SeaLevel Ultra COMM+2.PCIe 7205ec User manual

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7205ec Manual | SL9270 6/2022
Ultra COMM+2.PCIe
User Manual | 7205ec & 7205ecS

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© Sealevel Systems, Inc. 7205ec Manual | SL9270 6/2022
Contents
CONTENTS...........................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................3
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED ...............................................................................................................................4
CARD SETUP ........................................................................................................................................................6
HARDWARE INSTALLATION .............................................................................................................................15
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................................................................17
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS..........................................................................................................................19
APPENDIX A –TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................................................20
APPENDIX B –HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS.....................................................................................................25
APPENDIX C –ELECTRICAL INTERFACE ........................................................................................................26
APPENDIX D –ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS ..................................................................................28
APPENDIX E –GROUND LOOP PHENOMENON ..............................................................................................29
APPENDIX F –MECHANICAL DRAWING .........................................................................................................30
WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................................................31
REGULATORY.....................................................................................................................................................32

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Introduction
The Sealevel Ultra COMM+2.PCIe (Item# 7205ec) is a PCI Express 2.0 Gen 1 compliant interface adapter
with two field selectable RS-232/422/485 asynchronous serial ports supporting data rates exceeding
1 Mbps for industrial automation and control applications.
Configure the serial ports 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 an RS-485 multi-drop
network. Up to 31 RS-485 compliant devices can be connected to each port to automate your data
collection. You can even mix the ports in any of the electrical interface combinations to provide maximum
flexibility in your application.
Under Windows, in RS-485 mode the transmitter is automatically enabled in hardware, eliminating the need
for application software control. This allows the 7205ec to be used with standard serial communications
applications and removes the risk of bus contention and data corruption. In RS-232 mode, all modem
control signals are implemented for maximum compatibility with a wide range of serial peripherals. The
Sealevel SeaCOM for Windows software driver and utilities make installation and operation easy in
Windows 7/8.1/10.
The Ultra COMM+2.PCIe ships with a Low Profile PCIe bracket that will only work in a Low Profile PCIe slot.
If you need a standard size PCIe bracket, please order Item# 7205ecS. The product is RoHS compliant and
meets the requirements of RoHS (2011/65/EU) directive.
Features
•Two serial ports configurable for RS-232/422/485
•On board DIP switch configuration with Windows device driver override
•Ultra High-speed UART with 256-byte TX and RX FIFOs
•Asynchronous data rates exceeding 1 Mbps
•Automatic RS-485 enable/disable for Windows applications
•Windows driver selectable 250K slew rate limiting, to minimize electromagnetic interference
•Includes 36” cable that terminates to two DB9M connectors

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Before You Get Started
What’s Included
The Ultra COMM+2.PCIe is shipped with the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged,
please contact Sealevel for replacement.
•Ultra COMM+2.PCIe Adapter
•CA203 –DB25F to (2) DB9M Cable, 36”in Length
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 with the
7205ec. All items can be purchased from our website (www.sealevel.com)by calling our sales team at
[phone].
DB9 to DB25 Serial Cable (Part Number CA177)
The CA177 is a standard AT-style RS-232 modem cable with a DB9 female connector
on one end and a DB25 male connector on the other end. Simply connect the DB-9F
connector to the DB9 serial port on your computer or host, and then connect the DB-
25M connector to your RS-232 serial modem or other compatible RS-232 serial
device. The six foot cable is fully shielded with dual thumbscrews at each connector.
The molded connectors integrate strain relief to prevent damage to the cable or
connectors. All DB9 modem control signals are implemented, and the cable is pinned
to EIA-232 standards.
DB9 Serial Extension Cable (Part Number CA127)
The CA127 is a standard DB9F to DB9M serial extension cable. Extend a DB9 cable
or locate a piece of hardware where it is needed with this six foot (72 inch) cable. The
connectors are pinned one-to-one, so the cable is compatible with any device or cable
with DB9 connectors. The cable is fully shielded against interference and the
connectors are molded to provide strain relief. Dual metal thumbscrews secure the
cable connections and prevent accidental disconnection.
RS-422 to RS-530 Cable (Part Number CA176)
DB9 Female (RS-422) to DB25 Male (RS-530) Cable, 10 inch Length. Convert any
Sealevel RS-422 DB9 Male Async Adapter to an RS-530 DB25 Male pinout. Useful in
situations where RS-530 cabling exists, and a multiport Sealevel RS-422 adapter is
to be used.
Terminal Block
Terminal Block Kit - (Part Number KT105)
The KT105 terminal block kit breaks out a DB9 connector to 9 screw terminals to simplify
field wiring of serial connections. It is ideal for RS-422 and RS-485 networks, yet it will
work with any DB9 serial connection, including RS-232. The KT105 includes one DB9
terminal block (part number TB05) and one CA127 extension cable. The TB05 includes
holes for board or panel mounting. The TB05 is designed to connect directly to Sealevel
DB9 serial cards or any cable with a DB9M connector.

