The cable is easiest way ever to connect to your
microcontroller/Raspberry Pi/WiFi router serial console port. Inside the
big USB plug is a USB<>Serial conversion chip and at the end of
the 36 cable are four wires
- red power
- black ground
- white RX into USB port
- green TX out of the USB port
The power pin provides the 5V @
500mA direct from the USB port and the RX/TX pins are 3.3V level for
interfacing with the most common 3.3V logic level chipsets.
Also handy for hacking WiFi routers to install alternate OS's or nearly
any other TTL port. This is easier to use than an FTDI cable in many
cases because the wires are separated
This cable is not good for Arduino reprogramming such as a Boarduino
MENTA Monochron etc. because it does not have the DTR/RTS wire
necessary for initiating the bootloader reboot sequence.