FT232 USB to UART / TTL Serial Converter

Overview

FT232 USB to UART / TTL Serial Converter Board (Mini-USB)

Product Overview

Bridge the gap between your computer and your microcontrollers with the highly reliable FT232 USB to UART Converter. Powered by the industry-standard FTDI FT232RL chip, this module provides a rock-solid, plug-and-play solution for serial communication. Whether you are flashing firmware to a barebones microcontroller, debugging sensor data pipelines, or establishing PC-to-hardware interfaces, this module ensures seamless and stable data transmission.

Designed with versatility in mind, it features a selectable logic level jumper, allowing you to easily switch between 3.3V and 5V to safely interface with a wide variety of development boards and sensor modules.

Key Features

• Genuine FTDI FT232RL Chip: Benefit from the industry gold standard in USB-to-serial conversion, guaranteeing excellent OS compatibility (Windows, Mac, Linux) without the driver headache often associated with counterfeit chips.

• Selectable Logic Levels: Includes an onboard hardware jumper to toggle the VCCIO voltage between 3.3V and 5V, protecting your sensitive low-voltage microcontrollers and sensors from overvoltage damage.

• Hardware Flow Control: Breaks out the RTS# and CTS# pins alongside the standard TX and RX, enabling robust hardware flow control for applications that demand high-speed, error-free data transfer.

• Compact & Breadboard Friendly: Features a standard 2.54mm pitch 6-pin header that easily connects to jumper wires or slots directly into a breadboard for rapid prototyping.

• Mini-USB Interface: Equipped with a sturdy Mini-USB connector for a secure connection to your host machine.

Common Applications

• Microcontroller Programming: Essential for uploading code to boards lacking a built-in USB interface (e.g., Arduino Pro Mini, custom ESP32/ESP8266 PCBs, and STM32 chips).

• Sensor Debugging: Monitor live telemetry data by establishing a direct serial monitor connection to your sensor arrays.

• Device Recovery: Unbrick or upgrade the firmware of routers, set-top boxes, and other embedded hardware via serial console access.

• IoT Development: Facilitate communication between local hardware prototypes and PC-based MQTT dashboards or databases.

Technical Specifications

Pinout Description

1. VCCIO: Output voltage (3.3V or 5V based on jumper position) to power external logic.

2. GND: Ground reference.

3. TXD: Transmit Data (connects to the RX pin of your target microcontroller).

4. RXD: Receive Data (connects to the TX pin of your target microcontroller).

5. RTS#: Request to Send (Hardware Flow Control).

6. CTS#: Clear to Send (Hardware Flow Control).

Note: Additional through-holes are available on the PCB for accessing other FT232RL pins and status LEDs (TXDLED / RXDLED) for advanced custom integrations.