PL2303TA - USB to Serial Bridge Controller | SSOP-28 | Prolific
MPN: PL2303TA ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.79 | $0.79 |
| 10 | $0.71 | $7.10 |
| 100 | $0.55 | $55.00 |
| 500 | $0.42 | $210.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.34 | $340.00 |
PL2303TA Overview
A USB-to-Serial Bridge Controller is a bridge IC that converts between a USB device port and an asynchronous serial (UART) channel. It belongs to the product hierarchy USB bridge IC -> interface controller -> IC -> semiconductor. The bridge typically enumerates as a virtual COM port (VCP) on the host operating system, so legacy serial-terminal software can communicate with the target MCU through the same APIs as a built-in COM port. The PL2303TA sits below the USB transceiver and above the target MCU's UART peripheral, making it a standard drop-in for cable, debug-console, and industrial-converter designs.
Key features of the PL2303TA include USB 2.0 full-speed (12 Mbps) device interface, integrated 3.3V LDO for internal logic (the I/O rail still needs to be supplied externally), ROM-based default firmware (no external EEPROM required for basic VCP operation), support for baud rates from 75 bps up to 6 Mbps in the latest driver set, and full UART handshaking including RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, RI, and DCD. The device operates from a single 5V USB bus input and exposes a logic-level UART toward the target MCU at 3.3V CMOS levels.
Internally, the PL2303TA combines a serial-interface engine (SIE), a USB protocol controller, a FIFO buffer, and the UART block on a single die. The integrated voltage regulator supplies the internal core, while a separate VDD_232 pin powers the external RS-232 level shifter when a true RS-232 transceiver (e.g., SP3232E) is fitted. Compared with the legacy PL2303HXA and PL-2303XA parts, the TA version reduces BOM by removing the external EEPROM requirement and lowering quiescent current, and is pin-to-pin compatible with the PL-2303HXA/PL-2303XA footprint for PCB migration.
Typical applications include USB-to-RS-232 converter cables, USB-to-TTL serial-debug console cables for Raspberry Pi / Arduino / ESP32 / Jetson boards, GPS module interfaces, industrial RS-232 modem replacement, and point-of-sale / barcode-scanner serial interfaces. The internal ROM code is loaded by driver on Windows 7/8/10 with the official Prolific PL2303 driver; macOS and Linux include native cdc-acm / pl2303 kernel modules.
Designers should note: (1) Windows 11 has been known to default-block older PL2303 part revisions, so the PL2303TA is the recommended current revision; (2) for proper RS-232 level translation, pair the PL2303TA with an SP3232E or similar charge-pump transceiver; (3) decouple VDD_232 and VDD_IO with at least 0.1 uF ceramic capacitors placed as close as possible to the IC pins. The SSOP-28 (208 mil) package has a typical theta_JA around 90 C/W, which is comfortable for USB-powered, low-power designs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives inside the SSOP-28 footprint, and practical design notes not found in the Prolific datasheet - giving you the cross-reference summary needed to design or replace the PL2303TA in next-generation USB-to-Serial products.
