Impulse 2161 User Manual

SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Part Number 2161

www.sealevel.com PO Box 830 – Liberty, SC 29657 864.843.4343

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1

OTHER SEALEVEL USB SERIAL I/O PRODUCTS........................................................................... 1

BEFORE YOU GET STARTED................................................................................................. 2

WHAT’S INCLUDED...................................................................................................................... 2

OPTIONAL ITEMS.......................................................................................................................... 2

SOFTWARE INSTALLATION.................................................................................................. 3

WINDOWS 98/ME/2000/XP......................................................................................................... 3

RD

3

PARTY SOFTWARE SUPPORT .................................................................................................. 3

PHYSICAL INSTALLATION....................................................................................................4

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................... 5

CONNECTOR PIN ASSIGNMENTS (RJ45)....................................................................................... 5

OPTIONAL RJ45 TO DB9 RS-232 ADAPTER................................................................................ 6

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS......................................................................................7

FEATURES.................................................................................................................................... 7

SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX A - TROUBLESHOOTING ................................................................................... 8

APPENDIX B - HOW TO GET ASSISTANCE ........................................................................ 9

APPENDIX C – ELECTRICAL INTERFACE....................................................................... 10

RS-232 ...................................................................................................................................... 10

APPENDIX D - ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS ................................................ 11

APPENDIX E – SILK SCREEN – 2161 PCB .......................................................................... 12

APPENDIX F - COMPLIANCE NOTICES ............................................................................ 13

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION STATEMENT ........................................................... 13

WARRANTY............................................................................................................................... 14

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.
SL9006 Revision 11/2006

SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Introduction

The Sealevel Systems SeaLINK+16/232.RJ (Item# 2161) is a USB device that
equips the PC with 16 RS-232 Asynchronous serial ports that support TX, RX, RTS,
and CTS and data rates up to 115.2K baud. The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ also provides
two USB 1.1 downstream ports (fully rated at 500 mA per port) for conveniently
connecting additional SeaLINK+16/232.RJ devices or other USB peripherals.

The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is designed to be used with a variety of Operating Systems
including Windows 98/ME/2000/XP. The SeaCOM API (Application Programmer
Interface) included on CD with the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ provides a variety of useful
high-level function calls implemented as a Windows dynamic link library (DLL). In
addition to the API, SeaCOM includes sample code and utilities to simplify software
development.

Other Sealevel USB Serial I/O Products

SeaLINK+232 (P/N 2101) - 1-Port RS-232 DB25

SeaLINK+232 (P/N 2105) - 1-Port RS-232 DB9

SeaLINK+485 (P/N 2102) - 1-Port RS-422/485/530

SeaLINK+232I (P/N 2103) - 1-Port Isolated RS-232

SeaLINK+485I (P/N 2104) - 1-Port Isolated RS-422/485/530

SeaLINK+2/232 (P/N 2201) - 2-Port RS-232

SeaLINK+2/485 (P/N 2202) - 2-Port RS-422/485

SeaLINK+2 (P/N 2203) - 2-Port RS-232/422/485

SeaLINK+2/232.PC (P/N 2208) - 2-Port RS-232 Box Header

SeaLINK+4/232 (P/N 2401) - 4-Port RS-232

SeaLINK+4/485 (P/N 2402) - 4-Port RS-422/485

SeaLINK+4 (P/N 2403) - 4-Port RS-232/422/485

SeaLINK+8/232 (P/N 2801) - 8-Port RS-232

SeaLINK+8/485 (P/N 2802) - 8-Port RS-422/485

SeaLINK+8 (P/N 2803) - 8-Port RS-232/422/485

SeaLINK+16.VC (P/N 2167) - 16-Port RS-232/485 VersaCom

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Before You Get Started

What’s Included

The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is shipped with the following items. If any of these items
is missing or damaged please contact Sealevel for replacement.

 Item# 2161 – SeaLINK+16/232.RJ USB 16-Port Serial Device
 Item# CA179 – 72” USB ‘A’ to ‘B’ Device Cable
 Item# TR101 – 5VDC @ 3A Power Supply
 Item# LB116 – RS-232 RJ45 Serial Loopback
 Sealevel SeaCOM Software CD

Optional Items

Depending upon your application, you are likely to find one or more of the
following items useful for interfacing the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ. All items can be
purchased from our website (http://www.sealevel.com) or by calling 864-843-4343.

 DB9 Male to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ9P-232)

Preconfigured for use with the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ, this modular adapter
converts the RJ45 RS-232 pinout from the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ to a DB9 male
RS-232 serial port. Standard CAT5 patch cables can be used to extend the serial
port up to 50 feet away from the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ.

 DB25 Male to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ25P-232)

Preconfigured for use with the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ, this modular adapter
converts the RJ45 RS-232 pinout from the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ to a DB25 male
RS-232 serial port. Standard CAT5 patch cables can be used to extend the serial
port up to 50 feet away from the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ.

 DB9 Male to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ9P8)

The RJ9P8 includes an RJ45 connector and converts it to a DB9 Male connector,
which allows the use of standard twisted pair cabling. The RJ9P8 ships
unassembled and can be configured for virtually any pin out.