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Card Setup
Address and IRQ Selection
The 7205ec is automatically assigned memory addresses and IRQs by your motherboard BIOS or by a “Plug-
n-Play” Operating System. Adding or removing other hardware or moving the adapter to another slot may
change the assignment of memory addresses and IRQs.
Clock Modes and Baud Rates
The 7205ec derives a 125MHz clock from the PCI express link for the Baud Rate Generator (BRG) which is
divided by a clock prescaler (1 or 4) and a 16-bit clock divisor to obtain a sampling clock of 16X, 8X, or 4X
the serial data rate. The BRG offers a wide range of possible baud rates. Under Windows and Linux, the
best choice of divisor is made automatically by the driver. The bit rate error is within the +/–2%
recommended tolerance for proper serial communication.
Electrical Interface Selection via Hardware
Each serial port on the 7205ec has the ability to be used as RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485. Port 1 is selectable
via DIP-switch SW2 configuration, and Port 2 is selectable via DIP-switch SW1 configuration. Please use
the following examples to configure your adapter.
Mode selection via hardware (DIP switches)
M1 Switch
M0 Switch
Mode
OFF
OFF
RS-232
OFF
ON
RS-422 (Default)
ON
OFF
RS-485 with Echo
ON
ON
RS-485 without Echo
RS-485 Enable Modes
RS-485 is ideal for multi-drop or network environments like that used by SeaI/O modules. RS-485 requires
a tristate driver that will allow the electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the line. The driver
is in a tristate 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 RS-485 driver of each port enters and leaves tristate together with
the changes to its output modem control signal Request to Send (RTS). Under Windows, configuring the
port for RS-485 also configures the port to automatically assert its RTS output at the start of each
transmission. This causes the RS-485 data transmission driver to leave tristate allowing it to transmit
signals. In RS-485 mode under Windows the port is also set to automatically de-assert its RTS at the end
of each transmission. This returns the RS-485 data transmission driver to tristate so that other drivers can
transmit on the line.

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Line Termination Selection via Hardware
Typically, the device at each end of the RS-485 bus must have line-terminating resistors (RS-422 terminates
at the receive end only). When the end device is a 7205ec port, the board DIP switches can be used to
connect a built in 120-ohm resistor between each RS-422/485 input pair in addition to a 510-ohm pull-
up/pull-down combination that biases the RX+ and RX–receiver inputs. DIP switches SW2 (Port 1) and
SW1 (Port 2) allow the user to customize each port individually to their specific requirements.
If multiple 7205ec ports are configured in a RS-485 network, only the ports at each end should have
switches T, PU, and PD ON.
If using the board in an RS-485 two-wire network, enable the two switches labeled ‘L’, which electrically
connect the TX–and RX–pins together and the TX+ and RX+ pins together.
M1 Switch
Default
Selection if ON
T
ON
Enables RS-422/RS-485 120 ohm termination between RX+
and RX–and between CTS+ and CTS–
PU
ON
Enables RS-422/RS-485 RX+ 510 ohm pull-up to 3.3V (biasing)
PD
ON
Enables RS-422/RS-485RX–510 ohm pull-down to GND (biasing)
L
OFF
Enables RS-485 two-wire mode, connecting TX–to RX–
L
OFF
Enables RS-485 two-wire mode, connecting TX+ to RX+

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Electrical Interface, Line Termination, and Echo Selection via Software
When a 7205ec has been installed under Windows, the DIP switch configuration can be overridden by
software settings via the Port Settings tab in Device Manager. Changing one port to be overridden by
software will automatically change the other port to also be software overridden. The initial software
override configuration of each port is adopted from its DIP switch configuration. Both COM ports of the
7205ec should be closed by applications when the software override option is changed in Port Settings.
The Port Manager application in the SeaCOM suite of communication utilities is used to set the Interface
Mode and Options for the Serial Ports of the computer. The COM Port(s) to be configured must be closed
in other applications that control them before the Port Manager utility can configure them. Likewise, other
applications cannot open the COM Ports while they are open in the SeaCOM Port Manager.
The Port Manager utility will open with the COM Ports listed on the left-side of the window and COM1
configuration in the right-side window. COM 1 is an internal serial port that is not accessible externally to
the computer. The external Serial Ports available on the R1 SeaI/O Controller are COM3 and COM4.
Initial Start screen for Port Manager

