SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-28T02:33:47-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsRanTheLab on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLRanTheLaburn:uuid:5adae9ab-9818-1c47-e273-14f3f70716482022-01-16T11:15:35-07:00<p>What does the VCC/3.3v switch do on this board? Since the breakout has VCC and 3.3V pins. What is this switch used for?</p>
Customer #1271601 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #1271601urn:uuid:b9e4e01a-e9ec-d05f-a2dc-974b72b6809c2018-02-03T00:19:20-07:00<p>it could use some mounting holes</p>
M-Short on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLM-Shorturn:uuid:a8c42a4b-ba9f-1637-3c53-aa37bbec070a2016-08-22T09:07:27-06:00<p>Yes, this is basically the same circuit we use on the FTDI basic which is designed for programming the Pro Mini. This just breaks out more pins. For true laziness I recommend the <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9716" rel="nofollow">FTDI Basic</a> which has a pinout to match the Pro Mini.</p>
Customer #836255 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #836255urn:uuid:e4a8bad7-f9f9-702e-ff37-b61c2dc196572016-08-20T05:31:53-06:00<p>Is the RX pin 5v tolerant? The spec sheet for the FT232RL seems to say yes in a couple places, this? (Would like to use this on a 5v Arduino pro mini without level shifting ... And yes, if your wondering, I am lazy ;) ).</p>
tboutain on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLtboutainurn:uuid:31eb11a8-993b-7576-f3b4-30d072ab090d2016-02-17T18:26:49-07:00<p>Can anyone tell me how much current this can handle on the RX pin?</p>
klinkenbecker on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLklinkenbeckerurn:uuid:d3762f2c-f3e8-eb99-457e-eea0f484449f2016-02-06T11:14:12-07:00<p>I get that the micro USB is compact, but the pins simply don't last multiple insertions and micro connections are not as mechanically sound (plugs can just fall out on their own).<p>Bring back the mini USB version and make both available...!!</p></p>
Customer #115576 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #115576urn:uuid:73f16f13-8656-f814-bb85-c744d1490c6e2015-11-29T13:18:45-07:00<p>I would like to understand the design decision behind jp3, pin 1 being 3.3 and not vccio? thanks.</p>
Customer #558823 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #558823urn:uuid:b534bbd2-011c-dc4f-afc7-7c8671b7f50c2015-09-18T01:24:36-06:00<p>OS X users might want to read this: https://aushacker.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/ftdi-and-os-x/</p>
Toni_K on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLToni_Kurn:uuid:3b559206-a8fd-1e59-3f54-71f84b1613662015-07-02T09:22:25-06:00<p>Thank you for the feedback! We'll definitely take a look at that the next time this board is up for revision.</p>
Customer #696583 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #696583urn:uuid:e8d2cb27-971a-e1da-a330-4abffe59b0c12015-07-02T07:16:05-06:00<p>If this board is ever updated, it would be nice if there was an option for the user to supply VCCIO so this board could interface to 1.8V or 2.5V logic. I guess you might be able to do that with this board by removing the VCCIO switch, but a 3-position switch that allowed for this option without requiring disassembly would be nice even if the LEDs wouldn't work with a lower VCCIO.</p>
Toni_K on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLToni_Kurn:uuid:690b80c9-0af1-43e5-0193-52e8102b0d642015-04-27T09:28:30-06:00<p>This board won't actually work well for your application. It looks like you need a USB-to-RS232 converter or a <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9822" rel="nofollow">USB-to-RS485 converter</a>. This board is USB to serial UART.</p>
Customer #676333 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #676333urn:uuid:e42bf988-398c-4d9e-08e4-71719f0421422015-04-24T22:50:18-06:00<p>Can I use this breakout board with my Robotis Dynamixel MX64T ?
To replace this component:
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/robotis-bioloid-usb2dynamixel.aspx
to drive these motors ?
http://www.trossenrobotics.com/p/mx-64t-dynamixel-robot-actuator.aspx</p>
M-Short on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLM-Shorturn:uuid:507e25d3-d1d6-5f47-05de-04552ddb00162015-03-05T11:02:29-07:00<p>To program an Arduino Pro Mini you basically need 4-5 connections. The first 2 are power and ground. Assuming nothing else is attached to the Pro Mini you can use either 3.3V or 5V power with no problem. Next is RX and TX. RX is receive and TX is transmit, meaning RX needs to go to TX and TX to RX. Sometimes you will see RX-I or TX-O, the I and O basically mean input or output and you can just ignore them. This tends to be the tricky thing is to remember to swap the RX and TX. The 5th connection is connecting the DTR pin, this is what enables the autoreset. If you don't have this pin connected you can always manually hit the reset button. If you have any other questions feel free to email techsupport@sparkfun.com.</p>
Customer #371526 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #371526urn:uuid:7f4ac123-14d8-7c6d-b542-1d51d5a28d992015-03-05T09:42:12-07:00<p>Feeling a little lost, can anyone help me with the pin outs to use to program an Arduino Pro Mini?</p>
Customer #637655 on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLCustomer #637655urn:uuid:73c57141-2fde-7d4a-30eb-dbe5df2bfda92015-01-12T07:47:11-07:00<p>I'd like to know about this. I have Teensy 3.1 and this would be very valuable to me.</p>
SFUptownMaker on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLSFUptownMakerurn:uuid:a26f7c9b-51de-54f5-333e-f92f37c601072014-12-11T15:35:34-07:00<p>We are.<p>The Cypress chips are really nice; they add some pretty advanced functionality beyond the normal serial functions, but retain pin-for-pin compatibility.</p></p>
PeterP on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLPeterPurn:uuid:25d36220-94bb-a637-86b7-d2406235e7772014-12-11T15:01:23-07:00<p>I have to admit that instead of using these FTDI boards, I usually use a a Teensy 2.0 programmed as a USB to serial converter. Its a buck or so difference in price but then I can always build some smarts into the converter to suit my application.</p>
Kamiquasi on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLKamiquasiurn:uuid:9bc068d6-e7d7-5cce-43d9-7f25e36a32f32014-12-10T15:31:19-07:00<p>In their recent “Ask me anything” live session, I believe they mentioned they were going to make boards using Cypress’s offerings - but the time frame for these appearing here was weeks.</p>
RocketGuy on BOB-12731 - SparkFun USB to Serial Breakout - FT232RLRocketGuyurn:uuid:05411158-fdca-da12-60ce-8c524c8cb7e72014-12-10T11:36:50-07:00<p>I'd really like to see an FTDI alternative serial/usb board.<p>After recent cluelessness by FTDI, I'm no longer comfortable with them as a source, and there seems to be a few other options available.</p></p>