AKRON OHIO, June 9 -- Quatech, Inc., a leading manufacturer of data communication and data acquisition products for PC-based systems, today introduced a complete line of CompactPCI serial communication boards. The new product line leverages Quatech's extensive experience with PCI communication board design, to take advantage of the convenience and industrial and embedded potential offered by CompactPCI. With this announcement, Quatech becomes one of only a few suppliers to offer CompactPCI cards designed solely for data communication. This approach minimizes the cost and complexity of adding additional functionality to CompactPCI systems. As a result, Quatech's communication boards are ideal for OEM applications where cost and reliability are primary considerations.

To provide a full range of serial protocols and connectivity, the line includes eight uniquely configured CompactPCI communication boards. The boards are available with two or four ports, in RS-232 and RS-422/RS-485 versions. The 2-port cards are accessed via D-9 connectors or RJ45-10 shielded modular connectors. The 4-port cards are also available with RJ45-10 connectors or with a single D-37 output connector that can be converted to four D-9 ports using an optional cable. All ports are protected by 2500 VRMs isolation.

Quatech's 10-pin modular connector is designed to implement all handshaking signals, providing a significant advantage over boards using the older 6-pin modular jack that sacrifices the CTS-DSR and DTR-RTS handshaking lines.

For enhanced performance in heavy multitasking environments, the boards have standard 16750 UARTs -- high-performance transmitter chips -- with 64-byte FIFOs. The deep FIFO memory allows applications to run more efficiently by increasing communication speed and lowering CPU overhead. The RS-232 boards operate at up to 460.8 kbps and the RS-422/485 boards can reach speeds up to 921.6 kbps. Support is provided under Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000 and OS/2.

All Quatech CompactPCI boards strictly adhere to the CompactPCI design specification. They emphasize tight specification compliance, because when working with the Plug & Play CompactPCI bus, a non-compliant card has the potential to disrupt an entire system.

For user convenience, Quatech's CompactPCI data communication boards provide access to I/O in the front of the card, a feature not always found in competing products. Basic Hot-Swap capability is also supported.

Pricing and Availability: Quatech's Compact PCI line is scheduled for full production in July 2001. Prototypes are currently available for purchase. List prices are as follows: DSCP-100 (2-port RS-232): $369.00, DSCP-200/300 (2-port RS-422/485): $389.00, QSCP-100 (4-port RS-232): $499.00, QSCP-200/300 (4-port RS-422/485): $539.00. Pricing is the same for D-shell or modular connector choices.

For more information about Quatech's new Compact PCI line, or any other Quatech product, please call 1-800-553-1170 and talk with a sales engineer about your application, email sales@quatech.com, or visit Quatech's website at www.quatech.com.

About Quatech: Quatech, Inc. is an ISO 9001 registered manufacturer of data communication and data acquisition products for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and OS/2 based systems. Its customer base includes Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and major universities, as well as many small companies and individual users involved in diverse industries including banking, aerospace, industrial monitoring and control, medical testing, automotive testing, and airport management; and in applications such as POS, ATM, and navigation. Founded in 1983, and headquartered in Akron, OH, the company has a worldwide presence, selling its products through a network of North American sales representatives and international distributors. Website: www.quatech.com.