Cables#

USB Data/Power Cables#

For all Beagles, there is a USB client, also called gadget, capable connection that will enable you to create network, serial and data storage connections from a host computer.

In most cases, you can also provide power over this same cable.

In most cases, you can also use the port in a host mode, also sometimes called on-the-go to refer to when a device that is typically a client can also act as a host.

Cable included?#

A USB (High-speed A to Mini-B) cable will normally be supplied with BeagleBone Black. For other boards, you’ll have to procure your own USB cable.

What cable is needed?#

The type of cable you have to procure is listed in the table below:

Table 168 USB client capable data/power ports on Beagles#

Board

USB

Host capable?

Power required [2]

BeagleY-AI

High-speed USB-C

Unsupported

1000mA

BeaglePlay

High-speed USB-C

Yes [1]

500mA

BeagleV-Fire

High-speed USB-C

Yes [1]

750mA

BeagleV-Ahead

Super-speed Micro-AB

Yes

900mA

BeagleBone AI-64

Super-speed USB-C

Yes [1]

3000mA

BeagleBone AI

Super-speed USB-C

Yes [1]

900mA

BeagleBone Black

High-speed Mini-AB

Yes

500mA

BeagleBone Blue

High-speed Micro-AB

Yes

500mA

BeagleBone Black Wireless

High-speed Micro-AB

Yes

500mA

BeagleBone (original)

High-speed Mini-B

No

500mA

BeagleBoard-xM

High-speed Micro-AB

Yes

500mA

BeagleBoard-X15

High-speed Micro-B

No

N/A

PocketBeagle

High-speed Micro-AB

Yes

500mA

Important

BeagleBoard-X15 cannot be powered over the USB port.

Serial Debug Cables#

The default serial port settings for Beagles are:

Table 169 UART settings#

Setting

Value

Baud

115,200

Bits

8

Parity

N

Stop Bits

1

Handshake

None

Molex picoblade serial cables#

These cables are not active (only wires and connector) and provide an interface between USB to Serial converter cables such as the ones listed below and serial debug ports on Beagles such as BeagleBone AI and AI-64. You can purchase these cables from different sources including:

  1. Farnell

  2. DigiKey

Note

BeagleBone AI and BeagleBone AI-64 UART debug port uses a 3pin Molex PicoBlade (1.25mm) connector. Raspberry Pi UART debug port uses a 3pin JST-Sh (1.00mm) connector. The connectors and the cables for both the connector types may look very similar but they are very different. Make sure to check connector type before buying cables because they are incompatible with each other.

Standard FTDI Cable#

The debug cable is a standard FTDI to TTL cable. Make sure you get the 3.3V version! It can purchased from several different sources including but not limited to:

Other options with different USB to Serial ICs exist and will work as well, such as CP2102, CH340G etc but may require additional drivers depending on your operating system.

FTDI Cable

Pin 1 on the cable is the black wire and connects to pin 1 on the board. (the pin with the white dot next to it)

Adafruit 4 Pin Cable (CP2102)#

Adafruit 4-pin serial cable (SiLabs CP2102 based, boards older than 2017 use a Prolific chipset instead)

4 pin serial cable
Table 170 Adafruit 4 pin serial cable connection to BeagleBone Black#

Board

Wire

Pin 1 (GND)

Black (GND)

Pin 4 (RX)

Green (TX)

Pin 5 (TX)

White (RX)

Note

The naming of the signals reflect those of the cable. The swapping of TX and RX takes place on the board.

You will also find an extra RED wire on this cable that supplies 5V @ 500mA which could power the board if connected to one of the VDD_5V pins. It’s recommended that you leave it unconnected.

JTAG debug Cables#

TagConnect (JTAG)#

Boards like BeagleConnect Freedom, BeagleV-Ahead, BeagleV-Fire, and BeaglePlay use the TagConnect interface which allows you to perform firmware updates and JTAG hardware debugging. To use the interface, the the parts below from tag-connect are required.

Note

You need both the cable and the retaining clip to properly use/connect the cable with the boards. There is an option to 3D print protective cap and retaining cap which you can try.

TC2050 debug cable#

TC2050 10pin debug cable
  1. TC2050 cable (tag-connect.com)

  2. TC2050 cable (DigiKey)

TC2050 retaining clip#

TC2050 retaining clip
  1. TC2050 retaining clip (tag-connect.com)

  2. TC2050 retaining clip (DigiKey)

3D printable cap & clip (Optional)#

3D printable TC2050 protective cap
  1. Protective cap (Thingiverse)

  2. Retaining clip (Thingiverse)

HDMI Cables#

Working HDMI Cables#

The BeagleBone Black uses a microHDMI cable.

MicroHDMI to HDMI cable

microHDMI to VGA#

Cable Matters Micro HDMI to VGA Adapter

miniDP to HDMI#

Working miniDP to HDMI Adapters#

Note

BeagleBone-AI64 requires an ACTIVE Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable or adaptor to work, a passive miniDP to HDMI setup will not work at all.

Examples of “Bad” MiniDP to HDMI Adapters#