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Chapter 2: Overview
2. Overview
2.1 Introduction
The USB to Multi RS-232/485 Interface Converter enables you to quickly connect
up to 16 RS-232 and/or RS-485 peripherals and serial industrial devices to your PC
through a single USB port.
With this external standalone or rackmounted unit, you can control multiple and
varying devices without installing serial PCI cards and configuring multiple I/O
ports in your system.
The USB to Multi RS-232/485 Interface Converter’s architecture greatly reduces
the overhead on the host computer—this despite its communicating with many
ports and devices simultaneously. It uses 16 separate USB UARTs.
Ideal for factory automation and industrial control uses. Use it to connect to
multiple factory automation devices, such as data loggers and industrial
machinery, or any device that depends on links that aren’t affected by excessive
noise or spikes in voltage. The USB to Multi RS-232/485 Interface Converter also
has two USB 1.1 downstream connections. These make it convenient to daisychain
multiple interface converter units or plug in USB peripherals.
This unique design of the USB to Multi RS-232/485 Interface Converter port con-
nectors makes it easy to install and service serial devices in the field. Both RS-232
and two-wire RS-485 signals are always present and active on the multi-interface
RJ-45 connectors. All you have to do is choose the appropriate pinout for either
RS-232 or RS-485 on a port-by-port basis. You never need to open up the
converter chassis to configure internal jumpers, switches, or shunts.
USB software drivers and utilities included with the USB to Multi RS-232/485
Interface Converter make installation and operation straightforward.
After you install the software drivers, each serial port appears as a standard COM
port to your host system, enabling compatibility with your legacy software (the
included drivers support a number of popular third-party software programs,
including those used for process control).
The API interface included on the installation CD gives you a variety of useful
high-level function calls, implemented as a Windows
®
dynamic-link library (DLL).
Plus, you get a WinSSD diagnostic utility for verifying operation.
