What is Serial: Definition and 73 Discussions

In telecommunication and data transmission, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels.
Serial communication is used for all long-haul communication and most computer networks, where the cost of cable and synchronization difficulties make parallel communication impractical. Serial computer buses are becoming more common even at shorter distances, as improved signal integrity and transmission speeds in newer serial technologies have begun to outweigh the parallel bus's advantage of simplicity (no need for serializer and deserializer, or SerDes) and to outstrip its disadvantages (clock skew, interconnect density). The migration from PCI to PCI Express is an example.

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  1. V

    Comp Sci Calculating throughput for serial vs parallel

    I know that a serial interface has a single data line whereas a parallel can have several data lines. Could someone check over my work please and thank you. Would it just be, a serial interface: 16 bits x 20 microseconds for 320 bits per microsecond, and then for parallel it would just take 200...
  2. shivajikobardan

    MHB About non persistent (parallel and serial) http connections doubts-:

    This figure is the one given in not my textbook mentioned in syllabus but the local author book that many teachers use to follow while checking exam papers. If you don’t write according to what is written in these books, they won’t even give you 0.001 marks. So I want to learn this figure rather...
  3. fsonnichsen

    Seek Open Source Web Design Software for Serial Controlled Systems

    I am hoping this forum may be a good page for this question. Not sure where else to post. I have been asked if I can write a user GUI to control a system that we build--the system is made with the fairly common electronics board designs and PIC MPs and presently is controlled from a...
  4. R

    Identifying Serial and Parallel Connections

    I think the essential nodes are D, F, C, and F-G-A. R5 and R6 are in series. R1 and R3? I think R1 and R2 are in parallel
  5. sparkie

    Calculating Serial Baud Rate from Measured Value

    Homework Statement The problem is to calculate the baud rate of a serial transmission by measuring the length of time required to send the ASCII character 'Z' over a serial port. The serial port settings are 9600 baud with a start and stop bit, no parity and a data size of 8 bits. Homework...
  6. T

    Serial Peripheral Interface

    I have a SPI with a master and a slave: How the system knows what's the starting point of the data sent ? It's ok that we have the clock, but both MOSI and MISO have a default state on "1", that may be sampled as data sent
  7. Epoch

    Electricity: voltage calculation in serial

    Homework Statement Calculate the voltage U. The voltmeter gives a value of 80V. The Attempt at a Solution [/B] 3RI + 4RI - U = -80 How can I create a System of Linear equations if I have only one equation? Do I miss something? My answer sheet says U = 150V.
  8. W

    The problems in the serial port of PIC18F67K22

    Homework Statement Hello~ When using the serial port sends data,the Configuration function in the serial port and the sending function were put in the .C document of mian function.The serial port can send strings normally,but when I put them into another .C ,the serial port just can send a...
  9. Guidestone

    Why is my PIC 18F2550 not sending data when I tell it to?

    Hey guys. I got a project in which I'm working on right now and I got to use a microcontroller in it. The microcontroller is a PIC 18F2550 and I have to receive data whenever I send the 'a' character via the serial port(RS232). The data I'm suposed to receive is generated with the ADC from the...
  10. S

    Motors in series: how do you stop one motor from spinning?

    Hi All, I've been reading up on hybrid vehicles and how the Honda Insight has an electric motor attached directly to the gas engine driveshaft. Their combined output causes the wheels to spin. My question is in regards to when the electric motor is off but the gas engine is on. Why doesn't the...
  11. T

    MATLAB Arduino-MATLAB communication using SerialEvent() for PID Loop

    Hello, I have an arduino code for driving a peltier pile to a given set point (TEMP_SP). I am trying to input the set temperature from Matlab GUI (with different protocols, user will enter n temperatures and the time intervals, arduino will implement the PID controller and output the...
  12. Rx7man

