diff --git a/nodes/core/io/25-serial.html b/nodes/core/io/25-serial.html
index 273707760..ab5fc5352 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/25-serial.html
+++ b/nodes/core/io/25-serial.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!--
-  Copyright 2013 IBM Corp.
+  Copyright 2013,2014 IBM Corp.
 
   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,18 +16,19 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="serial in">
     <div class="form-row node-input-serial">
-        <label for="node-input-serial"><i class="icon-bullhorn"></i> Serial Port</label>
+        <label for="node-input-serial"><i class="fa fa-random"></i> Serial Port</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-serial">
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-input-name"><i class="icon-tag"></i> Name</label>
+        <label for="node-input-name"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> Name</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
     </div>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-help-name="serial in">
     <p>Reads data from a local serial port.</p>
-    <p>Keeps reading from the serial port until it sees \n (default) or the character(s) requested. Only sets <b>msg.payload</b>.</p>
+    <p>In ascii mode keeps reading from the serial port until it sees \n (default) or the character(s) requested. Outputs <b>msg.payload</b> as a <i>string</i>.</p>
+    <p>In binary mode can either output buffers of a fixed size, or wait for a timeout and then send whatever has accumlated. Outputs <b>msg.payload</b> as a <i>buffer</i>.</p>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
@@ -53,11 +54,11 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="serial out">
     <div class="form-row node-input-serial">
-        <label for="node-input-serial"><i class="icon-bullhorn"></i> Serial Port</label>
+        <label for="node-input-serial"><i class="fa fa-random"></i> Serial Port</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-serial">
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-input-name"><i class="icon-tag"></i> Name</label>
+        <label for="node-input-name"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> Name</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
     </div>
 </script>
@@ -93,13 +94,13 @@
 
 <script type="text/x-red" data-template-name="serial-port">
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-config-input-serialport"><i class="icon-bullhorn"></i> Serial Port</label>
+        <label for="node-config-input-serialport"><i class="fa fa-random"></i> Serial Port</label>
         <input type="text" id="node-config-input-serialport" style="width:60%;" placeholder="/dev/ttyUSB0"/>
-        <a id="node-config-lookup-serial" class="btn"><i id="node-config-lookup-serial-icon" class="icon icon-search"></i></a>
+        <a id="node-config-lookup-serial" class="btn"><i id="node-config-lookup-serial-icon" class="fa fa-search"></i></a>
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
         <table><tr>
-            <td width = "102px"><i class="icon-wrench"></i> Settings</td>
+            <td width = "102px"><i class="fa fa-wrench"></i> Settings</td>
             <td width = "100px">Baud Rate</td>
             <td width = "80px">Data Bits</td>
             <td width = "80px">Parity</td>
@@ -146,19 +147,66 @@
             <option value="1">1</option>
         </select>
     </td>
-    </tr></table>
+    </tr></table><br/>
+
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-config-input-newline"><i class="icon-text-width"></i> New line</label>
-        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-newline"  style="width: 50px;">
+        <label for="node-config-input-out"><i class="fa fa-cut"></i> Split input</label>
+        <select type="text" id="node-config-input-out" style="width:52%;">
+            <option value="char">when character received is</option>
+            <option value="time">after a fixed timeout of</option>
+            <option value="count">a fixed number of characters</option>
+        </select>
+        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-newline"  style="width:50px;">
+        <span id="node-units"></span>
     </div>
+
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-config-input-addchar">&nbsp;</label>
-        <select type="text" id="node-config-input-addchar" style="width: 70%;">
-            <option value="false">Don't add 'New Line' to any output messages</option>
-            <option value="true">Add 'New line' to output messages</option>
+        <label for="node-config-input-bin"><i class="fa fa-sign-in"></i> and deliver</label>
+        <select type="text" id="node-config-input-bin" style="width: 77%;">
+            <option value="false">ascii strings</option>
+            <option value="bin">binary buffers</option>
         </select>
     </div>
-    <div class="form-tips">Tip: the new line character is used to split the input into separate messages. It can also be added to every message sent out to the serial port.</div>
+    <br/>
+    <div class="form-row" id="node-config-addchar">
+        <label for="node-config-input-addchar"><i class="fa fa-sign-out"></i> On output</label>
+        <select type="text" id="node-config-input-addchar" style="width: 77%;">
+            <option value="false">don't add 'split' character to output messages</option>
+            <option value="true">add 'split' character to output messages</option>
+        </select>
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-tips" id="tip-split">Tip: the "Split on" character is used to split the input into separate messages. It can also be added to every message sent out to the serial port.</div>
+    <div class="form-tips" id="tip-bin" hidden>Tip: In timeout mode timeout starts from arrival of first character.</div>
+    <script>
+        var previous = null;
+        $("#node-config-input-out").on('focus', function () { previous = this.value; }).change(function() {
+            if (previous == null) { previous = $("#node-config-input-out").val(); }
+            if ($("#node-config-input-out").val() == "char") {
+                if (previous != "char") { $("#node-config-input-newline").val("\\n"); }
+                $("#node-units").text("");
+                $("#node-config-addchar").show();
+                $("#tip-split").show();
+                $("#tip-bin").hide();
+            }
+            else if ($("#node-config-input-out").val() == "time") {
+                if (previous != "time") { $("#node-config-input-newline").val("0"); }
+                $("#node-units").text("ms");
+                $("#node-config-addchar").hide();
+                $("#node-config-input-addchar").val("false");
+                $("#tip-split").hide();
+                $("#tip-bin").show();
+            }
+            else {
+                if (previous != "count") { $("#node-config-input-newline").val("12"); }
+                $("#node-units").text("chars");
+                $("#node-config-addchar").hide();
+                $("#node-config-input-addchar").val("false");
+                $("#tip-split").hide();
+                $("#tip-bin").hide();
+            }
+        });
+
+    </script>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
@@ -172,6 +220,8 @@
             parity: {value:"none",required:true},
             stopbits: {value:1,required:true},
             newline: {value:"\\n"},
+            bin: {value:""},
+            out: {value:""},
             addchar: {value:false}
         },
         label: function() {
@@ -187,13 +237,12 @@
             } catch(err) {
             }
             $("#node-config-lookup-serial").click(function() {
-                $("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").removeClass('icon-search');
-                $("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").addClass('spinner');
+                //$("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").removeClass('fa fa-search');
+                //$("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").addClass('fa fa-spinner');
                 $("#node-config-lookup-serial").addClass('disabled');
-
                 $.getJSON('serialports',function(data) {
-                    $("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").addClass('icon-search');
-                    $("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").removeClass('spinner');
+                    //$("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").addClass('fa fa-search');
+                    //$("#node-config-lookup-serial-icon").removeClass('fa fa-spinner');
                     $("#node-config-lookup-serial").removeClass('disabled');
                     var ports = [];
                     $.each(data, function(i, port){
diff --git a/nodes/core/io/25-serial.js b/nodes/core/io/25-serial.js
index 8594eb8b7..f10e5b5b5 100644
--- a/nodes/core/io/25-serial.js
+++ b/nodes/core/io/25-serial.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /**
-* Copyright 2013 IBM Corp.
+* Copyright 2013,2014 IBM Corp.
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,10 +15,12 @@
 **/
 
