The TTL-232RG cables build upon the existing FTDI family of USB to TTL
cables, by offering new versions to support an extended variety of voltage
I/O levels. The cables feature a USB to serial
CONVERTER PCB encapsulated
within a standard type 'A' USB connector with a wire-ended asynchronous UART
output. The cables are aimed at providing USB connectivity within
applications with serial UART ports. The cables provide a fast and simple
method for enabling USB connectivity in such applications, with minimal
changes to existing user software.
A range of cables are available to for a variety of voltage I/O levels
including +1.8V, +3.3V, +5V or at user specified levels, to provide UART
interfacing to devices such as MCUs, CPUs or FPGAs at a range of voltage
levels. The cables derive power from the USB interface and have integrated
voltage regulators removing the need for designers to provide external power
or have voltage level shifters on their boards. Further, the cables can be
used to provide an optional power output ranging between +1.8V and +5V for
powering external circuitry.
The TTL-232RG cables feature the FTDI FT232R USB 2.0 to UART converter IC
with associated circuitry integrated within the cable USB connector. The
FT232R manages the complete USB protocol within the device - meaning that no
user knowledge of USB is required. The UART interface supports data
transfers at up to 3Mbps. Using the FTDI's Virtual COM Port (VCP) drivers,
users can easily access the UART interface as a (virtual) COM port with
existing software applications, removing the need for any redesign. The FTDI
D2XX drivers are also available to support application development using
high-level software languages. FTDI's royalty free drivers include Microsoft
WHQL certified drivers for Window based operating systems, as well as
drivers for Linux and Mac OS operating systems. All drivers are freely
available for download, says the company.
