New PCI Express with Two Optically Isolated Serial Ports

Sealevel’s 7203e PCI Express serial interface provides two optically isolated serial ports, each individually configurable for RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485. Each serial port utilizes a high-performance UART with 128-byte Tx/Rx FIFOs that enables data rates to 460.8K bps for reliable high-speed communications in data-intensive applications. The 7203e is the perfect choice for electrical noisy conditions and protects against harmful current loops and power surges commonly found in industrial environments.

The board’s 16C952 UART includes 9-bit framing support and is register compatible with legacy 16550 software applications. In addition, the board derives a 62.5 MHz clock from the PCI Express link. This ultra-high-speed clock is divided by a flexible 8-bit clock prescaler with 1/8 steps to provide support for the widest range of standard and non-standard baud rates. The 7203e is a PCI Express X1 board compatible with any PCI Express slot.

In RS-485 mode the board provides automatic control of the RS-485 driver in hardware, eliminating the need for application software control. This allows the 7203e to be used with standard serial communications applications and removes the risk of bus contention and data corruption. Additionally, RS-485 network termination, critical to robust multi-drop communication, can be selectively added to the circuit via DIP-switches. In RS-232 mode, all modem control signals are implemented for maximum compatibility with a variety of serial peripherals. The 7203e’s advanced features and scalable performance makes it an ideal I/O solution across a broad range of platforms.

Sealevel’s SeaCOM software makes installation and operation easy using Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.