SeaLevel ULTRA COMM+I.PCI 3055 User manual

ULTRA COMM+I.PCI™
USER MANUAL
Part #3055
Sealevel Systems, Inc. Telephone: [phone]
PO Box 830 Fax: [phone]
Liberty, SC 29657 USA www.sealevel.com

Contents
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 1
OVERVIEW......................................................................................1
WHAT’S INCLUDED.........................................................................1
FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS ........................................................1
CARD SETUP ............................................................................ 2
ELECTRICAL INTERFACE SELECTION...............................................2
LINE TERMINATION ........................................................................3
RS-485 ENABLE MODES ................................................................4
RS-485 ENABLE MODES ................................................................4
CLOCK MODES ...............................................................................5
BAUD RATES AND DIVISORS FOR THE ‘DIV1’ MODE .......................6
INSTALLATION ......................................................................... 7
OPERATING SYSTEM INSTALLATION ...............................................7
For Windows Users.....................................................................7
Other Operating Systems ............................................................7
SYSTEM INSTALLATION ..................................................................7
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION ...................................................... 8
CONNECTOR PIN ASSIGNMENTS......................................................9
RS-232 Signals (DB-25 Male)....................................................9
RS-422/485/530 Pin Assignments (DB-25 Male).......................9
SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................... 10
ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIFICATIONS ...............................................10
MANUFACTURING.........................................................................10
POWER CONSUMPTION .................................................................10
MEAN TIME BETWEEN FAILURES (MTBF) ...................................10
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS.................................................................10
APPENDIX A - TROUBLESHOOTING ...................................... 11
APPENDIX B - HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE............................ 12
APPENDIX C - ELECTRICAL INTERFACE .............................. 13
RS-232 .........................................................................................13
RS-422 .........................................................................................13
RS-485 .........................................................................................14
APPENDIX D - GROUND LOOP PHENOMENON ...................... 15
WHAT IS GROUND LOOP? .............................................................15
CABLING RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................15

APPENDIX E - ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS ............ 16
APPENDIX F - SILK-SCREEN ................................................. 17
APPENDIX G - COMPLIANCE NOTICES ................................. 18
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION STATEMENT...............18
EMC DIRECTIVE STATEMENT ......................................................18
WARRANTY............................................................................ 19
Figures
Figure 1- RS-232 ........................................................................................2
Figure 2 - RS-422 .......................................................................................2
Figure 3 - RS-485, 4-Wire with Echo ......................................................2
Figure 4 - RS-485 2-Wire with Echo ........................................................2
Figure 5 - RS-485, 2-wire without Echo ...................................................3
Figure 6 - RS-485 Enable modes...............................................................4
Figure 7 - Clocking Modes ........................................................................5
Figure 8 – ISO COMM +2 cabling example ..........................................15
Figure 9 - Asynchronous Communications Bit Diagram......................16
© Sealevel Systems, Inc.
SL9161 Revision 7/2006
Sealevel Systems, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Introduction
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 1
Introduction
Overview
The Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI is a single channel isolated PCI
Bus serial I/O adapter for the PC and compatibles. Utilizing the Exar 16C850
UART with its industry leading 128 byte FIFOs, it provides a field selectable
RS-232/422/485 serial port supporting data rates up to 460.8K bps
(RS-422/485).
Configure as RS-232 for standard serial COM: port requirements. Choose the
RS-422 mode for long distance device connections up to 5000ft. where noise
immunity and high data integrity are essential. Select RS-485 and capture data
from multiple peripherals in a RS-485 multidrop network. Up to 31 RS-485
devices can be connected to each port to automate your data collection. You can
even mix the ports in any of the interface combinations to provide maximum
flexibility to your application. Optional Terminal Block adapters are available
to simplify field-wiring connections.
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.
What’s Included
The ULTRA COMM+I.PCI is shipped with the following items. If any of these
items is missing or damaged, contact the supplier.
• ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Serial I/O Adapter
• Sealevel Software
Factory Default Settings
The ULTRA COMM+I.PCI factory default settings are as follows:
Port # Electrical Specification
Port 1 RS-422
To install the ULTRA COMM+I.PCI using factory default settings, refer to
Installation on page 7.