Drop-in alternatives for PL2303TA — 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 PL2303TA (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Function, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PL2303GC
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.82 / Unit
View Datasheet →PL2303HXD
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PL-2303HXA
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PL-2303XA
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PL2303TA Specifications
| Function | USB to Serial (UART) Bridge Controller |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) |
| UART Channels | 1 (TX, RX, RTS, CTS, DTR, DSR, RI, DCD) |
| Maximum Baud Rate | 6 Mbps (driver dependent) |
| Minimum Baud Rate | 75 bps |
| Supply Voltage (VBUS) | 4.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Logic I/O Voltage (VDD_232) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Internal LDO Output | 3.3 V |
| External EEPROM Required | No (ROM firmware only) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C |
| Package | SSOP-28 (208 mil) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Pin Count | 28 |
| Driver Support | Windows (Prolific driver), macOS, Linux kernel pl2303 module |
PL2303TA Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | TXD — UART transmit output (to host MCU RX) |
| Pin 2 | RXD — UART receive input (from host MCU TX) |
| Pin 3 | RTS — Request-to-send output |
| Pin 4 | CTS — Clear-to-send input |
| Pin 5 | DTR — Data-terminal-ready output |
| Pin 6 | DSR — Data-set-ready input |
| Pin 7 | RI — Ring indicator input |
| Pin 8 | DCD — Data-carrier-detect input |
| Pin 9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 10 | VDD_232 — UART-side I/O supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 11 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 12 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 13 | VDD — Internal 3.3V LDO output / decoupling |
| Pin 14 | VBUS — USB 5V supply input (4.5V-5.5V) |
| Pin 15 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 16 | DM — USB D- data line |
| Pin 17 | DP — USB D+ data line |
| Pin 18 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 19 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 20 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 21 | RESET — Chip reset (active low or external pull-up, see datasheet) |
| Pin 22 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 23 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 24 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 25 | TEST — Test pin (leave floating per datasheet) |
| Pin 26 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 27 | VDD — Internal 3.3V LDO output / decoupling |
| Pin 28 | GND — Ground |
Typical Applications
PL2303TA is suitable for 7 applications: USB-to-RS-232 Adapter Cable, USB-to-TTL Serial Debug Console, GPS Module USB Interface, Industrial RS-232 Modem Replacement, Point-of-Sale / Barcode Scanner Interface, Embedded Linux Console Cable, IoT Device Programming & Test Fixture.
USB-to-RS-232 Adapter Cable
The PL2303TA's 5V VBUS tolerance and integrated 3.3V LDO make it ideal for USB-to-RS-232 adapter cables. Its SSOP-28 footprint fits on tiny dongle PCBs alongside an SP3232E charge-pump transceiver that delivers true +/-5.4V RS-232 levels. Compared with the legacy PL2303HXA, the PL2303TA removes the BOM cost of an external EEPROM and lowers quiescent current, so the dongle sips well under 50 mA from the USB host - well within the 500 mA / 100 mA un-configured budget. The 6 Mbps top baud rate also beats the older 1.2 Mbps ceiling of PL2303HXA, allowing the cable to drive high-speed legacy peripherals such as industrial scales and barcode scanners.
Recommended
USB-to-TTL Serial Debug Console
The PL2303TA is widely used as a USB-to-TTL console cable IC for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, ESP32, Jetson, and other development boards. Its 3.3V CMOS UART directly drives most modern MCU debug headers without a level shifter, and Prolific's Linux kernel pl2303 module is built into Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, and Debian out of the box. The omission of an external EEPROM keeps the BOM to a single IC plus four caps, enabling shrink-wrap USB-TTL cables under $1 at LCSC pricing. Engineers typically pair the TX/RX lines directly with the target board's UART header, leaving RTS/CTS available for hardware flow control on ESP32 boot-loader consoles.
Recommended
GPS Module USB Interface
GPS receivers such as those based on u-blox, MediaTek, and SkyTraq chipsets expose 3.3V TTL UART at 9600-115200 baud - exactly the operating envelope of the PL2303TA. The bridge converts those NMEA sentences into virtual COM-port data for host PC tools like u-center, Google Earth Pro, or QGIS. The PL2303TA's 75 bps-to-6 Mbps baud range covers every standard GPS update rate (1Hz, 5Hz, 10Hz) without dropping characters, and USB selective suspend lowers idle current when the GPS is unplugged or the application is closed.
Recommended
Industrial RS-232 Modem Replacement
Legacy industrial controllers, PLCs, and SCADA modems still rely on RS-232 COM ports that have disappeared from modern PCs and laptops. A PL2303TA-based USB-to-RS-232 dongle replaces an aging PCI serial card at a fraction of the cost, and the SSOP-28 industrial-grade (-40C to +85C) rating supports factory-floor temperatures. With surge protection on the SP3232E line side, the bridge sustains 15 kV ESD hits typical in industrial sites, while the Prolific driver supports all standard Windows COM APIs so legacy SCADA software works without recoding.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale / Barcode Scanner Interface
POS terminals, barcode scanners, and serial receipt printers traditionally talk RS-232 at 9600-115200 baud, and the PL2303TA-driven bridge offers a low-cost USB tether. The compact SSOP-28 takes under 50 mm squared of PCB area - small enough to fit inside a scanner handle or a printer's USB pigtail. Prolific's Windows VCP driver integrates seamlessly with POS software such as Square, Vend, and Lightspeed, exposing the scanner or printer as a standard COM port without driver recompilation.
