Introduction; Why Fiber Optic Solutions - ICP DAS USA PDS-220F Series User Manual

1. Introduction

The PDS-220Fx series is a family of Programmable Device Servers, also known as
"Serial-to-Fiber gateways", that are designed to enable optical fiber connectivity to be
added to RS-232/422/485 devices. The user-friendly VxComm Driver/Utility allows users
to easily turn the built-in COM ports of the PDS-220Fx series into standard COM ports on
a PC. By virtue of its protocol independence, a small-core OS and high flexibility, the
PDS- 220Fx series is able to meet the demands of every network-enabled application.
The PDS-220Fx series includes a powerful and reliable Xserver programming structure
that allows you to rapidly design robust custom Fiber optics applications. The built-in,
high-performance MiniOS7 boots up the PDS-220Fx in just one second and gives you
fastest responses.

1.1. Why Fiber Optic Solutions?

Fiber optic communication permits transmission of data over longer distances than other
forms of communication because the signals travel along the fiber with minimum loss and
no crosstalk. Fiber optics provides the following important features:
˙ Immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) — Motors, relays, welders and other
industrial equipment generate a tremendous amount of electrical noise that can cause
major problems with copper cabling.
˙ High electrical resistance, making it safe to use near high-voltage equipment or
between areas with different earth potentials.
˙ No sparks — important in environments that contain flammable or explosive gas.
˙ No electromagnetic radiation, and it is difficult to tap into the signal without causing
disruption, which is an important factor in high-security environments.
Because of these reasons, optical fibers have largely replaced copper wire communications
in core networks in the developed world.
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