PCI Card Provides Eight Serial Ports

Supporting 3.3V and 5V systems, the PCI-1622CU PCI card offers users eight RS-422/485 ports. Using four cards provides communication for as many as 32 devices. In RS-485 mode, the cards automatically sense data-flow direction and switch the transmission direction with no need for handshaking. The PCI-1622CU employs surge protection that shields the host system from voltages up to 2.5 kVdc and supports optical isolation up to 2.5 kVdc. Other features include communication distances up to 1.2 km and a software bundle for card-performance evaluation. Operating-system support includes Windows 98/2000/ME/XP and Linux. ADVANTECH CORP., Industrial Automation Group, Cincinnati, OH. (877) 294-8989.