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COM Port Configuration
The right-side window of the Port Manager is the configuration box. The COM Port to be configured is
selected by clicking on the desired COM Port box in the left side window. This will display the current COM
Port Electrical Interface settings. The first time the Port Manager is used the configuration will be RS-232,
and all other boxes unchecked, and RS-485 Auto-Enable set to 0. The settings are stored when applied and
will be display on subsequent uses of the Port Manager.
The changed settings will be activated when the Apply button at the bottom of the configuration box is
clicked. This also closes the port allowing other application to open it.
COM3 Configuration Example

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In the Electrical Interface section, the Interface Mode box is used to set the protocol for COM Port selected.
The choices are:
Tri-State No external signal communication
RS-232 Single ended signaling, point-to-point serial communication mode
RS-422 Differential, twisted pair, point-to-point serial communication mode
RS-485 Differential, twisted pair, multidrop serial communication mode
Electrical Interface Section
RS-485 Enable Modes
RS-485 is ideal for multi-drop or network environments like that used by SeaI/O modules. RS-485 requires
a tristate driver that will allow the electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the line when not
transmitting data. The driver is in a tristate or high impedance condition when this occurs. Only one driver
may be active at a time on a bus and the other driver(s) must be tri-stated. Under Windows, configuring the
port for RS-485 also configures the port to automatically control the transmit enable of the transceiver, its
RTS output, at the start of each transmission. This causes the RS-485 data transmission driver to leave
tristate allowing it to transmit data. In RS-485 mode under Windows the port is also set to automatically
de-assert its output on the bus at the end of each transmission. This returns the RS-485 data transmission
driver to tristate so that other drivers can transmit on the line. This also returns RTS signal to its initial state.
Slew Rate Limiting
Slew Rate Limiting (250kbps) is an additional configuration setting available only via software selection. It
helps minimize the generation of electromagnetic interference in applications by slowing the rise and fall
times of the data transitions where higher baud rates are not required. This can be used for any baud rates
250kbps or lower.

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Receiver Biasing
The receiver biasing option connects a 560 Ohm resistor to ea pin of the input of the receivers to prevent
an indeterminate state from causing noise to be interpreted as data being received. The RX+ pin is pulled
up to 3.3V and the RX- pin is pulled down to GND. The receiver biasing is typically only connected to Master
node of a RS-485 bus. It is recommended to only use one biasing set on a bus.
Line Termination Selection via Hardware
Typically, the device at each end of the RS-485 bus must have line-terminating resistors (RS-422 terminates
at the receive end only). When the end device is the SeaI/O Controller, you will need to connect a built in
120-ohm resistor between each RS-422/485 input pair in addition to a 560-ohm pull-up/pull-down
combination that biases the RX+ and RX–receiver inputs. Termination is required when the propagation
delay of the data is equal to, or greater than, one bit (pulse duration) to suppress data reflection.
Termination is only required on the extreme ends of the data bus. Typically, the Master device on the RS-
485 bus is physically located in the middle of the bus to maximize signal strength and reliability and does
not have a termination resistor.
RS-485 Auto-Enable Delay
RS-485 Auto-Enable Delay is an additional configuration setting available only via software selection. It
provides an ability to select a 0 to 15 bit-time delay that is inserted after the end of the last stop-bit of the
last transmitted character. This delay controls when to automatically disable the RS-485 transmitter and
place it in the Tri-State (high impedance) condition. This delay may be useful in long-cable networks.
Interface Options section

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On-board LED Signal Indicators
Driver
D1
D2
D3
D4
Loaded
Heartbeat (1 sec on/off)
M1
M0
T
Not Loaded
Heartbeat
Heartbeat
Heartbeat
Heartbeat
(a) If the driver is not loaded, all four (4) LEDs flash with the heartbeat signal and the serial port
remains in tristate mode until the driver loads.
(b) If the driver is loaded, the LEDs reflect the current Port 1 mode and termination state in
accordance with the table above, whether the states have been set by DIP switch SW2 or
software control.
(c) M1 and M0 are lit if the DIP switch is OFF.
(d) T is lit if the DIP switch is ON meaning termination is enabled.