    Arduino Serial transfer protocol

    I'm working on a turbocharger controller that has to do a lot of real-time (well, close to it) work, it's powered by an Arduino Mega 2560, which has lots of memory, but is quite stingy on processing power.. and to make it harder, transfer has to be done over a serial port to another unit...
  13. M

    Serial controlled variable speed motor

    Hello all, I am trying to create a circuit that allows me to use serial data to control the speed of a 12v dc motor I removed from an electric drill. So far I have successfully made the circuit in diagram (a) using a 100k pot to alter the speed. So the next problem to solve is how I can instead...
  14. N

    How to install the serial module into cygwin (terminal)

    Dear group, I downloaded this software "cygwin," (terminal), and trying to run Python on this software but i failed on the installing the serial, Could you please give me some ideal? Thank you, Nate Duong.$ python Blinking_off.py Traceback (most recent call last): File "Blinking_off.py"...
  15. N

    [Arduino] how to save serial monitor in the text file?

    Dear everyone, I trying to save serial monitor in the text file, but I still do not know how, could you please help on this problem? Here is the codes with random numbers are set up, and I would like you save all data into the text file, Thank you very much, Nate Duong, long Channel1a;long...
  16. cpscdave

    How to guage noise of 3 wire serial line (RS485)

    How should I gauge noise on a RS485 line? (2 equal and opposite data lines and a shield line) I tried connecting a Oscope. Persumably however the same noise is appearing on all 3 lines. So if I attach my oscope probe to 1 of the data lines, and the ground to shield all the noise will be...
  17. T

    Not enough serial ports on Arduino Mega -- Options?

    Greetings! I'm working on a project involving multiple different Arduinos spaced about 500 feet apart. I have a master Arduino which I plan on being an Arduino Mega and 5-8 separate slave Arduinos (probably Arduino Nanos) which feed basic data like switch values to the master. I would like to...
  18. vead

    How can I burn hex code to p89v51rd2 without a usb to rs232 serial cable?

    hello , I want to burn hex code from Laptop to p89v51rd2. but I don't have usb to rs232 serial cable laptop -aspire746 os- window 7 serial port microcontroller nxp89v51rd2 compiler - keil programer software - flesh magic com port 1 baud rate 9600 interface - none ISP max RS232IC...
  19. M

    Serial correlation coefficient (random data)

    I have a byte array of length 16384 bytes obtained from random.org/bytes. There is a random number sequence test program available from http://www.fourmilab.ch/random/ that, when run on my byte array, returns the following: Entropy = 7.989469 bits per byte. Optimum compression would reduce...
  20. marellasunny

    How does the Sync.field synchronize slave nodes in a serial communic?

    Serial communication:Following the Break is the Sync.field. The literature says that as there are no quartz or ceramic resonators in the slave nodes,the sync.field is transported before the protected ID field.I do not understand 2 things here: 1.What does it actually mean for the slave nodes...
  21. Tesladude

    Troubleshooting Axe026 Serial Programming Cord Issues

    SO I ordered the axe026 serial preograming cord to use with my picaxe 08m2. To plug it into the usb I am useing a usb to serial converter. But it's not working at all! I know my program is right but do I need a special driver? I downloaded the driver for the 026 AND 027, neither are working
  22. A

    Serial Communcation Conversion / Noise Coupling

    I have a two way radio that I'm trying to control remotely through 120 ft of 25 conductor cable at 22 gauge. The radio uses serial communication between the actual transmitter and control head unit. After I wired the pin's up accordingly, there is to much noise pickup through the cable and it...
  23. J

    Fortran Does FORTRAN 95 Support Hardware Serial Ports and Configuration?

