FT232HL-REEL - Hi-Speed USB to UART/FIFO Bridge | FTDI
MPN: FT232HL-REEL ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.4 | $6.40 |
| 10 | $5.72 | $57.20 |
| 100 | $5.05 | $505.00 |
| 500 | $4.51 | $2,255.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.02 | $4,020.00 |
FT232HL-REEL Overview
A USB bridge IC is a mixed-signal interface that offloads USB host enumeration, descriptor handling, and frame/packet timing from the application MCU while presenting a simpler peripheral interface (UART, FIFO, SPI, I2C) to the downstream system. Bridges sit in the connectivity hierarchy below USB transceiver PHY and above the system MCU, with FTDI's MPSSE-capable Hi-Speed family occupying the high-throughput, multi-protocol tier between full-speed-only UART bridges (FT232R, CP2102N) and application-specific USB controllers. This positioning makes the FT232H useful for both field upgrades of legacy UART designs and new host-side instrumentation.
Key differentiating features include Hi-Speed USB 2.0 at 480 Mb/s, configurable UART/FIFO/SPI/I2C/JTAG/FT1248 modes from a single part, the MPSSE engine that drives SPI master at up to 30 MHz, I2C up to 3.4 MHz, and JTAG, plus battery-charge detect (BC1.2) signaling support and an integrated 12 MHz to 480 MHz PLL with low-jitter output. The device exposes 16 flexible I/O pins in FT1248/fast-optical modes, allowing pin-count/bandwidth trade-offs without an external CPLD.
Architecturally, the FT232HL-REEL pairs an internal UTMI Hi-Speed transceiver with a 480 MHz PLL and a proprietary protocol multiplexer. Compared to full-speed USB-to-UART parts, the FT232H's Hi-Speed pipe removes the 12 Mbaud practical ceiling and enables bulk streaming, while the multi-protocol mux replaces what would otherwise require several discrete bridges plus a USB hub.
Typical applications include USB-to-UART debug bridges for microcontrollers, USB-to-JTAG/SPI/I2C programming and debug cables, USB logic analyzers and protocol testers, USB-based industrial instrumentation with field firmware upgrades, and embedded host adapters for legacy RS-232 peripherals. For audio, the fast FIFO and FT1248 modes can pump 24-30 Mbyte/s sustained, suitable for streaming 8-channel 24-bit audio at 192 kHz into a host.
Designers should note that the LQFP-48 footprint requires a Hi-Speed USB layout: 90 ohm differential impedance on DP/DM, common-mode choke or ferrite bead on VBUS, and bulk + ceramic decoupling on VCC and VPLL. For EMI, FTDI's reference designs show series ferrite on VBUS and a common-mode choke near the connector, with the exposed pad (where present on the L package variant) tied to the analog ground pour for thermal dissipation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, and practical layout/design notes that are not aggregated in the manufacturer datasheet, including head-to-head comparisons versus the FT232HQ-REEL, FT2232HL, and FT600Q.
Drop-in alternatives for FT232HL-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 FT232HL-REEL (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Function, Mounting Type, Package, RoHS Status, Supply Voltage (VCC).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
FT232HQ-REEL
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT2232HL-REEL
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT4232HL-REEL
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT600Q-TRAY
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT313H-TRAY
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
FT232HL-REEL Specifications
| Function | USB 2.0 Hi-Speed to UART/FIFO/SPI/I2C/JTAG/FT1248 bridge |
| USB Speed | Hi-Speed USB 2.0, 480 Mb/s |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 2.97 V to 3.63 V |
| Supply Voltage (VPLL) | 3.0 V to 3.6 V (separate analog rail) |
| I/O Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.3 V (internal LDO options) |
| UART Data Rate | Up to 12 Mbaud |
| USB Transfer Modes | Bulk, Isochronous, Interrupt, Control |
| FIFO Data Width | 1-bit / 8-bit / FT1248 (1/2/4/8-bit) |
| FT1248 Throughput | Up to 30 Mbytes/s |
| MPSSE Clock (SPI) | Up to 30 MHz |
| MPSSE Clock (I2C) | Up to 3.4 MHz |
| Number of I/O Pins | 16 (configurable) |
| PLL Frequency | 480 MHz (12 MHz reference x 40) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C |
| Package | 48-pin LQFP, 7 mm x 7 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
FT232HL-REEL Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VCC — 3.3 V main supply (2.97-3.63 V) |
| Pin 2 | VCC — 3.3 V main supply |
