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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7161e Manual | SL9182 9/2021
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