B&B Electronics SL2736-698 User Manual

SocketSerial™ I/O Card

CompactFlash and PC Cards for adding RS-232 serial communications ports to

Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE/5.0 handheld computers Windows XP/Vista/7 notebook or desktop PCs

User’s Guide

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Serial I/O Card and Hi-Speed COM Tools are trademarks of B&B Electronics. All other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.

The SocketSerial I/O Card includes technology licensed under United States Patent Nos. 4,543,450, 4,603,320, 4,686,506, and 4,972,470.

Reproduction of the contents of this manual without the permission of B&B Electronics is expressly prohibited. Please be aware that the products described in this manual may change without notice.

Other than the above, B&B Electronics can assume no responsibility for anything resulting from the application of information contained in this manual.

Please refrain from any applications of the B&B Electronics product that are not described in this manual. B&B Electronics also requests that you refrain from disassembling the card. Disassembly of this device will void the product warranty.

You can track new product releases, software updates and technical bulletins by visiting www.quatech.com.

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Table of Contents

About the Software 4 System Requirements 4 Card Versions 5 Package Contents 5

2 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 6

Setup Summary 6 STEP 1: Install the Software 6 STEP 2: Insert the Serial I/O Card 7 Hi-Speed COM Tools 8

3 | SETUP FOR WINDOWS 7, VISTA OR XP 14

Setup Summary 14 STEP 1: Insert the Installation CD 14 STEP 2: Insert the Card 14 STEP 3: Complete the Installation 16

Windows 7 16 Windows XP or Windows Vista 17

Hi-Speed COM Tools 18

APPENDIX A SPECIFICATIONS 24 APPENDIX B ADVANCED SOFTWARE INSTALLATION FOR WINDOWS MOBILE 26 LIMITED WARRANTY 27 LIMITED SOFTWARE WARRANTY 28 REGULATORY COMPLIANCE 29

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1 | Introduction

Would you like to connect a serial device to a Pocket PC, laptop or tablet computer that doesn’t have a serial port? The Serial I/O Card makes it easy to add a high-speed RS-232 port to a variety of Windows-based systems. Windows recognizes the card as a standard COM port, so installation is a snap.

Connect to a wide range of serial devices, such as GPS receivers, bar code scanners, monitoring and control systems, diagnostic tools, satellite phones, writers for court reporting, printers, lab equipment, field data collection devices, and more.

The Serial I/O Card features plug-and-play and hot swapping with most Windowsbased mobile computers. Hot swapping is the ability to add and remove devices while a computer is running and have the system automatically recognize the change.

The Serial I/O Card is the world’s lowest power plug-in card due to its exclusive Battery Friendly design. Using only

2.4 mA (8 mW) in standby mode, the Serial I/O Card is the best choice for adding an RS-232 port to a batterypowered PDA, laptop or tablet PC.

About the Software

Want to transmit data at speeds up to 921 kbps, but have a serial application that only lists speeds up to 115 kbps? Hi-Speed COM Tools and drivers let you use your application at high COM port speeds, even custom baud rates like 230.4 or 921.6 kbps.

The utility’s user-friendly interface reports your COM port number, and Windows 2000/XP users can also change the COM port assignment. Advanced users can also change the flow control properties.

As a service for our customers, we provide FREE software updates online at: www.quatech.com.

System Requirements

Your computer should meet these minimum requirements: Any of the following operating systems: Windows Mobile 5.0, 2003SE or 2003 Windows XP, Vista, or 7 CompactFlash or PC Card slot (Operation in a PC Card slot requires a PC Card adapter) Windows Mobile or CE devices require ActiveSync 4.0 or greater

Note: We do not recommend using the Serial I/O Card with a mouse. If you have a mouse with a serial connector, plug your mouse into your notebook’s built-in serial port.

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Card Versions

The Serial I/O Cards are available in either the CompactFlash (CF) or PC Card (PCMCIA) form factor and with either of two cable builds. To operate a CompactFlash card in a PC Card slot, use a Type II PC Card adapter. All cables have an industry-standard male DB-9 connector.