Recommended
Embedded Linux Console Cable
Engineers restoring bricked routers, network switches, and single-board computers rely on the PL2303TA USB-to-TTL cable to access the boot loader's serial console. The bridge enumerates as /dev/ttyUSB0 under Linux, providing a 3.3V UART that survives 115200 baud printk floods during kernel panic debugging. The lack of an external EEPROM means no host-side driver ID mismatches, so the cable works on stock OpenWrt, DD-WRT, Tomato, and pfSense recovery environments without any extra setup.
Recommended
IoT Device Programming & Test Fixture
Production test fixtures for IoT devices use PL2303TA bridges to drive UART-based firmware upload over USB, eliminating the need for an FTDI cable on each test station. The 6 Mbps upper bound supports fast-boot-loader protocols like STM32 System Bootloader and ESP32 ROM download, cutting per-unit test time on high-volume production lines. USB selective suspend lets test fixtures power-down between boards, reducing fixture heat and improving long-term reliability over a typical factory shift.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PL2303TA — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PL2303GC | PL2303HXD | PL-2303HXA | PL-2303XA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Prolific | Prolific | Prolific | Prolific | Prolific |
| Package | SSOP-28 (208 mil) | SSOP-28 (208 mil) - same | SSOP-28 (208 mil) - same | SSOP-28 (208 mil) - same | SSOP-28 (208 mil) - same |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) | USB 1.1 Full-Speed (12 Mbps) |
| External EEPROM Required | No | Optional | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum Baud Rate | 6 Mbps (driver dependent) | 6 Mbps | 12 Mbps (driver dependent) | 1.2 Mbps | 115.2 kbps (12 Mbps with driver) |
| Windows 11 Driver Status | Supported (current revision) | Supported | Limited / blocked on some Win11 builds | Blocked | Blocked |
| USB Selective Suspend | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Key Differentiators
- EEPROM-less ROM-firmware operation (vs PL2303HXD)
- Currently supported by Windows 11 drivers (vs PL-2303HXA)
- Up-to-6 Mbps baud rate with newer driver set (vs PL-2303XA)
Design Notes
Place 0.1uF ceramic decoupling capacitors on each VDD_232, VDD, and VBUS pin as close as physically possible - within 2 mm of the SSOP-28 pins - to suppress switching noise from the internal 3.3V LDO and the USB PHY. Keep the DP/DM pair routed as a 90-ohm differential microstrip directly to the USB connector pins with no stubs; the SSOP-28 package is small enough that a 4-layer board is recommended for clean USB eye-pattern compliance.
The PL2303TA draws up to 100 mA from VBUS during enumeration (USB 2.0 high-power device config), so make sure the upstream USB port can supply it and that the PCB trace from VBUS pin 14 to the connector is at least 0.5 mm wide. Estimate: with the on-chip LDO dissipating (5V - 3.3V) * Icore, the SSOP-28 thermal resistance theta_JA around 90 C/W keeps the die well below 70 C in typical cable use, but enclosed dongle housings without venting should be evaluated with a thermocouple during UL/CE pre-test.
Do not populate an external EEPROM on a PL2303TA footprint reserved for basic VCP use - PL2303TA ignores external EEPROMs and may fail to enumerate if the EEPROM pins are shorted. Also, Windows 11 by default blocks driver signing for PL2303HX revisions shipped before 2019 - if the production cable uses a HXA/XA part instead of PL2303TA, install the signed Prolific driver manually. Linux pl2303 module is built into mainline kernel 2.6.x and later, with no driver installation required.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free packaging per LCSC product page (C8691). AEC-Q100 not applicable for a commercial-grade interface IC.
