SeaLevel ULTRA 530.PCI User manual

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
ULTRA 530.PCI
User Manual | 7101

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
Contents
CONTENTS............................................................................................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED..............................................................................................................................................................................................4
CARD SETUP........................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
INSTALLATION...................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION..............................................................................................................................................................................................16
SPECIFICATIONS...............................................................................................................................................................................................................19
APPENDIX A –TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................................................................................................................................................20
APPENDIX B –HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE..................................................................................................................................................................21
APPENDIX C –ELECTRICAL INTERFACE......................................................................................................................................................................22
APPENDIX D –ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS.............................................................................................................................................24
APPENDIX E –SILK-SCREEN..........................................................................................................................................................................................25
APPENDIX F –COMPLIANCE NOTICES.........................................................................................................................................................................26
WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
Introduction
Overview
The Sealevel Systems ULTRA 530.PCI is a one channel PCI Bus serial I/O adapter for the PC and
compatibles. It provides one field selectable RS-232/422/485/530 serial port supporting asynchronous
data rates up to 460.8K bps as well as isochronous data rates up to the speed of the supplied clock. Now,
with this card, you can use your standard communications software and connect over a clocked digital
communications line.
Configure the port as RS-232 for standard serial COM: port requirements. Choose the RS-422 mode for long
distance device connections up to 4000ft. where noise immunity and high data integrity are essential.
Select RS-485 and capture data from multiple peripherals in a RS-485 multi-drop network. Up to 31 RS-485
devices can be connected to each port to automate your data collection.
In both RS-232 and RS-422 modes, the card works seamlessly with the standard operating system serial
driver. In RS-485 mode, our special auto-enable feature allows the RS-485 ports to be viewed by the
operating system as a COM: port. This allows the standard COM: driver to be utilized for RS-485
communications. Our on-board hardware automatically handles the RS-485 driver enable. UART upgrades
are available providing 32-, 64- and 128-byte FIFOs.

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
Before You Get Started
What’s Included
The ULTRA 530.PCI is shipped with the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged,
contact the supplier.
•ULTRA 530.PCI Serial I/O Adapter
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. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
Card Setup
RS-485 Enable Modes
RS-485 is ideal for multi-drop or network environments. RS-485 requires a tri-state driver that will allow the
electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the line. The driver is in a tri-state or high impedance
condition when this occurs. Only one driver may be active at a time and the other driver(s) must be tri-
stated. The output modem control signal Request To Send (RTS) is typically used to control the state of the
driver. Some communication software packages refer to RS-485 as RTS enable or RTS block mode transfer.
One of the unique features of the ULTRA 530.PCI is the ability to be RS-485 compatible without the need
for special software or drivers. This ability is especially useful in Windows, Windows NT, and OS/2
environments where the lower level I/O control is abstracted from the application program. This ability
means that the user can effectively use the ULTRA 530.PCI in a RS-485 application with existing (i.e.,
standard RS-232) software drivers.
Header E4 is used to control the RS-485 mode functions for the driver circuit. The selections are:
‘Auto’ enable (silk-screen ‘AT’). The ‘Auto’ enable feature automatically enables/disables the RS-485
interface via on board circuitry.
‘RTS’ enable (silk-screen ‘RT’) The ‘RTS’ mode uses the ‘RTS’ modem control signal to enable the RS-485
interface and provides backward compatibility with existing software products.
‘DTR’ enable (silk-screen ‘DT’) The ‘DTR’ mode uses the ‘DTR’ modem control signal to enable the RS-485
interface, provides backward compatibility with existing software products and with the Oxford
Semiconductor 16C950 RS-485 enable feature
‘Output One’ enable (silk-screen ‘OP’) This mode uses the ‘OP1’ control signal to enable the RS-485 interface
and provides backward compatibility with existing software products and with the Exar 16C850 RS-485
enable feature
‘No Echo’ (silk-screen ‘NE’) of E4 is used to control the RS-485 enable/disable functions for the receiver
circuit and determine the state of the RS-422/485 driver. The RS-485 ‘Echo’ is the result of connecting the
receiver inputs to the transmitter outputs. Every time a character is transmitted; it is also received. This can
be beneficial if the software can handle echoing (i.e., using received characters to throttle the transmitter)
or it can confuse the system if the software does not. To select the ‘No Echo’ mode select silk-screen
position ‘NE’.

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
CARD SETUP, CONTINUED
RS-485 Mode Examples (Header E4)
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 1- Header E4, RS-422
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 2 –Header E4, RS-485 ‘Auto’ Enabled, with ‘No Echo’
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 3 - Header E4, RS-485 ‘Auto’ Enabled, with ‘Echo’

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
CARD SETUP, CONTINUED
RS-485 Mode Examples (Header E4) continued
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 4 - Header E4, RS-485 ‘RTS’ Enabled, with ‘No Echo’
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 5 –Header E4, RS-485 ‘RTS’ Enabled, with ‘Echo’
AT
RT
DT
OP
NE
Figure 6 –Header E4, RS-485 ‘DTR’ Enabled, with No Echo
Address and IRQ selection
The ULTRA 530.PCI is automatically assigned I/O addresses and IRQs by your motherboard BIOS. Only the
I/O address may be modified by the user.
Adding or removing other hardware may change the assignment of I/O addresses and IRQs.

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
CARD SETUP, CONTINUED
Line Termination
Typically, each end of the RS-485 bus must have line terminating resistors (RS-422 terminates at the receive
end only). A 120-ohm resistor is across each RS-422/485 input in addition to a 1K ohm pull-up/pull-down
combination that biases the receiver inputs. Header E4 allows customization of this interface to specific
requirements. Each jumper position corresponds to a specific portion of the interface. If multiple ULTRA
530.PCI adapters are configured in a RS-485 network, only the boards on each end should have jumpers T,
P & P ON. Refer to the following table for each position’s operation:
Name
Function
P
Adds or removes the 1K ohm pull-down resistor in the RS-
422/RS-485 receiver circuit (Receive data only).
P
Adds or removes the 1K ohm pull-up resistor in the RS-
422/RS-485 receiver circuit (Receive data only).
T
Adds or removes the 120-ohm termination.
L
Connects the TX+ to RX+ for RS-485 two wire operation.
L
Connects the TX- to RX- for RS-485 two wire operation.
P P T L L
Figure 7 - Headers E3, Line Termination

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
CARD SETUP, CONTINUED
Electrical Interface Selection
Each port on the ULTRA 530.PCI has the ability to be used in either RS-232 or RS-422/485. This is selectable
via four 24 pin DIP-shunts at E1-E4. Please use the following illustration to aid in the configuration of your
electrical interface.
E1 E2
RS-232 RS-422
Figure 8 - Headers E1 & E2, RS-232 Selected
E1 E2
RS-232 RS-422
Figure 9 - Headers E1 & E2, RS-422/485 Selected

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7101 Manual | SL9160 9/2021
CARD SETUP, CONTINUED
Clock Modes
The ULTRA 530.PCI employs a unique clocking option that allows the end user to select from divide by 4
and divide by 1 clocking modes. These modes are selected at Header E8.
To select the Baud rates commonly associated with COM: ports (i.e., 2400, 4800, 9600, 19.2, … 115.2K Bps)
place the jumper in the divide by 4 mode (silk-screen DIV4).
DIV1 DIV4
Figure 10 - Clocking Mode ‘Divide By 4’
To select the maximum data rate (460.8K bps) place the jumper in the divide by 1 (silk-screen DIV1)
position.
DIV1 DIV4
Figure 11 - Clocking Mode ‘Divide By 1’