Serial login (UART)
Serial login is a common way to interact with the board over UART. It lets you view boot logs and debug the system using a serial terminal.
Hardware connection
When using a USB‑to‑serial cable with Cubie A7S, make sure the pins are connected correctly. Incorrect wiring may damage the hardware.
Do not connect the VCC wire of the USB‑to‑serial cable to avoid accidental damage.
To connect your PC and the board for serial communication, use either a USB‑to‑TTL module or a USB‑to‑serial cable.
Option A -> USB‑to‑serial cable: connect the Dupont wires to the board and the USB end to the PC.
Option B -> USB‑to‑TTL module: use Dupont wires to connect the module to the board, then connect the USB end to the PC.
Note: The pinout shown is for common USB‑to‑serial cables/modules. Refer to your specific module’s documentation if it differs.
| Cubie A7S pin | Connection | USB‑to‑TTL module / USB‑to‑serial pin |
|---|---|---|
| GND (Pin 6) | Dupont wire | GND |
| UART0_TX (Pin 8) | Dupont wire | RXD |
| UART0_RX (Pin 10) | Dupont wire | TXD |
Serial console
Serial parameters
- Baud rate: 115200
- Data bits: 8
- Stop bits: 1
- Parity: none
- Flow control: none
Using Tabby
We recommend using Tabby for serial port login. Tabby is a powerful and user-friendly serial debugging tool that supports multiple protocols including serial port and SSH, and is compatible with mainstream operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Download Tabby
Visit the Tabby official website to download and install the Tabby software.
Install Tabby
Select the appropriate installation package for your operating system and hardware architecture (Windows: tabby-<version>.exe, Linux: tabby-<version>.deb, macOS: tabby-<version>.dmg) to install the Tabby software.
Using Tabby
After installation, double-click the Tabby icon to launch the application.
Serial Port Configuration
① --> Settings : Click the settings option
② --> Profiles & connections : Click to configure connection options
③ --> New profile : Click to add a new configuration
Select Serial Port Template
Choose a base configuration as a template: Select any Serial template. You can modify parameters such as device name, serial port device number, and baud rate in the subsequent configuration interface.
Modify Serial Port Parameters
After selecting the Serial template, modify the following parameters:
① --> Name : Set the connection name (recommended to use the product name)
② --> Device : Set the serial port device number (default is /dev/ttyUSB0 if only one serial device is connected to a Linux system)
③ --> Baud rate : Set the baud rate to 115200
④ --> Save : Save the configuration
For different platforms or when multiple serial devices are connected, you can safely unplug the USB serial cable connected to the board and observe the device number changes to identify the correct device.
Login via Serial Port
Click the run button to log in to the serial port device.
After a successful connection, press Enter to display the login prompt. Then use the corresponding system username and password to log in (the password will not be displayed as you type; press Enter after entering the password).
Android system login does not require entering user account and password.
Using the Serial Port
After successfully logging in to the system via the serial port, you can view system logs and run commands to test system functionality.