SEALEVEL C4-104 Serial Interface Adapter User Manual

SEALEVEL C4-104 Serial Interface Adapter

Introduction

Overview

The Sealevel Systems C4-104 series provides four selectable RS-232 or RS-422/485 serial I/O ports for your PC/104 application.

Factory Default Settings

The C4-104 factory default settings are as follows:

For your reference, record installed C4-104 settings below:

Before You Get Started

What’s Included

The C4-104 is shipped with the following items. If any of these items are missing or damaged, contact the supplier.

• (1) C4-104 Serial Interface Adapter
  

• (4) DB-9 Cable Assemblies
  

• (1) Nylon Hardware Kit

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.

Card Setup

The C4-104 contains several jumper straps for each port that must be set for proper operation.

Address Selection

The C4-104 occupies four port addresses with each port occupying 8 consecutive I/O locations. A DIP  switch (SW1) is used to set the port address options for the C4-104. Be careful when selecting the port addresses as some selections may conflict with existing ports. The following table shows the addressing options available with the standard PAL. If you do not see an address option that suits your needs, please contact Sealevel Systems Technical Support about a custom PAL option.

• Figure 1 – Address Selection Table
  Port 1
  J1| Port2
  J2| Port 3
  J3| Port 4
  J4| SW 1
  1| SW 1
  2| SW 1
  3| SW 1
  4
  ---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
  3F8| 2F8| 3E8| 2E8| On| On| On| On
  2F8| 3E8| 2E8| 2EO| On| On| On| Off
  3E8| 2E8| 280| 288| On| On| Off| On
  280| 288| 290| 298| On| On| Off| Off
  2A0| 2A8| 280| 288| On| Off| On| On
  500| 508| 510| 518| On| Off| On| Off
  580| 588| 590| 598| On| Off| Off| On

DOS Note
Typically COM1: through COM4: addresses are 3F8, 2F8, 3E8 & 2E8 Hex (this is the first addressing option in the above table). If a COM1: is already present use the second addressing option, this will provide the typical addresses for COM2: through COM4: and a fourth port address at 2E0 Hex.

• Figure 2 – Port to Connector Table
   Port #| Connector Location
  ---|---
  1| J2
  2| J3
  3| J4
  4| J5

IRQ Selection

Headers E1-E4 select the Interrupt Request (IRQ) for each serial port. E1 selects the IRQ selection for Port 1, E2 for Port 2, E3 for Port 3, and E4 for Port 4. If COM1: is selected, this jumper must be on the IRQ4 setting. If COM2: is selected, this jumper must be on IRQ3. Consult your particular software for IRQ selection. If no interrupt is desired, remove the jumper.

• Figure 3 – Headers E1, E2, E3, & E4 – IRQ Selection
  

Position “R” is provided so that you can install a jumper that connects a 1K ohm pull-down resistor to the output of a high-impedance tri-state driver that carries the IRQ signal. Because the IRQ line is driven low only by the pull- down resistor you can have two or more boards which share the same IRQ signal. Position “R” installed is the default setting and should be left on unless multiple ports or cards are sharing a single IRQ. If multiple ports or cards are sharing a single IRQ then only one pull-down resistor is needed in the circuit.

RS-485 Mode (RTS Enable)

E7 & E8 select whether the RS-485 driver is enabled by the UART signal Request To Send (RTS) or always enabled. With the jumper installed, RTS enables the RS-485 driver. Removing the jumper enables the driver regardless of RTS. The jumper should be installed for a 2/4 wire RS-485 application where the C4-104 is acting as a polled node on a multi-drop network. Remove the jumper if you are using a point to point RS422 application such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s), etc. Half-duplex two-wire operation is also possible by connecting TX+ to RX+ and TX- to RX- in your cable hood.

To enable the driver with RTS install jumpers at E7-1 for Port 1, E7-3 for Port 2, E8-1 for Port 3, and E8-3 for Port 4. Failure to correctly set this jumper can cause transmitter contention problems preventing operation by any nodes on the network.

By connecting the TX+ to the RX+ and TX- to RX- you will experience a condition termed RS-485 “Echo”. This means that when you transmit a data character it will be “Echoed” back through the receiver circuit, presenting itself as a received data character. This can be useful in RS-485 communications by providing a benchmark for the end of transmission (i.e., when the amount of received data available equals the transmit data count). The RS-485 “Echo” can be disabled at E7 and E8. To disable the echo install a jumper at E7-2 for Port 1, E7-4 for Port 2, E8-2 for Port 3, and E8-4 for Port 4.

The following example shows the drivers in the RS-485 mode and the echo enabled.

