USB Host - KB,Mouse,Gamepad etc.

Unsoundcode · 2023-07-10 14:48

This is a demo of a tiny ch559 mcu configured to work as a USB host, the actual unit I am using is designed by MatzElectronics, a good business to deal with btw.

link: https://www.tindie.com/products/matzelectronics/ch559-usb-host-breakout-board/

There is a more compact module here

link: https://www.tindie.com/products/matzelectronics/ch559-usb-host-to-uart-bridge-module/

These units require 5v for the on board 5v to 3.3v regulator, they come pre-programmed I just had to step the baudrate down a little for my demo. I used a wireless keyboard and in the code a dictionary to look up a few of the letter and number values. The minimal code could be adapted for mouse,gamepad,midi if you have a project where you think it might work or maybe for a great learning experience.

from microbit import *

uart.init(baudrate=57600,tx=None, rx=pin0)

key_list=[]
val=0
msg=''

alphabet=dict({4:'a',5:'b',6:'c',7:'d',8:'e',9:'f',10:'g',11:'h',12:'i',13:'j',14:'k',15:'l',16:'m',17:'n',18:'o',19:'p',
                20:'q',21:'r',22:'s',23:'t',24:'u',25:'v',26:'w',27:'x',28:'y',29:'z',30:'1',31:'2',32:'3',33:'4',34:'5',
                35:'6',36:'7',37:'8',38:'9',39:'0'})

while True:

        if uart.any():
            key_list.append(int.from_bytes(uart.read(1),'big'))
            if len(key_list)>=20:
                val=key_list[13]
                if (val>3 and val<40):
                    msg=alphabet[val]
                    display.show(msg.upper())
                    key_list.clear()
                else:
                    key_list.clear()
        else:
            key_list.clear()

Video link:

The_Master · 2023-07-23 12:33

This looks good. Any more HID examples beyond mouse, gamepad, midi, keyboard? I wonder other types of things it could be used for.

I wish there were an 'HID thumb drive' so I could use it with this, for ~200 byte files of course. (is there?)

Unsoundcode · 2023-07-23 15:08

@The_Master As yet I have not seen an example but there is probably one out there somewhere but I think it would be doubtful if it could be used with the Microbit. This usb device is based on the CH559 made by WCH-IC a Chinese company. Their website talks about a zip file that contains "CH559 FAT file system libraries" , the notes and document files are mostly in the Chinese language and the file is called CH559EVT.ZIP.

USB Host - KB,Mouse,Gamepad etc.

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