Card Setup
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 2
Card Setup
Electrical Interface Selection
The ULTRA COMM+I.PCI has the ability to be used as RS-232, RS-422 or
RS-485. This is selectable via DIP-switches, SW1. Please use the following
examples to configure your adapter.
Figure 1- RS-232
Figure 2 - RS-422
Figure 3 - RS-485, 4-Wire with Echo
Figure 4 - RS-485 2-Wire with Echo
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ON
OFF 8 9 10
123TPPLLE
RS-232
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ON
OFF 8 9 10
123TPPLLE
RS-422
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ON
OFF 8 9 10
123TPPLLE
4-Wire
RS-485
W/Echo
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ON
OFF 8 9 10
123TPPLLE
2-Wire
RS-485
W/Echo

Card Setup
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 3
Figure 5 - RS-485, 2-wire without Echo
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. Switches SW1 and SW2 allow the user to customize
this interface to their specific requirements. Each switch position corresponds to
a specific portion of the interface. If multiple ULTRA COMM+I.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
T Adds or removes the 120 ohm termination.
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).
L Connects the TX+ to RX+ for RS-485 two wire operation.
L Connects the TX- to RX- for RS-485 two wire operation.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ON
OFF 8 9 10
123TPPLLE
2-Wire
RS-485
NO Echo

Card Setup
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 4
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 COMM+I.PCI is the ability to be
RS-485 compatible without the need for special software or drivers. This ability
is especially useful in Operating Systems where the lower level I/O control is
abstracted from the application program. This ability means that the user can
effectively use the ULTRA COMM+I.PCI in an RS-485 application with
existing (i.e. standard RS-232) software drivers.
Switch SW2 is used to control the RS-485 mode functions for the driver circuit.
The selections are ‘RTS’ enable (silk-screen ‘RT’ switch position 4) or ‘Auto’
enable (silk-screen ‘AT’ switch position 3). The ‘Auto’ enable feature
automatically enables/disables the RS-485 interface. The ‘RTS’ mode uses the
‘RTS’ modem control signal to enable the RS-485 interface and provides
backward compatibility with existing software products.
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. Position 9 of SW1 is used to control the RS-485 enable/disable
functions for the receiver circuit. To select the ‘No Echo’ mode place switch
position 9 to the ‘On’ position (see Figure 5).
Figure 6 - RS-485 Enable modes
1 2 3 4
ON
OFF
D
1
D
4
A
T
R
T
SW2
RS-232/422
Default 1 2 3 4
ON
OFF
D
1
D
4
A
T
R
T
SW2
RS-485
Auto
Enabled

Card Setup
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 5
Clock Modes
The ULTRA COMM+I.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 switches SW-2.
To select the Baud rates commonly associated with COM: ports (i.e. 2400,
4800, 9600, 19.2, … 115.2K Bps) set switch position 2 to the ‘On’ position
(silk-screen D4). To select the maximum data rate (460.8K bps) set switch
position 1 to the ‘On’ position (silk-screen D1).
Figure 7 - Clocking Modes
D
1
D
4
A
T
R
T
1 2 3 4
ON
OFF
SW2
Divide by
1 mode
Divide by
4 mode
1 2 3 4
ON
OFF
D
1
D
4
A
T
R
T
SW2

Card Setup
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 6
Baud Rates and Divisors for the ‘Div1’ mode
The following table shows some common data rates and the rates you should
choose to match them if using the adapter in the ‘Div1’ mode.
For this Data Rate Choose this Data Rate
1200 bps 300 bps
2400 bps 600 bps
4800 bps 1200 bps
9600 bps 2400 bps
19.2K bps 4800 bps
57.6 K bps 14.4K bps
115.2 K bps 28.8K bps
230.4K bps 57.6K bps
460.8K bps 115.2K bps
If your communications package allows the use of Baud rate divisors, choose the
appropriate divisor from the following table:
For this Data Rate Choose this Divisor
1200 bps 384
2400 bps 192
4800 bps 96
9600 bps 48
19.2K bps 24
38.4K bps 12
57.6K bps 8
115.2K bps 4
230.4K bps 2
460.8K bps 1

Installation
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 7
Installation
Operating System Installation
For Windows Users
Start by choosing Install Software at the beginning of the CD. Choose
Asynchronous COM: Port Software, SeaCOM.
Other Operating Systems
Refer to the appropriate section of the Serial Utilities Software.
System Installation
The ULTRA COMM+I.PCI can be installed in any of the PCI expansion slots
and contains several jumper straps for each port that must be set for proper
operation.
1. Turn off PC power. Disconnect the power cord.
2. Remove the PC case cover.
3. Locate an available PCI slot and remove the blank metal slot cover.
4. Gently insert the ULTRA COMM+I.PCI into the slot. Make sure that the
adapter is seated properly.
5. Replace the screw.
6. Replace the cover.
7. Connect the power cord.
Installation is complete.

