max232 projects

i recently obtained 4 max232's. i've come upon moderatly complex rs232 projects before but i can't seem to find any now.

i'm looking for projects that will: data acquisition, pc to pc comunication, modem, wireless modem, things with ram/rom, stand alone unit for programing/debuging w/ debug display for BS2, mountable solidstate pc drive. even your favorite pic programers.

i would like links to schematics that you know of and even your own projects, if you have any.

also. i would like to make my own "flash" memory for usb. also, if there is, the usb version of the max232 that is typicly used. n package please. i cant surface mount solder.

i'm not particularly interested in robots. but basicly robot projects simply employ the i/o as robot enviroment and robot movement. wich is still a data acquisition and controll/response circuit. only if you know of an interesting robot, i would like a look.

thanks to those who read and even more to those that respond.

A MAX232 is just a level converter, it converts between the +12V/-12V RS232 levels, to the 0V/5V TTL level used in computers. It contains four converters, two transmit, and two receive, these also invert the logic used.

Have a look at my RS232 PIC tutorials, they use one to convert RS232 to suitable levels for the PIC.

USB is a VERY different thing to RS232, and requires MUCH more complicated processing to use - you can buy USB to RS232 converter chips, but they are all surface mount.

Becuase of the forum you posted in, i'm assuming you want a microcontroller based project that can be plugged into the serial port... so, the easiest way is to get a microcontroller with a built in UART, then just throw it inline with the max232 to change the levels from TTL to RS232 levels.

rs232 module

I've found it easiest to just use an rs232 module for prototyping like the one from circuitblocks.com. The capacitors get a bit cumbersome. www.microchip.com has a nice app note one their web page.

Re: rs232 module

BF9000 said:

I've found it easiest to just use an rs232 module for prototyping like the one from circuitblocks.com. The capacitors get a bit cumbersome. www.microchip.com has a nice app note one their web page.

Click to expand...

If you're that concerned about caps, you don't need a "module", there's a common version of the MAX232 that doesn't use external caps. I don't have the part # handy though.

The capacitor less version of MAX232 is MAX233, actually the operation is the same, only thing is you dont need any external capacitors.

If you want try USB connection, then u can either use microchip PIC16C745 or the y have Falch version in the 18F series. Have a look at microchip website, they got everything, the coding and HID drivers.