NEW: USB Propeller Programmer
Nick McClick
Posts: 1,003
Project Page
The USBThumb is like a 'Super PropPlug' - out of the bag, it's a USB-Serial converter you can use to program your Prop and works just like a regular PropPlug.
What makes it awesome is that it's built with a PIC18F14K50. Headers on the edge of the USBThumb let you use it in your projects and the integrated bootloader lets you re-program it via USB. Compared to the Prop, it's a pretty simple uController, but it's got some handy tricks;
- 9 Channel, 10-bit ADC
- USB 1.0 and 2.0 with libraries for HID, Mass Storage, Audio and more
- i2c, RS232, RS485
- Connects directly to the Acc_Gyro 5DOF IMU
- And a few more - the full datasheet is here (pdf).
More info on the Project Page. As usual, let me know if you have any questions!
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Comments
Jim
http://starlino.com/usbthumb_propeller_programmer.html
Well done Nick & starlino!
You beat me out the door with a PIC18F14K50 solution! I have two of the Microchip DM164127 kits beside me, and a USB Plug based on it is (was?) on my TODO list...
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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system
Post Edited (Bill Henning) : 3/18/2010 6:38:40 PM GMT
@hover - more documentation come shortly, too. Schematic should be up in a bit.
Sorry Bill! I know Starlino has been working on this little guy for a few months. He's also been working on a few backpacks for the USBThumb.
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But I'd rather see it having a female micro USB instead of the USB plug. If you include the PIC into the design you'd fix it to the propeller PCB.
What's the data-rate for USB to serial?
Fortunately I have not sent in the proto's yet.
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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system
Maybe there are other uses to add USB functionality to the prop
I wonder if it could be made a USB host for simple USB devices like memory sticks???
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz
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Leon Heller
Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Another problem with the FTDI chips is there driver. We tried using the RTS & DTR signal out of there chip's to trigger the
boot loader on our board.
The problem is that every time someone plugs another USB device into the PC it sends out a pulse that resets our propeller.
This was very annoying for our customers and we had to put a firmware update shunt in the system.
Russ
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24 bit LCD Breakout Board now in. $24.99 has backlight driver and touch sensitive decoder.
If you have not already. Add yourself to the prophead map
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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system
PIC18F doesn't have USB OTG, but sample libraries are available (here) for:
USB Device - Audio - (Microphone, MIDI, Speaker)
USB Device - Bootloaders
USB Device - CDC - Serial Emulator
USB Device - Composite - HID + MSD
USB Device - Composite - MSD + CDC
USB Device - Composite - WinUSB + MSD
USB Device - HID - (Digitizers, Joystick, Keyboard, Mouser)
USB Device - HID - Uninterruptible Power Supply
USB Device - LibUSB - Generic Driver Demo
USB Device - Mass Storage - (Internal Flash, SD Card)
USB Device - MCHPUSB - Generic Driver Demo
USB Device - WinUSB - Generic Driver Demo
USB Device - WinUSB - High Bandwidth Demo
@mctrivia, I'm sure the USBThumb could be programmed to write to a Prop w/o a computer. It comes pre-programmed to act like a PropPlug, but you can update the firmware via usb.
@Bill I like the dip packages! Starlino uses a DIP 18F14K50 in his motion gamepad. We wanted the USBThumb to be small and pocket-able, so we did SMT on these, but the dip's work great.
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1) Easy prototyping on solderless breadboards
2) Easy to assemble kits
3) Easy to replace chips if needed
But for small size... SMT can't be beat.
That's a nice motion pad! Starlino did good [noparse]:)[/noparse]
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www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com 5.0" VGA LCD in stock!
Morpheus dual Prop SBC w/ 512KB kit $119.95, Mem+2MB memory/IO kit $89.95, both kits $189.95 SerPlug $9.95
Propteus and Proteus for Propeller prototyping 6.250MHz custom Crystals run Propellers at 100MHz
Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system
What's the clock frequency of the USBthumb?
