I did not build this circuit. I bought a few already assembled. Please keep this in mind if you are going to build. The schematic
diagram is essentially copied from the data sheet.
Schematic Diagram
Parts
TTL-232R-5V - or -
UB232R - or -
Breakout Board for FT232RL USB to Serial
Not shown
Perfboard
Single row headers (for breakout board)
6 or 10 conductor ribbon cable
6 or 10 conductor ribbon connector
Notes
The target microcontroller may provide it's own power, or get it from the USB bus.
The target microcontroller power supply voltage must match the settings on the USB-TTL converter.
For Windows based development, you might want to stick to the Breakout Board. It exposes DTR.
Assembly
No assembly required for the UB232R. Add single row headers to the Breakout Board.