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The
U401 USB interface - Worldwide Shipping (Outside the US)
Please
note that by adding this item to your cart shipping will be Worldwide.
If you want this shipped to US, please go to:
USBmicro's
U401 USB Interface -US
For
Conditions of Sale on the U4x1 products including Delivery details please
read: Conditions of Sale
The
only difference between the U401
and the U421 is the physical
form factor.
090203
- Message from Supplier - I'm now exclusively
shipping a new (slightly modified) U401. This U401 has a new cable that
is detachable, and is much thinner than the old cable. The new cable is
36" long.
The
U401 no longer comes packed with a 30-pin sip header in the package.
The
full information on both of these products can be found on the U401
page.
The
U401
is an assembled and tested circuit card that is 3.5 inches (88.9mm) long
and 1.0 inches (25.4mm) wide. This is the same size as a "One Inch SimmStick".
Although the U401 is not a SIMM
card and will not fit into a SIMM socket, the card can still be used as
a host to SimmSticks, or can be used as a SimmStick when not using the
SIMM sockets.
The
U421
is an assembled and tested circuit card that is 1.5 inches (38.1mm) long
and 0.6 inches (15.2mm) wide. The U421
is a PCB in a "DIP-like" format that can be plugged into a DIP socket,
onto a solderless breadboard, or into a PCB that you design.
The
U4x1 devices now support stepper motor control.
The
U401 USB interface
The
U421 USB interface
The
U401 and U421 USB interface
The
U4x1 is a USB solution that is pre-built, pre-programmed, and pre-tested
and will get you interfacing your PC to various devices in very little
time! There is no USB device assembly, no driver development, and no firmware
to write. In many cases the U401 or U421 can be plugged into an experimenter's
breadboard and circuit interfacing can begin immediately. Demo software
applications can be used "right out of the box".
The
U4x1 can be used with projects that were previously constructed by wiring
to the parallel port of the PC.
Digital
I/O
The
U4x1 provides a simple digital i/o interface for the PC. Sixteen i/o lines
from the microcontroller are provided. Commands can be sent to the U4x1
that change the i/o lines from input to output. I/o lines can be individually
selected as inputs or outputs. The U4x1 supports commands to read the ports,
and if the ports are set to output, to write to the ports.
Stepper
Motor Controller
The
U4x1 can control two stepper motors independently. Either the low, high,
or both nibbles (4 lines) of port A can control a stepper motor, with the
appropriate high current driver circuit. The direction, step type, and
speed of each channel can be controlled by the stepper USB command. See
the ODN, for an application
note for the stepper motor function.
SPI
interface
The
U4x1 is an interface to SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) devices. SPI
is a local synchronous serial bus that uses a clock line, two data lines,
and a device select line for communication between a serial device and
a host microcontroller. The firmware on the U4x1 provides generic access
to read and write SPI devices. The SPI clock rate can be adjusted to 62.5
kHz, 500 kHz, 1 MHz, or 2 MHz. Because additional pins are available as
generic i/o, the U4x1 can use these lines as slave select lines and address
multiple SPI devices.
The
SPI subsystem of the U4x1 can be used as a master to communicate with SPI
devices such as EEPROMS and A/D converters. The U4x1 can also be used as
a SPI slave to a microcontroller that uses the U4x1 as a gateway to the
PC. A PIC, for example, can act as a SPI master to communicate data with
the U4x1, which can then transfer the data to a PC application. Most microcontrollers
can communicate via SPI with software-driven routines, many have internal
SPI hardware. SPI hardware is present on microcontrollers from little 8-bit
devices, like the PIC, to 32-bit microcontrollers like the 680x0-based
devices.
LCD
interface
The
U4x1 is a convenient way to interface a standard Hitachi-type of intelligent
LCD controller to USB. The commands that support communication to the LCD
module are the "standard" LCD commands. Standard commands include writing
characters to the display, and controlling the display.
U4x1
Specifics
The
U401 is an assembled and tested circuit card that is 3.5 inches (88.9mm)
long and 1.0 inches (25.4mm) wide. This is the same size as a "One Inch
SimmStick". Although the U401 is not a SIMM card and will not fit into
a SIMM socket, the card can still be used as a host to SimmSticks, or can
be used as a SimmStick when not using the SIMM sockets.
The
U401 is SimmStick Compatible, the PCB has compatible dimensions and connector
layout as a SimmStick. The U401 uses a compatible SimmStick bus layout.
There are no square pads (not meant to fit in the SIMM socket), but the
spacing for that connector is still maintained. See the ODN Application
section, App5, for examples of using the U401 with SimmSticks.
The
U421 is an assembled and tested circuit card that is 1.5 inches (38.1mm)
long and 0.6 inches (15.2mm) wide. The U421 is a PCB in a "DIP-like" format
that can be plugged into a DIP socket, onto a solderless breadboard, or
into a PCB that you design.
The
U4x1 interfaces to the PC via the USB port. An application on the PC controls
the U4x1. The U4x1 does not use any custom device drivers, just the drivers
that are a part of the operating system. Custom software can be developed
to use the U4x1, or the applications that have been created as examples
here can also be used. A DLL is available to simplify U4x1 use.
With
the U4x1 you can utilize the USB port on your computer to interface to
various electronic devices, such as: lights, LCD displays, SPI analog and
memory devices, switches, relays, tethered robots, model railroad control,
and many custom circuits.
The
definitive source for U4x1 documentation is the ODN,
the On-line Development Notebook. The ODN is the designer's notebook published
directly to the USBmicro support site. The support site and the notebook
contain design information, programming info, application notes, and free
application software that includes source.
The
U401 is shipped assembled and tested with a captive USB cable. The SimBus
area along the long edge does not have a connector attached to allow you
to attach the type of connector that works best for you. A 30-pin straight
header is included with a U401 purchase.
The
U421 is shipped assembled and tested with a captive USB cable. The areas
along the long edges do not have connectors attached to allow you to attach
the type of connectors that works best for you.
Output
demo application:
Input
demo application:
LCD
demo application:
Stepper
demo application:
SPI
demo application:
U401
used with solderless breadboard
U401
front view, older style with DIP U401 chip.
U401
back view, newer style with SMT U401 chip.
090203
- Message from Supplier - I'm now exclusively
shipping a new (slightly modified) U401. This U401 has a new cable that
is detachable, and is much thinner than the old cable. The new cable is
36" long.
The
U401 no longer comes packed with a 30-pin sip header in the package.
Please
note that by adding this item to your cart shipping will be Worldwide.
If you want this shipped to US, please go to:
USBmicro's
U401 USB Interface -US
Support:
1)
Do you need additional support on this product?
2)
You can't find the information you need in the documentation?
3)
You need additional examples, and data?
4)
Any questions not covered in the above list?
Then
please click here.
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