Thanks Ryan. The first thing I want is an RS232 to TTL board. I have several TI SN75196 driver/receiver through hole chips designed for the modem side of the interface. They require +- high voltage, unlike the MAX232 series, but provide full modem control lines 5 drivers and 3 receivers. TI has full application specs, and I can email the data sheet to you privately. I have "Protostack" IDC header boards that can directly accept the old ribbon connectors with serial DSUB, or if somehow easy, directly mount the female serial port connector. I have many old male serial ribbon motherboard connectors I can worry about...same with power sources. I know there are plenty 2 and even 4 wire converters, but not 8 wire. Both Linux and any microcontroller can use all 8 pins with a Linux interrupt. According to the TI spec sheet, some capacitors are also needed. A 20 pin through hole dip socket soldered in for the 75196 is preferred. I can send you a protostack board and 75196 chip in the mail and you hopefully might have much better ideas than me. The key for me is I want ALL 8 lines wired because Linux knows how to use them. Ryan Coleman wrote: > Home much soldering are you talking about? Are we looking at SMC or through-hole? > > I also suck at soldering but THC is a bit easier to work with than SMC for me because of a general lack of small-tool dexterity in my hands. > > — > Ryan > > >> On Jan 30, 2020, at 12:49 PM, Rick Engebretson <eng at pinenet.com> wrote: >> >> As always, thanks for your feedback. >> >> I have a nice breadboard, and some nice proto boards from "Protostack," and 3 Atmel STK500 development kits, and AVR Studio on 5 machines, and chips, and working software. I'm ready to have some soldering done. >> >> I would have replied to your kind response earlier. But about 8:30 AM I heard a clang outside and a little up the dirt road an old guy was climbing out of his truck in the ditch. He was very lucky he broke the sign post or he would have rolled it. He was in his 80s and it took two trips from the towing company in Hinckley to get him out. The towing company needed a bigger truck and a helper. It cost me $200 to get the old guy down the road without a heart attack, and he was wearing my brand new pair of dry wool socks leaving his wet socks on my wood stove. The old guy was great to meet. But I need civilization. >> >> I've tried FreeGeeks. Maybe some day I'll donate some nice stuff when I think they have people who know what it is. >> >> >> Iznogoud wrote: >>> Let's make this topic useful. >>> >>>> >>>> If I knew how to change topics I really want to find somebody who knows >>>> how to solder simple microcontroller boards. Are there any prototyping >>>> shops left in the city?? I would love to do some business with some >>>> civilized humans. >>>> >>> >>> You do not need a soldered board to prototype. Use a "bread board" and put >>> it together. Make it work first, then worry about soldering. That is how to >>> do it. >>> >>> Also, learning to solder --I am terrible at it-- is a great skill to have. >>> And having the right tools for doing it greatly accelerates quality and speed. >>> But right now you do not need this to prototype something. >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >>> tclug-list at mn-linux.org >>> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >> _______________________________________________ >> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota >> tclug-list at mn-linux.org >> http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >