Copyright © Future Technology Devices International Limited

1

Document Reference No.: FT_000054

Clearance No.: FTDI# 53

1 Description

The TTL-232R cables are a family of USB to TTL serial UART converter cables incorporating FTDI’s

FT232RQ USB to Serial UART interface IC device which handles all the USB signalling and protocols. The

cables provide a fast, simple way to connect devices with a TTL level serial interface to USB.

Each TTL-232R cable contains a small internal electronic circuit board, utilising the FT232R, which is

encapsulated into the USB connector end of the cable. The FT232R datasheet, DS_FT232R, is available at

http://www.ftdichip.com. The other end of the cable comes with a selection of different connectors

supporting various applications – see Table 1.1

Cables are FCC, CE, RoHS compliant and are available at TTL levels of +5V and +3.3V.

Cables are available with either a 6-way SIL,0.1” pitch connector, a 3.5mm Audio Jack, an 8 way, keyed

2mm pitch connector (intended for use with VMUSIC2 or VDRIVE2) or bare, tinned wire ended

connections (see Table 1.1)

The USB side of the cable is USB powered and USB 2.0 full speed compatible. Each cable is 1.8m long

and supports a data transfer rate up to 3 Mbaud. Each cable supports the FTDIChip-ID™, with a unique

USB serial number programmed into the FT232R. This feature can be used to create a security or

password protected file transfer access using the cable. Further information and examples on this feature

are available at http://www.ftdichip.com under FTDIChip-ID Projects.

The TTL-232R cables require USB drivers, available free from http://www.ftdichip.com, which are

used to make the FT232R in the cable appear as a virtual COM port (VCP). This then allows the user to

communicate with the USB interface via a standard PC serial emulation port (for example TTY). Another

FTDI USB driver, the D2XX driver, can also be used with application software to directly access the

FT232R on the cable though a DLL. This is illustrated in the Figure 1.1

TTY

USB

TTL-232R

Virtual COM Port

Software application access to USB via D2XX

USB

TTY

Wire Ended

3mm Audio Jack

6 way, 0.1" Single In Line connector

8 way, Keyed,2mm, Single In Line

connector

Various Connector

Options

Wire Ended

3mm Audio Jack

6 way, 0.1" Single In Line connector

Various Connector

Options

8 way, Keyed,2mm, Single In Line

connector

Figure 1.1 Using the TTL-232R Cable