TG16C550: Single Channel Uart for Serial Data Communication

General Description | Technical Data Sheet | Ordering Information

The TG16C550 is a single-channel high performance Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) offering data rates up to 1.5 Mbps. The TG16C550 is a functional upgrade to the industry standard 16C450, with the addition of a 16-byte transmit and receive FIFO. On power-up, the TG16C550 is equivalent to the 16C450. The TG16C550 can invoke the FIFO mode of operation via setting its internal register bit. The addition of the 16-Byte transmit and receive FIFOs act as a buffer to relieve the CPU or controller of additional software overhead that would be required without the FIFOs. Additionally, there are two new pins on the 16C550 versus the 16C450. The addition of these pins, TXRDY- and RXRDY-, allows communication with a DMA controller.

The TG16C550 implements serial-to-parallel conversions on data received from a peripheral device or modem and parallel-to-serial conversion on data received from the CPU or controller. Internal registers allow for Error Indications, Operation Status, and complete Modem Controls, which can be used to monitor transmit and receive activity. Independent control of the transmit, receive, line status, and data set interrupts, allows the uart to operate under many different processor interrupt systems. The flexibility of the on-board Programmable Baud Rate Generator, allows for selection of transmit and receive clock rates from 50bps to 1.5Mbps. For ease of trouble shooting and fault isolation, the internal Loop-Back capability aids in diagnostic testing in conjunction with Break, Parity, Over-run, and Framing Error simulation register data.

Twist offers two versions of the TG16C550. The TG16C550M which is ideally suited for PC or embedded systems applications and legacy 16C550 replacements, and the TG16C550 which is fabricated in an advanced 0.5m CMOS process and is capable of higher speed and performance. The TG16C550 runs at 24MHz at 5V and 16MHz at 3.3V yielding data rates of 1.5Mbps and 1.0Mbps respectively. The M version runs at 16MHz at 5V and 12Mhz at 3.3V. Both products are available in a 40-pin plastic Dip, 44-pin PLCC, or a 48-pin LQFP package. The TG16C450 as a drop in replacement for the industry standard 16C450 is also available upon request in the same package types.

Technical Data Sheet

Click here to view a complete data sheet on the TG16C550 Version 1.5 (132KB pdf format) or the TG16C550M Version 1.2 (130KB pdf format), or right click to download the file to your computer.

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Ordering Information

* The commercial temperature product will operate over, but is not 100% tested, over the Industrial range. If 100% testing is required for the Industrial temperature range, order the "I" suffix product.