What is the difference between FT232 serial cable and regular serial cable?

Many novice engineers in the debugging, in the face of a variety of debugging line can not begin, so in the end how to choose the right debugging line? Today we analyze the FT232 serial line and ordinary serial line of the two kinds of serial port debugging line, to understand how to choose the debugging line for network engineers?

FT232 serial cable and normal serial cable are two different types of serial cable, they have some differences in functions and features etc:

1. Chip type: FT232 serial cable uses FT232 chip, which is a kind of USB to serial chip that can realize the conversion between USB interface and serial device. The ordinary serial line does not integrate the USB to serial function of the chip, just through the physical connection of the computer's serial interface and external devices connected to the serial interface.

2. Interface type: FT232 serial cable usually use the USB Type-A interface or USB Type-C interface to connect with the computer, while the ordinary serial cable uses a DB9 interface to connect with the computer's serial interface.

3. Driver: FT232 serial cable needs to install the appropriate driver to work properly. This is because the FT232 chip needs to communicate with the operating system through the driver to realize the function of USB to serial port. Ordinary serial cables do not require the installation of additional drivers, because the computer's operating system usually already has built-in support for serial ports.

4. Transmission rate: FT232 serial cables usually support higher serial transmission rate. the highest transmission rate supported by FT232 chip can reach 12Mbps, which can meet most of the needs of serial communication. The transmission rate of common serial cable depends on the performance of serial interface and serial device, usually lower, the common rate of 9600bps, 19200bps and so on.

5. Convenience of plugging and unplugging: Since the FT232 serial cable uses a USB interface, it is easy to plug and unplug, and can be plugged and unplugged without shutting down the computer. While the ordinary serial cable using DB9 interface, plugging and unplugging need to pay attention to the power state of the computer or device, so as not to cause damage.

In general, FT232 serial cable has the following advantages over ordinary serial cable:

1. Compatibility: The use of the FT232 chip makes the FT232 serial cable have a wider range of compatibility. It is compatible with various operating systems (e.g. Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) and computer devices (e.g. PCs, laptops, tablets, etc.), whereas ordinary serial cables may require specific drivers or adapters to work properly on different devices.

2. High-speed transmission: FT232 serial cable supports high serial transmission rate up to 12Mbps, which makes it suitable for application scenarios that require high-speed data transmission, such as data acquisition, device control, etc.

3. Simplicity: The FT232 serial cable uses a USB interface to connect to the computer, which is easy to plug and unplug without having to shut down or restart the computer. Ordinary serial cable needs to pay attention to the power state when plugging and unplugging to avoid damage to the device.

4. Versatility: FT232 chip supports a variety of serial protocols and modes, including RS232, RS485, RS422, etc., as well as virtual COM port function. This makes the FT232 serial cable applicable to different types of serial devices.

5. Programmability: The FT232 chip has a programmable EEPROM memory that can store customized configurations and parameters, allowing the FT232 serial line to be customized and configured according to specific needs.

6. Power supply: FT232 serial line usually obtains power supply from computer or other devices through USB interface, without external power adapter. Common serial cables usually require an external power adapter to provide power to the serial device.

7. Stability: The FT232 serial cable has high stability and reliability due to the FT232 chip. The chip internal integrated power management circuit, clock circuit and over-voltage, over-current, over-temperature and other protection functions, can effectively protect the device from power interference and damage. Ordinary serial lines may be relatively low in stability and reliability, and are susceptible to external electromagnetic interference and power fluctuations.

8. Other functions: FT232 chip also has some other functions, such as automatic flow control, automatic baud rate detection, remote wake-up and so on. These features can improve the stability and reliability of serial communications, and simplify the configuration and debugging process.

It should be noted that the FT232 serial cable is suitable for scenarios that require USB-to-serial communication with computers or other devices, while the regular serial cable is suitable for scenarios that require a direct connection to the computer's serial interface. The choice of which serial cable to use depends on the specific application requirements and device compatibility.

As a professional manufacturer of high speed cables, Aiqun has been producing and stocking a large number of Mini SAS cables, HD Mini SAS cables, SATA cables, USB industrial serial cables and other high speed cables, and supports customization. Among them, the USB industrial serial cables produced by Aiqun Industrial, built-in FT232 chip, support RS232 serial standard, compatible with a variety of operating systems, can be widely used in a variety of fields and scenarios. For business cooperation, please contact the following staff:

Mr. Wang Tel: 13713335011; Email: wym@oikwan.com.cn

Mr. Peng Tel: 15797958662; Email: pengjian@oikwan.com.cn