Product Overview
DS1488N Quad TTL-to-RS-232 Line Driver - 14-Pin DIP, EIA-232-D, Marked MC1488P Equivalent
Condition
Unused NOS - new old stock sourced from an electronics distributor consolidating inventory. The photographed sample is a black plastic 14-pin DIP carrying the National Semiconductor script N logo, the date code S+B9012 on the top line, then DS1488N and MC1488P stacked beneath it, plus a small AR mark alongside the pin 1 notch. Pins are straight, bright and free of oxidation, with no solder on them and no sign of a board pull. Nothing is included beyond the IC itself.
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Product Overview
National Semiconductor DS1488N quad RS-232 line driver in a 14-pin plastic DIP. It takes four TTL/LS logic-level inputs and converts them to RS-232-compatible outputs that meet EIA-232-D and CCITT V.28 / V.24. The part is a direct equivalent to the MC1488P, and this piece says so on its own package - the second and third marking lines read DS1488N and MC1488P together. It is a bipolar device that needs a dual supply, typically plus and minus 9V to plus and minus 15V, and external capacitors handle slew rate control since there is none on chip.
Key Features
- Channels: four independent TTL/LS-compatible input drivers
- Output standards: EIA-232-D and CCITT V.28 / V.24 compliant
- Supply: dual supply required, typically +/-9V to +/-15V
- Output current limit: +/-10 mA typical
- Power-off source impedance: 300 ohms minimum
- Operating temperature: 0 C to +75 C
- Package: 14-pin DIP, pin-compatible with DS14C88 and MC1488P
- Slew rate control: external capacitors required, not on-chip
- Marked: script N logo, S+B9012, DS1488N / MC1488P, AR
Applications
- Embedded designer building the output stage of an RS-232 port between DTE and DCE equipment
- Maintenance technician replacing a failed line driver in an industrial controller that still talks serial
- Repair shop bringing an older terminal, printer or computer peripheral back to a working serial link
- Retrocomputing builder wiring a period-correct TTL-to-RS-232 conversion instead of a modern charge-pump part
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DS1488N a drop-in replacement for the MC1488P?
Yes. The two are pin-for-pin compatible and functionally equivalent 14-pin DIP quad RS-232 line drivers with TTL/LS-compatible inputs. This particular piece carries both numbers printed on the package.
Can I substitute this for a DS14C88?
Pin-compatible, but not identical. The DS14C88 is the CMOS version with lower power draw and on-chip slew rate control. The DS1488N is bipolar and needs external capacitors for slew rate. Check your design before swapping either direction.
What supply does it need?
A dual supply, typically plus and minus 9V to plus and minus 15V. Single-supply operation is not supported. Verify the voltages against your own application before ordering.
What does the S+B9012 marking mean?
It is the date and lot marking printed on the top line beside the National Semiconductor logo. We report it exactly as it appears on the part rather than interpreting it. Markings on other pieces from this stock may differ, so treat the photo as the spec for the photographed piece.
Do I have to buy a tray or a tube of these?
No. Order the count your work actually calls for - one to replace a failed driver on a single board, four or five to stock a bench drawer, a couple dozen if you are building a run. We hold deep stock on this part and there is no forced lot of 25 or 100 to get past. Shipping is $8 flat rate, free once your order passes $28, and orders leave our Idaho warehouse the same or next business day.
Serial ports were once the front door to every terminal, modem and plotter on the floor, and parts like this one did the shouting that got the signal down the cable. Clean pins, a package that still names its own cross-reference, and one more chance to put a stubborn RS-232 link back on speaking terms.
