact: mailto:[e-mail].
Third Party Software Support
Third party software support for many HMI/MMI and other process control software is also available from
the Sealevel software database. For the most up to date information on third party software support,
please visit the 3rd-Party Software Archives - Sealevel.
To install Sealevel Systems software, you must log in as an administrator or have administrator
privileges in Windows.

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Hardware Installation
The COMM+16.PCIe can be installed in any available x1, x2, x4, x8, or x16 PCI Express slot.
Do not install the board until the software has been fully installed.
1. To avoid accidental damage, be sure to follow proper ESD procedures by grounding yourself
and the serial adapter.
2. Turn off PC power and disconnect the power cord.
3. Remove the PC case cover.
4. Locate an available PCI Express slot and remove the blank metal slot cover.
5. Gently insert the PCI Express serial adapter into the slot making sure the adapter is seated
properly.
6. Replace the screw (or spring clip) to secure the card in the PC case. This step is required to
ensure FCC Part 15 compliance.
7. Replace the PC cover and connect the power cord.
8. Turn on the PC and login as a user with Administrator privileges, if applicable.
9. The software drivers installed during setup will automatically recognize and configure the
serial adapter.
10. You should see two or more “Found New Hardware Wizard” dialog boxes, indicating the actual
COM ports are being created.
11. Next, view your system’s Device Manager.
The installation will repeat once for each COM port created (a total of 17 times on the
COMM+16.PCIe). This is a limitation in the way Windows installs serial devices.
12. You should have new COM: ports in the Ports (COM & LPT) Device Class indicating the
installation was successful.
13. You can access your new COM: port by using the assigned COM: identifier. This assignment will
vary from system to system.
14. To verify operation, use Sealevel Systems supplied WinSSD diagnostic utility. WinSSD can be
found in the Start menu, under All Programs, and then under the Sealevel SeaCOM programs
group.
The COMM+16.PCIe is now ready for use.

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Technical Description
The Sealevel Systems COMM+16.PCIe provides a PCI Express 1.0a compliant interface adapter with 16
RS-232 asynchronous serial ports for industrial automation and control applications. The COMM+16.PCIe
utilizes 16C854 UARTs which feature programmable baud rates, data format, interrupt control and industry
leading 128-byte transmit and receive FIFOs.
7161e Connector Pin Assignments (DB-25M)
The 7161e includes two ‘spider’ cables (Item# CA202), each with eight DB25 connectors. The pin out of
each connector is shown in the table below.
Signal
Name
Pin #
Mode
TD
Transmit Data
2
Output
RD
Receive Data
3
Input
RTS
Request To Send
4
Output
CTS
Clear T Send
5
Input
DSR
Data Set Ready
6
Input
GND
Ground
7
DCD
Data Carrier Detect
8
Input
DTR
Data Terminal Ready
20
Output
RI
Ring Indicator
22
Input
Please terminate any control signals that are not going to be used. The most common way to do
this is to connect RTS to CTS and RI. Also, connect DCD to DTR and DSR. Terminating these pins,
if not used, will help ensure you get the best performance from your adapter.

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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, CONTINUED
7161e-DB9 Connector Pin Assignments (DB-9M)
The 7161e-DB9 includes two ‘spider’ cables (Item# CA231), each with eight DB9 connectors. The pin out
of each connector is shown in the table below.
Name
Pin #
Mode
DCD Data Carrier Detect
1
Input
RD Receive Data
2
Input
TD Transmit Data
3
Output
DTR Data Terminal Ready
4
Output
GND Ground
5
DSR Data Set Ready
6
Input
RTS Ready To Send
7
Input
CTS Clear To Send
8
Input
RI Ring Indicator
9
Input
Please terminate any control signals that are not going to be used. The most common way to
do this is to connect RTS to CTS and RI. Also, connect DCD to DTR and DSR. Terminating these
pins, if not used, will help ensure you get the best performance from your adapter.

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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, CONTINUED
DB-68 Connector Pin Assignments (Micro MDB-68F)
The COMM+16.PCIe board includes two Micro MDB68 female connectors for connecting the ‘spider’
cables explained on the previous page. The pin out for each connector is shown in the tables below.
Port #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
TD
1
9
19
27
35
43
53
61
RI
2
10
20
28
36
44
54
62
DCD
3
11
21
29
37
45
55
63
DTR
4
12
22
30
38
46
56
64
RTS
5
13
23
31
39
47
57
65
DSR
6
14
24
32
40
48
58
66
RD
7
15
25
33
41
49
59
67
CTS
8
16
26
34
42
50
60
68
GND
17
17
18
18
51
51
52
52
Port #
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
TD
1
9
19
27
35
43
53
61
RI
2
10
20
28
36
44
54
62
DCD
3
11
21
29
37
45
55
63
DTR
4
12
22
30
38
46
56
64
RTS
5
13
23
31
39
47
57
65
DSR
6
14
24
32
40
48
58
66
RD
7
15
25
33
41
49
59
67
CTS
8
16
26
34
42
50
60
68
GND
17
17
18
18
51
51
52
52

