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Your favorite serial plug in connector? — Parallax Forums

Your favorite serial plug in connector?

yarisboyyarisboy Posts: 245
edited 2010-02-25 22:43 in Propeller 1
I building a board and am leaning toward USB-A through hole sockets for my serial I/O channels. If you are like me you have a drawer full of the most common USB cables. I've looked at RJ-11, RJ25, and RJ-45 but they all take up to much board space. A penny for your thoughts?

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MOORE'S LAW: The capabilities of electronics shall double every 18 months.
cloyd's corollary: Hardware is easy, software is hard.

Comments

  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2010-02-25 03:33
    I wouldn't use USB connectors for serial normally but it just so happens that I have a few non-industrial designs that I am doing that use vertical USB-A connectors for interfaces other than USB. However this is the thing, I have my connectors follow the same pinout for USB in that I have +5V (or nothing) and ground where they should be. For the other two signal pins these are connected to the Prop via current limit resistors so this allows me use the connectors for any 2-wire bus or serial or logic level RS232. If I do happen to plug a USB device into it then at least it gets power and it isn't damaged plus there is always the possibility of enabling USB for the Prop on that connector.

    If you are talking about true RS-232 then I would not use that connector as I prefer the RJ45s as there are standards for RS-232 on these connectors or I have even used a 3.5mm stereo jack socket if you want to get really compact.

    Ok, gimme my penny now.

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    *Peter*
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2010-02-25 03:47
    Peter Jakacki said...

    Ok, gimme my penny now.

    ROFLOL smile.gif

    Oh, i say if RS232 com then don't use a USB, it will just be confusing.

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  • hairymnstrhairymnstr Posts: 107
    edited 2010-02-25 10:56
    Depends what you're after, but if it's not an audio based project, how about 3.5mm headphone connectors? I've used them for serial before Rx, Tx and Ground on the three connectors, they're cheap and small connectors. If it is audio based I'd avoid these so you don't make any unfortunate mistakes...
  • yarisboyyarisboy Posts: 245
    edited 2010-02-25 11:56
    The USB-As in vertical configuration give me 4 pins for very little real estate. I have to have power, ground, clock, and data. The sensor vendor recommends a shielded cable for long runs. My application doesn't need a long run, but after I've had my fun I want to hand it over to one of our kit vendors. As such, I need to preserve as much utility and universality as possible. The vendor claims this module can share lines with true I2C devices. It will be my first experience with serial device layout and programming. Like many here I'm an old grey-beard in many fields, just not in electronics.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    MOORE'S LAW: The capabilities of electronics shall double every 18 months.
    cloyd's corollary: Hardware is easy, software is hard.
  • Toby SeckshundToby Seckshund Posts: 2,027
    edited 2010-02-25 15:40
    If it is for nothing but your own useage then anything will do, UNTIL you just forget for an instant ( and the you get 9V up your Prop, again, been there .... )

    If it is for anybody else then fear the worse, they will try it (twice).



    I use 9 pin "D" types, big and wasteful but safe


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  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2010-02-25 15:42
    DB9...

    Are we up to a buck's worth of suggestions yet?

    OBC

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  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2010-02-25 16:31
    I use a three-pin Molex KK header. They are small, cheap, and polarised.

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  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2010-02-25 18:10
    Not sure how your end product would be designed, but we have a product at work that uses a Molex 43025 series connector. The 4 pin version would be ideal for your needs, but may not fit. Search Digikey for Molex P/Ns: 43025-0400 and 43045-0400. You could also dump the need for PCB real estate by using a 4 pin header on the board somewhere and having a short "pigtail" to the enclosure wall where you do have space using a panel mount connector. For the Molex parts above, the panel mount version would be 43020-0400. The problem with using these types of connectors is that you have to manage the contacts as an individual part as opposed to have soldercups or ready made cables to take advantage of.

    Can you share the board edge portion of your layout?
    Do you have enclosure wall space for a panel mount connector?

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    Andrew Williams
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    Post Edited (WBA Consulting) : 2/25/2010 6:24:32 PM GMT
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-02-25 19:00
    I know RJ11s/RJ12s are a bit large, but at least they're smaller than DB9s, and you can get them in multiples:

    SS-666604-NF.jpg

    Their main advantage is easy cable termination and the ready availability of DB9 plug and socket shells with the RJ12 built-in:

    210XHCYPTNL._SL500_AA250_.jpg

    -Phil
  • John R.John R. Posts: 1,376
    edited 2010-02-25 22:43
    Just $0.02 worth of thought:

    If you make it a USB-A jack/plug, you run the risk of someone connecting the "other end" of the cable to a real USB port.


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    John R.
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