Print Date:12/02/2010 PX-260, PX-701, PX-320, PX-324, PX-313, PX-346, PX-335, PX-146, PX-157, PX-475, PX-310, PX-368, PX-387, PX-376 Product Manual Brainboxes Limited, Unit 3C, Wavertree Boulevard South, Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool, L7 9PF, UK Tel: +44 (0)151 220 2500 Fax: +44 (0)151 252 0446 Web: www.brainboxes.com Email: sales@brainboxes.
Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 4 1.1. The PCI Express PX- Range .................................................................................................................. 4 1.2. Supported Operating Systems................................................................................................................ 5 2. Installation Instructions ...........
9. Copyright ..................................................................................................................................................... 36 10. Version History .......................................................................................................................................... 37 PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
1. Introduction 1.1. The PCI Express PX- Range The PX-Range are PCI Express (PCIe) cards providing several RS232 and RS-422/485 9-pin COM ports (see datasheets for alternatives) to any computer with a PCIe Lane. The advantage of Brainboxes PCI Express cards is that they can fit into any standard 1x, 4x, 8x or 16x PCIe Lane. Using the PCI Express card’s COM ports, all supporting 921,600 Baud, makes fast and effective communication between multiple devices simple. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
1.2. Supported Operating Systems The PCI Express PX Range can be used with the following Microsoft Operating Systems with the supplied Boost.
2. Installation Instructions PLEASE READ CAREFULLY • For RS232 Cards, there are TWO Installation steps to installing the Boost.PCIe driver: 1. CARD driver 2. PORT driver • For RS422/485 Cards, there are THREE Installation steps to installing the Boost.PCIe driver: 1. CARD driver 2. PORT driver 3. BASE SYSTEM DEVICE driver. This is the RS422/485 Controller • Each step will take you through a full installation using the Found New Hardware wizard.
2.1. Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Installation Note: Images below show a PX-260 4 Port RS232 device as an example. The same installation steps can be applied to all other products in the PCI Express range. 1. Turn off the PC (unplug from power socket) and insert the PCI Express Card into a free PCIe slot. 2. Turn the PC on. 3. Insert the Boost.PCIe CD 4. If you would like to install via Windows Update, select “Yes, this time only”.
5. The Found New Hardware Wizard will then ask you to locate the software drivers. If you have chosen to search Windows Update, select “Install the software automatically (Recommended)”. This will take you to Step 7. If you wish to install from the Boost.PCIe CD, select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and click next to point to the CD drive. 6. Select to ‘Search for the best driver in these locations’ and then ‘Search removable media’, as shown below.
7. The Installer will copy across all the drivers and associated registry files. Click Finish when complete. 8. If you are installing a mulitport card, you will need to install each port manually following steps 4-7 when prompted for each port on your card. 9. If you are installing a 422/485 card, you will also need to install the “Base System Device”. This is the 422/485 Controller for your card. Follow steps 4-7 again when prompted. 10.
2.2. Windows Vista & Server 2008 64 & 32 bit Installation Note: Images below show a PX-260 4 Port RS232 device as an example. The same installation steps can be applied to all other products in the PX PCI Express range. 1. Turn off the PC (unplug from power socket) and insert the PCI Express Card into a free PCIe slot. 2. Turn the PC on. 3. Insert the Boost.PCIe CD 4. The Found New Hardware Wizard will come up.
7. If you would like to install via Windows Update, select “Yes, this time only”. This will take you to Step 9. Otherwise select ‘Don’t search online’ to install from the CD. 8. The Found New Hardware Wizard will then ask you to locate the software drivers. Ensure that the CD is in the drive and click Next PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
9. Once the driver has been installed, click Close. • If you are installing a mulitport card, the Operating System will install each subsequent Serial Port automatically. • If you are installing a 422/485 card, you will also need to install the “Base System Device”. This is the 422/485 Controller for your card. Follow steps 4-9 again when prompted. • Once installed, you can check the COM Number of the Port, by opening Device Manager (See Section 3.1: Finding your Brainboxes COM port).
