SEALEVEL SeaPORT+2 Serial Interface Adapter User Manual

SEALEVEL SeaPORT+2 Serial Interface Adapter

Product Information

The SeaPORT+2 is a product manufactured by Sealevel Systems. It is a device that equips a PC with 2 USB to RS-232/422/485 Asynchronous serial ports, providing a versatile interface for common serial needs. This product offers several advantages over traditional approaches, including not requiring the opening of the computer case or the use of resources such as I/O ports or IRQ’s. However, it does require a system that supports USB in terms of hardware and operating system.

Product Usage Instructions

Before You Get Started

What’s Included:

• SeaPORT+2 device
• Instruction manual
• Other accessories (if applicable)
  If any of the included items are missing or damaged, please contact the supplier for assistance.

Advisory Conventions:
This user manual uses different levels of importance to convey information. Please pay attention to the following 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.

Installation Instructions

Windows Operating Systems:

1. Do not connect the device to a USB port until the software is installed.
2. Locate, select, and install the correct software from the Sealevel software driver database.
3. Select the Part Number (2203) for your device from the listing.
4. Select the download link for ‘SeaCOM for Windows’.
5. The setup file will automatically detect the operating environment and install the proper components. Follow the information presented on the installation screens that follow.
6. A screen may appear with the declaration: “The publisher cannot be determined due to the…”

Physical Installation
To access the COM ports provided by the SeaPORT+2 device:

1. Refer to the assigned COM port identifiers. In this case, it is COM 3 and 4. Note that this assignment may vary from system to system.
2. At this point, the hardware is recognized and ready to use.

Configuration

Original Configuration:

• The SeaPORT+2 device ships from Sealevel Systems with the following configuration:
  • 422 mode
  • 120 ohm termination
  • 1K ohm pull up on RX+
  • 1K ohm pull down on RX-
• In order to change this configuration, you need to open the device by removing the four screws located on the bottom. When reassembling, ensure that the top and bottom are keyed to fit in only one direction.

Electrical Interface Selection:
Each of the two ports on the SeaPORT+2 can be individually configured as an RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 interface. This can be done using the DIP switches and DIP shunts. The switch positions are described on the following page.

Switch Descriptions:

• Port 2 Switch (SW4):
  • L: 485 option, OFF for 422.
  • T: OFF has no effect, ON connects TX+ to RX+ for two-wire operation.
  • PU: 485 option, OFF for 422. OFF has no effect, ON adds a 1 K ohm pull-up resistor to RX+.
  • PD: 485 option, OFF for 422. OFF has no effect, ON adds a 1 K ohm pull-down resistor to RX-.
• Port 1 Switch:
  • Same switch positions as Port 2 (SW4).

Introduction

The Sealevel Systems SeaPORT+2 equips the PC with 2 USB to RS-232/422/485 asynchronous serial ports that provide a versatile interface for general serial needs. The advantage of this product over more traditional approaches is that it does not require the computer case, nor does it need resources such as I/O ports or IRQs. It requires a system that supports USB both in terms of hardware and operating system.

Before You Go

What happened

The SeaPORT+2 is shipped with the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged, contact the supplier.

• SeaPORT + 2 USB to RS-232/422/485 Serial I/O adapter
• USB cable part number CA179 for connection to upstream host/hub

Advisory conventions

Installation instructions

Windows operating systems
Do not connect the device to a USB port until the software is installed.

1. Start by locating, selecting, and installing the correct software from the Sealevel Software driver database.
2. Select the part number (2203) for your device from the list.
3. Select the download link for ‘SeaCOM for Windows’.
4. The setup file will automatically detect the operating environment and install the correct components. Follow the information presented on the installation screens that follow.
5. A screen may appear with the declaration: “The publisher cannot be detected due to the problems below: Authentic signature not found.” Please select the ‘Yes’ button and continue with the installation. This declaration simply means that the operating system is not aware that the driver is loaded. It will not cause any harm to your system.
6. During the configuration you can specify the installation directories and other desired configurations. This program also adds entries to the system registry that are necessary to specify the operating parameters for each driver. An uninstall option is included to remove the driver and all registry/ini file entries from your system.
7. Continue with the physical installation of your Sealink USB serial adapter. Windows NT is not USB aware and therefore cannot support this device.

Physical Installation

• The screen captures below are taken from a Windows 98 installation. Your particular operating system may differ slightly from what is shown based on your version of Windows.
• The SeaPORT+2 can be connected to any upstream type “A” port either at the PC host or an upstream hub. The SeaPORT+2 is hot pluggable, meaning there is no need to power down your computer prior to installation.
• Connect the SeaPORT+2 to an upstream host or hub.
• The New Hardware Found wizard will now proceed to locate the appropriate drivers. These drivers were installed during the SeaCOM software setup procedure. Once the drivers are found a new window will pop up indicating the installation of each of the four new ports.
• If you view the system’s Device Manager, you should have new “COM” ports in the Ports (COM & LPT) Device Class.

• You can access your new COM: ports by using the assigned COM: identifiers as shown above. In this case, it is COM 3 and 4. However, this assignment will vary from system to system. At this point, the hardware is recognized and ready to use.

Configuration

Original Configuration
This device ships from Sealevel Systems with the following configuration.

• 422 mode,
• 120 ohm termination,
• 1K ohm pull up on RX+
• 1K ohm pull down on RX-
  In order to change this configuration, the box must be opened. Do this by removing the four screws located on the bottom. When reassembling please note that the top and bottom are keyed to fit in only one direction.

Electrical Interface Selection
Each of the two ports on the SeaPORT+2 can be individually configured as an RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485 interface. This is selectable via the DIP switches and DIP shunts. Each of the switch positions is described on the following page.