 module.exports = function(RED) {
+    "use strict";
     var settings = RED.settings;
     var events = require("events");
     var util = require("util");
     var serialp = require("serialport");
+    var bufMaxSize = 32768;  // Max serial buffer size, for inputs...
 
     // TODO: 'serialPool' should be encapsulated in SerialPortNode
 
@@ -27,11 +29,12 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.serialport = n.serialport;
         this.newline = n.newline;
         this.addchar = n.addchar || "false";
-
         this.serialbaud = parseInt(n.serialbaud) || 57600;
         this.databits = parseInt(n.databits) || 8;
         this.parity = n.parity || "none";
         this.stopbits = parseInt(n.stopbits) || 1;
+        this.bin = n.bin || "false";
+        this.out = n.out || "char";
     }
     RED.nodes.registerType("serial-port",SerialPortNode);
 
@@ -50,7 +53,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 this.serialConfig.newline);
             node.addCh = "";
             if (node.serialConfig.addchar == "true") {
-                node.addCh = this.serialConfig.newline.replace("\\n","\n").replace("\\r","\r");
+                node.addCh = this.serialConfig.newline.replace("\\n","\n").replace("\\r","\r").replace("\\t","\t").replace("\\e","\e").replace("\\f","\f").replace("\\0","\0");
             }
             node.on("input",function(msg) {
                 var payload = msg.payload;
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
     }
     RED.nodes.registerType("serial out",SerialOutNode);
 
