8–1
Chapter 8. SERIAL
INTERFACE OPERATION
8.1
Overview
1)
Use of the word “converter” throughout this chapter applies to
either the Comtech EF Data DT-4500 Series C- or Ku-Band Down
Converter or the UT-4500 Series C- or Ku-Band Up Converter.
2)
The pinout table for the rear panel ‘
J1 | COM1
’ connector is
provided in
Sect. 4.2.3 Operational Connections
.
Serial-based remote monitor and control (M&C) of the DT-4500 Series C- or Ku-
Band Down Converter is possible by connecting the rear panel EIA-485/EIA-232C
‘J1 | COM1’ port to the serial port of a Windows-based User PC.
8.2
Communication Interfaces
The electrical interface is either an EIA-485 multi-drop bus (for the control of
many devices) or an EIA-232 connection (for the control of a single device), and
data is transmitted in asynchronous serial form, using ASCII characters. Control
and status information is transmitted in packets of variable length, in accordance
with the structure and protocol defined in later sections.
8.2.1
TIA/EIA-485 (RS-485)
For applications where you intend to monitor and control multiple devices, a full-
duplex (4-wire plus ground) EIA-485 is preferred. Half-duplex (2-wire plus
ground) EIA-485 is possible, but is not preferred. In full-duplex EIA-485
