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4D Programming Cable
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Available Models & Details
4D Programming Cable
Overview and Purpose
Overview and Purpose
The 4D Programming Cable is a USB-to-Serial TTL UART converter cable. It incorporates the Silabs CP2102 USB-to-Serial UART bridge IC, which handles all the USB signalling and protocols. The cable provides a fast and straightforward way to connect all of the 4D devices that require TTL-level serial interface to USB. The Programming Cable is also an essential hardware tool used for programming PmmC files and 4DGL user code downloads into the 4D Systems graphics processors.
The cable contains a small internal electronic circuit board, utilising the CP2102 chip and special RESET circuitry, which is encapsulated into the USB connector at the end of the cable. The cable is RoHS compliant and is available with a 5-pin female header (0.1″/2.54mm pitch) at TTL levels of 3.3V for RX and TX. The 5-pin header is labelled with the appropriate signal names: +5V, RX, TX, GND, RESET which match the programming headers on the 4D devices. The cable also provides +5V DC supply to power up the target device. The cable is 1m in length, and the circuitry is USB-powered (USB 2.0 compliant, full speed at 12Mbps) and supports data rates ranging from 300bps to 1Mbps.
Overview and Purpose
The 4D Programming Cable is a USB-to-Serial TTL UART converter cable. It incorporates the Silabs CP2102 USB-to-Serial UART bridge IC, which handles all the USB signalling and protocols. The cable provides a fast and straightforward way to connect all of the 4D devices that require TTL-level serial interface to USB. The Programming Cable is also an essential hardware tool used for programming PmmC files and 4DGL user code downloads into the 4D Systems graphics processors.
The cable contains a small internal electronic circuit board, utilising the CP2102 chip and special RESET circuitry, which is encapsulated into the USB connector at the end of the cable. The cable is RoHS compliant and is available with a 5-pin female header (0.1″/2.54mm pitch) at TTL levels of 3.3V for RX and TX. The 5-pin header is labelled with the appropriate signal names: +5V, RX, TX, GND, RESET which match the programming headers on the 4D devices. The cable also provides +5V DC supply to power up the target device. The cable is 1m in length, and the circuitry is USB-powered (USB 2.0 compliant, full speed at 12Mbps) and supports data rates ranging from 300bps to 1Mbps.
Product Availability Statement
Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers about our display modules, embedded integration, customization capabilities, and system compatibility.
How do I choose the right display module for my project?
Start by identifying the demands of your product environment: required screen size, touch capability, operating conditions and UI complexity. Our consistent form-factor families allow you to select a module that fits your constraints today and upgrade performance later without redesigning your enclosure or PCB. Our documentation hub provides comparison tables to assist selection.
What is the difference between a smart display and a host-driven display?
Smart displays include an onboard processor that handles graphics, widgets, UI logic and drawing commands internally. This reduces load on your host MCU, simplifies code and often shortens development time dramatically. Host-driven modules require the host MCU to manage everything, which may be appropriate for minimal UIs but introduces more integration work.
Can I upgrade processors without changing my enclosure or PCB?
Yes. Our architecture is deliberately designed around footprint consistency. Most display families maintain identical mechanical and electrical footprints across multiple processor types, enabling generation-to-generation performance improvements without mechanical redesign.
Do you offer non-touch and touch options?
Yes. Many display families provide variants for non-touch, resistive-touch and capacitive-touch configurations. Capacitive-touch variants are recommended for modern, responsive UI experiences.