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Software Installation
This section contains helpful information pertaining to the installation of supported Sealevel Systems, Inc.
software packages. First, the process of acquiring the software is discussed. Next, the installation is
detailed in a step-by-step guide for Windows and Linux operating systems.
Where to Get Sealevel Software
All Sealevel products are shipped with media containing the installers for each software package available.
If the media is otherwise unavailable or if desired, the current versions of Sealevel software packages can
be obtained from the Sealevel website (see following instructions). If you already have the Sealevel
software, proceed to the Windows or Linux installation section.
•Sealevel software for Windows is available at this link:
oSoftware for Windows
•Click on the ‘Download File’ link to download the current version.
•Proceed to the Manual Software Installation section.
Windows Installation
Do not connect the hardware until the software has been successfully installed.
To install Sealevel software, you must log in as an administrator or have
administrator privileges.
Only users running Windows 7 or newer should utilize these instructions for accessing and
installing the appropriate driver via Sealevel’s website. If you are utilizing an operating system prior
to Windows 7, please contact Sealevel by calling 864.843.4343 or emailing [e-mail]
to receive access to the proper driver download and installation instructions.
1. Begin by locating, selecting, and installing the correct software from the Sealevel software
driver database.
2. Type in or select the part number (#7205ec) for the adapter from the listing.
3. Select “Download Now” for SeaCOM for Windows.
4. The setup files will automatically detect the operating environment and install the proper
components. Follow the information presented on the screens that follow.

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5. A screen may appear with text similar to: “The publisher cannot be determined due to the
problems below: Authenticode signature not found.” Please click the ‘Yes’ button and
proceed with the installation. This declaration simply means that the operating system is
not aware of the driver being loaded. It will not cause any harm to your system.
6. During setup, the user may specify installation directories and other preferred
configurations. This program also adds entries to the system registry that are necessary
for specifying the operating parameters for each driver. An uninstall option is also included
to remove all registry/INI file entries from the system.
7. The software is now installed, and you can proceed with the hardware installation.
Linux Installation
You MUST have “root” privileges to install the software and drivers.
The syntax is case sensitive.
SeaCOM for Linux can be downloaded here: https://www.sealevel.com/support/software-seacom-linux/.
It includes the README and the Serial-HOWTO help files (located at seacom/dox/howto). This series of
files both explains typical Linux serial implementations and informs the user about Linux syntax and
preferred practices.
The 7205ec is supported natively in Linux kernels 3.7.0-rc6 and later.
User can use a program such as 7-Zip to extract the tar.gz file.
In addition, the software selectable interface settings can be accessed by referencing
seacom/utilities/7205ecmode.
For additional software support, including QNX, please call Sealevel Systems’ Technical Support, (864) 843-
4343. Our technical support is free and available from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday. For email support contact: sup[email protected].

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Hardware Installation
Once you have installed the software, install the 7205ec into an available PCI Express slot and boot the
computer. The drivers that were installed during the software installation process will automatically be
used to configure the adapter.
Once the hardware installation completes, you may need to restart the computer to finalize the
installation process.
Verifying Installation
To confirm that the serial port has been successfully installed, look in Device Manager under
‘Ports (COM &LPT)’ and in parentheses should be a COM number assigned to each port number.
Your system will assign the next available COM number, which will vary by computer (COM7 and
COM8 are shown in this example.)
Do not install the PCI Express board until
the software has been successfully installed.

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Uninstall Instructions
The SeaCOM software program adds entries to the system registry that are necessary for specifying the
operating parameters for your device. To completely remove the hardware and associated software,
follow the steps in the order they appear.
Remove Hardware Using Device Manager
To access Device Manager, follow the steps below:
1. Open Windows Explorer
2. Right click on ‘Computer’ or ‘My Computer’ icon.
3. Click ‘Manage’ in the fly out menu to launch the ‘Computer Management’ console window.
4. In the left pane under ‘System Tools’, click ‘Device Manager’.
5. In right pane, expand the ‘Multi-port serial adapters’ section by double clicking it.
6. Locate the Ultra COMM+2.PCIe device in the listing.
7. Right click on the entry for the ‘Ultra COMM+2.PCIe’ device and click ‘Uninstall’
8. Confirm that you want to uninstall the device by clicking the ‘OK’ button. This will remove the
hardware, COM ports and all registry entries from your computer. Keep the device connected.
9. The window will refresh and the entry for the device will no longer appear. Proceed with
removing the software via Windows Control Panel.
If you want to completely remove the hardware and software from your computer, power down your
computer, remove the device from the PCI Express slot, and then reboot your computer to complete the
uninstallation.
Important!
Start with the hardware installed in a PCI Express slot.
Do not remove until instructed to do so. .

