Need insight on making a FT232RL to serial port converter

[hotshot05]

Need insight on making a USB to serial port converter(FT232RL)

The FTDI FT232RL is a USB to TTL/CMOS converter. It provides the output pins - TXD, RXD, CTS, DCD, DSR, DTR, RTS, RI and Ground

If I want to make a real Serial port i.e I want not only the RxD and TxD pins, but I want the DTR, RTS etc pins too to be available, how should I make the connection with MAX232 IC?
Should I pass the DTR, RTS pins too through MAX232 IC along with the main RxD and TxD signals?

I was searching on the FTDI website and found this - Development Modules (the last product on the page - EVAL232R)
Datasheet for it - https://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_EVAL232R.pdf
The circuit diagram is provided on Page 16 of the datasheet. There it has been shown that all the signals (TXD, RXD, CTS, DCD, DSR, DTR, RTS, RI) are being passed through the SP213EHCA IC. It is also a level converter.

So for making a real serial port, I have to pass each and every signal through a level converter. Right?

 

[alexan_e]

I think you can use a couple of MAX232 to have the same effect as the SP213EHCA, after all SP213EHCA is just a multi channel transceiver for RS232 and the Tx and Rx lines are used for the rest of the signals, these are just level translators you can use any signal they are not limited to Tx/Rx.

Alex

 

[hotshot05]

I think you can use a couple of MAX232 to have the same effect as the SP213EHCA, after all SP213EHCA is just a multi channel transceiver for RS232 and the Tx and Rx lines are used for the rest of the signals, these are just level translators you can use any signal they are not limited to Tx/Rx.

Alex

What I wanted to know is that do I have to level translate each and every signal to make a real serial port?

 

[alexan_e]

This depends on the device that you intend to connect it to , if it is a logic level device then no.
Also the level translator (in both sided) makes the signals immune to noise so you can use long wires.

Alex

 

[hotshot05]

This depends on the device that you intend to connect it to , if it is a logic level device then no.
Also the level translator (in both sided) makes the signals immune to noise so you can use long wires.

Alex

I want to connect serial port based PIC programmers like the JDM one. And also the serial port based old AVR programmers. (This is kind of a proof of concept thing. I know that USB programmers exist. But I want to try and see if the old programmers can be made to work via a USB port)

 

[FvM]

What I wanted to know is that do I have to level translate each and every signal to make a real serial port?

Every used signal.