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I want to conect the ez430-rf2500 development tool with PIC16f877 throught uart, do I have to use a max232 chip in order to be able to communicate between those two MCUs or it can be done without it.

Kostas
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    It might be worth adding what voltage both systems are running at. – PeterJ Mar 02 '13 at 01:35
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    I guess, @Kostas meant [PIC **16** F877](http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/Devices.aspx?dDocName=en026561), because PIC **18** F877 model doesn't exist. – Nick Alexeev Mar 02 '13 at 01:58

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You can connect the PIC's UART to the MSP430's UART directly, if the power supply voltages are the same. So, it is possible get away without an RS-232 driver such as MAX232. Of course, you would need to connect the grounds together.

As a side note, MAX232 generates the true RS-232 voltage levels. These are higher than the voltage levels, which the UART outputs. The benefit of higher voltage levels is that the true RS-232 is more immune to interference.

What if the power supply voltages aren't the same?

PIC16F877 can use supply voltages between +2V and +5.5V. MSP430F2274 on the ez430 can use supply voltages between +1.8V to +3.6V. Suppose that the MSP430 runs off +3.3v, and the PIC runs off +5V. MSP430F2274 doesn't have inputs that are 5V-tolerant.

The supply voltage ranges overlap. May be, lowering the supply of the PIC16F877 to +3.3V is an option. You may need to lower the oscillator frequency. Check that other components, which share the power supply rail with the PIC can operate off +3.3V.

If your design doesn't allow you to lower the PIC's supply voltage from +5V to +3.3V, there are level shifters (or level translator) ICs. See this post for details.

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Nick Alexeev
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  • Nick thank you for your detailed answer and yes I meant 16f877 sorry for that ;) If I use a voltage divider at the PICs TX and RX pins to get the +3.3V whould it fix that problem? – Kostas Mar 02 '13 at 04:03
  • @Kostas Voltage divider would work. Your baud rate is probably not too high. – Nick Alexeev Mar 02 '13 at 04:28