This value determines how long the transmitter holds a serial line highlow or at what period the receiving device samples its line. If you invert the baud rate, you can find out just how long it takes to transmit a single bit. The critical part is making sure that both devices on a serial bus are configured to use the exact same protocols. These mechanisms, which we get for eschewing the external clock signal, are. If youre looking to add a GPS module, Bluetooth, XBees, serial LCDs, or many other external devices to your project, youll probably need to whip out some serial-fu.īut, what is binary How does it translate to other numeral systems like decimal. It is so common, in fact, that when most folks say serial theyre talking about this protocol (something youll probably notice throughout this tutorial). The serial protocol well be discussing in this tutorial is the most common form of asynchronous transfers. This transmission method is perfect for minimizing the required wires and IO pins, but it does mean we need to put some extra effort into reliably transferring and receiving data. This makes for a more straightforward, often faster serial transfer, but it also requires at least one extra wire between communicating devices. Other very common serial interfaces include SPI, I 2 C, and the serial standard were here to talk about today.Įach of these serial interfaces can be sorted into one of two groups: synchronous or asynchronous. So, we often opt for serial communication, sacrificing potential speed for pin real estate. If youve ever had to move a project from a basic Arduino Uno to a Mega, you know that the IO lines on a microprocessor can be precious and few. Over a set amount of time, the mega-highway potentially gets more people to their destinations, but that rural two-laner serves its purpose and costs a fraction of the funds to build.

These interfaces can operate on as little as one wire, usually never more than four. They usually require buses of data - transmitting across eight, sixteen, or more wires.

Ds 101 Serial Protocol Tutorial