Interesting…

I would like someone to design a board that has some type of u-processor with an ethernet port and a usb port (or better yet a usb port that can recognise a standard usb hub and the normal usb->serial chips).

If you have room (althogh we are talking at least a 4 layer board at this point) a bluetooth chip (that can be paired with a normal bluetooth serial port) would be sweet.

Heck, even 802.11.b chips are frigging tiney these days… A completely wireless 802.11.b -> bluetooth device would the teh r0×0r!!

Anyone REALLY good at hardware/software design? Maybe a really big team effort?

thanks ;)

Posted at 11:28 pm on Dec 9th, 2006 by ...

spark fun has a couple of boards that fit your description:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=273
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=274

if you really need bluetooth, add a bluesmirf:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=582

they have a couple pic based web enabled boards, but those don’t come with usb

Posted at 3:10 am on Dec 10th, 2006 by patrick

Microchip has a chip that can handle ethernet and has a SPI interface. A usb PIC, http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1335&dDocName=en022889, and the bluetooth chips from sparkfun could be just about everything you need. If you want to get started on something like this, make a post in the hackedgadgets forum (http://forum.hackedgadgets.com/). I’m sure we could make a nice community project out of it.

Posted at 8:23 am on Dec 10th, 2006 by BronzeG3

This is an awesome little project, I’ve been trying to hunt down a cheap USB I/O board just like this for quite some time…

I enjoy reading about all the hacks here but it’s always great when one of the hacks fits perfectly with something I was already looking for.

Cheers!

Posted at 8:51 am on Dec 10th, 2006 by twistedsymphony

program your USB Missile launcher

http://www.ninjagizmos.com/products/Cubicle/Striker_II_USB_Laser_Guided_Missile_Launcher

Posted at 11:39 am on Dec 10th, 2006 by Grant D

Just one question: assuming I use cascading transistors, can this thing drive a relay? I know it has digital outputs, but I want to make sure before I build it and accidently fry a pic.

Posted at 1:20 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by maverick

that usb missile toy is in really bad taste. america is involved in a crusade of biblical proportions against well armed terrorists, and we are promoting the idea of individuals being able to launch missiles from their computers?!? what if someone taped “strike anywhere” match heads to the tips of those missiles? this is just another 9/11 waiting to happen.

just kidding.

with this kit, i am gonna make myself a USB triggered trebuchet for launching flaming pianos.

Posted at 2:28 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by moral outrage

you should be able to drive a relay from this, it’s based on a pic and i’ve used pics to drive relays plenty of times

Posted at 3:39 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by patrick

what about the FTDI chips. USB 2 Parallel.
you can run them direct I/O (bitbang mode).
and that chip is $5 at mouser. FT245R
and that chip requires no external hardware!
(excluding the USB cable of course).

http://www.ftdichip.com/

Posted at 4:00 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by rodbotic

Hah, you guys all have a lot of really great ideas, i cant wait to see what i can make out of this device, i just happened to find it the other night and submitted it, Its good to finally have one thing i submitted make it to the front page. =)

Also, ive been thinking about submitting a pic of the hackaday shirt i got at DEFCON, interested?

-Hybrid

Posted at 4:40 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by hybrid

Check out IOWarrior for a nice litlle USB board: http://www.codemercs.com

Posted at 7:00 pm on Dec 10th, 2006 by watts

To search for chip prices, I found http://www.findchips.com/ to be very nice. Also http://www.newark.com Newark In One removed their small order handling fee for web orders and have some of the best prices for microchip parts in small quantities.

Posted at 8:46 am on Dec 11th, 2006 by Mike

Re: #6
Whenever you interface digital circuits with mechanical devices such as relays and motors, you need to place a buffer of some sort between the two because relays and motors tend to generate voltage spikes. You can use buffer chips to lower the output impedance of the digital signal, and then use bypass capacitors to ground on your outputs, to help absorb transient voltage spikes (usually a low-value cap — ceramics for high frequencies, electrolytics for lower frequencies). Keep your digital ground and power ground (as well as your digital supply and power supply) lines separated except at the source — this will help reduce noise.

As far as the transistor arrangement, IIRC the transistor you describe is called a Darlington.

Posted at 10:22 am on Dec 11th, 2006 by Paul

The USB Bit Whacker (PIC18F2455) comes preassembled from SparkFun for $25.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=762

Posted at 12:06 pm on Dec 11th, 2006 by spacemarmot

I found this board a while ago and have been trying to build the dip version of it.
I’m programming it with a wisp628 programmer so I needed a different bootloader that contains the config bits in the hex file ( http://www.mat.ucsb.edu/CUI/viewtopic.php?t=15 ) but when I connect it I get an unknown device in windows so something is still not working. If anyone can get this to work, I would appreciate some help :)

Posted at 8:19 pm on Dec 11th, 2006 by Peter

Hi. I’d like to know who to make strike anywhere matches to take camping and fishing. Lighters are good but have been known to lose all there gas at times so the old match is preferred. Cheers Steve

Posted at 3:30 am on Sep 26th, 2008 by Steve Nichols