thincan serial support

[ron minnich]

I need to do ttl to rs232 for the thincan. I am thinking of a cook
book procedure so others can do this easily.

The first ingredient is this: http://www.superdroidrobots.com/rs232.htm

Anyone have a better choice? I like this as it comes with schematics
and howto. From here I should be able
to do a simple "howto" writeup.

CS5536 doesn't have USB debug port support :-(, so this is the best
choice. We're going to need a Kconfig
option on v3 for enabling serial over DDC on boards using cs5536.

thanks

ron

[Corey Osgood]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:36 AM, ron minnich  wrote:
> I need to do ttl to rs232 for the thincan. I am thinking of a cook
> book procedure so others can do this easily.
>
> The first ingredient is this: http://www.superdroidrobots.com/rs232.htm
>
> Anyone have a better choice? I like this as it comes with schematics
> and howto. From here I should be able
> to do a simple "howto" writeup.
>
> CS5536 doesn't have USB debug port support :-(, so this is the best
> choice. We're going to need a Kconfig
> option on v3 for enabling serial over DDC on boards using cs5536.
>
> thanks
>
> ron

Siemens C55 has an lvttl interface. Most of the usb data cables on ebay (for
$0.99) are prolific pl2023-based. It involves a little more work, but it's a
heck of alot cheaper.

-Corey

Quoting Corey Osgood :
> On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:36 AM, ron minnich  wrote:
> > I need to do ttl to rs232 for the thincan. I am thinking of a cook
> > book procedure so others can do this easily.
> >
> > The first ingredient is this: http://www.superdroidrobots.com/rs232.htm
> >
> > Anyone have a better choice? I like this as it comes with schematics
> > and howto. From here I should be able
> > to do a simple "howto" writeup.
> >
> > CS5536 doesn't have USB debug port support :-(, so this is the best
> > choice. We're going to need a Kconfig
> > option on v3 for enabling serial over DDC on boards using cs5536.
> >
> > thanks
> >
> > ron
>
> Siemens C55 has an lvttl interface. Most of the usb data cables on ebay (for
> $0.99) are prolific pl2023-based. It involves a little more work, but it's a
> heck of alot cheaper.
>
> -Corey

Yeh, we have to use a LVTTL to RS-232 level translator on the RCA  
RM4100. Like Corey said I use a Siemens C55 serial cell phone cable  
and it works great!
here is a pic:

http://www.smittys.pointclark.net/rm4100/album_pic.php?pic_id=24

I have other people in my group that use other cell cables USB and  
even palm cradles. If you want to make one here is a simple way to do  
it:

http://nil.rpc1.org/psp/files/PSP%20Serial%20Converter.pdf

Thanks - Joe

[Tom Sylla]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:36 AM, ron minnich  wrote:
> I need to do ttl to rs232 for the thincan. I am thinking of a cook
>  book procedure so others can do this easily.
>
> The first ingredient is this: http://www.superdroidrobots.com/rs232.htm
>
> Anyone have a better choice? I like this as it comes with schematics
>  and howto. From here I should be able
>  to do a simple "howto" writeup.

The DLP (FTDI) cables seem a little bit cheaper, and I have used them
on several 5536 platforms.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/633/35.pdf
DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-WE is a wire-ended version ($24)
DLP-TTL-232R-3V3 is a version with a 5-pin 100mil socket already attached ($20)
DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-PCB is a blank version ($18, add your own wires)

If the thincan has 5536's first serial port RX and TX available on a
header (the Atrec person mentioned there is a daughterboard for a real
serial port), the 100mil socket version is easy, just swap the pins in
the connector as needed. The wire-ended and blank ones are generic if
it is some other connector.

The above part numbers are for the 3.3V versions, but they are 5v
tolerant, too, so you can also use them with the muxed DDC pins
(5536's 2nd serial port) if that is the intent.

[ron minnich]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 9:19 AM, Tom Sylla  wrote:
> DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-WE is a wire-ended version ($24)

Am I reading this right? This is ttl to 232 to usb?

ron

[ron minnich]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 10:52 AM, ron minnich  wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 9:19 AM, Tom Sylla  wrote:
> > DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-WE is a wire-ended version ($24)
>
> Am I reading this right? This is ttl to 232 to usb?

weird. the order form shows this:
USB Adapters From FTDI USB-TTL SERIAL CONVERTER

But the catalog says this:

I J
626-DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-WE
                            24.00
                        DLP-TTL-232R-3V3-WE H USB A Cable, 6' 6
Conductor, stripped and tinned 0-3
                                                               volt
TTL signals, 5V power TX, RX,
                                                                   VCC
(5V), GND, CTS, RTS

So where does USB come in? Error in mouser order form?

ron

[Peter Stuge]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 08:36:56AM -0800, ron minnich wrote:
> I need to do ttl to rs232 for the thincan.

The DIY standard is Maxim MAX232CPE or the like, with four
electrolytic capacitors it works just fine, but requires hacking
with the soldering iron.
> Anyone have a better choice?

The ready-made cables are of course less work.
> a Kconfig option

I've thought about Kconfig vs. dts. I'm now leaning towards the dts
only being used for hardware description and Kconfig for the rest.

//Peter