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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, CONTINUED
Both ‘spider’ cables are interchangeable and can be used on either connector. The connector
on the left supports Ports 1-8 and the connector on the right supports Ports 9-16.
Electrical Characteristics
Features
•PCI Express 1.0a compliant via x1 connector
•Integrates 16C854 buffered UARTs with 128-byte FIFOs
•Supports data rates to 460.8K bps
•All modem control signals implemented
•Available with DB25 or DB9 cable connectors

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Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Specification
Operating
Storage
Temperature Range
0º to 70º C
-50º to 105º C
Power Requirements
Supply Line
+12VDC
+3.3VDC
Rating
79 mA (0.95W)
575mA (1.9W)
Physical Dimensions
Package Length
5.5 inches (14.0 cm)
Package Width
4.4 inches (11.1 cm, including Gold Fingers)
Manufacturing
All Sealevel Systems Printed Circuit 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.

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Appendix A –Troubleshooting
Sealevel Software is supplied with the Sealevel Systems adapter and will be used in the troubleshooting
procedures. By using this software and following these simple steps, most common problems can be
eliminated without the need to call Technical Support.
1. Identify all I/O adapters currently installed in your system, including onboard serial ports,
controller cards, sound cards, etc. The I/O addresses used by these adapters as well as any
IRQs (if any) should be identified.
2. Configure your serial adapter so that there is no conflict with currently installed adapters. No
two adapters can occupy the same I/O address.
3. Make sure the serial adapter is securely installed in a motherboard slot.
4. Ensure that the Sealevel Systems SeaCOM software has been installed on the machine so that
the necessary files are in place to complete the installation.
5. When the COMM+16.PCIe is configured properly, Sealevel’s WinSSD utility and a loopback plug
can be used to check communications. You can make a simple Loopback in the field by
connecting the TX and RX pins. If you decide to test the Modem Control Signals, a full pin
loopback plug will be required. Details on loopback plugs are included within WinSSD. Contact
Sealevel Systems if you need further assistance.
6. When testing the COMM+16.PCIe in loopback mode, you should see both the TD and RD
echoed as data on the screen. The loopback test first transmits a HEX pattern, 55AA, and then
an ASCII string of data. If this test passes, then the COMM+16.PCIe is ready for use in your
application.
7. Always use the Sealevel Systems diagnostic software when troubleshooting a problem. This
will eliminate any software issues and identify hardware conflicts.
If these steps do not solve your problem, please call Sealevel Systems’ Technical Support, [phone].
Our technical support is free and available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
For email support, contact sup[email protected].

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Appendix B –How To Get Assistance
Please refer to: Appendix A -- Troubleshooting Guide prior to calling Technical Support.
Begin by reading through the Trouble Shooting Guide in Appendix A. If assistance is still
needed, please see below.
When calling for technical assistance, please have your user manual and current adapter
settings. If possible, please have the adapter installed in a computer ready to run diagnostics.
Sealevel Systems provides an FAQ section on its web site. Please refer to this to answer many
common questions. This section can be found at http://www.sealevel.com/faq.asp.
Sealevel Systems maintains a web page on the Internet. Our home page address
is www.sealevel.com. The latest software updates, and newest manuals are available via our
web site.
Technical support is available Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time.
Technical support can be reached at [phone].
RETURN AUTHORIZATION MUST BE OBTAINED FROM SEALEVEL SYSTEMS BEFORE RETURNED
MERCHANDISE WILL BE ACCEPTED. AUTHORIZATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING SEALEVEL
SYSTEMS AND REQUESTING A RETURN MERCHANDISE AUTHORIZATION (RMA) NUMBER.

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Appendix C –Electrical Interfaces
RS-232
Quite possibly the most widely used communication standard is RS-232. This implementation has been
defined and revised several times and is often referred to as RS-232 or EIA/TIA-232. The IBM PC computer
defined the RS-232 port on a 9 pin D sub connector and subsequently the EIA/TIA approved this
implementation as the EIA/TIA-574 standard. This standard is defined as the 9-Position Non-Synchronous
Interface between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment Employing Serial Binary
Data Interchange. Both implementations are in widespread use and will be referred to as RS-232 in this
document. RS-232 is capable of operating at data rates up to 20 Kbps at distances less than 50 ft. The
absolute maximum data rate may vary due to line conditions and cable lengths. RS-232 is a single ended
or unbalanced interface, meaning that a single electrical signal is compared to a common signal (ground)
to determine binary logic states. The RS-232 and the EIA/TIA-574 specification define two types of interface
circuits, Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment (DCE). The ULTRA
530.LPCI is a DTE device.