+
     function SerialInNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
         this.serial = n.serial;
@@ -97,15 +101,70 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
         if (this.serialConfig) {
             var node = this;
+            node.tout = null;
+            var buf;
+            if (node.serialConfig.out != "count") { buf = new Buffer(bufMaxSize); }
+            else { buf = new Buffer(Number(node.serialConfig.newline)); }
+            var i = 0;
             node.status({fill:"grey",shape:"dot",text:"unknown"});
             node.port = serialPool.get(this.serialConfig.serialport,
                 this.serialConfig.serialbaud,
                 this.serialConfig.databits,
                 this.serialConfig.parity,
                 this.serialConfig.stopbits,
-                this.serialConfig.newline);
+                this.serialConfig.newline
+            );
+            var splitc = new Buffer(node.serialConfig.newline.replace("\\n","\n").replace("\\r","\r").replace("\\t","\t").replace("\\e","\e").replace("\\f","\f").replace("\\0","\0"));
             this.port.on('data', function(msg) {
-                node.send({ "payload": msg });
+                // single char buffer
+                if (node.serialConfig.newline == 0) {
+                    node.send({"payload": new Buffer([msg])});
+                }
+                else {
+                    // do the timer thing
+                    if (node.serialConfig.out === "time")  {
+                        if (node.tout) {
+                            i += 1;
+                            buf[i] = msg;
+                        }
+                        else {
+                            node.tout = setTimeout(function () {
+                                node.tout = null;
+                                var m = new Buffer(i+1);
+                                buf.copy(m,0,0,i+1);
+                                if (node.serialConfig.bin !== "bin") { m = m.toString(); }
+                                node.send({"payload": m});
+                            }, node.serialConfig.newline);
+                            i = 0;
+                            buf[0] = msg;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    // count bytes into a buffer...
+                    else if (node.serialConfig.out === "count") {
+                        buf[i] = msg;
+                        i += 1;
+                        if ( i >= Number(node.serialConfig.newline)) {
+                            var m = new Buffer(i);
+                            buf.copy(m,0,0,i-1);
+                            if (node.serialConfig.bin !== "bin") { m = m.toString(); }
+                            node.send({"payload":m});
+                            i = 0;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    // look to match char...
+                    else if (node.serialConfig.out === "char") {
+                        buf[i] = msg;
+                        i += 1;
+                        if ((msg === splitc[0]) || (i === bufMaxSize)) {
+                            var m = new Buffer(i);
+                            buf.copy(m,0,0,i);
+                            if (node.serialConfig.bin !== "bin") { m = m.toString(); }
+                            node.send({"payload":m});
+                            i = 0;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    else { console.log("Should never get here"); }
+                }
             });
             this.port.on('ready', function() {
                 node.status({fill:"green",shape:"dot",text:"connected"});
@@ -144,9 +203,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                             close: function(cb) { this.serial.close(cb); },
                             write: function(m,cb) { this.serial.write(m,cb); },
                         }
-                        newline = newline.replace("\\n","\n").replace("\\r","\r");
+                        //newline = newline.replace("\\n","\n").replace("\\r","\r");
                         var setupSerial = function() {
-                            if (newline == "") {
+                            //if (newline == "") {
                                 obj.serial = new serialp.SerialPort(port,{
                                     baudrate: baud,
                                     databits: databits,
@@ -154,16 +213,16 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                                     stopbits: stopbits,
                                     parser: serialp.parsers.raw
                                 },true, function(err, results) { if (err) obj.serial.emit('error',err); });
-                            }
-                            else {
-                                obj.serial = new serialp.SerialPort(port,{
-                                    baudrate: baud,
-                                    databits: databits,
-                                    parity: parity,
-                                    stopbits: stopbits,
-                                    parser: serialp.parsers.readline(newline)
-                                },true, function(err, results) { if (err) obj.serial.emit('error',err); });
-                            }
+                            //}
+                            //else {
+                            //    obj.serial = new serialp.SerialPort(port,{
+                            //        baudrate: baud,
+                            //        databits: databits,
+                            //        parity: parity,
+                            //        stopbits: stopbits,
+                            //        parser: serialp.parsers.readline(newline)
+                            //    },true, function(err, results) { if (err) obj.serial.emit('error',err); });
+                            //}
                             obj.serial.on('error', function(err) {
                                 util.log("[serial] serial port "+port+" error "+err);
                                 obj._emitter.emit('closed');
@@ -187,15 +246,16 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                                 obj._emitter.emit('ready');
                             });
                             obj.serial.on('data',function(d) {
-                                if (typeof d !== "string") {
-                                    d = d.toString();
-                                    for (i=0; i<d.length; i++) {
-                                        obj._emitter.emit('data',d.charAt(i));
+                                //console.log(Buffer.isBuffer(d),d.length,d);
+                                //if (typeof d !== "string") {
+                                //    //d = d.toString();
+                                    for (var z=0; z<d.length; z++) {
+                                        obj._emitter.emit('data',d[z]);
                                     }
-                                }
-                                else {
-                                    obj._emitter.emit('data',d);
-                                }
+                                //}
+                                //else {
+                                //    obj._emitter.emit('data',d);
+                                //}
                             });
                         }
                         setupSerial();
@@ -226,7 +286,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     RED.httpAdmin.get("/serialports",function(req,res) {
         serialp.list(function (err, ports) {
-                console.log(JSON.stringify(ports));
+            //console.log(JSON.stringify(ports));
             res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
             res.write(JSON.stringify(ports));
             res.end();