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Green printed circuit board with gold edge connector and a row of eight serial port headers along the rear bracket

Comtrol Corporation

Comtrol Corporation 30020-5 8-port RS-232/422/485 expansion card

SKU CH-WH7G-CGVF7 MPN 30020-5

Adds eight RS-232/422/485 serial ports via PCI-X with software-selectable 460Kbps data rates and low-profile fit for 2U servers

  • External connectors8 x Serial Ports
  • Product typeSerial Header Adapter
  • Key featuresThis RocketPort INFINITY card delivers up to 8-ports of addi
  • Product dimensions2.6 in Height × 4.7 in Width
  • Adds eight serial ports for legacy and industrial devices
  • Software-selectable RS-232/422/485 modes cover diverse protocols
  • 460 Kbps data rate handles high-speed serial links
  • Low-profile bracket fits standard and 2U rackmount servers
  • Works with 32-bit and 64-bit 3.3 V PCI and PCI-X slots

What the product is and who it is for

The Comtrol RocketPort Infinity 30020-5 is an 8-port serial header adapter that adds RS-232/422/485 connectivity to servers through a PCI or PCI-X slot. It is aimed at IT teams and system integrators who need to connect multiple serial devices such as industrial equipment, modems or console ports in rackmount or standard server chassis. The low-profile bracket fits 2U rackmount servers as well as full-height systems. The card uses Comtrol Unity ASIC technology to operate on the 66 MHz bus available on PCI-X platforms.

The specification that decides fit

The card requires a 32-bit or 64-bit 3.3 volt PCI or PCI-X expansion slot and communicates at up to 460 Kbps per port through software-selectable RS-232/422/485 interfaces. An external four-port or eight-port interface module must be purchased separately to complete the connection. Physical dimensions are 2.6 inches in height by 4.7 inches in width, so the slot area must accommodate that footprint. No other bus type or voltage is supported.

Who this suits and who should look elsewhere

This adapter suits administrators expanding serial I/O on legacy or current servers that still provide 3.3 volt PCI or PCI-X slots and can accept a low-profile card. It is not for builders whose systems only offer PCI Express, USB or other modern interconnects, nor for installations that need the external cable assembly included in the box. Buyers requiring more than eight serial ports or higher per-port throughput will need a different solution.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in PCIe Expansion Cards, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $183.99
Pricier than about 90% of the 891 comparable items (median $30.99).

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameComtrol
Model name30020-5
Product typeSerial Header Adapter
Ports & slots
External connectors8 x Serial Ports
Size & build
Product dimensions2.6 in Height × 4.7 in Width
Shipping weight0.09 kg
Package size152 × 102 × 25 mm

Questions about this item

What throughput will I actually see per port when the card is installed?

Each of the eight ports can reach 460 Kbps in RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 mode, software-selectable per port.

Which bus standard does the card use and what speed does that bus limit it to?

The card fits 32-bit or 64-bit 3.3 V PCI and PCI-X slots and runs at the 66 MHz PCI-X bus speed.

Will the low-profile bracket fit in a 2U rackmount chassis?

Yes, the board measures 2.6 inches high by 4.7 inches wide and is designed for both standard and 2U servers.

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