Universal synchronous and asynchronous receiver-transmitter: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:18, 16 December 2015

Revision as of 17:58, 16 December 2015

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== Purpose and History ==

The USART's synchronous capabilities were primarily intended to support synchronous protocols like IBM's [[Synchronous transmit-receive]] (STR), [[Binary Synchronous Communications]] (BSC), [[Synchronous Data Link Control]] (SDLC), and the ISO-standard [[High-Level Data Link Control]] (HDLC) synchronous link-layer protocols, which were used with synchronous voice-frequency [[modem | modems]]. These protocols were designed to make the best use of bandwidth when modems were analog devices. In those times, the fastest asynchronous voice-band modem could achieve at most speeds of 300 bps, while synchronous modems could run at speeds up to 9600 bps. Synchronous transmission used only slightly over 80% of the bandwidth of the now more-familiar asynchronous transmission, since start and stop bits were unnecessary. Those modems are obsolete, having been replaced by modems with which convert asynchronous data to synchronous forms, but similar synchronous telecommunications protocols survive in numerous block-oriented technologies such as the widely-used [[IEEE 802.2]] (Ethernet) link-level protocol. USARTs are still sometimes integrated with MCUs.{{Expand section|current protocols using HDLC or SDLCsynchronous framing, if any exist, or a statement that none do.|date=December 2015}}

== Operation ==