Copyright © 2010 Future Technology Devices International Limited

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Document Reference No.: FT_000077

USB TO RS232 SERIAL CONVERTER RANGE OF CABLES Datasheet Version 1.3

Clearance No.: FTDI# 51

1 Description

The USB_RS232 cables are a family of USB to RS232 levels serial UART converter cables incorporating

FTDI’s FT232RQ USB to serial UART interface IC device which handles all the USB signalling and

protocols. The cables provide a fast, simple way to connect devices with a RS232 level serial UART

interface to USB.

Each USB-RS232 cable contains a small internal electronic circuit board, utilising the FT232R, which is

encapsulated into the USB connector end of the cable. The FT232R datasheet, DS_FT232R, is available at

http://www.ftdichip.com. The integrated electronics also include the RS232 level shifter plus Tx and Rx

LEDs which give a visual indication of traffic on the cable (if transparent USB connector specified).

The other end of the cable is bare, tinned wire ended connections by default, but can be customised

using different connectors to support various applications.

Cables are FCC, CE, RoHS compliant.

The USB side of the cable is USB powered and USB 2.0 full speed compatible. Each cable is 1.8m long

and supports a data transfer rate up to 1 Mbaud. Each cable supports the FTDIChip-ID™, with a unique

USB serial number programmed into the FT232R. This feature can be used to create a security or

password protected file transfer access using the cable. Further information and examples on this feature

are available at http://www.ftdichip.com under FTDIChip-ID Projects.

The USB-RS232 cables require USB drivers, available free from http://www.ftdichip.com, which are

used to make the FT232R in the cable appear as a virtual COM port (VCP). This then allows the user to

communicate with the USB interface via a standard PC serial emulation port (for example TTY). Another

FTDI USB driver, the D2XX driver, can also be used with application software to directly access the

FT232R on the cable though a DLL. This is illustrated in the Figure 1.1

TTY

USB

USB_RS232

Virtual COM Port

Software application access to USB via D2XX

USB

TTY

Wire Ended

Customised connectors

Various Connector

Options

Wire Ended

Various Connector

Options

Customised connectors

Figure 1.1 Using the USB-RS232 Cable