StarTech PCI2S1P2 Dual Serial RS232 + Parallel LPT PCI Expansion Card

Overview

The StarTech PCI2S1P2 is a half-height PCI expansion card that adds two RS232 serial ports (DB-9) and one parallel port (DB-25) to a desktop or workstation that has run out of native legacy I/O. Built around the Asix MCS9865 chipset, it covers the three most common legacy peripheral connection scenarios in a single slot — serial access control panels, serial-controlled devices, and parallel printers or scanners — without burning a second slot or requiring a separate adapter. The card ships with both a standard-profile bracket and a low-profile bracket, so it fits standard ATX towers and compact small-form-factor chassis equally.

If you are wiring a physical security control room, integrating older serial-based access control hardware, or running a parallel-port label printer off a modern workstation, this is the card that closes the gap without a USB-to-serial adapter chain.

Key Features

• Dual RS232 Serial Ports at up to 115.2 Kbps: Each DB-9 port runs at standard baud rates up to 115.2 Kbps — enough headroom for virtually every serial access control panel, POS device, and legacy DVR serial command interface in the field. No USB adapter latency, no driver stack in the middle.
• 16C550 UART with 256-Byte FIFO per Port: The 16C550 UART paired with a 256-byte FIFO buffer means the CPU does not need to service the port on every byte received. In high-throughput or multi-tasking environments (a control room workstation handling VMS software and serial I/O simultaneously), a deep FIFO reduces data overruns and improves reliability under load.
• Flexible Serial Data Framing: Configurable data bits (5 through 9), parity (None, Odd, Even, Space, Mark), and stop bits (1, 1.5, or 2) let you match the exact framing expected by legacy hardware without software workarounds. This is especially important when integrating older access control panels or industrial serial devices with non-standard framing.
• Parallel Port at up to 1.5 Mbps with Four Operating Modes: The DB-25 parallel port supports SPP, Byte, ECP, and EPP modes at transfer rates up to 1.5 Mbps. ECP mode is the right pick for parallel printers needing DMA transfers; EPP mode suits storage peripherals and scanners that need bidirectional high-speed data. Having all four modes available means you are not locked into a single peripheral class.
• PCI and PCI-X Compatible (5V and 3.3V): Works in both 5V PCI and 3.3V PCI-X slots, so this card installs in a wide range of server-class and workstation motherboards — not just consumer ATX systems. That matters in rack-mounted workstations or older server platforms repurposed as control room machines.
• Standard and Low-Profile Brackets Included: The included low-profile bracket means the PCI2S1P2 installs in SFF chassis without ordering a separate bracket. A single SKU covers both deployment scenarios — a practical detail that eliminates a follow-up purchase.
• MCS9865 Chipset — Broad OS Driver Support: The Asix MCS9865 is a mature, widely-supported chipset with driver availability across current and legacy Windows versions and Linux distributions — important for long-lifecycle deployments where OS updates are infrequent and driver stability matters more than cutting-edge silicon.
• Operating Temperature Range 0°C to 70°C: Rated for standard indoor operating environments. Not rated for outdoor or industrial extremes, so this card belongs in a conditioned equipment room or office workstation, not in an uncooled enclosure.
• Compact Physical Footprint: At 5.3 × 4.7 × 0.9 inches and just 5.0 oz, the card is lightweight and occupies minimal clearance inside a chassis — a single PCI slot with no riser or power connector required.
• Lifetime Warranty: The PCI2S1P2 carries a lifetime warranty, which is meaningful for a card that may sit in a control room machine for a decade. Replacements are available without a time-limit on the claim.

Integration and Compatibility

The PCI2S1P2 is a fit wherever a modern or refurbished workstation needs to communicate with legacy serial or parallel peripherals over a direct hardware interface. Common integration scenarios include: serial-based access control panels (Lenel, Software House, DSC, Bosch), serial-commanded PTZ cameras on older CCTV systems, parallel-port receipt or label printers in retail or warehouse environments, and serial console access to network equipment in smaller NOC or security operations setups.

