These are the new generation of FTDI’s USB chips - see http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/FT232R.htm. They’re a competitor to the Silabs CP2101 parts in that they offer a USB to serial bridge with the bare minimum of external components.
The way I see it though, the FTDI parts have got a bit of an edge. They’re available in 2 different packages. The SSOP package is a little easier for hobbyists to solder that a 0.5 QFN style package, and easier for single sided PCB layout because tracks can be brought out from the ends of the chip. Some of the pins even have software assignable functions, making PCB layout even easier. This chip also has a clock output from its internal oscillator, which is good for driving the a CPU. The other reason I like the idea of the FTDI chips over the Silabs devices is that they have well established drivers, particularly for Linux.
Any chance of Spark Fun stocking these? They’re already available at Saelig and Parallax, but the shipping cost to Australia is a killer.
mouser is carrying them (sorry if this is a faux pas on the SFE site).
The FT232R seems to be a 5V part which makes it a lot easier to interface to some 5V PICs (877A, for example) without 3-5 glue logic. Anyone know of a 2 channel translator chip in something like an SOT package?
I hear you on the ssop layout benefits. I just did layouts for both the FT232R and CP2102. The CP210x pin assignments are pretty well thought out, though and I wound up with the same number of vias in both cases (1). The FT232R, on the other hand, is kind of a mess with its assignments but having the ends open makes it “ok”.
I just finished some prototype boards for a client with the FT245RL chips. I got them directly from FTDI through the U.S. sales office even though they weren’t listed in stock on FTDI’s web store. In fact, they shipped them overnight to me from Taiwan which really impressed me.
Anyway, so far they are working great. I’d love it if you guys can stock the new FTDI chips as they are a lot nicer to work with than the Silicon Labs parts (drivers, support documentation, etc.)
For what it is worth, I bought the FTDI 232C chip on a breakout board (from hobbyengineering.com) and found it to be very easy to work with.
I was able to set it up with FreeBSD doing BSL downloads with a minimum of wiring and hassles. It makes a nice little laptop environment - you get the 5V off the 232C board, put it through a 3.3 regulator, giving lots of power for the msp430 board, also feed the 3.3 V back to the 232C to tell it to use 3.3 for its digital I/O to the MSP.
The RTS and DTR go straight to to TCK and RST on the MSP430f169 Olimex board.
Total components besides the 232C in my case: 1 cap for the 3.3V regulator on the 232C, 2 resistors for the “big” VR, and the big 3.3V VR itself.
I believe this is the simplest way to interface to a FreeBSD laptop that I’ve seen.
I really like the potential of the CP2103, but will have to wait for better drivers.
