Active RS232 transceiver for legacy serial links
The MAX231CWE+: Rated for 120 kbps, it covers the classic RS232 band up to the common 115.2 kbps ceiling, with margin for the stop-bit overhead. The 500 mV receiver hysteresis filters out noise on long cable runs — a practical edge for industrial or lab serial links where the ground potential drifts between nodes.
Supply rail flexibility and temperature grade
The part accepts a 5 V logic supply plus a separate charge-pump rail spanning 7.5 V to 13.2 V — the wide V+ range lets it generate the ±10 V RS232 swing from a single 12 V supply or a 9 V battery, without an external DC-DC converter.
SOIC-16 wide-body footprint
The wide-body SOIC also gives better thermal coupling to the PCB copper pour than the narrow SOIC variant.