 DB25 Male to RJ45 Modular Adapter (Item# RJ25P8)

The RJ25P8 includes an RJ45 connector and converts it to a DB25 Male
connector, which allows the use of standard twisted pair cabling. The RJ25P8
ships unassembled and can be configured for virtually any pin out.

 USB ‘A’ to ‘A’ Extension Cable, 3 Meters in Length (Item# CA214)

The CA214 is a fully rated USB extension cable that allows adding 3 meters
(USB maximum of 5 meters) to any existing USB cable. The cable has a type ‘A’
male connector on one end and a type ‘A’ female connector on the other end.

 RJ45 Patch Cable, 7’ in Length (Item# CA246)

Standard 7’ CAT5 patch cable with one-to-one pinout.

 RJ45 Patch Cable, 10’ in Length (Item# CA247)

Standard 10’ CAT5 patch cable with one-to-one pinout.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Software Installation

Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Do not connect the device to a USB port until the software has been fully
installed.

1. Start Windows.

2. Insert the Sealevel Systems CD in to your CD drive.

3. If ‘Auto-Start’ is enabled for this drive the software will automatically launch.
Otherwise, point your browser to the ‘Index.htm’ on the root directory of the CD

4. Select ‘Install Software’.

5. Select the Part Number for your adapter from the listing.

6. Select ‘Windows 98/ME/2000/XP’. The setup file will automatically detect the
operating environment and install the proper components. Next (depending on
the OS version) select the ‘Run this program from its current location’ or ‘Open’
option. Follow the information presented on the screens that follow.

7. A screen may appear with the declaration: “The publisher cannot be determined
due to the problems below: Authenticode signature not found.” Please select 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.

8. 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.

Windows NT Note: Windows NT is not USB aware and thus cannot support this
device.

3rd Party Software Support

Third party software support for many HMI/MMI and other process control software
is included on the product installation CD. For the most up to date information on
third party software support, please visit
http://www.sealevel.com/thirdpartysoftware.asp.

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Physical Installation

The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ can be connected to any spare USB port.

Do not connect the device to a USB port until the software has been fully
installed.

1. Connect the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ to external power using the included TR101
power supply.

2. Connect the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ to a USB port with the supplied CA179 USB
device cable.

3. The software drivers installed during setup will automatically recognize and
configure the device.

4. You should see one or more “New Hardware Found” windows, indicating the
actual device being created.

5. NOTE: The installation will repeat twice for each COM port (a total of 32 times
on the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ). This is a limitation in the way Windows installs
external serial devices.

6. Next, view your system’s Device Manager.

7. You should have new COM: ports in the Ports (COM & LPT) Device Class
indicating the installation was successful.

8. You can access your new COM: port by using the assigned COM: identifier. This
assignment will vary from system to system.

9. To verify operation use Sealevel Systems supplied WinSSD diagnostic utility.
WinSSD can be found in the Start, Programs group.

The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is now ready for use.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Technical Description

The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ utilizes sixteen USB UARTs. These chips feature
programmable baud rate, data format, 128 byte Dual Port TX Buffer, and 384 byte
Dual Port RX Buffer. The RS-232 transceivers support data rates up to 115.2K bps.

Connector Pin Assignments (RJ45)

Name Pin # Mode

NC No Connect 1
RTS Request To Send 2 Output
TX Transmit Data 3 Output
GND Ground 4
NC No Connect 5
RX Receive Data 6 Input
CTS Clear To Send 7 Input
NC No Connect 8

Note: DCD, DSR, and RI are inputs that are not brought out on the RJ45 connector.
DSR and DCD are biased active and RI is biased inactive.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Optional RJ45 to DB9 RS-232 Adapter

Preconfigured for use with Sealevel 2161 and 2167 serial devices, the RJ45 to DB9
modular adapter (item# RJ9P-232) converts the RJ45 RS-232 pin out to a DB9 male
RS-232 serial port. Standard CAT5 patch cables can be used to extend the serial
port up to 50 feet away from the RJ45 port. The pin out for the RJ9P-232 is shown
below.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Electrical Characteristics

Features

 Supports front or rear rack mounting or desktop use
 Provides 16 RJ45 serial ports with status LEDs
 Includes two fully-rated (500mA) USB 1.1 downstream ports
 Integrates transmit and receive LED indicators on each port
 Includes front and rear status LED to indicate unit power
 9-30V input power option available for OEM volume opportunities

Specifications

Temperature Range

 Operating: -0° – +70°C
 Storage: -50° – +105°C

Power Requirements

 +5VDC @ 2A

Physical Dimensions

Length Width* Height

7.0” 16.8” 1.7” (1U)

17.78 cm 42.56 cm 4.32 cm

* Width excludes rack-mount ears.

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.

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Appendix A - Troubleshooting

Sealevel Software is supplied with the Sealevel Systems adapter and may be used in
the troubleshooting procedures. Using this software and following these simple steps
can eliminate most common problems without the need to call Technical Support.

1. If your adapter isn’t working, first check to make sure that USB support is
enabled in the System BIOS and it is functioning properly in the operating
system. This can be done by using either the Windows 98/ME or Windows 2000
Device Manager.

