• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

data throughput of serial ports?

E

excalibur3

Member
I have a computer that is a few years old. I think that it might be a pentium 4. I want to hook up three things that use serial ports. The computer only has one serial port so I was thinking about getting a two serial port pci card. I think that the data throughput of modern computers is enough that it can handle three serial channels going at their full speed, but someone else insists that it isn't possible. Would someone be able to clear this up?
Thanks!
Stephen
 
In that situation I would install a powered hub (7 slot) into that port and not be concerned about power drain in the system.
 
Originally posted by: excalibur3
I have a computer that is a few years old. I think that it might be a pentium 4. I want to hook up three things that use serial ports. The computer only has one serial port so I was thinking about getting a two serial port pci card. I think that the data throughput of modern computers is enough that it can handle three serial channels going at their full speed, but someone else insists that it isn't possible. Would someone be able to clear this up?
Thanks!
Stephen
Click to expand...


It's more than possible. Most pc supported up to 4 ports when serial ports were popular.
Throughput isn't an issue as even 8 ports wouldn't hinder a pci bus. Serial maxes out at 115Kb/sec. It would take 264 serial ports before a pci bus couldn't handle the traffic 🙂

Edit:
Corrected
Been working with spi too much today.
 
standard PC RS232 serial ports are capable of at least 115.2k bits /sec. There are better ones that can go quite a bit higher. the 115.2 is only an actual 11.5 k Bytes per sec (allowing for protocol overhead) so no reasonable computer will have a problem with any standard serial ports (I've had one card with 8 serial ports and they'd work fine on "ancient" hardware). USB is another story but most PCs come with at least four of those these days.

.bh.
 
should be able to do it without breaking a sweat. I seem to recall running an 8 port card at full tilt on a 486 or something like that. lol 🙂
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top