    Does FORTRAN support use of hardware serial ports? I need to write and read to a COM port. If so, can you configure the port as well? (ie baud rate , parity ,data bits, stop bits ) Thanks, Jim
  24. L

    MATLAB Matlab and arduino: serial port connection

    Hello, I am trying to hook up MATLAB to my arduino. I am trying to write a number to the serial port in the arduino IDE and retrieving the same number in the MATLAB IDE. My arduino code is: void setup() { // initialize serial communication at 9600 bits per second: Serial.begin(9600); }...
  25. Y

    Wake Up Circuit for CORTEX using serial port

    Hi all, I am making my first attempt at designing a microcontroller for an autonomous chemical sensor package for marine systems. Previously, we used a commercially available microcontroller made by a company called Persistor (http://www.persistor.com/pii/products/cf2.html), but now we are...
  26. P

    Arduino Serial port greyed out?

    Arduino "Serial port" greyed out? Hi, I am going to make this electronic door lock using an arduino but when i am going to upload the sketch it says"COM1 not found Did you select the right one form the Tools>Serial port?" So i went to my tools and the serial port is greyed out does anyone...
  27. F

    Theoretical limit of serial communication

    As I play on my new MacBook Pro and stream millions of bits per second through a cable, I find myself wondering about the theoretical limit of serial communication. I have noted that serial communication has become preferred over parallel communication over the years. In fact, it's gotten...
  28. A

    Analytic algebraic expression of serial data having random pattern

    I have conceptualized a method for generating serial binary data at rates varying randomly. This concept should be able to provide data at random rates with various characteristics.The most relevant application is generation of Random sensor data for testing C4I systems (Surveillance and...
  29. J

    Can I Reassign My USB to Serial Converter to COM 4 or Less on Windows XP?

    I have a Prolific USB Serial Convertor which has been assigned COM 6. When connected to a device that allows 6 serial ports it works fine. I'm now trying to communicate with a device that only allows up to COM 4, how do I reassign the USB converter to COM 4 or less? I'm running WINDOWS XP 2002...
  30. R

    Serial No. & Year of Manufacture of AMD Processor?

    Please can anyone tell me how can I find the Serial No. & Year of Manufacture of my 2.70 gigahertz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+ ? Is it written on the CPU ? Or is there any Software which will tell me this information ? Or will the AMD Website tell this to me ? I want to know the...
  31. P

    Serial Resistor solution to finding individual voltage not adding up

    Ok. I am adding this up time and time again and its just not making no sense. I am sitting here trying to brush up on technical math skills this week before i get my soldering iron so i don't mess nothing up. and here i am i can't understand the basics. I have a 20volt power supply and 4...
  32. H

    S-function simulink for serial communication

    I'm trying to read data from a serial port in simulink. The serial configuration blocks and query instrument are not working properly for the device I try to read over COM port. In matlab, I can easily read out data from the device using fopen() and fscanf(). Using the MATLAB function...
  33. H

    How to Receive Data from Electronic Compass using Simulink Serial Connection

    I'm trying to receive data from a electronic compass in simulink. The compass sends data using the NMEA protocol through USB using a serial connection. The serial output format is: 4800 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity and uses the following sentences...
  34. M

    Serial and Paralel micromanufacturing

    Hi there,I'm doing a research on micro and nanomanufacturing and my question is what is the difference between serial and parallel micromanufacturing?
  35. A

    Serial Communication Problem: DB9 Port & Max232

    iam making a project of serial communication between computer and controller the problem is:- db9 female port is connected to computer and male port is there to connect with max232 now in all circuits i have seen they have written that pin 2 is RTX or receiving pin whereas when i send signal...
  36. N

    Serial link chain manipulator with constrained geometry

    Homework Statement I have a three link revolute manipulator at the origin. I know all the link lengths. The joint angle for the third link is coupled to the second such that Theta3 = k*Theta2. I want to determine the joint angles (thetas) of the manipulator given that the third link should...
  37. N

    Serial Link chain with constrained geometry

    I have a three link revolute manipulator at the origin. I know all the link lengths. The joint angle for the third link is coupled to the second such that Theta3 = k*Theta2. I want to determine the joint angles (thetas) of the manipulator given that the third link should lie on a line an angle...
  38. N

