Generic version of the USB CDC serial adapter?

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James Harland

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Jan 22, 2026, 10:27:40 AMJan 22
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Hello everyone, 

I now have an RC 2014 Classic ][ and a Orton 3C, but I only have one USB CDC serial adapter. I live in Kazakhstan, so it's much easier and cheaper for me to order stuff from China rather than anywhere else.

On AliExpress I have not been able to find anything that exactly looks like the USB CDC adapter, and I'm not sure anyway what specifications I am looking for. The 8086 site is very terse on the matter.

I've searched for USB CDC adapter, FTDI USB C adapter, UART adapter, and I have found things that look almost the same, but they all have five male pins rather than a female socket. I guess this is not a biggie, especially for my Classic ][ which in any case I am making a custom back panel for.

Please can someone let me know what specifications I need to look for to make sure the adapter works the same as the USB CDC?

Spencer, if all else fails I guess I can add another one to a future order?

Thanks everyone,

James

Alan Cox

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Jan 22, 2026, 1:25:01 PMJan 22
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Please can someone let me know what specifications I need to look for to make sure the adapter works the same as the USB CDC?

USB CDC is a standard that pretty much everything except the FTDI stuff follows today. FTDI is a weird hanger on with its legacy proprietary interfaces.

A good thing to look for is the chip the device uses, and then check the data sheet. Most of the generic Chinese USB serial chips are USB CDC capable.

Alan

Phillip Stevens

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Jan 23, 2026, 4:10:54 PMJan 23
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On Thursday, 22 January 2026 James Harland wrote:
Hello everyone, 
On AliExpress I have not been able to find anything that exactly looks like the USB CDC adapter, and I'm not sure anyway what specifications I am looking for. The 8086 site is very terse on the matter.

Please can someone let me know what specifications I need to look for to make sure the adapter works the same as the USB CDC?

Just be crystal clear that they break out the /RTS pin (as FTDI standard), and not /DTR (which is common.).

See Sparkfun as example of the /DTR breakout for Arduino, which won’t work. 
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