• Figure 4 – Headers E7 and E8 – RS-485 Enable and Echo Selection
  E7-1| Port 1 RS-485 Enable
  ---|---
  E7-2| Port 1 RS-485 Echo Disable
  E7-3| Port 2 RS-485 Enable
  E7-4| Port 2 RS-485 Echo Disable
  E8-1| Port 3 RS-485 Enable
  E8-2| Port 3 RS-485 Echo Disable
  E8-3| Port 4 RS-485 Enable
  E8-4| Port 4 RS-485 Echo Disable

Interface Selection

Due to the versatility of the C4-104, a wide range of interface configuration options is available to the end user. Please use this section as a guide in configuring your board to provide the interface you require.

RS-232

1. Remove the 75174 drivers at U1 & U5.
2. Install MAX204 drivers at U2 & U6.
3. Remove all jumpers at E5 and E6.

RS-422/485

1. Install the 75174 drivers at U1 & U5.
2. Remove MAX204 drivers at U2 & U6.
3. Install all jumpers at E5 and E6.

Combined RS-232 & RS-422/485

Please use the following table as a guide in configuring the C4-104 in this manner.

Ports 1 & 2 RS-232
Ports 3 & 4 RS-422| U2 & US Installed
U1 & U6 Removed| E6 jumpers
E5 jumpers| Removed
Installed
Ports 1 & 2 RS-422
Ports 3 & 4 RS-232| U1 & U6 Installed
U2 & US Removed| E6 jumpers
E5 jumpers| Installed
Removed

Software Installation

Windows Installation

Do not install the Adapter in the machine until the software has been fully installed.

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 support@sealevel.com to receive access to the proper driver download and installation instructions.

1. Begin by locating, selecting, and installing the SeaCOM Asynchronous Serial Software Suite.
2. Select “Download Now” for SeaCOM for Windows.
3. The setup files will automatically detect the operating environment and install the proper components. Follow the information presented on the screens that follow.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The software is now installed, and you can proceed with the hardware installation.

Linux

Refer to the Linux.serial.readme file found in the Sealevel Systems Linux SeaCOM software. This file contains valuable information on installing your adapter in the various Linux releases. Also in this subdirectory is the Linux SerialHOWTO. This series of files explains typical Linux serial implementations, as well as informing the user to Linux syntax and preferred practices.

QNX

Refer to the QNX6\Install.readme file in Sealevel System’s SeaCOM software. This file contains valuable information on installing your adapter in the QNX6 Neutrino OS, as well as the files required to ensure a flawless implementation. Also provided are implementation instructions for QNX4. These are found in in a file called – QNX4\QNX_COM.txt.

For additional software support, 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: support@sealevel.com.

Physical Installation

Do not install the Adapter in the machine until the software has been fully installed.

Extreme care should be taken when installing the C4-104 to avoid causing damage to the connectors. After the adapter is installed, connect your I/O cables to J1-J4. Please note these headers are keyed so that pin 1 of the cable matches pin 1 of the connector. Refer to Card Setup for information on setting the address and jumper options before inserting the C4-104 onto the stack.

1. Turn off PC power. Disconnect the power cord.
2. Remove the PC case cover (if applicable).
3. Gently insert the C4-104 connector P1 noting proper key orientation of the expansion connector on a PC/104 compatible card. The C4-104 adapter is keyed per the PC/104 Revision 2.1 Specification. This will aid in preventing the adapter from being inserted incorrectly.
4. Mounting hardware (nylon stand-offs and screws) is provided to insure a good mechanical connection. Retain any mounting hardware not used to allow for future expansion.
5. The cables provided are keyed and can be installed before or after the adapter is inserted in the stack.
6. Replace the cover.
7. Connect the power cord

Installation is complete.

Technical Description

The C4-104 provides four RS-232 or RS-422/485 serial ports, utilizing a 16554 UART. This chip features programmable baud rates, data format, interrupt control and a 16-byte input and output FIFO. This UART is essentially four 16550 compatible UARTs in a 68 pin PLCC package.

Features

• PC/104 compatible “Stack Through” connector for universal mounting.
• 5 volt DC operation.
• DB-9P interface cables provided for ease in connecting.
• All mounting hardware provided.
• Supports TD, RD, RTS, CTS signals.
• Compatible with 16550 specific software.
• RS-422 version Part Number: 3520
• RS-232 version Part Number: 3521 • RS-422/232 version Part number: 3522

Connector Pin assignments

RS-232 (Male DB9)

• Figure 5 – RS-232 Connector Pin Assignments
  Signal| Name| DB9| J1-J4| Mode
  ---|---|---|---|---
  GND| Ground| 5| 9|
  TD| Transmit Data| 3| 5| Output
  RTS| Request To Send| 7| 4| Output
  RD| Receive Data| 2| 3| Input
  CTS| Clear To Send| 8| 6| Input

These pin assignments meet the EIA/TIA/ANSI-574 DTE for DB-9 type connectors. These are the only pins that can be connected in your cable for RS-232. If any other connections are made your data may become corrupted. If RTS and CTS are not being used terminate them by connecting the pins together. This will help insure the best performance.

