while all the pins on a 232 DE-9 (no, its not a DB-9, sorry guys!) technically have names and purposes, I realize it doesn’t matter what they really are. however I am wondering if it matters if they are all from one device? I have several 232 based devices I want to interface with an arduino. Can I simply us RX and TX for one device, then DTR and DSR for a second device as its TX and RX, and so on? or will the differing clocks cause trouble? I guess it all depends on how the IC handles the level shifting, but rather than dig thru data sheets i don’t understand I figured I’d ask here.
Hello, permnoob.
Yes, you should be able to use a single Pololu 23201a Serial Adapter Fully Assembled to control several RS-232 devices from your Arduino. The adapter’s CTS, DCD, DSR, RI, and RX, lines should all behave the same and the DTR, RTS, and TX lines should behave the same.
–David
welp, I guess that answers the obvious question i failed to ask. the pins are all not bi-directional, correct? each pin only works in its normally intended direction, right? I am having some wierd issues, and just realized I may have swapped TX and RX, since I keep getting confused as to the perspective of hte lables.
That’s correct, the lines are not bidirectional.
I should have been a little more specific. In my previous post, when I was referring to lines I was referring to them as they are labeled on the TTL-serial side of the board.
–David