smart solution!
I bet this post will save some USD to many users in the forum!
Good find, thanks for sharing
Did you verify this is a genuine FTDI chip from the computer? If so that is a good deal considering what the chips cost alone. Looks like the cable can be useful with only the Rx, Tx, and GND pins. DX has some sweet deals including $6 oscilloscope probes 
It’s not a genuine FTDI
It’s not a genuine FTDI chip. In Windows 7 shows up as “Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port”. However, it works. All you need is a serial Comm to communicate with the Arduino board. It doesn’t matter what device provides that Comm port. It may be RS232 Comm port, or FTDI chip, or another AVR configured to work as a USB to serial interface (see the Arduino Uno board). So even a Prolific chip with the proper driver works. Of course it’s not actually a real FTDI cable, but works as one.
Very nice. Will save people
Very nice. Will save people some money and so might encourage others to try Arduino. This plus my inverter tip https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/node/21245 and you should be able to use it on a Picaxe.
Prolific makes good chips
Prolific makes good chips too. Tend to have good driver support and work with win7 x64
My cheap suggestion costs 4
My cheap suggestion costs 4 times as much, but includes a free GPS. Currently (Dec 2010) there is a vendor on Amazon selling the Pharos GPS-500 with Microsoft branding (was packaged with Streets) for $19 delivered, including the USB adapter and a USB extension cord. It will come in a plastic case that says Microsoft on it. Carefully crack that open to expose the GPS. Lay it chip down with the connector toward you. The 2nd lead from the left is for 3.3v or 5v (I have had success with both), followed by GND, GPS Tx and GND. Wire those 4 and it will start spewing NMEA strings at 4800 baud. I am pretty sure that GPS Rx is 1st lead on the left. I don’t know that it listens for commands, but that would be important if you want to use the USB adapter that came with it to make an FTDI cable. Just match up which would connect to what using the GPS pinouts and you are good to go!
Since using the words "FTDI
Since using the words “FTDI cable” created confusion, I updated the tutorial to specify that it is not a true FTDI cable, but a compatible cable that does the same thing. In the Arduino community, the words “FTDI cable” are used more like a type of cable that can be used to program Arduino boards that do not have the FTDI chip on board, so people are looking for that type of cable and most of the time they are overlooking similar cables that do the same thing and are cheaper. The FTDI chip has a lot of unused functionality and may be worth it’s price, but to achieve a simple USB-serial interface with auto-reset it is overpriced. I have tested the cable with the xBees and it works perfectly (needed an Tx-Rx swapping to connect to my xBee regulated board, since this board already has those pins swapped). Also, the little board inside the cable has another wire jumper on the back of the board, that may be for other pins usually used on a serial interface (RTS, CTS) so people can use them if needed. There are many similar cables that do not have those pins brought out and you have to poke around with the DMM while using the adapter to find out what pin is what.
Works great
I made mine, and works pretty good, so thanks very much =DDD*
Cool! Cheers!
Cool! Cheers!
Arduino Pro Mini??
Does this cable work with the Arduino Pro Mini?? I made one, hooked it up and everything LOOKS like it is working (all lights are on, etc.) but the arduino program will not upload my sketch to the board. It has the same connections as the rest of the Arduinos, but this is the only thing that I can see that can be the problem.
The code will not load if:1.
The code will not load if:
1. the Tx and Rx pins are not swapped.
2. the board does not autoreset.
Check the cable with a different board, if it works, then press the reset button on the board manually. I have this problem with one of my boards. If the cable does not work with another board (or try it on a breadboard with a microcontroller that you can get from a regular Arduino board) then try to swap the Rx and Tx wires on the cable. This should work. If it doesn’t, then… it is a bad cable.
**pro mini **
I swapped the tx and tx. The only other board I have is the duemilanove and I’m not sure how to hook this cable to it. The pro mini is supposed to autoreset. I have tried to push the reset button at many different times, as the arduino help boards suggested. None of them work. I checked continuity of all of my wires. They all check out and all are getting the correct voltages out. Do you have any other suggestions or did I just get a bad cable? I just got it in the mail 2 days ago but that would be my luck.
question
the usb from a genius “mini traveler” mouse is compatible ?
I got mine today and its
I got mine today and its working with Windows 7 x64. It looks like the high voltage level of Tx is about 3.6V. I’m also using the original cable as it already has Gnd (blue), Tx (white), and Rx (green) -> I just need to make a header for it.
I’ve used my cable a bit
I’ve used my cable a bit (not extensively) with both Windows 7 32 and 64 bit OSs and I’ve experience a Blue Screen a couple of times with my 64-bit system, it seems likely an issue with the driver interacting with the device. Anyone else experienced this?? For me it happens when setting up a new connection in a terminal program, Tera Term 4.52 Software.
It may be happening when I close a terminal without first closing the connection and reattempt a connection with another terminal instance. I’m thinking of ordering a few more unless they are causing problems for other people, so any feedback is appreciated.
I use it regularly with
I use it regularly with Windows 7 64-bit, and it has never been a problem.
I’m using it with the Arduino IDE v0019. I don’t use Tera Term, so I don’t know if there’s a problem with the cable working with that software. I open and close the Arduino terminal at will with no ill effects.
Thanks ignoblegnome,Thats
Thanks ignoblegnome,
Thats good to know, I will get a few more then. Using female crimp pins and 3-pin connectors (I picked some up from pololu.com) makes these very compact for a basic 3-wire serial connection, and I found a good crimper for $9 at radio shack, score.
How can i identify the 'dtr’
How can i identify the ‘dtr’ pin on my cable? My cable is different than yours - https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/ode/33342
has a datasheet ? ps.: the
has a datasheet ?
ps.: the link doesn’t work…
Oops 
The link - https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/node/33342 . and i came to know that the dtr pin is just for ‘reseting’ the chip when the downloading starts. Since i am going to make my own arduino board using an atmega328 with arduino bootloader, I can add a reset button on the main board and can press it manually while downloading the program