Exp Header UART for TTL is True Serial Console (very nice)

[MarkHaysHarris777]

   

The Exp header is a true TTL serial console (out of box) for both the lenny.raposo debian image with Longsleep kernel, as well the Ubuntu distro with Longsleep kernel ~very nice !

From boot-up through shutdown this UART port is a true console (including login) which also includes the uboot sequence; very impressive. The Raspberry PI folks are struggling with this at the moment; they are having UART issues in their PI 3B. Its good to see that the serial console on the PineA64 is good-to-go straight-away (nice job folks, really!)

From the pic, you can use either pin(9) or (6) for ground; pin(7) is the Pine Tx line, and pin(8) is the Pine Rx line.  I have my PL2303 usb TTL serial cable plugged in running the console on my gnu+linux HP notebook (debian-Mint) using either minicom, or screen.

Make sure your PL2303 is set for 3v3 operation, or you'll blow the Pine A64.

[MarkHaysHarris777]

Over-night I was able to experiment a bit with the other uart ports on the debian (102bsp) image:

0)  uart0  /dev/ttyS0   console

The uart0 console device has pins on the EXP header; pin(7) and pin(8)
Also, uart0 console device has pins on the euler bus; pin(29) and pin(30)

I used a PL2303 serial ttl cable to each of these ports to veryfiy identical operation.

2)  uart2   /dev/ttyS2   PI bus            pin(8) and pin(10)

3)  uart3   /dev/ttyS3   Euler bus      pin(24) and pin(23)

4)  uart4   /dev/ttyS4   Euler bus      pin(19) and  pin(21)

The kernel designations for uart0-4  /dev/ttyS0-4 are affirmed. I used (sudo screen /dev/ttySX 115200) to 'talk' to the serial connection on my HP notebook using the PL2303 serial ttl cable.  Rx -- Tx  jumper could be used as well.

/dev/ttyS4 is interesting since this uart provides hardware flow control on pin(22) PD5 (CTS) and pin(18) PD4 (RTS). 

uart1 is used by the wifi | bt  module.


The PineA64 is making a very nice serial controller; 


marcushh777

[Luke]

great post as always

[martinayotte]

BTW, UART1 and UART2 has also CTS/RTS pins defined, those are on the WiFi port for UART1 , while the one for UART2 are not exposed on Pi header but are located on the Euler header.

[dkryder]

this page has additional info
http://elinux.org/Pine64#Serial_Console

[MarkHaysHarris777]

BTW, UART1 and UART2 has also CTS/RTS pins defined, those are on the WiFi port for UART1 , while the one for UART2 are not exposed on Pi header but are located on the Euler header.

hi, I find the CTS/RTS pins for UART1, but I cannot find the CTS/RTS pins for uart2 on the euler bus diagram, on the wiki page.  Which pins are they?  which diagram are you using...?

Thanks



marcushh777

[martinayotte]

Since DTS shows that PB2/PB3 are the CTS/RTS, that means on the schematic, the PB2 is pin 27 while PB3 is pin 11.
Personally, I almost never use CTS/RTS, I prefer relying with software handshaking XON/XOFF.

[MarkHaysHarris777]

Since DTS shows that PB2/PB3 are the CTS/RTS, that means on the schematic, the PB2 is pin 27 while PB3 is pin 11.
Personally, I almost never use CTS/RTS, I prefer relying with software handshaking XON/XOFF.

k, tnx

marcus

[peterz]

Over-night I was able to experiment a bit with the other uart ports on the debian (102bsp) image:

0)  uart0  /dev/ttyS0   console

The uart0 console device has pins on the EXP header; pin(7) and pin(8)
Also, uart0 console device has pins on the euler bus; pin(29) and pin(30)

I used a PL2303 serial ttl cable to each of these ports to veryfiy identical operation.

2)  uart2   /dev/ttyS2   PI bus            pin(8) and pin(10)

3)  uart3   /dev/ttyS3   Euler bus      pin(24) and pin(23)

4)  uart4   /dev/ttyS4   Euler bus      pin(19) and  pin(21)

The kernel designations for uart0-4  /dev/ttyS0-4 are affirmed. I used (sudo screen /dev/ttySX 115200) to 'talk' to the serial connection on my HP notebook using the PL2303 serial ttl cable.  Rx -- Tx  jumper could be used as well.

/dev/ttyS4 is interesting since this uart provides hardware flow control on pin(22) PD5 (CTS) and pin(18) PD4 (RTS). 

uart1 is used by the wifi | bt  module.


The PineA64 is making a very nice serial controller; 


marcushh777

heh, yesterday I found out about ttyS0 (and copy on EXP bus), ttyS2, ttyS3, ttyS4 as well.
Now I found this thread.

I wan't do from pine serial controller to have access to console ports on my CISCO devices (switches, routers, AP) in my home lab.
Therefore I'd like to get as many serial ports as possible. According to documentation AllWinner A53 chip should provide 6 UARTs.

It seems there is ttyS1 on Wifi pins and some seems to be also BT pin.
But I see only 5 device files /dev/ttyS0 - /dev/ttyS4.

Has somebody tried to use all 6 UARTs?
If yes, what was the outcome?

I have also USB - to serial converters (PL2303, FTDI and many of CH341 based). I plan to connect these over powered USB hub to max out the amount of serial ports (just for curiosity).

EDIT: I'm using image from leny raspo  3.10.102 BSP.

[peterz]

PINE64 with 5 RS232 modules.
I have bought modules from ebay. Have level shifter and are powered by 3.3-5V.