Can serial transfer binary data?

[TurboLS]

Can the PIC send out true binary serially or just ASCII representation of it?

[mat janssen]

Yes, It is always binairy data what you sent. ASCII is also binairy.
The recieving unit could be a problem. Don't forget to sent 8 bits.

[TurboLS]

Well, like if I use the BIN8 operator, i do get 10110111 in the serial command window, but Matlab reads it as 49, 48, 49, 49, 48, 49, 49, 49 (which is the decimal value of the ascii characters, 0 and 1. So instead of each bit being sent in 1 bit, each bit requires 5 bits b/c 2^5 is 64. Basically, is there a way to send binary and not ascii?

[NavMicroSystems]

TurboLS,

A "standard terminal" displays the ASCII representation of each byte received.

So if you would like to see "BINARY" on your terminal screen you have got to send the (8bit) ASCII value for the every single "1" and "0"

or

choose a "terminal-program" that is capable of displaying the binary values of received data.

[TurboLS]

what is the command to send binary values if I have a terminal program that can view them?

[TurboLS]

Is the PIC capable of sending RAW binary data?? ASCII characters take longer to send, so if I can send RAW binary data, that would be optimum. Does anyone know?