CS 341 – Lab 3

Computer Architecture and Organization

Logic Levels and TTL, RS232C Voltage Levels

paskorn@cs.umb.edu
 Lab3:
Logic Levels and TTL, RS232C Voltage Levels
Objectives:
- Know the logic levels of TTL and RS232
voltage Levels.
- Know how to interface serial port with the
external device.

Mission:
Connect the Right Wires.
Make the (very) old PC have dual monitors.

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 2/7

 Logic Level and Voltage Level

010101010101

In binary logic the two levels are logical high and logical low, which
generally correspond to a binary 1 and 0 respectively. Signals with
one of these two levels can be used in boolean logic for digital circuit
design or analysis.

On : 110V
Off : 0V

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 3/7

• Transistor to Transistor Logic
Logic gate circuits are designed to input and output only two types of signals:
"high" (1): full power supply voltage
"low" (0): zero voltage
In a perfect world, all logic circuit signals would exist at these extreme voltage limits, and never
deviate from them (i.e., less than full voltage for a "high," or more than zero voltage for a "low").

However, in reality, logic signal voltage levels rarely attain these perfect limits due to stray
voltage drops in the transistor circuitry, and so we must understand the signal level limitations of
gate circuits as they try to interpret signal voltages lying somewhere between full supply voltage
and zero.

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 4/7

 RS232
• The RS-232-C interface was developed for a single purpose,
unambiguously stated by its title:
"Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data
Communications Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data
Interchange." Every word in the title is significant: it describes
the interface between a terminal (DTE) to a modem (DCE) for
the transfer of serial data.

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 5/7

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 6/7
 Parallel Port
• 8 data signal lines
• 9 lines for communication control (handshaking).

March 1, 2010 CS 341: Lab3 paskorn@cs.umb.edu 7/7

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March 1, 2010 CS 341
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