nrf52-dk Com ports

[bdoan]

I am trying to use the Peripheral_Uart application and when it runs, I see 2 virtual com ports in Windows device manager. 

A terminal program shows a startup status message on one of these com ports. 

Do I really need to use hardware flow controls to communicate over the 52832 UART port?

[Kenneth]

Hello,

You may be looking at some old information, the latest is here:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ug_nrf52832_dk/UG/dk/vir_com_port.html 

The interface MCU support two serial interfaces, since it's the same interface MCU used for various nRF DK's. For the nRF52832 only one is used. There is no hard requirement to use HWFC no.

Kenneth

[bdoan]

“. The terminal software must send a Data Terminal Ready (DTR)signal to configure the UART interface MCU pins.”

This is in the instructions you linked to.

Do I need to send a DTR to establish communication?

What about in an embedded application with just RX and TX connection to the host processor??

[Kenneth]

If you haven't already I suggest to go through the nRF Connect course we have:
https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-fundamentals/lessons/lesson-3-printing-messages-to-console-and-logging/ 

The problem can be a lot of things, I don't expect the problem is related to DTR (afaik know every serial terminal in Window and other OS automatically do this when opening a com port).

Kenneth

[bdoan]

What is the difference between “console” and the UART port?  In the periferal_uart application, I am looking to see incoming BLE text messages at the TX of the UART port. And send to BLE UART from the RX of the UART port. 

[bdoan]

Back to the original question, does the nRF application need a flow control bit in order to communicate over the UART port?  If I am using the device with my embedded cpu, do I need to include hardware flow control or just interface RX and Tx?

[Kenneth]

There is no requirement to use hardware flow control, though it typically is usesful in cases where you want to ensure low power operations, because the hardware flow control can be used to disable UART when there is no data to be expected.

Kenneth