Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.

>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.

FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?



Wouter van Ooijen

-- ------------------------------------
http://www.voti.nl
PICmicro chips, programmers, consulting

Wouter van Ooijen (www.voti.nl) <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
>>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
>>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
>>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.
> 
> FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?

If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
buffers.

-- 
http://inquisitor.i.am/    |  mailto:inquisitor@i.am |             Ian Stirling.
---------------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------
Get off a shot FAST, this upsets him long enough to let you make your
second shot perfect.                                  -- Robert A Heinlein.

<root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lkn8$5uk$2$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> Wouter van Ooijen (www.voti.nl) <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
> >>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
> >>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
> >>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.
> >
> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
>
> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
> buffers.

I'd like to know more about this last option....

Siol

SIOL <info@noo-spam.com> wrote:
> <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lkn8$5uk$2$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
>> Wouter van Ooijen (www.voti.nl) <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
>> >>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
>> >>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
>> >>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.
>> >
>> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
>>
>> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
>> buffers.
> 
> I'd like to know more about this last option....

The FTDI chip just looks like an 8 bit FIFO, with the PC supplying data
via USB into the middle.
Look at the website (IIRC http://www.ftdichip.om/

-- 
http://inquisitor.i.am/    |  mailto:inquisitor@i.am |             Ian Stirling.
---------------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------
Two fish in a tank: one says to the other, "you know how to drive this thing??"

<root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lnli$i25$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
> SIOL <info@noo-spam.com> wrote:
> > <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lkn8$5uk$2$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> >> Wouter van Ooijen (www.voti.nl) <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
> >> >>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
> >> >>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
> >> >>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.
> >> >
> >> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
> >>
> >> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
> >> buffers.
> >
> > I'd like to know more about this last option....
>
> The FTDI chip just looks like an 8 bit FIFO, with the PC supplying data
> via USB into the middle.
> Look at the website (IIRC http://www.ftdichip.om/

Is that URL correct?

Siol

SIOL <info@noo-spam.com> wrote:
> <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lnli$i25$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
>> SIOL <info@noo-spam.com> wrote:
>> > <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3lkn8$5uk$2$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
>> >> Wouter van Ooijen (www.voti.nl) <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
>> >> >>Got the cypress EZ-USB, tad of an overkill when you need just a USB
>> >> >>port and 3 io pins. What else is available in the small micro range
>> >> >>with USB capability that is low cost and if possible, free dev tools.
>> >> >
>> >> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
>> >>
>> >> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
>> >> buffers.
>> >
>> > I'd like to know more about this last option....
>>
>> The FTDI chip just looks like an 8 bit FIFO, with the PC supplying data
>> via USB into the middle.
>> Look at the website (IIRC http://www.ftdichip.om/
> 
> Is that URL correct?

Probably not.
Google for ftdi.

-- 
http://inquisitor.i.am/    |  mailto:inquisitor@i.am |             Ian Stirling.
---------------------------+-------------------------+--------------------------
Acting is merely the art of stopping a large number of people from coughing 
                                                       - Sir Ralph Richardson

<root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3m6ue$6of$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> >> >> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
> >> >>
> >> >> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
> >> >> buffers.
> >> >
> >> > I'd like to know more about this last option....
> >>
> >> The FTDI chip just looks like an 8 bit FIFO, with the PC supplying data
> >> via USB into the middle.
> >> Look at the website (IIRC http://www.ftdichip.om/
> >
> > Is that URL correct?
>
> Probably not.
> Google for ftdi.

I saw the problem immediately after writing this.

Interesting, I wish I'd have seen this before. Thanks for the tip.

Siol

SIOL wrote:
> 
> <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:b3m6ue$6of$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> > >> >> > FTDI + your choice of a cheap uC?
> > >> >>
> > >> >> If you just need 8 slow IO pins, all you might need is a couple of latching
> > >> >> buffers.
> > >> >
> > >> > I'd like to know more about this last option....
> > >>
> > >> The FTDI chip just looks like an 8 bit FIFO, with the PC supplying data
> > >> via USB into the middle.
> > >> Look at the website (IIRC http://www.ftdichip.om/
> > >
> > > Is that URL correct?
> >
> > Probably not.
> > Google for ftdi.
> 
> I saw the problem immediately after writing this.
> 
> Interesting, I wish I'd have seen this before. Thanks for the tip.
> 
> Siol

try
http://www.dontronics.com/dlp.html
http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
for starters

-- 
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              Home Page: http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your favorite Micro.      http://www.dontronics.com/dlp.html
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>
> try
> http://www.dontronics.com/dlp.html
> http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
> for starters
>

Might work better/cheaper just to use a USB micro to start out with.

The MC68HC908JB8 is a low-speed, USB 1.1 uC. Digi-Key sells them for about
$5 in quantity of one. This is for a flash chip, the OTP are probably a bit
cheaper (though Digi-Key doesn't have them).

I've used the 28 pin SOIC version. All you need is the chip, a crystal, some
resistors, a couple capacitors, and a USB plug. Toss on a MAX232 and five
jumpers, and you can easily program the chip in-circuit. PEmicro.com has
some great IDE and programmer tools available for download.

Digi-Key also has the 20-DIP package of this. I've never used it, but it
certainly looks like an easy way to get USB onto even a Radio Shack
protoboard or breadboard. You lose a few bits of I/O (which I needed) but
certainly a handy little chip.

I have two JB8 boards sitting on my desk now; one professional dev board
from Elektronikladen, and one board I designed which also includes a USB
hub.

I already have Windows software and assembly methods to transfer a few bytes
to and from the controller, using the HID-class protocol. I'll be willing to
help if someone decides to go the JB8 route.

Remember that if you want to sell a USB device, prepare for a lengthy
verification process and shelling out a couple grand to get a vendor ID.