Because the card uses a standard PCI or PCI-X interface, it is not compatible with PCIe (PCI Express) slots — verify your motherboard has an available conventional PCI slot before ordering. If your platform is PCIe-only, you will need a different expansion card form factor.

On the software side, the MCS9865 chipset has driver support across Windows and Linux. For workstations running VMS software alongside serial I/O (a common control room configuration), install the manufacturer-supplied driver and confirm the COM port assignments in Device Manager before connecting serial peripherals — port numbering can shift if the card is moved to a different slot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the PCI2S1P2 work in a PCIe slot?

A: No. The PCI2S1P2 uses a conventional PCI or PCI-X interface (5V and 3.3V). It is not compatible with PCIe (PCI Express) slots. Verify your motherboard has an available standard PCI slot before purchasing.

Q: What is the maximum serial data rate on the PCI2S1P2?

A: Each RS232 serial port supports speeds up to 115.2 Kbps, which covers the vast majority of serial access control panels, legacy DVR command interfaces, and industrial serial devices.

Q: Does the card fit in a small form factor (SFF) chassis?

A: Yes. The PCI2S1P2 ships with both a standard-profile and a low-profile bracket, so it installs in full-size ATX towers and compact SFF chassis without an additional purchase.

Q: What parallel port modes are supported?

A: The parallel port supports SPP, Byte, ECP, and EPP modes at transfer rates up to 1.5 Mbps. ECP is recommended for parallel printers; EPP suits bidirectional peripherals such as scanners and storage devices.

Q: What is the warranty on the PCI2S1P2?

A: The PCI2S1P2 carries a lifetime warranty.

Q: What operating temperatures does the PCI2S1P2 support?

A: The card is rated for operating temperatures of 0°C to 70°C (32°F to 158°F) and storage temperatures of -20°C to 85°C. It is designed for conditioned indoor environments — not uncooled outdoor enclosures.

Ted Perry

The PCI2S1P2 comes up regularly in control room builds where a workstation needs direct hardware serial connections to access control panels — no USB-to-serial adapters, no latency variability, just a clean RS232 interface at up to 115.2 Kbps per port. The 256-byte FIFO on the 16C550 UART is what separates this from a budget-grade card; in a VMS workstation that is already CPU-busy with live decode, a shallow FIFO means dropped bytes under load.

Technical Highlights:

• 16C550 UART, 256-Byte FIFO: At 115.2 Kbps with a 256-byte buffer, the port services interrupts far less frequently than an 8250-class UART — meaningful on a multi-tasking machine running access control software alongside video management.
• Four Parallel Modes (SPP/Byte/ECP/EPP) at 1.5 Mbps: ECP mode gives you DMA-backed transfers for parallel printers without CPU involvement; EPP gives you bidirectional headroom for older parallel-port scanners. Both modes on one port, no jumper switching required.
• Dual-Bracket Included: The standard and low-profile brackets ship together in the box. In practice this means you can spec the PCI2S1P2 for a full-tower control room machine and a compact SFF machine from the same PO — no separate bracket SKU to track.

Deployment Considerations:

• Confirm available PCI slot count before ordering. The PCI2S1P2 requires a conventional PCI or PCI-X slot — many modern workstations have eliminated these in favor of PCIe-only configurations. A PCIe-to-PCI bridge riser works but adds a point of failure in a long-lifecycle deployment.
• Operating temperature ceiling is 70°C. Adequate for a conditioned server room, but do not install this card in an unventilated rack enclosure in a mechanical room without verifying ambient temps first.

For a physical security integrator retrofitting an older Lenel or Software House panel into a modern workstation-based head-end, the PCI2S1P2 is the direct-to-board serial path that eliminates USB adapter variability — and the lifetime warranty means you are not pricing a replacement card into a five-year maintenance budget.