Author Topic: Cheap china serial hub  (Read 1192 times)

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Offline con-f-useTopic starter

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Cheap china serial hub
« on: February 21, 2018, 10:42:28 am »
I'm getting annoyed by multiple usb-to-serial cabels on my desk.

Do you know of a cheap 4-port, or preferably 8-port, serial hub that connects to a computer via USB?  Basically something like in the picture below, just for TTL:



I would actually prefer just a board without casing. Also, 0.1" pin-headers instead of the d-sub connector seem like a good idea.
Otherwise it's an 8port-USB hub and 8 of these:



But that's a bit messy, too.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2018, 03:04:03 pm by con-f-use »
 

Offline Vic20

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Re: Cheap china serial hub
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2018, 11:51:56 am »
I suppose you know that, but the two solutions you propose are not always equivalent.

A box with D connectors will probably use standard RS-232 signaling voltages.

A device like the small one you show on the photo will probably use TTL signaling voltages.

Just check the specs to be sure.
 

Offline con-f-useTopic starter

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Re: Cheap china serial hub
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2018, 12:29:14 pm »
Yes good point, thanks. I'm aware that the relevant EIA RS-232-C specification mandates -15 < V- < -3V and 3V < V+ < 15V. 
I have not seen anything produced in the last 5 years that actually had much more then 5V swing, though.
To be clear, I'll be using the thing for modern electronics, not legacy devices. That means I'm fine with either 3.3V or 5V TTL signal levels, not fine with anything above 6V and negative voltages with respect to common ground.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2018, 03:02:58 pm by con-f-use »
 

Offline newbrain

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Re: Cheap china serial hub
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2018, 02:30:28 pm »
Yes good point, thanks. I'm aware that the relevant EIA RS-232-C specification mandates -15 < V- < -3V and 3V < V+ < 15V. 
I have not seen anything produced in the last 5 years that actually had much more then 5V swing, though.
To be clear, I'll be using the thing for modern electronics, not legacy devices. That means I'm fine with either 3.3V or 5V signal levels, not fine with anything above 6V.
In that case, consider that:
  • The negative swing is (generally speaking) not acceptable
  • The logic levels are inverted with respect to a "TTL" interface, see picture courtesy of Wikipedia
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