MAX3238: RS232 Transceiver with Vcc 3.3V but handles +/-12V for the RS232 side

Hi Bill,

The only device in our portfolio that takes in +12V and -12V is the GD75232 and GD65232. But the typical Vcc required for it is 5V. 

Outside of those two, we only have devices that can output +/-9V, +/-7V, and +/-5.5V (no negative supply is needed).

-Bobby

The GDxxx drivers accept 3.3 V input signals, and the receivers' output signals can be converted to 3.3 V with buffers with overvoltage-tolerant inputs like the SN74LVC3G17.

But the GDxxx devices are essentially just level translators. If you want to save power, you can build a transceiver from CMOS components. There is no integrated level translator that supports these voltages, so you have to use 24 V comparators. For the transmitters, use any comparators with push/pull outputs, e.g. TLV1811/2, with a reference voltage of 3.3 V / 2; add a series resistor of about 300 Ω to limit the output current. For the receivers, use comparators with separate grounds like the TLV1871/2, with a reference voltage slightly above 0 V to ensure that a disconnected input outputs high; to conform with the RS-232 specification, add a 5 kΩ resistor to ground at the bus input.