What's the limit for SPI on the propeller?
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Some more questions...
1) Is there a bigger pic in the same series/footprint that could buffer an entire prop image for computer independent programming (like the pickit2 does). We could easily add buttons/leds along the side
2) In the next rev, could we please have a 5th pin to carry the Vdd bus through to the prop circuit, similar to what 4D's CE5 or Bill's SerPlug does? This would also permit the Usbthumb to be powered for ADC operations after USB is disconnected.
well done...
tubular
Post Edited (Tubular) : 3/19/2010 2:13:51 AM GMT
I have made 2 prototypes a half year ago (see pictures) one is all thru hole.
The problem was that it worked well with older PropTools, BST and my PropTerminal Loader, but the newer
PropTools always lost connection with bigger files when downloading. So I decided to not release it until the
reason was found.
I have to read Starlinos docs to see if he use another driver then the original Microsoft-CDC in XP.
@Tubular
There are many other PICs with USB (also OTG) and more memory. The PIC18F46J50 has 64kByte Flash, enough to
replace also the EEPROM for a Propeller, but has 28 Pins.
As you see I have the 5V Pin in my design, very useful! And I also supply 3.3V back from the PropBoard to the PIC
to keep the PIC alive, when no USB is connected.
Andy
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz
Really good job on your programmer too. Even the through hole one looks very compact.
It's amazing what "almost finished" projects are out there, and the minor things that stop them from being fully released. I almost fell off my chair when I saw your puzzle board posted somewhere here, having worked on an almost identical board for digilent style modules. We must swap notes some time.
cheers
tubular
I have chosen the full size USB-B socket because they are easier to solder than the Mini B thru hole. But perhaps I can
have both options on a final version.
Tubular
The 6 free pins on the thru hole version are for a Digilent style connector, and support ADC inputs
The "minor thing" that it don't work with newer PropellerTools was not the only reason to wait with releasing. I also need
to make a PIC firmware which allows the access of the PIC pins and ADCs from the Propeller side via serial connection.
The PIC can also provide some other functions like an SDcard booter, a Watchdog, unique serial number for code protection,
or maybe an RTC.
I have a lot of unfinished projects and boards, so the chance that you really fall off your chair some day is high....
Andy
Andy: The throughhole mini usb is WM17115-ND from DigiKey. Both options would be excellent. Also add links to allow the USB to power the prop, and the prop to power the PIC. I have had the same ideas of using a micro (MC9S08...) to load the prop from it's own inernal flash. It reduces the prop costs, but does create some incompatability. I have designed my RamBlade to do this, but as yet have not programmed the MCRS08..
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz
@Erik - all of the PIC connections are broken out on the edges, including ICSP, Vin and V33 (there's an onboard Vreg). They're labeled on both sides, too:
@ariba - nice looking design!
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Propeller Forums RSS Feed!
Gadget Gangster - Share your Electronic Projects
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Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz
BTW ... today I tried to run ViewPort with the Silicon Labs USB2Serial device that I use to program the propellers. Had no luck with that. Will ViewPort work with the USBthumb?
@MagIO - if you ordered via airmail, it usually takes 7-14 days, but it can get snagged in customs (seems like it happens with 5% of international orders). Customs can hold it for a while - sometimes just a few extra days, but occasionally longer. You can't beat the price for airmail, it's just $6. We also offer EMS - that's trackable and takes 3-5 days, but it's $30.
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The more interesting part of the post is: does USBthumb work with ViewPort? I found out that ViewPort does not work with my current setup even if I switch to 115kb/sec and that's a speed the Silicon Labs USB2serial supports.
Post Edited (MagIO2) : 3/22/2010 9:30:51 PM GMT
I haven't tested it with ViewPort, so I can't say - I bet it will work fine, but I'll give it a whirl tonight and report back on the results.
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