Connect Tech BlueStorm/Express User Manual
Revision 0.15
6
Introduction
Connect Tech's BlueStorm/Express family offers compatibility with the next generation in
computer bus standards. Available in two, four, eight and sixteen ports, these x1 lane PCI Express
serial cards make it easy to add a wide variety of serial communications options to computers with
a PCI Express bus. Your existing serial peripherals can connect directly to the BlueStorm/Express
serial card, using legacy application software from your PCI system.
Instead of relying on shared parallel bus architecture, PCI Express is built around bidirectional,
dedicated point-to-point “lanes.” This technology allows extensive future scalability. With the
future in mind, Connect Tech designed the BlueStorm/Express to ensure compatibility with future
versions of the PCI Express bus.
The BlueStorm/Express is perfect for a variety of applications such as retail/point of sale,
automated teller machines, transportation stations, lottery terminals and self-service kiosks, among
others.
Features
●
2, 4, 8, or 16 hardware switchable RS-232/422/485 ports
●
x1 lane PCI Express, compatible with any PCI Express slot width
●
Supports full duplex (four wire) with RTS/CTS flow control, half duplex (two wire) with auto
TxD echo cancellation and multi-drop (four wire) communication modes in RS-422/485
●
Bidirectional data communication speeds to 1.8432 Mbps in RS-422/485 and
921.6 Kbps in RS-232
●
Hardware selectable for tri-state on power-up in RS-485 modes (applies to two and four port
BlueStorm/Express cards and the BlueStorm/Express Opto)
●
Surge suppression on every signal of every port
●
Operating temperature range of 0ºC to 70ºC
●
Software support for QNX 4.X/6.X, Linux, Windows 2000/CE/XP/XP x64/XPe/Server
2003/Server 2003 x64/Vista/7
●
Plug and play - no jumpers to set for memory or interrupt configuration
●
Isolation available on select models:
o
BBG001, BCG001:
▪
3 kV rating of isolation for all signals port-to-port and on the board
o
BBG003:
▪
1 kV rating of isolation for all signals port-to-port and on the board
o
BDG001:
▪
2 kV rating of isolation for all signals port-to-port through cable and 3kV rating on
the board