arduinohardwareserialusb
I'm currently using an Arduino on a breadboard, interfacing with it via a FT232R chip mounted on a breakout board. For my final design I'd ideally like to use all thru-hole components for ease of construction (it'll all be hand soldered) but don't really want to solder the breakout board on (though if this is the only feasible way then so be it.)
Are there any thru-hole equivalents of the FT232R chip?
The probable problem is that the USB VCC and BPSS (Breadboard Power Supply Stick) 5V output are hard connected together and the regulator on the BPSS acts as a load to the USB 5V supply. See "Vcc back-feed" diagram below.
Breaking the 5V feed between the two power supplies MAY be all that is required.
This may cause "issues if the two nominal 5V supplies are substantially different in voltage but will probably work OK.
Care needs to be taken in choosing which items work on which supply.
An active switching arrangement that connected the two supplies only when both were powered may be useful but should not be necessary.
Paraphrased from my comments above
Depending on the flexibility available in designing the sensor modules, a common signaling / sensor approach traditionally used with long cables in industrial applications is the 4-20 mA (or 10-50 mA for longer throws or EMI-intensive environments) current loop signaling standard.
Industrial sensor modules are often designed to be powered by the same current loop, thus eliminating the need for local power supplies. This is feasible, of course, only if the sensor module does not require greater than 4 mA drive current.
Various options exist for signaling current regulation, such as using BJTs, MOSFETs or complementary TrenchFET parts.
At the data collection end, voltage generated across a shunt resistor is amplified using an op-amp, for analog sensors. Digital signals can be captured using a suitably trimmed comparator circuit designed with some hysteresis.
Depending on any lightning or other high voltage risks perceived along the transmission cables, isolation amplifiers may be recommended instead of conventional op-amps for amplifying the shunt voltage. This ensures that the data collation devices are protected from potential differences that may creep in through induction, ground potential differences, or other causes.
For example, TI's AMC1100 Fully-Differential Isolation Amplifier is designed specifically for current-shunt sensing with HV isolation.
An added advantage of using a current loop signaling approach is that security breaches to the home security system implied in the question, can be detected if any sensor is either shorted out, or disconnected.
Best Answer
Other companies may also make this but I was able to find it on octopart.com
http://octopart.com/parts/mounting-type--through+hole/search?q=ft232r
Authorized distributors: http://octopart.com/ub232r-ftdi-7865424