🚀 go-pugleaf

bote@access.digex.com (John Boteler) writes:
> 
> Is there a dumb UART readily available?
>  
> I am designing a box that sends out serial telemetry based on 8 switches
> being ON or OFF. A serial interface looks like a good way to do it. I
> don't need interrupts, I don't need FIFOs, I don't need modem status
> bits, I don't need none of that stuff.
>  
> I would rather not bump the level of complexity up several notches by
> requiring a microcontroller (and its firmware) just to initialize the
> UART speed and so forth. Is there a really dumb UART that can come up in
> a known state and just shovel data? National Semiconductor's 16450/16550
> data sheet lists the default state of all registers except the Divisor
> Latch Register, which is the most important one for my application.
> It would be nice if I could simply power it up and strobe it when
> data is ready.
>  
> Maybe I should be looking at the 65xx family?
>  

Check into the Intersil/GE/Harris IM6402.  Configuring the part is done
by pulling pins high or low.  You'll have to provide an external 16x
clock.  Jameco sells this part for $3.75.  Its in a 40 pin DIP package.

Mark.