The standard Serial I/O Card features a detachable cable. (CompactFlash card shown.)

The Ruggedized Serial I/O Card features a permanent cable and molded strain relief, better suited for harsher industrial applications. (PC Card shown.)

Package Contents

The Serial I/O Card package includes these items:

Serial I/O Card Serial cable with DB-9 connector (permanently attached for Ruggedized cards, detachable for standard cards) Installation Disc containing software and user documentation

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2 | Setup for Windows Mobile

This chapter describes how to set up the Serial I/O Card on Pocket PCs or other devices running Windows Mobile 5.0, 2003SE or 2003.

Setup Summary

STEP 1: Intall the software. STEP 2: Insert the Serial I/O Card.

STEP 1: Install the Software

ADVANCED USERS: See Appendix B for CAB installation instructions.

Makes sure you have ActiveSync 4.0 or later. You can download it free from www.quatech.com.

Use ActiveSync and a serial/Ethernet/USB cable or cradle to make an active connection between the mobile computer and a host PC.

ActiveSync should report that you have connected, and the ActiveSync icon should turn green.

Insert the installation CD into your host PC.

Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to access the CD-ROM drive. In the CD, click on setup.

The Setup Center will begin. Follow the wizard to install the software.

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Note: The card and cable should join snugly and remain attached after you release the latches. To remove the cable, press the side latches and pull gently.

When software installation is complete, disconnect the device from the host PC. Soft reset the device by pressing the reset button.

IMPORTANT! If you do not soft reset the device, the Hi-Speed COM Tools icon will not appear!

STEP 2: Insert the Serial I/O Card

If using a detachable cable, attach it to the card. Press the side latches of the cable connector, insert the connector into the bottom of the card, and release.

Insert the card into your device’s expansion card slot. Insert the card right-side up, with the blue label on top.

If using a detachable cable, do not shove on the cable during card insertion.

If using a CF card in a PC Card slot, use a PC Card adapter.

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IMPORTANT! When removing the cable, press on the side latches before pulling the cable! Otherwise, you can damage the connector and card!

WARNING! DO NOT insert the card upside down or shove the card in too hard. Damage may occur! When properly inserted, the card will be fully contained within the slot, with only the connector and cable protruding.

Note: To remove the card, press your device’s card eject button, if available, then remove slowly.

Hi-Speed COM Tools

Hi-Speed COM Tools is a powerful utility that allows you to use higher baud rates with serial applications designed for lower speeds. Advanced users can also configure custom baud rates and modify flow control properties. The handy utility also reports your COM port number.

This section explains how to do the following: Start Hi-Speed COM Tools View COM port assignment Determine the maximum baud rate of your card Map baud rates Use advanced options

Start Hi-Speed COM Tools

Tap Start | Settings | Connections tab | Hi-Speed COM Tools.

Note: If the Hi-Speed COM Tools icon does not appear, soft reset your device by pressing the reset button.

View COM Port Assignment

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After you start Hi-Speed COM Tools, the Ports screen appears, reporting your type of Serial I/O Card, number of

Card Type

Part Number

Not Compatible with Hi-Speed COM Tools

Maximum Baud Rate

230 kbps

921 kbps

CF with Removable cable

8510-00094 8010-00075

Rev A

Rev B

Rev C or later

CF with Ruggedized cable

8510-00115 8010-00087

Rev A

Rev B

Rev C or later

Custom CF Card

8510-00155

N/A

Rev A

N/A

ports, and the COM port assignment.

Determine the Maximum Baud Rate of Your Card

If you plan to use Hi-Speed COM Tools to map baud rates, you should know the maximum baud rate that your Serial I/O Card can handle. The most recent revisions of the card can handle higher baud rates, up to 921 kbps. Check the Revision Level (Rev) of your card and refer to the chart below to determine the maximum baud rate of your card.

Note: The maximum baud rate varies with your device’s operating system, processor speed, and other variables.

Higher baud rates may not work correctly on some older devices.

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