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QUADROPUS

A USB to 4x virtual UART ports. USB-C to 4x RX/TX/RTS/CTS

thorsten-jaegerThorsten Jaeger
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quadropus provides 4x virtual COM ports with a single USB/Host connection. Based off the Silabs CP2108 it's using the same Silabs Family Drivers CP210x - so chances are high you dont need to install a Driver.
Silabs is very good in keeping their Drivers up to date and catch up nicely with new OS (Linux, Windows or OSX).

quadropus allows you to monitor up to 4x serial clients in parallel using 4 serial consoles, scripts.

I have the permanent need to monitor stuff through their Serial TX/RX. Which a normal USB/TTL Adapter you can get cheap. Problem starts when you need many.

You need multiple USB Ports to plug them, but also they register (changing) with various virtual com ports.

QUADROPUS provides 4x virtual COM ports (UART) on your single USB-C Interface.
It also exposes RTS/CTS pins - those come in handy as triggers. Mostly you dont need them for Serial comms but you can trigger HI/LO on them using a 5 liner in python. Poors man GPIO.

The heart of QUADROPUS is a Silabs CP2108 - most know the younger brother, CP2102 - a single USB/TTL Chip.
Silabs Drivers are good quality, provide quick fixes and updates and arwe available for all major OS.

  • PCB's arrived, Components in my stock :)

    Thorsten Jaeger • 04/14/2021 at 16:58 • 0 comments

    PCBs arrived and they are simply beautiful. It's not many components, so it takes 20 minutes to mount and 5 to reflow.

    Using SIlabs STUDIO to give it a name and identity (quadropus as you can guess) and set some GPIO ports to act as TX/RX activity LED.

    Works like a champ.

    I added some colored Pin headers to each of the UART Sections 1-4 and used same colored cables - so even working with multiple serial hookups you keep track easily which TX goes where :)

    quadropus

    What is RX and what is TX ?

    A classic question. Here is the definition for quadropus:

    TX Label (from quadropus or "usb host" view) is when Data is TX (transmitted) to the attached serial Device FROM the USB-Host - represented by Amber LED
    RX Label (from quadropus or "usb host" view) is when Data is RX (received) from the attached serial Device INTO the USB-Host - represented by Green LED

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