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Using USB Port instead of Com port to send code — Parallax Forums

Using USB Port instead of Com port to send code

masa1221masa1221 Posts: 5
edited 2006-01-11 14:42 in BASIC Stamp
·I was curious to find out if it is possible to send a piece of code to BSII·from PC, using USB port instead of using COM port w/ RS232 cable.

because I'm currently working on project and I need to send information wirelessly to the BSII(Embedded Blue) from USB port(Bluetooth) on the pc side.

if anyone is familiar with this, i would appreciate it.

·

Comments

  • RfRf Posts: 11
    edited 2006-01-10 22:13
    masa,

    I dropped the same question on the newsgroup and I got only one response. The Stamworks Kit I got was very complete, I went through almost all the exercises in the book and I was amazed that each one of the exercises worked pretty good. Jon Williams did a very good job with the Books. I didn't have trouble with a single one. However, my suggestion to Parallax is to work on more examples for serial communications including USB.

    There are a lot of questions without a good answer in terms of the SERIN use. SEROUT is OK but with SERIN there is too much confusion. At least, I am considering to start working with the DB9 serial cable because USB defeated me. :=(

    I found the Customer Service support on this regards poor but we can't say nothing because at least the answer the phone very quick and they charge nothing.

    Regards,

    RogerF
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2006-01-10 22:32
    I may not be understanding your question correctly, but we have several boards that use USB for their connection.

    Ryan

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    Ryan Clarke
    Parallax Tech Support

    RClarke@Parallax.com
  • RfRf Posts: 11
    edited 2006-01-10 22:41
    Hi Ryan,

    I don't want to speak for masa but I think he wants to know if there is a way to transmit PCTOBS2 using a thirs party Programming language like C or VB via USB using the one of the boards you describe.

    Thanks,

    RogerF
  • Ryan ClarkeRyan Clarke Posts: 738
    edited 2006-01-10 22:57
    Sure, but then the issue is one of VB or C code. Neither of which are supported by Parallax. There are several sources for information on the communication protocol / timing of the Stamps. A number of people have written VB apps to talk to stamps.

    Ryan

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    Ryan Clarke
    Parallax Tech Support

    RClarke@Parallax.com
  • RfRf Posts: 11
    edited 2006-01-11 02:26
    Ryan, you sadi "There are several sources for information on the communication protocol / timing of the Stamps".

    Can you mention some of thouse sources? I read the reference manual several times but I am having hard time putting all the info together.


    Thanks!
  • masa1221masa1221 Posts: 5
    edited 2006-01-11 04:53
    Hey, guys.

    I'm trying to transmit a piece of PBASIC code to the board of education which Parallax provides via USB port.
    I have a Embedded Blue(Tranciever) set on the Pinout slot on a board, and a transmitter set on USB port on PC.

    I was wondering if it is possible to transfer some information over a board of education via USB wirelessly.

    thanks,

    http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=30068 (embedded blue)
  • Tom WalkerTom Walker Posts: 509
    edited 2006-01-11 14:23
    I seem to be in a particularly expressive mood today, so...

    There seems to be some confusion as to what can and can't be done and what the purpose of USB is as it regards the Stamp.

    The USB included on the BOE is implemented as a "standard" serial port as far as your PC and Stamp are concerned. On the PC side, the driver let's the PC see the USB that is attached to the Stamp as a "COM"-type serial port, so any communication to/from the PC from/to the Stamp is conducted just like any serial communication using a COM port. On the Stamp side, the FTDI chip on the BOE handles all of the low-level USB-to-serial "stuff" that has to happen (lots of timing/formatting/response type of handwaving) to allow the Stamp to see the USB connector as just another serial line.

    In short, with the correct drivers and connection present, the PC is just talking to a COM port and the Stamp is just talking serially. Neither cares that there is a USB in between them.

    And yes, I know that I just smothered a fairly complex topic with a simplistic explanation...

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    Truly Understand the Fundamentals and the Path will be so much easier...
  • Tom WalkerTom Walker Posts: 509
    edited 2006-01-11 14:42
    And while I'm on a roll...
    As far as being able to "send a piece of code to BSII from PC, using USB port instead of using COM port", the process for programming the Stamp is a fairly complex one, involving precise timing and expected responses from the Stamp during the programming cycle. The exact details are part of Parallax's intellectual property, but they have been kind enough to provide a library (for multiple OS's, at that) that handles all of the details if you wish to create your own IDE. This is what the Mac and Linux IDEs use to handle the actual programming of the Stamp.· As far as the USB aspect is concerned, this has been covered before...

    How to use this library is left as an exercise for the reader...

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Truly Understand the Fundamentals and the Path will be so much easier...

    Post Edited (Tom Walker) : 1/11/2006 2:46:44 PM GMT
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