Introduction; Description / Block Diagram - CommTech FASTCOM: 232/4-PCI Reference Manual

INTRODUCTION

The Fastcom: 232/4-PCI adapter is one of the fastest, most advanced four-channel RS-232 adapter in the
industry. Primarily designed for commercial, industrial, and OEM applications, the Fastcom: 232/4-PCI features
four discrete RS-232 channels, complete with all standard hand-shaking signals for each channel.
The advanced universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter (UART) chips used on the Fastcom: 232/4-PCI
are fully register compatible with standard 16C550 UARTs, but provide extraordinary 128 byte FIFOs for
receive and transmit buffering.
communications within high-overhead operating systems such as Windows NT and Windows 98. The four-
channel advanced UARTs on the Fastcom: 232/4-PCI can utilize all standard baud rates plus a high-speed
mode capable of up to an amazing 725 Kbps. (RS-232 data rates are realistically limited by cable length and
driver/receiver characteristics to data rates less than 725 Kbaud.) If your application requires faster data rates or
better noise immunity, we suggest you try our Mega-Baud family of RS232 adapters or our RS-422 family of PCI
adapters, such as the Fastcom: 422/4-PCI.
Software drivers for Windows 98/NT/2000/XP, and Linux are supplied. Multiple Fastcom: 232/4-PCI adapters can
be installed in all operating systems.
The Fastcom RS-232-PCI family also includes the eight-channel Fastcom: 232/8-PCI and the isolated ground
two-channel Fastcom: IG232/2-PCI. ISA bus versions are also available.
The following is the basic structure of the Fastcom: 232/4-PCI:
PCI
INTERFACE
CONTROLLER
This buffering is extremely valuable when working with RS-232
CHANNEL 1 (OF 4)
CLOCK
CONTROL
REGISTER
PCI BUS
CS
A0-A2
DATA
INTERRUPT
CLOCK
8
3
RS-232
DB37
TXD
RXD
RTS
CTS
DTR
DSR
DCD
RI