2.3. Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 Note: The following installation instructions use a PX-346, but the installation instructions are the same for any PX card. 1. When you boot up your computer on Windows 7, Windows update will automatically search for the latest drivers. If you have a connection to the internet, the drivers will be installed and the device will be ready to use. 2.
5. If your Brainboxes card came with a CD insert it now and select to search automatically and the driver software will be found and installed. Skip to step If not and you have a folder with the drivers, select to browse your computer for the drivers. 6. Select the folder which contains the drivers that you want to install for your device. 7. The drivers will then be installed for the card. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
8. You will then need to install the Base System Device (RS422/485 devices only) and then install all of the Serial ports using the same steps as above. 9. Once you have installed one of the ports you can scan for hardware changes and the other Serial Ports will be installed automatically. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
3. Product Configuration Note: Images below show a PX-260 4 Port RS232 device as an example. The same steps can be applied to all other products in the PX PCI Express range. 3.1. Finding your Brainboxes COM port. • Open Device Manager (Found by Right Clicking on My Computer and clicking Manage. Then Select Device Manager from the left hand pane.) For Server 2008 users, Device Manager is found within Diagnostics in Server Manager. • Find the Brainboxes Serial Port entry in Device manager.
3.2. Changing your COM label • If you need to change the COM label, Double click on the Port entry in Device Manager • Click on the ‘Port Settings’ tab and click Advanced • A new COM Port label can be selected from the “Com Port Number” dropdown menu. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
• If the COM Port number is labelled “in use”, it is either currently used by a COM Port present on the system, or is reserved for a device which is not currently present. It is possible to select this COM number and force the change, if you are sure it is not required by any other device. 3.3. Port Settings The Port Settings allow you to set Default or Override Settings for the serial communication and how to deal with incoming hardware handshaking events.
• All options can be selected from the Dropdown Menus. In addition, you can enter a non-standard value into the Baud rate NB – Once the desired settings have been achieved, you must click OK to activate them. At anytime click the ‘Restore Default’ button to return to the original setup. Default / Override Settings • • The “Default Settings” will be set if an application does not specify the serial settings when it opens the COM Port.
These settings are especially helpful when CTS and DSR are not physically connected (such as in a 3 wire setup) and it is not acceptable for the data flow to stop and start due to arbitrary variances on the unconnected signal lines. 3.4. RS422/485 Settings For RS422/485 products only, there is an additional tab in the Advanced Settings to allow you to change duplex mode. • The drop down list allows users to choose the desired RS422/485 operations mode.
outwards, and the fourth pair brings the CTS handshaking signal inwards. There is no need to carry the ground from one device to another. • Half Duplex Autogating Mode The RS485 standard is similar to the RS422 standard upon which it is based. The main difference is that up to 32 transmitter / receiver pairs may be present on the line at one time. Although the card uses a 9 pin D connector, generally not all the lines are used for RS485 systems.
3.5. UART Settings The UART settings for the Brainboxes COM Port allow you to get the best performance from your device and system. There are two choices, dependant on whether minimal CPU usage or Data Latency (delay) is the main concern. The default settings have been carefully selected and should provide great performance for the majority of users.
• Setting this value very low will result in a high number of interrupts, and therefore increased CPU Usage, as well as short latency times between the reception of the data by the UART chip and the delivery to the application. Choosing a high value has the opposite effect. • If the Receive Trigger Level is chosen very high, and data is continuously streaming into the UART's FIFO, then this might result in data getting lost due to a FIFO Overrun.
3.6. Termination Resistors This RS422/485 termination circuit is based on the recommendation of Texas Instruments, and uses resistors to provide line termination Rt, bus-idle failsafing (biasing) Rb and bus-shorted failsafing, Rf. However, this circuit may not be suitable for all RS-485 bus systems. Whilst the circuit includes line termination to prevent the data signal being reflected, this termination should only be present at each end of a bus and not at any intermediate nodes.
