1. Home
  2. Forums
  3. Digital Electronics
  4. difference between CP2102 and PL2303

difference between CP2102 and PL2303

Submitted by Pefey on
Digital Electronics

Hi,

I need a UART to USB converter to communicate from my microcontroller to my PC and vise versa. I see two popular IC choices for this, one is the PL2303 and other is CP2102. Can you help me identify the key difference between and which one I should choose for my application?

I am using an 8-bit microcontroller operating on 3.3V and my baud rate is 9600. The Tx and Rx pin on MCU is only 3.3V compatible so I need the converter to handle 3.3V 

Debashis Das

Permalink

They are both the same in terms of your specific use case. both are USB to UART converters, 
I will suggest why not use the CH340G USB to UART converter its cheap, its easy to get, and it works like a charm.

 

   Joined December 02, 2019      117
Monday at 10:02 PM

Pefey

Permalink

Thank you das CH340G looks like a good alternative....but will it work with 3.3V logic level ? have you check it for any of your application? 

   Joined December 12, 2019      8
Thursday at 04:07 PM

Debashis Das

Permalink

Yes it absolutely works with 3.3V logic level, and I use it all the time. It also has all the control pins which is which are required to flash an ESP.

   Joined December 02, 2019      117
Monday at 10:02 PM

Sourav Gupta

Permalink

CP2102 is far more advanced having control pins like DTR and all. Where as you would not get such in PL2303.

If you need just the UART operation, go for the PL2303, otherwise CP2102 can be used in more controlled UART opearations.

   Joined February 12, 2018      696
Monday at 02:11 PM

jaksonlee

Permalink

The current favourite is the cp2102 as they tend to have extra pins like DTR etc. pl2303 you don't tend to see much anymore, they're mainly in the old rs232-to-usb adaptors. ch340 are generally onboard arduino clones, no problems with them either.

   Joined November 07, 2019      124
Thursday at 04:25 PM