[avr-gcc-list] [Re: Allocating variables to a fixed, address]

[Robert von Knobloch]

From: David Brown <address@hidden>

I've often heard of problems with FTDI chips, and especially their 
drivers, but I've found them solid and reliable (except for their demo 
code for PC software, which is rubbish).  The example I gave of sending 
multiple megabytes at over 1 MBaud is using FTDI devices.

But no matter what you are using for transferring your serial data, you 
should have a system for error checking and retrying in place - you can 
never consider such a link as 100% reliable.

Sorry David,

I'll have to disagree with you.
I can and do consider such a link (when done with rs232) completely reliable 
and have done so for about 30 years without problems. But when I take a working 
system (rs232) and 'insert' the FTDI chip (and USB port), it sometimes breaks. 
I have no time, at present, to investigate deeper but will do so when I can. I 
am suspicious of the handshaking and possible delays in the chip, but that's 
only my guess right now. I use no 'driver' (except the native part in 
GNU/Linux). These are FT232R chips, by the way.

Also I regret the way that PC manufacturers are removing the rs232 ports. I 
understand they are too complex the average user, but industrially far more 
useful than USB, where you a re more or less tied to using a badly specified, 
proprietary chip unless you want a complete development project for something 
that used to require an hour's work to adapt a trusted routine to a new 
platform.

p.s. All my development is done under GNU/Linux.

Regards,

Robert