4. Uninstallation – Windows Server 2008/Vista/Server 2003/XP To uninstall the device, please ensure the PCI Express Card is present on the PC. • Open Control Panel, and then open “Add or Remove Programs”. In Vista, this will be called “Programs & Features” PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
• The Brainboxes Uninstallation wizard will launch, which will remove all driver files and associated registry entries. Just click Next on each page of the Wizard. When the drivers have been uninstalled, click Finish. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
• Once finished, check Device Manager to ensure all Ports have been removed from the system. • You may now power down the PC and unplug your PCI Express Card. • To reinstall the software, o Simply Right Click the “Ports” entry in Device Manager and select “Scan for Hardware Changes”. Windows should find the ports and launch the Found New Hardware wizard.
5. Boost.PCIe Driver Upgrade / Rollback There are several parts to the Boost.PCIe, driver: For RS232: Example • Card driver: “Brainboxes PCIe 4 Port RS232 Serial Card (PX-260)” • Port driver: “Brainboxes RS232 Serial Port (COM3)”. For RS422/485 Example • Card driver: “Brainboxes PCIe 2 Port RS422/485 Serial Card (PX-313)” • 422/485 driver : “Brainboxes RS422/485 Controller “ • Port driver: “Brainboxes RS422/485 Serial Port (COM3)”. NB If you need to upgrade or roll back the Boost.
6. Troubleshooting and Testing 6.1. Installation problems • Check the PCI Express Card is correctly installed, and the Ports appear in Device Manager without any errors (Errors are indicted by a yellow exclamation mark) • If the installation did not complete or shows any error messages then restart the computer. • If Device Manager is still showing error messages, it is wise to uninstall and re-install. This should cure issues such as Resource Conflicts or failed installations.
6.3. Testing your Serial COM port To test your Brainboxes COM port works correctly you can use the Serial Test application. It is a simple application which will guide you through the steps to check that your Brainboxes COM port is working correctly. You will need to select the COM port you want to test, and connect a loopback connector to transmit and receive pins of the respected COM port. You will then be given a result as to whether the test has passed or failed. PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
7. Lifetime Warranty and Support To receive the lifetime Warranty, you need to register your product with us using our online form. NB: this must be done within 28 days of Purchase. Lifetime Warranty Sign up * Terms and Conditions are available online. Standard warranty period is 3 years if a product is not registered. Since 1983, Brainboxes have designed, tested and manufactured our products all under one Roof. One of our greatest strengths is in after sales service.
8. Technical Specifications 8.1. Supported Serial Settings Serial Setting Baud Rate Data Bits Parity Stop Bits Handshaking Break Up to 921,600 5,6,7 or 8 None, Odd, Even, Mark & Space 1, 1.5 or 2 RTS/CTS DTR/DSR Xon/Xoff Supported 8.2. Device Pin-out 8.2.1. RS232 Devices 8.2.2. RS422/485 Devices PLEASE NOTE: • DTR/DSR Handshaking is not available on RS422/485 devices • For RS422 FULL Duplex Communications, please note the pin outs above.
8.2.3. Pinout for 44Way D-connector split cable for PX-260/701/346/335/368 8.3. Company Accreditation Brainboxes achieved accreditation to the ISO14001 environmental standard early 2008. This globally recognised standard ensures Brainboxes can demonstrate effective management of all its environmental impacts, together with a process of continuous improvement. Brainboxes have also been an ISO9001 registered company since 1994.
8.4. Europe – EU Declaration of Conformity The PX PCIe Card devices conform to the protection requirements of European Council Directive 2004/108/EC The products are designed to meet the standards detailed below. The Declaration of Conformity and supporting Technical Construction File is available by request from Brainboxes.
RoHS Compliant Brainboxes products have been available since January 2005. What is the RoHS Directive? The RoHS directive (2002/95/EC the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) prohibits the sale of electrical and electronic equipment containing hazardous substances. A list of these hazardous substances includes lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenylethers.
9. Copyright Copyright © 1985-2010 Brainboxes Ltd All rights reserved. No part of this hardware, circuitry or manual may be duplicated, copied, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior consent of the Manufacturer PX Range Product Manual Version 2.
10. Version History Version Date Author 2.0 15/12/08 AH Manual for first release of Brainboxes fully fledged PCI Express serial drivers. 2.2 11/02/10 BH Added Windows 7 and Terminating resistors information. PX Range Product Manual Checked By Comments Version 2.
