I just happen to spot this on ebay last week. If you search for lantronix ETS16PR on ebay, there is a seller who is dumping a large surplus. You can check completed listings too and see that you can either buy it now for $150 or bid $99 and very likely end up with one. The units also come with 16 cables and a 30day warranty. Not a bad deal!
I also remember reading that the PR type of the ETS series offers adjustment through a webpage, while the standard ETS series does not.
As you know the ETS16PR is supported in Premise natively, so this is a deal for those looking to expand to 16 serial ports in a rack setup.
Information from the Premise help files:
Lantronix ETSxxPR Series
The ETSxxPR Series is a line of multiport network device servers manufactured by Lantronix, Inc, including the ETS16PR and ETS32PR rackmount servers. Device servers are designed to add network connectivity to serial devices that cannot normally connect to a network by assigning an IP Address to the device. The ETSxxPR Series servers do this by acting as an interface between serial and Ethernet data signals (multiport RJ45 RS-232/485 to RJ45 10/100BaseT, supporting serial speeds up to 230 Kbps). This enables serial devices to connect to your system using the internet or an ethernet local area network. For these reasons, the ETSxxPR Series has very specific uses in a Premise automation system. Here are a few examples:
Replace lengthy serial cables with faster and more reliable Ethernet cabling.
Use as a line driver to connect serial devices which are too far away to use serial cabling. Serial cabling has much greater signal loss compared to Ethernet cabling.
Expand the number of serial ports available to Premise Server by using a 10/100BaseT Ethernet Hub (also known as a repeater or switch), or a wireless access point and the desired number of Network Device Servers.
The primary reason for adding an ETSxxPR to the list of Devices is to inform Premise Server that there are additional serial ports available. When added, the ETSxxPR device cannot be bound, or linked, to any object in your home configuration. Instead, you would bind the Network property of the serial device that is connected to the ETSxxPR serial port to a port object located underneath the Lantronix device. This is done to inform Premise exactly how that device is connected to Premise Server. Complete steps:
Configure the IP Address for the ETSxxPR. For more information, see the Getting Started and Configuration sections of the ETSxxPR Series Installation Guides. For the latest updates to Lantronix documentation, see Lantronix Product Documentation.
Click the Addins icon located just above the Shortcut Bar.
In the Addins window, click the Devices shortcut.
Checkmark Lantronix and click OK.
Select the Devices shortcut under the Define tab in the Shortcut Bar.
In the Explorer window, right click on Lantronix and select New > ETS16PR/32PR.
Note: After you have added the ETSxxPR you will see "The Page Cannot be Displayed" in the Content Workspace until you enter the IP address for the device in the Property Browser as per the instructions below.
In the Property Browser , type in the configured IP Address and IP Port for the ETSxxPR. Refer to the ETSxxPR documentation for complete details.
Add the device drivers for the device that is attached to the ETSxxPR port, such as a Lutron RadioRa Controller.
In the Property Browser for the new device, select the Network field and click the Browse button.
A dialog box will appear showing you the Devices root. Navigate to and select the port object underneath the appropriate ETSxxPR device.
Note: When using a Lantronix ETSxxPR to connect hardware to Premise Server, the baud rate of the serial port of the particular piece of hardware might have to be changed to match the baud rate of the ETSxxPR port (normally 9600 bps). Refer to your hardware documentation for details regarding this process and other necessary serial settings. If Premise Home Control Software supports the hardware, consult those portions of the Premise Home Control Software help files to obtain the appropriate settings.
This diagram displays the pin assignments for the 8-pin RJ45 serial ports on the ETSxxPR:
I also remember reading that the PR type of the ETS series offers adjustment through a webpage, while the standard ETS series does not.
As you know the ETS16PR is supported in Premise natively, so this is a deal for those looking to expand to 16 serial ports in a rack setup.
Information from the Premise help files:
Lantronix ETSxxPR Series
The ETSxxPR Series is a line of multiport network device servers manufactured by Lantronix, Inc, including the ETS16PR and ETS32PR rackmount servers. Device servers are designed to add network connectivity to serial devices that cannot normally connect to a network by assigning an IP Address to the device. The ETSxxPR Series servers do this by acting as an interface between serial and Ethernet data signals (multiport RJ45 RS-232/485 to RJ45 10/100BaseT, supporting serial speeds up to 230 Kbps). This enables serial devices to connect to your system using the internet or an ethernet local area network. For these reasons, the ETSxxPR Series has very specific uses in a Premise automation system. Here are a few examples:
Replace lengthy serial cables with faster and more reliable Ethernet cabling.
Use as a line driver to connect serial devices which are too far away to use serial cabling. Serial cabling has much greater signal loss compared to Ethernet cabling.
Expand the number of serial ports available to Premise Server by using a 10/100BaseT Ethernet Hub (also known as a repeater or switch), or a wireless access point and the desired number of Network Device Servers.
The primary reason for adding an ETSxxPR to the list of Devices is to inform Premise Server that there are additional serial ports available. When added, the ETSxxPR device cannot be bound, or linked, to any object in your home configuration. Instead, you would bind the Network property of the serial device that is connected to the ETSxxPR serial port to a port object located underneath the Lantronix device. This is done to inform Premise exactly how that device is connected to Premise Server. Complete steps:
Configure the IP Address for the ETSxxPR. For more information, see the Getting Started and Configuration sections of the ETSxxPR Series Installation Guides. For the latest updates to Lantronix documentation, see Lantronix Product Documentation.
Click the Addins icon located just above the Shortcut Bar.
In the Addins window, click the Devices shortcut.
Checkmark Lantronix and click OK.
Select the Devices shortcut under the Define tab in the Shortcut Bar.
In the Explorer window, right click on Lantronix and select New > ETS16PR/32PR.
Note: After you have added the ETSxxPR you will see "The Page Cannot be Displayed" in the Content Workspace until you enter the IP address for the device in the Property Browser as per the instructions below.
In the Property Browser , type in the configured IP Address and IP Port for the ETSxxPR. Refer to the ETSxxPR documentation for complete details.
Add the device drivers for the device that is attached to the ETSxxPR port, such as a Lutron RadioRa Controller.
In the Property Browser for the new device, select the Network field and click the Browse button.
A dialog box will appear showing you the Devices root. Navigate to and select the port object underneath the appropriate ETSxxPR device.
Note: When using a Lantronix ETSxxPR to connect hardware to Premise Server, the baud rate of the serial port of the particular piece of hardware might have to be changed to match the baud rate of the ETSxxPR port (normally 9600 bps). Refer to your hardware documentation for details regarding this process and other necessary serial settings. If Premise Home Control Software supports the hardware, consult those portions of the Premise Home Control Software help files to obtain the appropriate settings.
This diagram displays the pin assignments for the 8-pin RJ45 serial ports on the ETSxxPR:
