FT2232HQ-REEL - Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Dual UART/FIFO | FTDI | 64-QFN
MPN: FT2232HQ-REEL ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9.85 | $9.85 |
| 10 | $9.1 | $91.00 |
| 100 | $8.2 | $820.00 |
| 500 | $7.4 | $3,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $6.75 | $6,750.00 |
FT2232HQ-REEL Overview
A USB bridge IC such as the FT2232HQ-REEL is a category of interface controller that connects a USB host to one or more peripheral serial or parallel buses. Within the broader system hierarchy it sits at USB 2.0 peripheral controller -> bridge controller -> interface IC -> mixed-signal semiconductor. Its core function is to translate USB transactions into legacy industrial serial or parallel protocols without requiring host-side driver development beyond the FTDI VCP/D2XX driver stack.
Key differentiating specifications include dual independent configurable channels (each can be UART, FIFO, I2C, SPI, JTAG, or bit-bang), 480 Mbps USB 2.0 High-Speed PHY on-chip, integrated 3.3 V LDO and power-on reset, programmable baud rate up to 12 Mbaud (UART mode) and clock generator output, plus hardware flow control (RTS/CTS, DTR/DSR) and remote wake-up support. Each channel has its own 4 KB receive / 4 KB transmit buffer.
Architecturally the FT2232HQ-REEL uses a hardwired USB 2.0 PHY plus a 16-bit internal datapath with on-chip PLL and ROM-based firmware. Compared with its FT2232H predecessor the HQ suffix designates the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 variant in the same QFN-64 pinout, enabling the same PCB layout to support both legacy and high-speed designs. Compared with the FT232H single-channel part, the FT2232HQ adds a second fully independent interface channel.
Typical applications include USB-to-UART debug bridges for embedded MCUs, FPGA / DSP JTAG programmers (Xilinx, Altera/Intel), industrial USB-to-RS485/RS422 converters, USB instrument front-ends (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers), and USB-to-SPI / I2C host adapters. The wide 1.62 V to 3.63 V core supply lets it interface directly with 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V logic families.
When designing with the FT2232HQ-REEL, plan the PCB layout to keep the 12 MHz crystal traces short and symmetric, and place the 33 ohm USB D+/D- series resistors within 4 mm of the IC. Use FTDI's VCP drivers for legacy COM-port emulation, or the D2XX direct driver for higher throughput and bit-bang access.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, verified pin-compatible drop-in alternatives, and practical PCB design notes that supplement the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for FT2232HQ-REEL — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with FT2232HQ-REEL (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Product Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
FT2232HL-REEL
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT2232HQ-TRAY
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT2232H-56Q-REEL
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT4232HQ-REEL
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.35 / Unit
View Datasheet →FT2232HQ-REEL Specifications
| Product Type | USB 2.0 Bridge Controller (Dual UART/FIFO) |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 High-Speed (480 Mbps) |
| Number of Channels | 2 independent configurable channels |
| Supported Interfaces (per channel) | UART, FIFO, I2C, SPI, JTAG, Bit-Bang |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| I/O Voltage Levels | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V |
| Maximum UART Baud Rate | 12 Mbaud |
| Maximum FIFO Data Rate | 480 Mbps (USB Hi-Speed mode) |
| Internal Buffers | 4 KB TX + 4 KB RX per channel |
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C |
| Crystal Requirement | 12 MHz external |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
FT2232HQ-REEL Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VCC — Core supply voltage (1.62 V to 3.63 V) |
| Pin 2 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage (1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V) |
| Pin 3 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 4 | OSCIN — 12 MHz crystal input |
| Pin 5 | OSCOUT — 12 MHz crystal output |
| Pin 6 | RESET — Active-low reset input (PU to VCCIO) |
| Pin 7 | TEST — Test pin (tie to GND per datasheet) |
| Pin 8 | USBDP — USB D+ differential data (33 ohm series resistor to connector) |
| Pin 9 | USBDN — USB D- differential data |
| Pin 10 | VBUS — USB VBUS sense (5 V tolerant) |
| Pin 11 | AD0 — Channel B FIFO data bit 0 / UART RX |
| Pin 12 | AD1 — Channel B FIFO data bit 1 / UART TX |
| Pin 13 | AD2 — Channel B FIFO data bit 2 |
| Pin 14 | AD3 — Channel B FIFO data bit 3 |
| Pin 15 | AD4 — Channel B FIFO data bit 4 |
| Pin 16 | AD5 — Channel B FIFO data bit 5 |
| Pin 17 | AD6 — Channel B FIFO data bit 6 |
| Pin 18 | AD7 — Channel B FIFO data bit 7 |
| Pin 19 | AC0 — Channel B FIFO read strobe (active low) |
| Pin 20 | AC1 — Channel B FIFO write strobe (active low) |
| Pin 21 | AC2 — Channel B FIFO RXF# (active low, FIFO empty) |
| Pin 22 | AC3 — Channel B FIFO TXE# (active low, FIFO full) |
| Pin 23 | AC4 — Channel B FIFO SI/WU (write enable / wake-up) |
| Pin 24 | AC5 — Channel B FIFO SI/RXF (read enable / RX FIFO active) |
| Pin 25 | AC6 — Channel B FIFO CLKOUT / baud clock |
| Pin 26 | AC7 — Channel B FIFO OE# (output enable, active low) |
| Pin 27 | BD0 — Channel A FIFO data bit 0 / UART RX |
| Pin 28 | BD1 — Channel A FIFO data bit 1 / UART TX |
| Pin 29 | BD2 — Channel A FIFO data bit 2 |
| Pin 30 | BD3 — Channel A FIFO data bit 3 |
| Pin 31 | BD4 — Channel A FIFO data bit 4 |
| Pin 32 | BD5 — Channel A FIFO data bit 5 |
| Pin 33 | BD6 — Channel A FIFO data bit 6 |
| Pin 34 | BD7 — Channel A FIFO data bit 7 |
| Pin 35 | BC0 — Channel A FIFO read strobe (active low) |
| Pin 36 | BC1 — Channel A FIFO write strobe (active low) |
| Pin 37 | BC2 — Channel A FIFO RXF# (active low, FIFO empty) |
| Pin 38 | BC3 — Channel A FIFO TXE# (active low, FIFO full) |
| Pin 39 | BC4 — Channel A FIFO SI/WU (write enable / wake-up) |
| Pin 40 | BC5 — Channel A FIFO SI/RXF (read enable / RX FIFO active) |
| Pin 41 | BC6 — Channel A FIFO CLKOUT / baud clock |
| Pin 42 | BC7 — Channel A FIFO OE# (output enable, active low) |
| Pin 43 | PWREN — Power enable output for external LDO/regulator control |
| Pin 44 | SUSPEND — USB suspend state indicator (active high) |
| Pin 45 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 46 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 47 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 48 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 49 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 50 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 51 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 52 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 53 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 54 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 55 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 56 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 57 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 58 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 59 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 60 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 61 | VCC — Core supply voltage |
| Pin 62 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 63 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 64 | EPAD — Exposed thermal pad - must be soldered to GND plane |
Typical Applications
FT2232HQ-REEL is suitable for 6 applications: USB-to-UART Debug Bridge for Embedded MCUs, FPGA JTAG and SPI Programmer, Industrial USB-to-RS485/RS422 Converter, USB Test and Measurement Instrument Front-End, USB-to-SPI/I2C Host Adapter, USB Bluetooth/WiFi HCI Interface Card.
USB-to-UART Debug Bridge for Embedded MCUs
The FT2232HQ-REEL is the de-facto USB-to-UART bridge for debugging ARM Cortex-M, RISC-V, and PIC microcontrollers. Channel A configured as UART delivers 12 Mbaud with full hardware handshaking (RTS/CTS, DTR/DSR) and remote wake-up, while Channel B can simultaneously serve as a second UART for GPS or Bluetooth HCI. The 1.62-3.63 V I/O range interfaces directly with 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V MCUs without level shifters. FTDI's VCP driver exposes standard COM ports on Windows/Linux/macOS, eliminating custom USB stack development. Compared with the FT232H single-channel part, the FT2232HQ-REEL adds a fully independent second channel with its own 4 KB TX/RX buffer, critical for designs needing concurrent debug plus secondary serial port.
Recommended
FPGA JTAG and SPI Programmer
The FT2232HQ-REEL's MPSSE (Multi-Protocol Synchronous Serial Engine) makes it the canonical USB-to-JTAG and USB-to-SPI programmer for Xilinx and Intel/Altera FPGAs. Channel A configured as MPSSE drives JTAG TMS/TCK/TDI/TDO at 30 MHz, while Channel B runs independently as a UART console for firmware debug. Xilinx Vivado Hardware Manager, Intel Quartus Prime Programmer, and Lattice Diamond Programmer all natively recognize FT2232H/FT2232HQ MPSSE devices via the D2XX driver. The 480 Mbps Hi-Speed USB ensures bitfile download time scales sub-linearly with bitstream size - a 100 Mbit FPGA image typically loads in 3-5 seconds. Industrial programming houses standardize on FT2232HQ-based USB-Blaster clones for production programming of CPLD and FPGA boards.
Recommended
Industrial USB-to-RS485/RS422 Converter
The FT2232HQ-REEL drives industrial RS485/RS422 networks through external transceivers like the MAX485 or SN65HVD75, delivering isolated, half-duplex or full-duplex multi-drop serial buses over USB. Channel A UART at 12 Mbaud can be software-throttled to standard 115200/921600 baud rates used by Modbus RTU, DMX512, and NMEA 0183 protocols. The hardware flow control (RTS/CTS) lines map directly to RS485 driver-enable pins for direction control without software intervention. Galvanic isolation is added by inserting an ADuM1411 or ISO3082 between the FT2232HQ logic pins and the bus, making the converter suitable for industrial 24 V fieldbus environments. Two channels enable dual-bus designs (e.g., RS485 master plus RS232 console) in a single 64-QFN footprint.
Recommended
USB Test and Measurement Instrument Front-End
USB oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and spectrum analyzers use the FT2232HQ-REEL as a high-throughput USB-to-FIFO bridge between the analog front-end and the host PC. Channel A in 245-style synchronous FIFO mode streams 8-bit samples at up to 40 MB/s, while Channel B runs an asynchronous UART command channel for trigger and configuration. The 480 Mbps Hi-Speed USB delivers up to 53 MB/s of practical throughput, sufficient for 8-channel 16-bit ADC acquisition at 3 MSPS or 4-channel at 6 MSPS. Compared with FT232H single-channel designs, the FT2232HQ-REEL adds a second channel that lets the same IC handle both high-speed data acquisition and low-speed command/status simultaneously, simplifying PCB layout and BOM cost for two-channel scopes and analyzers.
Recommended
USB-to-SPI/I2C Host Adapter
The FT2232HQ-REEL in SPI or I2C host mode provides a USB-to-serial-bridge for production programming of EEPROMs, Flash memories, and sensor calibration. Channel A MPSSE drives SPI up to 30 MHz clock, while Channel B can simultaneously serve as an I2C master for two-wire EEPROM access. FTDI provides libMPSSE and libFT4222H libraries for cross-platform host software, and the D2XX direct driver supports bit-bang GPIO for custom protocols. The dual-channel architecture lets one channel program the target SPI Flash while the other queries an I2C GPIO expander for status LEDs, all over a single USB cable. The 64-QFN 9x9 mm package fits into compact USB dongle form factors used by memory programming service bureaus.
Recommended
USB Bluetooth/WiFi HCI Interface Card
Bluetooth and WiFi modules with HCI (Host Controller Interface) over UART require a USB-to-UART bridge to attach to a host PC. The FT2232HQ-REEL drives the HCI UART at 3 Mbaud for Bluetooth BR/EDR/LE and 4 Mbaud for WiFi modules simultaneously through its two independent channels. FTDI's VCP drivers expose standard COM ports on Windows, while the D2XX driver enables raw HCI packet injection for protocol analyzers like Ellisys and Teledyne LeCroy. This dual-channel configuration eliminates the need for two USB cables or an external hub, saving BOM and simplifying the host-side driver stack for wireless protocol test equipment.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for FT2232HQ-REEL — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | FT2232HL-REEL | FT2232HQ-TRAY | FT2232H-56Q-REEL | FT4232HQ-REEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI |
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (480 Mbps) |
| Number of Channels | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Maximum UART Baud Rate | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | 0 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
| MPSSE Support (MPSSE Only) | Yes (Channel A only) | Yes (Channel A only) | Yes (Channel A only) | Yes (Channel A only) | Yes (Channel A and B) |
| RoHS Compliance | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- True Hi-Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) dual-channel bridge (vs FT232H)
- Same 64-QFN footprint as legacy FT2232H family (vs FT232H (48-QFP))
- Industry-standard MPSSE engine for JTAG/SPI (vs Microchip MCP2210)
Design Notes
Estimated trace-length budget for USB 2.0 compliance: keep USBDP and USBDN (pins 8-9) differential traces length-matched to within 150 mil total mismatch, with 90 ohm differential impedance. Place the 27-33 ohm series resistors within 4 mm of the FT2232HQ-REEL USBDP/USBDN pins, and route the differential pair directly to the USB connector without stubs. The 64-QFN EPAD (pin 64) must be soldered to a continuous ground plane for thermal dissipation and signal-return integrity - use at least 4 thermal vias on a 0.5 mm pitch array under the EPAD.
Place a 4.7 uF X7R 0805 ceramic decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of each VCC/VCCIO pin pair (4 decoupling regions total). The integrated 3.3 V LDO can source up to 50 mA for external logic; for designs requiring more current, disable the internal LDO via the EEPROM-loadable PWREN# pin and use an external regulator tied to VBUS. Add a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the VBUS pin (pin 10) to sustain USB inrush transients during enumeration.
Estimated: for crystal load capacitance selection, the FT2232HQ-REEL requires a 12 MHz fundamental-mode crystal with 12-20 pF load. Use NDK NX3225SA or ECS-320-8-37B-CKY with two 27 pF loading capacitors tied to GND. Crystal traces must be kept under 5 mm and routed symmetrically to minimize EMI; do not place any signal traces beneath the crystal can to avoid coupling into the 12 MHz oscillator.
Do not connect the TEST pin (pin 7) to anything other than GND - leaving it floating can latch the IC in test mode and prevent USB enumeration. Do not apply VBUS voltage before VCC is present at the FT2232HQ-REEL pins, as reverse-current paths through ESD protection diodes can latch-up the internal 3.3 V LDO. Always sequence USB VBUS last in the power-up sequence when designing bus-powered or self-powered designs with external logic tied to VCCIO.
Keep FIFO bus traces (pins 11-42) under 50 mm total length when operating in 245-style synchronous FIFO mode at the maximum 40 MB/s data rate. Add 33 ohm series termination resistors on the FIFO data/control lines near the FT2232HQ-REEL side when trace length exceeds 25 mm. The PWREN output (pin 43) can drive an external P-channel MOSFET to gate downstream load power; place this MOSFET within 10 mm of pin 43 to minimize parasitic inductance during USB suspend/resume transitions.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per FTDI product page; not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial/commercial grade only). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in distributor data.
