No matter what serial-esque protocol you need to interface with, this USB to Multi-Protocol Serial adapter will be able to get this-connected-to-that. It supports RS232 serial, TTL UART serial, RS485 and RS422. All with quick-connecting screw terminals so you don't need to do any soldering or use special cables.
Just plug directly into a computer's USB A port and use a Phillips screwdriver to open the terminal and insert a solid or stranded-core wire. The USB A is even the flippable kind so you will always be able to have the labels and LEDs facing you.
Inside is a - this chip uses 5V logic and provides the UART serial signals that are converted into the different formats. Supported signal rates are 300 baud to 3 Mbaud. FTDI drivers are built into just about every OS these days - but if you need to install, there's free
- For the RS-232 signal side, theres a signal level converter with -8V logic level I/O. All eight (5/3) RS-232 signals are exposed. The RS-232 converter can handle up to 250kbps.
- For the UART signal side, it is connected directly to the FT231. Logic level is 5V, and only RX/TX and 5V/3V/GND are exposed.
- For RS-485/RS-422 signal side, the UART RX/TX lines are connected to chips.
- As a bonus, you also get 5V and 3V (with matching Ground) power supplies to power small projects - the 5V is from the USB so its technically 500mA but you can probably draw 1A, 3.3V is from the FT231X and is 50mA output.
- Red 'Power good' LED, Green 'Data transmission' LED
Please note: there's only one USB-serial chip inside, so you can only use one protocol at a time!
