Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!panda!sfs
From: sfs@panda.UUCP (Stephen F. Santarelli)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: I need a serial data decoder that....
Message-ID: <3506@panda.UUCP>
Date: 24 Mar 88 13:16:27 GMT
References: <2142@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 30
Summary: Use a real UART.



>I have serial data coming in between 1200-9600 baud
>I want to have a circuit display the value of each serially transmitted byte.
>This is what I have right now:

>serial data coming in   ----> MC14411(xtall controlled clock)  -->
>				 MC6850(UART)  --> Two 7 segment displays


>Can anyone tell me if there is a better way to do this?

    The chip you are using was intended for use with a microprocessor type
bus (i.e. data, address & control lines).  Why not use a real UART such
as a 6402(MOSTEK)? This should minimize your hardware considerably.  

    Have you considered what you will use to decode the parallel data
(presumably ASCII) so that it will appear in some sort of readable form
on your displays?  Perhaps you might divide the 8-bits into 3 octal digits
(the most significant would only have two bits, of course), each using a
separate 7447 to decode binary to 7-segment.  Or, maybe, use an 8-bit
binary to 3-digit bcd converter(two 74185), once again with 3 7447's
and 3 displays.  Or, if you can find one, possibly a chip which could
drive two 7-segment displays with hex symbols (If somebody knows of one,
let me know).  These chips should all be found in the TTL data book.

	Good Luck

		Stephen Santarelli de Brasch