Intersil’s ISL3179E and ISL3180E are high ESD protected, 3.3 V powered, single transceivers that meet both the RS-485 and RS-422 standards for balanced communication. Each device has low bus currents (+220 μA/-150 μA), so it presents a “1/5 unit load” to the RS-485 bus. This allows up to 160 transceivers on the network without violating the RS-485 specification’s 32-unit load maximum and without using repeaters. Receiver (Rx) inputs feature a “full fail-safe” design, which ensures a logic high Rx output if Rx inputs are floating, shorted, or terminated but undriven. The ISL3180E is configured for full duplex applications. The ISL3179E half-duplex version multiplexes the Rx inputs, and Tx outputs to allow a transceiver with an output disable function in 8 Ld packages. Hot plug circuitry ensures that the Tx, and Rx outputs remain in a high impedance state while the power supply stabilizes.