Technical Description
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 8
Technical Description
The Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI provides a PCI interface adapter
with an isolated asynchronous serial port providing a versatile interface, field
selectable as RS-232 for modems, printers and plotters, as well as RS-422/485
for industrial automation and control applications. Isolation is important in
installations where the equipment being connected to the PC is either far from
the PC, or on a different power transformer circuit. Ground loop current is a
commonly neglected and misunderstood phenomenon that leads to data loss and
the destruction of communications interfaces.
The ULTRA COMM+I.PCI utilizes the 16C850 UART. This chip features
programmable baud rates, data format, interrupt control and industry leading
128-byte FIFOs.

Technical Description
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 9
Connector Pin Assignments
RS-232 Signals (DB-25 Male)
Signal Name Pin # Mode
GND Ground 7
RD Receive Data 3 Input
CTS Clear To Send 5 Input
TD Transmit Data 2 Output
RTS Request to Send 4 Output
Note: These assignments meet EIA/TIA/ANSI-232E DTE
Technical Note: Please terminate any control signals that are not going to be used. The most
common way to do this is connect RTS to CTS and RI. Also, connect DCD to DTR and
DSR. Terminating these pins, if not used, will help insure you get the best performance
from your adapter.
RS-422/485/530 Pin Assignments (DB-25 Male)
Signal Name Pin # Mode
GND Ground 7
RDB RX+ Receive Data Positive 16 Input
RDA RX- Receive Data Negative 3 Input
CTSB CTS+ Clear To Send Positive 13 Input
CTSA CTS- Clear To Send Negative 5 Input
TDB TX+ Transmit Data Positive 14 Output
TDA TX- Transmit Data Negative 2 Output
RTSB RTS+ Request To Send Positive 19 Output
RTSA RTS- Request To Send Negative 4 Output

Specifications
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 10
Specifications
Environmental Specifications
Specification Operating Storage
Temperature
Range
0º to 50º C
(32º to 122º F)
-20º to 70º C
(-4º to 158º F)
Humidity Range 10 to 90% R.H.
Non-Condensing
10 to 90% R.H.
Non-Condensing
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
Supply line +5 VDC
Rating 380 mA
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Greater than 150,000 hours. (Calculated)
Physical Dimensions
Board length 4.90 inches (11.684 cm)
Board Height including Goldfingers 3.50 inches (8.89 cm)
Board Height excluding Goldfingers 3.175 inches (8.06 cm)

Appendix A - Troubleshooting
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 11
Appendix A - Troubleshooting
A Serial Utility Diskette is supplied with the Sealevel Systems adapter and will
be used in the troubleshooting procedures. By using this diskette 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. This includes
your on-board serial ports, controller cards, sound cards etc. The I/O
addresses used by these adapters, as well as the IRQ (if any) should be
identified.
2. Configure your Sealevel Systems 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 Sealevel Systems adapter is using a unique IRQ. While the
Sealevel Systems adapter does allow the sharing of IRQs, many other
adapters (i.e. SCSI adapters & on-board serial ports) do not. The IRQ is
typically selected via an on-board header block. Refer to the section on Card
Setup for help in choosing an I/O address and IRQ.
4. Make sure the Sealevel Systems adapter is securely installed in a
motherboard slot.
5. When running DOS or Windows 3.x refer to the supplied Sealevel Software
and this User Manual to verify that the Sealevel Systems adapter is
configured correctly. This software contains a diagnostic program ‘SSD’
that will verify if an adapter is configured properly. This diagnostic program
is written with the user in mind and is easy to use.
6. For Windows95/98/ME/NT/2000, the diagnostic tool ‘WinSSD’ is installed
in the SeaCOM folder on the Start Menu during the setup process. First find
the ports using the Device Manager, then use ‘WinSSD’ to verify that the
ports are functional.
7. Always use the Sealevel Systems diagnostic software when troubleshooting
a problem. This will eliminate any software issues from the equation.