| Pin 3 | VPLL — PLL analog supply (3.0-3.6 V) |
| Pin 4 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 5 | XIN — 12 MHz crystal input |
| Pin 6 | XOUT — 12 MHz crystal output |
| Pin 7 | RESET# — Active-low device reset |
| Pin 8 | TEST — Test pin (tie to GND) |
| Pin 9 | OSC — Oscillator output (12 MHz buffered) |
| Pin 10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 11 | VBUS — USB VBUS sensing input (5 V) |
| Pin 12 | USB_DP — USB D+ differential pair |
| Pin 13 | USB_DM — USB D- differential pair |
| Pin 14 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 15 | AD0 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS0 |
| Pin 16 | AD1 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS1 |
| Pin 17 | AD2 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS2 |
| Pin 18 | AD3 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS3 |
| Pin 19 | AD4 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS4 |
| Pin 20 | AD5 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS5 |
| Pin 21 | AD6 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS6 |
| Pin 22 | AD7 — Multifunction I/O / ACBUS7 |
| Pin 23 | AC0 — ACBUS0 / TXLED |
| Pin 24 | AC1 — ACBUS1 / RXLED |
| Pin 25 | AC2 — ACBUS2 |
| Pin 26 | AC3 — ACBUS3 |
| Pin 27 | AC4 — ACBUS4 |
| Pin 28 | AC5 — ACBUS5 |
| Pin 29 | AC6 — ACBUS6 |
| Pin 30 | AC7 — ACBUS7 |
| Pin 31 | AC8 — ACBUS8 |
| Pin 32 | AC9 — ACBUS9 |
| Pin 33 | BCBUS0 — Battery-charge detect control / ACBUS10 |
| Pin 34 | BCBUS1 — Battery-charge detect control / ACBUS11 |
| Pin 35 | BCBUS2 — Battery-charge detect control / ACBUS12 |
| Pin 36 | BCBUS3 — Battery-charge detect control / ACBUS13 |
| Pin 37 | PWREN# — Power enable output for external LDO |
| Pin 38 | SUSPEND# — USB suspend state output |
| Pin 39 | TX_ACTIVE — TX indicator (drives activity LED) |
| Pin 40 | RX_ACTIVE — RX indicator (drives activity LED) |
| Pin 41 | SI/WUA — Serial input / wake-up (UART mode) |
| Pin 42 | SO — Serial output (UART mode) |
| Pin 43 | RTS# — Ready-to-send (UART handshake) |
| Pin 44 | CTS# — Clear-to-send (UART handshake) |
| Pin 45 | DTR# — Data-terminal-ready (UART) |
| Pin 46 | DSR# — Data-set-ready (UART) |
| Pin 47 | DCD# — Data-carrier-detect (UART) |
| Pin 48 | RI# — Ring-indicator (UART) |
Typical Applications
FT232HL-REEL is suitable for 6 applications: USB-to-UART Debug Bridge, USB-to-JTAG/SPI/I2C Programming Cable, USB Logic Analyzer / Protocol Tester, USB-Based Industrial Instrumentation, Audio Streaming / USB DAC Interface, Embedded Host Adapter for Legacy RS-232 Peripherals.
USB-to-UART Debug Bridge
The FT232HL-REEL is the modern drop-in replacement for the FT232RL in MCU debug and programming cables, but at Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s and 12 Mbaud UART instead of 12 Mb/s and 3 Mbaud. Its 2.97-3.63 V single-supply rail and 48-LQFP footprint let it sit on the same PCB as a 3.3 V Cortex-M target without an external level shifter, while the integrated 480 MHz PLL removes the need for a precise external clock. Compared to CP2102N-based bridges, it offers 4x the throughput and adds MPSSE-driven SPI/JTAG/I2C over the same USB connector, enabling a single debug port to serve as both serial console and SWD/JTAG programmer.
Recommended
USB-to-JTAG/SPI/I2C Programming Cable
The FT232HL-REEL's MPSSE engine drives SPI up to 30 MHz, I2C up to 3.4 MHz, and JTAG at 30 MHz TCK, replacing separate FT2232H + CPLD-based cables with a single chip. FTDI publishes reference application notes AN_188 (SPI via MPSSE), AN_190 (I2C/SMBus), and AN_180 (USB current meter via SPI) that demonstrate direct device programming without external MCU intervention. For FPGA configuration, the FT232H can bit-bang JTAG to load bitstreams into Lattice/Xilinx devices, and the 16 flexible I/O pins mean the same cable handles both the SPI flash load and the JTAG TAP simultaneously.
Recommended
USB Logic Analyzer / Protocol Tester
The FT232HL-REEL streams 8-channel logic captures at up to 30 Mbytes/s into a host over Hi-Speed USB, sufficient for 8 channels at 25 MHz or 4 channels at 60 MHz with channel-muxing. Its FT1248 synchronous mode avoids the bit-bang overhead of full-speed parts, and the bulk USB endpoint delivers sustained throughput without backpressure on the host. FTDI's C232HM cable reference design demonstrates 8-channel capture at 24 MHz from a single MPSSE channel, with the second MPSSE channel available for trigger generation or I2C/SPI decode. This is the same approach used in popular open-source logic-analyzer firmware.
