RS-232 transceiver for 5V legacy serial links
The MAX207CDW is a full-duplex RS-232 transceiver from Texas Instruments, packing five drivers and three receivers into a 24-SOIC package. It handles serial data at 120 kbps over a single 5V supply rail (4.75V to 5.25V). This part is a drop-in for many 5V-only RS-232 designs — think industrial terminals, point-of-sale gear, or older test equipment that still runs on a 5V bus. The 500 mV receiver hysteresis gives clean edge detection on noisy lines.
Package and mounting
At 120 kbps, this transceiver is comfortably fast for standard UART communication up to about 15 metres of cable. The 5V supply is strict — 4.75V to 5.25V — so don't try to run it from a 3.3V rail without a regulator.
Active production — no end-of-life concern
The 24-SOIC wide-body package (0.295", 7.50mm width) is a common footprint, so second-sourcing or cross-referencing to a pin-compatible sibling (e.g. MAX207IDW for industrial temp) is straightforward if the BOM ever needs a temperature-grade upgrade.