2. Ensure that the Sealevel Systems software has been installed on the machine so
that the necessary files are in place to complete the installation.

3. When the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is configured properly, Sealevel’s WinSSD
utility and a loopback plug can be used to check communications. You can make
a simple Loopback in the field by connecting the TX and RX pins. If you decide
to test the Modem Control Signals, a full pin loopback plug will be required.
Details on loopback plugs are included within WinSSD. Contact Sealevel
Systems if you need further assistance.

4. When testing the SeaLINK+16/232.RJ in loopback mode, you should see both
the TD and RD echoed as data on the screen. The loopback test first transmits a
HEX pattern, 55AA, and then an ASCII string of data. If this test passes, then the
SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is ready for use in your application.

5. Always use the Sealevel Systems diagnostic software when troubleshooting a
problem. This will eliminate any software issues from the equation.

If these steps do not solve your problem, please call Sealevel Systems’ Technical
Support, [phone]. Our technical support is free and available from 8:00 AM
to 5:00 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday. For email support contact

[e-mail]

.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Appendix B - How To Get Assistance

Begin by reading through the Trouble Shooting Guide in Appendix A. If assistance
is still needed please see below.

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.

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

Sealevel Systems maintains a Home page on the Internet. Our home page address is

http://www.sealevel.com

available via our FTP site that can be accessed from our home page.

Technical support is available Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM eastern
time. Technical support can be reached at [phone].

. The latest software updates, and newest manuals are

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.

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

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 wide spread 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 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. The RS-232 and the EIA/TIA-574 specification
define two types of interface circuits, Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and Data
Circuit-Terminating Equipment (DCE). The SeaLINK+16/232.RJ is a DTE
device.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

r

Appendix D - Asynchronous Communications

Serial data communications implies that individual bits of a character are transmitted
consecutively to a receiver that assembles the bits back into a character. Data rate,
error checking, handshaking, and character framing (start/stop bits) are pre-defined
and must correspond at both the transmitting and receiving ends.

Asynchronous communications is the standard means of serial data communication
for PC compatibles and PS/2 computers. The original PC was equipped with a
communication or COM: port that was designed around an 8250 Universal
Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART). This device allows asynchronous serial
data to be transferred through a simple and straightforward programming interface. A
starting bit followed by a pre-defined number of data bits (5, 6, 7, or 8) defines
character boundaries for asynchronous communications. The end of the character is
defined by the transmission of a pre-defined number of stop bits (usually 1, 1.5 or 2).
An extra bit used for error detection is often appended before the stop bits.

Idle state of
line

5 to 8 Data Bits

1

0

This special bit is called the parity bit. Parity is a simple method of determining if a
data bit has been lost or corrupted during transmission. There are several methods for
implementing a parity check to guard against data corruption. Common methods are
called (E)ven Parity or (O)dd Parity. Sometimes parity is not used to detect errors on
the data stream. This is refereed to as (N)o parity. Because each bit in asynchronous
communications is sent consecutively, it is easy to generalize asynchronous
communications by stating that each character is wrapped (framed) by pre-defined
bits to mark the beginning and end of the serial transmission of the character. The
data rate and communication parameters for asynchronous communications have to
be the same at both the transmitting and receiving ends. The communication
parameters are baud rate, parity, number of data bits per character, and stop bits (i.e.
9600, N, 8, 1).

Odd, Even
or
Unused

P
BIT

STOP

1

1.5
2

Remain Idle o
next start bit

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Appendix E – Silk Screen – 2161 PCB

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Appendix F - Compliance Notices

Federal Communications Commission Statement

FCC - 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”.

EN60950 (IEC950) - “Safety of information technology equipment, including
electrical business equipment”

Warning

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 directives.

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual

Warranty

Sealevel's commitment to providing the best I/O solutions is reflected in the Lifetime
Warranty that is standard on all Sealevel manufactured 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 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 life. 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 or abuse are not
covered under this warranty.

Warranty service is obtained by delivering the Product to Sealevel and providing
proof of purchase. Return authorization must be obtained from Sealevel Systems

before returned merchandise will be accepted. Authorization is obtained by
calling Sealevel Systems and requesting a Return Merchandise Authorization
(RMA) number. The Customer agrees to insure 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.

Trademarks

Sealevel Systems assumes no liability for any damages, lost profits, lost savings or
any other incidental or consequential damage resulting from the use, misuse of, or
inability to use this product. Sealevel Systems will not be liable for any claim made
by any other related party.

This warranty applies to Sealevel manufactured Product. Product purchased through
Sealevel but manufactured by a third party will retain the original manufacturer's
warranty.

Sealevel Systems, Incorporated
2779 Greenville Highway
P.O. Box 830
Liberty, SC 29657 USA
[phone] FAX: [phone]
www.sealevel.com
email: [e-mail]

Technical Support is available Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time

Sealevel Systems, Incorporated acknowledges that all trademarks referenced in this
manual are the service mark, trademark, or registered trademark of the respective
company.

© Sealevel Systems, Inc.

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SeaLINK+16/232.RJ User Manual