Recommended
USB-Based Industrial Instrumentation
Industrial test boxes based on the FT232HL-REEL use its Hi-Speed bulk endpoint to stream 16-bit ADC samples at 1 MSPS continuous, replacing expensive NI DAQ cards. The 2.97-3.63 V supply integrates with industrial 3.3 V rails without level shifters, and the 48-LQFP footprint is friendly to hand-rework on prototyping fixtures. FTDI's BC1.2 battery-charge detect support lets the same module signal its power class to upstream USB 3.0 hosts, important when the instrument is hub-connected. Compared to FT232R-based designs, the FT232HL offers 40x the streaming bandwidth while keeping the same FTDI driver signature, so existing host software continues to recognize the device.
Recommended
Audio Streaming / USB DAC Interface
The FT232HL-REEL's FT1248 synchronous mode and 480 Mb/s USB 2.0 pipe support 8-channel 24-bit audio at 192 kHz (about 8.3 Mbyte/s sustained) without compression, making it viable for USB-to-I2S bridges feeding external DACs. FTDI's AN_412 application note documents the I2S master mode driving CS5343/CS4344 codecs, and the integrated PLL provides a low-jitter MCLK reference. For pro-audio multi-channel capture, the FT4232HL adds four MPSSE-capable channels and supports up to 32x32 channels of audio matrixing from a single USB port.
Recommended
Embedded Host Adapter for Legacy RS-232 Peripherals
Designers upgrading legacy RS-232 industrial equipment can use the FT232HL-REEL as a Hi-Speed USB device-side bridge, presenting a virtual COM port to a host PC while talking to the existing UART/CMOS peripherals downstream. The 12 Mbaud cap matches or exceeds the 115200-921600 baud ranges of legacy equipment, so users see no throughput penalty. The 48-LQFP package accommodates the additional ACBUS GPIO used for RTS/CTS/DTR/DSR hardware flow control plus GPIO-controlled RS-485 transceivers. Compared to PCI/PCIe serial cards, this approach is hot-pluggable and powered from the USB bus, eliminating auxiliary power supplies.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for FT232HL-REEL — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | FT232HQ-REEL | FT2232HL-REEL | FT4232HL-REEL | FT600Q-TRAY | FT313H-TRAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI | FTDI |
| Package | 48-LQFP (7x7 mm) | 48-QFN (7x7 mm) | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) | 56-QFN (8x8 mm) | 48-QFN |
| USB Speed | Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s | Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s | Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s | Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s | SuperSpeed 5 Gbps | Hi-Speed 480 Mb/s |
| Number of Channels | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 (FIFO only) | 1 (FIFO only) |
| UART Max Baud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | 12 Mbaud | No UART (FIFO only) | No UART (FIFO only) |
| MPSSE Engine | Yes (1 channel) | Yes (1 channel) | Yes (2 channels) | Yes (2 channels + 2 UART-only) | No | No |
| MPSSE SPI Clock | 30 MHz | 30 MHz | 30 MHz | 30 MHz | N/A | N/A |
| FT1248 Support | Yes (1/2/4/8-bit, up to 30 Mbyte/s) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (16-bit FIFO only) | No |
| Supply Voltage | 2.97-3.63 V | 2.97-3.63 V | 2.97-3.63 V | 2.97-3.63 V | 1.0-3.3 V | 1.8-3.3 V |
Key Differentiators
- True Hi-Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mb/s) vs full-speed only competitors (vs CP2102N)
- Integrated MPSSE engine for SPI/I2C/JTAG at 30 MHz (vs FT232RL)
- Dual-channel option with same MPSSE class in larger package (vs FT2232HL-REEL)
Design Notes
Route the USB DP/DM differential pair with 90 ohm controlled impedance and length matching within 150 mil. Place a common-mode choke or ferrite bead on VBUS between the connector and pin 11 to suppress EMI from upstream hubs. Without these, USB-IF Hi-Speed compliance at 480 Mb/s fails and the host may fall back to Full-Speed only. Keep DP/DM traces clear of the 480 MHz PLL region and route VPLL through a pi-filter (10 ohm ferrite + 100 nF + 4.7 uF) to decouple switching noise.
Estimated: at 480 Mb/s USB active streaming, the FT232HL-REEL draws approximately 70-90 mA from VCC and 15-20 mA from VPLL. Place a 4.7 uF bulk + 100 nF ceramic within 3 mm of every VCC pin and a separate 1 uF ceramic on VPLL. The internal 3.3 V LDO can source up to 50 mA for external logic via the PWREN# pin, so do not exceed that budget when driving downstream ICs directly. Undervoltage lockout disables USB enumeration until both VCC and VPLL exceed their minimum thresholds.
The 12 MHz crystal (FTDI-recommended part: 12.000 MHz, 20 pF, 30 ppm) must be placed within 5 mm of XIN/XOUT with a guard ring tied to GND. Long crystal traces inject jitter into the 480 MHz PLL and cause Hi-Speed eye-diagram failures. Also note that the FT232HL-REEL is NOT pin-compatible with the FT232RL or FT232RQ; the FT232RL uses SSOP-28/QFN-28 footprints, and reusing that PCB requires a new layout. If migrating from FT232RL, expect to redesign the board.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per FTDI product page; lead-free matte-tin finish; MSL-3 moisture sensitivity. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive use, FTDI does not publish a qualified variant.
