Serial Basic Hookup Guide
Serial Basic Overview
The pinout of the Serial Basic mimics the common DTR/RX/TX/VCC/CTS/GND pinout found on hundreds of FTDI-to-USB derivatives.
Pin Label | Input/Output | Description |
---|---|---|
DTR | Output | Data Terminal Ready, Active Low |
RXI | Input | Serial Receive |
TXO | Output | Serial Transmit |
VCC | Supply Output | Power supply 3.3V (default) or 5V |
CTS | Input | Clear To Send, Active Low |
GND | Supply Output | Ground (0V) supply |
Alignment Markers
These GRN
and BLK
indicators are there to help you align the board properly with products that use this same pinout.
The Serial Basic mates seamlessly with products that use the standard serial connection. If you see a board with the BLK
and GRN
labels, then you know it will be compatible with the Serial Basic.
Voltage Selection Jumper
There is a jumper on the rear of the board that controls the output voltage on the VCC pin. By default, the board outputs 3.3V and has 3.3V signals. Changing this jumper to 5V will cause the board to output 5V on the VCC pin with 5V signals.
When the jumper is set to 3.3V, the board uses an onboard 3.3V regulator capable of sourcing 600mA. If you attempt to pull more than 600mA, the regulator will go into short-circuit shutdown where it will only output 150mA.
When the jumper is set to 5V, the board will source as much power as your USB port will provide.
LEDs
There are two LEDs on the board connected to TX (Green) and RX (Yellow). This is a quick and handy way to see the serial traffic.