I have been using the USB to Serial converter using the FTDI chipset
purchased from ZBasic:

http://www.zbasic.net/Interface-Kits/USB-TTL-Serial-Converter/p-42.html

Not to be heretical here but I connect the ZBasic IDE to the Z-24 with
it for software downloading, debugging and firmware updates. I have
found it to be very reliable. 25 USD + shipping. Be sure to install the
correct drivers, readily available from FTDI.

You might also try the same thing from SparkFun:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_idq8

Same chipset ready to go for 15 bucks USD + shipping. I have not used
this but it should be basically the same as the ZBasic one.

HTH

Vic
--

*____________________________________________________________________________________________*

*Victor Fraenckel
KC2GUI
victorf ATSIGN windreader DOT com**

*

Hi,

I found one that is maybe what are you looking.

Attached is the link:

http://www.ftdichip.com/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_UM232R.pdf
http://www.ftdichip.com/Products/EvaluationKits/UM232R.htm

One is the document and the second the company products.

rosarite

-----Original Message-----
From: e...@yahoo.com
To: b...
Sent: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 10:53 AM
Subject: [BasicX] Re: USB Drive Interface?

--- In b..., "Ken Strauss" wrote:
>
> At £12.07 for the chipset (qty 1) it doesn't really seem too bad. It
is half
> that price in quantity. The complete OEM board is £36.27. Everything is
> expensive in the UK; it should be considerably less if you can find
a North
> American source.

I hope someone posts a message if they know of an American source. If
we order from the UK, the exchange rate is not in our favor. It's
about $2 for one pound.

Sometimes we can save money when ordering from the UK if we explain
that we don't have to pay VAT tax. VAT tax is often figured in to the
price, but the laws in the UK don't require buyers in overseas
countries to pay it.

I want to emphasize the value in having good protocol support. Many
times there's a steep cost for the software protocols, and often
there's a royalty for distributing a lot of devices to customers.
Usbwiz can be cost effective when you factor in the protocol cost with
other solutions.

Although I'm not an 8051 guy, the SiLabs 8051 chip with USB support (I
think it's the C8051F350?) does not have a cost or royalty for a very
good USB stack, if you simply buy the appropriate dev board. And the
dev board is reasonably priced and the 8051 chips are cheap. That's
why a lot of mass-produced equipment uses 8051 USB chips.

Eric

________________________________________________________________________
AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

--- In b..., "Ken Strauss" wrote:
>
> At 12.07 for the chipset (qty 1) it doesn't really seem too bad. It
is half
> that price in quantity. The complete OEM board is 36.27. Everything is
> expensive in the UK; it should be considerably less if you can find
a North
> American source.

I hope someone posts a message if they know of an American source. If
we order from the UK, the exchange rate is not in our favor. It's
about $2 for one pound.

Sometimes we can save money when ordering from the UK if we explain
that we don't have to pay VAT tax. VAT tax is often figured in to the
price, but the laws in the UK don't require buyers in overseas
countries to pay it.

I want to emphasize the value in having good protocol support. Many
times there's a steep cost for the software protocols, and often
there's a royalty for distributing a lot of devices to customers.
Usbwiz can be cost effective when you factor in the protocol cost with
other solutions.

Although I'm not an 8051 guy, the SiLabs 8051 chip with USB support (I
think it's the C8051F350?) does not have a cost or royalty for a very
good USB stack, if you simply buy the appropriate dev board. And the
dev board is reasonably priced and the 8051 chips are cheap. That's
why a lot of mass-produced equipment uses 8051 USB chips.

Eric

At 12.07 for the chipset (qty 1) it doesn't really seem too bad. It is half
that price in quantity. The complete OEM board is 36.27. Everything is
expensive in the UK; it should be considerably less if you can find a North
American source.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: b... [mailto:b...] On Behalf Of
> Eric Engler
> Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 9:11 PM
> To: b...
> Subject: [BasicX] Re: USB Drive Interface?
>
> --- In b..., "Ken Strauss" wrote:
> >
> > Do a Google for "USBwiz" or take a look at
> > http://www.alfat.co.uk/usbwiz.html
>
> Looks good and great protocol support. But watch out when it comes to
> pricing.
>
> Eric
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>

--- In b..., "Ken Strauss" wrote:
>
> Do a Google for "USBwiz" or take a look at
> http://www.alfat.co.uk/usbwiz.html

Looks good and great protocol support. But watch out when it comes to
pricing.

Eric

Do a Google for "USBwiz" or take a look at
http://www.alfat.co.uk/usbwiz.html
> -----Original Message-----
> From: b... [mailto:b...] On Behalf Of
> Micro-Tron Inc.
> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 3:33 PM
> To: b...
> Subject: Re: [BasicX] USB Drive Interface?
>
> Try a Google Search for USB Formating. Jan Axleson has written several
> articles for Nuts And Volts and other mags. You will need a interface
> chip
> as the USB requires quite a bit of communication between the host pc and
> your micro. Too much work for a simple micro.
>
> On 3/28/07, impulsum wrote:
> >
> > I am wondering if anyone has any information on interfacing to a USB
> > Jump Drive? (Thumb Drive, Flash Stick, Mem Stick, whatever you want to
> > call it)
> >
> > I have see several posts throughout forums like this one about using
> > devices to access SD and CF cards, but not USB. Can it be as easy as
> > using a TTL or RS232 to USB convertor and just knowing the right
> > commands to read and write files in FAT format, that a PC would
> > understand?
> >
> >
> >
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>

I know I'm replying to my own post, but I found something!

FTDI Chip has come out with a new chip set that includes all the
overhead to interface to a USB Flash Drive directly from a
microcontroller. They also have eval modules that look sort of like
the BasicX with a USB port on it.
Only $26 at Mouser: http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?
R=VDIP1virtualkey62130000virtualkey895-VDIP1

Check out the modules from FTDI Chip here: http://www.vinculum.com/

Try a Google Search for USB Formating. Jan Axleson has written several
articles for Nuts And Volts and other mags. You will need a interface chip
as the USB requires quite a bit of communication between the host pc and
your micro. Too much work for a simple micro.

On 3/28/07, impulsum wrote:
>
> I am wondering if anyone has any information on interfacing to a USB
> Jump Drive? (Thumb Drive, Flash Stick, Mem Stick, whatever you want to
> call it)
>
> I have see several posts throughout forums like this one about using
> devices to access SD and CF cards, but not USB. Can it be as easy as
> using a TTL or RS232 to USB convertor and just knowing the right
> commands to read and write files in FAT format, that a PC would
> understand?
>

I am wondering if anyone has any information on interfacing to a USB
Jump Drive? (Thumb Drive, Flash Stick, Mem Stick, whatever you want to
call it)

I have see several posts throughout forums like this one about using
devices to access SD and CF cards, but not USB. Can it be as easy as
using a TTL or RS232 to USB convertor and just knowing the right
commands to read and write files in FAT format, that a PC would
understand?