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Technical Description
The Sealevel Systems 7205ec provides a PCIe interface adapter with two (2) asynchronous serial ports
providing versatile, field selectable RS-232 interfaces for modems, printers and plotters, as well as RS-
422/485 interfaces for industrial automation and control applications.
The 7205ec provides UARTs with 256 byte TX and RX FIFOs, programmable baud rates, data format, and
interrupt control.
DB25 Male Connector Pin Assignments
The 7205ec includes a DB25 male connector for attaching the included cable (Part Number CA203).
Pin#
RS-232
RS-422/485
Pin#
RS-232
RS-422/485
1
Port 1 RD (I)
Port 1 RX–(I)
14
Port 2 TD (O)
Port 2 TX–(O)
2
Port 1 CTS (I)
Port 1 CTS–(I)
15
Port 2 RTS (O)
Port 2 RTS–(O)
3
Port 1 DCD (I)
Port 1 RX+ (I)
16
Port 2 DSR (I)
Port 2 RTS+ (O)
4
Port 1 TD (O)
Port 1 TX–(O)
17
Port 2 DTR (O)
Port 2 TX+ (O)
5
Port 1 RTS (O)
Port 1 RTS–(O)
18
Port 2 RI (I)
Port 2 CTS+ (I)
6
Port 1 DSR (I)
Port 1 RTS+ (O)
19
N/C
N/C
7
Port 1 DTR (O)
Port 1 TX+ (O)
20
N/C
N/C
8
Port 1 RI (I)
Port 1 CTS+ (I)
21
N/C
N/C
9
GND
GND
22
N/C
N/C
10
GND
GND
23
N/C
N/C
11
Port 2 RD (I)
Port 2 RX–(I)
24
N/C
N/C
12
Port 2 CTS (I)
Port 2 CTS–(I)
25
N/C
N/C
13
Port 2 DCD (I)
Port 2 RX+ (I)
“N/C” = Not Connected (unused)
“–” = Reserved
(I) = Input
(O) = Output

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DB9 Male Cable Pin Assignments
The 7205ec includes a cable (Part Number CA203) with a DB25 female connector terminating to a pair of
DB9 male connectors. The DB25F connector on the cable plugs into the DB25M connector on the board.
The DB9M connectors are compatible with a variety of serial peripherals. Their RS-232 pin assignment
meets EIA/TIA/ANSI-574 DTE specifications for DB9 type connectors.
Pin#
RS-232
RS-422/485
1
DCD (I)
RX+ (I)
2
RD (I)
RX–(I)
3
TD (O)
TX–(O)
4
DTR (O)
TX+ (O)
5
GND
GND
6
DSR (I)
RTS+ (O)
7
RTS (O)
RTS–(O)
8
CTS (I)
CTS–(I)
9
RI (I)
CTS+ (I)
(I) = Input
(O) = Output
Please terminate any unused control signals. The most common way to do this is RS-232 mode is
to connect RTS to CTS and RI. Also, connect DTR to DCD and DSR. In RS-422/485 mode connect
RTS+ to CTS+ and RTS—to CTS-. Terminating these pins, if not used will help ensure the best
performance from the adapter.

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Technical Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Specification
Operating
Storage
Temperature Range
0º to 70º C (32º to 158º F)
-50º to 105º C (-58º to 221º F)
Humidity Range
10 to 90% R.H. Non-Condensing
10 to 90% R.H. Non-Condensing
MTBF (Telcordia SR-332 prediction method)
Mean Time Between Failure
1,300,000 hours
At 25º C ambient
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.
Power Consumption
Typical Power Draw
3W
Supply voltage
+3.3 VDC
+12 VDC
Rating
300 mA
160mA

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Appendix A –Troubleshooting
Once you have confirmed that the serial adapter COM ports are listed in Device Manager, use the Sealevel
WinSSD utility to verify communications. Detailed help is included in the WinSSD utility.
Please set the adapters Electrical Interface for either RS-232 or RS-422.
If you have a loopback plug, put it on the adapter connector. If you do not have a loopback plug, you can
use female jumper wires to make the connection to verify the functionality.
RS-232 requires pins 2 (Receive) & 3 (Transmit) to be jumpered as shown in this graphic:
If you do not have a loopback plug or jumper wires handy, you can use a metal device such as a
knife, screwdriver, key or paperclip to short pins two and three.
RS-422 requires pins 1 & 4 (Receive + and Transmit +) and also pins 2 & 3 (Receive - and Transmit -) to be
jumpered as shown in this graphic: