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RS-485 To Macintosh Serial Converter
Model 485MAC
Document No. 485MAC3095

Description:

The 485MAC converts your Macintosh printer or modem port TXD and RXD signals
to balanced full or half-duplex RS-422 or RS-485 signals. RS-485 is an enhanced version of the
RS-422 Balanced Line Standard. It allows multiple drivers and receivers on a two-wire system.

The RS-485 side of the converter has screw down terminal blocks. Connections are provided for Transmit Data A and B,
Receive Data A and B, +12V, and Signal Ground. The 485MAC includes a six foot cable to connect the converter to your Macintosh
.

Connection:

The 485MAC can connect to either two-wire or four-wire RS-422/485 systems. The wiring necessary for a two-wire and a
four-wire setup is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. Note that the polarity of the RS-422/485 lines must be correct. With no data being
sent, each of the "A" terminals should be negative with respect to its respective "B" terminal. If your RS-422 or RS-485 equipment is
labeled with a "+" and "-", the "+" signals will normally be equivalent to the "B"s on the 485MAC and the "-" signals will correspond to
the 485MAC's "A" terminals.

The 485MAC also requires 12V DC at 100mA to operate. This connection is made on the two terminal blocks marked
+12VDC and GND. When using B&B Electronics Model 485PS2 power supply, the lead with the white trace is positive and the solid
black lead is the ground lead.

FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2.
Two-Wire Configuration. Four-Wire Configuration.

© B&B Electronics -- August 1995

485MAC3095 - pg. 2/3

Jumper Configuration:

The jumper labeled "CONTROL" on the 485MAC sets the method in which the tristate of the RS-422/485 driver will be
controlled. In the "HNDSHK" position, the RS-422/485 driver must be controlled directly with the output handshake line on your Mac
 serial port. Your software must be written to raise this output handshake line when transmitting out to the RS-422/RS-485 system.
When you are through transmitting, the handshake line must be lowered to allow the 485MAC to receive and to allow other drivers on
the line to transmit.

Putting the control jumper in the "SD" position enables an automatic send data circuit in the 485MAC that takes care of the
control of the RS-422/485 driver. The circuit senses data on the TXD input from your Mac serial port and turns on the RS-422/485
driver. When the data is through transmitting, the 485MAC waits one millisecond before shutting off the RS-422/485 driver. This
preset timeout allows continuous transmission of data at 9600 baud or higher. If other baud rates are desired this timeout can be
changed by changing the value of capacitor C2 and resistor R11 located on the PC board next to the terminal blocks. The resistor
and capacitor values for different timeouts are shown in Table 2.

For RS-422 point-to-point operation, the control jumper can be removed completely. This leaves the driver constantly
enabled.

The jumper labeled "ECHO" determines when the RS-422/485 receiver will be disabled. Putting the echo jumper in the "ON"
position leaves the receiver on at all times. The jumper should be in the "ON" position for any four-wire configuration. Putting the
echo jumper in the "OFF" position disables the receiver whenever the driver is turned on. This position is useful in two-wire mode
when you do not want to see an echo of the data sent from your Macintosh. See Table 1 for a summary of jumper settings.

TABLE 1. TABLE 2.
Jumper Summary Timeout Values

JUMPER POSITION FUNCTION Baud Time Resistor Capacitor

HNDSHK RS-422/485 Driver controlled by Rate (ms) R11 C2
Ω)
(Ω µ F)
(µ
Control Mac HSKo through software. 300 33.3 330K .1
SD RS-422/485 Driver controlled by 600 16.6 160K .1
built-in hardware control.
1200 8.33 820K .01
ON RS-422/485 Receiver always 2400 4.16 430K .01
Echo enabled.
4800 2.08 200K .01
OFF RS-422/485 Receiver disabled
9600 1.04 100K .01
when driver is enabled.
19.2K 0.52 56K .01
38.4K 0.26 27K .01
57.6K 0.18 16K .01
115.2K 0.087 8.2K .01

© B&B Electronics -- August 1995

485MAC3095 - pg. 3/3

FIGURE 3.

© B&B Electronics -- August 1995