Switch Descriptions

• L 485 option, OFF for 422.
  • OFF: No effect
  • ON : Connects TX+ to RX+ for two-wire operation
• L 485 option, OFF for 422.
  • OFF: No effect
  • ON : Connects TX- to RX- for two-wire operation
• PU 485 option, OFF for 422.
  • OFF: No effect
  • ON : Adds a 1 K ohm pull-up resistor to RX+
• PD 485 option, OFF for 422.
  • OFF: No effect
  • ON : Adds a 1 K ohm pull-down resistor to RX-
• T 422 and 485 option.
  • OFF: No effect
  • ON : Adds a 120 ohm termination resistor between RX+ and RX-

Switch Examples

• 485 Mode Selection

  • OFF : 422 Mode
    The transmitter lines TX+ and TX- are always driven.

  • ON : 485 Mode
    The transmitter lines TX+ and TX- are switched to high impedance when the device is not actively transmitting data.

• NE 485 option, OFF for 422

  • OFF : The receiver is always enabled. In a two-wire setup the receiver will echo back all transmitted data.
  • ON : The receiver is disabled when the transmitter is enabled. In a two-wire setup the receiver will not echo back transmitted data.
    Switch positions 1 and 2 are for port 1 and switch positions 3 and 4 for port

• Port: RS-232
  The corresponding shunt is in the 232 position. The switches will have no effect.

• Port 2: RS-485 two wire communication with no echo.
  The corresponding shunt is in the 422/485 position. Switches 485 2, NE 2, and Port 2 L, L, T, PU, and PD are all in the ON position.

Technical Description

The SeaPORT+2 utilizes two USB UARTs. These chips feature programmable baud rate, data format, 128-byte Dual Port TX Buffer, and 384-byte Dual Port RX Buffer. The RS-232/422/485 transceiver supports data rates up to 921.6K baud for RS-422/485 and up to 460.8K baud for RS-232.

Features

•  Hot pluggable device that does not require opening the case
• No system resources are required (i.e. I/O ports or IRQ’s)
• LED status indicators for USB Enabled and port activity

Connector Pin Assignments

RS-422/485 (DB 9 Male)

RS-232 (DB-9 Male)

Specifications

Environmental Specifications

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
This device is a high-power USB device. It must be plugged into the USB root hub or a self-powered hub capable of supplying 500 mA per port.

Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
Greater than 150,000 hours. (Calculated)

Physical Dimensions

Appendix A – Troubleshooting

The adapter should provide years of trouble-free service. However, in the event that it appears to be functioning incorrectly, the following tips can eliminate most common problems without the need to call Technical Support.

1. If your adapter isn’t working, first check to make sure that USB support is enabled in the System BIOS and it is functioning properly in the operating system. This can be done by using either the Windows 98/ME or Windows 2000 Device Manager.
2. Ensure that the Sealevel Systems software has been installed on the machine so that the necessary files are in place to complete the installation.
3. When the SeaPORT+2 is configured properly, the USB Enabled LED (E) will be lit. This should allow you to use Sealevel’s WinSSD utility and the supplied loopback plug to check communications. The supplied loopback plug connects TD to RD. If you decide to test the Modem Control Signals, a full pin loopback plug will be required. Details on loopback plugs are included on WinSSD. Contact Sealevel Systems if you need further assistance.
4. When testing the SeaPORT+2 in loopback mode, you should see the port LED’s flashing as well as seeing echoed data on the screen. The loopback test first transmits a HEX pattern, 55AA, and then a ASCII string of data. If this test passes, then the SeaPORT+2 is ready for use in your application.
5. Please note that if the adapter is configured for 2 wire RS-485 with no echo a loopback test is not possible. The receiver in this case will be turned off and the test will fail. If you plan on using this device in two wire mode test the adapter in RS-422 mode first. Then configure the adapter for your application.
   If these steps do not solve your problem, please call Sealevel Systems’ Technical Support, 864-843-4343. Our technical support is free and available from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday. For email support contact support@sealevel.com.

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 864-843-4343.
  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

• 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 SeaPORT+2 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.

• 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

• 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. Character boundaries for asynchronous communications are defined by a starting bit followed by a pre-defined number of data bits (5, 6, 7, or 8). 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.

• 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).

Appendix E – Compliance Notices

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class B 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 residential installation. 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. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

•  Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
•  Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help

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 B – “Limits and methods of measurement of radio interference characteristics of information technology equipment”
• EN55024 – “Information technology equipment Immunity characteristics Limits and methods of measurement”.

United Kingdom Conformity Assessed Statement
Products with UKCA marking are in conformity with the essential requirements of the UK Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016:

• Equipment must be designed and manufactured to ensure that the electromagnetic disturbance generated does not exceed the level above which radio and telecommunications equipment cannot operate as intended.
• The equipment has a level of immunity to the electromagnetic disturbance to be expected in its intended use which allows it to operate without unacceptable degradation of its intended use.
  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.

Caution

• Sealevel Systems, Inc. is not responsible for any radio or television interference caused by unauthorized modifications of this equipment or the substitution of attachment of connecting cables and equipment other than those specified by
• Sealevel Systems. Such unauthorized modifications, substitutions, or attachments may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment. The correction of interference caused by such unauthorized modifications, substitutions, or attachments will be the responsibility of the user.
• 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 directives.

Canadian Radio Interference Regulations
This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

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 864-843-4343
• Email support@sealevel.com

Trademarks
Sealevel Systems, Incorporated acknowledges that all trademarks referenced in this manual are the service mark, trademark, or registered trademark of the respective company.

References

• FAQs - Sealevel
• WinSSD Software Utility Overview - Sealevel

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