USB Questions

christo1423

Is it possible to have the Basic Stamp do File I\O with a pen drive to suplement program and/or data storage? another question I have is if it can control a device such as a CD-RW Drive through USB or IDE.If either of these are a possiblity I will also need to know the hardware and code required.·

Chris Savage

Hello,

·· What you're proposing would not be possible without a significant hardware and software overhead.· The BASIC Stamp cannot directly control an IDE or USB device.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com

Paul Baker

I don't have good news for you, accessing a USB pen drive requires a USB master controller. I have not heard of any member of the forum who has accomplished this. IDE will be too fast for the stamp to handle as well. Someone is currently working on accessing an old amiga drive (MFM) but they are using an SX. You'll need to purchase a special interface board to do either of these, and I don't know of a specific module off the top of my head

Bruce Bates

christo1423 -

The following development board will permit ordinary disk FILE I/O but not via USB. This system uses the small memory cards (SD) often found in digital cameras and the like. I don't know if this will accomplish what you want to do or not, but here's a link to the product:
http://www.ghielectronics.com/FileSystem.htm

Regards,

Bruce Bates

Robert Kubichek

Try this site, the new board does USB memory and SD/MMC chips, plus soon to come a simple webserver/TCP-IP stack;


www.ghielectronics.com/USBhost.htm


Bob N9LVU

Post Edited (Robert Kubichek) : 7/1/2005 9:44:39 PM GMT

christo1423

The responses so far cover the hard drive\pendrive part of the problem but are there any thoughts on how to deal with a CD-RW?

Robert Kubichek

christo1423 said...
The responses so far cover the hard drive\pendrive part of the problem but are there any thoughts on how to deal with a CD-RW?

I do not think that you can do it on a CD-RW, because it needs 2 device drivers on a pc just to access the drive, then you need the software that handles burning of data to the cd....
I would stick with pen drives or flash drives, or a regular laptop/stamp or smaller hard drive.
A hard drive uses mucho power, takes up space, produces heat, and is harder to weatherize.
A hard drive costs more, lasts longer (read/write).
A thumb drive is much smaller, uses much less energy, and is easier to weatherize.
The thumb drive costs about the same as a SD/MMC card and has roughly the same life span (read/write).
I would think that an SD/MMC card would be the best way to go, as it uses the least amount of energy, and has the smallest footprint, making it easier to weatherize.
The cost comes in with the interface to the stamp, as I think there are 3 or 4 vendors that make an interface (serial) that would be easiest to use.

www.ghielectronics.com/USBhost.htm
www.ghielectronics.com/FileSystem.htm
www.bipom.com/documents/peripherals/mmc-rtc.pdf
www.roguerobotics.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=5&MMN_position=6:2:5

These are the links I currently have....

Bob N9LVU

Post Edited (Robert Kubichek) : 7/11/2005 2:18:54 AM GMT

Peter Verkaik

Here is another one

MMC-Disk Drive RS232

MMC-Disk Drive I2C

http://www.e-lab.de/diverse/components_en.html

regards peter