Specifications
FT232RL is a mature single-chip USB 2.0 Full-Speed to UART serial bridge IC manufactured by FTDI Chip. It fully integrates USB protocol hardware, clock oscillator, 1024-bit EEPROM and USB termination resistors, minimizing external peripheral components for rapid USB-serial hardware development.
👉 It is not low-cost USB serial chips such as CH340 or CP2102 without official cross-platform driver support, nor multi-channel FT232H high-speed USB IC. It delivers stable 3 Mbps maximum baud rate, multi-mode Bit-Bang IO and built-in FTDIChip-ID anti-counterfeit security function, widely recognized for industrial-grade reliability and long-term driver maintenance.
Key Features
- Integrated USB & UART Core
- Compliant with USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) standard, all USB protocol stacks processed on-chip, no custom USB firmware required
- UART baud rate range: 300 Baud ~ 3 MBaud, supports TTL/RS232/RS422/RS485 signal levels
- Hardware flow control (RTS/CTS) and software XON/XOFF flow control supported
- On-chip transmit FIFO (256 bytes) + receive FIFO (128 bytes) with smoothing buffer to eliminate data loss during burst transmission
- Multi-Function Bit-Bang IO & Clock Output
- Asynchronous / synchronous Bit-Bang mode: simulate SPI, I2C, JTAG and custom parallel timing without external logic
- Configurable clock output (6MHz / 12MHz / 24MHz / 48MHz) to provide reference clock for external MCU and sensors
- 8 CBUS multi-purpose configurable pins for LED indicator, power control, interrupt trigger and GPIO expansion
- Built-In Storage & Security
- Embedded 1024-bit EEPROM to store USB VID, PID, device serial number, product description and CBUS pin configuration
- Unique factory-locked FTDIChip-ID read via USB, serving as hardware security key to encrypt and protect customer application software from piracy
- Dual Driver Architecture & Wide OS Compatibility
- VCP virtual COM port driver: enumerate as standard system serial port, compatible with all serial debugging software
- D2XX direct access driver: provides native API for custom high-speed data transmission and hardware control
- Official royalty-free drivers released for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and embedded RTOS
- Electrical, Package & Industrial Specifications
- Operating voltage range: 3.3V ~ 5.25V, IO pins 5V tolerant
- Industrial wide temperature grade: -40°C ~ +85°C
- Package: 28-pin narrow SSOP surface mount; FT232RL-REEL stands for tape-and-reel packaging for automated SMT mass production
- Built-in ±15kV ESD protection on USB and UART signal pins, robust anti-interference capability
- RoHS lead-free compliant, stable long-lifecycle mass supply
Typical Applications
Embedded MCU/ESP32/STM32 firmware download and serial debugging adapters
Industrial USB-to-RS485/RS232 converters for PLC, inverter and sensor data communication
Portable test & measurement instruments, data loggers and oscilloscope USB interface modules
Barcode scanners, POS payment terminals and access control serial communication boards
JTAG/SWD debug adapters, SPI/I2C host simulation tools via Bit-Bang function
Medical portable diagnostic equipment serial data upload to PC
Education electronic experiment platforms and single-board computer USB expansion
Wireless sensor nodes, environmental monitoring terminal USB wired data transmission
Legacy serial equipment USB upgrade, printer and industrial camera interface conversion
LXB Semicon supplies original FTDI FT232RL USB-to-UART serial bridge IC
