Openschemes shows us how those $10 USB to RS232 adapters can be hacked to provide us a valuable tool. Nice thing about soldering some wires to a few test points on a finished circuit is that the circuit can be put away for use in the future. That never happens to a circuit that was built on a bread board since it will probably be ripped out to make room for another circuit before the original one is needed.
"The most desirable type of adapter uses at least two chips: a USB controller chip such as a microcontroller and a level translator chip such as a MAX232. Other types can be hacked but they will probably need you to dump the firmware, rewrite it, and reprogram the device. That’s fun and all, but for now we’re just looking for a simple and CHEAP way to get a low-voltage USB serial port."
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Most pointless post ever.
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So what does it do?
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it allows you to use a 3.3v serial device on an adapter made for a 12v one by intercepting the signal before the voltage is stepped up.
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Is it really that difficult to throw a FTDI on some etched copper clad? Then you can also add a useful connector rather than soldering wires to fine pins and hoping it doesn’t go bang when you try it.
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