Alternatives for EOL PCI Bus Digital I/O and Serial Applications
What products are being designated EOL?
- PCI Synchronous Serial Adapters: 5102, 5103, 5104
- PCI Asynchronous Serial Adapters: 7102, 7106, 7201, 7203, 7204, 7205, 7404, 7406, 7801
- PCI Digital I/O Cards: 8004, 8005, 8012, 8018
Why are these PCI cards being designates EOL?
All of the Sealevel PCI Bus cards listed above have obsolete parts and have thus reached End of Life. To support the transition from legacy PCI serial adapters, Sealevel offers several alternative connectivity options. The appropriate migration path will depend on the host platform, installation requirements, performance needs, and application architecture.
Which platform should I migrate to from PCI for serial applications?
Have questions about which migration option may best suit your system? At Sealevel Systems, our Sales Specialists and Support team can provide product recommendations and deployment strategies to ensure a smooth transition with minimal downtime for your operations.
Contact our team today at [email protected] or explore recommended product solutions:
USB to Serial Adapters (For flexible, plug-and-play industrial connectivity)
Best for: Field engineers, portable test setups, industrial workstations
- Plug-and-play compatibility with industrial PCs, ruggedized laptops, and standard consumer-grade PCs and laptops
- Suitable for temporary or dynamic serial connections
- Wide OS and legacy system support
PCIe Serial Cards (For high-speed, dedicated industrial applications)
Best for: Factory automation, machine controllers, embedded systems
- Direct motherboard connection for high-speed, low-latency communication
- Stable operation in high-temperature, vibration-prone environments
- Multi-port options for large-scale industrial serial networks
| Feature | USB to Serial | PCIe Serial Cards |
|---|---|---|
| Latency | Lower | Lowest |
| Reliability | Moderate to High | High |
| Performance | Suitable for field use | High-speed, direct connection |
| Portability | Plug-and-play, portable | Fixed installation |
| Industrial Suitability | Best for field engineers, workstations | Best for controllers, embedded systems |
| Ease of Use | Simple driver installation | Internal installation required |
| Best For | On-site diagnostics, flexible setups | Factory automation, dedicated machine control |
Which platform should I migrate to from PCI for I/O applications?
USB Digital I/O Modules
Best for: Retrofits and Flexible Deployment. USB Digital I/O modules provide an external I/O solution for systems where internal expansion is unavailable or undesirable.
USB is typically the best choice when:
- Upgrading existing equipment
- Internal expansion is unavailable
- Installation simplicity is important
- Equipment portability is required
- Field service access is beneficial
- A wide mix of I/O is required
- Expansion may be required, as multiple modules can be linked together
PCIe Digital I/O Cards
Best For: New Industrial and Embedded Platforms. PCIe Digital I/O cards are the preferred migration path for systems requiring internal expansion and high-performance digital I/O.
PCIe is typically the best choice when:
- Designing new embedded systems
- Using modern industrial computers
- Maximum throughput is required
- Deterministic response is important
- Continuous 24/7 operation is expected
- Internal expansion slots are available
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