MCU + USB

> - Do I need to write a new USB windows driver, to communicate with my
> hardware? Are there predefined "classes" of drivers that already allow
> something so simple as asynchronously sending bytes back and forth?

Lookup the "Communication device class" (or just CDC) on usb.org.   This
provides a standard way of providing a virtual COM port that is supported by
Win98 onwards.  No Windows side programming is required.

If you take a look at the SAM7X lwIP demo application in the FreeRTOS.org
download (link below) you will find some sample source code.   When you
connect the USB to Windows it registers as a normal COM port so can be
accessed just like a 232 port.

Regards,
Richard.

http://www.FreeRTOS.org

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:00:53 +1300, Jim Granville
<no.spam@designtools.co.nz> wrote:
>.. but if the F232R WILL do all you need, without development times,
>you need to look at the volumes carefully to justify using something 
>else.

Yes, I'm having a headache about this.

>( and then, FTDI caim $1.80/10K)

I'm curious. Where did you read that price? The WebShop at the FTDI
page sells the FT232RL for 3.83 EUR, in units, but doesn't say any
other price for larger volumes.

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:23:17 +0100, Mochuelo
<cucafera@RE_MO_VE_THIStelefonica.net> wrote:

>On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:00:53 +1300, Jim Granville
><no.spam@designtools.co.nz> wrote:
>>( and then, FTDI caim $1.80/10K)
>
>I'm curious. Where did you read that price? The WebShop at the FTDI
>page sells the FT232RL for 3.83 EUR, in units, but doesn't say any
>other price for larger volumes.

Sorry, it does say:
US$4.5000/pc, in units.
US$3.6024/pc, for 100 pcs.

Mochuelo wrote:

> On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 12:23:17 +0100, Mochuelo
> <cucafera@RE_MO_VE_THIStelefonica.net> wrote:
> 
> 
>>On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 14:00:53 +1300, Jim Granville
>><no.spam@designtools.co.nz> wrote:
>>
>>>( and then, FTDI caim $1.80/10K)
>>
>>I'm curious. Where did you read that price? The WebShop at the FTDI
>>page sells the FT232RL for 3.83 EUR, in units, but doesn't say any
>>other price for larger volumes.
> 
> 
> Sorry, it does say:
> US$4.5000/pc, in units.
> US$3.6024/pc, for 100 pcs.

Google on [FT232R price ], and near the top is
http://www.eeproductcenter.com/logic/brief/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174900139

Mochuelo wrote:
> Yes, and so are some 8-bit (e.g. Freescale 908JBx) and 32-bit (e.g.
> Philips LPC214x) MCUs. I specially like the LPC214x option because
> those MCUs are cheap, powerful, and already include the other
> peripherals I mentioned I need. If someone tells me that Philips
> provides similar tools to develop the USB driver, I could go for
> option 1.

You should also look at the ARM SAM7 CPUs from Atmel.

The USB ARM CPUs (LPC214? and SAM7) are very different from the
8051 based EZusb/FX2.  In fact, they are so different, that you
shouldn't even be considering them as alternatives for the same
application.

The ARM chips are much more powerful CPUs, but they are only
full-speed USB (12mbps) capable.  The EZusb/FX2 is high-speed
USB (480mbps), 40 times the bandwidth.  The 8051 core is not a
limitation, because the chip has integrated high speed FIFOs, and
a programable interface, so the 8051 just sets everything up, and
then gets out of the way.  The data then moves between the GPIF,
FIFOs and USB with no CPU intervention.

So if your application is very data intensive, with little need
for computing power on the client end, the EZusb/FX2 is a
good choice.

If your data bandwidth needs are more modest, but you want
some CPU horsepower, or the convenience of a high level
language, then the ARM CPUs (LPC214? or SAM7) would be
good choices.

There is an active Yahoo group for LPC2???:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lpc2000
Engineers from Philips participate in the group regularly.

>Is there anything similar to http://www.jungo.com/usb_device.html but
>for ARM7 LPC214x devices?

Don't know.  I am not a Windows guy.  My desktop is running
FreeBSD, so instead of going to jungo.com and paying $3000,
I just type "cd /usr/ports/misc/ezload; make install".