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Appendix D –Asynchronous Communications
Serial data communications implies that individual bits of a character are transmitted consecutively to a
receiver that assembles the bits back into a character. Data rate, error checking, handshaking, and
character framing (start/stop bits) are pre-defined and must correspond at both the transmitting and
receiving ends.
Asynchronous communications is the standard means of serial data communication for PC compatibles
and PS/2 computers. The original PC was equipped with a communication or COM: port that was designed
around an 8250 Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART). This device allows asynchronous
serial data to be transferred through a simple and straightforward programming interface. A start bit,
followed by a pre-defined number of data bits (5, 6, 7, or 8) defines character boundaries for asynchronous
communications. The end of the character is defined by the transmission of a pre-defined number of stop
bits (usually 1, 1.5 or 2). An extra bit used for error detection is often appended before the stop bits.
Asynchronous Communications Bit Diagram
This special bit is called the parity bit. Parity is a simple method of determining if a data bit has been lost
or corrupted during transmission. There are several methods for implementing a parity check to guard
against data corruption. Common methods are called (E)ven Parity or (O)dd Parity. Sometimes parity is not
used to detect errors on the data stream. This is referred to as (N)o parity. Because each bit in
asynchronous communications is sent consecutively, it is easy to generalize asynchronous
communications by stating that each character is wrapped (framed) by pre-defined bits to mark the
beginning and end of the serial transmission of the character. The data rate and communication
parameters for asynchronous communications have to be the same at both the transmitting and receiving
ends. The communication parameters are baud rate, parity, number of data bits per character, and stop bits
(i.e., 9600, N, 8, 1).

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Appendix E –SILK SCREEN –7161e PCB

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Appendix F –Compliance Notices
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A digital device,
pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and,
if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is
likely to cause harmful interference in such case the user will be required to correct the
interference at the user’s expense.
EMC Directive Statement
Products bearing the CE Label fulfill the requirements of the EMC directive (89/336/EEC)
and of the low-voltage directive (73/23/EEC) issued by the European Commission. To obey
these directives, the following European standards must be met:
•EN55022 Class A - “Limits and methods of measurement of radio interference
characteristics of information technology equipment”
•EN55024 –“Information technology equipment Immunity characteristics Limits
and methods of measurement”.
This is a Class A Product. In a domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference in
which case the user may be required to take adequate measures to prevent or correct the
interference.
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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Warranty
Sealevel's commitment to providing the best I/O solutions is reflected in the Lifetime Warranty that is
standard on all Sealevel manufactured I/O products. We are able to offer this warranty due to our control
of manufacturing quality and the historically high reliability of our products in the field. Sealevel products
are designed and manufactured at its Liberty, South Carolina facility, allowing direct control over product
development, production, burn-in and testing. Sealevel achieved ISO-9001:2015 certification in 2018.
Warranty Policy
Sealevel Systems, Inc. (hereafter "Sealevel") warrants that the Product shall conform to and perform in
accordance with published technical specifications and shall be free of defects in materials and
workmanship for the warranty period. In the event of failure, Sealevel will repair or replace the product at
Sealevel's sole discretion. Failures resulting from misapplication or misuse of the Product, failure to adhere
to any specifications or instructions, or failure resulting from neglect, abuse, accidents, or acts of nature
are not covered under this warranty.
Warranty service may be obtained by delivering the Product to Sealevel and providing proof of purchase.
Customer agrees to ensure the Product or assume the risk of loss or damage in transit, to prepay shipping
charges to Sealevel, and to use the original shipping container or equivalent. Warranty is valid only for
original purchaser and is not transferable.
This warranty applies to Sealevel manufactured Product. Product purchased through Sealevel but
manufactured by a third party will retain the original manufacturer's warranty.
Non-Warranty Repair/Retest
Products returned due to damage or misuse and Products retested with no problem found are subject to
repair/retest charges. A purchase order or credit card number and authorization must be provided in order
to obtain an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number prior to returning Product.
How to obtain an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization)
If you need to return a product for warranty or non-warranty repair, you must first obtain an RMA number.
Please contact Sealevel Systems, Inc. Technical Support for assistance:
Available Monday –Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM EST
Phone [phone]
Email [email protected]
Trademarks
Sealevel Systems, Incorporated acknowledges that all trademarks referenced in this manual are the service
mark, trademark, or registered trademark of the respective company.