Chapter 1
Introduction
©
National Instruments Corporation
1-3
PCMCIA Serial for Windows 95
The PCMCIA-485 interfaces support four hardware transceiver control
modes for reliable communication with two-wire and four-wire devices.
Refer to Chapter 4,
, for more information
about transceiver control modes.
All of the serial hardware uses standard 16550-compatible UARTs
(Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitters) for 100% compatibility
with standard PC COM ports. The serial hardware contains FIFOs
(First-In-First-Out buffers) for reduced susceptibility to interrupt latency
and faster transmission rates. Full Plug and Play compatibility gives you
the convenience of switchless configuration and installation. Refer to
Appendix A,
, for more information about the serial
hardware specifications and operating conditions.
NI Serial Software Overview
The NI Serial software for Windows 95 includes a native Windows device
driver that can provide full interrupt-driven, buffered I/O for multiple COM
ports. Using this driver, you can obtain a maximum baud rate of
115.2 KBaud, and you can use any number of serial ports under
Windows 95. The NI Serial software also provides a configuration utility,
which is integrated with the Windows 95 Device Manager. Refer to
Appendix A,
, for more information about software
specifications and recommended operating conditions.
The NI Serial software includes the following components:
•
Device driver
•
Diagnostic test
•
Configuration utility
The NI Serial software supports all National Instruments serial hardware,
including all AT, PCI, and PCMCIA versions.
Optional Programming Tools
Your kit includes the NI Serial software for Windows 95 and Windows NT.
In addition, you can order the LabWindows/CVI or LabVIEW software
from National Instruments. LabWindows/CVI and LabVIEW include
instrument driver libraries that make it easier to communicate with your
serial instruments.
