We designed this small project four years ago to create a fiber optic RS-232 communications channel in the form factor of a sizeable USB flash drive. From the schematic diagram below, this is obviously a very easy, very simple interface as-is, though the remote device with which the computer is communicating
must be equipped with an identical converter and an RS-232 transceiver such as the TI MAX232 or a programmable microcontroller equipped with UARTs or other similar interfaces.
We then butt-soldered an FTDI TTL-232R-PCB to the open end of the PCB using pieces of bus wire, strengthened the entire assembly with flat rectangles of FR-4 fiberglass or 1/16" Plexiglas, and then covered the non-angled portion with a length of 5/8" heat shrink tubing.
must be equipped with an identical converter and an RS-232 transceiver such as the TI MAX232 or a programmable microcontroller equipped with UARTs or other similar interfaces.
We then butt-soldered an FTDI TTL-232R-PCB to the open end of the PCB using pieces of bus wire, strengthened the entire assembly with flat rectangles of FR-4 fiberglass or 1/16" Plexiglas, and then covered the non-angled portion with a length of 5/8" heat shrink tubing.
