- Changed order so FTDI is first since this is the easier option
- Changed the circuit for the inverter to one that is easier to
make and is safer (doesn't send 5v to RPi GPIO and prevents
back power)
- Added table to show which uart to use based on which method
is used
- Added connetion details to FTDI method
- Added note about checking if FTDI settings are saved
@ -30,40 +30,50 @@ connected to the main KVM via a micro USB cable, however this is **NOT** as USB
The control unit communicates to the KVM using the RS-232 protocol (at 5v) not USB, and one of the following
solutions must be used.
### Inverting USB UART adapter (FT-232) - The easy way
### An inverter circuit
Some USB UART adapters have the rare feature to invert the logic level of the RX/TX signals. For example the FTDI FT232 can
be configured via the FTDI configuration GUI to do this. With such an adapter, the circuit above is not required. All you
need is to connect it to a micro-USB connector.
For this you will need:
!!! warning
These options will only work on UART adapters with **genuine** FTDI chips. There are a lot of cheap fakes on the
market that either lack this option, or will prevent you from changing the settings. To avoid getting a fake
ensure you always purchase from a reputable store and brand (Adafruit, Sparkfun, etc.), Amazon **is not** a
reputable store.
* 2x 2n7000 MOSFETs
* 2x 10K resistors
* 1x USB Micro connector, or sacrificial micro USB cable
* *Optional:* USB UART adapter
In order to invert the RX/TX signals, you can use [ft_prog](https://ftdichip.com/utilities/#ft_prog) and set the
following settings:
<imgsrc="xh-hk4401_circuit.jpg" />
<imgsrc="ft232_config.png"/>
You can connect this either via a USB UART adapter, or directly to the Raspberry Pi: `GND -> Pin 6`, `TX -> Pin 8`, `RX -> Pin 10`.
On the v3 PiKVM hat you will need to disable the UART jumpers to use the on-board UART.
Once the UART is configured, please fully disconnect it and connect it back to the computer. Relaunch `ft_prog` and ensure the settings are still set. If they are not, you have a *fake* FTDI chip.
!!! note
Please search online for USB pinouts to ensure you connect it properly.
Finally, you will need to connect it to the micro USB port (**This it not a normal USB micro port.**)