Comments on: Easy DIY USB interface

By: Steve Nichols

Steve Nichols — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:30:51 +0000

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

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:19:36 +0000

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 :)

By: spacemarmot

spacemarmot — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:06:37 +0000

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

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

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 18:22:36 +0000

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.

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:46:42 +0000

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.

By: watts

watts — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 03:00:47 +0000

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

By: hybrid

hybrid — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 00:40:46 +0000

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

By: rodbotic

rodbotic — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 00:00:07 +0000

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/

By: patrick

patrick — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:39:57 +0000

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

By: moral outrage

moral outrage — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 22:28:02 +0000

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.

By: maverick

maverick — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:20:02 +0000

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.

By: Grant D

Grant D — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 19:39:13 +0000

program your USB Missile launcher

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

By: twistedsymphony

twistedsymphony — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:51:36 +0000

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!

By: BronzeG3

BronzeG3 — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:23:55 +0000

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.

By: patrick

patrick — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:10:09 +0000

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