    Tracing Serial EEPROM Pins on a Populated PCB

    Hello, I have a simple populated PCB with passive and active elements. The main chip on PCB is a 8 pin serial EEPROM chip which I am trying to read via PIC microcontroller. Serial chip is tiny and hard to solder wires onto so I can send signals from PIC controller to the chip. I will have...
  39. X

    MATLAB Serial Communication btwn Matlab and Arduino

    I'm trying to setup serial communication between Matlab and an Arduino. As a test I have a logical input to the Arduino (it can be either 0 or 1). I then want to pass the value of the input to Matlab and display it. Here's the Arduino code I have: void setup() { Serial.begin(9600)...
  40. J

    10 digit serial number that identifies a date

    Hello, I have a list of 10 digit serial number that identifies a date, but I cannot understand how? Does any genius can help me to try to understand it? The 10 digit codes I’ve are supposed to represent a date MM/YYYY, and should represent also a reference for a product code. On the...
  41. T

    Interfacing serial peripheral connecter with parallel bus

    I'm not 100% sure that this is in the right board, but... I need to attach an inclinometer to a data translation board. The DAQ module in question is a DT9816 from Data Translation, and in inclinometers one of those being looked at is the ADIS16209CCCZ from Analog Devices. This has a serial...
  42. R

    Maximizing Data Transfer Speed: How to Achieve 480 Mbit/s with USB 2.0

    The high-speed (USB 2.0) protocol is capable of 480 Mbit/s. How can I send data at these speeds!? This seems like a simple question, but I cannot seem to find a simple answer. Cheers, JoAr
  43. P

    Verilog Serial Adder in Behavioral Description

    Homework Statement My homework is to design a Serial Adder in Verilog using a shift register module, a full adder module, and a D Flip-Flop module. I know my full adder and flip flop modules are correct, but I am not so sure about my shift register. The shift register is 8 bits: Inputs for...
  44. N

    Serial link manipulator with rotational springs

    Homework Statement if i have a three link massless manipulator (each with length l1 l2 l3) that has rotational springs at each joint, k1 k2 k3, and I apply a force on the third link, what will be the joint angles at equilibrium? Homework Equations k = Fd/theta The Attempt at a Solution...
  45. N

    Serial manipulator with rotational springs

    if i have a three link massless manipulator (each with length l1 l2 l3) that has rotational springs at each joint, k1 k2 k3, and I apply a force on the third link, what will be the joint angles at equilibrium? do I find the lever arm to each joint and multiply that by the force to find the...
  46. K

    Help with VHDL Serial Port for Automated HVAC Thermostat

    Ok. I had a VHDL class last year, and I have muscled through a project that I started on my own, but now I am a bit stuck. I implemented an automated HVAC thermostat that will moniter each room individually. Each room had a 4 bit parallel input that was muxed into a state machine. The set point...
  47. L

    How to supply Serial Clock Input into an audio-ADC IC?

    Hi seniors, I am struggling something with my audio ADC. I bought AD7811 from farnell, which is an ADC to convert my analog data into digital. But at this stage, i found that a SERIAL CLOCK INPUT is needed to supply into the IC. However, I m wondering what exactly the clock i should...
  48. H

    PIC Micro: Get Serial Output from Byte Register

    Hello... If i have a byte in a register in a PIC micro controller, how can i write a subroutine using ASSEMBLY which allows me to get serial output from this register to the output port of the micro controller?
  49. P

    Why does battery serial pole connection plays a role?

    Hi! I just registered as I have been wondering quite a while about a specific question that grew in my head while reading about electronics in school. As I have learned voltage is a difference in potential. So if we have a 9V battery there is a difference of 9V between the two poles of the...
  50. E

    Serial Pre-Scaler and Baud Rate Divisor

    Homework Statement For the MC9S12DG256, determine the values for the serial prescaler and baud rate divisor for 115,200 bps. Homework Equations None that I am aware of... The Attempt at a Solution I know that baud is a number of pulses per second unrelated to the number of bits per...
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