1 General Information
The Quatech, Inc. QSC(LP)-200/300 provides four RS-422 or RS-485 asynchronous
serial communication interfaces for IBM-compatible personal computer systems using the PCI
expansion bus. The QSC(LP)-200/300 uses Quatech's new Enhanced Serial Adapter design.
Legacy serial port data rates are limited to a maximum of 115,200 bits per second. Quatech
Enhanced Serial Adapters can achieve data rates as high as 921,600 bits per second.
As a PCI device, the QSC(LP)-200/300 requires no hardware configuration. The card is
automatically configured by the computer's BIOS or operating system. The four serial ports share
a single interrupt line and are addressed in a contiguous block of 32 bytes. A special interrupt
status register is provided to help software to manage the shared interrupt.
The QSC(LP)-200/300's serial ports use 16750 Universal Asynchronous
Receiver/Transmitters (UARTs). These UARTs contain hardware buffers (FIFOs) which reduce
processing overhead and allow higher data rates to be achieved. The 16750 contains a 16-byte
FIFO and can transmit and receive data at a rate of up to 921,600 bits per second. The 16750 is
recommended for heavy multitasking environments and for applications involving high data
rates.
The QSC(LP)-200/300 is supported under several popular operating systems and
environments. Contact the sales department for details on current software offerings. Most device
drivers are available for download from the Quatech world wide web site at
http://www.quatech.com.
1.1 Features
The standard QSC(LP)-200/300 implements each of its communication channels with a
16750 UART and uses standard line driver and receiver components. For improved performance
and industrial-grade reliability, Quatech offers the following board upgrades:
1.1.1 "IND" Option --- Surge Suppression Upgrade
The "IND" option provides the protection essential for reliable use in an industrial
environment. Each communication line has a surge suppressor capable of sustaining up to 40A
20us peak transient surges, a clamping voltage of 30V and a peak energy dissipation of 0.1
Joules.
yes
QSC(LP)-200/300IND
no
QSC(LP)-200/300
IND Option
Part Number
Figure 1 --- QSC(LP)-200/300 Product Series Summary
Quatech QSC(LP)-200/300 User's Manual
5