MultiSerial Shield
From Hackstrich
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| Function: | Provide two RS232 ports with 3.3v or RS232 levels, accessible via I2C. |
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| Key Chips: | NXP SC16IS752 |
| External Ports: | 2x RS232 (3.3v or RS232 levels), 10x GPIO |
| Required Pins: | A4 (I2C SDA), A5 (I2C SCL) |
| Optional Pins: | None |
Project Status
PCB design complete, prototype PCBs ordered from BatchPCB. Parts still need to be ordered from Digikey.
Overview
The Arduino MultiSerial shield will let the Arduino access two RS232 serial ports via I2C. It will have switchable 3.3v or RS232 levels. This project exists mainly as a debugging tool for networks of BlinkieBits, as (at least during BlinkieNet design/prototyping) it would be extremely useful to be able to receive debugging information from a whole network of BlinkieBits, rather than just one at a time.
- The NXP SC16IS752 chip is used, which gives 2 channels for ~$7. It needs 3.3v I/O and talks 3.3v RS232, so level shifters are needed. The I2C level shifter is a PCA9306 ($0.95 qty. 1), and the RS232 level shifter is a second-sourced TI MAX3232 in a SOT16 package ($1.70 qty. 1).