Appendix B - How To Get Assistance
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 12
Appendix B - How To Get Assistance
Please refer to Appendix A - Troubleshooting prior to calling Technical Support.
1. Read this manual thoroughly before attempting to install the
adapter in your system.
2. 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.
3. Sealevel Systems maintains a Home page on the Internet. Our
home page address is www.sealevel.com. The latest software
updates, and newest manuals are available via our FTP site that can
be accessed from our home page.
4. Technical support is available Monday through 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.

Appendix C – Electrical Interface
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 13
Appendix C - Electrical Interface
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 wide spread 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
COMM+I.PCI is a DTE device.
RS-422
The RS-422 specification defines the electrical characteristics of balanced
voltage digital interface circuits. RS-422 is a differential interface that defines
voltage levels and driver/receiver electrical specifications. On a differential
interface, logic levels are defined by the difference in voltage between a pair of
outputs or inputs. In contrast, a single ended interface, for example RS-232,
defines the logic levels as the difference in voltage between a single signal and a
common ground connection. Differential interfaces are typically more immune to
noise or voltage spikes that may occur on the communication lines. Differential
interfaces also have greater drive capabilities that allow for longer cable lengths.
RS-422 is rated up to 10 Megabits per second and can have cabling 4000 feet
long. RS-422 also defines driver and receiver electrical characteristics that will
allow 1 driver and up to 32 receivers on the line at once. RS-422 signal levels
range from 0 to +5 volts. RS-422 does not define a physical connector.

Appendix C – Electrical Interface
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 14
RS-485
RS-485 is backwardly compatible with RS-422; however, it is optimized for
partyline or multi-drop applications. The output of the RS-422/485 driver is
capable of being Active (enabled) or Tri-State (disabled). This capability allows
multiple ports to be connected in a multi-drop bus and selectively polled.
RS-485 allows cable lengths up to 4000 feet and data rates up to 10 Megabits
per second. The signal levels for RS-485 are the same as those defined by
RS-422. RS-485 has electrical characteristics that allow for 32 drivers and 32
receivers to be connected to one line. This interface is ideal for multi-drop or
network environments. RS-485 tri-state driver (not dual-state) will allow the
electrical presence of the driver to be removed from the line. Only one driver
may be active at a time and the other driver(s) must be tri-stated. RS-485 can be
cabled in two ways, two wire and four wire mode. Two wire mode does not
allow for full duplex communication, and requires that data be transferred in
only one direction at a time. For half-duplex operation, the two transmit pins
should be connected to the two receive pins (Tx+ to Rx+ and Tx- to Rx-). Four
wire mode allows full duplex data transfers. RS-485 does not define a connector
pin-out or a set of modem control signals. RS-485 does not define a physical
connector.

Appendix D - Asynchronous Communications
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 15
Appendix D - Ground Loop Phenomenon
What is Ground Loop?
Ground loop Phenomenon occurs when two (or more) pieces of equipment are
connected together with a common ground and a different ground potential
exists at each location. This current can cause the connected equipment to
experience noise that in turn causes data transmission errors. In the extreme this
ground current can cause equipment malfunction or even destruction.
Cabling Recommendations
When connecting the ULTRA COMM+I.PCI in a RS-485 network, care should
be taken that both ends of the network are not isolated from ground (see Figure
8). This “floating” ground condition could cause the capacitive or inductive
coupling of voltages that will cause a break down in the DC to DC converter
circuit or in the opto-isolator circuit. This condition will cause data errors and
possibly destruction of the receiver circuit.
AB
Isolation
Barrier
DATA+
DATA-
Ground
Isolated
Adapter
Non
Isolated
Adapter
Figure 8 – ULTRA COMM+I.PCI cabling example

Appendix E - Asynchronous Communications
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 16
Appendix E - 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.
Remain Idle o
r
next start bit
Odd, Even
or
Unused
STOP
P
BIT
5 to 8 Data Bits
Idle state of
line
1
0
1
1.5
2
Figure 9 - 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 refereed 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).

Appendix F - Silk-Screen
Sealevel Systems ULTRA COMM+I.PCI Page 17
Appendix F - Silk-Screen
3.5"
4.9"