RS-422/485

• Figure 6 – RS-422/485 Connector Assignments
    Signal| DB9| DB9| J1-J4| Mode
  ---|---|---|---|---
  TX+| Transmit Data Positive| 4| 7| Output RS-422
  TX-| Transmit Data Negative| 3| 5| Output RS-422
  RTS+| Request To Send Positive| 6| 2| Output RS-422
  RTS-| Request To Send Negative| 7| 4| Output RS-422
  GND| Ground| 5| 9|
  RX+| Receive Data Positive| 1| 1| Input RS-422
  RX-| Receive Data Negative| 2| 3| Input RS-422
  CTS+| Clear To Send Positive| 9| 8| Input RS-422
  CTS-| Clear To Send Negative| 8| 6| Input RS-422

Status Port

The Sealevel C4-104 also provides the user with an interrupt status port for greater throughput when servicing multiple ports on a single interrupt line. The interrupt status port is a read only 8-bit port that sets a corresponding bit when an interrupt is pending. Port 1 interrupt line corresponds with bit D0 of the status port, Port 2 with bit D1, Port 3 with bit D2, and Port 4 with bit D3. The status port allows your system to reduce the amount of polling required to service up to four ports. Bits D4 through D7 are not driven by the interrupt status port and can be either a 1 or 0.

The Status Port is located at Base+7 on each port (example: Base=280 Hex, status port=287, 28F, 297, and 29F Hex.

All four status ports on the C4-104 are identical, so any one of the four can be read.

Example: This indicates that Port 2 has an interrupt pending.

Specifications

Environmental Specifications

221° 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

Physical Dimensions

The C4-104 is PC/104 “Compliant” meaning that it conforms to all non-optional aspects of the PC/104 Specification including both mechanical and electrical specifications.

Appendix A – Troubleshooting

The adapter should provide years of trouble-free service. However, in the event that device appears to not be functioning incorrectly, the following tips can eliminate most common problems 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 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. If you are utilizing an operating system prior to Windows 7, please contact Sealevel‘s Technical support as directed below to receive more information regarding the utility software which will determine if your product is functioning properly.
6. Only users running Windows 7 or newer should utilize the diagnostic tool ‘WinSSD’ 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 help eliminate any software issues and identify any hardware conflicts.

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 A.M.- 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time Monday through Friday. For email support contact support@sealevel.com.

Appendix B – How To Get Assistance

Please refer to Troubleshooting Guide prior to calling Technical Support.

1. Begin by reading through the Troubleshooting Guide in Appendix A. If assistance is still needed, please see below.
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 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.
4. Sealevel Systems maintains a web page on the Internet. Our home page address is https://www.sealevel.com/. The latest software updates, and newest manuals are available via our website.
5. 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 often operates at 38.4 Kbps over very short distances. The voltage levels defined by RS-232 range from -12 to +12 volts. RS232 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. A voltage of +12 volts (usually +3 to +10 volts) represents a binary 0 (space) and -12 volts (-3 to -10 volts) denotes a binary 1 (mark). The RS-232 and the EIA/TIA-574 specification defines two type of interface circuits, Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment (DCE). The Sealevel Systems adapter is a DTE interface.

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 party line 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. The output modem control signal RTS controls the state of the driver. Some communication software packages refer to RS-485 as RTS enable or RTS block mode transfer. 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 – PC/104

What is PC/104?

The PC has become extremely popular in both general purpose (desktop) and dedicated (embedded) applications. Unfortunately, the PC has been hampered by the large size required to maintain PC compatibility. PC/104 addresses this by optimizing the PC bus in a form factor designed for embedded applications.

Briefly, the key differences between PC/104 and the standard “AT” or ISA bus computer are as follows:

• Reducing the form factor, to 3.550 by 3.775 inches
• Eliminating the need for backplanes or card cages, through its self-stacking bus
• Minimizing component count and power consumption (typically 12 Watts per module) by reducing required bus drive on most signals to 4 mA.

Sealevel Systems has been a member of the PC/104 Consortium since its inception. Also Sealevel Systems has two members on the working group that is currently having the PC/104 bus approved by the IEEE as P996.1.

Questions about the PC/104 Consortium can be sent to:

PC/104 Consortium P. O. Box 4303 Mountain View, CA 94040 415-903-8304 Ph. 415-967-0995 Fax www.controlled.com/pc104

Appendix E – Silk Screen

Appendix F – Compliance Notices

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for Class A 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 commercial environment. 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. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in such case the user will be required to correct the interference at the users expense.

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

This is a Class A Product. In a domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures to prevent or correct the interference.

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 directive.

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

• controlled.com/pc104
• FAQs - Sealevel
• Sealevel - I/O & Computing Products, Engineering and Manufacturing
• SeaCOM Software Overview - Sealevel
• WinSSD Software Utility Overview - Sealevel

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